In May 2025, schools across Cardinia Shire, the City of Casey, and the City of Greater Dandenong stepped up to the Make a Move Make a Difference Physical Activity and Movement Competition. We’re excited to share the entries and hope their creative ideas spark even more movement in your school community.
We received several fantastic entries from schools, and over the next three articles, we’ll be showcasing the inspiring ways schools are incorporating physical activity throughout the day.
In this edition, we’re featuring stories from Lyndhurst Primary School and Dandenong West Primary School.
Lyndhurst Primary School
At Lyndhurst Primary School, physical activity is an important part of our daily routine. Each Wednesday morning, up to 500 registered students—and many staff—join our Run Club, starting the day with energy and teamwork. We track each lap and collectively chart our progress as we “run around Australia”, creating a fun, shared goal.
Throughout the week, movement brain breaks help students stay focused and refreshed. Our sporting calendar includes house cross-country, athletics day, weekly year-level and interschool sport, and our vibrant whole-school Colour Run, which brings the school community together in a joyful celebration of fitness and fun.
Every lunchtime, students can visit the Play Cubby, where they can access a variety of sports equipment. This space is run by our trained Play Cubby student leaders, promoting both active play and leadership.
At the beginning of each year, our Flying Start celebration day offers a variety of student-led physical activities that build excitement and connection through movement.
We also proudly support Walk Safely to School Day, encouraging families to walk, ride, or park a little further away to add extra activity to their morning routine.
At Lyndhurst, we are proud to foster a culture of health, wellbeing, and active participation for all.
Dandenong West Primary School
Dandenong West Primary School continues to lead the way in promoting student health and wellbeing through a wide range of inclusive, community-focused physical activity programs, supported by strong partnerships with local clubs, organisations, and national initiatives:
- 5 week Jump Rope For Heart skipping and heart health unit, with a whole-school Jump Off Day fundraiser for Heart Foundation.
- A weekly bike riding social group on Fridays for students with additional needs.
- 8 week AFL Auskick outside school program on Thursdays and Saturdays, connecting students to their local footy club.
- Weekly Melbourne Victory football/ leadership group.
- 7 week bike education program.
- Students completing an audit of school grounds to increase physical activity, health and social connection, then presenting it to the principal.
- Using Sporting Schools grants each term to buy sports equipment, lesson plans and visiting sports coaches. Purchased portable soccer goals and volleyball net through Sporting Schools funding and allowing students to use them at break times.
- Students planting, watering, fertilising and weeding garden plots, then eating the produce.
- Lunchtime athletics trials, running club and Gala Day interschool sports practise.
- Incorporating dance, resistance training and Teaching Games For Understanding units into P.E lessons.
- Melbourne Victory offering pre-academy trials for some of our students.
- Arranging a free afterschool soccer program at our school in term 3.
- Promoting sporting clubs, opportunities and tournaments to parents via Compass and the school newsletter.
- Regular classroom movement breaks throughout the school.
- House Cross Country tournament at our school.
- Regular dance and performing arts clubs at lunch breaks.
- Built new adventure playground for students.
- Whole school Food Fight and Colour Run fundraiser for Foodbank.
Thank you
Thank you to Lyndhurst Primary School and Dandenong West Primary School for sharing your inspiring approaches to getting students moving throughout the day. Your creativity and commitment to student wellbeing are commendable. Stay tuned—next, we’ll be highlighting three more schools and the innovative ways they’re incorporating physical activity into everyday learning.