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46 Unique Phys Ed Games Your Students Will Love

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There’s nothing kids need more to break up a day spent sitting still and listening than a fun PE class to let off some steam. In the old days, going to gym class probably included playing kickball or dodgeball after running a few laps. Since then, there have been countless reinventions of and variations on old classics as well as completely new games. Although there is no shortage of options, we love that the supplies required remain relatively minimal. You can transport to another galaxy using just a pool noodle or two or create a life-size game of Connect 4 using just Hula-Hoops. You’ll want to make sure to have some staples on hand like balls, beanbags, and parachutes. There are even PE games for kindergartners based on beloved children’s TV shows and party games. Regardless of your students’ athletic abilities, there is something for everyone on our list of elementary PE games!

1. Tic-Tac-Toe Relay

Elementary PE games that not only get students moving but also get them thinking are our favorites. Grab some Hula-Hoops and a few scarves or beanbags and get ready to watch the fun!

Learn more: Tic-Tac-Toe Relay at S&S Blog

2. Blob Tag

Pick two students to start as the Blob, then as they tag other kids, they will become part of the Blob. Be sure to demonstrate safe tagging, stressing the importance of soft touches.

Learn more: Blob Tag at Playworks

3. Cross the River

This fun game has multiple levels that students have to work through, including “get to the island,” “cross the river,” and “you lost a rock.”

Learn more: Cross the River at The PE Specialist

4. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Cones

Line up cones, then have students pair up and stand on either side of a cone. Finally, call out head, shoulders, knees, or cones. If cones is called, students have to race to be the first to pick up their cone before their opponent.

Learn more: Head, Shoulders, Knees & Cones at S&S Blog

5. Spider Ball

Elementary PE games are often variations of dodgeball like this one. One or two players start with the ball and attempt to hit all of the runners as they run across the gym or field. If a player is hit, they can then join in and become a spider themselves.

Learn more: Spider Ball Game at Kid Activities

6. Crab Soccer

We love elementary PE games that require students to act like animals (and we think they will too). Similar to regular soccer, but students will need to play on all fours while maintaining a crab-like position.

Learn more: Crab Soccer at Playworks

7. Halloween Tag

This is the perfect PE game to play in October. It’s similar to tag, but there are witches, wizards, and blobs with no bones!

Learn more: Halloween Tag at The Physical Educator

8. Crazy Caterpillars

We love that this game is not only fun but also works on students’ hand-eye coordination. Students will have fun pushing their balls around the gym with pool noodles while building their caterpillars.

9. Monster Ball

You’ll need a large exercise ball or something similar to act as the monster ball in the middle. Make a square around the monster ball, divide the class into teams on either side of the square, then task the teams with throwing small balls at the monster ball to move it into the other team’s area.

Learn more: Monster Ball at The PE Specialist

10. Striker Ball

Striker ball is an enjoyable game that will keep your students entertained while working on reaction time and strategic planning. We love that there is limited setup required before playing.

Learn more: Striker Ball at S&S Blog

11. Parachute Tug-of-War

What list of elementary PE games would be complete without some parachute fun? So simple yet so fun, all you will need is a large parachute and enough students to create two teams. Have students stand on opposite sides of the parachute, then let them compete to see which side comes out on top.

Learn more: Parachute Tug-of-War at Mom Junction

12. Fleas Off the Parachute

Another fun parachute game where one team needs to try to keep the balls (fleas) on the parachute and the other tries to get them off.

Learn more: Fleas Off the Parachute at Mom Junction

13. Crazy Ball

The setup for this fun game is similar to kickball, with three bases and a home base. Crazy ball really is so crazy as it combines elements of football, Frisbee, and kickball!

Learn more: Crazy Ball at Health Beet

14. Bridge Tag

This game starts as simple tag but evolves into something more fun once the tagging begins. Once tagged, kids must form a bridge with their body and they can’t be freed until someone crawls through.

Learn more: Bridge Tag at Great Camp Games

15. Star Wars Tag

Elementary PE games that allow you to be your favorite movie character are just way too much fun! You will need two different-colored pool noodles to stand in for lightsabers. The tagger will have one color pool noodle that they use to tag students while the healer will have the other color that they will use to free their friends.

Learn more: Star Wars Tag at Great Camp Games

16. Rob the Nest

Create an obstacle course that leads to a nest of eggs (balls) and then divide the students into teams. They will have to race relay-style through the obstacles to retrieve eggs and bring them back to their team.

17. Four Corners

We love this classic game since it engages students physically while also working on color recognition for younger students. Have your students stand on a corner, then close their eyes and call out a color. Students standing on that color earn a point.

Learn more: Four Corners at The Many Little Joys

18. Movement Dice

This is a perfect warm-up that requires only a die and a sheet with corresponding exercises.

Learn more: Roll the Dice Movement Break at Teaching Littles

19. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

A fun spin on tag, children will tag one another and then play a quick game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who has to sit and who gets to continue playing.

Learn more: Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag at Grade Onederful

20. Cornhole Cardio

This one is so fun but can be a little bit confusing, so be sure to leave plenty of time for instruction. Kids will be divided into teams before proceeding through a fun house that includes cornhole, running laps, and stacking cups.

Learn more: Cardio Cornhole at S&S Blog

21. Connect 4 Relay

This relay takes the game Connect 4 to a whole new level. Players must connect four dots either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

22. Zookeepers

Students will love imitating their favorite animals while playing this fun variation of Four Corners where the taggers are the zookeepers.

23. Racket Whack-It

Students stand with rackets in hand while balls are thrown at them—they must either dodge the balls or swat them away.

Learn more: Racket Whack-It via PEgames.org

24. Crazy Moves

Set mats out around the gym, then yell out a number. Students must race to the mat before it is already filled with the correct number of bodies.

Learn more: Crazy Moves at PEgames.org

25. Wheelbarrow Race

Sometimes the best elementary PE games are the simplest. An oldie but a goodie, wheelbarrow races require no equipment and are guaranteed to be a hit with your students.

Learn more: Wheelbarrow Race at wikiHow

26. Live-Action Pac-Man

Fans of retro video games like Pac-Man will get a kick out of this live-action version where students get to act out the characters.

27. Spaceship Tag

Give each of your students a Hula-Hoop (spaceship), then have them run around trying not to bump into anyone else’s spaceship or get tagged by the teacher (alien). Once your students get really good at it, you can add different levels of complexity.

28. Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance

We love this spin on Rock, Paper, Scissors because it works on balance and coordination. Students walk around the gym until they find an opponent, then the winner collects a beanbag, which they must balance on their head!

Learn more: Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance at PE Universe

29. Throwing, Catching, and Rolling

This is a fun activity but it will require a lot of preparation, including asking the school maintenance staff to collect industrial-sized paper towel rolls. We love this activity because it reminds us of the old-school arcade game Skee-Ball!

Learn more: Winter Activity at S&S Blog

30. Jenga Fitness

Although Jenga is fun enough on its own, combining it with fun physical challenges is sure to be a winner with young students.

Learn more: Jenga Fitness at S&S Blog

31. Volcanoes and Ice Cream Cones

Divide the class into two teams, then assign one team as volcanoes and the other as ice cream cones. Next, spread cones around the gym, half upside down and half right side up. Finally, have the teams race to flip as many cones as possible to either volcanoes or ice cream cones.

Learn more: Warm-Up Games at Prime Coaching Sport

This fun variation on dodgeball will have your students getting exercise while having a ton of fun! Begin with three balls on a basketball court. If you are hit by a ball, you are out. If you take a step while holding a ball, you are out. There are other rules surrounding getting out and also how to get back in, which can be found in this video.

33. Musical Hula-Hoops

PE games for kindergartners that are similar to party games are some of our favorites! Think musical chairs but with Hula-Hoops! Lay enough Hula-Hoops around the edge of the gym minus five students since they will be in the muscle pot. Once the music starts, students walk around the gym. When the music stops, whoever doesn’t find a Hula-Hoop becomes the new muscle pot!

34. 10-Second Tag

This game is perfect to play at the beginning of the year since it helps with learning names and allows the teacher to get to know the first student in line.

35. The Border

This game is so fun and requires no equipment whatsoever. Divide the gym into two sides. One side can move freely while the other side must avoid letting their feet touch the floor by rolling around, crawling, etc.

36. Freedom Catch

This is a simple throwing, catching, and tag game that will certainly be a hit with your PE class. Captors attempt to tag players so they can send them to jail. You can be freed if someone on your team runs to a freedom cone while throwing a ball to the jailed person. If the ball is caught by the jailed person, they can rejoin the game.

37. Oscar’s Trashcan

As far as PE games for kindergartners goes, this one is a guaranteed winner since it is based on the show Sesame Street . You’ll need two large areas that can be sectioned off to use as trash cans and also a lot of medium-size balls. There are two teams who must compete to fill their opponent’s trash can while emptying their own. Once over, the trash will be counted and the team with the least amount of trash in their trash can wins!

38. 4-Way Frisbee

Divide your class into four separate teams, who will compete for points by catching a Frisbee inside one of the designated goal areas. Defenders are also able to go into the goal areas. There are a number of other rules that can be applied so you can modify the game in a way that’s best for your class.

39. Badminton King’s/Queen’s Court

This one is simple but fun since it is played rapid-fire with kids waiting their turn to take on the King or Queen of the court. Two players start and as soon as a point is earned, the loser swaps places with another player. The goal is to be the player that stays on the court the longest, consistently knocking out new opponents.

40. Jumping and Landing Stations

Kids love stations and they definitely love jumping, so why not combine those things into one super-fun gym class? They’ll have a blast challenging themselves with all the different obstacles presented in this video.

41. Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

Regardless of whether you’ve ever seen an episode of American Ninja Warrior , you are probably familiar with the concept and so are your students. Plus, you’ll probably have just as much fun as your students setting up the obstacles and testing them out!

42. Balloon Tennis

Since kids love playing keepy-uppy with a balloon, they will love taking it a step further with balloon tag!

43. Indoor Putting Green

If your school can afford to invest in these unique putting green sets, you can introduce the game of golf to kids as young as kindergarten. Who knows, you might just have a future Masters winner in your class!

44. Scooter Activities

Let’s be honest, we all have fond memories of using scooters in gym class. Regardless of whether you do a scooter sleigh or scooter hockey, we think there is something for everyone in this fun video.

45. Pick It Up

This is the perfect PE game to play if you are stuck in a small space with a good-size group. Teams win by making all of their beanbag shots and then collecting all of their dots and stacking them into a nice neat pile.

46. Dodgeball Variations

Since not all kids love having balls thrown at them, why not try a dodgeball alternative that uses gym equipment as targets rather than fellow students? For example, have each student stand in front of a Hula-Hoop with a bowling ball inside of it. Students need to protect their hoop while attempting to knock over their opponents’ pins.

What are your favorite elementary PE games to play with your class? Come and share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, check out  our favorite recess games for the classroom ..

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50 Fun PE Games Your Students Will Love

by Sara Ipatenco

Kids naturally love PE because it’s a time to be active and play fun games. An essential part of the school day, PE teaches kids the life skill of getting regular exercise. While playing the same old games over and over again can get a bit boring, incorporating a wide variety of games into your lesson plans helps keep PE fun and engaging. With a few PE staples, such as foam balls, hula hoops, and bean bags, your students will be having fun in no time! Here are 50 PE games to get you started.

1. Blob tag

Choose one child to be “it.” As that child tags other children, they link arms or hold hands to create a “blob.” The game continues until the blob has tagged everyone in the game.

2. Chain tag

This is kind of like blob tag, but instead of forming a blob, students must link arms to form a chain.

3. Bean bag balance

Give each student a bean bag. Ask the students to balance their bean bags on various parts of their body, such as their foot or knee. See how long the students can balance before they move off their bean bag falls. Give increasingly hard challenges as you go, such as on the shoulder or the thumb.

4. Clap and catch

Arrange your class into a large circle. Give one player the ball and have them get ready to toss it. Players must clap before they catch the ball. If a student doesn’t clap or drop the ball, they are out.

5. Animal races

Line your PE class up at one end of the gym or playing field for this game. Call out an animal, such as a cheetah or a frog, and students have to race to the other end, running like that animal.

This is another racing game that starts with lining your students up on one end of the playing field. Every time you yell, “jump,” students jump as far as they can. Repeat until the winning player reaches the end of the field or until the whole class finishes.

7. Bridge tag

This game starts as regular tag, but each time a student is tagged he must kneel and form a bridge. Players can rejoin the game when another player crawls under their bridge, which frees them.

8. Crab soccer

This game follows the rules of traditional soccer, but players crab walk instead of regular running.

9. Step back

Put your class into teams of two. Have them stand about three feet apart and roll a hula hoop to each other. Once the other person catches the hula hoop, they must take a large step backward and continue playing. As they get further apart, the game gets more challenging.

10. Freeze tag

This is another tag game that starts out like traditional tag. However, once a student is tagged, they are “frozen” until another player tags them. They can then rejoin the game. The last player to be frozen gets to be “it” on the next round.

11. Parachute change

Arrange your students around a large parachute. Call out things like colors the students are wearing or birthday months. Any player who fits the category you call out has to run under the parachute and switch places with someone else.

12. Parachute volleyball

Have your students arrange themselves around a parachute. One half of the parachute is team A while the other half is team B. Put a beach ball in the middle of the parachute. The objective is to launch the ball off the parachute and over the heads of the opposing team, which scores one point.

13. Banana tag

Spread your students around the play area and choose two kids to be “it.” They are the monkeys. When they tag another student, he turns into a banana and must put both arms straight up above his head. Other players can free the “bananas” by peeling them, which means they pull down one arm and then the other arm.

14. Teacher island

This PE game includes the teacher! Stand on a stool and have a bunch of cones or balls handy. Start throwing them toward the students, who are spread out around you. If a student fails to make a catch, he is out. Play continues until only one student is left.

15. Throw archery

Set up five jump ropes at various distances from where your students will stand. Give them bean bags and have them try to get them past the different jump ropes. The further away the jump rope, the more points the student gets. For example, getting the bean bag past the first jump rope is worth ten points while getting it past the last jump rope is worth fifty points.

16. Crazy moves

Set out several mats around the play area. Start calling out numbers and that number of kids need to find a mat and stand on it together as fast as they can. Any student who doesn’t find a mat is out.

17. Rob the nest

Set up the game by putting a hula hoop (nest) in each corner of the play area and ten or more basketballs in the middle of the play area. Divide the class into 4 teams, one at each hula hoop. Students take turns getting a basketball and dribbling it to their hoop. Any time you blow the whistle, students can steal basketballs from other nests. The winner of each round is the one with the most basketballs when you blow the whistle a second time.

18. Tic-Tac-Throw

Set up nine hula hoops in a 3×3 grid, like a tic-tac-toe board. Make enough grids so you can divide your class into teams of two. Give the teams two different colors of bean bags. The students will throw the bean bags into the hula hoops trying to get three in a row.

19. Bounce into buckets

Set up enough buckets in the middle of the play area that there is one for each group of two kids. At each bucket, have one student on each side. The kids take turns trying to bounce balls into the buckets. Make it more challenging by having the students back up further from the bucket as they go.

20. Backward soccer

Play this game just like you would regular soccer but turn the soccer goals around backward.

21. Speed ball

This PE game combines basketball and soccer. Divide your students into two teams and give them a rubber ball to play with. Play starts with students passing the ball to other players on their team. There is no bounce passing in this game. If the ball hits the floor, the game switches to soccer.

22. Pool noodle archery

Have one student hold up a hula hoop while another child tries to launch pool noodles through the hoop. Once a student gets a noodle through, the players switch places.

23. Kangaroos and Crocs

Divide your class into two teams – one team will be kangaroos and the other team will be crocs. Have the teams line up back-to-back in the middle of the play area. Call out one of the animals. That team will try to make it to the end of the play area without getting tagged by the other team. Anyone tagged sits down and is out. Play continues with additional rounds.

24. Noodle hockey

Play a traditional PE game of court hockey but use pool noodles and a small plastic ball instead of hockey sticks and a puck.

25. Continuity ball

Have your students spread out in the play area. Give them one beach ball and challenge them to keep it from hitting the ground. Gradually add more beach balls until you have several going at the same time.

26. Birds on a branch

Set up two balance beams and split the class into two teams. Have the teams line up on the balance beams and call out directions, such as “stand on one foot” or “put your arms above your head.” If a student falls off the beam, he is out. The winning team is the one who keeps the most “birds” on their branch.

27. Shark zone

Set up mats, hula hoops, and other PE equipment around the gym. Use items that students can stand on or inside of. These are shark-free zones. Identify one or two students as sharks. When you say go, players will run around the gym standing on mats or inside hula hoops to stay away from the sharks. If a student fails to get to a safe area before being tagged, they are out.

28. Cats and mice

Give each student a scarf – one color for cats and one color for mice. Have them tuck the scarves into their back pockets or waistband as tails. Cats will chase mice and mice will chase cats. If the opposite team catches a tail, they keep it. The winning team is the one who steals all the tails first.

29. Tunnels and trains

Choose two students to start out as trains. The rest of the students put their hands and feet on the floor creating a tunnel with their bodies. The trains must crawl through the tunnels. When a train goes through the tunnel, that student joins the tunnel at the front and the next student at the back of the tunnel turns into a train. Play continues until all students have become trains.

30. Noisy running

Explain to students that you will be playing music and the louder the music gets the faster they need to run around the play area. As you turn down the volume, they will slow their running.

31. Freeze dance

Play some upbeat dance music and encourage students to free dance. When you stop the music, they must freeze. Any student who doesn’t freeze is out.

32. Eight dance

Choose one student to start the game. Turn on some upbeat music and have the student demonstrate any move they want, such as jumping or spinning in circles. The rest of the students must copy the move eight times. Let all the children have a turn to be the instructor.

33. British bulldogs

Choose one student to be the bulldog. He stands in the middle of the play area. The rest of the players try to get past the bulldog without getting tagged.

34. Body part tag

This game is played like traditional tag except that whatever body part gets tagged cannot be used anymore. If a student gets tagged on the arm, they cannot use their arm anymore. If he gets tagged on the leg, he has to hop on the other leg.

35. Crab Kickball

This game is played just like traditional kickball except that students must walk and play in the crab walk position.

36. Broom hockey

This is a PE game played like regular hockey except students use brooms instead of hockey sticks.

37. Hop in a hoop

Lay out several hula hoops in the play area. Have students run around the hoops while you play music. When you stop the music, students must hop into a hula hoop – one student per hoop. Students who don’t have a hoop are out.

38. Hot potato

Arrange your students in a circle and give them a small ball. They will pass the ball around the circle until you blow the whistle. The student holding the ball when the whistle blows is out.

39. Scooter tag

This PE game is played just like traditional tag except students must play by sitting on and moving around on scooters.

40. Bucketball

This game is played just like regular basketball except students use a bucket instead of the usual basketball hoop.

Break your class into small teams of 5 or 6 players. Give one student from each group a jump rope. That student will spin the jump rope on the ground while the other members of the group jump over it. If the “snake” touches a student, they are out.

42. Shipwreck or Captain Says

This is a game that puts a twist on the traditional “Simon Says.” Line your students up and start calling out commands that have to do with ships and pirates, such as “swab the deck” or “walk the plank.” Instead of saying “Simon says,” you’ll say, “Captain says.”

43. Hula hoop tag

This is another version of traditional tag. Students follow the same rules as regular tag, but they must spin a hula hoop while they run around.

44. Museum guard

This game is like freeze tag. Students will tiptoe silently around the play area pretending to sneak around a museum. When you call out “museum guard” they must freeze. Students who don’t freeze are out.

45. Mirror, Mirror

Divide your class into teams of two. Have them stand facing each other. One person does a move, and the other students must copy the move. Continue playing, encouraging students to make the movements harder and more complicated.

46. Backward tag

Play this game just like regular tag except students can only walk or run backward during play.

47. Alligators in the swamp

Choose several students to be alligators and have them lay on their stomachs in the middle of the play area. Spread them out so there are several feet between each alligator. The rest of the class starts on one end of the play area and has to try to get past the alligators. If an alligator tags them, they are out.

48. Sleeping baby

Students run around the play area until they hear the teacher yell, “sleeping baby.” At this point, all the kids drop to the floor and pretend to be sleeping. The last student to “fall asleep” is out.

49. Garbage tag

Wad up a bunch of pieces of paper to be the garbage. Choose one student to be “it.” That person starts to throw the garbage at the other players. Any player hit with a piece of garbage is out.

50. Lighthouse and ships

Place several obstacles around the gym, such as cones or mats. Students will close their eyes and pretend to be ships trying to get to the lighthouse. If they run into one of the obstacles, their ship is sunk and they are out.

PE class is about to get so much more fun for your students! Any of these games are sure to make PE their favorite class of the day.

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10 Surefire games for PE – Easy to play, loads of fun!

Posted on March 2, 2020 by jcahill

The best games for me are the ones with limited equipment and little setup. A quick setup means quick takedown which means faster transitions. Also, with less equipment, there is usually less explanation and rules. Ultimately, this is what’s best for students, more movement and less time sitting. Especially for my younger students, this holds true. Here are ten of my favorite games with limited equipment. My hope is that you can grab a few ideas from below and add them to your physical education repertoire.

Pin-Up Relay

This partner challenge includes a fine balance of fitness and teamwork. I partner the students up and then send them to one end of the gymnasium with a bowling pin. On the other end of the floor, I place one spot in a straight line for each set of partners. On the signal to go, partners sprint across the gym to their spot. With their hands on each other’s shoulders, they attempt to stand the pin on the spot using only their feet. When successful, they grab the pin, sprint back to the other side to grab a laminated strip of paper, which represents a point. Students repeat the process, trying to score as many points as possible in three minutes.

ROOMBA CLEAN-UP

Roomba Clean-up is a variation of Hungry Hippos gone wild. Scatter various equipment throughout the gym. I use a variety of balls. This represents the mess the Roomba vacuum cleaners need to clean up. Each Roomba consists of a set of partners, a scooter board, and a laundry basket or bucket and a hula hoop to place collected balls in. One student sits with crossed legs on the scooter, holding a laundry basket upside-down. The other student is the Roomba’s motor. On the signal to go, the motor pushes the Roomba throughout the gym in an attempt to collect three balls. Once three balls are in the “vacuum bag,” the Roomba returns to their hula hoop to empty the bag. At this time, the two players switch roles and repeat.

Dice Doubles vs. Cone Flip

I use this as an instant activity for my 3rd-5th grade classes. Half the class receives two dice each and the other half each receives a cone. Players with the dice find a player with a cone to challenge.

• To face-off, each player MUST complete 10 Jumping jacks and a HANDSHAKE to begin (Every round begins this way).
• Which will happen first, roll doubles or a successful cone flip?
• Players trade equipment after each round and find someone else to challenge.

Will You Be my “PAL”- entine?

Although this game can be played at any time of the year, I use it as a Valentine’s Day game. It begins with a discussion on what it means to be a pal or a friend. A good pal will always be there for you in a time of need.

Cupid and his/her helper are on the loose and want to turn you into a chocolate heart. If tagged by Cupid or the helper, players turn into a solid chocolate heart by freezing with their arms over their heads in the shape of a heart. The spell is broken when another student with a ring asks, “Will you be my “PAL” – entine? Of course, the only answer is yes. The “proposer” places the ring on the other player’s arm and the game continues. The player who had the ring now has to avoid Cupid while the player with the ring seeks a solid chocolate heart to rescue. I play this game with 1st grade -5th grade with equal success. The smiles and laughter are incredible!

Hit or Miss Striking

Sometimes the simplest games are the best games. Hit or Miss is definitely one of those games. My students play this game to help reinforce striking fundamentals. Simply place a pin equidistant from each partner. Students take turns striking a ball at the pin. I encourage them to step to the target for accuracy.  Also, make sure students trap the ball each time with their paddle rather than striking the ball back and forth like a tennis rally.

Streets, Allies, and Lamp Posts

This is a game that’s been around forever and is not one of my originals. However, I decided to include it because of its whole class cooperative component and the fact that it can be played in a limited space.

Begin the game by creating several lines. For example, for a class of 25, make five lines of five. Or for a larger class of 40, make eight lines of five. Before playing the actual game, students practice three formations; streets, allies, and lamp posts. Students face forward with their arms holding each other’s wrist. These are the streets. On the signal, “allies”, students quickly turn to the left, holding the wrists of the people who were in front and in back of them. Students create lamp posts by either lifting their arms above their heads of by placing their arms to their sides. Practice, theses formations repeatedly by calling them out until the students can quickly change from streets to allies to lamp posts without hesitation.

Next, select a cat and a mouse. The cat chases the mouse throughout the streets, allies and lamp posts. When the cat catches the mouse, select two other students to chase each other. With my older students, I introduce a dog. The dog chases the cat who chases the mouse who chases the dog.

RING BEARER

Partners try to clear the poly spots from the floor while tossing and catching with a deck ring. If a ball is caught while standing on a spot, the spot is taken back to the home hoop. Partners alternate tossing and catching. Balls can be tossed from anywhere on the perimeter, not just from the home hoop. For my younger grades, I allow the ball to bounce once for a successful catch.

Jump Rope Tag

Jump Rope Tag is my go-to warm-up games during my jump rope unit. It’s simple, fun, and exhausting. I select two taggers per 20 students. If tagged, students go to one of two jump rope stations on either end of the floor to complete 10 jumps to shake the spell. Jump ropes can also be made into the shape of a heart on the floor to jump in and out of 10 times! I play one minute rounds, changing taggers each time.

Toss 12 TURBO!

Anybody who follows me knows that traditional Toss 12 is one of my favorite games. Toss 12 Turbo is just a faster, more aerobic version of the same game. Partners work together to try to be the first team to score 12 points. Here’s how:

• 1 point- ball in hoop/ cylinder still standing
• 2 points – cylinder falls/ ball stops outside the hoop
• 3 points – cylinder falls AND the ball stops inside the hoop
• Must score EXACTLY 12 to win the round.

Beachball in a Basket

I love the cooperative component of this game as well as its versatility.

How to play:

• Spread out the laundry baskets, each with a beachball.
• Send 3-4 students to each basket.
• Students attempt to strike the beachball five times before guiding it into the basket.
• Each student must touch the ball at least once before it can be guided into the basket.

Depending on your group, you can instruct your students to use anything but their arms and hands.

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There you have it! My 10 Random yet SUREFIRE games for PE. Give a few of them a try and let me know what you think!

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Category: Physical Education Tags: pe games , Random games for pe

One Comment on “ 10 Surefire games for PE – Easy to play, loads of fun! ”

Amazing ideas!!!! Thanks for always sharing and especially for caring about lifetime fitness for our kids.

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Physical education games, games designed for learning..

Net & Wall

Striking & fielding, chasing & fleeing, health & fitness, cooperation, danish longball, rodeo roundup, space invaders, castlemania, reindeer round-up, musical hoops, rps tug-o-war, ghostbusters, beanbag bocce, healthy hanukkah, pirates of the caribbean, emotions mixup, lobster ball, halloween tag, prairie dog pickoff, chicken noodle tag, on the lines, off the lines, star wars tag, builders & bulldozers, whacky baseball, race to the bases, treasure grab, team swarm tag, snowman blitz, giants, elves, & wizards, everyone’s it frozen tag, elf express, beaches, bridges, & boats, chuck the chicken, frogs & fish, jake the hungry snake, guard the pin, game categories, a thematic approach to physical education..

By categorizing games based on the similarities that exist between their components (e.g. skills, tactics, playing area), we can take a thematic approach to teaching PE. In a thematic approach, students get to explore tactical problems that exist across a variety of games (e.g. getting open in invasion games). This approach promotes the transfer of learning between multiple games and supports the development of competent, confident movers.

Game Category

Invasion/territorial.

Invasion games are games in which two teams compete to outscore their opponents within a certain amount of time. Teams score by invading their opponents side of the field and sending the object (e.g. ball, puck) into a goal or getting the object pass a goal line. Players in invasion games constantly transition between offence and defence based on whether or not their team is in possession of the object.

Net and wall games are games in which players/teams compete to outscore their opponent(s). They do so by sending the object (e.g. ball, shuttlecock) to a space in their opponents’ court so that it cannot be played or returned within the boundaries of the game. Net and wall games are typically played on a net-divided court or in a common space using a shared wall.

Striking and fielding games are games in which teams attempt to outscore their opponents by scoring more runs/ points within a set amount of innings. To score a run, players typically need to run around a certain amount of bases or run between two set bases. Within an inning, teams alternate between being at bat (offence) and fielding the ball (defence).

Target games are games in which players compete to outscore their opponents by placing a projectile (e.g. ball, dart, arrow) closer to a target than their opponent is able to. Some target games are “unopposed” (i.e. a player’s opponent cannot interfere with their play and success depends solely on a player’s accuracy) while others are “opposed” (i.e. a player may interfere with their opponent’s play).

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Huge thank you to all the teachers for their continued support! Your support allows us to create more great content!

Aliens and Astronauts

Finally released in book volume 5 our famous ALIENS vs ASTRONAUTS!

Book Volume 5 is OUT!

Our best book yet has 50 warm up pe games!

100 PE Games Books!

Start your school year right, by getting kids happy and active, in the gym or outside, with our pegames.org books! This will be the only Physical Education book you’ll need this year to guarantee to keep the most kids happy and active for the most amount of time possible throughout the day!

Elementary PE Games

Every game, warm-up, challenge and activity on this site has been tested by our resident PE specialist. Mr. H. has been teaching physical education at the elementary school level for 7 years, and will make sure that we post only the best of the best.

As a Grade 7 teacher, it can be challenging to keep warm-up games and Daily Physical Activities fresh and new.Having participated in a number of these games, I feel I’ll be able to provide greater variety to my students this year and beyond. Educator: Ian Cox

During the average 45 minute block of physical education, students are actually active (i.e. moving around, elevating their heart rates), for approximately 17 minutes (less than half!). With our website, and the hundreds (soon to be thousands, as our updates continue), of activities, warm-ups, games, individual and group challenges…etc. we aim to keep kids moving, moving, moving.

Please feel free to start navigating the site, as there are all sorts of options for physical activity for your students. We are updating daily, so please continue to check back frequently as there will always be something new to keep your kids smiling and active.

New PE Games

Warm-Up PE Games

Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Beanbags. Description: Choose 2-5 kids to be it and give them each an evil red ball (these are the aliens).  Everyone else is an astronaut. Scatter the beanbags all around the gym, and hold onto the empty bin. If an astronaut is tagged...

Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Description: Choose 2-5 kids to be it and give them Evil Red Balls. If you get tagged by an Evil Red Ball, you must go down on your hands and knees wherever you are and pick and animal. Whichever animal you pick, you are only allowed to...

Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Description: Choose 2-5 kids to be it and give them Evil Red Balls. If you get tagged by an Evil Red Ball, then you must sit down on the ground,bring your knees up to your face, close your eyes and put your head down into the palms of...

PHYSEDGAMES

…click a category above for great p.e. games, the pe games you will find on this site are used by professional physical education teachers as part of successful programs in school gyms – here you’ll find amazing ideas for p.e. – tried, tested, and proven by physed teachers and coaches , direct link to youtube channel: physedgames youtube, browse the categories at the top to enjoy quick and easy video descriptions to learn a new game for your class or visit our youtube to find the most popular games and get the latest game ideas sent directly to your video feed by subscribing. , game of the month.

Looking for some classic physical education ideas? Looking for something new and unique? There are all types of games & activities ranging from sport-specific (soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, lead-ups, etc) to LOG’s, tag, warm-up, fitness, team-building, dodgeball, literacy, numeracy, etc. Children need at least 90 minutes of exercise a day for healthy development – these games will motivate to get students moving and enjoying learning skills in the gym! So hopefully you will find lots here to help supplement your own program.

** Grade level specific categories are searchable: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8 – browse through games that are appropriate for your grade level. HIGHSCHOOLS please note that most of the Grade 8 category games can be used and/or adapted for use at the highschool level – take a look and see what works! **

If you have a favorite PE activity or game idea that you use in your own program and you’d like to share, please send a detailed email to us at [email protected] and we will do our best to create a video to add to the list.

PhysedGames is frequently updated with new ideas to try out. We also offer a couple book options (hardcopy and electronic) to add to your physical education library. These book options convert many of the best game videos into more portable text-based and electronic forms. PLEASE NOTE that all games are firstly and always available for FREE in the video viewing format. For those interested, take a look at the popular PHYSEDGAMES TOP 99 PHYSEDGAMES TOP 99 (affiliate link) hardcopy book from Amazon or get top-rated Digital File Downloads (PDFs) on Teachers Pay Teachers. A big THANK-YOU goes out to those who support PHYSEDGAMES!

PE Game Ideas and Resources

The PE Game Ideas section provides you with Physical Education resources which will help you to plan PE Warm Up Games, PE Tag Games, PE Thinking Games, and PE Coordination Games. Within each section you will find a whole range of different games which will excite and challenge your students. Each PE Game outlines what equipment is required, how to set the game up, how to play the game and how to differentiate the game. The resources can be downloaded and can support your PE planning. Lots of the resources are free.  Click below to explore each section:

Teaching Resources

Thinking Games

Warm Up Games

Coordination  Games

Christmas PE Games

2nd Grade Physical Education (PE) Lesson Plans

Chalkboard relay.

Level: 2nd grade and up Objective: In this lesson, students will be able to integrate math and physical education by the doing addition facts during a relay. Equipment: Chalkboard or Whiteboard Chalkboard Relay – PE

Running the Bases – Baseball PE

Four Corner Running- Baseball Level: Grade 2 and up Objective: Students will use body awareness while running from base to base. Equipment: Four bases Running the Bases – Four Corner Running Baseball PE Lesson Plan PDF Procedures:

Lead Up Games

The following activities can be done in a physical education classroom or just for fun. Lead-up games can be used as a warm up activity or a way to practice skills used in many sports.

Level: K-2 Objective: Identifying body parts Equipment: None Circus Tag – K-2 Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedure:  1) One student is selected to be “it”. 2) The rest of the class scatters. 3) Students

Three Legged Relay

Level: K and up Objectives: Students will share and cooperate while participating in a relay Equipment: One burlap sack per team Three Legged Relay – Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedures:  1) Divide class into

The following are relays that can be used in physical education or regular education classrooms. They can be done in a gym or outside. Relays are great activities that require students to work together and

The Human Body and Movement

The following health lessons helps students work to improve age-appropriate physical fitness, and demonstrate motor skills required for individual and team activities. Students will be able to create a visual representation of the human body

Grade Level: K and up Objectives: Students will use jumping skills Equipment: One sack per team. Sack Relay – PE Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedures:  1) Divide class into two or more teams. 2)

Beanbag Relay

Level: Kindergarten and up Objective: Balancing objects on different parts of the body. Equipment: One beanbag per team Beanbag Relay – PE Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedures:  1) Divide class into two or more

Cranes & Crows

Objective: Cognitive awareness of distinguishing long a and o sounds. Level: Kindergarten and up Equipment: None Cranes & Crows – K-6 Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedures: 1) Divide students into two groups and one

Dessert Island Stream

Objective: Students listening, direction Level: Kindergarten and up Equipment: None Dessert Island Stream – PE Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedures: 1) Tell students that one end of the court is a desert, one is

Everyone’s It

Level: K and up Equipment: None Everyone’s It – PE Physical Education Lesson Plan PDF Procedures: 1) Every student in the class is it. 2) Anytime someone gets tagged they must do 10 jumping jacks.

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Instant Activities (Elementary K-5)

Created by Aaron Hart, Jim DeLine, Josh Enders, Brandon Herwick, Lynn, Hefele, Jenna Knapp, Nick Kline, Andy Pickett, Andrea Hart, RD, Dan Tennessen, Nichole Wilder

Physical educators know and understand the need to get students active and engaged as soon as they enter the PE classroom. This collection of instant activities serves to help teachers get students moving quickly, while also providing meaningful learning tasks designed to work toward grade-level outcomes.

Back to School Instant Activities:

• Name Tag: [ PDF , WORD ]
• Hoop Tower Relay: [ PDF , WORD ]
• Catch Me If You Can: [ PDF , WORD ]
• Super Chicken: [ PDF , WORD ]
• Team Leaders: [ PDF , WORD ]

Activity Resources:

• Super Chicken Leadership Pack: [ PDF ]
• Team Leader Cards: [ PDF ]

More Lead By Example resources at BELIEVEINYOU.COM

Instant Activity Full Module (Volume 1)

Complete Module:

* Blank and note pages added to help keep formatting when printing double-sided.

Tag of the Month Club (Volume 1)

(September) Star Wars Tag:

(October) Pumpkin Patch Tag:

(November) Harvest Tag:

(December) Snowman Tag:

(January) Resolution Tag:

(February) Heart Tag:

(March) Say Cheese Tag:

(April) Tax Day Tag:

(May) Flower Power Tag:

(June) June Bug Tag

(July) Sea Creature Tag:

(August) Summer Fun Tag:

Whole Grain Scramble:

Whole Grain Academic Language Card:

Calling All Monsters:

Calling All Monsters Dice Chart:

Instant Activity Plans (Volume 1)

Ahh, Umm, Err:

Around the World RPS:

Fiddlesticks:

First Things First:

Food Is Fuel Tag:

Fuel Collector:

High-5 Bank Account:

Hot Hot Hot:

Name Noodle:

#PEMannequinChallenge:

Pick A Card:

Rocky R,P,S:

Shadow Ball

Tug Boat Tag:

Turkey Tag:

Yum Yum Yum:

Volume 1 Activity Resources

Food is Fuel ReEntry Posters:

• Shadow Ball Music: Sweet Georgia Brown [ iTunes Link ]

Pick A Card Challenge Poster:

RPS World Zone Cards:

#PEMannequinChallenge Info Card:

Volume 1 Tag Resources

Star Wars Tag Academic Language Cards:

Star Wars Tag Writing Prompt:

Star Wars Activity Video Link:

Harvest Tag Exit Slips:

Resolution Tag Reentry Cards:

Heart Tag Chamber Posters:

Tax Day Tag Math Problem:

Triangle Dance

Triangle Dance:

Triangle Dance Activity Card:

Triangle Dance Tutorial:

Triangle Dance Trainer Video:

• Triangle Dance for Grades 6-8? Go to our Secondary Instant Activity Page

Dance Instant Activities

Jingle Bells (Crazy Frog):

Trolls September Dance:

Trolls Tag:

Dance Activity Cards

Trolls Tag Dance Cards:

Instant Activity Plan Pack

Roll & Go:

Roll & Go Exercise Chart:

Roll & Go Blank Chart:

Strong, Stretch, Sweat:

Strong, Stretch, Sweat Exercise Chart:

Instant Activity Fun Bundle

Complete Activity Bundle:

On the Move RPS:

Bust Down the Wall:

Balance Tag:

Tabata True/False Warm-Up:

Get Tabata Music on Spotify

Pumpkin Patch

Complete Pumpkin Patch Module:

Pumpkin Patch Fitness:

Trick or Treat Fitness Stations:

Sleepy Hollow Race:

Spooky Story Time:

Pumpkin Patch Fitness & Station Cards

Pumpkin Patch Fitness Cards:

Trick or Treat Station Cards:

GRATITUDE  GAMES  (NOVEMBER)

Full Packet of Gratitude Games:

Rows of Gratitude (Yoga TicTacToe):

Rows of Gratitude Yoga Cards:

Thankful Turkey Toss:

Gratitude Wreath:

Gratitude Wreath Activity Chart:

Tom Turkey's Shopping List (Nutrition Education Resources):

Reindeer Games (Special Holiday Mini-Module with SEL)

Complete Reindeer Games Module:

Snowflake Maps:

Red Nose Relay:

Feed the Reindeer:

Down the Chimney:

Snowman & Sunshine:

Frostbite Tag:

Snowflake Station & Task Cards

Snowflake Station Cards:

Snowflake Map Sheet:

Can’t see the file links? Register for FREE today to access all of the modules. SIGN UP HERE

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Complete teaching bundles for incredible prices

Discover 5 Of The Best Physical Education Games For Kids

Are you after some more fun physical education games that you can use with your kindergarten or second-grade students?

Physical education games are so much fun, and I’ve found that they’re an excellent way to start the school day. I set aside the first 20 minutes of the day for early morning fitness on at least three days in the week, where we play fun pe games.

Physical education activities are an excellent way to energize your students and get them ready for learning for the day.

5 fun physical education games

Here are five fun physical education games that your students will love.

You will need 6-10 hoops for this pe game.

Instructions

• Create several “islands” using hoops scattered on the ground.
• Students must jog around the islands without touching them.
• When the teacher calls the signal ‘Islands,’ the students must get onto an island before the teacher counts to five.
• Students need to share their island with others.
• Students who do not fit into one of the hoops are out of the game.
• Remove one hoop after each count of 5 until 1 island of survivors remains.
• Variation – Instead of getting students to run get them to hop, skip, jump or crawl.

Traffic lights

For this game, you will need one hoop for each student.

• Students drive their car by holding a hoop around their waist.
• When the teacher calls out ‘Green’ the cars may go at a fast pace.
• On ‘Yellow’ cars must drive slowly.
• On ‘Red’ cars must stop and drop the hoop to the ground.
• The last student/s to drop their hoop to the ground is out of the game.
• Call out the colors at random to try and trick the drivers.
• Variation – Have two students sharing a hoop.

You do not need any special equipment for this physical education game, just space for students to run.

• The teacher calls ‘here,’ ‘there,’ ‘where’ or ‘dead bugs’ at random.
• On ‘here’ students run and try to stomp the teacher’s toe (never let them close enough).
• On ‘there’ students run in the direction the teacher is pointing or to a marked boundary line such as the edge of the oval or tennis court.
• On ‘where’ students jog on the spot.
• On ‘dead bugs’ students lie on their backs and wave arms and legs in the air like a dead bug.
• Variation – Instead of running students can hop, skip, jump or crawl.

Stuck in the mud

• Define an area and choose 3-4 students to be taggers.
• The rest of the group stays within the defined area and tries to avoid being tagged.
• Once tagged, a person must freeze with their legs apart – stuck in the mud.
• A person can only be ‘unstuck’ by someone who is running free.
• They must bend down and without getting tagged touch both the person’s shoes to free them.
• Change taggers regularly.
• Variation – Run in pairs with hands joined at all times – taggers too!

Don’t get caught

You will need a parachute for this pe game.

• Students are given a number from 1-5.
• They lift the chute to waist height and on the command “raise the chute” everyone lifts the chute above their heads.
• The teacher calls a number, eg ‘3!’.
• All the ‘3’s have to change places with another ‘3’ on the opposite side of the chute before the chute is lowered to the ground.
• Students must be reminded of the safety aspect and the need to avoid collisions.
• Variation – Call individual students 1-2 at a time.

More fun physical education games and activities

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning some new fun pe games. And if you’re after even more ideas, then check out my Physical Education Lesson Plans.

You’ll get 35 physical education lesson plans that will last the whole year. Each P.E. lesson is on a separate card to make it easy to take with you no matter where you’re located.

Take a look at some of the excellent feedback for this resource

“This is such a handy pack to have! I love that the lessons are in detail so I know exactly what equipment I need and how to carry out the lesson. Thanks Melinda for another terrific resource.”

“A wonderful resource, easy to follow and great fun for the kids!!! Thank you!”

“I’ve always had trouble figuring out what to do for PE class. This is great. Thank you.”

“Nice and thorough. I am excited to use this with my elementary aged students for p.e.!”

“Thank you so much for this. I am still using this, years after the original purchase. Thank you.”

“Thank you! This will simplify my P.E. planning tremendously!”

Click here to grab your copy of the physical education lesson plans.

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Nice ideas – do you have non elimination activity versions? For Islands you could have a “pirate zone” for anyone who doesn’t fit into a hoop – they complete some other physical activity task (10 jumping jacks etc) before returning to the next round. Vary the number allowed in each hoop each time to add math/ counting skills. In Traffic Lights the last groups could go to a driving school to work on other skills before rejoining the game. Basically if the goal is physical activity (which is fantastic) you really don’t want to eliminate kids, especially as those who get eliminated are probably the ones who may need it the most 🙂 It is wonderful that you are doing this for your students. Jo Bailey Wisconsin Health and Physical Education President (WHPE) 2012-2014

Thanks so much for your comment. Yes I agree that it is also good to have options that do not eliminate children, and that still get them all moving. Thanks for taking the time to share some of your ideas….and I look forward to trying them 😀

I like these ideas- this is a great way to get students up and moving during testing as well. Thanks for sharing!

-Maria Everyone deServes to Learn

I love the warm-up activities for the morning! Really creative and engaging. Often, my class uses the same individual warm ups, but I love the idea of incorporating the warm up into a whole group activity like this!

Yes the students do certainly like beginning the day with some physical activity, and I find that they’re much more settled when they come back into the class. And we have such wonderful weather here in Perth who wouldn’t want to be out enjoying it 😀

Thanks so much for stopping by and for your comment. Mel

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28 Best PE Games With Absolutely No Equipment

P.E. lessons can be a bit daunting at times. All that equipment to organize and worry about. Yuck!

Then there are the safety aspects to consider. Eek!

The good news is, there are plenty of simple P.E. games that you can use with no equipment!

The Ultimate List of PE Games With No Equipment

Whether you need ideas for Kindergarten PE games, or PE games for preschool this list will spark the creativity you need for gym class or at home!

I’ve been teaching in early education for the best part of 20 years now, and in that time I’ve come up with a full armory of the very best PE games WITH NO EQUIPMENT! Woop!

Table of Contents

That’s right! Just a group of children are enough to create many games and have plenty of fun.

All you need are a good space and plenty of energy, so let’s go!

1. Stop And Go Bubbles

Practice drawing a great big pretend bubble with your finger in the air.

Reach up as high as you can and reach down as low as you can. Really reach all the way around you.

If you can reach and touch anyone else with our moving your feet you are too close to move away and make sure you are in your own space.

Stretch out in your bubble to make sure you can’t touch anyone else’s just in case you should burst their bubble.

Ask the children to move like a bubble and float around the space. How freeing and mindful this bit is!

When you tell them to stop, make sure their bubble is in a good space so that no one can burst it.

2.Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)

This is a brilliant pairs game, that is good as a warm-up or as a fun game on it’s own!.

What you do is invent three movements and demonstrate them to the group.

Once you’ve played it a couple of times, the kids can come up with their own ideas.

Three examples of moves could be:

• Doing star jumps
• Doing Jazz hands
• Jumping a 360 spin on the spot

Then everyone gets a partner.

The true challenge now is to activate your ESP, which (as pretty much all kids seem to know), is your Extra-Sensory Perception. Simply put, this is the ability to read your partner’s mind (which is very exciting).

Everyone displays one of the three moves at the same time. You want to do the move that you think your partner will do.

Do the same move? Woo woo! You activated your ESP.

Different move? Just try again.

Keep going for a few goes, before changing partners to see if your ESP works better or worse on other people.

As well as being a great PE activity, I often use this as a circle time game in class. This is one of the favorite games from my book 101 Circle Time Games…That Actually Work!

This book contains all the very best mindfulness circle games, active circle games, math games, literacy circle games, and so much more! You can check out the book here.

3. Foxes And Hares

Once the children have got a good understanding of space, and they can stop and start on your command, there are lots of fun PE games you can introduce.

Foxes and hares is a classic chase game .

Aim of the game: To catch all the hares of course!

About a fifth of the children should be foxes. So if you are playing with 10 children, 2 children can be foxes. 

The hares move around the space by hopping. To hop, they should move both feet together and then put two hands together on the floor, just like a rabbit or a hare moves in bunny hops.

The foxes also move on four legs (hands and feet) but they should be quicker as they are less restricted.

To catch a hare, simply touch them (gently, please! No fox attacks).

When all the Hares are caught by the foxes, the game is over and you start a new game with a new group of foxes.

4. Trains and Tunnels

This is a similar version to the game above. There are always loads of train enthusiasts among pretty much any age of children, so this game is always a winner.

Choose a few children to be the trains. 

Explain that the rest of the children are tunnels. They should make a tunnel by putting both their hands and feet on the floor and arching their back as high as they can to make a high tunnel with their body. 

The trains should run around the space until you shout Whoo Whoo.

At the sound of the train whistle, they should crawl through as many of the tunnels as they can. 

When a train has been through a tunnel, the tunnel is released and becomes a train. 

Keep playing until all the tunnels are trains. 

This is a fun game for pairs.

One child is the leader, the other is their shadow.

Explain how your shadow does exactly what you do. It follows you everywhere, and your movements are identical.

As the leaders move around the space, the shadow follows and copies exactly what they do.

Encourage the children to use different levels of movement.

• Roll on the floor
• Move on your hands and knees
• Move on one or two feet

Encourage them to use different speeds of movement

• Move slowly and gracefully
• Move quickly and craftily

Encourage them to use different balances

• Balance on one foot
• Balance on all fours
• Balance on two feet and one hand

Remember to swap over so that both children have a chance to be the leader. 

6. Good Toes Naughty Toes

This is another simple listening game requiring no equipment and it can be played as an indoor and outdoor game.

There are two instructions that the children are going to listen out for. Those are:

Good toes – They should stand completely still with their feet together

Naughty toes – They should dance around wildly using the space and not bumping into anyone else. (Music can be used if you want to)

This game is all about freedom and expression!

7. Noisy Running!

This is possibly my all-time favorite mindful PE game.

This is best done outside in a large space.

The idea is that the children are going to move and make noises at the same time. The volume of the sound they make will be directly linked to how fast they move.

Start by all humming very faintly, and walking really slowly.

Then try a fast walk, and raise the volume of the sound coming out of everyone’s mouth.

Then try light jogging, with a medium noise – aaaaahh – coming from everyone’s mouth, about the volume of talking.

Keep getting faster and increasing the volume! When you are running at full pelt, you will also be yelling as loud as possible – AHHHHH!

I like to do this activity in a structured way to introduce it and mix up the speeds/volumes for a while.

But then, for a couple of minutes, let the children ‘freestyle’. They choose their speeds and volumes and race around.

This activity is all about mindfulness , and experiencing a sense of freedom and liberation from inhibitions!

8. Floating!

Another mindful PE activity here.

Get the children to stand in a space and close their eyes. Then you are going to help them to visualize that they are transforming into something that floats or flies!

It could be:

Let’s imagine we start with the balloon.

Tell the children to visualize they are slowly changing into a balloon. Their skin is becoming colored rubber. And now someone is blowing them up, and they are getting lighter and lighter, and larger and larger.

Then, tell them they are fully inflated.

The children open their eyes, and now they are going to imagine they are floating like balloons around the space!

Off they go – billowing and wafting in the breeze.

After a couple of minutes, you can try transforming into feathers or eagles.

9.  Be The Teacher

This is a good way for children to start to think about the quality of their movements in PE class.

Work in pairs again. One child should be the teacher. 

Explain that as the teacher, they have to help their pupil make the best quality moves and shapes that they possibly can.

It depends on what kind of moves you are working on, but I like to do this with gym moves.

Try moves like:

• Forward roll
• 360 jump rotation

Ask one child to demonstrate the move, and the other child should help them to make it perfect.

Encourage the children to be kind and helpful. For example, they might say things like:

Tuck your head in a bit more.

Can you straighten your legs even more?

Can you reach up taller?

Ask them to use lots of praise if they spot some good quality movements and make sure they tell their partner what they are doing well.

Don’t forget to swap so that everyone has a go at being the teacher.

10. Make A Shape

Put the children in groups of 4 or 5 and give them the challenge of working as a team to make a shape.

Explain that they can work on the floor, lying down or standing up, as long as the shape is clear.

Begin with the basic shapes of:

circle, triangle, square rectangle

Build up to more difficult shapes like:

stars, hexagons, ovals, rhombus, or octagon

11. Body Letters And Numbers

You can extend this from shapes to letters of the alphabet or numbers.

Simply ask the children to make a letter by working together to get into the shape. This is a good activity for team building as they will have to work together and everybody is needed. 

12. Dance Like No-One’s Watching

Dancing is good for you for so many reasons. It’s a workout for the whole body, it encourages you to keep a beat and keep in time with music, and most of all, it’s fun.

It’s good for the soul, so put some happy upbeat music on and encourage some free dancing.

Clap your hands, wiggle your hips, wave your arms. Have fun!!

13.  Heart Monitors

It’s important for children to know that exercising makes changes to our bodies so that they aren’t frightened by the changes and they understand what is happening to them. 

This is a nice activity to explain those changes so that the children understand that it is perfectly normal.

Count down one minute of any kind of high-intensity exercise, for example:

• Fast running on the spot with high knees 
• Tuck jumps with both feet together
• Pretending to skip on the spot as fast as you can
• Burpees (lay down then jump up)

Really encourage the children to put lots of effort in here.

When the minute is up, encourage the children to put their hands on their hearts and feel it beating.

If they’ve put enough effort in, it should be pounding. Ask them to feel their forehead – it should be at least warm, if not hot and sweaty. 

Notice how fast their breathing is when they stop. They should be out of puff.

With older children, you could ask them to take their own pulse before and after exercising and see how much their pulse rate has increased. 

14. Eight Dance!

This is a great dancing game for kids of all ages.

Put some pumping music on to get everyone going!

Then pick some kind of action or dance move, and everyone does it eight times to the music while also counting at the same time – ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8!’

So, you might do eight star-jumps while counting. Or eight big marches on the spot.

Then shout out a new action, and start that, keeping the counting going throughout.

Some other good dances/actions could be:

• Arms up arms down
• Punch the air with one arm, then the other
• Arms wide, arms across your body
• Walking in place

For the older ones, the emphasis is on the movement. But for younger kids, this is also a great rote counting activity.

15. Animal Copy Cat

One child will be the leader in this game. This is the ‘cat’ that the others will try to copy.

The leader is going to pretend to move like an animal. Everyone else will copy!

For example, they might move like a monkey. They will stoop low, and swing their arms like a monkey. Everyone copies!

After a while, the leader will change the animal. They might pretend to be an elephant!

The trick is for everyone to watch for the transition and try to copy.

The leader can mix things up as quickly or slowly as they like.

16. Animal Freeze!

This is a variation of the animal copycat game above with a bit of music added.

Once again, have a leader that is going to pretend to be different animals that the others copy.

Put on some music, and the kids move around like the animal that the leader is demonstrating.

The adult will pause the music at any given moment. The children must then freeze in their best animal pose! It’s a bit like musical statues at this point. Anyone that moves could be out! (Or you can just play the non-competitive version where everyone gets to carry on each time).

17. Transformers

Wow – transformers are one of the most exciting things on the planet for many kids.

And this game really taps into this enthusiasm.

The kids are all now shape-shifting transformers. They can transform in the blink of an eye into many different types of vehicles, and move around the space like them.

Some good vehicles to try include:

• Train – with ‘chugging’ arms and lots of tooting!
• Helicopter – arms as rotas spinning over your head
• Racing cars – running around as fast as possible!
• Plane – Lots of swooping and soaring
• Monster trucks – Be as big and wide as you can

18. Mr Men/Little Miss Game

The idea of this is that the kids pretend to be some of the characters out of the Mr. Men and Little Miss books.

Some good ones to try include:

Mr. Grumpy – stamp around the room with your angriest face

Mr. Tall – Stretch up and walk as tall as you can

Mr. Bump – Go round bumping into walls and imaginary objects (though not other people)

Little Miss Tiny – Curl up like a tiny weeny ball

Lots of modeling of movements work well for this game – both from the adult and skillful children.

19. Child-Friendly Yoga

I find yoga is most effective with children when they can readily understand that the pose they are doing is mimicking something.

Some great poses that mimic things that children know are:

Household Yoga

In this, the kids mimic everyday actions in the house. It could be sweeping the floor, or washing the pots.

Lie on your front, with your hands flat on the floor next to your face.

Push upwards until your arms are straight, your chest is off the floor, and your back is arched.

This stretches the back and abdomen.

Giraffe Pose

Stand with one foot in front of the other.

Reach up high with both hands (this being the giraffe’s neck.) Then slowly bend down, and touch your leading foot with both hands.

Then slowly return to the original position.

Turtle Pose

Lie on your back. Pull your knees into your chest so that you form a ball shape. Slowly rock backward and forwards.

Your curved back forms the turtle’s ‘shell’.

20. Bean Game

This is one of those all-time classics that I thought I should include on this list.

The children pretend to be types of beans, each of which has its own separate movement.

Model two or three bean movements to start off with, have a practice, and then all play the game. Add more bean movements when the children get more confident.

The adult simply calls out a bean name, and the children move in that way.

The beans and associate movements are:

Sprouting bean  – Walk around on your tip-toes, with your arms stretched as high above you as possible

Baked bean  – Sit down on the floor

Broad bean  – Try to be as wide as possible! Walk around like this

Beans on toast  – Lie down on the floor

Chilli bean  – Shiver! This is a ‘pun’ on the word ‘chilli/chilly’ (obviously!)

Jelly bean  – Wibble and wobble!

Runner bean  – Run around like crazy

French bean  – Say, ‘Bonjour!

When you’ve played a few times, a child could potentially become the leader of this game.

21. Action Stories

This is a really good way of combining storytelling, listening, and action!

The adult makes up a story, and the children act it out.

After you’ve done it a few times, a confident child might well be able to lead this.

You want to have lots of active characters in the story, such as stamping giants, witches on broomsticks, unicorns galloping, and all that kind of thing.

As well as that, it’s good to have lots of action, such as terrible storms blowing, landslides, sinking sand, and all the rest of it.

The kids act all of these things out.

A sample start of a story might go:

‘One day the giant went stamping off through the forest. A terrible wind began to blow. The trees were swaying from side to side. Suddenly a unicorn came galloping into the forest to save the giant…’

I’m sure you get the picture!

22. Traffic Lights

Here’s another absolute classic of the repertoire!

In this, the children will pretend to be cars, and the adult gives different verbal instructions that the cars respond to.

The easiest way to play the game is to have three simple instructions that correspond to the colors of a traffic light:

Green  – Go! Jog around the space

Red  – Stop still

Yellow  – Walk on the spot, ready to go

Start easy, but you can always add more elements to the game when they are ready. Some other verbal cues include:

Honk the horn  – A noisy one, this! Go round tooting!

Roundabout  – Jog around in a narrow circle

Parking Lot (or car-park)  – Lie down on the floor

Freeway  – Run as fast as you can

23. Fox and Chickens

This is a variation of a basic tag game .

The idea is to mix up the game by incorporating a theme that the children are interested in.

So, you could have a fox catching chicken by tagging them. Or one of the following:

• A shark catching fishes
• A bird catching worms
• Or a witch catching children

Anything you think the children will respond to is fine.

24. HIIT Session

Here is a simple idea, that is great for fitness for all ages.

You have a structured sequence of activities that you perform together. Spend about thirty seconds on each movement, with a fifteen-second break.

Some simple moves include:

• Reach up, reach down
• Jumping like a frog
• Jumping in place
• Reach to one side, reach to other

For older or more skillful children, you can try some of these:

You can do one round of the activities or even two or three reps!

25. Simon Says Active Version

Of course, you all know the basic idea of Simon Says .

But it works really well in PE sessions if you make the moves super-active!

So, rather than ‘Simon says touch your nose’ kind of instructions, you want to think more along the lines of ‘Simon says crawl like snakes across the floor!’

Some other good examples might be:

‘Simon says wade through the muddy swamp.’

‘Simon says climb the rope ladder.’

‘Simon says run like a cheetah on all fours!’

26. Captain’s Coming

This is another game that is donkey’s old, but children love it generation after generation.

All the kids pretend to be on a boat. The adult gives orders to the ‘crew’.

These include:

Scrub the deck  – Get on hands and knees and start scrubbing the floor!

Swim to shore  – Use a powerful front crawl to move around the space

Into the hammock  – Lie down on the floor

Lift the cannonballs  – Lift up those super heavy cannonballs, and load them into the cannon!

Row the boat  – Row!

Captain’s coming  – Salute!

27.Melting Moments

This is a visualization and mindfulness game that is great as a warm-down.

The children are going to be imagining that they are something that melts. For example, they could be:

-A chocolate bar

-An ice-cube

Let’s imagine we go for ‘snowman’. Tell the children to stand in a space and then close their eyes.

Tell them to imagine that they are transforming into a snowman. They can feel their freezing cold body, their carrot nose, and coal for their eyes.

But now the hot sun has come out. You can feel the warmth on your face!

Feel how the snow is melting your body. Water is starting to drip down the snowman.

Imagine you are shrinking! You are getting lower to the ground! And finally, you are a steaming puddle lying on the floor.

(Ask the children to lie down and imagine this!)

28. Figures Of Eight

This is a good game to use as a warm-down.

The basic idea is that the kids stand in a space, and they are going to form a large figure 8 in the air with different parts of their bodies.

Start with their finger, but then move on to using their:

Warming Up And Cooling Down

To warm-up before PE Class or a fun activity at home, I like to play some music with a good steady beat and perform some repetitive actions for the children to copy. I make sure I warm up my arms, shoulders, feet, legs, hips, and neck. 

To cool down after PE games, try some nice long stretches for all the different body parts. I always like to finish a cool-down with some big deep breaths. Scoop up some air, stretch up and hold it above your head and then blow it away as you release your arms back down to your sides. 

Not Just Good For Physical Learning

One of the biggest benefits of daily physical activity is that children’s behavior improves as well as their overall confidence and independence. Check out this study on tracking of physical activity into into adulhood for more information on the benefits of PE Games .

Now that’s something worth trying for.

Good luck if you try out any of these fun PE games!

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Fun Gym Games for Kids

Looking for some fun gym games for kids? Look no further. Whether you are looking for games for your physical education class or just some games to play in an empty gym, these games are sure to lead to hours of physical exercise and fun.

QUESTION:  Besides exercise, what benefit do children receive from games?

Many games help children learn skills they need to know: • How to solve problems … • How to do things hand and body wise … • How to follow directions and rules… • How to be fair… •How to wait their turn…

Lots and lots of games on KidActivities! There are also games in every ‘Theme and Holiday’ Category.

1. THE BLOB TAG

Designate boundaries. Depending on the size of the play group, one or more children are the Blob.

Any one tagged by the Blob must join hands and become part of it. Object: For the Blob to devour everyone and for everyone else to stay alive as long as possible.

2. GARBAGE BALL

Use whatever you have that can be thrown and not hurt anyone… Balls, wads of paper, sock balls, rubber chickens, koosh balls, etc. Have two equal teams with a center line. Each team starts with the same amount of items.

At the signal each team throws whatever it can get their hands on – from their side of the line to the other side.

Players continue to throw until the signal to stop (or if music is used when you play – and the music stops) The winning team is the side with the least amount of garbage on it’s side. To play more rounds – divide the garbage evenly again and continue. Keep score of whoever has the most wins.

You can add interest by having the “losing team” pick up all “garbage” or have both teams pick up garbage but the losing team has to do what the winning teams directs such as accomplish a certain amount of push-ups- sit-ups, etc.

3. BAND-AID TAG

One person is “it.” Whenever someone is tagged by “it” they must hold a bandaid (their hand) on the spot where they were tagged. Then the game continues. When someone runs out of bandaids, (they get tagged three times), they are frozen until two other people come over to them and “operate.”

The two other people need to tag the frozen person at the same time and count to five. Switch the person who is “it” often.

Play as with dodge ball (or gaga ball ), but instead of sitting out to the side players sit down where they are tagged by the ball.  From their sitting position, the octopus (tagged kids) help with tagging any players who get close enough to be touched.  If a player is caught this way, they also sit down where they have been caught.

5. LIGHTHOUSE AND SHIPS

One player is designated to be the lighthouse. One quarter of the players assumes the role of “rocks” and they scatter in a bounded area. All the other students become ships and boats of various sizes.

• The ships blindly navigate their way (eyes closed) their way about, attempting to reach the safety of the lighthouse.
• If a boat bumps into a rock, the boat becomes and extension of the existing rock and makes the noise “swish” (water lapping against the rocks).
• The lighthouse constantly goes “Beep! Beep! Beep!” to help the ships reach the safety of the lighthouse.

6. CONTINUEITY BALL

Equipment :3 Balls (Beach Balls) Players scatter over the playing area and a ball is tossed into the air. The objective is to keep the ball in the air using any part of the body.

Once one ball is up, get two or three balls going at the same time. Keep count of the number of times the ball (or balls) is kept up in the air before it hits the ground. Youth try and better the number next time around.

7. DRAG THE BODY

K-6 Promotes cooperation and develops strength… Need several old sheets or blankets

#1 Version: Divide the group into two teams. Give each team a blanket. Have one player from each team lie down on the blanket. The teams must drag the body on the blanket from one end of the gym or yard to the other. Whoever crosses the finish line first, wins.

# 2 Version: You can also increase the number of kids on the blanket and have more draggers pulling them …or have an entire team get on the blanket and try to move to the destination point and back by rolling, scooting, shuffling, etc.

#3 This vesion is played as a relay… Have players form teams of 6-10. Players form pairs within their teams. Object is that one player drags his/her partner who is laying or sitting on the sheet or blanket to the end of the room (or where you decide) and drag back again. (They can also switch at the half-way point.- If they don’t switch half-way -they go all the way back and then switch places. Each pair repeats the process– until all have had a chance to drag and be dragged.

8. CRAB KICK

Supplies: Ball of any type, Large area for play Something for a goal (desk, basket, trash can).

• Divide  group into two equal-sized teams and have them sit on the floor at opposite ends of the room.
• Place a goal at each end and the ball in the center of the room.
• When given the signal for play to start, the children must crab walk to the ball and attempt to kick the ball toward their goal and score.
• Players must stay in the crab-walk position the entire game. Failure results in the opposing team getting a free kick.
• After a goal is scored, the ball is placed in the center of the play area and the game resumes.
• The first team to reach an agreed-upon number of points wins. From Indoor Action Games for Elementary Children (1989, Parker Publishing).

Practice kicking with more kicking games .

9. SPIN AND RUN

It’s a simple race. First, hold a broom or baseball bat in the air, looking at the top of it. Keeping your eye on the top, spin in a circle 10 times. Now (try to) run to the finish line. Lot’s of silly fun should follow…

10. TRUE OR FALSE

• The players are divided into 2 equal teams standing on either side of a center line.
• One of these is the “True” team and the other is the “False” team.
• Each team has a goal on either side of the center line.
• When the leader gives a true statement, such as “Grass is Green”, the true players run for their goal, chased by the false team.
• If tagged, the members of the true team become members of the false team. (and just the opposite if the question is false)
• The team that has the most players at the end of the playing time is the winner.

11. BED SHEET PING PONG

Players stand and hold a bed sheet on opposite ends. A ping pong ball is placed onto the sheet. The sheet is then raised or lowered. The object of the game is to get the ping pong ball to fall off the other team’s side of the sheet.

12. BODY PART FREEZE TAG

Body part freeze tag is just like regular freeze tag except once tagged, you are NOT completely frozen.

• Select one or two children to be “it.” These children run around tagging other children.
• If a child is tagged on the arm, only the arm is frozen.
• If tagged on the leg, only the leg is frozen, so the child must hop on one leg.
• If both legs are tagged, the child can pull himself along the ground with arms (assuming they weren’t already tagged). The object is to completely freeze as many as possible. If you want, you can have others unfreeze body parts as well.

13. PRISONER OF WAR

Children are divided into teams. Each team selects one child from their team to be the prisoner of the other team; the two prisoners are placed in jail.

This can be a designated area or a chalk box if playing outside. The teams each line up and the object of the game is to free the prisoner from the other team.

The teams must get to the prison by going to the other team’s side to free the prisoner. If tagged, that child then becomes a prisoner too and must go to jail. If a child makes it to jail, he or she is safe as long as he is inside the prison. The rescuer can only rescue one person at a time and can choose the right time to “break for it.”

14. WHAT TIME IS IT MR. WOLF?

This game is fast-paced and great for a larger group.

• One child is Mr. Wolf and stands against the wall with their back to the room.
• The rest of the children line up on the opposing wall.
• The children ask in unison, “What time is it, Mr. Wolf?”
• Mr. Wolf gives a time, such as 5 o’clock, and the children take that many steps towards Mr. Wolf.
• Eventually, Mr. Wolf answers, “Lunchtime,” and turns to chase the children back to the wall.
• Any child who gets tagged before reaching the wall becomes a Wolf as well.
•  The balance of the game soon shifts, with all children becoming Wolves.

15. CATCHING STARS (Similar to Mr. Fox)

This game was developed in Africa…

• Divide the players into two groups: Stars and Catchers.
• Set up two boundaries about twenty feet apart.
• Catchers: Stand in the middle of the two boundaries
• Stars: Stand on one side of the boundaries
• Catchers: Say “Star light, star bright, how many stars are out tonight.”
• Stars: Say “More than you can catch!”
• The stars run across to the other end and try not to get tagged.
• The winner is the last person to get caught.

16. BROOM HOCKEY

Required: Brooms, rubber ball, and goals (boxes or buckets) Players: 2 or more This game can be played in any size room.

• Make two goals opposite of each other.
• Start the game with a face-off in the center of the room.
• Opponents attempt to hit the puck into the opposite goal.
• The goalie is allowed to block shots in any way he desires.
• Penalties may be assessed for delaying the game, holding the puck with hands or feet, high sticking or other unnecessary roughness.
• The opposite team may receive a free shot (except for goalie) on goal when penalties occur.
• For large groups limit number of players and substitute once a score is made.

17. FOUR SQUARE

You need: A gym floor with 4 squares …

• The player in square 4 serves the ball by bouncing it in his square and tapping the ball into another square.
• The player in that space must tap the ball (after one bounce) into another kid’s area, and so on, until someone misses the ball, lets the ball bounce twice, or sends it out of the grid.
• The player who misses the ball steps out and the remaining players rotate up through the numbered squares.
• If you are playing with more than four players, a new player enters the game at square 1.
• The player who is out waits in line to re-enter the game once square 1 is open again.
• Whoever is now in square 4 serves the ball to resume play.

18. BLINDED FOUR CORNERS

Required: Blindfold Players: Medium to large groups Here’s a quick game that can be played in a classroom or gym.

• Select one player to wear a blindfold and they are to be placed into the center of the room.
• Once the player is blindfolded and in position, the other players must stand in one of the four corners. They must do this very quietly (no talking allowed) and within 10 seconds.
• If a player is not in a corner by the time your done counting, that player is out of the game.
• The player that is blindfolded will point to one of the corners and all the players in that corner will be out of the game.
• To be fair you cannot go to one corner, make noises and then quickly move to another corner.
• If no one is in a selected corner, the players have 5 seconds to get to another corner before a new corner is selected.
• The one person that was never found will be the new player in the middle.

19. MINE FIELD

In an area of 60×30 ( volley ball court or gym) place squeaky toys, balloons, chairs, ropes. and cones randomly about. Kids form partners. One person is blindfolded; their partner must talk them through the “mine field.” Partners may not touch each other at any time. Try and make it from one side of the playing area to the other. Several pairs may try to maneuver at the same time…

20. PICK-POCKET TAG (Or Tail Tag)

Need Flags or a strip of cloth to be used as a tail. Players have a tail inserted into his/her belt or pocket that is hanging at the back-side. All players chase one another trying to collect tails, while protecting his/her own. Players with the most tails collected in a specified time are the winners.

21. STICKY POPCORN

The children begin by ” popping ” around the gym as pieces of sticky popcorn, searching for other pieces of popcorn. When two pieces of popcorn meet, they stick together. Once stuck together, they continue to pop around together, sticking to even more pieces, until they end up in a big popcorn ball.

22. BARNYARD

(This could also be called Zoo, Ocean, Circus, or Outer Space, if you are having a “Theme”; You’d just change the names to go with the theme.)

• Depending how many children you have–form teams. You can have anywhere from 3 Teams to ?????
• Teams are in their groups and one end of the gym.
• Players in teams have DESIGNATED NAMES: Sheep, Cows, Horses, Pigs, etc.
• Two or three persons are “It” in the middle of the room.
• “It” calls out the names of the animals (Example – Sheep)
• All sheep must run to the pen at the opposite end of the room without being caught.
• When “BARNYARD” is called, everyone must run to the opposite end.
• Penalty for being caught is to run all around the barnyard (A LAP OF THE GYM) once and then they can come back in the game! (Remember to change the “It” people)

23. THE QUIET OLYMPICS

• DISCUS THROW: Use a paper plate
• SHOT-PUT: Use a balloon
• TRACK RACE: Each player lines up at the start line and race by placing the heel of one foot against the toe of the next. The first one to the end of the track and back wins.
• HIGH JUMP: Each contestant takes a deep breath and whistles. The contestant who holds the note the longest wins.
• HIGH DIVE :  Each player stands on a chair (or faces the chair back-rest and then kneels chair seat) with ten clothes pins and drops them into an empty bottle. The player that gets the most wins. Source: allthedaze.com

24. FITNESS MANIA

Required: Playing cards (preferably larger size playing cards) and activity slips-two of each directive (be creative) Players: Small to large groups

• For ‘Fitness Mania’ the players will perform a variety of fitness activities in order to improve their own levels of physical fitness. (Muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, flexibility and cardio respiratory endurance). Present it as a game!
•  Divide into two teams; each team will line up in a horizontal single file on opposite sides of the card and activity slip piles.
• The first person on each team will run towards the middle and pick up a card and and activity slip.
• Each card represents a number. 2 =2, Jack = 11, Ace = 14, etc. That is the number of times the team will perform the task.  Note: If a player picks up an activity that their team has already done, they must pick another activity slip.
• Players will run back towards their group then read and perform the activity as a group. (Example: Do ____ curl-ups).
• The next person in line then goes and the game continues until all of the cards or activity slips are gone.
• The team that finishes first wins.

25. Exercise ideas:

Sit ups, push ups, right sideway leg lift, left side-way leg lift, run in place, shoulder rolls, jumping jacks, hop on right foot, hop on left foot, jump up and down, scissor jump-steps, swimming from waist motion, jump rope in place-without a rope, etc.

Everyone walks around with their eyes closed in a small space. When they bump into someone they ask, “Pruie?” If “Pruie” is said back to you then they are not the person you are looking for and you continue looking in the group.

The referee has whispered to one person, telling them that they are the “Pruie”. The Pruie does not have to close their eyes and if someone bumps into them and asks “Pruie?” they do not respond. This is the clue to join onto their hand and open your eyes. The fun comes when there is only one person left to find the Pruie!

27. RED-LIGHT-GREEN LIGHT

Select one child, to start the game and be the “stoplight”. All the children line up on the other side of gym. The ‘stoplight’ yells “Green light!” and the children lined up start running. Object of game: The first one to make it to the stoplight wins and is now the stoplight. It gets tricky when the stoplight changes…

• The stoplight should yell “Red light!” to get children to stop.
• Any movement by a child means she is sent back to the beginning.
• The stoplight can also call out “yellow light” which means the children can only walk very slowly.
• Variations to this game include yelling “red light” two times in a row, or adding body movements. Say “green light” with your arms up one time and then say “red light,” but throw your arms up again to confuse runners into thinking your body language says “green light.”

28. HULA HOOP FREEZE TAG

Scatter out several hula hoops around the floor. Assign taggers to freeze the other players. Students inside a hula hoop can not get frozen, but can only stay long enough to count to 10. Only one child per hula hoop is allowed.

29. “IT” TAG

This game is played like traditional tag. The number of children playing, will determine the number of “ITS” you have–which would normally be from 1 to 3. ______ minutes, change your “It”.

30. NOSE AND TOE TAG

Formation : Scatter Three or four players are “It”. Players try to tag others. Other players can be immune from the tag by holding their nose with one hand and their toes with the other. They can only hold this pose for three seconds. They must immediately start to run after stopping in his manner. When tagged they also become an “It”.

31. MOTHER MAY I?

All the children line up side by side except the player who is the caller. The caller stands at a distance from the lined up players. He calls on each player in turn to take a number of steps toward him. The steps allowed are: baby steps, giant steps, and scissor steps (like forward jumping jacks.) The player answers “Mother, may I?”

The mother answers “Yes, you may.” The player takes the given number of steps toward the caller. If the player forgets to ask permission after they get directions and takes steps toward the caller they are sent back to the starting line. The first player to reach the caller is the winner and new caller. Idea: Change the name to the season:  Teacher May I? Santa, Snowman, Cupid, Leprechaun, Bunny, etc.

32. MONKEY TAG

Scatter with 3 or 4 kids who are “It”.

• When players are tagged, they must lie on their backs, feet up in the air.
• They are free if another person can touch both feet with their elbow before being caught.
• Time game so many get a turn at being “It”.

33. CATS IN THE CORNER

Need Soft balls- For Medium to large groups

• Mark off square play area.
• The ball thrower will be in the center of the square.
• There are safe zones at each of the corners where all the players called ‘Cats’ will be.
• When the thrower calls “Cats In The Corner”, the Cats have to run from one corner to another without getting hit by the ball.
• They can go any direction including diagonal as long as they do not get hit.
• Any player hit by the ball is out.
• If you have a large group you can have several balls and a couple throwers.

34. FEATHER BLOW

Purchase feathers at a local craft store. Give each child a feather. When you say, “GO!” the kids start blowing the feather in the air. Whoever can keep the feather in the air the longest (using only his/her breath) is the winner. This game can also be played in teams.

35. RUN RABBIT RUN

Half of the group are called foxes and the other half are named rabbits . Rabbits are standing behind a line at one end of the play area. (home) Foxes are scattered all over the gym.

• Captain Rabbit leads his/her brood for a walk.
• The leader of the foxes says : “Run Rabbit Run!”
• All rabbits run trying to return to their home.
• All TAGGED rabbits become foxes.
• Continue until there are no “rabbits” left.

36. END DODGE BALL

Equipment: Sponge balls of various sizes A ball is thrown in to start the game. The teams (each on their own side of line) throw two or three balls, back and forth, trying to hit the opposite team. As players are hit, they must go stand behind the opposing team on the back line so that they can RETRIEVE the balls AND THROW THEM BACK to their team.

37. STUCK IN THE MUD

A basic tag game. If children are tagged, they must stand with their legs apart (stuck in the mud) until someone crawls through and releases them.

38. WHO HAS THE CHICKEN?

1.  You have two or more taggers, and two youth with rubber chickens. 2.  The taggers run and tag children to freeze them. 3.  The students with the rubber chickens can run around and unfreeze the “frozen.” 4.  After a few minutes switch the taggers and the chickens.

39. FIND YOUR FRIEND

Make sure there are no trip hazards. Blindfold all children, set them a distance apart from each other, spin them gently/slowly around, and then turn them loose. They must find their friends, link arms, and then find the rest of their friends. They will have a good time shuffling around and bumping into each other! (Be sure an adult is present at all times)

Two players hold a soft rope or stick 3′ to 4′ long. Players take turns leaning backward and shuffling under the rope. Lower the rope after each round. (Be sure to play Limbo music!)

41.CAT AND MOUSE

Have all players join hands in a circle. Choose a ‘Cat’ and a ‘Mouse’. The cat chases the mouse around and through the circle. Players help the mouse but not the cat.  When Mouse is caught a new Cat and Mouse are chosen .

42. SET A “BOOK” of RECORDS

This one is a surefire winner! Keep your own program, classroom, or family book of records; have kids/players try to set records for things such as:

• Most jumping jacks
• Jumps in jump roping
• Running laps in gym
• Running laps outside
• Most crafts made for the month or year
• Longest handstand
• Most books read, puzzles completed, etc.
• Anything else that you can think of .
• When they start to utter that they are bored give them a new record to break and a fun reward if they set a new record! Be sure to make this a yearly ongoing event—NEW records can be set each year!!!

43. PROTECT YOUR ‘TARGET’ (A TAG GAME)

1. Choose one child to become “It.” 2. Divide the remaining players into teams of three members each. Each team will choose one of the three members to be a target. The target on each team will wear an identifying marker such as a piece of masking tape. 3. The Game: Players  hold onto their teammates’ wrists.  “It”  counts to 10 while the other players move away from him/her. Players continue to hold each others wrists during the entire game. 4. Once “It” reaches 10, they race to each team and try to tag the targets. 5. Each team  blocks/protects their target. The winning team is the one that avoids having its ‘target’ tagged.

If a large group of children are playing, have more than one “It”.

44. SQUAT, SQUAT, SCAT! This is a ‘version” of Duck, Duck, Goose.

• While young children think “Duck, Duck, Goose” is fun—those over grade 2 may take offense with playing a “Baby” Game…that’s when you try the game with a “Themed” title or this type of game name!
• It’s still Duck, Duck, Goose but with a different name !
• Have children sit in a circle.
• One person is “It”.
• This person runs around the circle touching the players on the back saying: “Squat, squat, squat”

When “It” touches a player and says “Scat”, that person must chase “It” around the circle. “Scat” tries to tag “It” before he/she gets home.

TIP: CONSIDERING HOCKEY? TRY THIS TO LEARN . For a safer version:

Instead of using actual Hockey sticks, use foam noodles that are for swimming. Instead of a puck, use a waffle ball. If you don’t have small goals, use two cones at each end.

Tape or mark off the boundaries. Make sure to enforce a “no high sticking” rule before the game begins. This will ensure that the teams aren’t whacking each other with the noodles. Have a penalty box for the rule-breakers. You can make a time limit, or a goal limit. If you have many kids be sure to switch out players…

Tip: Do you remember your favorite game as a child? Teach that game to your kids!!! Celebrate and have fun keeping the old games alive!

TIP: TEACHING JUMPING JACKS Saw this quite awhile back …don’t remember where…but it works! When the kids’ legs are out and hands clapped above the head, this is called “teepee” and when the kids’ legs are together and hands at their sides, it’s “pencil.” They can learn this skill slowly as they shout “teepee… pencil…teepee…pencil.”

GAME FUN FACT : ‘Simon Says’ started as a game in New York State’s Catskill Mountains during its heyday as a resort area. It was designed to get older women up and exercising.

45. Balance bean bag

A very simply game to get kids to work on their balance. It will also engage their core muscles and teach them how to control their legs and bodies better. Here’s how to play:

• Get a few kids standing on a line.
• Get each of them a bean bag
• Have them balance that bean bag on one of their feet.
• When you whistle, they need to raise their leg with the bean bag on it
• Try and stay balanced, the last kid standing wins.

TIP – Don’t raise your feet too high, it’s much easier keeping your balance with feet closely to the ground.

Check out the  Indoor or Outdoor Walking Club ! A great idea!

Need some team names for your gym games? Check out our 101 team names for kids .

Looking for more games??? Just click on your interest!

• PE Warm Up Games and Exercises 
• Relays, Races, Balloon, and Bean Bag   (Some really good for the gym!)
• Quiet, Table and  Less Active games
• Transition, Waiting and Sponge Games
• Games for Small Groups of kids
• Tons of Great Outdoor Games
• Outdoor Water Games
• Pre-K to Grade 2
• Parachute Games
• Jump Rope Rhymes & Games
• No Equipment Needed PE Games
• PE Tag Games
• There are also games in each and every ‘Theme, Holiday and Seasonal’ category! Check out the left hand side ‘Category Menu’

A father to three young boys with a passion of homeschooling. I am always seeking new ways to help them learn, grow, and have fun. I have a passion for traveling with the family and exposing our kids to new experiences and life lessons.

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The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

Awesome Warmups and Instant Activities

How do you Start Your PE Class Each Day?

When my kids walk into their Physical Education class, our routine is that I give them a quick greeting and then we get into a quick warm-up or instant activity.   After that we do a little stretching with our Daily Warmup Routine while we’re spread out at our Home Base Spots .  While we get stretched out I take attendance and give any needed announcements and then get into our lesson for the day.

Rules Review

For every K-2nd Grade class I always start by reviewing 3 important rules that my kiddos struggle with (see below)

Start Simple

At the beginning of the year I usually keep the warm-up really simple and do walking lines and jogging lines (jog the sidelines and walk the end lines) to some upbeat music for about 2-3 minutes ( here are my PE Playlists ).  As the year progresses we’ll add some more locomotor movements on the lines like skipping, galloping, sliding. 

Sometimes we also add in some footwork ladders on the lines or even going over and under hurdles while traveling around the room.

Skill Related Instant Activities

Once my kids are in a good routine I start to mix it up with some other instant activities.   Sometimes we add challenges related to the unit or lesson we are working on that day – for example balancing a ball on a paddle or dribbling a basketball while you are traveling around.

Skill Formula = 4-5 Reps of any skill – Jog a Lap – Repeat

For an example, check out the video below for an instant activity that I use in my Frisbee Unit .   

The formula above works great for any unit that you’re teaching just change the skill challenge to apply to your lesson, you can change the number of reps and change the skill, for another example in the video below we’re working on throwing and catching off the wall and only doing 3 catches.

You can also add more levels if you want them to work on more than one variation of the skill, see an example below for a format that I use often to allow students to self progress using animated GIFS to show skill specific instant activity challenges.

Fun Quick Games and Challenges

I usually don’t introduce games as instant activities until after at least the first quarter since I want my kids to get into a good routine and learn the dynamics of each class and student.  Once I feel we are ready I will introduce some fun quick games or challenges as instant activities for my classes that can handle it.  For my K-1st students I normally keep it pretty simple and use the same activities I’ve mentioned above, but with my 3rd-5th grade classes (and sometimes a mature 2nd grade class) I find that most of the games below work pretty successfully.

The Thunderstick Challenge

This is a classic activity that I always do with my kids during our Jump Rope Unit, but I also bust it out every now and then just for fun to switch things up for our instant activity.

Check it out below for an example:

Basically, I have the kids all come to the middle and if the rope hits their feet – they either head to the walk/jog lines, or grab a jumprope and practice until the 3 minute timer is done.

Another great Jump Rope Warmup if your students already know how to do it is doing the “ Whirlwind Challenge ” for 3 minutes, same rules as Thunderstick if you get eliminated (Shoutout to J.D. Hughes for showing me this awesome jumprope game).

I spend an entire lesson of our jump rope unit on the Whirl Wind challenge with my 3rd – 5th graders and then once they already know the rules we might use it for an instant activity in a following lesson.

Switch is a really fun no equipment game that’s perfect for recess and can be played on a 4 square court or using 4 cones, spots or tape to mark the 4 corners of a square.

If you’ve never seen it, check out the video below:

If you want more info about SWITCH you can head over to this page for a more detailed breakdown of the game

The Cone Flip Mixer

This is a game that I used for a Field Day Relay Race and the kids loved it so much that I started using it as a mixer or instant activity as well to talk about winning and losing and learning to be a good sport.

Check out the video below for an example:

If you want more info, check out this page for a more detailed breakdown of the game

The Fastest Class Challenge

This is a fun class running challenge that I do with all my classes in 1st – 5th grade.

I run the challenge 3 times a year and it’s been super motivating for students and allows for some healthy competition between classes.

You check out the video below for an overview of the Fastest Class Challenge:

All Links from the video linked on the page below:

• Check Out Fastest Class Challenge Resources Page

Plug and Play Activities

There are definitely times that I need to setup or take down equipment to transition from one class to the next or do some other management task – in those situations I use warm-ups that are plug and play – so the kids are engaged and active while I’m getting ready for the lesson.  

These are some of my Favorite Plug and Play Warm-Up Activities.  They are great for those situations when need to transition or prepare for the next lesson, but also need to get your class warmed up.   Just setup a projector or plug into a TV and you are good to go.

If you don’t have to do another task like setup equipment or take attendance you can join in the activity with your kids and lead by example, while also offering feedback and refinements throughout the activity.

Note : The first 3 activities will require a screen, TV or projector of some kind.

Youtube Follow Alongs

After the year most teachers had in 2020 and many of us going virtual for at least part of the time, there are TONS of awesome follow along videos that would work great for kids warming up.  Some of my favorite channels for quick warmups are Go Noodle , Fitness Blender , Just Dance Videos and Get Kids Moving

When I was teaching virtually I also made a cool resource for our Membership and TPT store with over 100 of my favorite follow along workouts and warmups – you can check it out on TPT here: The Youtube Resource Guide or if you’re a member you can download it in the membership area.

Sometimes I even put my own Daily Warmup Follow Along up for the kids if I am setting up for an activity

Follow the Leader Skills Videos and Animated GIFS

After I got a TV installed in my gym I started creating follow the leader videos for each unit that I was teaching my students.  I really loved having them warmup using skills that are specific to the lesson and would contribute to the overall focus of the unit.

It was a ton of work figuring out how to use a green screen and deciding what skills to use, but I’m so glad I did because it’s been a great tool to use when teaching.   In the videos I take students through different skills related to the unit and move to a new skill every 30 –  60 seconds depending on the video

I also used the videos to create some great Animated GIF Slideshows that I use to progress. students through a lesson and sometimes use as Instant Activity challenges as well, see the video below for an example:

Or sometimes instead of having a sequence 1-4, I’ll just throw up a few different skill challenges and let the students choose the one they would like to work on

You can see below for an example of a summary slide from our Jump Rope Unit, so students could choose out of these 4 skills which one they’d like to work on.

If you want to see the whole process I used to create these Follow The Leader Videos and Animated GIF Packs, check out this post

The Sworkit App

Sworkit is a great App and also has an online version as well now with a “Kids” section that is free for anyone to use.   If you want to see a walkthrough of how to sign up and what the workouts look like check out this video .

It’s an awesome tool for PE Teachers.  You can create custom workouts with your own exercises and choose any length that you’d like.  

The examples are all appropriate for elementary age students and the app has kids performing the exercises as well.  Just plug your iPad, iPhone or computer into a projector or TV and have your kids follow along.

You can sign up for a free account at https://sworkit.com/

Offer a Choice

Another fun and motivating thing to do is to offer your students an option to choose between 2 warmup activities.

For example sometimes I tell my students they can either do a Just Dance video in the middle of the gym jog and jump hurdles on the jogging lines.

Before I had a TV in my Gym, I would just offer students the choice to do a Line Dance in the middle or jog the outside, here’s a fun line dance if you need an idea .  

Interval Timer Pro

No TV or Screen?  Then this one is for you.  I use this App any time we are doing a tabata style or crossfit style warmup.  I use station slips to indicate a few exercises or activities for students to choose from at each station and then input what intervals I want to use – play some music and then the app rotates the kids around the room for a set number of rotations automatically.  

If you do have a screen you can plug the app into the screen so students can see the countdown timer for each rotation as an added bonus.

You can use any exercises, but I created my own set of 25 Exercise Posters that I use for interval workouts, see an example below: 

You can check out the 25 Exercise Posters Pack Here if you’re Interested

I usually do a 30 seconds on – 15 seconds rest/rotate – If you have 6 stations that means you have a 4.5 minute warmup activity (3 minutes of work, 1.5 minutes of rest/rotation)

This is also a great way to use stations to give a quick review of content you’ve already taught or give your students practice for something you are planning to teach soon.  

Workout Posters

• If you haven’t taken advantage of the hundreds of free workout posters at Darebee.com you really need to check them out.   You can also find posters homemade by some great Phys Ed teachers around on the internet… Like these super hero posters for example.
• Workout posters are great – they give students a few options to choose from and are self paced .  Just set a time limit and see how many times your kids can get through the workout before the time limit is up.  I leave a few permanently up on my walls in the gym.
• I also created some pretty cool One Page Workouts myself using the exercise posters I mentioned earlier, which you can check out here if your interested

Daily Stretching Routine

After my students complete one of the instant activities I mentioned in this post we will head to our Home Base Spots which is how I do assigned seats in my gym.  I will lead a quick stretching routine (or have a student lead) and take attendance while the kids are getting stretched out.  

• Daily Stretching Routine Poster

I hope some of those instant activities and warmups are useful for you and spark some new ideas for you to try with your students!

Got some ideas I didn’t mention?  Leave them in the comments!

Have fun and teach on.

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Reader Interactions

January 9, 2023 at 4:18 pm

I teach at an alternative school. My students are all 6-8 grade. So far there are some things I will probably incorporate. However, we only have an outside court, so many of the things for placing on walls will not work, especially since most days are highly windy. The Good Sportsmanship, and Self-Assessment ideas I love.

January 10, 2023 at 4:10 pm

No problem Willam! We always say, “Take what works, trash what doesn’t”. Glad you’re finding some of the resources helpful!

October 12, 2022 at 1:33 pm

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these warm up activities. I am going to start implementing these in all of my PE classses. I feel like the students and I get very bored of the typical dynamic warm up. I cannot wait to change it up!

October 12, 2022 at 4:07 pm

Hey Madisen!

Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

January 21, 2022 at 1:16 am

As a high-school PE teacher, I still find so much value in your posts. I’ll be looking for ways to adapt and include the “fastest class challenge” and “SWITCH” into future classes. Thanks for all of your hard work!

January 21, 2022 at 3:10 pm

That’s awesome to hear David! Thanks for sharing! Good to see the resources still being helpful at the secondary level!

September 14, 2021 at 2:11 pm

Where did you get the stick for your Thunderstick Challenge? I have jump ropes and whiffles balls but that hollow stick how do you keep the rope in there it looks like they have a cap on the end to keep it tight. ????

September 14, 2021 at 4:51 pm

Hey Lindsey!

You can find all my recommended equipment and technology tools at the link below:

http://thepespecialist.com/amazon

The Jump Baton/Thuderstick is on the list and linked below:

http://amzn.to/2tyOO1n

Hope this helps!

August 17, 2021 at 3:52 pm

I would love some ideas for just outside as my school does not have a gym. We are outside ALL year round.

August 18, 2021 at 3:48 pm

Hey Cynthia,

We usually teach in my gym to save time and steer clear of distractions, but sometimes I’ll go outside when the weather is nice or when we have a scheduling conflict in the gym.

Below you’ll find a few ideas for teaching outside.

Jump Rope is a great activity and can be taught and played pretty much anywhere, overview of my unit below https://www.thepespecialist.com/jumprope/ Frisbee is an awesome outdoor activity, here’s a walkthrough of how I teach it: https://www.thepespecialist.com/frisbeestations/ Four Square is a classic recess/camp activity and is great if you have a black top or some concrete to play on. I’ve never played on dirt or grass, but if it was hard enough ground you might be able to make it work https://www.thepespecialist.com/foursquare/ Tag Games are always fun to play outside here’s a few of my favorites Noodle Tag https://www.thepespecialist.com/noodletag/ Fire and Ice https://www.thepespecialist.com/fireandice/ Throwing and Catching games are fun if you have a fenced in area, if the area is too big or unfenced it can get annoying with all the balls getting lost or rolling super far away, so it kind of depends on your space, a few of my favs are linked up in the post below: How I Teach Throwing and Catching in PE: https://www.thepespecialist.com/throwing Team Building Games are great for any setting Cross the River Pass the Frog Hula Hut Relays Adventure Bingo The Crazy Cards Challenge Fitness activities can be done anywhere as well, I will sometimes do circuit training with my 25 Exercise Posters or use my One Page Workouts to do an AMRAP style workout Using Exercise Posters for Warm Ups and Workouts Also, the Fastest Class Challenge is a good outdoor activity: https://www.thepespecialist.com/fastestclasschallenge/

September 15, 2020 at 4:33 pm

I would like to purchase a Thunderstick. If I am trying to find one at a vendor, what would it be called?

September 15, 2020 at 6:11 pm

Thunderstick can be found at the link below: http://amzn.to/2tyOO1n

September 15, 2020 at 8:39 am

In times of COVID I am looking for new plans for when I have a substitute teacher. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

September 15, 2020 at 6:02 pm

You’re welcome Cindy! Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

May 21, 2020 at 3:14 pm

We have a set warm up we do, called Head to Toe. I like the idea of having it printed out for students to refer too (the cheat sheet). I teach PE in the UK to Years 1-6.

May 28, 2020 at 8:27 am

Thanks for the feedback!

April 1, 2020 at 6:12 pm

Great way to work out and have fun at same time.

April 2, 2020 at 12:15 pm

Hey Matthew,

Thanks for the feedback. We appreciate it!

March 16, 2020 at 1:07 pm

Thanks for all of the great ideas. When my students come into the gym, I have a specific place for them to stand. I call it their “Homebase”. Once they all get to their spot, I will usually give them a choice for the warm-up exercises to do for the day. This did take some time to go over at the beginning of the year, but they now know a wide variety of warm-up exercises get to choose from their favorites.

March 16, 2020 at 3:52 pm

Awesome! It’s so helpful to have a good routine in place.

August 27, 2019 at 11:44 pm

Hi, I am a member and use your posters all the time. I am trying to print your stretching routine poster but it is going to charge me $4. Since I am a member, is there a way to get this poster for free? I teach at three different schools. Thanks, Tami

September 2, 2019 at 1:09 pm

Yep! You can just login to the forums and download it in the Posters and printables section, if you missed our welcome page explaining how to access resources check it out below:

https://www.thepespecialist.com/welcome-to-the-membership/

August 1, 2018 at 4:30 am

Warm up before a workout is very essential because without warming up muscles are not prepared for firing in a maximum throughput and will also lead to injury. Thanks for sharing this information on warmup movements.

July 28, 2018 at 12:34 pm

I love your blog! I have a quick question: Do you let students pass one another when they are jogging/walking the lines for warm up? Or do they have to stay in a line? This has been such a struggle for me. I’ve tried it both ways and when they pass, they cut corners and almost knock people over and when they stay in a line, there is always that slow person who refuses to walk fast or jog and it slows everyone down. Any suggestions? I teach PreK through 5th grade.

July 31, 2018 at 4:21 pm

With K-2 I usually do no passing, with 3-5 I sometimes allow them to pass each other depending on the responsibility of the class and put out 4 cones for them to jog around

May 18, 2018 at 3:32 pm

Hello, I am so pleased to join your blog! I am teaching a health and PE course for preservice elementary and middle school teachers. You have given me many wonderful ideas for engaging my teachers in teaching skills according to the psychomotor, affective and social-emotional development of each student. I will be returning soon!

May 19, 2018 at 10:02 pm

Hey Ellen – so pumped to hear you’ve gotten some good ideas, thanks for the feedback!

January 25, 2018 at 8:16 pm

I noticed that besides the superhero warmup posters there were cards. Any ideas on how the cards are used? I am wondering if there is a game? Thanks for any ideas.

January 29, 2018 at 4:45 pm

No idea, but you could contact Mr. C on Twitter and ask him how it works – he’s the one that created the cards

September 11, 2017 at 10:17 pm

Ben, thank you so much for the self-assessment idea for the end of class. I now use it in my health and PE classes and the students LOVE it. I used emojis for the WOW…Got it…Almost There… Not Yet and my second and third graders love tapping out at the end of class. I’m getting great feedback from other teachers as well! Thank you for sharing your ideas. Chris

September 12, 2017 at 7:51 pm

I’ve seen a few of the Emoji versions on Twitter – I might have to add some to mine, cool idea.

Glad it’s working for you

September 7, 2017 at 9:27 am

This is my 17th year teaching but it’s my first as a full time gym teacher. I have used all of your suggestions for the first week and I cannot tell you how much you have positively impacted my program. The Home Base spots, Conflict corner, PE Rules, noodle tag, walking and jogging lines… Everything has been incredibly helpful. I think I’m going to love teaching gym! Thank you, Melanie

September 8, 2017 at 4:13 pm

So great to hear that Melanie! Hope you have an awesome first year!

P.S. Start calling yourself a “PE Teacher” instead of “Gym Teacher” – the gym is your classroom not what you teach 🙂

September 12, 2017 at 10:51 am

Thank you, Ben. I ALWAYS teach my PE students (and teachers) to call me/or others, Physical Education teachers, or PE teachers for short. I’ve found that “gym teachers” is actually demeaning to our profession. Always try to keep a positive/tactful attitude when working to change things.

August 8, 2017 at 8:36 am

Thank you so much Ben, your contents are very nice and hopefully will help me tomorrow to get my job dream, PE teacher.

July 19, 2017 at 9:29 pm

Your blog is making the transition into my first year as Physical Education Teacher amazing!

July 25, 2017 at 10:11 am

Thanks Scott! Appreciate you checking it out and I’m pumped that it’s helpful – have a great first year!

July 18, 2017 at 2:12 pm

This is getting me motivated for that first week. My goal is to read a bit of your site/blog each day to prepare me for my new role in Physical Education.

As an Ontario teacher, I am pleased to see the OPHEA video.

Thank for all of your guidance and keeping PE fun. D

July 19, 2017 at 11:21 am

Wow – I’m excited for you with the new job – congrats! I hope the site gives you some great ideas.

March 11, 2017 at 2:55 pm

I love Parillo’s Let’s Dance videos on You Tube

March 13, 2017 at 3:10 pm

Yes! Ben’s got a great Youtube Channel – definitely recommend it.

September 1, 2016 at 11:24 pm

What an incredibly helpful website you’ve created! Thank you. I plan to use many of your ideas this school year. I teach k-5 at a small Christian school and the kids will love many of these activities. Thank you, Aimee

September 2, 2016 at 2:08 pm

That’s great Aimee, thanks for sharing! Glad it’s helpful.

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• Pete Charrette

PE Games for Elementary Students: 6 Dynamic Physical Education Games to Transform Your Classes

Physical Education games serve as the heartbeat of an engaging and effective physical education curriculum. These activities not only energize PE classes but also bring to life the crucial motor movement, fitness development, and manipulative skills students learn throughout their PE journey. By transitioning from traditional skill practice to dynamic, inclusive games, physical educators can witness firsthand the transformation in their students’ abilities to navigate space, collaborate with peers, and apply strategic thinking in real-time. This evolution in teaching approach aligns seamlessly with the broader educational goals set forth by SHAPE America Standards, ensuring that each game played contributes meaningfully to the development of physically literate individuals.

The incorporation of PE games into the curriculum offers a unique opportunity to cement the foundational skills taught in PE classes. Through carefully designed activities, students can apply and refine these skills in a context that emphasizes fun, engagement, and practical application. This method not only reinforces learning but also enhances students’ ability to adapt and apply various movement patterns and strategies across different situations, fostering a more comprehensive understanding and appreciation for physical activity.

Adhering to the SHAPE America Standards, this article aims to explore the multifaceted benefits of PE games. These standards serve as a guiding framework, illuminating the path towards achieving educational excellence in physical education. By integrating these games, educators can ensure their programs are not just meeting but exceeding the expectations for developing well-rounded, physically literate individuals who value and engage in physical activity for life. Through this lens, we delve into the transformative power of PE games, showcasing their potential to enrich the PE experience for students of all ages.

Benefits of Incorporating PE Games into the Curriculum

Incorporating engaging and fun games into the physical education curriculum offers multifaceted benefits, directly contributing to the development of students' physical, cognitive, and social abilities. These games are instrumental in translating theoretical knowledge into practical skills, enhancing the overall learning experience in physical education.

Engaging Students in Active Learning

Engaging students in active learning through PE games not only captures their interest but also significantly improves their motor skills and movement patterns. These activities offer a dynamic classroom atmosphere where students are eager to participate and learn. The skills utilized during PE games help address SHAPE America's standards as referenced below:

Fostering Motor Skill Competency (SHAPE America Standard 1 )

Variety of Movement Patterns:  PE games introduce students to a wide range of movements such as throwing, catching, and kicking, helping to build a solid foundation of motor skills.

Skill Development Through Play:  Engaging in a pe game allows students to practice and refine these skills in a supportive and enjoyable setting, encouraging continued participation and improvement.

Application of Knowledge and Skills (SHAPE America Standard 2 )

Strategic Thinking and Decision Making:  Games often require students to use strategy and make quick decisions, applying their understanding of movement concepts in real-time scenarios.

Real-World Skill Application:  Through small and large group games, students learn how to apply movement principles and strategies, enhancing their ability to perform and collaborate effectively.

Promoting Physical Fitness and Well-being

By making physical activity enjoyable and varied, PE games motivate students in a middle, high or elementary school to participate more frequently, contributing to a healthier lifestyle. These activities are essential in demonstrating that fitness can be fun and rewarding, encouraging students to remain active both in and outside of school.

Maintaining Physical Activity Levels (SHAPE America  Standard 3 )

Regular Engagement:  PE games ensure students are actively participating throughout the class, contributing to their daily physical activity quota.

Health-Enhancing Fitness:  Activities are designed to improve cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, and endurance, supporting a lifelong journey towards a healthy lifestyle.

Incorporating PE games into the educational framework allows physical educators to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment. By aligning these games with the SHAPE America Standards, educators can ensure that students not only achieve their physical education goals but also develop a lifelong appreciation for health and fitness.

The Role of PE Games in Promoting Social and Personal Responsibility

Physical Education games are essential in teaching more than just physical skills; they foster social and personal responsibility, encouraging students to act with respect and integrity both on and off the field. By embedding these values into the curriculum, students can partake in healthy competition and educators can leverage PE games to promote growth in every student, directly aligning with SHAPE America's Standards 4 and 5.

Cultivating Responsible Behavior and Respect

PE games serve as a practical tool for educators to instill important social skills, such as cooperation, respect, and responsible behavior, crucial for personal development and academic success.

Teamwork and Fair Play (SHAPE America Standard 4 )

Combined Effort and Responsibility : Games provide a context for students to practice teamwork and experience the importance of fair play. These activities encourage students to take responsibility for their actions and understand their impact on the group's success.

Respect for Diversity:  Diverse PE games allow students to interact with a wide range of peers, teaching them to respect and value different abilities and backgrounds, fostering a culture of inclusivity and empathy.

Highlighting the Value of Physical Activity

Through engaging and enjoyable PE games, students can discover the comprehensive benefits of physical activity, including its impact on health, personal fulfillment, and social well-being.

Enhancing Health and Wellness (SHAPE America Standard 5 )

Boosting Self-Esteem:  Regular participation in PE games emphasizes the importance of physical activity for maintaining health, highlighting its role in enhancing physical and mental well-being.

Promoting Enjoyment and Self-Expression:  Cooperative games or activities like an obstacle course offer students a platform for challenge, enjoyment, and expressing themselves, encouraging a lifelong engagement with physical activity for pleasure and personal achievement.

Facilitating Social Interaction:  By participating in PE games, students develop social skills and build relationships, understanding the value of physical activity in creating and maintaining social bonds.

Incorporating PE games into the educational framework not only meets the SHAPE America Standards but also enriches the learning environment. Educators are equipped to guide students in developing a sense of responsibility, respect for themselves and others, and an appreciation for the integral role of physical activity in achieving a balanced and fulfilling life.

Featured PE Games

Explore the following selection of 6 dynamic PE games crafted to inject excitement, teamwork, and strategic thinking into your physical education classes. With each game offering distinct objectives and skill sets, they guarantee to captivate every student, reshaping your PE lessons into exciting and inclusive adventures. These featured games are perfect for aligning with SHAPE America's Standard 2 which states: The physically literate individual applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.

Game Overview

Battleship  is an engaging and fun game, that emphasizes students' development of

throwing, rolling, and blocking skills within a teamwork and strategy-focused context. Set in a naval-themed arena, this game challenges students to collaborate and think strategically as they aim to "sink" opposing teams' ships by knocking over their pins, simulating the battle on the high seas.

Equipment Needed

8 – 12 mats (representing battleships)

6 pins per battleship

Velcro tape or other markers for pin placement

8-12 flags or flagpoles (one for each battleship)

Matching scrimmage vests for scuba divers

20-30 gatorskin balls

20-30 yarn balls

Transform your gym into a vast naval battlefield with battleships stationed around the perimeter. Each battleship is represented by a mat, with six pins set around it to act as targets. A flag at the front signifies the ship's presence. Distribute various balls around the gym class floor as ammunition. Assign 4 – 8 students to each battleship, with one person from each team wearing a vest matching their flag color as the scuba diver. Designate one student from each team as a "scuba diver," identified by a vest matching their team's flag, who will operate off the mat to gather balls - the ammunition.

Rules and Gameplay

The objective is for teams to sink opposing battleships by knocking over their pins using balls.

When all a team's pins are down, that battleship is considered sunk, and they must lower their flag.

Even after being sunk, teams can continue to play and aim to sink the remaining battleships.

Players must manage their positions on their mat, covering their battleship effectively.

Each team has a scuba diver who collects balls from the gym floor to distribute to their respective teams but they cannot block shots. Each ball is like a hot potato and must be rolled quickly to a teammate.

Scuba divers can gather multiple balls at a time but must avoid interfering with the gameplay.

Players on the battleships must not step off the mat, doing so may result in a penalty such as knocking down one of their own pins.

The game concludes when only one battleship remains or the one with the most pins standing after a predetermined time. Reset the pins after the conclusion and the game continues

Teaching Tips

Differentiation/Modification: Consider using taped-off areas or cones to define battleships for easier setup. Adjust the type and size of balls to modify the game's difficulty and Change the number of pins required to sink a battleship based on skill levels. You can also vary the number of scuba divers based on team size and skill.

Safety: Encourage players to maintain positions on their mats to prevent falls. Scuba divers should be cautious of their surroundings to avoid collisions with players or obstacles.

Assessment: Assess students on their ability to apply proper throwing, rolling, and blocking techniques. Observe students' teamwork and strategic planning, ensuring they adhere to game rules and demonstrate fair play.

Storm the Castle

Storm the Castle  focuses on the dynamic skills of dodging, fleeing, chasing, and tagging within a large group setting. This medieval-themed, multi-faceted tag game encourages students to strategize and work as a team to protect their castle and its treasures while attempting to invade the opposing team's fortress. Play music to start and stop the game and for transitional purposes.

8-, 18-, or 24-inch cones for treasures.

Small saucer cones for dungeons.

16 Poly Spot Markers.

2 sets of different colored vests for teams.

Boundary lines to define the playing area.

To set up the game, begin by dividing the class into two teams, each team taking up residence on one side of the play area, symbolizing their respective castles. At the rear of each castle, place four cones, each serving as a treasure, positioned strategically on four of the eight spot markers. The play area is then divided into two distinct sections, each representing a castle. Each castle is equipped with two gates positioned at opposite ends and two dungeons situated on opposite sides, adding layers of strategic depth to the game setup.

Knights (students) start in their castle and the game starts on the teacher's signal.

The objective is for knights to cross into the other team’s castle, avoid being tagged, and retrieve treasures to bring back to their side. The first team to secure all 8 treasures wins.

Knights prevent opponents from stealing their treasures by tagging them before they can grab a cone. No diving, sliding or blob tag allowed.

Tagged knights are sent to the dungeon and can be freed by a teammate who reaches the dungeon without being tagged.

Freed knights must link with the rescuer and students walk safely return to their castle.

Knights carrying a stolen treasure must walk with it above their head to show it was legally taken and are immune to being tagged while doing so.

Up to 4 guards per team can protect the treasures.

Referees or rock/paper/scissors can resolve disputes or close calls.

Differentiation/Modification: To accommodate various play spaces, the length of the court or field may be adjusted. Playing outdoors offers a refreshing alternative to indoor spaces. The number of cones representing treasures can be varied to modify the game's difficulty, and adjusting the number of guards per team allows for strategic flexibility.

Safety: Safety is paramount in Storm the Castle. Diving or sliding to retrieve cones is strictly prohibited to minimize the risk of injury. Students are reminded to maintain control over their movements at all times, keeping an eye out for open spaces to navigate safely. It's also crucial to ensure a safe distance from walls and other obstacles, protecting students from potential harm during the excitement of play.

Assessment: Observation focuses on students' techniques in chasing, dodging, tagging, and fleeing, ensuring they apply these skills effectively within the game context. Additionally, students' adherence to the rules, their ability to work as a team, and employ strategies for cooperation are key aspects of the assessment.

King/Queen Pin

King/Queen Pin , created by an accomplished physical educator from North Carolina, Gabe Erbin - @ErvinGabe , engages students in refining their throwing, rolling, and defensive abilities within the imaginative context of a royal court. Participants adopt roles as either noble guardians (kings and queens), endeavoring to protect their kingdom's valued treasures (pins), or as rebellious contenders (peasants), aiming to overthrow the monarchs by knocking down their treasures. This activity promotes strategic planning, collaborative effort, and physical dexterity, all wrapped in an entertaining medieval narrative.

10 – 15 bowling pins

Several Nerf, Gator skin, or yarn balls

16 Poly Spot Markers

Boundary lines

To set up the game, envision the playing area as the court of a king or queen, with the monarchs positioned centrally to defend their treasures, represented by several large bowling pins placed at the heart of the play zone. Some students take on the role of a king or queen, assigned the task of guarding their pin. Meanwhile, the remaining students, cast as peasants, position themselves behind the court's sideline, ready to engage. The field is dotted with a variety of soft, Nerf, Gator, or yarn balls, serving as ammunition for the impending challenge.

 Instructions for Play

Divide students into two groups: King/Queen Pins (defenders) and Peasant throwers/rollers (attackers).

The goal for attackers is to knock down the King/Queen Pin’s pin by throwing or rolling balls.

Throws or rolls must be executed with at least one foot on the Peasant line.

Balls can be retrieved from anywhere but must be launched from the Peasant line.

Successfully knocking down a pin allows a Peasant to dethrone the King/Queen Pin and take their place.

King/Queen Pins defend by blocking balls with any part of their body, without directly supporting the pin to prevent it from falling.

The aim for King/Queen Pins is to maintain their status by effectively defending against the attackers.

Differentiation/Modification:  Try substituting balls with indoor Foam Frisbees for an added challenge. Additionally, the number of pins used in the game can be modified to accommodate the size of the group or to alter the level of difficulty, ensuring that the game remains challenging yet accessible for all players.

Safety:  Prioritize the use of soft balls to ensure safety. All throws should be made from behind the designated sideline to maintain order and fairness in the game. Players should stay aware of their surroundings to prevent collisions and avoid diving or sliding for balls. All throws should be aimed at the pins, ensuring a safe and controlled play environment.

Assessment:  Focus on observing students' technique in throwing, rolling, catching, and blocking. Evaluate students' rule adherence, teamwork, and strategic execution to assess their engagement and understanding of the game's objectives.

Sky Bowling

Sky Bowling introduces students to a unique blend of throwing, catching, blocking, and gathering skills within a game that prioritizes teamwork and strategy. Set in an indoor environment transformed into a competitive sky, the game challenges students to knock over the opposing team's hidden pins while protecting their own.

8-10 mats placed upright to form a "Sky Cloud" barrier

15-20 nerf, gator skin, or fleece balls for throwing

24-30 hula hoops scattered across each side

24-30 bowling pins or cones with whiffle balls on top, positioned within the hula hoops

A scoreboard or alternative scoring device

The gym is split into two halves, separated by upright mats linked together to form a "Wall Cloud." Around 8-10 mats are positioned upright in the center, dividing the playing area. On each side, 12-20 hula hoops are placed, each containing a bowling pin or a cone topped with a whiffle ball. Players distribute themselves across their half, ready to throw balls and defend their pins, with basketball goals set up on the wall for an additional challenge.

Instructions for Play

Players are divided into two teams, taking positions at their end line within their designated "Sky Bowling" court.

Upon the start signal, players rush to collect balls from their side and throw them over the "Wall Cloud" towards the opposing team’s pins.

Each player can only throw one ball at a time and must release it within three seconds of picking it up.

Throws must be made from the spot where the ball was picked up or stopped, with only a single step allowed for momentum.

Catching a ball cleanly allows the player a chance to score a basket; successfully doing so permits them to reset one of their knocked-down pins.

The game progresses with players catching and attempting baskets, with pins only being reset by those who score.

The match concludes after a predetermined time, with the team having the least number of pins knocked down declared the winner.

Differentiation/Modification:  To modify "Sky Bowling," you could lower the mats or use a volleyball net for better visibility. Introducing different types of balls, like beach balls, offers varied gameplay. Adjusting the playing court's size or using lines instead of mats as dividers provides flexibility in setting the game's difficulty.

Safety: Players should use soft gator skin or fleece balls to minimize injury risks. Awareness of the surroundings is crucial to avoid accidental collisions. Gathering and distributing balls should be done cautiously, and contact with the dividing mats ("Wall Cloud") is discouraged to prevent them from toppling over.

Assessment:  Observation focuses on the students' proficiency in throwing, catching, and accurately shooting balls. Additionally, adherence to the game's rules, the demonstration of fair play, and the ability to collaborate effectively within teams are key aspects of the assessment, reflecting each student's understanding and application of the game's strategies.

Stars and Strikes

Stars and Strikes   offers a dynamic experience for students, focusing on developing throwing, rolling, and guarding skills through strategic gameplay. Set in an imaginative space-themed environment, this game encourages teamwork as students work to protect their planet's command centers (bowling pins) while attempting to knock down those of the opposing team.

10 bowling pins set up on polyspots or tape dots behind each team's territory

25+ yarn, nerf, or fleece balls scattered across the play area for use as ammunition

2 red vests and 2 blue vests for the "Aliens" role

Center line to divide the gym into two halves, representing different planets

The gym is divided into two halves, representing different planets. Each side has 10 bowling pins arranged behind the back line, symbolizing the planets' command centers. The play area is filled with yarn/nerf balls, serving as ammunition for the players, or "Star Troopers," who are tasked with saving their friendly alien planet and destroying the enemy one. Two "Friendly Aliens" on each team assist in the defense and supply of ammunition.

Players are divided into two teams, each defending their planet's command centers while attempting to knock down the opposing team's pins.

Crossing the middle line is prohibited to maintain the integrity of each planet's atmosphere.

Star Troopers can throw or roll only one ball at a time in an effort to hit the bowling pins on the opposing side.

The "Aliens," (usually two students per team, identified by vests), are the only ones permitted behind the bowling pin line, tasked with protecting the pins and redistributing balls to their team.

The game aims to knock down all the opponent's pins or achieve the highest number of knocked-down pins within a set time limit.

Differentiation/Modification: The game can be adapted for various skill levels by using only fleece balls for younger or less experienced players, adjusting the number of pins, or changing the distance between pins. Bringing pins closer together can make the game more accessible for younger students.

Safety: Emphasize the use of soft fleece/yarn balls to ensure safety during play. Players should remain aware of their surroundings to avoid accidental collisions and are encouraged not to dive or slide for balls. All throws should be directed towards the pins, maintaining a safe and controlled environment.

Assessment: Observation is key in assessing students' ability to apply proper techniques in throwing, rolling, catching, and blocking. Additionally, assessing students' adherence to the rules, their ability to cooperate within their team, and their strategic planning offers valuable insights into their understanding and application of the game's objectives.

Meteor Blitz

Meteor Blitz   sometimes referred to as "MonsterBall" is designed to refine precision in both

throwing and rolling, merging the elements of teamwork and strategic gameplay. Set within a galactic theme, participants are thrust into a cosmic battle, with the objective of propelling large balls—referred to as 'planets'—into the opposing team's domain. This is achieved by skillfully hurling smaller balls, dubbed 'meteors,' towards these planets to drive them across the territorial boundary."

20-40 gator skin, nerf, or yarn balls as meteors

3-6 Large balls like exercise, beach, or slo-mo balls representing planets

4 red vests for meteor retrievers, 2 for each team

A center line to divide the playing area - eight or nine hula hoops can also be used as a divider

Two back "Meteor Launching" lines for each team

A scoreboard or scoring device to keep track of points (eight or nine hula hoops)

The gym is divided into two halves with a center line, and 3 to 6 large balls are placed on this line to start the game. Each team has two or three designated meteor retrievers who position themselves within the play area, ready to assist their team. Around the gym, several yarn, nerf, or gator skin balls are scattered to serve as meteors. Teams line up behind their respective "Meteor Launching" lines, spreading out to cover the area from one end to the other, preparing to launch their meteors into space.

Teams work to move the large balls across the opponent's line by hitting them with smaller balls.

"Meteor Launchers" stay behind their line, using strategy to throw or roll meteors at the planets.

Points are scored by moving planets across the opponent's line, hitting an opponent, or hitting an opponent's meteor retriever.

Meteor retrievers gather and return meteors to their team, but cannot directly interact with the planets.

If a launcher steps over the line, they must count to 50 in a penalty area before returning.

Direct contact with the large balls by any player results in points for the opposing team.

Differentiation/Modification: The game can be tailored to the participants' needs by limiting the action to rolling for younger students or those less skilled in throwing. Adjusting the number of planets in play can increase or decrease the game's difficulty, as can altering the number of retrievers or modifying the distance between launching lines to suit the space available or the participants' abilities.

Safety: Emphasizing safety, only soft balls should be used for throwing to minimize the risk of injury. Participants are encouraged to stay alert and control their movements, avoiding any actions that could lead to collisions or falls, such as diving or sliding for a ball. When throwing, focus should be maintained on the large balls to ensure the safety of all players, particularly the retrievers moving across the play area

Assessment: Observation is key in assessing students' application of accurate throwing or rolling techniques and their ability to catch and field rolling balls effectively. Additionally, evaluators should note each student's ability to follow the game's rules, their cooperation and teamwork within their group, and their strategic thinking in navigating the game's challenges.

If you enjoyed these games, I have written another article on my website with 6 more! Click the following link to view the games: Energize Your Physical Education classes with 6 Action-Packed Large Group PE Games

Final Reflections

Navigating through these highlighted PE games, we've embarked on a journey that extends beyond mere physical activity. These games are a gateway to teaching invaluable life skills—teamwork, resilience, and the joy of movement. It's remarkable to witness how games like Battleship  and Storm the Castle  can transform a regular PE class into an exhilarating adventure, where every student, regardless of ability, finds their moment to shine. This isn't just about meeting educational standards; it's about crafting experiences that students will treasure, fostering an enduring enthusiasm for physical activity.

So, as we wrap up, remember the power you hold in shaping an inclusive, dynamic, and joyful learning environment. Through the strategic integration of these diverse games, you’re not just instructing; you’re inspiring a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. Here’s to making every PE session a highlight of your students’ day, and here's to you, the educators, who make it all possible. Keep the spirit of play alive in your teachings, and watch your students thrive in ways beyond the physical.

Passion is your power—let it shine through! Keep igniting the spark of physical education, making it a lively and meaningful adventure for every learner.

Need some FREE resources?

Do you need some large group games for your physical education program that includes detailed lesson plans and comprehensive diagrams with fun graphics? Cap'n Pete's Power PE has you covered!

Fill in the form below to download 3 FREE  Engaging Large Group PE Games:

1. Pirates-  Fast-paced, high-energy chasing, fleeing, and tagging game

2. Galaxy Quest-  Intergalactic, engaging chasing, fleeing, and tagging game

3. Survivor 1-  Defending, rolling, throwing for accuracy game

This freebie set will be sure to enhance your PE curriculum for years!

A Mega Bundle of Large Group Games

If you're looking for a way to improve your physical education curriculum, check out Cap'n Pete's Large Group PE Games - Triple Series Mega Bundle . In the mega bundle, there are 36   quality games designed to be engaging, student-friendly, and highly active.

You can download them from either of the following platforms: Cap'n Pete's Power PE Website  or Teachers Pay Teachers- Cap'n Pete's TPT Store

This comprehensive collection includes 12 ROCKIN GAMES + 12 OUT OF THIS WORLD GAMES + 12 PE GAMES FOR SUPERHEROES! That's 36 quality themed, large group games for your PE program.

Each game comes with a detailed lesson plan consisting of 1. Overview and Purpose, 2. SHAPE AMERICA Standard 3. Learning Outcomes, 4. Essential Questions, 5. Differentiation/Modification, 6. Game Setup and Procedures (Instructions for Play), 7. Materials and Resources, 8. Safety and 9. Assessment Suggestions. An easy to follow, full page graphical diagram is also included for each game in the Large Group Game Mega Bundle.

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Second Grade Fitness & Exercise Activities

Complete Kindergarten - Grade 2 PE Games - Elementary physical education lessons

What educators are saying

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Description

Over 100 PE group games, activities, skills, drills, and lesson ideas for your K-2's: Develop the fundamental • Striking • Moving • Bouncing • Throwing & Catching • Kicking • skills - great inside your sports hall or out on the field

The TOP SELLING product, the Kindergarten to Grade 2 PE Sport Skills and Games Pack, has been developed after years of elementary teaching around the world, and is great to start at any time during the year!

WHY DO I NEED THIS PACK?

- Do you struggle to find new ideas and the correct way to run your weekly PE lessons? Are you looking for some refreshing activities to run with your students to get them excited for sport? Are you clueless when it comes to teaching Physical Education?

If you are looking to deliver fun, engaging, EXCITING sport lessons to your kids, but haven't a clue where to start, you've come to the right place! You won't just have games to play, you'll have a complete JAM-PACKED collection of skills, drills, activities, games, and lesson plans - this resource is perfect to start using at any time during the year!

1. Over 100 activities

Now you have EVERYTHING YOU NEED to deliver game-changing sport and work on your students' gross motor, hand-eye, co-ordination and fundamental movement skills.

This pack is great for you if you are looking to deliver lessons for grades K-2. Everything in here is so simple and easy to follow, without the need for searching, planning and scrambling for ideas when teaching PE and sport.

2. Loads of skills included

You will be fully equipped with the ways to teach, the coaching points, skills and drills, set up, progression, gameplay and variations for the following gross motor sport skills:

• Striking – 2-handed, 1-handed, overhead, passing, dribbling & shooting

• Moving – Sprinting, dodging, jumping, balancing, hopping skipping...

• Bouncing – Dribbling, protection, cross-overs, shooting

• Throwing and catching – Chest & bounce passing, overarm & underarm throwing, catching

• Kicking – Passing, controlling, dribbling, shooting, skills, punting

These 6 sport elements will develop your kids' ability for a range of sports including baseball, american football, basketball, tennis, hockey, volleyball, soccer, handball and much more... All the activities are so simple to follow, you can either go by the sample lesson structure, or simply pick and choose the activities you want to teach.

3. No prep - structured lesson plans

Print and teach lessons - and awesome straight from the IPad/tablet (put it on iBooks, Google Drive or a .PDF reader. It's awesome for all casual, permanent, new and student teachers, PE teachers, and professional development for staff.

4. Assessment

You are also provided with an in-depth assessment rationale and grading sheet, in order to assist in your reports.

Exclusive to this pack, it now comes with:

› 4 printable skill POSTERS perfect for your classroom as A3 or A4

› 18 individual skill CARDS for you and the kids to recap

› 5 "See if you can" individual challenge posters to put up on the playground or hall

› Colouring-in sport pages for a rainy days

What some teachers have said about this pack:

› "A fellow teacher recommended this and I'm so glad she did. Fabulous ideas and easy to implement!"

› "This is amazing and the kids love all of the activities we have done so far!"

› "Never enough K-2 ideas. I always run out of good activities for this age group. Thank you."

This pack is PERFECT for you if you are looking to build your practical knowledge and create an opportunity for your kids to play sport through FUN, CHALLENGING, REWARDING and tried and tested activities.

It's a fantastic, complete unit with so much VALUE in it, and is made by experienced sport coaches and elementary school teachers that can be used term after term, year after year, to develop your students' sporting ability! Share it with your co-workers and boost your school sports program. You also SAVE money by purchasing this complete pack instead of buying each individual skill element pack separately.

**You can now also get this pack with my new 'Fundamental skill cues' videos + slides resource: 56 slides with videos & coaching cues to develop all the sport skills at elementary level. Check out the new bundle here .

Supporting videos

Check out the 'How to teach' skill videos, helping you to understand what the skill looks like and cues on teaching it - Click to view:

• Throwing & Catching

Check out the Prime Coaching website for loads of great ideas, drills, games, and instructional content on teaching PE!

If you like this pack, you should also check out:

› Fundamental sport skills : 56 slides with videos & coaching cues to develop all the sport skills at elementary level

› Agility, Balance & Co-ordination fundamentals pack: 60+ tasks and activities to develop agility, balance & co-ordination with your students

› Exploring PE Sport stations pack: 60 stations for quick setup ideas to get your kids practicing their skills and rotating around different activities in your gym or sport field!

› Rapid Relay Races pack: 25 thrilling, easy to set up challenging team races to run at your school gym or field - Great for practicing specific sport skills

› Fitness Circuits pack - 36 printable station cards (+ online video instructions) to cover the 6 components of fitness necessary to keep your students healthy and active: Core, flexibility & balance, stamina, leg strength, arm strength, and whole body exercise.

› Individual Equipment Challenges pack : 42 printable task cards for unique & specific activities to work through individually.

› Warming up & Stretching task cards : 41 Warming up & Stretching exercise cards

› Learn Math through Sport (Grade 3) - 5 integrative PE lessons that include the key math subjects - Complete with worksheets, score sheets, and 'how-to-play' videos.

› Gymnastic Stations pack: A complete sport unit with over 60 activities for the trampoline, wedge, bars, floor mats, beams and more.

Prime Coaching – Game-changing sport lessons.

• My NEW Youtube channel has weekly videos for simple ideas, drills + skills to show your students, click HERE to check it out!

Feel free to contact for any questions and further support at [email protected]

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