physical education exercises for kindergarten

PE challenges for kindergartners, 1st, and 2nd graders

by: Jessica Kelmon | Updated: May 5, 2024

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Encourage your child to try one of these physical challenges before they sit down to work quietly and as a break between tasks that take concentration. Little kids will have fun doing these challenges — and they’ll find it easier to focus after they’ve got their wiggles out. In addition to being kid-friendly, exercises for kids are great for your child’s brain development .

20 great exercises for kids

The 5 ways to walk challenge, the jumping jacks challenge, the sprint-walk-skip-hop challenge, dance along and pop the corn, great big moose, clap stomp jump, be a butterfly and try yoga, play freeze dance, boom chicka boom, head, shoulders, knees, and toes, poppin’ bubbles, balancing act, do the gummy bear, starfish jumps, the windmill, jumping jelly beans, scissor kicks.

Check out these exercises for kids in third through fifth grade , too.

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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!

20 Simple Ideas for Kindergarten P.E. with Minimal Equipment

Important: Always make sure you have enough space for these activities! Also, think about the level your pupils are at currently and if they can participate in the activity safely.

1. STAR JUMPS

Say ‘Arms out!’ and jump, landing with your arms and legs out like a star. Shout ‘Arms in!’ and jump, landing so you are stood up straight with your arms at you side. Do this with the class a few times, and then say they have 10 seconds to do as many star jumps as they can. After you’ve given them ten seconds, ask a few students how many they did. This makes things competitive, and you can now get all the children to try again and see how many star jumps they can get in another 10 second period. This time round they’ll start doing super-fast star jumps as if their lives depended on it. Very good exercise to wake up sleepy students! Oh, and don’t be surprised if the children go from saying they managed to do 10-12 star jumps in 10 seconds to eventually topping each other by telling you they did 100+! 2. FUNNY RUNNING

Have all the children sit against a wall or in a line. They then have to run to the opposite wall or another line in a certain specified way. You can tell them to run as tigers, as elephants, as birds or whatever else you can think of. As snakes is particularly good, as they then have to commando crawl across the gym. You can also have them walking backwards, walking like robots, walking sideways like a crab or dancing across Gangnam-style.

The main thing here is that they aren’t allowed to stand up and start moving until you count down ‘3, 2, 1, GO!’. You can have fun by not saying the right number and so making them do false starts. If I see any children who have started to stand up before I’ve counted down, then I’ll usually make everyone sit back down before starting the countdown again. The more you build up the anticipation of what they are about to do, the more they’ll jump wholeheartedly into doing it! 3. TEEPEE-PENCIL

All the children stand up and are free to walk around the gym. When you shout ‘teepee!’ they have to put both their hands together above their heads and then not move. If you shout ‘pencil!’ then they have to stand with their arms at their side.

Slowly build in more commands lesson by lesson. I also used ‘ball!’ where they had to curl up in a ball on the floor, and ‘tree!’ where the kids had to stand with their arms out like tree branches. If I shouted ‘bridge!’ then they would have to make an arch with their body, keeping their hands and feet on the floor. If you shout ‘fall!’ or maybe ‘starfish!’, then they have to flop flat on the ground.

Once the children have got the hang of the game, you could work in some commands which require them to make a shape with other children. For example, ‘super bridge!’ means they have to link arms with a classmate to make a big arch.

You can get the class to work up quite a sweat if you go back and forth between commands like ‘teepee’ and ‘starfish’, as they’ll be standing up then flinging themselves down again and again!

TIP: Why not save your voice and link each command to a number of blows of a whistle? 4. PAIRS

Choose one student or use a fellow teacher to demonstrate what you want the kids to do. Everyone has to find one other student to stand back-to-back with and then link arms with that other person.

You then shout ‘Change!’ and start counting down from 5. Within those 5 seconds, all the students have to find a new person to stand with and link arms. With younger children you don’t need to put any more rules in and they’ll be happy to run around screaming looking for someone to link arms with! 5. JUMP JUMP

All the students stand against one wall or sit on a line. The winner is the first person to touch the opposite wall or line. BUT they can only move towards the ‘winning’ wall in certain ways.

If you shout ‘1 jump!’, the students can take 1 jump towards the winning wall. If you shout ‘1 step!’, then they can take one big step towards the wall. You can vary up the number of steps or jumps they are allowed to take.

Every lesson I have a different word which acts as my ‘monster’ word. If I say the ‘monster’ word, then all the students have to run back and touch the wall where they started from originally to be ‘safe’. If I can tag any of the students before they reach the wall then they have been caught by the monster and are out of this round.

Any child that is caught taking more than the number of jumps or steps you said has to go back to the beginning and start over again. If you have students who are always edging forward or taking more jumps than they should, you can shout the monster word. Because they’ve taken additional steps, they’ll be nearer to the winning wall and closer to you and so more liable to being caught.

TIP: After a few rounds, train up one pupil to take over the ‘teacher’ role. 6. MONSTER

All the students sit down against one wall. They have to run across the gym and reach the other wall and then sit down. One or two students are chosen by the teacher to be ‘monsters’, and they stand up in the middle of the gym. The teacher says ‘go!’ and all the students try and run past the monsters and reach the other side. If a monster tags a student before they can reach the other side and sit down, then the student is eliminated from the game.

I find that if you let eliminated students become monsters too, you’ll quickly find half of your class trying to get caught on purpose as they want to be made into a monster! This kind of ruins the game. Also, if you have too many monsters in the middle then you can’t police things, and you’ll find that there are some students who don’t want to be made into monsters EVER, and who will therefore lie about being tagged unless you see it happen and enforce the rules.

With only having two or maybe three monsters in the middle, the teacher can act as a referee and call out any student they see getting tagged.

If you have them, you can give the monsters a foam stick or something similar to use to tag other students.

TIP: Again, keep things fast. You don’t want children eliminated for more than a few minutes before going back in. 7. RUNNING ELIMINATION

The class stand against one wall. You say ‘Ready, Go!’. The class have to run and touch the other wall before you blow your whistle. You can run this like a ‘beep test’ and gradually increase how quickly you whistle.

When I say ‘Ready, go!’ I point to the wall they have to run to. Sometimes, when the children are halfway across I’ll point at the other wall and say ‘Ready, go!’. This means all the pupils now have to stop running and quickly change direction to run back to the wall they just came from. It’s pretty fun if you do this a few times in a row! This is also a good way to keep slower children in the game for a few more rounds.

If a student doesn’t make it to the wall before you blow your whistle then they are eliminated. Keep doing this until you have a few pupils left, they are the winners. Ideally by the time you finish, the children who win should be drenched in sweat and barely able to catch their breath because they’ve been running so much! 8. ON YOUR MARKS

All the children stand against one wall. You say ‘On your marks!’ and they get into the first running position (on all fours). You say ‘Get set!’ and they lift their knees off the ground, ready to start running. You shout ‘Go!’ and they have to race to the other side of the gym and back. 9. SPRINT RACE

Have all the children sit along the side and choose two or three students. They stand in a line. Place a cone per student halfway across the gym and another one at the far end of the gym.

When you say go, they have to run to their nearest cone and then run back to where they started, then run past the cone to the far side of the gym to the second cone. They have to jump up and down five times (counting out loud) before running back to their starting position. 10. FETCH

Get 3 or 4 students up and have them stand in a line. Choose some different coloured balls, one for each student. You throw the balls and then the pupils have to run and grab their colour, then bring it back to you. First person to do this is the winner. This is particularly funny with very bouncy balls! 11. WALK WALK RUN

Best for very young children (2-3 years old). Have them stand at one side of the gym. Start walking to the other side of the gym saying ‘Walk, walk, walk’, then at a certain point shout ‘RUN!’, at which point everyone runs to the other side of the gym and touches the wall. Sounds very simple but they love it! 12. TOUCH SOMETHING GREEN

The teacher says ‘touch something…’ and then whatever they want. E.g. ‘Touch something blue, touch something green, touch something big’. 13. SPEED THROWING

The teacher gives one of two students a ball and stands them a short distance apart. The students then have one minute to make as many throws to each other as possible. If they drop the ball then that throw doesn’t count. Once they have set a target, choose another two students who are sitting nicely to come up and try and beat that score. If you have enough balls you can then have pupils pair up and all have a try at the same time. 14. HIGH FIVE CHALLENGE

For all pupils. They have 30 seconds to try and high five as many of their classmates as possible. 15. HOOP RUN

Another simple game for very young students. Scatter coloured hoops on the floor. You shout a colour and the children have to run and stand in the hoop that is the colour you shouted out. 16. 1,2,3!

Similar to the game above. Put together different numbers of blocks and place them round the gym. The students then have to run to the place that has the right number of blocks when you shout it out. E.g. you say ‘3!’ and they have to run and touch the stack of 3 blocks. There’s no need to do this as an elimination activity usually, as very young children will be quite happy doing this and just running around to the blocks. 17. RELAY RACE

Divide the class into a few teams and have them stand in a line. Each team gets one ball which they have to pass down the line. When the person at the back of the line gets the ball they run to the front and the process starts over. This continues until every member of a team has ran to the front (the person who was at the front at the beginning should now be at the front again). The first team to do this is the winner.

You can have them passing the ball over their heads or between their legs, or a mix of the two. With rowdier classes you can have them doing the relay while sitting down, which will keep them in a line and under control a bit more.

TIP: If you have an odd number of pupils left over, consider making these pupils your extra ‘referees’ for the round to make sure everyone follows the rules. 18. HOT OR COLD

One child is chosen to be the ‘searcher’. Without the searcher seeing, the teacher chooses another pupil who is the ‘magnet’. All of the pupils scatter and run around the gym until you tell them to freeze. They now all look at the searcher. The is the only person allowed to move and needs to walk up and tap the ‘magnet’ on the shoulder. To guide the searcher, the class can clap to help them: clapping slowly means ‘cold’ (you’re not close), then they can get louder and quicker as the searcher gets nearer to the ‘magnet’. When the searcher taps the magnet, everyone has a cheer! 19. RIVER JUMP

Put two sticks on the floor about half a metre apart. Tell the students this is a river, and they have to jump from one side to the other. Once they all do this you can move the sticks a little further apart. Have a few sets of sticks set out at different widths so that the children can move round and see which is the biggest river they can jump over.

Really young children (2-3) love this, though with you’ll find that to start off with they just do a little jump on the spot, then step over the sticks!

TIP: Choose some helpers from the class to stand at each ‘river’ and make sure the sticks are reset if they get knocked around. 20. SECRET SPY

Everyone closes their eyes and the teacher taps one pupil on the shoulder. That pupil is the ‘secret spy’ for this round.

The children have thirty seconds to run around and explore the gym, then when the teacher blows a whistle they can go to any corner they like and stand there. They look at the other children in the other corners of the gym as well as who is stood in their corner and try and remember who is where. The children are then given 30 more seconds to run around again but MUST all go back to the same corner they were in first time round. The only person who can’t do this is the pupil who was chosen as the ‘secret spy’. They MUST go to a different corner.

After the second round of running around, children raise their hand if they think they know who was the ‘secret spy’ this round. If they are right they win and you can start again. If they are wrong, you continue with another 30 second run around, and again the spy has to find a new corner to go to. How long can the spy remain undetected for?!?

44 Responses to 20 Simple Ideas for Kindergarten P.E. with Minimal Equipment

Thank you! It was really useful for me! 🙂

I find this very helpful! I’m gonna try four of them tomorrow! I’m sure my students are gonna love it. Thank you so much for sharing!

HI Naomi, nice to hear from you. New ideas go up on the blog twice a week so check back regularly for more activities!

This is extremely helpful! It is my first week teaching PE at an international school in China and I’m so nervous about teaching the youngest, pre-k and kindergarden. Thanks for these simple games!

Hi Marissa, Glad that you find them useful. I used some of those activities with students as young as 2. Just remember, make things silly and they’ll love it! Also, don’t bother trying to explain with words, just give them an example yourself and they’ll get the hang of things. Having the kids walk and then run from wall to wall could easily fill fifteen minutes of a lesson!

Many of these are PERFECT for my kindergarten class! Thank you so much!

Hi Lisa, happy to hear it!

These ideas helped me so much! Just got hired as support staff at an elementary school, and I needed ways to keep the kids from getting bored. Thanks!

Glad to hear you found the ideas useful, that’s what my blog is all about.

Wow these games are great.I can’t wait to go & teach my pupils tomorrow.Thank you very much.

You’ve got some great ideas here! My kindy class LOVE “Fetch!”

Hi Lisa, good to hear you’ve found the ideas useful! Sign up to follow my blog and get my newest ideas too.

Thanks so much for these ideas! I am working in a school with minimal equipment so these suggestions will really help. ?

Hi Hena, glad to hear they’ve been of use to you. Thanks for the comment.

Your ideas inspired me to think of bowling tag. The children would run from one wall to the other while one student tries to hit them by rolling a yoga ball across the floor. This is for K/1 grade for my homeschool co-op. Thanks for your help!

Glad you liked the ideas, and thanks for the comment!

Thank you for the ideas:) I am volunteering at my childs school where there is no gym teacher. I am not in any way a gym teacher but they don’t care as long as we are having fun! They get so excited to see me coming and they love when I incorporate different types of pranayama ( yoga breathing techniques). I taught yoga to adults so it is fun to see how the children love to get happy on breath too:) Your website is inspiring me to think outside the box of traditional gym class. Thanks again, next step is parachute games!

Hi Andrea, brilliant to hear you’re making the lessons fun! Thanks for the comment.

love your games, and have tried most of them with my P1/2 infant class in Scotland. Thank you for your great ideas 🙂

Thanks for the feedback, always glad to hear from someone who has used the games with their class!

Love your blog of games. Thanks so much. It’s always nice to get new ideas to plant in my garden of PE teaching.

Hi Maureen, I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Always happy to hear from someone who uses the activities!

I was looking for something to entertain my three granddaughters at the wellness center gym.. several of them will be great fun!! Thanks to you!!

Hi Linda, great to hear the activities have proved useful!

wow this is great. My reception class will now have fun during the p.e lessons in kenya

Hi Lydia, glad to hear from you; you’re the first person I’ve heard from using my ideas in Africa!

Thank you so much for your wonderful ideas, I am using them in India 🙂

Hi Jessica, thanks for posting! India’s a new one, great news.

Thanks for posting this! I have been teaching kindergarten for about 10 years now. Never taught PE until this year. I was kind of short on ideas. This really helped. Thanks!

Have you ever tried……….

Caterpillar Races

All that is needed is a few balls. Students line up in groups of 4 or 5. The ball starts at the front of the group. Students pass the ball to the back. When the student in the back has the ball he runs to the front. Keep doing this until they get to the finish line.

Circle Game

Students hold hands and get in a circle. Give the students simple commands like…… big big big! (students make the circle bigger) small small small! (students make the circle smaller) sit down sit down! round and round! (students walk around in a circle holding hands) up up up, down down down! (holding hands students reach up and all the way down) spin spin spin! The list goes on.

Feel free to email me at ajarnron(at)yahoo.com. I have a few more PE games and activities. I would love to share more ideas that you could in turn share with everyone. Don’t really have time to start my own blog.

Thanks Again. Ron

Hi Ron, good to hear you found the ideas useful. I’ve emailed you about more ideas that I can stick on the blog. That circle game one sounds right up my street, good fun and simple to explain.

Reblogged this on Reshaping Thoughts .

Hello again from Thailand! At my current school we have a lot of moveable playground equipment. Slides and what not. I use these along with what ever I can find around the school, cones, small boxes, thick mats, etc. I use all of these things to create an obstacle course for the kids. I have them slide down the slide, jump over the boxes, zig-zag around the cones, roll on the mats, and crawl under a table, and balance on a bench. It works great! You can switch it up. The kids never get tired of doing it! Well they will get tired but never bored!

Another good one if you have a large TV or Projector that you can use. Check youtube for Yoga for kids. Tons of videos on their. The Students love it!

One more for today. I call it chair ball. You will need 2 baskets or boxes, lots of small plastics balls like you find in a ball room for kids. Most schools will have these. If not you can use just about anything really. Toys, blocks, etc. I usually do teams of boys vs. girls. It gets them really pumped up. One student from each team is on opposite sides with the basket standing on a chair. Pick 2-5 students from each team. Throw the objects in the middle. Students have to grab the objects one by one and put them in the baskets. Team with the most objects wins! Awesome!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. I started a homeschool cooperative and have 18 kids coming tomorrow on our first day. It has been A LOT of work and I haven’t had a lot of time to plan for the last hour of co-op when we are in the gym. This post saved my life and your wonderful tips make me feel confident I can pull it off. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Thanks for the comment, really glad to hear that you found the ideas useful! Good luck with the kids!

Your suggestions have been so helpful to me!!! Thank you thank you thank you! I’m teaching a coop group of K-2 graders and I have lots of heart but no experience. So relieved and excited to give these a try. Your ideas are perfect because I have little to no money to spend on equipment. Your ideas give me time to figure out what I really would like to purchase if any. Guess I need a whistle!

Hey PEmom, Thanks for commenting. Glad to hear you liked the ideas!

I would love to add a game that I play with my kindergarten class at the beginning of the school year. It’s called Fire and Ice (hot and cold). I use blue pool noodles (cut in half) for tagging games so kids don’t have to get close to each other to tag– which results in falling down, tripping etc. I use small red gator balls, kitten balls or bean bags for the FIRE. We all start out walking because they will crash if they run. The blue ICE tags a student and they stand “frozen” with their hands out in front of them like a bowl. People with the red ball will run over and place the ball gently in their “bowl” to melt them. Then that person can say Thank You and go find their own person to thaw. This fosters an environment of teamwork, observation skills, kindness. I demonstrate with 3 kids and even have them shiver when they are frozen. The kids who are the FIRE take such pride in being a helper or rescuer! After about a minute, we switch the taggers. I tell them up front not everyone will get the chance to be a tagger (ICE) but it’s more important to rescue anyway so you will all the the RED ball. I use 3-4 blue noodles and 3-4 red balls. I did your Tee Pee pencil today– loved it!

Great Ideas and thanks so much for sharing

Im actually teaching in Taiwan and have been volunteered as the go-to PE teacher. Anyway I can add something to your Tee-Pee Pencil Game.

You can add some multi-child formations: 2 kids form a motorbike (by just holding hands), three kids make a rowboat (2 hold hands around the third – who is in the boat), 4 make a car and so on. This way if you do want to use it elimination style, you can call an even number formation say ‘Motorbike’ when there is an odd number of kids and vice versa . That way ensuring that you eliminate one child in each round.

I like the multi-child option! I’ll add it in soon.

Thanks, Michael

Thank you so much for sharing! The kids loved these activities.

Dodgeball with soft, round dog toys works well with 6/7 year olds.

Park Ranger – all kids have little cards – either snakes, birds, or cats and either red, yellow, green, or blue – to allow for larger class sizes. Two kids in the middle are Park Rangers. Teacher calls out gender, color, animal, class name, etc. – Call out everyone when numbers get small. Rangers tap children running across.

Monster Island – works best with kindergarten jungle gym, but it’s basically an obstacle course. Hot dog rolls, slither like a snake, hopscotch, backwards walk, through the jungle gym and down the slide, etc. Colored tape can map out the route. If you have a large mat, then it can be used as a lifeboat. Children would leap from the previous article to the mat. All kids have to stay on the mat until everyone has caught up. Teacher models how to go through. Children begin with the ominous warning monsters are coming and they have to traverse the route quickly. Chairs could be set in rows to mimic a spaceship or helicopter that would take them away from Monster Island.

These games seem really fun. Thank you so much….I would like to sign up with your blog to get more ideas.

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Fun Kindergarten PE Games With No Equipment

Kindergarten PE games play a crucial role in a young student’s physical development journey.  Fundamental movement skills (including running, jumping, balancing, throwing and catching) should be the focus of kindergarten PE .  These skills are best developed between the ages of 3 and 8 and form the basis for both PE enjoyment and leading life-long healthy lifestyles. 

The equipment you need for PE lessons will vary depending on the focus –  gymnastics , for example, will look very different to an outdoor  soccer lesson .

But what if there’s no equipment available?

Kindergarten PE games with no equipment

The ever-changing nature of school timetables means that we often find ourselves teaching kindergarten PE when we weren’t expecting to.  Or, the PE store key is missing and we’ve been left to deliver a PE lesson with no equipment. 

But don’t panic! We’ve got your back – with our Top 5 kindergarten PE games with no equipment.  All you need is space and plenty of energy!

1. The Atom Game

This activity, found in our  quick games  is always a popular warm up activity.  Ask the students to move around an area – keep changing the way they move – walking, jogging, skipping and so on.  After about half a minute call out a number.  Students must get into groups of that number as quickly as possible.  Any children not in a group, or the last to form a group, must perform a fun forfeit such, as star jumps. 

2. Truck and Trailer

Children work in pairs, with one being the truck and the other being the trailer.  The truck leads the trailer around the area, and the trailer must follow, keeping as close as they can to the truck.  Encourage the leader to move in different directions, changing speed and type of movement. 

On the signal ‘change’ the children swap roles and the trailer now becomes the truck and leads their trailer around. 

3. DVD player

Tell your kindergarten students to imagine they are inside a giant TV, and you have the remote control.  The buttons you press for your TV determines what actions the children perform.  These button actions can be introduced one by one, depending on your class ability…

• Play – children walk/jog inside the ‘TV’.
• Pause – children must freeze, like a statue.
• Rewind – children move backwards.
• Fast Forward – children move quickly, taking little quick forward steps.
• Stop – children lay down on the floor.
• Mute – children must move around in silence.

4. Chain Tag

An exciting teamwork tag game, where one child starts as the tagger.  The children move around the area, and if the tagger tags someone, they must make a link (hold hands) and become taggers together.  Each time a child is tagged, they join the chain. 

For safety, after six students are in a chain, ask the next child tagged to start a new chain.  The last un-tagged child is the winner and becomes the start tagger for the next round.

5. Grasshoppers

This is one of our favorite activities, and always popular in kindergarten PE!  ‘Grasshoppers’ uses lots of imagination and fundamental movement skills!

Ask children to pretend they are grasshoppers, as if they are moving (jumping) around in the grass.  Call out different commands and the children must complete the command with an action…

• ‘Side to Side’ – jump side to side with feet together.
• ‘Over the Stone’ – jump up high as if jumping over a stone.
• ‘Lost Grasshoppers’ – hop once in all directions – forward, backward, left and right. 
• ‘Slow Motion’ – hop as slow as possible.
• ‘Snake’ – jump as fast as they can to get away from the snakes.
• ‘Grasshoppers’ – continue jumping around the area.

We hope these fun kindergarten PE games help as a ‘back-up’ for those times when you have no choice for delivering a kindergarten PE lesson with no equipment available. 

As always, if we can help with kindergarten PE lesson planning, or ideas for any Phys Ed activities,  just shout ! 

• share the pe love 💙

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The Best Kinder PE Games

Kindergarteners are still developing important life skills. As a PE teacher, you have a unique opportunity to help your students develop gross motor skills and fine motor skills. However, planning a successful PE class can be stressful, especially when you're unsure what to expect. Here's what you need to know about planning kinder PE games.    

Establishing Appropriate Expectations for Kinder Kids 

The average kindergartener is five years old. Kindergarten classes are the first form of official schooling for most children, although some parents may choose to enroll their kids in preschool. A five-year-old child has not yet entered the more mature phases of childhood associated with advanced learning skills and may still struggle to move on from their toddler phase. Most five-year-old children have more self-control than a toddler and have the ability to successfully sit through a lesson from a teacher. However, they are still learning to control their emotions and are prone to emotional outbreaks. Five-year-old children may still cry about spilling their milk on the table or not getting the snack they wanted at lunchtime.  

The physical development of a five-year-old is vastly different from the teetering habits of a toddler. Most toddlers are still learning to walk and run and struggle with fine motor movements. A five-year-old child is learning to perfect their fine motor skills and can run and jump with better coordination. Some five-year-olds will begin losing their chubby cheeks and gain more muscle than fat. On this note, it's important to remember that all children grow and develop at different stages. Just because the average five-year-old child will begin losing their chubby cheeks doesn't mean that every child will develop at the same time. If your child seems to be behind the other children, do not remark on their developmental stage. Mentioning the child's differences can make the child develop deep-seated insecurities.  

Keeping in mind that each child is different and that you should regularly check with your local health provider to ensure that your child is healthy, here are typical health and growth milestones for kindergarteners: 

• Gaining four to five pounds 
• Growing two to three inches 
• Achieving 20/20 vision 

Additionally, most kindergarteners will achieve certain physical milestones that define locomotor skill. Mainly, kindergarteners will develop gross motor skills and fine motor skills. The typical milestones for five-year-old children are: 

• Gain better coordination in hopping, skipping, running, and jumping 
• Develop better balance 
• Gain ability to handle buttons and zippers 
• Gain ability to handle forks, knives, and spoons 
• Less dependent on parents   
• Stands on one foot for ten seconds 

The emotional development in a five-year-old child is also significant, though it might not be as obvious as the motor skills. Many five-year-old children are people pleasers and have a desire to be liked by the people around them. They are more likely to listen to their parents and complete tasks in exchange for praise and recognition. However, they are also still young children and are prone to extreme emotional outbursts. Tantrums are common in kindergarteners, and teachers should be ready to deal with emotional outbursts. Young children also learn to articulate themselves and their feelings (though this can sometimes be contradictory). Five-year-olds will also feel empathy for the people around them and might feel sad when they see someone else feeling sad. The common key emotional milestones are: 

• Separate from primary caregiver without feeling extreme anxiety 
• Play and share with other children 
• Attend to an adult-directed task for at least five minutes 
• Feel empathy for those around them 

Kinder kids will begin making social milestones. Five-year-old kids will begin initiating relationships with other children and make new friends. They will form relationships with those who are outside the immediate familial relationships. They will begin having independent relationships. However, some kids this age may begin bullying if the parents don't introduce bullying prevention. Additionally, kids who are being bullied will not know how to respond, meaning that parents should take an active role in their child's social life to ensure that they aren't being bullied by any of the other students. Teachers should also watch for signs of bullying in their classrooms and call out bullying before it becomes an issue in their classroom. The important social milestones are: 

• Desire to please family and friends 
• Desire to follow rules
• Desire to fit in with their friends 

Five-year-olds will begin making cognitive progress and learn the difference between "right" and "wrong." Although their understanding of right and wrong will not fully define until they are around eight years old, parents can expect their kindergarteners to know basic morality principles. They will expand their language and better understand ideas such as "something is on top of the box," compared to "something is next to the box." The most common cognitive milestones are: 

• Ability to count to ten 
• Expanded oral and vocal vocabulary 
• Enjoys singing, dancing, and playing 
• Enjoys playing alone with friends 
• Can tell what's real and what's pretend 

According to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , parents and teachers should be concerned if their five-year-old is exhibiting unusual behavior. Unusual behavior may be an early determiner for cognitive issues or the need for early professional counseling. Contact your local health provider if you see: 

• Doesn't show a wide range of emotions
• Shows extreme behavior (unusually fearful, aggressive, shy, or sad)
• Unusually withdrawn and not active
• Is easily distracted, has trouble focusing on one activity for more than 5 minutes
• Doesn't respond to people, or responds only superficially
• Can't tell what's real and what's make-believe
• Doesn't play a variety of games and activities
• Can't give first and last name
• Doesn't use plurals or past tense properly
• Doesn't talk about daily activities or experiences
• Doesn't draw pictures
• Can't brush teeth, wash and dry hands, or get undressed without help
• Loses skills they once had

Classroom teachers and physical education teachers should keep these important milestones in mind when creating lessons for their students. If a teacher tries to push their students further than reasonable, it could frustrate the kids and result in emotional outbursts. However, teachers should always push their students to help to develop future milestones.    

Kindergarten PE teachers have a unique ability to help their students form future milestones. The goal of kindergarten PE is to get the kids moving and enjoying themselves while they learn to love PE class. If a PE teacher can teach young kids to love exercise at an early age, the kids will have an easier time later in life. As a PE teacher, you help create the foundation of a healthy future for your students.  

PE teachers should not expect more than their students than the average milestone. If a child excels, be proud of the excelling student; however, do not tell the other children to act like the excelling student. Putting down other children can create insecurities that could follow them throughout the rest of their lives. Instead, PE teachers should focus on encouragement and help to make exercise as fun and entertaining as possible, ensuring that exercise becomes an important part of their lives. 

How to Have a Successful First Week

The first week of class for kindergarten PE teachers can often be the most difficult. Because kindergarteners are the youngest class that takes PE courses, teachers may have trouble navigating the new scene. During the first week, PE teachers should focus less on physical exercise and more on getting to know their students. The first week should include icebreakers,  get-to-know-you games for kindergarteners , and other activities that show your students' personalities and limitations.  

PE teachers should also focus on setting up their expectations for their students. This includes setting up assigned seating, clarifying gym rules, and establishing classroom behavior. For the first week, gym teachers should be very easy going and shouldn't push the rules too hard. Make it clear that you're both a teacher and a friend in order to encourage the students to trust and respect you. For some kindergarteners, kindergarten is their first exposure to a classroom. Studies have shown that 70 percent of four-year-olds attend preschool and 40 percent of three-year-olds attend preschool. This means that 30 percent of kids have no prior school exposure other than their kindergarten class. Because a child's background is not obvious, never assume that the kids should already know how a gym class should work.  

When exercising in the first week, make sure that all the exercises are focused on games that encourage creativity and friendship. Rather than making the five-year-old kids run and jump, focus more on low-impact activities. As the kids arrive at the gym, encourage them to participate in an instant activity like stretching. While stretching, allow the kids to talk to one another. When you call out "Home Base," have all the kids run to their assigned spot. This helps the kids to listen and socialize at the same time.  

Above all, remember that you're working with five-year-old children. Don't expect too much from them, and remember to be extremely patient. There will be many times where the kids don't listen or don't realize what you're asking of them. Work within reasonable expectations and never yell at them for doing something wrong. If you are having trouble with a child, talk to their parents rather than address it with the child. Your responsibility as a kindergarten PE teacher is to help the child love to exercise. If the child is yelled at or scolded in front of peers, it could cause the child to become withdrawn and upset during class, scaring their emotional growth. 

Top Ten Best Games for Kindergarten 

To make class fun and entertaining for young kids, PE teachers should encourage fun and exciting games. To help students get the most out of the experience, try introducing these ten activities to your class. Of course, monitor your students and use your personal discretion to determine which activities are right for your class. Here are ten activities that will make your students love coming to PE class. 

• Funny Running

One of the best games for kindergarten kids is Funny Running. Funny Running is an easy game to play that is similar to Simon Says but requires more exercise. To play, line up the students on one side of the gym and point out a destination (the other side of the gymnasium). Then, give the instruction to run. The first to make it to the other side of the gym wins. However, there's one important twist; they have to run in a specific way. The PE teacher calls out, "Run like a robot!" or "Run like a turtle!" and the kids must immediately change their run to act like that thing. You can also take out the competitive edge to the game so that no one wins when they reach the other side of the gym. Taking out the competitive edge helps the kids focus more on running as you specify rather than being the fastest.   

While playing Funny Running, make sure to point out kids who are doing well in their form. Rather than saying, "Good job!" compliment their form. Say, "Jessica's robot-run looks just like a robot!" Complementing the kids will help them to try harder and enjoy themselves better. They will feel proud of their effort. 

• Simon Says  

Simon Says is a great PE game for when you have limited space. Additionally, not every lesson plan should involve heavy activity. If every PE class exhausts the students, they might not enjoy it as much as you want them to. In order to encourage a balanced physical education, include games that aren't as physically demanding. Simon Says is the perfect game for an off-day that lets the kids rest from running, jumping, and playing since young kids might not understand their bodies' limitations yet.  

Here's  how to play Simon Says : 

"One person is designated Simon, and the others are the players. Standing in front of the group, Simon tells players what they must do. However, the players must only obey commands that begin with the words 'Simon Says.' If Simon says, 'Simon says touch your nose,' then players must touch their nose. But, if Simon simply says, 'jump,' without first saying 'Simon says,' players must not jump. Those that do jump are out." 

Simon Says helps the young kids to learn listening skills and pick up on small verbal cues. It's a great game that combines movement, listening, and intelligence. When one of the kids wins the game, you can keep playing by having them host the next round of Simon Says. 

The game Jump Jump is a combination between Simon Says and Funny Running. The game's goal is to get to the other side of the gymnasium as quickly as possible; however, the steps and movements are limited by the PE teacher. The PE teacher can shout, "One Jump!" and all the kinder kids take one jump towards the opposite wall. If a kid tries to do several jumps when you specified "one," they are out of the game (which helps to keep the young kids honest).  

There's a twist to the game that helps keep the kids from becoming too eager as they cross the gymnasium. If the PE teacher shouts, "Monster!" all the kids have to turn around and run back to the safe wall. If the PE teacher can tag any of the kids, they are out. This twist makes the game slightly more challenging because the kids want to make it to the winning wall, but every step takes them closer to the monster. 

The game called "Monster" has several different names. It is also called Sharks and Minnows, and Zombie Tag. For a kinder PE lesson, the name "Monster" is the most fitting. To play Monster, line up all the kids on one side of the gymnasium. Tell them that the goal is to make it to the opposite side and choose one kid to start as the monster. The monster will stand in the middle of the gym and wait. The PE teacher blows the whistle, and all the kids will run straight towards the monster. As the kids run by, the monster will try to tag as many people as possible (which can be harder than it sounds). After everyone who wasn't tagged makes it to the winning wall, the tagged kids become new monsters, joining the original monster in the middle of the gym. Then, the round starts again. With every round, the line of monsters increases until there are more monsters than kids. When the final person is tagged, the game is over. 

Monster is a fun game for kindergarten kids because it encourages them to run and have fun. It introduces them to the idea of running back and forth across the gym, but they don't realize that they are running. Monster is one of the best games to introduce physical exercise without overdoing it. 

• Simple Sports 

You can entertain young kids by getting out a variety of simple sports . In different areas of the gym, set up a variety of easy sports. Some great sport ideas for young kids are: 

• Hacky Sack. The game hacky sack only needs a few hacky sacks. The kids can practice throwing them back and forth or hitting them on their shoes and try to juggle them like a soccer ball.  
• 9 Square. 9 Square is a variation of four square but allows more kids to participate. The court can be modified to fit the scenario, making it a perfect game for kinder kids.  
• Tag. At the end of the day, tag is a classic game that you can always introduce to your kindergarten class. Most kids already have a concept of how to play tag and will be excited when you mentioned playing tag during class. 
•  Hula Hoop. Young kids love to hula hoop. Hula hoop helps young kids to develop essential motor skills and build muscle memory. It's a great physical activity for kinder PE. 
• Frisbee. Not all kinder-age kids will be able to play frisbee successfully. However, learning how to throw a frisbee at a young age can ensure that kids learn to build muscle memory that will help them later in life.   
• Jump Rope. Jump rope is an active way to get the kids running, jumping, and having fun with each other. 

When teaching how to play sports, your goal should be teaching each child a new skill. Sports in kindergarten shouldn't be competitive or difficult. PE teachers should focus on the needs and abilities of their students. If students are having problems with a game, don't force it. Instead, introduce an easier way to play. 

• Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses are a fun way to get the kids engaged in an activity. An obstacle course is when the kids have to navigate a series of obstacles to get to the other side. Here are some ideas for your obstacle course: 

• Crawl under or over a row of chairs.
• Jump into hula hoops that are set up in a line. 
• Walk on a balance beam. 
• Climb over a large bean bag. 
• Throw a beanbag into a basket. 
• Somersault from one point to another.  

Obstacle courses ensure that kids have fun and use their imagination. Obstacle courses are fun because you can repeat them several times and have them walk through the course in different ways. For example, you could tell them, "Run through the obstacle course like a mouse."

• Scavenger Hunt 

For an easy activity, set up a scavenger hunt during the PE class. Before class starts, place a bunch of items around the gymnasium. Then, write on a board which items the kids need to find. This reminds the kids of Easter egg hunts and ensures that they're engaged and running around the gym without realizing that they're engaging in quality physical education. Scavenger hunts are fairly easy to set up and are the perfect activity for keeping the students happy. 

• Sidewalk Chalk  

All kinder students love playing with chalk. Chalk can be used on sidewalks and easily washed off at the end of the day. As an easy off-day for the students, hand out buckets of chalk and lead them to an empty sidewalk within the school grounds. Then, have the kids have fun writing and drawing on the sidewalk, letting their imaginations run wild. Most kindergarten-age kids can draw on the sidewalk for hours.  

Drawing with chalk has a wide variety of  benefits for young kids : 

• While playing with sidewalk chalk, kids develop color recognition, sorting, and matching skills. 
• Playing with sidewalk chalk can be one of your child's first experiences with coloring and writing.
• By allowing them to color and create their own designs with sidewalk chalk, they begin to love art and appreciate its importance. 

Introduce chalk drawing to your PE class to help them learn important skills. Sidewalk chalk gets the kids out into the air and out of the gymnasium. 

• Secret Spy 

Secret Spy involves physical activity and memory, which helps the kids to practice remembering details about the room that they are in. Learning this skill can help them later in life. Here's how to play Secret Spy. First, secretly choose one child to be the secret spy. Then, have all the kids run to a corner of the room. After everyone is in a corner, tell the kids to turn around and look at the other corners of the room. The kids should try and remember who is in the other corners of the room. After 30 seconds, the PE teacher blows the whistle, and the kids need to leave their corner and run to the middle of the room. After another 30 seconds of running around, they all return back to their original corner, except for the secret spy. The secret spy chooses a new corner of the room (and is the only one to change positions). The rest of the kids have to try and guess who left their corner. If they can't remember, you play another round. The secret spy tries to stay undetected for as long as possible.  

Secret Spy is a fun game for kids of all ages; however, it's the perfect PE activity for kinder kids because it teaches them locomotor skills while also helping them to practice their spatial awareness. 

• Playground Activity

A physical education teacher should make sure that their students are having fun. Rather than organizing an activity, let the kids have supervised activity on the playground. The kids will get plenty of exercise running around and playing on the equipment, even if it's not an organized activity. PE teachers don't have to organize every activity; sometimes, the best activity for a kindergartner is just to play with their friends in a way that helps them to build muscular endurance. Letting the kids simply enjoy playing on the playground will encourage the kindergarteners to form healthy habits and learn better fitness habits. 

Ian Boggess

About the author.

Ian has been with Castle Sports for the last 4 years. He loves designing games for fitness and activity that get the whole group involved.

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35 Fun and Effective PE Exercises for Dynamic Physical Education Classes

Looking for PE exercises that are both enjoyable and effective? Our guide delivers 35 varied activities perfect for energizing students and enriching your physical education classes. Experience an array of PE exercises, from fluid warm-up routines to imaginative obstacle courses, all designed to foster enthusiasm and physical well-being without complicated setups. Ideal for educators seeking practical, inclusive exercises, this guide is your ticket to enlivened gym classes that students will anticipate with excitement.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Make sure to kick off PE classes with energizing warm-ups like the Jumping Jack PE Game, as they prepare students mentally and physically for the activities ahead, enhance coordination, and build enthusiasm.
• Get creative with obstacle courses and classic games by adding unique tweaks that ensure safety, boost engagement, and teach valuable skills like teamwork, coordination, and strategic thinking.
• Use varying exercises during circuit training and finish with cool-downs and reflection to ensure students of all fitness levels are engaged, prevent post-exercise issues, and discuss what they’ve learned.

PE Exercises! Energizing Warm-Up Routines

Warm-ups are indispensable before any physical education class. But why is that? Well, warming up prepares the students physically and mentally for the PE activities that lie ahead. It’s like revving up the engine before setting off on a journey. Thus, it’s time to get started!

Ever thought of transforming the humble jumping jack into a fun activity? The Jumping Jack PE Game is a brilliant example of how we can turn a simple exercise into a healthy competition. The game not only improves coordination but also sets the tone for the physical education class. It’s no longer about just performing jumping jacks correctly; it’s about the thrill of the game and mastering the technique.

Consider incorporating Stretch & Flex sessions for added flexibility. Guiding students through a variety of stretches prepares their muscles and joints for the day’s activities in PE class. As a physical education teacher, it’s like a gentle wake-up call for the muscles, prepping them for the energetic gym class that awaits.

Beyond enhancing students’ agility, these indoor activities also build their enthusiasm for the class. And the best part is, these exercises don’t require any fancy equipment. A bit of space and a whole lot of enthusiasm are all you need!

Obstacle Course Creations

Want to heighten the excitement? Explore the intriguing sphere of obstacle course creations! While designing an indoor obstacle course, safety comes first. We’re talking cushions, yoga mats, blankets for padding, and keeping sharp corners out of the way. But don’t let that deter you from the fun.

Children can be involved in planning their obstacle course, drawing a few ideas from shows like ‘Ninja Warrior’ or social media for inspiration. Imagine having balance beams made with planks or tape, crepe paper laser mazes, and Shark Zone games to challenge students’ agility and coordination.

However, the excitement doesn’t end here. We can introduce the following elements to enhance the obstacle course experience:

• Tunnels made from items like chairs, play mats, pillowcases, or sleeping bags
• Sack races to add an extra challenge
• Simulated ball pit using laundry baskets
• Timers to enhance hand-eye coordination and motivate children to improve their obstacle course performance

What would an obstacle course be without an accompanying storyline? Let’s turn our students into ninjas or pirates, making the course more captivating and imaginative. An obstacle course that’s not just about physical challenges but also about engaging children’s cognitive skills.

Classic Game Reimagined

Occasionally, traditional games can prove to be enjoyable, particularly when revamped with a novel twist. Classic games like dodgeball and tag can be reimagined to introduce new dynamics, promote teamwork, and boost strategic thinking. Take Blob Ball, for example. It’s a dodgeball variant where players form a ‘Blob’ and can throw dodgeballs while linked, creating a unique team dynamic. Doctor Dodgeball introduces a hidden ‘doctor’ who revives eliminated players, adding a layer of mystery and strategy.

Tag games, like the classic tag game, also offer ample room for creativity. In Blob Tag, students expand the Blob by tagging and linking with others, transforming the game into a collective pursuit. Bridge Tag requires tagged players to form a bridge with their bodies, introducing an element of physical creativity.

By reshaping these classic games, we not only make the learning process enjoyable but also instill valuable skills like teamwork, coordination, and strategic thinking in students. After all, PE classes should be just as mentally stimulating as they are physically!

Circuit Training Stations

Circuit training stations serve as a smorgasbord of PE exercises, catering to a variety of interests and abilities. They offer a variety of exercises targeting different muscle groups and fitness levels, using equipment like cones, hula hoops, and jump ropes to diversify activities.

Circuit training involves sequences of movements such as jumping, agility ladders, or strength exercises, with each station featuring a distinct activity. Students can work individually, with partners, or in small groups, and circuits can serve as a warm-up, cool-down, or main activity.

Using visual aids like exercise cards or videos can guide students through the circuit and indicate when to change stations. And to maintain student engagement, circuits should feature varied and regularly changing activities and exercises.

The beauty of circuit training lies in its flexibility. It caters to various fitness levels and creates an environment where all students can participate and improve their agility and quickness. Plus, it’s a great way to keep the students active and engaged throughout the class!

Rhythmic Activities for All Ages

Why not infuse our PE classes with a touch of rhythm? Rhythmic activities like musical chairs and line dancing not only promote coordination, balance, and cultural appreciation but also engage students in fun, music-based movement.

Musical chairs can be adapted into a dynamic warm-up activity in PE classes, blending the fun of the game with fitness challenges like:

• running backward
• jumping jacks
• side shuffles

And for a little extra zing, we can use hula hoops instead of chairs, encouraging creativity in movement and broadening the game for different ages.

Speaking of age, these rhythmic activities cater to children from age three onwards and become more complex to match the abilities of older children around seven and up. The game enhances:

• physical coordination
• social skills
• emotional regulation
• exposes children to diverse cultural music

And let’s not forget line dancing! The Cupid Shuffle, an easily teachable line dance, promotes coordination and is a familiar favorite at social events, making physical activity appealing.

Therefore, it’s time to get our students moving to the rhythm as they play music during their students walk!

Creative Ball Games

Why not kick things off with some inventive ball games? Games like Balloon Tennis, Basketball Court Quests, and Pac-Man Dribble can enhance hand-eye coordination, teamwork, and strategic thinking in a fun and engaging way.

Balloon Tennis is a safe and child-friendly game where participants use makeshift racquets made from paper plates taped to jumbo popsicle sticks, and a balloon serves as the ball. The game can be diversified with games like Down On One Knee, Smash Down, and Keepy Uppy, each promoting skills such as balance, quick reflexes, and hand-eye coordination.

Basketball Court Quests include shooting and dribbling activities progressing through 9 skill levels to cater to different student abilities, and can be combined with throwing and catching exercises for enhanced skill development.

These games aren’t just about the fun; they’re about teaching students valuable skills while ensuring they’re having a great time playing an enjoyable game. After all, learning is always more effective when it’s enjoyable!

Solo Exercise Endeavors

While group activities effectively encourage teamwork and cooperation, solo exercises have a charm of their own. They allow students to focus on individual progress and self-motivation while honing personal growth and skills.

Take the ‘Whirlwind Challenge,’ for example. It’s a jump rope game that promotes continuous movement and skill enhancement, as eliminated players practice until a timer runs out. And then there’s the ‘Pac-Man Dribble’ exercise that adapts the concept of the video game into a physical activity where players dribble a basketball along gymnasium lines, avoiding being tagged by the ‘Pac-Man’.

These solo exercises encourage students to challenge themselves at their own pace, allowing them to focus on their own progress. After all, every student is unique, and solo exercises provide an opportunity for them to shine in their own light!

Parachute Playtime

Whoever said that parachutes were solely meant for skydiving? Parachute playtime activities like Little Waves, Big Waves, and NASCAR engage students in cooperative play, promoting teamwork, coordination, and quick reaction time.

Activities like ‘Little Waves’ and ‘Big Waves’ teach students coordination by practicing hand movements to create various wave sizes. ‘Travel with the Parachute’ promotes teamwork by requiring all students to move in the same direction and then reverse while holding the parachute.

Dynamic activities like ‘NASCAR’ combine the formation of a parachute tent with movement around the parachute aiming to return to the original spot before it falls. In this game, two teams can compete against each other to make it more exciting. And games like ‘Color Center’ involve students switching places based on the color called out, integrating quick reaction time with fun.

Parachute games not only provide a fun change of pace but also foster vital skills such as teamwork, coordination, and quick reflexes. Plus, they’re a great way to add a touch of adventure and parachute fun to the PE class!

No-Equipment Necessary

At times, a dash of creativity is all it takes to make a PE class enjoyable. No-equipment necessary games like The Floor is Lava, Shadow Tag, and Fitness Charades promote agility, quick decision-making, and physical activity without the need for special equipment.

‘The Floor is Lava’ involves students imagining the gym floor as lava, and they must hop between safe spots like cushions or mats when the music stops, promoting agility and quick decision-making. Shadow Tag, a version of tag played without any equipment, encourages kids to step on each other’s shadows, promoting speed and agility in an engaging way.

Fitness Charades, adapted from Survivor Tag, enables students to act out different sports or exercises and gets them moving without the need for any props or equipment. These games are not only cost-effective but also incredibly fun and engaging. After all, creativity is the best tool we have!

Cool-Down and Reflection

After an exhilarating PE class, a cool-down period and some reflection are in order. Cool-down exercises help prevent lightheadedness or dizziness by allowing blood flow to return to normal and reduce muscle soreness by flushing out lactic acid buildup.

Gentle yoga poses that enhance relaxation and alignment post-exercise include:

• Supine Spinal Twist
• Happy Baby Pose
• Legs Up the Wall Pose
• Corpse Pose

Activities like Pigeon Pose and Supported Bridge Pose can specifically target hip flexors and the spine, increasing mobility after vigorous PE activities.

Additionally, we should never overlook the significance of reflection. A group discussion to reflect on their experiences and learnings from the class can be an excellent way for students to share their thoughts and feedback. It’s a chance for them to express what they enjoyed, what they found challenging, and what they look forward to in future PE classes.

We’ve journeyed through a host of engaging and innovative PE exercises, from energizing warm-up routines to creative ball games, rhythmic activities, parachute playtime, and even no-equipment necessary games. These activities are not only fun but also enhance students’ agility, coordination, teamwork, and strategic thinking. So, let’s keep the spirit of innovation alive in our PE classes, ensuring that every class is a journey of exploration, fun, and learning!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best exercise for pe.

The best exercise for premature ejaculation is running, yoga, and pelvic floor workouts. A new study suggests that exercise could be as effective as pharmaceutical treatments.

What do elementary students learn in PE?

In elementary PE, students learn fundamental skills like running, jumping, and throwing, which prepare them for success in middle and high school PE classes. These skills include locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills.

How to do PE in a classroom?

You can do PE in a classroom by playing games that require minimal equipment, such as a scrunched up piece of paper. Have fun!

Why are warm-up routines important in PE classes?

Warm-up routines are important in PE classes because they prepare students physically and mentally for the activities ahead, enhance agility, and get students excited for the class. So, it’s important to always start with a good warm-up.

How can classic games be reimagined for PE classes?

You can reimagine classic games for PE classes by adding innovative twists that promote teamwork and strategic thinking. For instance, try turning dodgeball into Blob Ball, where players link up and throw dodgeballs as a team.

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Sharing creative ideas and lessons to help children learn.

50 Exercises and Activities for At-Home P.E.

November 3, 2020 by Evan-Moor | 0 comments

Online school means hours of sitting in front of computers and screens, both for you and your children. One of the best ways to break up this screen time is with movement sessions, or simply at-home P.E.! One of the aspects of school that gets lost in the translation to online learning is P.E. Recreating physical exercise classes at home is very important for both mental and physical development. Here are some ideas and suggestions.

Why Is P.E. Important?

In addition to giving kids a break from online school, P.E. activities are extremely beneficial in development, and they improve:

• Flexibility
• Cardiovascular endurance
• Muscular strength and endurance
• Agility and balance
• Coordination
• Power and speed
• Reaction times

Physical exercise also has a direct impact on the behavior and development of the brain. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , physical activity has an influence on cognitive skills such as concentration and attention. It can also improve children’s attitudes and behaviors.

Exercises for the Whole Family

It can be motivational and encouraging for children to do these exercises with you or the whole family. Take a break from your day to do some of these family-friendly exercises and activities!

• PE Shed : This online resource has many great ideas for at-home P.E., including activities, games, and other resources to keep kids active.
• Color matching game: Draw circles on the sidewalk using chalk, each a different color. Challenge your children to find items of similar colors and place them in the circles.
• Red light, green light: Line everyone up on one side of your yard and have one person calling out “red light, green light.” To make it more fun, change the instructions from walking or running to jumping, skipping, or spinning!
• Create an American Ninja Warrior course at home : Watch this video for ideas on how to create your own backyard ninja obstacle course!
• Fill out a bingo sheet with different exercises and call them out at random one at a time.
• After children complete the exercise, they can mark it on their bingo sheet. First to get bingo wins!
• Soccer juggling in a group
• Create your own obstacle course in your backyard
• Children lead an exercise circuit – their pick!
• Get Kids Moving workouts : These fun workouts are made especially for kids, and have fun themes like Superheroes, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and more!
• Beanbag toss (use paper plates or tape for targets).
• Bowling (set up plastic cups or other objects as targets and roll or kick the ball)
• Exercise stations: Set up four stations in your backyard, each with a different exercise (hula hooping, jump roping, agility ladders, hopscotch, etc.) and do each for 30 seconds before rotating.
• Sponge race: Using two teams, set up a bucket of water on one side of the race (one to share or one per team) and on the other side, place a cup or bucket for each team to fill. Children must race from one side with a sponge full of water and squeeze it out into the cup on the other side. First to fill their cup wins!
• Balloon/beach ball striking: Don’t let it touch the ground!

• Paper airplane contest: Design and make your own paper airplanes and then see how far they’ll fly! Use long hallways or big rooms to test distance or do fun tricks inside.
• Obstacle course using household items
• Treasure hunt: Hide an item somewhere in your home and write out clues or riddles for children to solve and find the item! You can also play hot and cold with this game, saying “warmer” as the person gets closer to the hiding spot and “colder” as he or she moves away from it.
• The floor is lava! Don’t touch the floor as you get to the other side of the room.
• Indoor bowling: Using softer objects and a hallway or clear space
• Balloon volleyball
• Indoor basketball: Use rolled-up socks as your ball and try to make it in targets, using yarn, paper plates, or baskets.
• Agility ladders (use painter’s tape to mark ladder spaces).
• Make an indoor laser maze using a hallway and painter’s tape.
• Beanbag toss: Arrange targets in a line or spread out and see if you can land your beanbag on the target.
• Hide-and-go-seek
• Wax museum: Assign one person to be the guard. While his or her back is turned, everyone can move around freely, but when the person turns around, you have to freeze in your position! Don’t get caught moving.
• Active board games like Twister
• Family yoga or stretching: Cosmic Kids Yoga : This channel has fun yoga videos for kids and the whole family.
• Indoor exercise routine (sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.)

Independent Activities for Your Child

• Jump rope challenges: Assign a challenge each day. For example: 30 jumps without messing up, 10 skipping jumps in a row, etc.
• Soccer exercises: Practice passing against a wall or juggling (set goals like 10–30 juggles in a row).
• Shoot baskets, taping marks for where you want to practice shooting from.
• Tennis against a backboard
• Agility ladder exercises: Write down which ones they should do.
• Create your own workout calendar: Your child can check the calendar to see which exercise or activity is assigned (jump rope, ladders, basketball, yoga, etc.). Here’s an example of an exercise calendar .
• Cosmic Kids Yoga can be done by kids by themselves!
• P.E. with Joe : This YouTube channel supplies fun, kid-friendly workouts and exercises that can be done indoors or outdoors.
• Ring toss: Use beanbags and paper plates or hula hoops and a cone or water bottle.
• Soccer ball bowling

• Coach Wood Workouts : Coach Wood is a popular YouTube channel who does themed workouts for kids! He guides children through an activity or workout with a fun twist.
• GoNoodle Games : With a variety of games and activities (for a short or long period of time) GoNoodle will get children moving and having fun throughout the day.
• Balloon striking: Don’t let it touch the ground; challenge yourself by only using your foot or head.
• Cup stacking: A challenge that improves dexterity and coordination
• Workout circuit indoors: Assign each room an exercise (sit-ups, jumping jacks, hopscotch, etc.) and have your child complete the circuit.
• Balance beam: Use a long thin object or painter’s tape on the floor and challenge your child to cross it without falling.
• Put a twist on a regular indoor scavenger hunt by including a theme that your child enjoys! For example, make it a Pokemon, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Princess scavenger hunt!
• Balancing challenge: Balance items like beanbags, books, or other objects on your head as you walk across a room.
• Kids HIIT Workout
• KIDZ BOP Daily Dance Break
• Digital games like Just Dance get kids moving and having fun. Just Dance Videos are available on YouTube.

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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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Lesson Plan Sections

• Environmental (1)
• Science (1)

P.E. Lessons

Physical education prepares children for an active and healthy life while improving self discipline and reducing stress. This section includes PE lessons from kindergarten through high school spanning different skill levels and objectives. Lessons are categorized by grade for easy retrieval. These lessons were created by real teachers working in schools across the United States. The section will continue to grow as more teachers like you share your lesson plans. We encourage you! Share your lessons plans Teacher.org, contact us .

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P.e. environmental lesson plans, food chain tag.

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

P.E. P.E. Lesson Plans

Aces and exercise.

Using a deck of playing cards, the students will pick the number of reps for various exercises.  

And Freeze!

Students will practice listening skills and basic physical concepts as required in physical education class. Students will also work on balance and coordination.

Animal Laps

Combining information about the speed of animals, the students will run laps in the gym or outdoors.

Basketball Relay

Students will practice teamwork, dribbling, and shooting a basketball.

Bear Hunt Obstacle Course

This plan will combine reading with balance and coordination skills to allow students to navigate a simple obstacle course.

Boom Over Movement Game

Students will play a game in which they need to change direction quickly. Students are to pretend that they are on a sailboat that is in the middle of a storm. They will have to run and change direction based on verbal commands and duck quickly to avoid being hit by the imaginary boom.

Butterfly Stretches

This lesson is designed to help students learn the importance and reasons for exercise through multiple activities and discussions.

Coordination Course

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical.

Multi-Ball Basketball

The student will participate in a game of basketball using various sizes of available balls.

Music Movement

The students will move to the music based on its beat, words, tune, and other variables.

On Top of Spaghetti

Pe immigration.

The students will research games and activities from other countries to share during a PE class.

Pass It Off

This lesson will allow students to practice passing, dribbling, and bouncing skills using basketballs

Plate Aerobics

Students will practice basic aerobics moves while trying to stay positioned on paper plates, this aids in coordination.

Race to the Answer

This lesson will allow students to practice teamwork, basic math skills, and get exercise through a relay race. Note: Problems/difficulty level can be altered by grade

Ride ‘Em Cowboy/girl

This lesson will allow students to practice gross motor skills.  

Students will practice listening skills and basic physical concepts as required in physical education class.

Ski to the Finish Line

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical. Students will demonstrate moving straight, backwards, and in a zig-zag pattern.

The New PE Class

The students will create a PE activity to share and demonstrate to peers.

This lesson will allow students to practice teamwork and trust building, as well as working on directionality for younger students.

What Time is it FOX?

The students play a game where they practice different movements including jumping, galloping, skipping, running, jogging, leaping, and walking. Based on National Physical Education Standards, students should have been learning these skills for the last 4 years.

P.E. Science Lesson Plans

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Are you currently teaching but have the desire to pursue a Master’s Degree in Education? Follow your passion for teaching but at the same time give yourself the tools to further your career and learning. Whether it’s higher salaries, advanced career opportunities, or leadership positions, earning your Master’s Degree in Education is one worth pursuing. Make it your time!

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Free Lesson Plans

Spark sample lesson plans, the following pages include a collection of free spark physical education and physical activity lesson plans. if you’re searching for lesson plans based on inclusive, fun pe-pa games or innovative new ideas, click on one of the links below..

Snakes and Lizards Lesson Plan

Field Day Activity

Centipede Pass

Manipulatives Lesson

Partner Hoop Rolling

Parachute Switcheroo Lesson Plan

Catching and Throwing

Catching and Throwing Circuit Lesson Plan

Skill Cards

Skill Cards (Spanish)

Back to School

Back to School (Spanish)

Social and Emotional Learning

Kindness Definition Card and Lesson

Fitness Circuits

Body Composition Circuit Lesson Plan

Mirror, Mirror Lesson Plan

Performance Rubric Assessment

Choice Count (Pedometer Activity)

Cross the Pond

3-Catch Basketball Lesson Plan

SEL Definition and T-Chart Card

Flying Disc

Durango Boot

Zone and Player-to-Player Defenses

Radio Control

Mini Soccer

Soccer Student Self-Assessments

Track and Field

Sprints and Jumps Circuit

Skill Cards (English & Spanish)

Task Cards (Spanish)

Cooperatives

Spartan Adventure Race 201

Spartan Adventure Race 101

Group Fitness

Yoga Basic Training Lesson Plan

Yoga Content Cards

Yoga Content Cards (Spanish)

Basic Training Peer Checklist

Basic Training Peer Checklist (Spanish)

SFI Certification Tracking Sheet

iGames Lesson

iStrike/Field

Boulder Runner

I Got Your Back Lesson Plan

Practice Plan

Practice Plan (Spanish)

Fitness Fun

Fun and Fitness Circuit Lesson Plan

Fitness Station Cards

Fitness Station Cards (Spanish)

Fun Station Cards

Fun Station Cards (Spanish)

Great Games

Balanced Breakfast

Flying Disc Group Challenge Lesson Plan

Task Card (Spanish)

Building Blocks

Starting and Stopping Lesson Plan

Family Fun Activities

Family Fun Activities (Spanish)

Beanbag Bonanza

Station Play Lesson Plan

Station Cards

Have a Ball

Bounce and Catch

Recess Activities

Social studies.

Social Studies Fitness Relay

State Lists

State Lists (Spanish)

Fitness Relay State Cards

STEM Fitness Training

STEM Fitness Training Cards (English & Spanish)

Me Activities

ME: INSIDE (K-2)

ME: OUTSIDE (3-5)

We Activities

WE: INSIDE (3-5)

WE: OUTSIDE (K-2)

3 Activities

3: INSIDE (3-5)

3: OUTSIDE (K-2)

Sample Resources

Group Juggling

Object Control Skills-Underhand Throwing

What Your PE Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder Wishes You Knew

Football Unit Inclusion Strategies 3-6

SPARK Holiday Lesson

Hearty Hoopla

Stop the Grinch!

Zombie Graveyard

Build a Turkey

Let's Be Friends

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Learning some fun PE games that don’t need equipment can be very useful for busy PE teachers, parents and child care professionals.  

They can help you provide the children you are caring for with fun activities that improve their fitness – without the need to pull out a cupboard full of equipment.  

PE games that don’t need equipment are also useful as impromptu activities at BBQs, parties, and trips away.   In this guide, I will be sharing 18 of the best PE games needing no equipment.

#1 –  Red Rover

This classic game is a lot of fun and easy to learn. In Red Rover, the participants are split into two teams of equal size that form two lines opposite each other. The members of each team will hold hands.

Each team will choose a player from the opposing team, saying “Red Rover Red Rover, send Peter over” to nominate Peter.  

Peter then has to let go of his team mates hands and attempt to run through the other team’s line, breaking their hold on each other.  

If he manages to do so, he will choose a player from the opposing team to join his team’s line.  

If Peter fails to break through the line, he will be forced to join the opposition team’s line.

The teams will alternate turns with the winner being the team that ends up with all of the players. Because all players will end up on the winning team, there are no losers in this game.

#2 – Captain’s Orders

Captain’s Orders is the perfect choice for a competitive group of kids who want to outdo each other.  

It can really test your student’s endurance levels and improve their fitness.   The game begins with one person being nominated to be the “Captain”. They must give out commands to the crew (the rest of the PE class).  

The Captain is limited to a set of commands, which you can alter if you have specific fitness objectives for the class to reach.   You could use a mixture of fun commands and physically demanding ones, like:

• Captain’s coming The crew must salute the captain and stand at attention
• Run to starboard/port The crew must run to the left (port) or right (starboard) sides of the room and touch the wall.
• Scrub the deck The crew must do 10 pushups
• Man the lifeboats The crew will perform 10 sit-ups while moving their arms like oars

You could have the crew members stand at attention after completing each task, which will make the more competitive students attempt to beat each other.   After a few minutes, change captains so a few children get a chance to be in command.

#3 – Relay running races

Running relay races are one of the simplest PE games needing no equipment.   Take the class outside and divide them into groups of 3 or 4 people each.  

Have them run 100 to 200 metres each before moving on to the next person in the relay.  

The mix-it-up relay race is fun variation of a normal relay running race.   In a mix-it-up race, each person in a relay team will perform a different action.  

The first person may have to skip, the second may have to run backwards, the third can run normally, and the fourth can hop.   This makes the race more exciting and enjoyable to watch.

#4 – Cops and Robbers (Team tag game)

There are many fun variations of tag that are useful for PE classes.   In “ Cops and Robbers ”, the PE class is divided into two teams — the cop team and the robber team.   The cops will pursue the robbers to tag them.  

Once a robber is tagged, they must go to a section of the playing area that has been nominated as the “jail”.

Robbers who have not been tagged can release their team mates by sneaking into the jail and tagging them.  

The game is complete when the cops have managed to round up all of the robbers.   Playing this game in an outdoor area with plenty of places to hide can make it even more enjoyable.  

#5 – Wheelbarrow races

This activity is very challenging and a lot of fun.   It’s best suited for fit students with decent upper body strength.   Split the group up into teams of two people that will stand on one side of the gymnasium.  

Each team will have one person go into plank position while the other grabs them by the ankles.    

When you say “Go” the person in plank position will go into pushup position while the person holding their ankles lifts them — forming a wheelbarrow .  

They will attempt to walk the wheelbarrow to the other side of the room.   Once there, they will touch the wall and switch roles before racing back.   The first team back to the starting point wins.

#6 – Duck Duck Goose

Duck Dusk Goose is a wonderful PE game for younger children.   The rules are simple and they will get plenty of exercise. Start by having the children sit in a circle facing the middle.  

Nominate one person as “it”.   They will walk around the circle touching each person on the shoulder and saying if they are a duck or a goose. If the person is nominated as being a duck, they remain seated.  

However, when someone is nominated as being a Goose, they must get up and chase “it” around the circle and tag them before they make it to the empty spot where the Goose was sitting.

#7 – Headstand/handstand practice

There are many advantages to teaching basic gymnastic techniques in the classroom. Headstands and handstands are a particularly useful gymnastic skill that can be practiced indoors on carpet or outdoors on grass.

Begin by teaching students correct headstand form — from getting into a correct starting position to eventually lifting their legs and completing the move.  

Once they understand the basics and know how to perform a headstand safely, have them split into pairs for practice.  

One student in each pair should be a “spotter” who helps the other student with their form and holds their legs. After they they have performed a few headstands have them switch roles.  

Move onto the handstands next, with groups of three (one person practicing and two to hold their legs).   If you are performing this activity outdoors, use trees to prevent students from overbalancing.  

#8 – High Jump Competition

This simple game is a great way for kids to have some fun while testing their athleticism.  

Have the children split into groups of two and stand next to a brick wall.   Have them jump as high as they can, touching the highest brick they can reach with their hand.   Each child gets 3 jumps.  

The highest jumper in each pair gets to go through to the next group, were they are paired off again and will get another three jumps.  

Eventually, you will discover who the highest jumper in the group is. You could also have a standing long jump competition to see who can jump the furthest.

#9 – British Bulldogs

British Bulldogs is a classic version of tag and one of the most popular equipment-free PE games.This game is also commonly known as “Bullrush” and “Cats and Mice”.

The game starts with all of the players at one end of a playing area.   A basketball court works well for small groups, while half a soccer or football field is better for larger groups.  

One player is selected to be “it”.   They will wait in the middle of the playing area.

When you say go, the children will attempt to run from one side of the playing area to the other without being tagged. If they are tagged, they will join the “It’ player in the centre of the playing area.

#10 – Simon Says

This is another classic game that young children love. It is easy to incorporate it into a PE class and everyone will know the rules.  

Start by either choosing a player to be “Simon” or by nominating yourself to play this role (usually better as you can then choose appropriate PE activities).

The students must follow the directives given by “Simon” as long as he starts each one with “Simon says…”.  

If a student accidentally carries out a directive that does not start with “Simon says…” they are out of the game.

You could mix up fun directives like “Simon says bark like a dog” with “Simon says, do 5 pushups” to get the PE component into the game.

The winner of the game is the last person who has successfully followed all of Simon’s orders. They get to become the next “Simon”.

#11 – Gymnastic Talent Show

Have the students split into groups of 3-4 children each and ask them to devise a short gymnastic routine that shows off their skills.  

Encourage them to do their best, but remind them to only perform stunts they are comfortable with.  

During the next 10 minutes, walk between the groups and help them plan their routines, suggesting gymnastic feats appropriate for their skill levels.   Remind them that they can help each other perform their rolls, handstands, and jumps.  

After the 10 minutes has expired, have the groups perform their routines for each other.  

#12 – Leap Frog Race

This fun PE game can be enjoyed by children of all ages.   Have your students split into groups of 2 (ideally, about the same height). Each group must race over a course that is 50 yards in length.  

However, they will have to cover the course by leap frogging each other!   If some kids have trouble jumping over their partner, let to do a couple of jump squats next to their partner instead.

To make the race more challenging, you could include “exercise pit stops” along the way.  

At each exercise pit stop, the children will have to perform a certain number of exercises. This could be star jumps, pushups, burpees, or whatever exercise you think the children would benefit from.

#13 – Light The Dynamite

This is a very challenging fitness game shared by Games Fitness .   The class is split into any number of teams that are the same size, with a minimum of 4 players per team.  

If a team doesn’t have the same number of players, you may have to alter how many repetitions of exercise they perform to keep the game fair.

Have each team sit lengthwise in a straight line, about one arms length from the next person in their team. So, if you have 5 teams, you should have five lines of people.  

You will give players in specific positions a designation of “fuse” or “dynamite” for each round.   For example, you might say players 1 and 2 in each group are fuses, followed by one dynamite player, one more fuse player, and a final dynamite player.  

There can be any number of fuse and dynamite players in each row.

The game starts with all players in a plank position.   When you say   “Light the dynamite!“, the first player is activated.

If they are a fuse player, they will immediately flip over and do 10 sit-ups then tag the next player in the line to activate them. The fuse player will hold a V-hold position after doing their sit-ups – which means they are an activated fuse.  

If the next player is a fuse, they will do their sit-ups also. However, if the next player is a dynamite player, all of the dynamite players in the team must jump up and do 20 burpees.

The first team to finish their chain of fuses and dynamite is the winner.

You can alter the types of exercises used and the number of repetitions for each exercise to make the game harder or easier.

#14 – I Spy, Fitness Version

I, Spy is a favourite game of children everywhere. One person will identify a physical object that is visible nearby and everyone else will have to guess what it is, using a series of questions.  

This   game combines I, Spy with 20 Questions to provide the kids in your PE class with an excellent workout.

Start by spotting an object in the area, like a basketball ring.   Going around the class, each student can ask one question about the item you are thinking of, or guess what it is.

If the answer to their question is “No” or their object guess is incorrect, the entire class must perform an exercise.

The number of repetitions they must perform increases every time they get the answer wrong.   So, the game might go like this:

PE Teacher: I’ve identified an object, your turn to guess – starting with Pete.

Pete: Is it an animal?

PE Teacher: No!   Do 3 pushups everyone.   Next question please Sam.

Sam: Is it alive?

PE Teacher: No!   Do 5 pushups everyone. Next question please Rebecca.

Rebecca: Is it made of wood?

PE Teacher: Yes!   It is partially made from wood.   Next question please Mark.

Mark: Is it a basketball ring?

PE Teacher: Well done.

#15 – Plankerpillar

This is a challenging game that will test the fitness of students and force them to work as a team.  

Divide the class into teams of at least 5 people each.   Have each team line up alongside each other in separate rows and nominate a finish line for the race.

When you say “Go”, all players will go into plank position except for the player furthest away from the finish line.  

They will move to the front of their team (closest to the finish line) and enter into plank position. Once they have started to plank, they will yell “go!” and the next player will move from the rear to the front.  

This is repeated until the group reaches the finish line.   As the effects of being in plank position begin to kick in, the team’s players will be yelling at everyone to hurry up!

#16 – Funny Running

This is a super fun PE game that young children will love. The objective of funny running is to get from one side of the gymnasium to the other while running like an animal.  

You can choose a different animal for each pass, including monkeys, snakes, horses, and kangaroos.  

You can also have the kids run across the gymnasium while performing a funny dance like the Floss Dance or teach them some disco moves .   Put some catch music on and they will have the time of their lives as they exercise!

#17 – Jump!

Jump is another simple game that is ideal for young children’s PE classes.   Have the kids line up against one wall of the gymnasium or on a boundary line of the sporting field.  

Then, simply yell out “1 Jump” and the kids can take   the biggest jump forward they can do from a standing start.   You can vary this by change the number of jumps you allow each time and sometimes throwing in “Steps”.

#18 – Elimination Running  

This exhausting game will help you discover which kids are the fastest in the class.

Have your students line up against a wall of the gymnasium.   When you say “Ready, Go!”, they will run to the other wall.   If you say “Ready, Go!” again while they are running towards the wall, they must turn back and reach the wall that they came from.  

If you blow your whistle, any student who hasn’t reached the wall will be eliminated.   Eventually, you will only have a small number of children left in the group.

I hope you found 18 Fun PE Games Needing No Equipment . Bookmark our website for more fun PE activities for kids .

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.

• Pete Charrette

PE Stations: 15 Fun Ideas for Active Engagement in Elementary Physical Education Classes

Physical education plays a pivotal role in the holistic development of young learners. In the energetic, diverse environment of elementary schools, it's essential to foster a love for movement and exercise through engaging and dynamic activities. PE stations, a cornerstone in teaching physical education, offer a unique blend of fun, skill-building, and adaptable challenges that cater to a wide array of interests and abilities. By incorporating fundamental movement skills into diverse station activities, educators can capture the imagination and enthusiasm of younger students, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of healthy, active living.

The beauty of PE stations lies in their flexibility and ease of implementation. Utilizing the common equipment found in a typical elementary school gym, these stations can be set up quickly and tailored to various skill levels. This station-based approach is especially beneficial in handling large class sizes, allowing for more individualized attention and ensuring that every student remains engaged and active. From team building activities to personal challenges, PE stations provide a dynamic environment where children can develop motor and sport skills, set personal records, and most importantly, have fun while learning. By rotating through different stations, students not only experience a variety of physical activities but also learn the importance of adaptability and cooperation—skills that are invaluable both on and off the playground.

Incorporating new PE station ideas can rejuvenate your classes, providing a wealth of activities that ensure every session is lively and effective. These stations, adaptable for various needs, are an excellent way to enrich your curriculum. Explore 15 engaging PE stations that are simple to implement and offer significant benefits for your students' physical and social growth.

Overview of the Stations

Essentially, PE stations involve dividing the gym or play area into multiple smaller areas, each designated for a specific activity or skill practice. This format allows students to rotate through a variety of exercises or challenges, keeping the class engaged and lively. Incorporating pe stations into your curriculum not only enhances the variety and appeal of physical education classes but also allows for the development of fundamental movement skills and kids' sports skills in a fun and organized manner.

When setting up PE stations, consider the following tips for a smooth and effective experience:

Plan Your Space Wisely:  Ensure each station has enough room for the activity and is safely spaced out from others to prevent overcrowding and accidents.

Organize Equipment Beforehand:  Gather all the necessary equipment for each station and have it ready to minimize setup time during the class.

Clear Instructions:  Use printable station cards or online videos with clear, concise instructions and visuals. This helps students understand what to do at each station, fostering independence and reducing confusion.

Manage Time Effectively:  Allocate a specific amount of time for each station and use a timer to signal when it’s time to move to the next station. This keeps the class flowing smoothly and ensures that all students get equal time at each activity.

Supervise and Rotate:  Keep an eye on all stations, offer guidance, and ensure students are rotating efficiently to the next station.

Inclusivity and Adaptability:  Be prepared to modify activities and PE station ideas to suit different skill levels and abilities, ensuring that every student can participate and enjoy the activities.

Feedback and Encouragement:  Provide positive reinforcement and constructive feedback as students engage in the activities, fostering a supportive learning environment.

Remember, the key to a successful station-based PE class is flexibility and creativity. Feel free to adapt these PE station activities and incorporate your own great ideas readily into your teaching style and your students' needs.

15 Physical Education Station Ideas for Elementary Classes

Energize your elementary PE classes with 15 Simple and Fun PE Stations. Each one is crafted to engage, challenge, and energize students, making every PE class a highlight of their day. The stations align with Shape America's Standard 1 which states "The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns."

Station 1: Keep it Up - Volleying

Description:  The 'Keep it Up - Volley' station is an exciting activity that combines fun with agility and coordination. This station encourages students to practice their volley skills by keeping a beachball or balloon in the air using various parts of their body. It's a fantastic way to develop hand-eye coordination, timing, and body control.

Suggested Equipment:

Beachballs or balloons

Instructions:

Students grab a beachball or a balloon.

Using only their fingertips, knuckles, elbows, head, feet, or knees, they must keep the ball or balloon up in the air.

Challenge students to count the number of consecutive volleys they can achieve without letting the ball or balloon touch the ground.

Safety Tips:

Ensure there’s ample space between students to prevent accidental collisions.

Encourage students to stay aware of their surroundings to avoid running into others or tripping over equipment.

Modifications for Different Skill Levels:

For beginners, start with beachballs, which are larger and move slower than balloons.

More advanced students can try using smaller balloons or adding a gentle spin to increase difficulty.

To add a personal challenge element, have students try to beat their own record with each turn.

Station 2: Ball Handling Challenges - Basketball

Description:  This station is centered on developing basketball ball handling skills through a variety of creative and challenging exercises. By moving the ball in different ways around their body, students can improve their coordination, dexterity, and familiarity with basketball handling techniques.

Basketballs or playground balls

Students begin by tapping the ball back and forth above their head to develop hand control and movement fluidity.

Practice the rainbow toss, where they toss the ball in an arc from one hand to the other in front of their body.

Pass the ball around their waist, then down to their legs, and finally around their head without losing grip.

Perform a figure 8 dribble between their legs to enhance coordination and agility.

For those who can, try spinning the ball on one finger, which is a fun trick that improves focus and balance.

Encourage students to get creative and come up with their own unique ball handling skill.

Make sure there is enough space between students when performing these exercises to prevent accidental collisions.

Encourage students to start with slow, controlled movements and to progress to faster speeds as they gain confidence.

Beginners can focus on basic ball handling skills such as the waist and head passes without incorporating the legs.

Intermediate students should work on connecting movements together smoothly, like transitioning from the waist pass to the figure 8.

Advanced students can challenge themselves with speed and try to perform tricks like the ball spin or invent new handling skills.

Station 3: Cup Stacking Challenge - Coordination

Description:  The Cup Stacking Challenge is a fast-paced station that sharpens students' motor coordination and speed. In this activity, students are tasked with constructing and deconstructing pyramids made of cups, fostering not only dexterity but also concentration and problem-solving skills.

Plastic cups (9 per student or group)

Students quickly build three stacks of pyramids, each with three cups.

Once the pyramids are built, they must then de-stack the cups back into groups of three as quickly as possible.

Students take turns timing each other for both the upstack and downstack process to add a competitive element.

Clear the area around the cup stacking station to prevent slipping on stray cups.

Encourage students to focus on control and precision to avoid knocking cups onto themselves or others.

Beginners may start with stacking and de-stacking a single pyramid before moving onto multiple stacks.

To increase the challenge, advanced students can be asked to stack different configurations or increase the number of cups in a pyramid.

Consider implementing a 'personal best' approach where each student tries to beat their previous times, promoting personal challenge and growth.

Station 4: Paper Plate Skate - Endurance

Description:  The Paper Plate Skate station is an innovative and enjoyable way for students to explore movement. Using laminated paper plates as makeshift skates, this activity simulates the sliding motion of ice or roller skating, offering a unique opportunity to practice balance and coordination while engaging in imaginative play.

Laminated paper plates (2 per student)

Each student stands on a pair of laminated paper plates.

They then "skate" around a designated area, attempting to glide smoothly on the plates.

Encourage students to try moving in various directions: forward, backward, and sideways to challenge their agility and coordination.

Ensure the skating area is free from obstacles and has a smooth, even surface to prevent falls.

Instruct students to maintain a safe distance from each other to avoid collisions.

For beginners, allow them to hold onto a partner or a stable object as they get used to the sliding motion.

Intermediate students might try incorporating turns or small dance moves while skating.

Advanced students can attempt to navigate a simple obstacle course to test their skill and precision.

Station 5: Hoop it Up - Coordination

Description:  'Hoop it Up' is a classic station that combines fun with fitness. This hula hoop challenge not only promotes active play but also enhances core strength, coordination, and rhythm. Students will enjoy testing their skills and challenging their peers to see who can maintain the twirl the longest.

Hula hoops (one per participant)

Each student begins by selecting a hula hoop.

They start twirling the hoop around their waist, neck, arm, or one leg, maintaining the motion for as long as possible.

Encourage students to challenge each other in friendly competition to see who can keep the hoop up the longest.

Space students out to ensure they have a safe distance from each other to avoid contact with someone else’s hoop.

Remind students to focus on their own hoop to prevent distractions that could lead to a loss of control.

Beginners may focus on keeping the hoop up around their waist, which is typically easier to control.

For an added challenge, students can try to switch the hoop between their waist, neck, and limbs without letting it fall.

To incorporate a skill element, advanced students might try adding dance moves or tricks while keeping the hoop in motion.

Station 6: Beanbag Toss - Accuracy

Description:  The Beanbag Toss station emphasizes precision and hand-eye coordination, as students aim to land beanbags within the confines of a hula hoop target. This activity not only tests accuracy but also encourages students to assess their tossing or throwing strength and adjust their technique based on their distance from the target.

Place a hula hoop at a starting distance as the target.

Students toss a beanbag, aiming to get it into the hoop.

After each successful toss, they take a step back to increase the challenge.

Students can challenge a partner to a contest, seeing who can maintain consistency from varying distances or who can toss from the furthest distance.

Make sure the area around the hula hoop is clear to prevent slipping on stray beanbags.

Encourage students to be aware of their surroundings and wait for their turn to avoid beanbags flying in unexpected directions.

Beginners can start closer to the hoop and use larger beanbags for easier gripping and tossing.

To increase difficulty, students can be challenged to toss the beanbag into smaller hoops or from a greater distance.

For advanced students, introduce a point system based on the distance, where farther throws earn more points, encouraging them to set personal records.

Station 7: "Downed" Rope Challenges - Agility

Description:  This station is all about agility and balance, using short jump ropes laid out on the floor. Students will mimic tightrope walking and jumping across the rope, enhancing their coordination, balance, and spatial awareness. These varied movements not only engage different muscle groups but also introduce the fundamentals of agility training in a fun and accessible way.

Short jump ropes or any similar rope laid on the ground

Students start by walking along the rope as if it's a tightrope, placing one foot directly in front of the other.

Next, they jump back and forth over the rope, using both feet and then just one, like a hopscotch pattern.

See how far they can long jump following the line of the rope.

For an added challenge, students crisscross their legs while jumping over the rope to improve agility.

Ensure that the ropes are securely placed on the ground to prevent slipping.

Space out the students so they have ample room to jump and move without bumping into each other.

Beginners can focus on slow, deliberate movements to maintain balance while walking the 'tightrope.'

Intermediate students can increase their speed and introduce one-footed jumps.

Advanced students can attempt to perform the crisscross jumps at a faster pace or increase the length of their long jumps.

Station 8: Over the Hurdles - Track & Field

Description:  'Over the Hurdles' station gives students a taste of track and field athletics, focusing on the exhilarating hurdle race. It's designed to improve agility, speed, and jumping ability in a controlled environment. This station can be a fun challenge, encouraging students to push their limits and practice their pacing over a short distance.

Set of hurdles (adjustable for height) or cones with a pool noodle laying across them

Cones to mark the end turn and start

Students take turns running towards the hurdles and leaping over them with proper form.

After clearing the hurdles, they run around a cone set at the end of the course and sprint back to the start.

Students can run side by side with a partner for a friendly race or time each other to add a competitive element.

Adjust the height of the hurdles according to the age and ability level of the students to prevent injuries.

Ensure there’s adequate space between the hurdles and that the landing area is clear of any obstacles.

Instruct students on proper hurdling technique to ensure safety during leaps and landings.

Beginners can practice with lower hurdles or even lines or tapes on the ground to simulate hurdles.

Intermediate students should focus on improving their leap technique and landing.

Advanced students can attempt higher hurdles or focus on increasing their speed between the hurdles

Station 9: Scarf Juggling - Mental Focus

Description:  Scarf Juggling is a delightful station that introduces students to the basics of juggling in a simple and accessible way. This activity helps improve hand-eye coordination, timing, and concentration. Starting with one or two scarves—or even plastic grocery bags for a more environmentally friendly twist—students can progress at their own pace until they are able to juggle multiple items.

Scarves or lightweight plastic grocery bags

Students start by grabbing one or two scarves or plastic bags.

Begin by tossing and catching the items at varying heights, both high and low.

As students become more adept, they can increase the challenge by adding a third item into their juggling pattern.

Ensure students have enough space around them to prevent interference with others.

Remind students to focus on the items they are juggling, keeping their movements controlled and their eyes on the scarves at all times.

Beginners should start with one scarf, focusing on consistent tossing and catching.

Once comfortable, they can add a second scarf, practicing the hand-to-hand toss.

Advanced students can attempt to juggle three scarves, incorporating different patterns and heights for an additional challenge.

Station 10: Zig Zag Dribble - Soccer Dribbling

Description:  Zig Zag Dribble is a station designed to hone soccer dribbling skills. Through weaving in and out of a cone course, students can improve their ball control and footwork, which are essential skills on the soccer field. This exercise not only enhances agility and coordination but also builds confidence in handling the ball under pressure.

Soccer balls (one per student)

Cones set up in a zigzag formation

Each student starts with a soccer ball at the beginning of the cone course.

The objective is to dribble the ball through the cones, weaving in and out without touching or knocking them over.

After navigating the zigzag pattern, students dribble the ball straight back to the start as quickly and as controlled as possible.

Ensure the cones are spaced out enough to provide a challenge yet allow for safe maneuvering.

Encourage students to keep their heads up while dribbling to promote spatial awareness and prevent collisions.

Beginners can walk the ball through the cones, focusing on control and gentle touches.

Intermediate students should work on maintaining a jogging pace while keeping the ball close.

Advanced students can be challenged to dribble through the cones at a faster pace or with fewer touches to increase difficulty.

Station 11: Playground Ball - Tossing and Catching

Description:  This station is designed to enhance hand-eye coordination and reaction time with a series of tossing and catching challenges using a playground ball. By varying the tossing heights and incorporating different movements before catching, students can improve their agility and coordination in a playful and dynamic way.

Playground balls (one per student)

Students start by tossing the playground ball in the air and catching it.

Next, they let the ball bounce once before clapping their hands or turning around and then catching it.

Students try tossing the ball, letting it bounce under their leg, and then catching it.

Encourage students to experiment with catching the ball at different levels, such as reaching high above their heads or squatting to catch it low.

Ensure each student has a clear space around them to prevent collisions during the turning or under-the-leg maneuvers.

Remind students to keep their eyes on the ball at all times to safely coordinate their movements.

Beginners can focus on basic toss and catch skills, gradually introducing the bounce as they become more comfortable.

Intermediate students can add the clapping or turning around to make the task more challenging.

Advanced students can attempt to catch the ball on the bounce after performing a full 360-degree turn or catching it after multiple claps to increase difficulty.

Station 12: Jump Rope - Coordination and Fitness

Description:  Jump Rope station is a classic exercise that significantly enhances coordination, rhythm, and cardiovascular fitness. Using individual short ropes, students can challenge themselves to maintain a continuous rhythm and try various jump styles to keep the activity engaging and beneficial.

Individual short jump ropes (one per student)

Each student starts with a jump rope and begins to jump continuously, aiming to keep going for as long as possible.

Introduce skier jumps, where students jump side to side over the rope, mimicking a skiing motion.

Practice bell jumps by jumping front to back, adding variety to the movements.

Encourage students to turn the rope both forwards and backward, incorporating a jogging step to vary the tempo and difficulty.

Ensure students are spaced out to prevent the ropes from getting tangled with one another.

Check that each rope is the correct length for the student using it to prevent tripping.

Remind students to jump on the balls of their feet to cushion their landings.

Beginners may focus on single jumps with both feet together, working on finding their rhythm.

Intermediate students can try alternating feet, like a slow jogging step, as they jump.

Advanced students can challenge themselves with double unders (where the rope passes under the feet twice in one jump) or increase the speed of their jogging step.

Station 13: Soccer Juggling - Ball Control

Description:  Soccer Juggling station is an excellent way for students to practice and improve their ball control. Whether with a soccer ball, beach ball, or balloon, this activity helps develop coordination, timing, and finesse. It's a fundamental skill in soccer that enhances a player's ability to control the ball during a game.

Soccer balls, beach balls, or balloons (one per student)

Each student selects a ball of their choice.

The goal is to keep the ball in the air using only their feet, knees, chest, and head.

Encourage students to count how many times they can juggle the ball without it touching the ground.

Ensure that students have plenty of space around them to avoid collisions.

For those using a soccer ball, remind them to use the flat parts of their feet and to bend their knees for better control.

Beginners may start with larger, lighter balls like beach balls or balloons that move slower and are easier to control.

Intermediate students should focus on using a soccer ball and mixing different body parts for juggling.

Advanced students can set personal challenges, such as juggling only with their feet or alternating between different body parts without the ball touching the ground.

Station 14: Cross the River - Balance & Agility

Description:  'Cross the River' is a playful station that challenges students' balance and agility. By using poly spot markers laid out to represent stones across a river, this activity mimics a stepping stone challenge that requires careful foot placement and balance.

Poly spot markers (or any flat markers that can simulate river stones)

Arrange the poly spot markers on the floor in a zigzag or maze pattern, representing stones in a river.

Students start at one end and jump from marker to marker, pretending to cross a river by only stepping on the 'stones.'

The goal is to make it to the finish line and back without 'falling off' the rocks.

Encourage students to plan their route and adjust their balance as they leap from one spot to the next.

Ensure that the markers are spaced appropriately to match the students' jumping abilities.

Check that the floor around the markers is clear and free of any slip hazards.

Remind students to focus on controlling their jumps to maintain balance and prevent falls.

Beginners may take larger steps or small hops instead of jumps and use more closely spaced markers.

Intermediate students should attempt to jump with both feet together, making precise landings.

Advanced students can increase the distance between the markers or add a one-footed hopping element to raise the difficulty level.

Station 15: Javelin (Pool Noodle) Throw - Track & Field

Description:  The Javelin Throw station introduces students to the track and field event in a safe and fun way using pool noodles. This activity allows students to work on their throwing technique and upper body strength while engaging in a bit of friendly competition to see who can achieve the farthest throw.

Pool noodles (one per student)

A set line for throwing behind

Measuring tape (optional for recording distances)

Students line up behind the set line with a pool noodle in hand.

They take turns throwing the noodle as far as they can, ensuring they use proper form to mimic a javelin throw.

After each throw, compare distances to see if students can throw farther than their partners.

Encourage each student to try to beat their own personal best with each attempt.

Make sure there is a clear and secure area for throwing and that no one is in the path of the noodle.

Teach students the proper way to hold and release the noodle to prevent any accidents.

Ensure students are supervised, especially when attempting to measure and retrieve the noodles.

Beginners may focus on the basic technique of holding and releasing the noodle.

Intermediate students can work on improving their throw by incorporating a run-up or adjusting their grip.

Advanced students can aim for accuracy by trying to throw the noodle to a specific target area as well as distance.

Integrating the Stations into Your PE Curriculum

Incorporating stations into pe programs:.

Physical Education programs thrive on variety and adaptability, and incorporating stations can significantly enhance the learning experience. Here are some strategies for integrating these stations into your existing curriculum:

Circuit Training:  Implement stations as part of a circuit training program. Assign students to stations, allowing them to spend a set amount of time at each before rotating. This approach ensures that all students are actively engaged and can experience each activity.

Skill-Based Days:  Dedicate certain days to specific skill developments, such as balance, coordination, or agility, and select stations that focus on these skills. This targeted approach can help students improve in areas that are most relevant to their needs.

Warm-Ups/Cool-Downs:  Use some of the simpler stations as warm-up or cool-down activities to prepare students for more intense activity or to wind down after a vigorous class.

Integrated Learning:  Combine stations with other curriculum areas. For example, incorporate math by having students count repetitions or measure distances, enhancing both physical and cognitive skills.

Modifying Stations for Different Needs:

Flexibility is key to accommodating diverse class sizes, spaces, and student needs. Here are some tips for adjusting stations:

Adapting to Space:  If space is limited, modify activities to fit a smaller area, such as shortening relay distances or using half of a court. For larger spaces, spread out stations to avoid overcrowding and to use the space effectively.

Class Size:  For larger classes, duplicate stations to prevent long wait times. In smaller classes, you might combine two stations into one to keep students engaged without overwhelming them with too many activities.

Different Abilities:  Adapt stations to cater to varying skill levels. This might include lowering the height of hurdles, using larger balls for easier handling, or allowing more time for each activity.

Student Interests:  Take into account student interests and allow for choices. Give students a say in which stations they'd like to try or have them suggest modifications to activities, fostering a sense of ownership and motivation.

Inclusion:  Ensure that all stations are inclusive. This might mean having alternative activities available for students with different physical abilities or providing additional support where needed.

By considering these suggestions, PE teachers can create an environment that is not only physically educational but also inclusive, enjoyable, and tailored to the needs of all students.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating a range of fun and diverse stations into elementary PE classes can transform the traditional physical education experience. These stations not only bring a fresh burst of energy and excitement to PE classes but also cater to the varied interests and abilities of young learners. By offering a spectrum of activities—from skill-based challenges to creative physical play—we foster an environment where every child can thrive.

As educators, the invitation is to embrace creativity and adapt these stations to fit your unique teaching style and the specific needs of your students. There is no one-size-fits-all in education, especially in an environment as dynamic as the gymnasium. Feel free to tweak the activities, mix them up, or even invent completely new ones that will resonate with your classes. If you've tried implementing any of these stations, or if you've developed variations of your own, I'd love to hear about your experiences. Your insights and innovations are not only welcome but can serve as inspiration to the wider PE teaching community.

Download 15 FREE PE Station Signs!

Are you looking for station cards that combine fun and engagement with clear instructions and top-notch graphics for your physical education classes? Look no further, Cap'n Pete's Cap'n Pete's Power PE has you covered!

Fill in the form below to download 15  FREE  Fun and Engaging PE Station Signs. The set is a PDF digital download that includes the following PE stations (as seen in this article) that can be implemented using standard PE equipment: Keep it Up, 2. Ball Handling Challenges, 3. Cup Stacking, 4. Paper Plate Skate, 5. Hoop it Up, 6. Beanbag Toss, 7. Downed Rope Challenges, 8. Over the Hurdles, 9. Scarf Juggling, 10. Zig Zag Dribble,11. PG Ball; Tossing and Catching, 12. Jump Rope, 13. Soccer Juggling, 14. Cross the River, and 15. Javelin Throw

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

Check out this PE Stations: Triple Pack Bundle with 132 Movement, Skill and Sport Zones

Discover the ultimate collection for your PE program with Cap'n Pete's Power PE's comprehensive bundle! This set combines all three of our popular PE Station Zones series:

PE Fitness Stations:  44 zones for maximum movement, focusing on personal fitness elements like cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, locomotor movement, and muscular strength.

PE Sport Stations:  44 skill-sharpening zones covering a range of sports such as base games, basketball, gym hockey, racquet sports, soccer, track and field, and volleyball.

PE Stations Kids Love:  44 zones of frolicking fun, designed for enjoyable movements and tasks with common equipment.

You can find this set on Cap'n Pete's Power PE website here  or at my Teachers Pay Teachers store located here .

In total, you'll receive 132 stations, each with its own station card, perfect for fitness units, warm-ups, sport skills, or just plain fun throughout the school year. The accompanying cards offer clear instructions and engaging graphics, highlighting the fitness components, motor skills, or PE concepts involved. Mix and match these stations in your classes or sessions for a fresh, fun, and effective PE experience. Whether you're a PE teacher, classroom teacher, or group leader in a camp or church setting, these stations are flexible and adaptable for your unique environment.

• Stations and Circuits
• Manipulative Skills
• Fitness Activities

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The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

Daily Warmup Routine

What’s Up Phys Ed Fam!

Today I want to share with you my daily warm-up and stretching routine that I use at the beginning of class with my students.

I do this with my students from 1st grade through 5th grade (we have 50 minute classes).

• My Kindergarten classes are super short (25 minutes), so we don’t have time for anything other than a quick 1-2 minute jog/walk/skip/slide around the outside lines of the gym.

Warmup or Instant Activity

We start with a quick warm-up or instant activity for the first 2 minutes.  We do change this up throughout the year to keep it interesting. I’ve covered a ton of specific warm-up activities that you can do in another post (Awesome Warmup Activities) so I won’t go into a ton of detail, but check out the post if your interested in specific instant activities.

Home Base Spots

After they finish with the instant activity they go to our   Home Base Spots .

Here’s a video explaining the Home Base Spots:

• For my roster template mentioned in the video above head over to the Home Base Spots Blog Post.

Daily Stretching Routine

Once we are at our Home Base Spots I lead students through a few stretches while I am taking attendance.

You can see the stretching routine I use and the poster I created as a visual for students in the video below: 

Here’s a link to the Good Sport Code Poster that I mentioned in the video.

After a few weeks in this routine with my 3rd – 5th grade students I will pick a volunteer student to lead the stretches as a way to allow the class to have some independence and responsibility and give one student a chance to practice leading the class. 

I give the warmup leader a laminated PDF of the poster to use as a cheat sheet when they are leading the class.  I actually got this idea from a teacher who bought the poster and did the same thing with their own students.

If you’d like to purchase the Daily Warmup Poster you can click the link below to check it out on TPT (or members can download it in the membership area after logging in):

Check out the Daily Warmup Poster

Explaining “the why behind the warmup”.

As a student I can vividly remember feeling a disdain any time I was forced to do something in school that I didn’t see the purpose of.  I will never forget one of my teachers in high school who would always explain before every lesson the useful things we would be able to do with the information that we would learn that day.  It was so motivating for me to know that I wasn’t just doing busy work, but that it would actually be helpful for my future success.

I always try to explain “The Why” behind everything we do in my classes to students, it will help them be more motivated to actually put 100% of their effort into the task or activity that you’re asking them to do.

Check out the video below for an example during our 2nd week of school: 

Virtual Daily Warmup

Since I’m teaching some virtual this year due to COVID, I wanted to keep a similar routine to our in person days and virtual days as much as possible, so I created this Daily Warmup Video for my kids to complete on our virtual days.

• For all my videos I use an editing program called Final Cut Pro X (Mac only), although if your starting out I would recommend using iMovie for widescreen or trying out clips for square videos https://www.thepespecialist.com/clips/
• You can consult Dr. Google for whatever editing program you decide to use and find plenty of tutorials specific to the program your using and the effect you want to use (for example timers or progress bars like you see in this video)

That’s It!

I’ve found that providing a good routine really helps me get my class started quickly and without wasting any time.

Hope that was helpful and as always…

Have Fun and Teach On!

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Reader Interactions

November 7, 2023 at 8:39 am

It was a good video

November 7, 2023 at 4:09 pm

Thank you Jose!

Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

September 18, 2023 at 8:29 am

FYI Two links on the daily warmup routine page are not working; Clips and daily warmup poster

September 18, 2023 at 4:14 pm

Hey Kristina,

Thanks for reaching out! We were able to access the links.

Can you send us a screenshot of what you’re seeing so we can troubleshoot the issue from our end?

Send to [email protected]

September 16, 2022 at 1:05 pm

I teach at a school with 1300 students. We see 600 a day. Close to 100 a class. I would love tips or tricks on different warm ups for large class sizes

September 16, 2022 at 3:24 pm

Whoa Jasmine!

That’s a lot of students!

Check out Ben’s blog post of warm up activities for some ideas:

https://www.thepespecialist.com/warmupactivities/

Hope this helps!

July 11, 2022 at 5:08 pm

I am loving all your info and ideas. Such a big help. I am hoping gas and food prices go down so I can become a paid member. Valuable stuff here.

July 12, 2022 at 4:26 pm

Thanks for reaching out! Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

Totally understand! Hopefully you are join up soon!

December 5, 2021 at 11:03 am

Emailed last week about my school district paying for my membership. My name is John Murphy and I work for new Rochelle city school District in new Rochelle New York. Could someone please respond back to me and let me know? I never got any information.

December 6, 2021 at 3:10 pm

We emailed you back and responded to your post here.

We will email you the information again.

Be on the lookout in you SPAM folder as well.

November 28, 2021 at 9:19 am

Good morning. I believe my school district in new Rochelle New York paid for my membership. Did you guys receive anything from us? Please let me know as soon as possible.

November 30, 2021 at 4:23 pm

We emailed you back on November 24th with your sign up info for the membership.

Have you not received the email? If not let us know, and we can send it again!

Have a great day!

August 24, 2021 at 11:51 am

I am currently about two weeks into my first time being a Physical Education Teacher and boy am I happy that I stumbled on your website and your YouTube videos as well. I have been very organized thanks to you, God Bless!

August 24, 2021 at 4:44 pm

Laura! We are glad you found us as well! We have tons of teaching tips! Hope you find what you need! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions along the way!

October 7, 2020 at 12:48 pm

It was a good warm up i feel more loosing

October 7, 2020 at 4:09 pm

Glad you’re enjoying the resources Kashmir!

September 15, 2020 at 12:19 pm

Hi Ben, All of your materials are awesome! I see that you have your stretching routine posters. Do you have a poster for the virtual warm-up, the one starting with jumping jacks?

Thanks, Lindsey

September 15, 2020 at 6:11 pm

Hey Lindsey,

Hope you found what you needed from the email we sent you.

Thanks for reaching out!

September 15, 2020 at 11:59 am

The P.E. Specialist is so helpful! Thank you!

September 15, 2020 at 6:06 pm

You’re welcome Louise!

October 14, 2019 at 12:16 pm

Where do you have your posters made?

October 16, 2019 at 4:51 pm

We’ve got a poster printer at school – Lucky I know!

September 7, 2019 at 2:05 pm

I just wanted to write and say thank you for all this information. The school I teach at now has the classroom teachers, teaching PE, I am a little familiar but all the information you have provided will help me this school year.

September 9, 2019 at 6:18 pm

Bummer that you don’t have a certified PE Teacher at your school, but I’m glad it’s been helpful for you!

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Creative Gym Games for Kindergarten Kids will Love

Most kids love the opportunity to run around and play games. It’s part of being a kid. Whether you teach gym in school and are looking for some unique gym games for kindergarten, or older grades, or if you are looking for something new for your kids to play and be active doing, these gym games are all kid tested and kid approved!

I am a firm believer in introducing kids to a variety of games and sports even at a young age.  As young as three years old my children, and students were playing basketball, floor hockey, soccer and volleyball, to name a few.

Of course, it is introduced at an appropriate level, but the skills are still being developed. For many kids, gym class is their first exposure to these sports.

Introducing kids to different gym games and sports may spark an interest and skill that may turn into something for life.

I love doing different active games with kids because of the difference that I always see from the first class, where equipment and basic skills are introduced, to the last class, the amount of growth is always amazing. 

If you’re looking for another activity that can get kids up and moving outside of the classroom, check out my Free School Scavenger Hunt Game . Perfect for indoor recess days or simply a way to take learning beyond the classroom.

Never underestimate what a child can do – given the opportunity. 

Choosing Your Activities

There are the classic gym games for kindergarten that will always remain popular, such as Octopus and What Time is it Mr. Wolf? There is always time for these games. Even scarf games and activities are classics, and always popular. For some simple scarf games, check out Scarf Games and Activities for Kids.

However, there are also lots of other gym games that are worth introducing to kids of all ages. Below is a collection of a few of the gym games and activities that my students loved and became popular for us to play.

You don’t have to do the games exactly the same way that I describe them. You can always alter them to fit what supplies you have the age group you are working with.

However, I hope an activity, or two, sparks an idea for a new gym game to take back to your gym class.

Some of the games require more equipment than others. A few of the games also integrate other subject areas into the activity.

16 Primary Gym Activities + Gym Games for Kindergarten

Some of the activities are simply an idea that requires no further explanation for how to play it. However, some of the activities include extra photos and ideas. Click the link when provided below the picture for more information.

Always make sure to choose activities that are at the children’s ability level. Make sure to supervise children while doing the activities.

Gym Game for Kindergarten – Hula Hoops

For our first game, we went outside. All you need are hula hoops. Lay the hula hoops randomly around the playing area. I used roughly 1 hoop for every 3-4 players.

Each of the hula hoops are an island. Outside of the hula hoops is water, but in the water there are ‘sharks’. One child is it , or a shark, for the game and cannot go onto an island. This game is basically a different version of tag.

If a child is on an island, the shark cannot touch them. However, on the island, children have to count to 10 and then they have to get off of the island. This prevents children from simply standing on the island.

If they get tagged, they became a shark!  Eventually all but one child will become a shark and they are the winner.

I played suspenseful music over my speaker which added to the excitement.

We used the idea of islands and sharks because we were learning about sharks and the ocean in class. You can adapt this game to integrate science by doing a predator-prey type tag.

We did this gym game outside because the weather was beautiful. However, you can do it in a gym. The hula hoops can be slippery if kids are running and step on the hoop. A sheet of construction paper taped to the ground is a better option inside.

Gym Games for Kindergarten – Active Math

The next gym game for kindergarten is a favorite that we play a lot because the children request it. It is simple enough to take outside for a quick gym game and for kids to burn off some energy. I love this active game because it integrates math and gym.

The activity is very easy to prepare, yet it was a lot of fun and it allowed me to take our gym class outside.  This activity can be adapted to varying grade levels and various math strands. 

The materials you will need are a class set of large wood slices and a large sensory ball. 

The wood slices were simply to help with classroom management and indicate to children where they need to stand.  If you don’t have wood slices, but like the idea, you could use chalk on tarmac to mark the places.

I laid the slices out in a circle on the grass and each child stood on a wood slice.

Active Math – How to Play

Bounce, or throw the ball to the first child and count aloud “one”.  The children who caught the ball then bounces it to another child across from them and says “two” as they throw. 

Continue counting as high as the children are able to. We worked together when the numbers got big and children helped each other with the counting.

This activity could easily be changed for older children learning their math facts, such as multiplication.  Children need to be listening and following along in case the ball is thrown to them 

They would only have a few seconds to think of their answer before they have to throw the ball to the next player.

One child could say a multiplication fact for another child to solve and then bounce the ball to them. 

If you are working with young children they could sit and roll the ball instead of bouncing it.  It is such a simple idea, but I personally love using it because it gets kids active and engaged in math.

Gym Games for Kindergarten – Team Building

I love this gym game! I have used it with children in intermediate games all the way down to kindergarten. This is a really easy team building game that I remember doing as a kid.  It is simple, but requires children to really think and strategize together. 

This activity requires no prep and all you need are two large mats. If you don’t have gym mats, you can use large sheets of fabric.

Divide the group of kids into 2 groups and give each group 2 mats. I had at least 10 children in each group.

Starting at the same line, each team needs to figure out a way to get across the gym using only the mats.  Oh, and pretend that the floor is lava so you cannot touch it at all!

Groups have to come up with a plan where they are always only touching the mat, but somehow get to other side of the gym. 

Those were the only instructions that they were given.  Usually children start by trying to push one mat across, which, slowly but surely may work. 

Ultimately, children will need to all huddle together on one mat, but then lift the other mat around in front of the one they are standing on and set it down – and then jump over and repeat. 

This is a great activity to create team building and problem solving. You won’t believe how engaged and excited children are as they work to get to the other side.  There have been many requests to do this again… and again… and again.

Kindergarten Gym Games – Giant Balloons

Everyone was excited to get their hands on these huge balloons! When were were working on volleyball skills in gym these huge balloons were a great way to introduce the unit.

I find with young kids, using any new or interesting equipment for gym games encourages them to move their body and develop their gross motor skills.

You will need 4 large balloons blown up and ready to use (I used a pump).  I drew some silly faces on them with permanent marker, just for fun. 

We started off in 4 small groups volleying the balloons around to each other.  I then challenged children to not touch the balloon twice in a row.  Everyone had fun working to keep the balloon off the ground.

I then got out hula hoops and spread them out around the gym.  Each child stood in a hula hoop and had to hit the ball to keep it in the air if it came to them. 

The hula hoops were a great way to help make sure that everyone got a chance to hit the balloon by keeping children in a specific spot.   

We then counted together each time someone hit the balloon and kept counting until it touched the ground. 

The balloons would also work well to play a small game of volleyball over an actual net.

Children quickly discovered that our tarmac had a bit of a hill and used it to roll down while dragging the chalk. 

Primary + Kindergarten Gym Games

Grab a few more balloons for this active game. Tennis can be tricky for young children to learn. However, using a few simple materials you can make it easier for children to practice the skills.

Balloon tennis is also a great activity to try on a rainy day. It helps promote hand eye coordination for kids of all ages and can be done at home, or school.

Gym Games – Relay Race

Kids love relay races. This gym game took a bit more prep and time to create, but we had a lot of fun with it. I initially created these slider shoes to use for a relay race outside in the winter. I used cookie sheets and created a handle so that they acted as almost snowshoes.

They were a bit slippery and children wore a helmet during their turn, but they had a blast trying out the shoes as they participated in the relay.

I have the rope come up to about waist height for kindergarten so that they can comfortably hold the rope and carefully sanded and sealed off all of the holes.

They were originally designed to use in the winter on snow for a relay, but it turns out they are just as much fun on grass in the spring!  So easy to make and hours of fun.

If you create a relay race, you can use a bunch of different equipment that you have on hand. Walk across a skipping rope, jump through a hula hoop, throw a ball into a basket and race back so the next player can have their turn.

Animal Stretches – Gym Activity

When teaching gym and encouraging children to be active, starting activities with stretches is important. Regardless of the activity, it is always a good idea to spend even a minute or two warming up.

Taking this minute teaches children that they need to get their body ready to move and stretched.

Stretches don’t need to be boring! Make stretching fun and engaging with this collection of animal stretches. Kids will love moving and acting like different animals and at the same time they are warming their bodies up for a gym game.

For ideas on how to lead these stretches click here: Animal Exercises for Kids.

Art + Gym Games for Kindergarten – Scooter Boards

This is a really simple gym activity that also integrates art. I have great memories using scooter boards at school as a child. This activity uses them in a whole new way.

For this activity, take the scooter boards outside to try out this gym game. All you need is a scooter board and some chalk.

First, discuss the rules when using the boards (no standing on them, stay sitting and avoid putting fingers on the ground).  Then give each child a board and a piece of chalk. 

I encouraged everyone to first try turning in a circle and checking the mark they made with the chalk.

It works well to have everyone lined up and then call out what kind of line they need to make as they move (squiggly, zigzag). 

It is fun to then see all of the marks created by everyone and it makes a beautiful, huge piece of art! This activity also gives you something unique to do with the scooter boards.

All of these gym games for kindergarten work well for young children, but can be adapted for older children as well. Regardless of the activity, children get a chance to be active and try something new.

Mum Ball Active Gym Game

I can’t wait to try this out at school! Bring out a big, bouncy ball for this active game. This game is a great chance for children to practice mindfulness because there is no yelling or unfair play, in fact there is no talking.

This is a great activity to try as a cool down at the end of a gym period. Give children a chance to keep moving, catching and throwing, while they are cooling, and calming down with this quiet game.

Physical Activities and Exercises

Get your heart pumping with these stretches, physical activities and challenges. Keep track on a Free Printable. There are different challenges and ideas included to keep children engaged and moving!

Obstacle Course Gym Game

This spider web activity will have kids moving, bending and laughing all the way. This activity could easily be worked into various themes and special days in the classroom.

If you try this at home, you can even create the web under a kitchen table. Encourage children to move and bend to make their way through the spider web.

Get Kids Moving Activities with Free Printable

Sometimes having a printable of activities to get kids moving is perfect to have on hand. If you have a few minutes of your gym period to fill, a back pocket list is ideal.

Gym Games for Kindergarten and Primary

Add a theme to your gym activities to keep children engaged. This Dinosaur activity will get children moving like different dinosaurs with different movements. Roll the dice for some hands-on fun.

When trying to get children engaged and moving, using something as simple as dice and dinosaurs will keep things fun and creative. Free printable included.

Gym Games for Kindergarten – Color Game

This is a really simple idea, but a great active game for little ones. Grab some cones, or any other solid colored objects. Call a specific color for children to run to. The idea is easy, but kids will love searching and finding your called color.

this is also a fun active way to have children practice the colors.

Kindergarten Gym Games – Jumping

Getting kids moving and their heart pumping is a goal of every gym period. Keep it simple with this assortment of jumping games for kindergarten and primary.

Jumping is also a great activity for gym class because most children are able to jump. This makes the activity inclusive and generally doesn’t require special material.

Gym Games for Kindergarten – Balloon Tennis

Quickly and easily create tennis rackets using simple materials. Kids will love creating their own racket to use. Then try out all ten of the fun games to play!

Balloons are a great, and inexpensive, piece of equipment in gym for young children. Since a balloon falls slowly it gives children time to get under the balloon to hit it and move it how they want.

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More Hands-On Teaching Ideas

If you are looking for more learning activities, below is a collection of my most popular and favorite activities for kids to try at home, or in the classroom. From printable escape rooms and math activities to outdoor activities and unique teacher supplies, there are lots of things to keep kids busy and learning.

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Best P.E. Apps and Online Resources to Keep Your Students Moving

Let’s get physical.

Research proves that exercise improves children’s focus and energy levels , and the CDC recommends that children and adolescents ages 6 to 17 years do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. With so many PE apps, videos, and online resources available, it’s easier than ever to incorporate P.E. into your daily learning plan. This list will have you and your students sweating in no time!

PE Streaming and Online Videos

Dancing is one of the easiest ways to get your body moving … and grooving. As kids follow the moves on this YouTube-based dance challenge, they won’t even realize they’re getting in a great cardio workout. Plus Just Dance features all their fave musical artists.

Cosmic Kids Yoga

Stretch, bend and get movin’ with the Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube channel, where you’ll find 10-20 minute guided yoga workouts for preschool to elementary school-aged kids. Kids will love striking poses in outer space, underwater, on the farm, and more! You can also stream episodes on Amazon Prime Video .

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The Body Coach

The Body Coach is a popular YouTube channel that features free, easy-to-follow, at-home workouts for everyone, including kids. Get fit no matter your fitness level with these active, engaging 5-8 minute videos.

The Kids Coach

A place for fitness, workouts, and wellness … just for kids. Need a simple way to get your kids moving? Simply choose the age category, press play, and stream to any device. Find over 100 sessions categorized by age group.

Coach Josh Kids Fitness

Preschoolers can practice balance and coordination while also practicing everything from colors to numbers to the ABCs in Coach Josh’s fun workout show, streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

Kids’ HIIT Workout

This 30-minute-long exercise YouTube video is the perfect excuse to get moving along with your kids. HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a workout that combines intense bursts of exercise and short, active recovery periods. Think marching, jumping jacks, and squats. No equipment needed! Just put on a pair of athletic shoes and press play.

Simply Soccer: Soccer Drills You Can Do Indoors

Simply soccer’s seven-minute YouTube video shows you how to work on some fancy footwork skills from the comfort of home.

Karate for Kids

Who wants to be a ninja? Join Abbey Manser on her YouTube channel to learn basic karate skills for kids.

Kidz Bop Dance Along

Dance to the beat of rated-G versions of popular songs like Thank U, Next , Señorita, and Old Town Road .

Tumbletots at Home

Tiny tots up to 7 years old will enjoy guided movement classes with a focus on play with UK-based Tumbletots at Home . Weekly, 25-minute exercise sessions can be easily accessed on three platforms: Facebook , IGTV , and YouTube .

Dad and fitness trainer Joe Wicks hosts 30-minute PE workouts for kids on Body Coach TV YouTube channel . Wicks encourages parents to join in on the fitness fun, so throw on your workout gear and get ready to work out alongside your kids, moms and dads!

Get fit with a little monkey business! Moovlee is an animated monkey that leads 4-10 minutes workout videos for kids ages 3-5. With a focus on meditation, yoga, and cardio, Moovlee will get your kids moving.

5 a Day Fitness

Sometimes five minutes of moving and shaking are all it takes to energize and refocus. 5 a Day Fitness ’ high-energy, low-impact, fun fitness videos make it easy to squeeze a workout or two or three into busy days. Check out their French and Spanish language fitness videos for kids to practice language skills and get your heart pumping.

Daniella Ballerina

Dance along with Daniella! Her online dance studio introduces little ones to the world of ballet through classes centered on classic poses like Arabesque and Pas de Chat .

JamTimeDanceTV

Tweens and tweens won’t even realize they’re working out as they dance to the beat of JamTimeDanceTV’s hip hop tutorials. Moonwalk, step touch, and glide to classic hip hop tracks.

Nike Training Club

This app features free 15-, 30-, and 45-minute workouts designed by expert Nike trainers and will be a great fit for the sport-playing middle or high schooler looking to keep in tip-top shape at home.

I Am Love: Kids’ Yogaverse

As your kids strike each of the thirteen yoga poses and breathing techniques featured in this yoga-focused app, they’ll gain flexibility and strength. They’ll also be more centered and calm thanks to soothing music.

GoNoodle Kids

Teachers love to use the Go Noodle Kids app to get kids moving in the classroom. Interactive videos combine movement with mindfulness, helping kids center themselves for learning. The modules are short, making GoNoodle ideal for kids that need a quick energy boost through exercise.

Sworkit Kids App

Sworkit Kids fitness app

The Sworkit Kids app makes it easy to create and tailor workouts that fit your kid’s age, ability, and fitness level. Kids can count on building strength and agility as they’re guided by the app through an interval-style workout that mixes targeted exercises with fun challenges, making exercise feel more like a game than a must-do.

7-Minute Workout for Kids App

Research suggests that high-intensity interval training can provide many of the same benefits as longer workouts minus the time commitment. These seven-minute workouts are easy fitness fits for busy days.

Wuf Shanti Yoga Fun Machine

Wuf Shanti is a lovable dog that teaches kids yoga poses with songs, videos along with a heavy dose of words of encouragement. Wuff’s motivational motto, “Think well to be well,” fits this app’s focus on positive thinking.

Online PE Lesson Plans

Gopher sport.

Gopher, the go-to source for P.E. teachers, has gathered useful blog articles and two at-home lesson plan options for any parents looking to add education to their home learning curriculum: SPARKhome features free, wellness-focused K-12 PE lesson plans (3 weeks of materials for K-2, 3-6, middle school and high school). Dynamic PE ASAP has free lesson plans with both in-home and backyard activities that will get kids active STAT.

Carone Learning

For students, Carone Learning offers cFitness Academy, an accredited online school specializing in health and fitness for students.

Sanford fit

Looking for movement ideas for the classroom? Sanford  fit  has hundreds of free resources—like brain breaks , lessons, and videos—to help kids make healthy choices inside and outside of the classroom.

Shape America

Free PE activity ideas, classroom resources, and physical activity calendars are available for download!

Plus, check out 10 ways to encourage fitness and healthy living in tweens and teens .

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14 Physical Development Activities for Preschool Kids

Physical activity is an integral part of a preschooler’s everyday life. Because they are still developing, staying physically active can help boost growth and development and provide many different long-lasting benefits. However, it may be challenging to think of ways to keep toddlers busy every day, so finding new games and activities for them can help parents and teachers keep preschoolers engaged and active. We put together a list of physical activities that will be great for development in preschool children.

We dive deeper into each one below, but here are 14 great physical development activities for preschool kids:

• Duck Duck Goose
• Musical Chairs
• Red Light Green Light
• Freeze Dance
• Hit The Balloon
• Toss and Catch
• Riding a Tricycle or Scooter
• Obstacle Course
• Scavenger Hunt
• Playing on the Playground

Why Physical Development Activity for Preschoolers Matters

Physical activity is essential for healthy brain and body development in toddlers. Because their minds and bodies are still forming, parents, teachers, and guardians can help foster strong and healthy development through physical activities and encouraging toddlers to play outside . Toddlers especially have a lot of natural energy. You can direct that energy through playtime to promote many areas of development, including:

• Motor skills: Preschoolers have more control over their bodies than younger babies, but they are still refining muscle strength and control. Physical activity gives children the chance to grow and expand their skills, especially their fine motor skills, through activities like throwing balls. They can also increase overall motor skills to improve coordination and balance through activities like climbing and jumping.
• Bone strength: Bones are still forming and growing in young children, but physical activity can help. Because bones respond to the level of force they face, more activity leads to stronger bones. For toddlers, activities like jumping and dancing can help increase bone strength.
• Social skills: Playtime is a great opportunity where children learn essential social skills for school and playing with friends. Parents and teachers can teach tools like active listening and following instructions in games. Playing with other children can help them learn to share and respect boundaries. To productively play together or reach a common goal, children need to communicate with each other.
• Memory and concentration: Children’s brains begin forming connections and neural pathways as toddlers, providing them with crucial skills they will need later in life. Games and playtime can help test memory and concentration in children by using games that require them to think, recall, or pay attention to instructions.

Playtime for preschoolers can help develop children’s healthy bodies, minds, and social habits. They can gain skills and healthy habits that will follow them into adolescence and adulthood. Further, playing games is fun, so children create good memories and enjoy themselves in the process.

Best Practices for Toddlers

Preschooler playtime helps toddlers’ brain development , but it is also how they learn. Because children learn through observation and trial and error, playtime can help them learn and test new skills. There are two different ways for children to play to learn and grow skills — structured and unstructured play.

Structured vs. Unstructured Play

Parents and guardians can help guide children through guided playtime, also known as structured play. In structured play settings, children have to follow guidelines, instructions, or premises while playing, and it often takes the form of games or classes. Even though adults often establish the rules or guidelines for structured play, that may be their only role in this playtime — children may play the games together with adults only monitoring or refereeing progress.

Structured play helps teach children various new social skills and rules. Adults guide children through learning new movements, words, games, and skills, and children try to solve problems with help nearby. Structured play creates a safe environment for children to learn new things where adults can answer questions and establish guidelines.

Unstructured play gives children the freedom to play and explore with no restrictions. With unstructured play, children have the freedom to explore their surroundings and create games. Children can play alone during unstructured play or with other children in a group game. As long as the children have control over their playtime, it qualifies as unstructured play.

Unstructured play lets children freely explore the world around them and pursue what interests them, encouraging them to follow their curiosity and let their imagination go wild. Unstructured play typically happens in places where children feel safe and comfortable, creating a place where they can safely explore their emotions and feelings, allowing them to grow emotionally.

Balancing Structured and Unstructured Play

While both structured and unstructured play have benefits, adults need to balance them. Toddlers need around 30 minutes of structured play and an hour of unstructured play each day. Because they have higher energy levels, they can’t go longer than an hour without playing or moving if not sleeping.

Children need structured play to learn, but too much of it can be overwhelming and make them resistant to trying new things. Unstructured play lets children try things independently, but too much freedom can leave them bored. Mixing structure and unstructured playtime for toddlers can help them benefit from both types while keeping them interested.

Explore Playground Components

The CDC recommends children between the ages of 3 and 5 stay physically active throughout the day to accommodate growth, development, and high energy levels. Activities should range in difficulty and skill to provide aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities. Adults can choose from several age-appropriate activities to keep children entertained and active throughout the day.

1. Duck, Duck, Goose

Duck, duck, goose is another classic children’s game many toddlers love. Like tag, it can work as a structured or unstructured game. Many adults use this as a structured game and teach the rules to children, but kids can play themselves without adult supervision. The rules are simple, so it is a popular toddler activity for parents and caregivers.

Though the game is simple, it involves many different skills for children to practice. At the start, children need to sit in a circle, so adults can test how well kids know their shapes with this game, as well as how well they listen to instructions. Children will have to make conscious decisions and think about their actions to choose the next goose. Running and sitting will help improve children’s bone strength, balance, and coordination.

2. Musical Chairs

For a fun structured game to play with preschoolers, musical chairs is a great source of coordination and motor skills for young kids. Adults can practice listening and following instructions with kids by having them assemble the chairs and listen to the game’s rules. They can test their attention throughout the game by seeing who notices when the music stops.

Even though it is a structured activity, children have plenty of room to show their creativity and express themselves. Adults can encourage kids to dance while they move around the chairs to the music or after they get out, which can help build bone strength. When the music stops, children can test their problem-solving skills by finding a chair before they’re all gone.

3. Red Light, Green Light

Like musical chairs, red light, green light is everyday structured physical activity for toddlers. Adults serve as the mediator for the game, teaching children the rule and calling out the instructions. Children can then take over the game by selecting the winner to be the announcer at the beginning of each round.

Red light, green light can help develop balance and coordination as children make quick decisions to stop or start movement. Developing their balance and coordination can help increase their body awareness and control. Red light, green light can also help build critical thinking skills as children try to work towards a specific goal — reaching the announcer first — and make decisions to help them achieve that goal.

4. Freeze Dance

Freeze dance is similar to freeze tag and musical chairs, combining the aerobic movement from tag with the musical element of musical chairs. However, freeze dance lets children express their creativity through their dances and gain better control of their movements, strengthening gross motor skills . Dancing can also improve bone strength, making it an excellent preschooler activity that covers multiple types of exercise for kids.

Like musical chairs and red light, green light, kids can practice their listening skills and follow directions by stopping with the music. They also have to respect other children’s boundaries as they play, careful not to bump into anyone else as they dance around the room. Adults can use this as a structured activity to play indoors or outside.

5. Hopscotch

Hopscotch is an easy physical development activity for preschool kids. Adults can use games to help teach children new information or concepts. Hopscotch can help kids learn to count to 10 by pairing counting with hopping through the spaces to make it fun. In addition to counting, children need to balance as they jump from square to square, especially if they hop on one foot. Hopscotch is an aerobic, bone-strengthening activity that can also help improve coordination, motor skills, and concentration.

Children can play hopscotch alone or with a group. After they learn the rules, they can play it individually, allowing it to be structured or unstructured. Since toddlers are new to counting , they may benefit from adult supervision, who can help them when they get stuck and need help with a number.

6. Hit the Balloon

Give your toddlers a balloon and tell them they have to keep it off the ground for as long as possible. Set up for this game is simple and easy because you only need the kids and the balloons.

Kids will have fun coming up with creative solutions to keep the balloon in the air, developing problem-solving skills. Because they have the freedom to choose how they approach the game, they can improve their fine and gross motor skills by hitting the balloon.

7. Toss and Catch

Ball games are significant preschool activities. Because toddlers need to use many different body parts and muscles when playing games with balls, these games can help improve motor skills in many different areas, including the hands, arms, and legs. Throwing and catching balls can help children improve hand-eye coordination and how to better control their bodies.

Playing toss and catch with toddlers is an adjustable game. For younger toddlers, try rolling the ball to one another so the child can get used to directing their muscles towards a common goal. Older kids may want more of a challenge, so throwing and catching may be the better option for them. Adults can add more elements to games, like teams, baskets, goals, and other rules to further challenge and test preschoolers’ skills.

Another alternative to rolling balls is to recreate bowling with foam balls and bottles or cans. Some children may already understand or know of bowling, so they enjoy playing it at home or school where they usually can’t. Set up for this game is easy — determine a starting point where kids can line up and wait to roll the ball and arrange bottles, cans, or other pin substitutes a few feet away.

Like other ball games, bowling can help develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination in preschoolers. It makes a great structured group game that children can learn about waiting in line, listening to directions, and counting the number of pins they knock over.

9. Kickball

Kickball can be a great structured group game for older preschoolers with more control over their bodies. Since kickball incorporates running and kicking, it can help preschoolers practice coordination and balance while stimulating muscle and bone growth. Running can also challenge them aerobically.

Adults can split preschoolers into teams to make the game more challenging and to help them develop teamwork and communication skills. Children have to work together towards a common goal, and they can learn how to do that in a safe, fun environment with adults nearby to help facilitate learning.

10. Riding a Tricycle or Scooter

Including toys like tricycles and scooters in playtime can benefit preschoolers. Riding a tricycle or scooter can help improve bone and muscle strength and provide good aerobic exercise. While kids can independently play with these toys in unstructured playtime, they may need to practice listening and following directions to keep themselves and others safe, like wearing a helmet or not crashing into other children.

Because this is often an unstructured play activity, children can use their time on scooters or tricycles to reflect quietly on their days or expand their imaginations and creativity to make fun games or scenarios. Depending on the rules of using tricycles or scooters, children may race or play pretend when riding the toys.

11. Simon Says

While many games like musical chairs or freeze dance may require adults to lead the game, Simon says is an excellent game for kids to lead themselves. Adults may have to explain the rules or demonstrate how to play, making it a great choice for structured play, but kids can play it together without adult supervision. It is also one of the physical development activities for preschool kids that does not require any equipment or specials places to play. If you have at least two people, you can play.

Simon says will help develop listening comprehension skills as kids translate commands to various movements. They will have to actively listen for the speaker to say the command correctly before deciding to move. They strengthen their balance, coordination, and muscles by holding different poses. Kids can even put their creativity to use by coming up with various commands for their friends and classmates to try.

12. Obstacle Course

For an activity that challenges your toddlers’ strength and mind, try building an obstacle course. Create a unique course every time to keep kids entertained and fit their skill levels. With an obstacle course , children can test and strengthen many skills they are still developing, like muscle strength, coordination, balance, and problem-solving.

Obstacle courses challenge kids to work towards a single goal and direct their actions towards achieving it, whether getting to the other side of the course or getting a specific item along the way. You can change the rules and the goals as you play it with your preschoolers to keep them engaged and further develop their problem-solving skills.

13. Scavenger Hunt

Keep kids engaged with their environment and surroundings by staging a scavenger hunt. Especially when hosted outside, kids can improve their coordination and balance as they search through their terrain to find the objects they are looking for. Children can practice problem-solving and active listening as they ask for hints and listen to clues about where to find what they are looking for.

Like obstacle courses , scavenger hunts can change every time you play, making them great repeat games for preschoolers.

14. Playing on the Playground

One of the most common spaces for unstructured play is on the playground. Adults can easily supervise as children play while keeping their distance and letting them dictate their free time. Children can choose from various ways to play, whether playing a game they already know or using their imagination to create new scenarios and situations to act out.

Regardless of how children play, the playground is where many children feel comfortable exploring their environment and creativity during unstructured playtime.

The Benefits of Physical Development Activities for Preschoolers

While playing is fun for toddlers, it also provides essential physical activity, which benefits them in many different ways, including:

• Reduce the risk of health conditions: When children exercise, they can help maintain healthy bodies and reduce the risk of developing obesity or type 2 diabetes. Children can build a healthy relationship with exercising, ensuring they keep good habits to keep them healthy as they grow older.
• Learn social skills : Playing is a good way for kids to communicate and act around other kids and adults. They can learn social cues to help them become better communicators and team workers. Many kids will play with their friends, giving them a sense of belonging.
• Improve sleep: Especially with toddlers with a lot of energy, regular physical activity can help improve their sleep schedules, so they stay asleep for longer and sleep more deeply. They can feel more rested when they wake up and feel ready to continue playing.

Learning healthy habits and skills as toddlers can help set children up for their futures to remain healthy, active, and happy into later childhood and their teenage years.

Get Active With Little Tikes Commercial

At Little Tikes Commercial, we believe play is essential for teaching children the life skills they need and that playgrounds can help assist with the learning process. Since playgrounds are often spaces of unstructured play where children develop their creativity and imagination, our themed playgrounds help foster and grow their dreams even further.

Contact Little Tikes Commercial Today for a Play Equipment Quote  With decades in the field and projects spanning several industries, you can trust Little Tikes Commercial to create durable, high-quality, and magical playground equipment. We understand playgrounds are community spaces where many people come together to play and socialize, so we put inclusivity and safety first when creating each piece of playground equipment.

Contact Little Tikes Commercial today to receive a quote and begin your journey towards a beautiful playground your preschoolers will enjoy.

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