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Do homeschool PE credits seem elusive to you? Do you wish there was a surefire system to document all PE credits? To be sure, homeschool PE isn't the same as a public school PE class, but you have the blessing of a wider range of options for PE credit as a homeschooler.

PE stands for "physical education," not only "physical exercise." You can create the perfect homeschool PE class for your child because it can be a helpful combination of education and exercise. After all, some kids are very active in sports, and all you have to do is count the hours they spend breaking a sweat. For kids who are not so active, it helps to think outside the box. Your child could take CPR classes or study health instead. Some kids who hate PE love swing-dancing or computer games requiring movement. Any physical activity that breaks a sweat counts!

PE is just one of the 10 critical courses to study before graduation. Learn about all ten in my free ebook. Click to download: The 10 Essentials for Homeschooling High School.

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Many colleges don't require PE credits for high school transcripts, however some may require 2-4 homeschool PE credits. Be sure to check the college your child wants to attend to see what they require. It is relatively easy to document these credits as well, just count the hours and have proof of participation. One homeschooler, who's child is playing a sport for P.E. credit asked me this question about documenting it:

There are two ways to count credits. One way is by using a standard textbook or curriculum, which is uncommon for a homeschool PE class. The second way is by counting or estimating hours. One high school PE credit is 120 to 180 hours, and 60 to 90 hours is a ½ credit. If your child works on the class the whole school year, then that one hour per day is one whole credit, and half hour per day is a ½ credit. In general, it's best to give only one homeschool PE credit per year, even if your child racks up a huge numbers of hours.

PE grades are always subjective, even in public schools, but providing grades helps colleges understand your homeschool. You already evaluate homeschool PE in many ways, even if you don't realize it. You think about whether your child does the work (schools call it "attendance") their level of effort, demonstration of specific skills or teamwork, understanding of concepts, personal fitness goals achieved, and consider any reading or discussion. Estimate your child's grade, keeping in mind all these ways of evaluating.

I would encourage you to save a little something to document as proof. As I was thinking about that for our swim team, my kids were given ribbons for participating even though they weren't awesome swimmers. I just saved their ribbons and that became my documentation. They also gave a certificate of participation at the end and I did keep that in case anybody asked.

Often for things like P.E., they don't really need proof. One exception might be if your child wants to go to the military or apply for a military academy. Those universities are very particular about certain things and they don't just want proof of academics; they also want proof of physical fitness. If you play a sport, it's nice to know if they have a time, their win=loss ratio, the name of the team, the name of the coach etc. so that they can document the physical fitness of your child.

If your children participate in sports, the time they spend in practices and games can be counted as PE credit, as well. Participating in sports can teach a whole host of character building skills, especially how to be on  a team. Socialization, if that is something your family struggles with, is a great by-product of sports participation, too. Having your child participate in sports (team or individual) also gives your children an opportunity for personal fitness. With sports, it's not just all about the homeschool PE credits.

Homeschool PE doesn't have to be just physical education. You can also focus on things like teaching health, focusing on relationships, first aid, and teaching nutrition. 

Often, I'll have parents ask me what kinds of activities count for homeschool PE credits. If your child participates in any of these activities, you can count them as homeschool PE credit.

• Dance
• Artistic pursuits (A bike, a backpack, and some art supplies can be a great PE credit!)
• Aerobics
• Swimming
• Horse back riding
• Hunting
• Archery
• Bowling
• Camping
• Hiking
• Snowshoeing
• Sports