May 2026

We are Family:

Moving Together this May

May is Family Wellness Month, and while annual checkups are an important part of keeping your family healthy, it’s also the perfect time to bring more physical activity into your everyday routines and family gatherings.

Regular physical activity helps reduce the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension while also supporting mood, stress regulation, and overall mental well-being. Research consistently shows that when families are active together, they are more likely to build long-term healthy habits, improve physical health outcomes, and strengthen emotional connection.

Family Wellness Month encourages exactly that, more movement, together. The best part? Workouts don’t have to be structured for movement to be meaningful. Some ideas for family movement include:

• Family walks around the neighborhood after dinner

• Weekend bike rides

• Backyard games

• Dance breaks in the kitchen

What matters most is consistency and connection.



This month is a reminder that movement can be simple, accessible, and shared. Small moments of physical activity together not only support healthier bodies, but also help families slow down and reconnect in ways that last well beyond May.

More than Museums:

Turning Stories into Student Strength

May 5th is Museum Lovers Day, a perfect opportunity to highlight how museums can bring powerful, real-world lessons into the classroom. The National Medal of Honor Museum uses the stories of Medal of Honor recipients to help students explore values like courage, commitment, integrity, and sacrifice. These aren’t just historical concepts, they’re skills students can practice every day.

Programs like Character Playbook and Moments That Matter translate these values into relatable, student-centered scenarios, encouraging reflection, decision-making, and personal growth. In a PE setting, these lessons come to life through teamwork, sportsmanship, accountability, and perseverance. Whether it’s honoring a commitment to a team, showing integrity during competition, or demonstrating courage in challenging moments, educators can reinforce character alongside physical skills.



By connecting movement with meaning, teachers can use these museum-inspired lessons to help students build not only stronger bodies, but stronger character.

May 6th is Bike/Walk/Roll to School Day

Join students around the world as they participate in the Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day 2026! Walk & Roll to School Day began in 1997 to raise awareness for the need for walkable communities within the United States. Today, thousands of schools across America and the globe celebrate walking and cycling to school every year. By walking or rolling to your work/school, you can help reduce the environmental impact of automobile emissions, promote safety, and benefit your community.

Additionally, starting your day off with an active trip to work/school enables you to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Cycling is low impact and uses all of your major muscle groups, making it a healthy and fun way to achieve your fitness goals.

Beyond The Gym:

Shift into YOU Mode

Physical Education teachers spend the year in constant motion, managing energy, adapting plans, and staying “on” for students throughout the day. As things begin to wind down, there is value in shifting from full teacher mode into a more intentional you mode. This means slowly loosening the constant mental grip on school systems and allowing space to reconnect with yourself outside of the classroom identity.

Mental recovery is not only what happens after the year ends, but also how you choose to wrap it up. Taking time to reflect on what worked, what you want to carry forward, and what can be left behind helps reduce mental clutter heading into summer. This kind of closure supports a smoother transition out of the school year and into a more restorative break.

A few simple ways to close the year with intention:

• Jot down three things that worked well this year and one thing you would change next year
• Organize and label equipment or notes in a way that makes August easier on you
• Create a short “end-of-year shutdown” routine such as cleaning your space, reviewing your schedule, or setting one goal for next year

As the school year comes to a close, May is more than just the finish line. It is a transition point that shapes how you feel stepping into summer and how you return in the fall. Closing the school year with intention is not about doing more, it is about finishing with clarity so you can actually step away with a clear mind.

New Insights on Youth Fitness at ACSM 2026

Join us at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT (May 26–30, 2026) for the latest in cutting-edge sports science and public health research.

Don’t miss new findings from the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project, including the study “Relationships Between NFL Play 60 Programming And Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among Youth In The United States.” This work advances our understanding of how large-scale youth fitness initiatives translate into measurable health outcomes.

Stop by this poster session on Friday morning (May 29) to see the latest data presented by Dr. Andjelka Pavlovic and get an inside look at how evidence is shaping the future of youth fitness.

Bring NFL FLAG to Your School - Apply Now!

Educators: Applications are now open for FREE NFL FLAG-In-Schools-Kits, providing everything you need to bring fun, inclusive flag football to your students.

Resources include equipment, curriculum, and activities designed to get kids moving and engaged throughout the school day.

District leaders: Take it a step further by joining NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions, a national movement supporting district-wide strategies to increase physical activity and build healthier school environments.



Don’t miss this opportunity to bring more movement, teamwork, and fun to your school community!

Kenneth H. Cooper Institute Website

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