Get Boys Moving: Why It Matters More Than Ever

I just finished my first run since January, and it reminded me how important it is to get boys moving again.

It had been a couple of months, and getting back out on the trail felt incredible. I run at a state park near my house—no streets, just dirt paths and quiet. It’s where I go to hear from God, where I slow down and listen.

On that run, one thought kept coming back to me: We’ve got to get boys moving again.

There are a lot of boys today who just aren’t active. It’s not because they don’t want to be, but because it’s not part of their world anymore. Some don’t have access to the outdoors. Some live in apartments with no yard, no woods, not even a tree nearby and culture has made it easy to sit still.

That’s exactly why we need to get boys moving in intentional ways.

Why We Must Get Boys Moving Today

Sure, we’ve got boys who never stop moving, but we also have boys who will sit on the sidelines every time if we let them. That’s where we come in.

When we get boys moving, we’re doing more than just exercise. We’re building something deeper. Confidence starts to grow and they begin to realize, “I can do hard things.” Even when they don’t want to participate, even when it’s uncomfortable, something shifts inside of them when they do it anyway.

You may not always see it on the outside, but it’s happening. At KOZ, Kids Outdoor Zone, our mission is simple: mentoring boys into strong, godly men; and part of that is getting them moving.

Simple Ways to Get Boys Moving

That’s why it’s so important to be intentional. You don’t need a complicated plan, just start small. If you want to get boys moving, begin with something simple. Maybe it’s push-ups at the beginning of your time together, maybe it’s a short hike or maybe it’s a simple challenge that grows each week. It’s not about turning it into boot camp. Rather, it’s about creating a rhythm where movement is normal. One thing we’ve always believed…every boy participates. Not at the same level, but everyone does something. That’s how we get boys moving and help them grow.

One of the best tools we have for this is right in front of us: state parks. They’re affordable, safe, and accessible. They give boys a place to hike, camp, and experience the outdoors—many for the first time. If you’re trying to get boys moving, start there.

It doesn’t take much to get started. Camping is one of the lowest barriers to entry with a simple tent, a sleeping bag, and a place to go. That’s it. Any boy can learn it and any single mom can help make it happen.

We also have a responsibility to model what it looks like to take care of our bodies. That means thinking about what we’re feeding these boys; less sugar, less soda and more water. Real food that fuels them. When we get boys moving, we should also fuel them the right way.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about activity, we are training boys for life. We’re helping them become strong, healthy men who can lead their families, serve others, and walk with God. Sometimes, that starts with something as simple as getting them to move when they don’t feel like it.

One day, you might hear a boy say, “Hey, my mom and I went camping.” That’s the win!

So here’s the challenge…,find one way to get boys moving. Keep it simple, be consistent, and don’t just tell them to do it…do it with them.

When you get boys moving, you start building men.