Being fit isn’t so scary... or is it?

As has been a tradition at Wantagh Elementary School for 13 years, the Spooky Gym made its return just in time for Halloween.

For their phys. ed. classes over the two weeks leading up the holiday, students got to visit the gym, filled with Halloween-themed activities. There was spider bowling, graveyard golf, candy cornhole and nearly two dozen other activities.

“It certainly has evolved,” phys. ed. teacher Christine Moran said. “Every year there is something new.”

Since Halloween is a holiday that just about all children celebrate, Moran said it is easy to get them in the spirit. Every year she changes up the decorations to make it a new experience for the students.

She noted that the various activities have the children throwing, jumping, kicking and more, so Spooky Gym encourages physical fitness. “They certainly don’t stop moving,” she said, adding that the students look forward to it every year.

For fifth-graders, this was their last year visiting the Spooky Gym, and it has been a blast. “It’s fun,” Emily Drago said. “It brings out the spirit of Halloween.”

She and her classmate, Michael Calabrese, both cited the Haunted House as their favorite activity. Students have to crawl or scoot through a dark tent with spooky decorations.

Michael said he enjoys the variety of activities. “I like it because there’s always challenges,” he said. “I just really like being challenged.”

In addition to getting exercise, Michael said that the Spooky Gym activities help him improve his hand-eye coordination. And he does it in a fun way. “It’s awesome,” he said, “because Halloween is the best season.”

Moran said that last Friday was the most exciting day of Spooky Gym because students were able to take part in the activities while wearing their Halloween costumes. She came dressed as a Wantagh Warrior football player and her colleague, John Cuiffo, was Captain Morgan.