activities for elementary students in physical education

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46 Unique Phys Ed Games Your Students Will Love

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

1. Tic-Tac-Toe Relay

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

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

2. Blob Tag

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

Learn more: Blob Tag at Playworks

3. Cross the River

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

Learn more: Cross the River at The PE Specialist

4. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Cones

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

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

5. Spider Ball

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

Learn more: Spider Ball Game at Kid Activities

6. Crab Soccer

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

Learn more: Crab Soccer at Playworks

7. Halloween Tag

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

Learn more: Halloween Tag at The Physical Educator

8. Crazy Caterpillars

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

9. Monster Ball

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

Learn more: Monster Ball at The PE Specialist

10. Striker Ball

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

Learn more: Striker Ball at S&S Blog

11. Parachute Tug-of-War

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

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

12. Fleas Off the Parachute

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

Learn more: Fleas Off the Parachute at Mom Junction

13. Crazy Ball

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

Learn more: Crazy Ball at Health Beet

14. Bridge Tag

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

Learn more: Bridge Tag at Great Camp Games

15. Star Wars Tag

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

Learn more: Star Wars Tag at Great Camp Games

16. Rob the Nest

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

17. Four Corners

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

Learn more: Four Corners at The Many Little Joys

18. Movement Dice

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

Learn more: Roll the Dice Movement Break at Teaching Littles

19. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

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

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

20. Cornhole Cardio

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

Learn more: Cardio Cornhole at S&S Blog

21. Connect 4 Relay

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

22. Zookeepers

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

23. Racket Whack-It

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

Learn more: Racket Whack-It via PEgames.org

24. Crazy Moves

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

Learn more: Crazy Moves at PEgames.org

25. Wheelbarrow Race

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

Learn more: Wheelbarrow Race at wikiHow

26. Live-Action Pac-Man

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

27. Spaceship Tag

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

28. Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance

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

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

29. Throwing, Catching, and Rolling

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

Learn more: Winter Activity at S&S Blog

30. Jenga Fitness

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

Learn more: Jenga Fitness at S&S Blog

31. Volcanoes and Ice Cream Cones

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

Learn more: Warm-Up Games at Prime Coaching Sport

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

33. Musical Hula-Hoops

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

34. 10-Second Tag

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

35. The Border

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

36. Freedom Catch

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

37. Oscar’s Trashcan

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

38. 4-Way Frisbee

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

39. Badminton King’s/Queen’s Court

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

40. Jumping and Landing Stations

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

41. Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

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

42. Balloon Tennis

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

43. Indoor Putting Green

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

44. Scooter Activities

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

45. Pick It Up

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

46. Dodgeball Variations

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

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

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

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25 Elementary Physical Education Lesson Plans

Almost every elementary school curriculum includes physical education. Physical activity should be a regular part of children’s lives so they can  develop their activity skills, motion, balance and overall physical fitness. 

Physical activity  not only helps children develop critical physical skills, but it also encourages healthy habits and improves educational performance .

To ensure that students receive a comprehensive physical education experience, it is  important to have well-planned and engaging lesson plans . However, even experienced teachers find it challenging to design engaging and developmentally appropriate physical education lesson plans.

Fortunately, there are many resources available for teachers to create effective physical education lesson plans.  A little creativity and planning can help teachers design lesson plans  that incorporate a variety of skills and activities, and tailor them to their students’ skills and needs.

The goal of this article is to explore the fundamentals of physical education lesson planning for elementary students. Our goal is to provide an  overview of the different types of lessons that can be used to engage students and develop appropriate fitness goals and objectives.

Whether you are a new teacher looking for inspiration or an experienced teacher updating your curriculum, this article will provide you with information and ideas that will make creating engaging and effective physical education lesson plans easier.

You will gain insights into how to integrate different types of activities into your lessons, from warm-ups to cool-downs. In general, this article will  help you plan effective physical education lesson plans that will improve the physical skills of your students  and improve their overall health and well-being.

Why Physical Education Is Important for Elementary Students?

There are several reasons why elementary students need physical education lesson plans. The first and foremost purpose of physical education is to  promote physical health and fitness .

Children can  maintain a healthy weight, develop strong bones and muscles, and reduce their risk of chronic diseases  like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity by participating in regular physical activity.

Including physical education in the school day ensures that children get the exercise they require in order to stay healthy.

Besides promoting physical health , physical education lesson plans encourage children to develop motor skills and coordination . Practicing coordination and balance while running, jumping, throwing, and catching can help children develop a greater sense of body awareness and control. 

Physical activity is also linked with mental development and consistency  that’s why developing athletic skills at a young age can also help children perform better academically.

Social and emotional development is another skill that can be promoted through physical education lesson plans . Communication, cooperation, and teamwork are among the social skills that children can develop through group activities and team sports.

During these activities, children can gain new skills, achieve personal goals and build self-esteem and confidence.

It’s a common fact that fun and engaging physical education lesson plans can  keep students motivated and active throughout the school day. 

Let alone that teaching children how to remain engaged in physical activity can help them develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

List of Elementary P.E Activities for your Lesson Plan

1. warm-up stretches.

Warm-up stretches are an  essential feature of any physical education lesson plan . The benefits of stretching before physical activity include  preparing the body for movement, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and reducing the risk of injury . Warming up your students with stretches can also  keep them engaged and motivated.

Your warm-up routine can be enhanced by teaching students different stretches and  having them perform them in a circuit-style fashion . During a circuit-style warm-up, students rotate through different stretches or exercises, each performing the stretch or exercise for a set amount of time before moving on to the next.

Make sure your warm-up stretches target a variety of muscle groups and body parts . For example, you might do stretches for the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, chest, shoulders, and neck. However, keep in mind that students should also be taught  stretches that are appropriate to their age and skill level.

To make warm-up stretches more engaging add music to your warm-up stretches or incorporate partner stretches . Stretching with a partner can improve trust and teamwork skills for students, as well as provide a deeper stretch than stretching alone.

Stretching is a great way to prepare your students’ bodies for physical activity while also keeping them active and enthusiastic. Lastly, by teaching students the importance of warming up and stretching before any physical activity, you can  help them develop healthy habits  that they can carry into their future.

2. Fitness Circuit 

Incorporating a fitness circuit into a physical education lesson plan is a  great way to include a variety of exercises and activities . The intention of a circuit is to  rotate through several stations, each focused on a different type of activity or exercise.

Here is an example of a fitness circuit for elementary students:

Station 1: Jumping Jacks

Students should perform 20 jumping jacks. By performing this exercise, students will improve cardiovascular endurance and strengthen their arms, legs, and core.

Station 2: Hula Hoops

Give students hula hoops and have them practice spinning them around their waists or performing tricks with them. This activity helps develop coordination and balance.

Station 3: Lunges

On each leg, have students perform 10 lunges. By performing this exercise, students will strengthen their legs and improve their balance.

Station 4: Jump Rope

Give students jump ropes and have them jump continuously for 30 seconds. This exercise boosts cardiovascular endurance and coordination.

Station 5: Push-ups

Have students perform 5 push-ups. This exercise is ideal for building up the upper body.

Station 6: Balance Beam

Set up a balance beam and have students practice walking across it or doing other balance exercises. This activity can improve balance and core strength.

Station 7: Sit-ups

Students should perform 10 sit-ups. This exercise helps strengthen the core.

Rotating through these stations will not only improve students’ coordination, balance, and cardiovascular endurance, but will also offer a full-body workou t.

By increasing the number of repetitions or the amount of time spent at each station, you can make the circuit more challenging. If you feel that your circuit lesson plan becomes a bit boring you can switch out stations or use different equipment.

Yoga poses can be a  fun and engaging way to promote physical activity and mindfulness  in elementary school students.  It has been proven that yoga is beneficial to both mental and physical health , including increasing  flexibility, strength, and balance, and reducing stress . Here is an example of a basic yoga sequence that can be used with elementary school students:

• Mountain Pose

Students should stand tall with their feet hip-width apart and their arms by their sides. Encourage them to take deep breaths and focus on grounding themselves in the present moment.

• Downward Facing Dog

In the downward-facing dog pose, students should come down on their hands and knees, then lift their hips up and back. Practising this pose is beneficial for stretching the hamstrings, calves, and spine.

Bring students into standing and have them rest one foot on the opposite thigh, pressing their foot into the thigh while bringing their hands to their heart centre. The purpose of this pose is to improve balance and concentration.

• Child’s Pose

Get students to come down to their knees and sit back on their heels, stretching out their arms. Practising this pose helps to release tension from the back and shoulders.

By introducing students to basic yoga poses and guiding them through a sequence, you can  help them foster physical skills, mindfulness, and overall well-being . Let alone  group yoga can also foster a sense of community  and connection among students.

4. Tag Games

The c lassic and popular tag game is a great way to get elementary school students active.  Chasing after and trying to tag their peers is an excellent way to  promote cardiovascular endurance and coordination . The following are some examples of classic tag games that can be played with elementary school students:

During freeze tag, one player is “it” and tries to tag other players. When tagged, a player must freeze in place until another player crawls between their legs to “unfreeze” them. The game continues until all players are frozen.

• Sharks and Minnows

In Sharks and Minnows, one or more players are designated as the “sharks” and sit in the centre of a selected area. The other players are the “minnows” and must try to run from one side of the area to the other without getting tagged by the sharks. In the event that a player is tagged, they become a shark and help on tagging other players.

In blob tag, one player starts as the “blob” and tries to tag other players. A tagged player must help tag other players by joining hands with the blob. As more players join, the blob grows bigger and bigger until every player has been tagged.

Elementary school students can  have fun while improving their cardiovascular endurance, coordination, and teamwork skills  when they play tag games. It is also possible to modify or change the rules of these games in order to make them suitable for different skill levels and group sizes.

Additionally,  playing tag games can promote physical activity and exercise while also developing social skills like communication and sportsmanship.

5. Ninja Warrior Course

The Ninja Warrior Course is a  challenging and exciting way to encourage physical activity and develop strength, agility, and problem-solving skills  in young students.

The Ninja Warrior course is based on the popular television show American Ninja Warrior and can be set up indoors or outdoors, depending on the skill level and size of the group.

Some popular obstacles in a Ninja Warrior Course for kids involve balance beams, rope swings, cargo nets, monkey bars, and wall climbs.  By setting up a Ninja Warrior course kids can build their confidence and skills gradually as they progress through the obstacles.

Elementary school students  benefit physically and mentally  from Ninja Warrior Courses. It is a great way to  promote fitness and healthy habits, while also encouraging kids to challenge themselves and develop important life skills .

6. Football Skills 

Football is one of the most favourite and adored sports of all time. Kids love to play and chase the ball; that’s why creating a P.E. lesson plan for football will excite students. 

Football skills r efer to the physical abilities and techniques required to play football effectively . These skills include  passing, dribbling, shooting, and ball control , among others. Developing football skills requires practice, coordination, and physical fitness. 

By improving their football skills,   students can increase their enjoyment of the game and improve their performance on the field . Additionally, learning football skills can encourage physical exercise and healthy routines, while also building trust and teamwork skills.

Football Skills Lesson Plan Example

Materials: Footballs, cones or markers, goals or target areas.

Warm-up (5-10 minutes):

• Jogging: Have students jog around the field or designated area to get their heart rate up and warm up their muscles.
• High Knees: Have students jog in place while bringing their knees up to their chest.
• Butt Kicks: Have students jog in place while bringing their heels up to their butt.
• Side Shuffles: Have students shuffle to the left and then to the right, facing the same direction.
• Stretching: Have students stretch their legs, arms, and back.

Main Activity (30-40 minutes):

• Passing Drills: Divide students into pairs and have them practice passing the ball back and forth to each other. Encourage them to use the inside of their foot to pass the ball accurately.
• Dribbling Drills: Set up a course using cones or markers and have students dribble the ball through the course, using both feet to improve their coordination and control.
• Shooting Drills: Set up goals or target areas and have students practice shooting the ball into them. Urge them to use proper techniques, such as planting their non-kicking foot next to the ball and following through with their kicking foot.

Cool Down (5-10 minutes):

• Walking: Have students walk around the field or designated area to bring their heart rates back down.
• Static Stretching: Have students stretch their legs, arms, and back to prevent muscle soreness and improve flexibility.

7. Noodle Hockey 

The game of noodle hockey is a  great way to expose children to hockey and help them build their physical fitness and agility.  The soft and less rigid nature of pool noodles makes the game safer and less likely to cause injury; that’s why they are excellent for an elementary physical education activity.

In addition, the use of foam balls as the puck allows for a lighter and easier-to-handle object, making it accessible for young children to participate.

Including noodle hockey in elementary physical education courses or after-school activities  can encourage communication and teamwork . The game  provides children of all skill levels with a fun and inclusive environment for them to enjoy and develop a love of physical activity.  

Noodle hockey is an excellent way to introduce children to the fundamentals of a popular sport while teaching them about staying active.

8. Balloon Tennis

Another enjoyable activity for physical education classes in elementary school is balloon tennis. Regardless of the season, physical education teachers can  easily set up the game, use minimal equipment, and play it indoors or outdoors.

During balloon tennis, children can  exercise and develop their motor skills, coordination, and reflexes while having fun . This low-risk activity uses a balloon instead of a ball, so children can  learn the basics of tennis without being injured or frustrated  by the traditional tennis ball and racket.

Furthermore, balloon tennis  can be   played in groups or pairs , allowing children to develop communication and teamwork skills. It is also possible to modify the game rules so that it is accessible to students of all skill levels.

In general, balloon tennis is a  safe and fun way to teach children the fundamentals of popular tennis sport.

9. Fitness Dice

Fitness dice is a  fun and interactive way to encourage physical activity  in elementary schools. These  large foam dice have different exercises and movements printed on each side , such as jumping jacks, lunges, and push-ups. S tudents roll the dice and then perform the exercise indicated on the side that faces up.

Fitness dice can be used in a variety of ways in elementary physical education classes.  Teachers can use them as part of a warm-up routine or as a way to break up the monotony of traditional exercises.  They can also be used in group activities or as a fun way to introduce new exercises and movements to students.

Using fitness dice in elementary schools encourages physical fitness and helps children formulate coordination, balance, and dexterity. Additionally, because the dice provide a variety of exercises, students can exercise different muscle groups and improve their overall fitness levels.

Fitness dice are also a great way to make physical activity more fun and engaging for children . They  can be used as part of a game or challenge, and students can compete with one another  to see who can complete the exercises the fastest or with the most accuracy.

Overall, fitness dice is a versatile and useful tool for boosting physical training and improving fitness levels in elementary schools. The foam dice exercise can provide a fun and interactive way for children to engage in physical activity and develop important motor skills and coordination.

10. Jump Rope

Jump rope is a  traditional and widely used physical exercise  that can be integrated into elementary school physical education plans. Students can benefit physically and mentally by learning basic jump rope skills and practising in groups or individually.

The jump rope activity c an improve students’ coordination, balance, and cardiovascular fitness.  By playing this game – activity students can also gain a  better sense of rhythm, timing, and spatial awareness . A fun and engaging activity like jumping rope can also  help students relieve stress and improve their mood.

To teach elementary students jump rope skills,  you should start with basic jumps such as the two-foot jump and then progress to more advanced jumps like the cross-over and double-under . To make the activity more exciting and varied, teachers can include jump rope games, such as Double Dutch.

It’s a  versatile activity for all weather conditions , as you can game both indoors and outdoors. Additionally, the jump rope  can be easily modified to suit different skill levels and abilities , making it accessible to everyone.

Including dance in an elementary school fitness education plan is an amazing way to inspire students to engage in physical activity while also delivering a fun and innovative source for self-expression.  Introducing a simple dance routine and having students perform it together can offer a range of physical and mental benefits.

Dance delivers a full-body exercise that can improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, balance, and coordination . It can also improve flexibility, posture, and body awareness. Moreover, dance is an imaginative and expressive training that  can assist students to build confidence, self-esteem, and social skills.

When teaching a dance routine to elementary students,  it is important to choose music and choreography that are appropriate for their age.  Teachers can also include different styles of dance, such as hip-hop, jazz, or ballet, to r eveal students’ different workout/dance techniques.

Dance can be performed both indoors and outdoors, making it an adaptable activity that can be adjusted to all spaces.  It can also be altered to suit different group sizes, making it an inclusive activity for all students.

In summary, mixing dance into an elementary school physical education plan is an  excellent way to encourage physical wellness, creativity, self-expression, and social skills .

By teaching a simple dance routine and encouraging students to perform it together, teachers can help students improve their physical and mental well-being while also having fun.

12. Heads or Tails

Heads or Tails is an exciting and easy physical exercise that can be used by elementary school physical education teachers to get students engaged and active during class time.  All that is needed to play this game is a coin and a list of physical activities for students to perfor m.

To play Heads or Tails, pairs of students are given a coin and take turns flipping it.  If the coin lands on heads, the first student in the pair chooses an activity from the list and the pair performs it together . If the coin lands on tails, the second student in the pair chooses an activity.

The list of physical activities can be tailored to the age and skill level of the students and can include a variety of exercises such as jumping jacks, push-ups, squats, or lunges . By allowing students to choose their own activities, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to participate.

Heads or Tails is a great way to get students warmed up and ready for other fitness lessons . It is also a perfect activity for days when there is limited time for lesson prep. Additionally, this game helps to improve coordination, balance, and other physical skills.

Heads or Tails is a simple and practical physical activity that can be used by elementary school physical education teachers to engage students and get them moving. 

13. Cone Race

The cone race is a fun, engaging activity that is great for children in first grade and younger. By playing this game,  students will improve their hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and colour recognition .

The activity involves  placing cut-up pool noodles over tall plastic pipes  or broom handles inserted into cones to hold them steady.

To play Cone Race, students are divided into teams and given a set of pool noodles that have been cut up into small pieces.  The goal of the game is to match the coloured noodles with the corresponding cones . The team that matches all its noodles to the cones first wins.

For this fitness lesson,  students must focus on their hand movements and the placement of the noodles  as they place the cut-up pool noodles over the tall plastic pipes or broom handles.

A cone race is a great way to get young students moving and engaged in physical education. Regardless of class size or skill level, it is simple to set up and adaptable. Overall,  the Cone Race is a great way to promote physical activity and help young children develop their motion and mental – thinking skills.

14. Parachute Fun

Parachute games are a fun and exciting way for elementary students to learn about  teamwork, coordination, and motor skills . Here is a lesson plan for a parachute game that can be used in an elementary PE class:

Objectives:

• Students will learn to work together as a team.
• Students will develop gross motor skills.
• Students will have fun and stay active.
• Large parachute
• Balls or beanbags
• Warm-up: Have students stand in a circle around the parachute. Begin by keeping everyone hold onto the parachute with one hand and doing some light stretches with the other hand. Then, have them switch hands and repeat the stretches.
• Introduce the game: Present to the students that they will be playing a game with the parachute. Have them practice lifting and lowering the parachute as a group.

Game 1 : Ball toss. Place some balls or beanbags in the middle of the parachute. Have the students lift and lower the parachute to toss the balls into the air and then catch them on the parachute.

Game 2 : Parachute popcorn. Have the students lift and lower the parachute quickly to make the balls or beanbags “pop” up like popcorn.

Game 3 : Switch sides. Divide the students into two groups and have them stand on opposite sides of the parachute. On the count of three, have each group lift the parachute and walk towards the other group until they have switched sides.

• Cool down: Have the students gather around the parachute and take turns saying one thing they liked about the game.

Variations:

• Change the number of balls or beanbags used in the games.
• Change the movements of the parachute (e.g., waving, shaking, twisting).
• Add in more complex games like “shark attack” where students must run under the parachute without getting tagged by students holding it.

Parachute games are a great way to  get students excited about PE  while teaching them valuable skills like teamwork and coordination. By incorporating fun and interactive games like these into PE classes, students are more likely to  develop a lifelong love of physical activity.

15. Olympic-Style Events 

Olympic-style events can be a great way to engage elementary students in physical education and  teach them about the importance of sportsmanship, cooperation, and determination .

These events can be created to be age-appropriate and can be  adjusted to suit the skill levels  and capabilities of each individual student.

Some examples of Olympic-style events that can be integrated into elementary  physical education   lesson plans include relay races, obstacle courses, long jump competitions, and mini-triathlons .

Students can be teamed into groups and allowed to contest against one another, with medals or ribbons awarded to the winners.

In addition to the physical benefits Olympic-style events, can also provide an opportunity for  students to learn about different countries and cultures .

The Olympics is a global event that brings together athletes from all over the world, and elementary students  can learn about different countries and their traditions through classroom discussion s and research projects.

Overall, Olympic-style events can be a joyful and fascinating way to  encourage   physical activity and teach important values  to elementary students. By incorporating these events into physical education lesson plans, teachers can help students formulate a lifelong love of sports and physical fitness.

16. Basketball Skills 

Basketball is a famous sport that can make students excited about physical education. Here are some basketball skills that can be integrated into an elementary physical education lesson plan:

• Dribbling : Familiarize students with the basics of dribbling, including proper hand placement and dribbling techniques. Have them practice dribbling in a specified area or through an obstacle course.
• Shooting : Introduce students to fundamental shooting techniques, such as the BEEF (balance, elbow, eyes, follow-through) approach. Have them practice shooting baskets from various spots on the court.
• Passing : Train students how to properly pass a basketball, including chest passes, bounce passes, and overhead passes. Have them practice passing to a partner or through an obstacle course.
• Defence : Teach students primary defensive techniques, such as guarding an opponent and blocking shots. Have them rehearse these techniques in one-on-one or small group drills.
• Gameplay : Separate learners into teams and have them play an altered game of basketball. Make sure to highlight the significance of good sportsmanship and teamwork.

By incorporating these basketball skills into a physical education lesson plan, elementary students can grow their coordination, teamwork, and sportsmanship skills, all while having fun and staying active.

17. Volleyball Skills 

Volleyball is a famous team sport played worldwide, and it is also a great way to enhance physical wellness and develop teamwork skills. In elementary physical education classes, students can be introduced to the basics of volleyball and learn skills such as serving, bumping, setting, and spiking. 

By incorporating volleyball skills into lesson plans, teachers can help students develop their hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and communication skills.  Volleyball can be played with varying levels of intensity, making it adaptable for different age groups and skill levels.

• Students will be able to execute basic volleyball skills such as passing, setting, and serving.
• Students will be able to work collaboratively with their peers to accomplish a common goal.
• Students will learn the importance of communication and teamwork in a sports setting.
• Volleyballs
• Cones to mark boundaries
• Students will participate in a brief warm-up that includes jogging, jumping jacks, and stretches.

Skill Instruction

• The teacher will instruct students on how to perform basic volleyball skills such as passing, setting, and serving.
• Students will practice each skill individually, then work in pairs to practice passing and setting to each other.
• Students will divide into teams and play an altered version of volleyball that concentrates on practising the skills they learned.
• Teams will work to pass, set, and serve the ball over the net to score points.
• The teacher will observe and provide feedback to students to help them improve their skills.
• Students will participate in a brief cool-down that includes stretching and reflection on what they learned during the lesson.

Assessment:

• The teacher will assess students’ progress in performing basic volleyball skills during the gameplay portion of the lesson.
• The teacher will also assess students’ ability to work collaboratively with their peers and communicate effectively during the gameplay portion of the lesson.
• For advanced students, the teacher can introduce more complicated volleyball skills such as spiking and blocking.
• Students can make their own individual versions of the game to practice various skills.
• The teacher can include a discussion about sportsmanship and fairness in sports.

18. Hula Hoop

The Hula hoop is  an adaptable object that can be utilised for a broad range of physical activities in elementary schools . It can help children develop their  teamwork, balance, and motion skills , while also promoting cardiovascular health and endurance. In physical education classes, hula hoop games can be incorporated in many ways, including:

• Hula Hoop Relay

Divide students into teams and have them race to pass a Hula Hoop down the line as fast as possible. Each line of students stands in a line and holds a Hula Hoop. Upon receiving the signal, the first player passes the Hula Hoop to the next in line without letting go. The game continues until the last player in each line reaches the end and crosses the finish line.

• Hula Hoop Tag

This fun game twists the classic game of tag. To play the game Hula Hoops must be worn around students’ waists as they run around a designated area. The student who is “it” tries to tag the other students with their Hula Hoop. Students must also hold their own Hula Hoop once they are tagged and attempt to tag others.

• Hula Hoop Toss

An excellent game for developing hand-eye coordination. Each student tosses a Hula Hoop to a partner in a circle. A Hula Hoop must be kept moving around the circle without being dropped. If you want to make the game more challenging, try adding a second or third Hula Hoop.

• Hula Hoop Obstacle Course

 Use Hula Hoops to create an obstacle course. In order to complete the game, the students finish the course without touching the Hula Hoops. This game is a great way to develop balance and agility.

Students can engage in physical activity and promote their overall health and well-being through hula hoop games and activities. In general,  children can learn healthy habits that will last a lifetime by engaging in fun and exciting physical activities  and moving their bodies.

19. Rock Climbing 

Rock climbing c an be an exciting and innovative activity to add a physical activity lesson for elementary students . It’s an activity that not only boosts  physical strength and endurance but also helps students to build their problem-solving skills. 

One perfect way to introduce rock climbing to students is by adding to your course equipment a bouldering wall in the gymnasium or in an outdoor space.  Start by teaching students the basic techniques of climbing and bouldering , like footwork and handholds, and progress to more difficult courses as they earn experience and confidence.

As a teacher , you can also use a portable climbing wall that can be easily set in any space . Those walls are made to be perfectly safe and user-friendly for children and can be adapted to all skill levels and ages. 

However,  keep in mind that this sport is a bit more dangerous and demanding that’s why proper supervision and equipment   should always be in place . By using a climbing wall you will help students to develop both physical and mental skills.

20. Scooter Board Activities

Scooter boards are  small boards with wheels that can be used for a variety of physical activities . Scooter board activities can be an  innovative lesson  to add to your physical education lesson plan as elementary students can be  taught valuable skills like balance, coordination and teamwork skills . There are many scooter board activities that can suit all skill levels and ages.

Some  famous scooter board activities are relay races, obstacle courses, and target games . For relay races, students can contest in teams and check who can finish the course in the fastest time, while also sitting or lying on the small scooter boards.

Obstacle courses can be set up using cones, hurdles, and other tools to challenge students’ balance and motion skills. Target games can include actions like rolling a ball or beanbag onto a target while seating on a scooter board.

Scooter board activities can be  adjusted for all ages and skill levels . They are a versatile option for physical education teachers who are tired of using the same traditional games. 

They can be utilises as an exciting break from classic sports and games , while still providing useful physical activity and skill development opportunities.

21. Sack Races

Sack races are a  classic physical activity that elementary school students can participate in and have fun while exercising . This activity involves students standing inside a large sack or pillowcase and jumping toward a finish line .

A student wins the race if he or she crosses the finish line first . Everything is a matter of speed, balance and coordination skills

A sack race is not only a fun and entertaining activity, but it  can also provide a number of physical perks . The purpose of sack games is to develop  fine control skills, coordination, balance, and leg strength.  The distance and size of the sacks can also be  adjusted for students of different ages and skill levels.

For a more challenging activity, you can  use obstacles such as cones or hoops and let students race through them . Relay races can also be incorporated, where students pass the sack to each other before sprinting to the finish line. Generally, sack races can be a great way to get elementary students active and involved in physical education.

22. Kickball

Kickball is a  traditional physical education activity that is used in elementary schools for years.  Kickball is a simple twist of the classic baseball game.

The game involves kicking a large rubber ball instead of the traditional baseball one. T he game is played outdoors with four bases and a pitcher, and the purpose is to score runs by running around the bases after kicking the ball.

Kickball is an amazing activity that helps students  grow their fitness levels and physical skills, like strength and agility.  It is a game that also promotes more  personal skills like teamwork and sportsmanship , as students must play together to win the game while following the rules.

If you want to make the game more difficult there are plenty of variations that can be added. Apply some different rules for the base running or use different types of balls. Kickball games can be played in indoor and outdoor spaces making it an excellent choice for all elementary schools.

23. Wall Ball

Wall Ball is an easy and  exciting activity for elementary school students that can be played both indoors and outdoors . It is an amazing way to enhance  hand-eye coordination, throwing and catching skills, and overall fitness.

The game  involves throwing a ball against a wall and catching it before it hits the ground or bounces off  in an unexpected direction. Students can play this game individually or in teams, and the rules can be changed based on their age and skill level.

Wall Ball can be played with different types of balls such as tennis balls, rubber balls, or foam balls.  It is an easy and accessible game that requires minimal equipment and can be adapted to fit the available space and resources.  

Wall Ball also provides a chance for children to engage in friendly competition and practice sportsmanship. With the proper equipment and supervision, Wall Ball can be a safe and enjoyable activity for elementary students of all skill levels.

24. Topple Tube

Topple Tube encourages teamwork and strategic thinking through fun and engaging gameplay.  Students must be divided into teams in order to play the game.  Each team must flip its coloured cups to be on top of its opponents’ coloured cups in order to win the game.  The cups are placed on top of tall poles or tubes, making it challenging for players to reach them.

In this game,  two teams are formed, and each team is given a set of cups of a specific colour.  Afterwards, the players scatter around the playing area, flipping cups to the colours of their teams. Depending on the equipment available, you can use either plastic cups or wooden blocks with different colours on each end.

In order to flip the cups effectively, the players must strategize and communicate with each other.  To succeed in the game, they must also be quick on their feet and have good hand-eye coordination.  By the end of the game, the team with the most cups flipped to the colour of their team wins.

The Topple Tube is an excellent physical education activity for elementary school students. As well as promoting physical activity and hand-eye coordination,  Topple Tube promotes teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

25. Portable Balance Games

Portable balance games are  a great way to challenge elementary school students’ balance and coordination skills.  To play the games you  only need some buckets  in order to create the course and  place them upside-down .

The upside-down buckets can be modified to fit students of all skill levels since they can walk along them at their own pace.  If you want to make the activity more challenging, arrange the buckets in a zig-zag or curvy pattern . In order to navigate the bucket course, students will need to use their balance and gross motor skills in different ways.

Another  great feature of portable balance games is that they can be positioned indoors or outdoors . As a result, it is an excellent option on days when the weather may prevent outdoor activities or for classrooms with limited space.

In addition, the buckets are a  low-cost and convenient option for physical education lessons  on a budget since they can be easily stacked and stored.

In conclusion, physical education is a critical element of a well-rounded education.  It encourages physical exercise, teamwork, sportsmanship, and overall health and wellness . With the increasing prevalence of technology and passive lifestyles, it is more important than ever to foster children to engage in physical activity.

The 25 elementary physical education lesson plans listed above are just a few examples of the many activities and games that can be used to boost physical activity and learning.  As an instructor though you can form your own lesson plans  based on the requirements and interests of your students.

By making physical education fun and engaging, we can help children create a lifelong love of physical activity and healthy living . Let’s continue to prioritize physical education in our schools and communities, and encourage children to lead healthy, active lives.

Jessica has been in the field of education for the past decade. She has taught all grade levels from Kindergarten through 5th grade (and some twice!). Jessica also wrote an ELA Curriculum for Elementary school students that has been implemented district-wide for six international schools in Asia and the Middle East. More about Jessica

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Fun and Effective PE Activities

Physical education (also known as PE) is a vital part of a holistic education. In addition to helping promote physical fitness, PE can also support students’ mental health by reducing stress, and boosting their overall mood and self-esteem. With the temptation for kids (and adults) to always be on their mobile devices, it’s never been more important to get kids up and moving. The key, however, is to make sure that they’re having fun while developing these healthy habits. Keep reading to discover fun PE activities that teachers can use during gym class, recess, or throughout the day to keep students active.

• Elementary School PE Activities
• Middle & High School PE Activities

PE Activities for Elementary School

These PE activities, designed specifically for elementary students, are great to incorporate into your regular gym class or into your day (especially if you have a group of particularly wiggly kids).

Set up fitness stations.

PE stations are an effective way to improve students’ cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength, while keeping class engaged and lively. Each fitness station can be dedicated to a specific activity, exercise, or skill practice, and easily tailored to each students’ abilities. Students will spend a set amount of time at each station before rotating to the next one, allowing them to practice a variety of physical activities.

Fitness Circuit Station cards – 36 PE gym activities: Elementary & middle school by Prime Coaching Sport Not Grade Specific

PE Fitness Stations: 44 Maximum Movement Zones by Cap’n Pete’s Power PE Grades: PreK-9

Physical Education Stations – Fitness and Exercise Activities by Pink Oatmeal Grades: PreK-4

Incorporate dancing.

Dancing is an excellent way to get students moving and grooving. Plus, it’s a surefire way to boost the overall mood of your class. So, crank up the music and let students dance freely, teach them a choreographed routine, or have them follow along to a video tutorial.

Freeze Dance and Creative Movement by The Bulletin Board Lady-Tracy King Grade PreK-6

Brain Break – Freeze Dance by Lindsay Jervis Grades: PreK-5

How to Teach Line Dances in Physical Education | Dance Steps Cheat Sheet for PE by The PE Specialist Grades: K-8

Try new exercises with fitness bingo.

Playing a round or two of exercise bingo encourages students to try new activities and adds a little bit of exciting game play to fitness lessons. Have students complete a variety of exercises, and mark off the corresponding squares on their bingo card. The first person to complete a line horizontally, vertically, or diagonally yells “Bingo!” to win the game. You can create your own cards or use one of the below.

Physical Activity Printable Mini-Book and Bingo Game | Exercise by Make Way For Tech Grades: K-1

Exercise / Fitness Bingo Life Skills Special Education Activity by Tall Trees Special Education Grades: 6-12

PE Activities and Ideas for Middle & High School

Encourage your high school students to have some fun while working on their physical health, with a variety of PE activities designed to keep them active, motivated, and excited about leading a healthy lifestyle.

Practice yoga for mental (and physical!) health.

PE class is the perfect time to introduce students to the benefits of yoga and mindfulness. Teach them basic yoga poses and breathing exercises to improve flexibility, balance, and mental focus. Incorporating a little bit of mindfulness into PE classes — or throughout the school day — can do wonders to help high schoolers manage stress and cope with anxiety.

Zen Zone Booklet: Meditation, Yoga, & Breathing Techniques for Students by The SuperHERO Teacher Grade: 4-12

Organize some friendly sports competitions.

High school students often enjoy the more competitive elements of gym class. Playing sports provides an opportunity for them to showcase their skills while fostering teamwork and cooperation with their fellow classmates. Here are a few units that can help you teach about different sports — and organize some friendly competitions — during the year.

Volleyball PE Unit for Middle or High School by Mrs S’s Health and PE Resources Grades: 6-12

Soccer Unit for Physical Education by Ms G’s Teaching Ideas Grades: 7-12

Have students track their own fitness.

Empowering students to track their own fitness progress can be a valuable tool for fostering a sense of ownership and accountability over their health and well-being. By utilizing various methods such as fitness journals or simple tracking charts, students can develop the skills to manage their physical well-being throughout their lives.

Weekly Physical Activity Log PE Worksheet – Track Fitness & Health Habits by Sarah Casey PE Grades: 5-9

Fitness Assessment Tests and Tracking Sheets for PE or Personal Fitness by Elliott’s Active Academy Grades: 9-12

Inspire students to lead active and healthy lifestyles both inside and outside the classroom with more physical education and health resources on TPT.

• Middle School
• High School
• Social Studies
• Social-Emotional Learning
• Back-to-School
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• Autism Acceptance Month
• Black History Month
• Hispanic Heritage Month
• Pride Month
• Indigenous Peoples’ Month
• Women’s History Month

The World's Most Evidence-Based Physical Education & Physical Activity Programs!

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

Stay connected to hear about new upcoming events!

JUNE 2023: SPARK is celebrating 34 years - Evidence. Innovation. Impact. Thanks to all past, present, & future SPARK customers, partners, & funders for positively impacting so many students, youth and children worldwide! #physed #afterschool #ECE #activeclassroom #earlychilhdood pic.twitter.com/8lnL2SFe54

📣 Starts in 1 hour! (5pmPT/8pmET) SPARK June Webinar: Units to Invigorate Your PE Program - New SPARK K-12 Activities bit.ly/3TrwoLH #physed pic.twitter.com/H8szuGXm7P

SPARK Enhanced Active Classroom (& Recess) - Lesson Plans Available! Check out all the details here: bit.ly/448ud4r #ActiveClassroom #physed #physicalactivity #recess pic.twitter.com/eMegOhTINX

Join @JeffMushkin SPARK Content Development Director TONIGHT for our SPARK June Webinar: Units to Invigorate Your PE Program - New SPARK K-12 Activities There is still time to register here: bit.ly/3TrwoLH?utm_so… #physed pic.twitter.com/SwmmjMyOzp

Make sure to stop by the SPARK booth at #KYSHAPE23 conference - chance to win an iPad! Plus, don't miss our presentation today at 1:45pm: Prep - Set & Thrive with SPARK PE Strategies, Activities, and More! (secondary focused) #physed @KY_SHAPE pic.twitter.com/VVgjH3ptP1

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Aliens and Astronauts

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

Book Volume 5 is OUT!

Our best book yet has 50 warm up pe games!

100 PE Games Books!

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

Elementary PE Games

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

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

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

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

New PE Games

Warm-Up PE Games

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

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

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

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30 Best Energetic PE and Gym Games for Kids

1.  Bean Bag Balance

2.  bean bag toss, 3.  balloon drop, 4.  animal jumping tracks , 5.  animal yoga , 6.  drop, catch, throw and tag, 7.  simon says, 8.  hopscotch , 9.  move it or lose it, 10.  red rover rollover.

Phone screens shrinks your kids’ daily physical activity requirements, which may hurt their physical motor skill development. However, recess and gym games for kids are a great stimulus to develop their motor ability. A great idea would be to engage them with age-appropriate yet fun games. If you are looking for such exciting games for your gym class, here are 30 games that will make your job easier.

List of 30 Best Gym Games for Kids

With different types of games available in the market, we have classified our list in categories to help you to find the best PE games for kids:

Exciting Gym Games For Kindergartners

Preschoolers are full of energy and excitement, and physical activity boosts this trait. Physical exercises also improve their balance, reflex, flexibility and other motor skills crucial for their holistic development. Here are some amazing gym activities and workouts for kids to boost their fitness as well as their overall well-being:

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A good game to start with, it’s all about challenging the little ones to balance the bean bag on different parts of their body. Ask kids to walk or crawl with balancing bean bags on the shoulders, between the knees, on the back, etc.

This game will enhance their fine motor development as it involves walking, running, hopping, and maintaining momentary stillness- all by striking the right balance.  

  Tip : Get creative! Engage with them by visualizing funny scenarios, like asking them to imagine the bean bag as an egg that will fall and crack if the balance goes off.

This is another game where bean bag just serves the purpose. Bean bags are easy to grip and cause no injury even in accidental hits. To play the game, you can draw the targets on the floor and have kids throw the bean bags into targets. This will develop their accuracy, throwing and coordination skills. 

Tip: To make the game livelier, you can put down hula hoops or baskets instead of drawing targets manually. 

Volleying the balloon up high for as long and not letting it drop is the essence of the game. Allow kids to use their hands to keep the balloon off the ground, as this will enhance their flexibility and striking abilities.

Tip: As an add-on in the game, a teacher can ask students to call out a fellow student’s name while volleying up the balloon. This way, students can learn each other’s names and coordinate.

For little ones, this outdoor game can prove to be engaging. The idea is to draw different colored tracks and ask the kids to jump by chanting the color names. This game will foster color recognition and gross motor skills in kids. 

Tips: Do not use more than four colors for preschool kids otherwise they will feel burnout switching colors and will /eventually lose interest.

It’s time to get some yoga poses for kids to get them moving. For this game, you can use cards with animal yoga poses on them. Simply ask the kids to pull out a card from the deck and imitate the yoga pose shown on the card. Playing such games regularly can improve their overall flexibility. 

Tip: You can make the game more interesting by playing it in groups with half the class strength. Make a group of four students each and assign a card to them. Let the other half of the class decide on the best performers!

Preschool years are the best when it comes to firming the hand grip of kids. You can play this Drop and Catch game in groups but with a twist. Ask the kid in the middle to tag another kid and throw the ball to him while the latter will have to catch the ball before it bounces twice. This is a fun ball game for kids .

Tip: If the ball is too challenging to catch for kids, use a balloon.

Wanna know how to get your students hooked to giggles on Wednesdays? Well, Simone says ‘play’! Simon Says is one of the best games to achieve fun and physical movement at the same time. You can use all the exercises to get the kids moving such as touching toes, side bends to touch the ground, hopping forward and backward, flamingo legs, jumping in one place, etc.

Tip : To add a more exciting touch to the game, you can incorporate dance songs for kids and get them grooving.

Gym Class Games for Lower Elementary Kids

Gym games for kids are a fun way to make your classroom fun along with encouraging kids to stay fit. Here are some of the most exciting gym class activities for lower elementary kids:

Hopscotch is a classic, loved game among children and adults alike. It not only contributes to developing gross motor skills, but also coordination and numeracy skills. Draw numbers from 1 to 10 with some boxes and you are good to go! 

Tip: Bring a fun twist in the game by making new rules such as ‘low feet jump to 10’, ‘hope like a frog as you count’, etc.   

Incorporating movement in the classroom routine using visual cues card can do wonders for the overall development of kids. You can make a set of visual cue cards and mention different actions on them such as jumping high, marching around, running in place, etc. Have your kids pull out a card and mimic the action. This will help improve their gross motor skills, receptive language, and motor imitations.

Tip : Attach the visual cards to popsicle sticks to make them easy to carry and increase their mean life.

Every so often, schools have either limited budgets or are unable to get supplies when needed. In such cases, gym games for kids that can be played without any equipment come to the rescue and RRRO is one of them. Teachers should challenge the students to roll sideways from their position until they reach the finish line and touch one member of another team. It’s a great game for pleasant weather days and gives good exercise to little ones. 

Tip: The bigger the team, the better the game.

11.  Shark and Minnows

This one is another great game that doesn’t require any equipment or setup but will surely bring up some cute giggles. It’s a tag game where one student i.e., the shark chases the rest of the students i.e., minnows. Consequently, every tagged student becomes a shark until there is a single minnow left- the winner of the game. 

Tip: Don’t forget to set some ground rules else the kids may run hither and thither, eventually increasing the risk of getting hurt.

12.  Beach Ball Blanket Toss

Make groups of four and ask kids to hold all four corners each of a big cloth or bedsheet. Throw a beach ball on the blanket and watch the excitement of the other kids as they try to catch the bouncing ball. In all, a good game to build grip and patience.

Tip: Instead of using a big cotton cloth piece, you can use a quilt as it will give a good bounce, adding more thrill to the game.

13.  See if You Can

Activity card games are a brilliant educational resource to teach kids, be it academics or movement skills. You can use such cards conveniently to teach kids about body composition and get them on a moving spree. The cards have instructions that go around movements like jumping, skipping, sprinting, balancing, leaping, etc. 

Tip: Challenge kids to attempt 3 activities each within a set time.

14.  Make an 8

This game will prove to be an excellent physical activity for teachers, let alone students. All you have to do is arrange for two tall cones and place them 3-4 meters apart. Now ask your students to face forward and move side-to-side in and out of the cone making a figure 8.

Tip: Once the students form an 8, ask them to repeat the activity while holding a basketball.

15.  Catch the Cones 

Teachers can stand on a box with 10 colored cones in her hand while the students stand all around the box. The game begins when the teacher throws the cones in the air all around and the students will have to catch the cones before they hit the ground. The student with a maximum number of cones at the end will be the winner. Playing this game repeatedly will enhance the catching and coordination skills of the students.

Tip: You can add a fun element to the game by giving points for different colored cones. 

16.  Obstacle Course 

This is a fun indoor game for kids , Obstacle Course improves agility, balance, and coordination in young kids. Place obstacles such as hula hoops, chairs, or ropes on the floor and ask kids to move swiftly as they dodge them.

Fun PE Games for Upper Elementary Kids  

Physical activity games for kids are crucial for their growth. Let’s have a look at some fun PE activities for upper elementary kids!

17.  Egg and Spoon 

You cannot deny playing this ultimate hand-eye coordination game in your childhood. Simply give your students a spoon and ask them to balance the egg as they move from one point to another. The one who reaches the finishing line first wins the game. 

Tip: Dancing or singing while balancing the egg on the spoon will make it all the more challenging and fun. 

18.  Follow the Pattern 

Get set for an energetic and entertaining game that encompasses balancing activities with moving in patterns. The teacher will give calls throughout the game that will have instructions about the movement such as jumping and landing on two feet, galloping, hopping on one foot, etc. The students who follow all the patterns without fail will win the game.

Tip: You can level up the game by giving out calls every 20 seconds.

19.  Tail Tag

Students aged 9-12 years can be taught skills such as teamwork, healthy competition, strategy, and other physical skills through such games. As the name suggests, Tail Tag is all about grabbing as many tails as possible. Here tails are nothing but a piece of cloth that will be tied to a belt. Students have to grab and collect these tails as they chase each other.

Tip: Do not tuck or tie the cloth too tightly for kids as unmindful grabbing might lead to subtle hurt.

20.  Bounce the Bucket 

Another game that will surely make a PE class exciting! You will require 8 cones, 3 buckets, and 4 balls. Arrange the cones on the sidelines and buckets in the middle, and Tada! your setup is ready. The students will have to bounce the ball on the ground once and then throw it into the bucket from a distance. Bounce the Bucket will help motor skill-building in upper elementary kids. 

Tip: Use a basketball for a great bounce!

21.  Jump the Noodle 

In this game of two, you will just need a foam noodle. The idea is to jump over the noodle without touching it as the other player swipes it left, right and center. A pair that can finish 10 jumps each without any interruption receives the prize.

Tip: Allow the students to pair up themselves with their choice as it will help them coordinate and play.

22.  Rob the Nest

All the basketball lovers, assemble! The students will love the thrill and competition that this game offers. A large square is to be made using 4 hoops with many basketballs in the middle. Each team member will come forth and dribble the basketballs from the middle to their team’s spot. Once no ball remains in the ball, know that it’s time to run around and steal the balls from each other.

Tip: Make 4 teams with no more than 2 players to avoid complexity and confusion.

23.  Cat’s Corner 

Similar to dodgeball, the throwers in the game are cats who try to hit the runners i.e., mice using the ball. If the mouse gets hit by the ball before landing in the corner safe space, he is considered out.

Tip: To keep the game interesting, there must be an equal number of cats and mice.

24.  Shadow Tag

Tag games are a great way to engage the students . They aid in the development of skills like gross motor, endurance, and social and cognitive skills. Unlike other tag games, here students have to tag a runner’s shadow. A perfect time to play this game is during mid-day.

Tip: Set a rule where the player has to call out ‘SHADOW’ as soon as they hit a runner’s shadow, else they’ll be out of the game.

Top Gym Games for Middle Schoolers

PE games that incorporate empathy and teamwork are very important for middle schoolers ranging between fifth grade and eighth grade. Here are some of our favorites: 

25.  Backward Soccer 

Where are all the soccer lovers? This game is soccer but with a backward twist. Players are not allowed to use their feet to advance the ball; their hands are the action weapons now. They must use only their hands to shoot, pass or dribble. Even goalies will only be allowed to use their hands in defense. 

Tip:   Keep a guide ready in case the students get all mixed up with the rules.

26.  Yoga Cards

Yoga is a good option for middle schoolers. Keep some yoga cards ready for your next PE class and ask them to hold each yoga pose for not less than 10 seconds.

Tip: If some students repel the idea of yoga, don’t worry. They will surely appreciate how relaxed they feel after some meditation treat. You can also show them some meditation videos for added engagement.

27.  Noodle Archery 

This is a classic archery game but with some fun modifications. Hang one hula hoop or have someone hold for you at some distance. Set up three lines at a different distance from the hula hoop which will act as the shooting positions. Ask each student to throw the pool into the hoop once from each line. 

Tip: Assign points to each line- highest to the farthest line and lowest to the closest one. This will make the game more competitive. 

28.  Relay Race 

Relays are the real ‘old is gold’. This game has been there for ages and never fails to excite the players and spectators. Relay Race not only enhances the natural competitive side of children but also encourages the development of gross motor, teamwork, and empathy skills. One high-five between players and you know it’s time to take over the race.

Tip: The tip here is that there is no need for any tip. The game in itself is sufficient to keep you on your toes.

29.  Pole Weave 

This is a great exercise to do twice or thrice a week. Place three straight poles and three crossed poles diagonally on the ground. To win the game, students will have to jump over the cross poles and sprint to weave in and out of the straight poles without touching any of them. 

Tip : You can make the game more challenging by asking students to jump over the crossed poles and back at least 3 times.

30.  Speed Ball

A mix of basketball and soccer, this is a challenging brain game for kids . It is played in two groups where both teams have access to a basketball net and goals each on their side. A team player passes the ball in the air like a basketball, but if it falls on the ground, the game switches to soccer. It’s all hands now!

Tip: Keep negative marking when the ball falls on the ground to make the game competitive.

Let’s Make Fitness Fun for Kids!

PE classes can be very fulfilling if the games are both exciting and physically challenging at the same time. Instead of forcing them for boring squats and push-ups, you can engage them in such games. Motivation is necessary but how it is conveyed also plays a central role. And, it’s all up to PE teachers to how tactfully they face this challenge. Moreover, the list of the gym games for kids is not exhaustive. There’s always room for tailoring a game to your student’s needs and skill requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can i motivate students to be physically active.

It’s a challenging task, but you do not need to worry! Apart from engaging them in group gym games for kids, you can allow them to groove to some dance and music, with activities like Zumba and Dance Aerobics. However, you must be vigilant about the kind of music being played on the speakers. A smart move would be to decide student-friendly music playlist well in advance. Secondly, you must highlight the difference between being a fitness freak and being physically active.

How often can I let students play these games?

It depends on the schedule of PE classes provided by the school authorities. For preschool kids, the gym games for kids could be played once every day. However, for upper elementary and middle schoolers, twice or thrice a week would be enough.

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26 Indoor Physical Education Activities To Get Little Learners Moving

January 10, 2023 //  by  Brittney Hallmark

Whether the rain has you stuck indoors or you just need fresh ideas for making indoor physical education a little more interesting, this list is your new go-to! You can take outdoor games and make them adaptable to indoors, use traditional games with a new twist, and use physical exercises to bring movement indoors. Most of these simple games and activities don’t require much, but some do call for a few supplies such as yoga mats or hula hoops. Have fun with these 26 activities! 

1. Rock, Paper, Scissors Bean Bag Balance 

This provides a fun PE class idea that’s sure to be a big hit with your students! Kids love to play rock, paper, scissors. As they choose to show the rock, paper, or scissors, the winner collects a bean bag from their opponent’s head. They then add them to the bean bags atop their own head. Competitive students will really love this one! 

Learn More: We Are Teachers

Great for any age, yoga is a fantastic pick for indoor physical education. Whether basic or more complex, these stretches pose, and moves are a great way to incorporate movement into the classroom. Yoga is a fantastic choice for exercise and learners are sure to have lots of fun as they begin their yoga journey. 

Learn More: Early Impact Learning

3. Simon Says 

Especially good for young learners, the classic game of Simon Says is great for an active gym class. Not only does it provide students with plenty of physical movement, but this game also helps them enhance their listening skills and improve their ability to follow directions. 

4. Human Connect Four

This is the perfect game for teams. You will need a few hula hoops and two groups of students. Colored vests are helpful in being able to distinguish teams as they engage in the human version of Connect Four. The twist is that a member of each team is shooting a basketball until they ring it and their team then adds a new person to the board. It’s the perfect game to encourage teamwork and sportsmanship! 

Learn More: Sean Hutchinson

5. Indoor Rainbow Golf 

For kids who enjoy golf, this activity provides a fun spin on the game. Set up colored targets to help students practice their strokes. This is great for all skill levels but will be a great way for students to work on basic putting skills. This engaging game will have students excited to take their turn. 

Learn More: S&S Blog

6. Scooter Swimming

Put a twist on using scooters in the traditional way and have students lie on their stomachs as they use their arms and legs to push themselves around; much like they would do when swimming through water. Bring out a  competitive spirit by making it a race. 

7. Hula Hut Relay 

Your students will absolutely love wriggling out of these hula hoop huts! Start by building a few of these structures before challenging them to work in teams to get each of their teammates through the hut without knocking it down.

Learn More: The PE Specialist

8. Walking Club 

A walking club is a fun idea for all students. While this can be done indoors or outdoors, you can keep the concept the same. As students make laps, they get their cards punched so you can keep track of how much they walk. This fitness activity is easy to carry out and provides lots of cardio for these active little bodies. 

Learn More: The Colorful Apple

9. Indoor Foosball 

Now, here is a fun game for kids to play as either an indoor or outdoor activity. Provide each person with a pool noodle and toss a beach ball into the middle. Use some pop-up goal-posts and teach learners the concept of a foosball table. This will quickly become a favorite for students and even teachers, as it is easy to prep and clean up. 

Learn More: Mr. Mark Classroom

10. Cross the River Game 

Another great game for building teams is cross the river. This is an excellent game for practicing communication skills, as students must work with their teams to figure out a plan to cross over the imaginary river. This is a game that will require students to bond together and work with others to come out successful. 

11. Fitness Bingo 

Give each student a bingo card and as you call each physical activity from the board students will have to mark it on their card and act out the movement. This is good to use at the beginning of the year and to introduce each activity to students in a fun game-like way. 

Learn More: The Trip Clip

12. Indoor Obstacle Course

Perfect for indoors, this obstacle course leads to heaps of fun and can be reused many times. You can change it up or let the kids design their own obstacle courses. This is a good activity to use to develop control over simultaneous whole-body movements. This could even be a great cardio workout if you have students race through it. 

Learn More: I Am Style-ish

13. Spell Your Name Workout 

This is perfect for completion on an individual basis or could even be used to facilitate a fun, full-body workout for the entire class to enjoy together. As each student completes different aerobic activities, they will use the letters from their names to spell out what their exercises should be. 

14. Bucket Bean Bag Tag 

Kids enjoy the traditional game of tag, but this game has a twist! Students will wear a belt and bucket around their waist and their peers will try to fill their buckets with bean bags. The faster they can escape their classmates, the better! 

Learn More: Pinterest

15. Hopscotch 

Good for indoor or outdoor physical activity, hopscotch is always a winner! This is a great way for younger students to also squeeze in some practice of numbers, letters, or even sight words. This activity can be enjoyed inside if you add some tape to the gym or classroom floor. 

Learn More: Half Crazy Mama

16. Wall Ball 

Most middle school students know the game of wall ball, but this is a good activity for younger students too. Great for hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills, this simple game requires only a ball and a space on a wall. Students can throw and catch, use a paddle or racquet, or rotate with a partner. 

Learn More: PE with Mr. G

17. Fitness Jenga 

If you haven’t tried fitness stations, they may be a great addition to your indoor physical education routine. Using tools like these fitness Jenga blocks provide great opportunities to give students quick and easy fitness challenges. They can perform the activities in turns; moving on to something new once they’ve completed the task required at one station. 

Learn More: Delia Creates

18. Red Light, Green Light 

Sometimes classics are the best! Playing red light, and green light is a fun way to get kids moving. You’re sure to hear giggles and laughs galore as the students play together and yell out red light, and green light as they sprint across the gym; stopping dead in their tracks along the way. 

Learn More: Mental Up

19. Musical Chairs 

Always a fun time, playing musical chairs can be a great way to encourage students to get up and out of their chairs before racing right back to them. This is a quick and fun activity for students to complete while getting in some physical activity. 

20. Bowling

Fun bowling games like this one are easy and can provide hours of entertainment and activity. You can use a variety of different materials to play indoor bowling games. Cups and a small ball are really all you need but you can also buy some nice indoor bowling sets. 

Learn More: What Moms Love

21. Ping Pong Ball Catch

A simple game of catch with a twist, this ping pong ball cup catch is a great activity for kids to do alone or with a partner. All you need is a small ball and a cup. Students can toss their ball into the air and catch it as it falls, or toss the ball to a partner who will catch it in their cup before throwing it back. 

22. Snowball Throwing Game

Similar to bowling, this game of snowball toss is a great way to practice aiming and throwing. It’s easy to reassemble using cups and puffy balls and helps students build their strength. 

Learn More: Differentiated Teaching

23. XO Hop Game 

This fun activity is a great way of exploring different types of movement. Maybe you can have students hop or tip-toe, but whatever you choose, they will be moving around in different ways. Add X’s and O’s onto the floor and have students move from target to target. 

Learn More: Best Toys 4 Toddlers

24. Dinosaur Tag 

Tag is generally fun, but themed versions are even more fun! The majority of young students love dinosaurs, so pretending to be dinosaurs while playing tag is a two-way win! 

25. Dancing 

Just dance and freestyle dancing are great ways to get moving! Students can really let loose and get moving with the music. Play some age-appropriate tunes and let students dance or bust out their best moves with their friends. 

Learn More: US News

26. Movement Dice

Perfect for a variety of movement activities, this activity is fun and different for everyone; and is a great choice for all confidence and fitness levels. This can be an entire circuit or could be in a fitness center or station. This only requires a number cube and a paper key to the activities. 

Learn More: Teaching Littles

9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education

• Lauren Chiangpradit
• November 16, 2023
• Reviewed by Sean Barton
• Reviewed by Haley MacLean

Table of Contents

The Synergy of Movement and Learning

Physical education stem activities for elementary school, stem activities for middle school pe students, advanced stem challenges for high school learners, tech, tools, and supplemental resources for stem in physical education.

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into Physical Education (PE) classes offers an innovative approach to education. In an era where sports statistics, science, and technology increasingly influence athletics, PE classes are uniquely positioned to blend physical activity with STEM learning and 21st century skills. This article explores how PE educators and facilitators can use STEM learning in their coursework. It also provides a range of supplemental curriculum activity ideas to get students at different education and skill levels engaged.

Research indicates that physical activity can significantly bolster cognitive abilities. When students participate in movement-based learning, they benefit physically and experience enhanced concentration, memory, and creativity. This cognitive boost is crucial for comprehending and applying STEM concepts, which often demand high levels of problem-solving and critical thinking. Active learning, where students engage in physical activities while learning STEM concepts, results in more profound understanding and retention of information. Integrating physical and mental challenges not only makes learning more enjoyable, but is more effective, as students apply theoretical concepts in practical settings, leading to better comprehension and recall.

Integrating STEM into elementary physical education presents a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity in young students. Through these innovative activities, elementary school children can explore and understand key STEM concepts while engaging in fun and physical play. Each activity is designed to be not only educational but highly interactive and suitable for their developmental stage. Here are some engaging activities that blend physical education with STEM learning for elementary students:

• Jump and Measure: Students perform a variety of jumps – like the long jump and high jump – and measure their distances or heights. This activity introduces basic concepts of measurement and physics, encouraging students to understand how force and motion play a role in their physical activities.
• Geometry with Body Movements: In this activity, children use their bodies to create geometric shapes, either individually or in groups. It’s an engaging way for students to learn about basic geometry, spatial awareness, and symmetry. Teachers can challenge students to form complex shapes, enhancing their understanding and teamwork skills.
• STEM Soccer : In a lesson devoted to measuring throw-ins, students collect data in centimeters and convert their data to meters dividing by 100. Students then evaluate measurement systems to decide the best measurement size. This disguised learning,  interactive lesson is a great way for physical education teachers to add STEM into their PE classes.
• Weather and Exercise: Students observe and record weather patterns over a week and discuss how different weather conditions affect physical activities. This integrates meteorology into PE, allowing students to see the real-world application of science in their everyday activities.
• Heart Rate Exploration: After engaging in various exercises, students measure their heart rates to learn about the cardiovascular system and the science behind exercise. This activity not only educates them about their bodies, but about the importance of physical fitness in maintaining health.
• Playground Physics: Utilizing playground equipment, this activity allows students to explore concepts like gravity, force, and motion. They can experience firsthand how these physical laws impact their play and movements, turning the playground into a living laboratory.

As students enter middle school, their capacity for more complex and abstract thinking grows significantly. This developmental stage is an ideal time to introduce more intricate STEM concepts through physical education, enhancing their learning experience with practical applications. The following STEM activities are tailored for middle school students, offering a blend of intellectual challenge and physical engagement. These activities are designed to pique students’ curiosity in STEM fields through the familiar and enjoyable medium of sports and physical exercises. By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here’s a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:

• Sports Statistics Analysis: Students gather and analyze sports statistics from games or physical activities. This teaches them about data collection, interpretation, and the importance of statistics in understanding and improving athletic performance.
• STEM Football: During a lesson in STEM Football, students collect and graph data of a controlled experiment by using a line graph. Students then explain the relationship between kinetic energy and mass by writing a claim evidence supported by evidence-based reasoning from class data. This lesson highlights the strong classroom connection between physical education and STEM learning, and how it can help create tangible examples for students.
• Energy and Movement: This activity focuses on the concept of kinetic and potential energy in the context of sports. Students explore how energy is transferred and transformed during different physical activities, such as running, jumping, or throwing a ball.
• Biomechanics of Sports: Here, students delve into the study of human movement and mechanics in various sports. They learn about the science behind athletic performance, injury prevention , and how athletes optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and safety.
• Mathletics Relay: A relay race where each leg involves solving a math problem before passing the baton. This combines physical fitness with mathematical skills, emphasizing quick thinking and teamwork.
• Technology in Sports Training: Students explore how technology is increasingly used in sports training and performance analysis. They might look at wearable tech, video analysis software, or other tools that help athletes improve their skills and coaches to make informed decisions.

High school students, with their advanced cognitive skills and heightened interests, are well-positioned to tackle complex STEM challenges through physical education. This section of the curriculum is designed to offer high school learners in-depth, hands-on experiences that combine higher-level STEM concepts with physical activities and sports. These advanced activities are not just about physical exertion; they require students to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative innovation. They provide an opportunity for students to see the real-world applications of the STEM knowledge they acquire in their classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation. By participating in these activities, high school students can gain a deeper understanding of various STEM fields, such as physics, engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science, observing how these disciplines intersect with sports and physical fitness. Here are some challenging and intellectually stimulating STEM activities designed for high school learners:

• Physics of Sports Equipment Design: Students research and discuss the physics principles involved in the design of sports equipment. This can include topics like material science, aerodynamics, and ergonomics, providing insights into how equipment is optimized for performance and safety.
• Engineering a Miniature Golf Course: Students design and construct a miniature golf course, applying concepts of geometry, physics, and design. This project not only involves creativity, but a practical application of STEM principles by creating functional and enjoyable mini-golf holes.
• Sports Analytics Project: Students undertake a project to analyze a sports game using statistical methods and tools. This activity introduces them to data science in sports, teaching them how to interpret and use data to understand game strategies and player performance.
• Biotechnology in Athletics: This topic explores how biotechnology is used in sports, from equipment design to performance enhancement techniques. Students might study material innovations, genetic research in athletics, or the ethical implications of biotechnology in sports.
• Environmental Science in Outdoor Sports: Students analyze how environmental factors impact outdoor sports activities. They can study topics like climate change, pollution, and natural terrain, understanding the interplay between sports and the environment.
• Virtual Reality Sports Training: Students explore how VR technology is being used for skill development, strategy training, and injury rehabilitation in various sports by discussing the emerging role of virtual reality in sports.

Bringing STEM into PE classes effectively requires the right resources, including technology tools, educational kits, and comprehensive guides. Resources like the STEM Sports® kits provide ready-to-use activities that seamlessly blend physical education with STEM learning. These kits offer an invaluable resource for teachers looking to enrich their curriculum and engage K-8 students through a cross-curricular learning approach. For additional resources, tools, and innovative ideas, please visit STEM Sports® .

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4 Fun Fitness PE Activities!

As promised in my last blog , the following are fun fitness PE activities to teach students about fitness and provide meaningful fitness experiences. Find many of these fun fitness PE activities and more for free at Dynamic PE ASAP .

Fitness Challenges

Using 30-second intervals, the teacher leads the class through a variety of activities. Typically, cardiovascular activities are alternated with activities for muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility.

Example for a lesson with flexibility emphasis. Perform each for 30 seconds.

• Abdominal challenges
• Locomotor movement (student choice)
• Flexibility challenges
• Flexibility content
• Push-up challenges
• Flexibility activities/review

Repeat the sequence twice for an 8-minute routine (which works well in a 30-minute lesson). This activity works well all the way from kindergarten to high school. If lessons are longer, this activity can be revisited in elementary schools. In middle and high schools, interval lengths could be increased which opens the door for great discussion on overload and progression principles. Fitness Challenges work particularly well at the beginning of the year or when you want to teach new challenges. You can also integrate 30 second tag games rather than 30 seconds of the locomotor activities.

Hexagon Hustle

• Use 6 cones to outline a hexagon inside the teaching area. On each cone is a sign (see example).
• When the interval music is on (usually it’s a 30/30 interval with 30 seconds of music and 30 seconds of silence), students move around the hexagon performing the activities on the signs.
• As they move, they read the sign which indicates the hustle activity they are to perform as they approach the next cone.
• When the music is off, the teacher provides activities from either flexibility, abdominal strength, or muscular strength/endurance.
• After the 30 seconds of silence, the music automatically starts and students continue around the hexagon.

This works well for 8-10 minutes. For high school students, increase the distance between the cones and increase the interval time to 45-60 seconds. Signs on both sides of the cones allows you to alternate the direction and provide a variety of activities.  

Scavenger Hunt

• In small groups of 4-6, provide students with a Scavenger Hunt card (see image) and an item number to start on. This prevents all groups doing the same activity. Try starting with 45/5 (45 seconds of music, 5 seconds of silence) interval music.
• When the music goes off, this signals groups to move to the next item on the list. Notice, the activities do not include repetitions or times (other than how long to hold each stretch). This avoids the “we’re done” syndrome from students. They will be working the entire 45 seconds (quality, not quantity).

As with other routines, halfway through the activity, stop the class to discuss the fitness concept of the day.

Racetrack Fitness

• Students are arranged using partners ( Classroom Management: The Foundation of Effective Instruction )
• In the middle—also known as “the pit” – are 6-8 signs, each with a different activity on it.
• Partner A reports to the pit and performs the first activity on the card. Partner B performs a locomotor activity of his/her choosing around the perimeter of the activity space (make this one lap or two).
• When finished with the assigned number of laps, Partner B gives Partner A a high-five, and they switch places.
• After a lap or two, Partner A goes back to the middle and Partner B returns to going around the perimeter.
• This process continues until both partners complete all activities on the card.

I typically do this activity with continuous music. Halfway through I will stop the class and have a short discussion of the concept of the day. If desired, this activity could be done with an interval music with partners switching each time the music goes off. In this instance, a 30/10 interval might be in order. During the 10 seconds of silence, partners switch. You can also put mats in the pit for activities if desired, especially for older students.

These are just a few of the countless fitness routines and PE activities you can use or create to integrate the strategies to teach them about fitness, make fitness fun, and provide them with meaningful fitness experiences.

Find more fitness lesson plans for free at Dynamic PE ASAP .

Sources: Pangrazi, R.P. & Beighle A. (2015). Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School  Children (18 th ed.) San Francisco: Pearson.

Darst, P., Pangrazi, R.P. Brusseau, T., & Erwin, H. (2015). Dynamic Physical Education for Secondary School Students (8 th ed.). San Francisco: Pearson.

6 Responses

Hi I’m just reaching out to anyone I can for advice and ideas. Hoping I could get some from you. I recently started teaching elementary and middle school PE at an alternative therapeutic school. It has been very challenging to come up with activities that these kids actually want to do. They are very unmotivated and physical contact at the school is something that is not allowed. Classes are very small. Can range from like 4-8 or 9 kids because some kids don’t even make it to PE for acting inappropriately previously in the day or even day before. I guess I’m just asking if I had any ideas? Preferably none competitive because they can get out of hand with who wins and who doesn’t, as well as teams not being fair. Fitness days are a atruggle bc they just don’t want to do anything really. ANY IDEAS, ACTIVITIES, GAMES would help. Thanks Susan Toussaint CAE

Thank you for your message. Sounds like you have a challenging yet tremendously satisfying position working with a population that needs you more than most. Have you considered cooperative activities in which they all work together to accomplish a task? This could potentially help them learn some very valuable social skills like listening, cooperating, leading, following, compromise, etc. Granted, those would probably have to be learned but it might be worth looking into. If you think this is worth a shot, I can send you some cooperative activities from our book “Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children”.

Please let me know. I’ll help anyway that I can.

I worked in a setting like that and I used to require at least 15 minutes of their time and I used the “trouble makers” as team leaders, or gave them specific tasks to help get more buy in. As for activities I use “fun” variations of regular games. Such as Paramedic Dodgeball. This gives them continuous play but adds an empathetic response to keep playing. Just a suggestion, this works for me.

Here’s some things I used. Breathing exercises. They looked at me weirdly when I started, but they got it. We used is a stress relief and combined it with some stretching. We did some additional stretching on the floor. Core fitness. That was well received – sit ups, push ups, jumping jacks. You might try bite sized yoga, or thai chi. One thing that surprised me was simple marching and chanting in unison. We alternate with clapping as they go. It was fun to watch them learn to work together in the same rhythm. I also used a segment where one does dance step and the others learn it. Short bits.

One thing that I would like to share to all of you is to incorporate some virtue talk along with your class discussion. I been into a situation were students are not following your procedures and they don’t want to do your activity. As a teacher, always do consistency of your rules and procedures inside the classroom and start to putting something virtues talk (even one at a time) to your activity during your discussion. At the point, students will slowly understands your purpose until such time everything will be understood. It takes time to get the trust of your students however there is always a way that these students will follow your command. W

Thank you for your comment Acre-k. I can’t agree with you more about holding high expectations. And you are correct, getting students to trust and be comfortable is important. Can you give us an example of a virtue talk?

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The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

My First Week of School Lesson Plan

What do you do on your first week of school.

The first day is tough – you want to play some games, have some fun, but you know that you  need to establish the procedures and class expectations as well.

How do you accomplish all of it and what kinds of activities do you plan?

Remember, this is a great opportunity for you to establish the DNA of your Phys Ed program and set up the culture of your classroom.

Remember the old saying, “ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure “.  I think about this every year before school begins and I think it rings true in our classrooms. The better you can setup your class culture at the beginning of the year, the easier it will be for you to avoid future problems and time wasted on management or behavioral issues.  This translates into what we all want – more teaching time for us and activity time for our students. 

Note that Kindergarten is a little different since most of them are brand new to school – Here are My Tips for Teaching Kindergarten

This is what I do with my 1st – 5th Grade students on their first day of Physical Education Class:

Let’s break down the first 2 weeks in PE below:

• Note : Feel free to use the presentation linked above, you’ll need to copy it to your Google Drive first.  Do this by going to “File” – “Make a Copy” you can then edit the copy in your Google Drive.   I can’t grant you access to edit it, since it’s the master copy 🙂
• You could also just throw up a few pictures on a slideshow to show kids some adventures you went on or some pictures of your family to help them connect with you and learn a little bit about you

Normally I try and shoot for 2-3 minutes for a video, but the one below I had to give myself 5 minutes because I had too much fun stuff to share  😁

• Create a video or slideshow showing students what activities they will be learning throughout the year
• Show them Part One of this 3 part Physical Literacy Series (check it out if you haven’t seen it) – We will have a short discussion about the student’s thoughts on the video and them move on to the next activity.

• Go over the 6 gym rules and consequences, talk about why they are important and ask students if they agree that they are fair, and make sure they don’t want to add any more or make any changes (Get them to buy-in).

My Management Overview and Rules Posters can be found here

• Mention and explain orange form to be filled out if students get injured , forget their tennis shoes or have to go to time out after a Strike 3.
• Go over stopping signal “1,2,3 signal” before beginning activity and then practice Walking and Jogging for 1-2 minutes – use the “1,2,3 signal” and “music off” to freeze students (see the example video below)

• Go over all the rules quickly, explain rules if needed.
• Summarize  – When the music is on you can get water or use the  bathroom, when the music is off, you need to be listening or lining up to leave the gym.

• Fire, Tornado/Earthquake, Code Red/Intruder Alert
• Note : Usually if I’m short on time I’ll save this part of the lesson for the next week so we can have time for the game – you know we gotta get moving 🙂
• Explain how the daily self assessment works and why we do it
• It is part of our GATOR Goals (Our school’s Mission/Vision Acronym – the T = Take responsibility for what you say and do)

• Play a Game for the last 15-20 minutes – Noodle Dance Tag ,   Adventure Bingo   or The Crazy Cards Challenge Icebreaker Game
• Preview Week 2 – Review the Gym Rules and Talk about the Conflict Corner , Get Home Base Spots and learn about the Daily Self Assessment, before the team building activity (usually a super fun team building activity called Hula Hut Relays or learning how to play Four Square so kids will know how to play at recess )

That’s it.  It’s definitely a full lesson and a lot to pack in, but I want to set expectations up front and lay the groundwork for a successful year.  I try to help the students have fun by moving them around a lot, making jokes and getting their feedback on the routines and procedures that we have in place.

Also, since I’ve been at my school for 15+ years, most of the kids are familiar with the routines we have so I can move through the content pretty quickly.   If you’re brand new to your school, you might want to break this lesson up into a 2 part lesson, since it will be the first time your students are being exposed to new routines/procedures/activities.

If you want to use the Google Slides that I use for my presentation on the first day you can copy   them HERE:

You can also download a free printable first week of school lesson plan below:

A Couple of My Favorite First Week Games

Adventure bingo.

If we have time, one of my favorite First Week of School Games is “ Adventure Bingo ” – you can check out the video and also download it below if you’re interested.

The Crazy Cards Challenge

The crazy cards challenge is a super fun activity for any students that can read, I normally use it for 3rd grade and up.  You can see an example of the game being played in the video below:

• You can see a more detailed breakdown of the game and get a link to purchase the cards on this post

P.S. If you’re interested in checking out all the Posters and Visuals I have up in my Gym you can find links to everything and a walkthrough of each poster here

Want to take a deep dive with us? 

Check out our Q & A Show episode below on tips for the first week of school:

Show Notes and Links from the episode above available here

Week 2 of PE Class

During Week 2 I usually hit all the rest of the procedures and routines that we didn’t cover during week one and then we play a fun team building game

• Instant Activity – Walking Lines and Jogging Lines
• You can check this post out for more info on Home Base Spots and to print the ones I use
• * I used to do this on day 1, but now I wait until week 2 to assign home base spots since many times our rosters aren’t very accurate until the first day of school and need more time to look at seating accommodations and see which kids I want to separate etc
• Learn our Daily Warmup Stretching Routine
• Discuss The Conflict Corner
• Discuss the Daily Self Assessment / Reflection
• Play a Game like Hula Hut Relays or Cross the River

Free Yearly Plan Template

Now that you’ve got your first couple weeks ready to go, knock our the rest of your year too!

To see an example of how I plan my entire year of PE and download a sample yearly plan Click the Link Below

Take 15 Minutes and Plan Out an Entire Year of PE Class

What do you do differently for your first week of school?

If you have some good ideas leave them in the comments.  Have a great first week!

Have Fun and Teach On!

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Reader Interactions

January 8, 2024 at 4:09 pm

As a senior student that’s about to graduate and start Elementary PE. Thank you so much for posting your blog on how you specifically address the rules, etc in your gym. From watching and learning from you, I already started making my own unique set of rules and self assessment.

Apart from seeing your classroom, I would like to know:

1. How many days p/wk do your students have PE and is it spread throughout the week, depending on the grade? 2. Compared to your gym, how many posters is appropriate for Elementary gym? 3. When it comes to elaborating the rules to students, how long should each definition be as far as time limit? 4. (Lastly)What website do you use for your go to PE music or does it really matter, it just has to be age appropriate.

January 9, 2024 at 6:41 am

Hey Jonathan,

Thanks for reaching out! Congratulations on your graduation! We look forward to you joining the PE world!

To answer your questions: 1. We see our students once a week for 50 minutes. We see one or two classes from each grade level a day. 2. The number of posters vary. We just use the posters as visuals for students. Probably the most important posters are the rules and expectations, skill cues posters, and standards. 3. We spend the first week going over the rules and review them again after winter holiday. Rules should be simple for elementary students to understand. You can spend about a minute or so explaining and giving examples. 4. You can find out about our music and the link below: https://www.thepespecialist.com/music/

Hope this helps!

August 22, 2023 at 5:04 pm

Hey Guys, its my first year HELP!!!

August 23, 2023 at 4:20 pm

Hey Elijah,

Thanks for reaching out! You got this!

Check out our podcast episode: Advice for First Year Teachers

Also if you’re interest, you should check out our membership community. You can find passionate teachers who can also help you navigate your first year!

All the info can be found at the link below:

https://www.thepespecialist.com/info/

August 9, 2023 at 8:28 am

This has been a huge help to me being a first year PE teacher and AD

August 9, 2023 at 6:58 pm

Awesome Brent!

Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

June 7, 2023 at 10:39 am

Great content. First timer here. I will be teaching middle school 6-8 next school year. Would you say almost all of this is appropriate for that 6-8 band as well? Just curious on your opinion on what you’d modify/take out for those age levels. Thanks

Respectfully,

June 7, 2023 at 9:41 pm

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

Our content is geared for K-5th but we have middle school teachers who use the resources as well. They just increase the difficulty and rigor for their age groups.

We would modify the games and activities and maybe take out the locomotor movements since those are geared for primary students.

October 8, 2021 at 3:29 pm

So as with most other teachers, we spend time introducing or reviewing PE guidelines and procedures. I try to make it a little interactive instead of just sitting and listening. I also love to utilize the Physical Literacy video you shared above. The students seem to “get it” after watching that video. Thanks for sharing it.

October 11, 2021 at 3:42 pm

Glad you’re enjoying the resources Traci!

Tough to balance establishing rules and setting expectations. Students want to move and play but we need to structure it so it doesn’t spark chaos!

Thanks for sharing!

August 11, 2021 at 11:58 am

Dear P.E. Specialist! I LOVE your lessons. You helped me all last year through COVID and you are my definitely my GO TO this year. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

August 11, 2021 at 4:32 pm

You’re welcome Louise!

Glad you’re enjoying the resources! Good luck this year! Stay safe!

August 10, 2021 at 8:15 pm

Ben can’t seem to access your stuff. Can you reset my password?

We will email you password reset information!

August 10, 2021 at 12:05 am

I’m interested in buying the membership. But I have a few questions about it. 1. Are all the resources based on Shape America standards? If they are, do they cover all Shape America standards? If not, what standards are you using? 2. What grade levels of resources do you offer? Do you have resources for individual grade level? I’m new to PE so if there are grade level resources, it will be really helpful for me to understand how the same contents/similar standards different in each grade.

August 10, 2021 at 4:08 pm

Great questions! Thanks for reaching out!

Our resources are based on Shape America Standards which are aligned with our standards here in South Carolina.

We offer resources for K – 5th grade students

Info about our membership can be found at the link below:

https://www.thepespecialist.com/info

Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!

July 28, 2021 at 4:29 pm

Ben this has been an excellent PD. I have learned so much and I know it will enhance my teachers, but more importantly, my students’ learning! Thanks!

July 29, 2021 at 2:53 pm

Hey Tricia,

Thanks for the kind words! Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

August 20, 2020 at 10:02 am

Hey Ben just wondering what measures your district is taking and what PE will look like at your school ? As of now, if we begin hybrid or an attempt at all in, the gym is being used as a classroom so we will be outside with 12’ social distancing (not sure what that will look like) or pushed into classrooms with little movement allowed which will not be good. Just looking forward to seeing what kind of curriculum to come up with and see what your doing during all this. Thanks man appreciate all you do.

August 20, 2020 at 3:04 pm

Hey Michael,

Social distancing guidelines and what PE will look like is going to be different from school to school, district to district and state to state, but below are a few ideas to get you started.

Take it day by day until you find out more specifically what the situation will look like at your school and be ready to respond to whatever situation arises and do what’s best for kids.

Be flexible and realize that the guidelines/requirements will most likely change week by week as we go back to start and figure things out – check out this video for my take: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDO66jpBkRh/

Once I get some kids in the building, understand what our numbers of attendance will be and get a feel for what it’s going to actually look like I will let you guys know what I’m doing.

Some no equipment resources and ideas the top of my head (you could also do many of these in a classroom):

Teach some Line Dances or Have a Dance Unit Line Dancing Resource E-Book: Link to the E-book on TPT Teach different exercises and show students how to do circuit training based on their goals Exercise Posters and One Page Workouts: https://www.thepespecialist.com/exerciseposters/ Here’s my Daily Warmup Routine: https://www.thepespecialist.com/dailywarmup/ Modified for social distancing Fitness Testing / Self Assessment: https://www.thepespecialist.com/fitnessgram/ Do a “Social Distanced Olympics” (Idea Here from my friend Coach Pat) Integrate some Health Concepts to fill in the gaps: https://www.thepespecialist.com/health/ If you are allowed to use equipment, but need to stay socially distanced:

Teach a soccer unit and modify to have everyone spaced out Jump Rope Unit (modify to be more individual focus and allow social distancing) https://www.thepespecialist.com/jumprope/ Gymnastics Unit (modify to allow social distancing and be more individual focus) https://www.thepespecialist.com/gymnastics/ Paddle Skills or Tennis Unit Teach students how to juggle (never made time for this before, but might try it out this year) Play Noodle Dance Tag with a 6 ft Noodle: https://www.thepespecialist.com/noodletag/

August 31, 2019 at 9:17 pm

What would be a fun and appropriate ice breaker game for kindergarten and first graders!? I’d love to hear your opinion!

September 2, 2019 at 1:13 pm

Adventure Bingo – it’s linked up in the post above

August 29, 2019 at 2:19 pm

lesson plan will not down load says having trouble with receipt

It’s working on our end, just tested it out.

Usually, this issue is related to a school filter, pop-up blocker, or browser caching issue – so we’d recommend trying from another computer, switching browsers, clearing your cache and making sure all pop up blockers have been turned off.

As a another option you can also find some of our products on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist

August 25, 2019 at 5:44 am

Professor Ben, Thanks for the email in regards to the first week of school. All is well and much is appreciated Sir. You are awesome and may God bless you and your family.

August 26, 2019 at 3:43 pm

Thanks Randy!

Not a professor, I teach P.E. at an elementary school

August 13, 2019 at 5:13 pm

Hello, Thank you for your awesome ideas. It really shows that you are passionate about what you do. Please continue doing what you are doing.

August 17, 2019 at 3:12 pm

Appreciate that! Glad it’s helpful

August 6, 2019 at 5:44 pm

Thank you…Period!!!

October 11, 2018 at 3:02 am

Hi the PE specialist, would you come to Riau Province please!!! I have so many problem here..

October 17, 2018 at 5:32 pm

🙂 not sure if I could fix any of your problems, but I’d love to check out Indonesia one day!

September 7, 2018 at 3:37 pm

Love your stuff but the self assessments won’t open. Can you email them to me.

September 17, 2018 at 5:23 pm

Sorry about the issue

Usually, this issue is related to a school filter, pop-up blocker, or browser issue – so we’d recommend trying from another computer, switching browsers and making sure all pop up blockers have been turned off.

As a last resort you can also find some of our free download on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist

September 3, 2018 at 2:28 pm

Thank you so much for this in depth post. I am teaching Primary Physical Education and have been in search of some suggestions on how to have a fun first class that isn’t all about rules… your website is SO helpful! All the best!

September 6, 2018 at 8:40 pm

Glad you can use some of the info!

August 11, 2018 at 10:02 am

I just want to say how grateful I am to you. You have helped me more than you will ever know.

August 13, 2018 at 4:44 pm

🙂 Thanks Amy! So pumped to hear that

August 10, 2018 at 7:01 am

Great lesson and presentation. I see on slide three that you have your students find their number and letter for their home base spots. How do you share with your students their assigned spot? Do you tell it to them as they come in, a sheet posted for them to see or do you have an activity where they find out?

Would love to know as I plan to do the same to make it a smooth transition in helping the kids find their home base spot on the first day.

Thanks, Nick

August 10, 2018 at 2:06 pm

Yep – I just tell them the letter and number on the first day after a quick intro.

August 9, 2018 at 7:51 pm

Do you always have the kinders meet in a circle in the middle instead of the home base spots? Or is that just for the beginning of the year.

August 10, 2018 at 2:05 pm

Yep, my Kinder classes are 25 minutes so we don’t do assigned spots with them. Everyone else is 50 min, so we do Home Base Spots with 1st – 5th.

July 30, 2018 at 10:23 am

Hi, Ben! First of all, I am so thankful for your website and resources. I’m moving to the gym from the classroom this year and would be lost without your blog! I’m wondering, do you have any resources about how to work with Kindergarteners the first few weeks of school? I have no idea where to start with planning for the kindergarten period of my days. I know everything will be so new and overwhelming – for them and for me! Could you point me to any resources on how to prepare for Kinder specifically? Thank you!

July 31, 2018 at 4:22 pm

I normally focus on stations with K-1. (I’ll do a lesson for a brand new skill sometimes like Jumprope or Hula Hoop – but for the majority of the time we do station work, or “centers” as the Kinder students call them)

Sometimes we’ll warmup with a fun follow along dance to practice locomotors like the Call it Macaroni Dance or The Chicken Dance

I’ve found it really helpful especially with my K students to do mostly station work and I think it’s beneficial for them because they end up getting more practice time and enjoying class more as well. I switch out the station activities according to the unit that my older students are working on. (Here are some tips for teaching with stations)

I mix in stations and super simple modified games and activity challenges with 1st-2nd.

But some of my 1st grade classes I’ll just do stations with bc they can’t handle as much formal instruction, it just depends on the group.

K used to be a class I dreaded each day, but since I switched to station work, it’s one of my favorites. It takes the expectations off the kids and allows them to have more time to build skill and explore different subjects.

I normally just modify the skills we’re working on with 2-5 and put them in station format for the K-1 kids.

eg.) 3-5 is doing Striking with hands (4-square)

K does 4 striking + catching with hands stations (strike a balloon, strike a playground ball, strike a gatorskin ball, strike a noodle)

Also – I start EVERY SINGLE DAY with a quick rules review

Hope that helps!

June 21, 2018 at 2:02 pm

This is awesome! I am a classroom teacher turned P.E. teacher for the first time this year! Your first day/week schedule is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for all the awesome ideas!

June 26, 2018 at 10:12 am

Cool! Glad you found it and good luck with your first year of P.E.

January 18, 2018 at 1:24 pm

GREAT ideas Ben! I really appreciate all the freebies and ideas to help me get going. This is my first year teaching, so I’m on the prowl for good ideas for games, activities, posters, etc.

One thing I did with my students this year that they absolutely loved is at the end of all the rules and home base stuff, we played a game called Snake, Fire, in the Hole. How it works is I line up all the students on one sideline of the gym (if your gym doesn’t have a basketball court lines, just pick one of the two sides that would be a sideline, must be one of the longer sides though so students can spread out). Whatever line they start at, is the “Fire” line. Aytime I say the word “fire”, the students have to either stay at that line, or go back to that line. The line across the gym is the “Snake” line. Same rules apply to that line. And finally, the three circles in the middle of the gym are called “In the Hole” (the two that make up the elbow of the basketball lanes on either side, and the mid-court circle. You may have to use floor tape if you don’t have the circles, just make them big enough to fit all your students). At first, I’ll do a little warmup round to get the kids used to the commands. After a few times through, I’ll try to start tricking them. For example, if they’re on the snake line, “I’ll say the word “steak” and see who moves. If they cross the line and they weren’t supposed to, they’re out. If they’re out, I tell them to go to the baseline side of the basketball court (I pick one side for them to go) and have them do 1 of 5 different exercises of their choice until the round is over, or I tell them to come back in. I usually don’t make them sit out for longer than 2-3 min so they don’t get bored). As the game goes on and the number of students in the game gets smaller, I will start to limit the # of people that can be in “the hole” at a time, or tell them, say, the first 10 people in the hole are in and the rest are out. You can modify the rules and have fun w/trying to trick the students (they liked that part the best tbh), but this is a great game to get the students used to listening to instructions and see right away who those students are.

January 22, 2018 at 7:51 pm

Hey Sam! I’ve seen the kids in my afterschool program playing a game called “Lions, Tigers and Bears” with basically the same idea – they really like it. Glad you have an additional activity for the kiddos to do once they’re eliminated as well. Thanks for sharing and glad the blog is helpful. Good luck with the First year

January 23, 2018 at 9:20 pm

Oh cool! I’ve never heard of that version of the game but glad they’re playing a similar version. I know the students at my school love it so I’m sure they do too. I appreciate all the advice and help and look forward to continuing to learn a ton from the site!

December 7, 2017 at 7:55 am

Thank you for the great information

December 11, 2017 at 3:39 pm

Glad it was helpful!

September 2, 2017 at 10:23 pm

Your website is excellent. It is always good to see other Physical Education and Health teachers setting the bar high. My question for you is how do you incorporate health topics during the year at the elementary level? Do you just include different health topics within the lessons or are there separate times during the course of the year to cover topics?

September 4, 2017 at 8:37 pm

The classroom teachers at my school cover health, so normally – yes, I incorportate different topics throughout the year that relate to activities that we’re doing. But I don’t do a lot of book work.

Here’s the closest thing I’ve ever done to a “health unit”

https://www.thepespecialist.com/health/

August 23, 2017 at 11:17 am

Hey, Can you tell me what you do with just Kinder on the first day…..other than rules and intro? I usually do basic relays, but that can be tough on day one. If you do relays, what tips and organizational strategies do you use? I am looking for something a little more smooth and organize for the first few weeks of K.

August 23, 2017 at 8:43 pm

Day 1 with K, we do the basic rules – learn to Walk/Jog for warmup – stopping signal. I read them the book “Gym Teacher from the Black Lagoon” and then if there’s any time left we practice locomotors around the room and learn about open space.

After getting rules/procedures down during the first couple weeks I’d say I do stations with K students about 80% of the time.

September 5, 2017 at 12:19 am

Hi! Can you please share the K stations?

September 5, 2017 at 8:29 pm

It just depends on the content I’m doing with the older students – I just break it down to the basics and do stations with my K-1st students so they will develop the skills needed in the older grades, you can see a few examples at the link below from my frisbee unit:

https://www.thepespecialist.com/frisbeestations/

Other examples: – Hula Hoop – Jump Rope – Scooters – Throw and Catch (football, gator ball, bean bag, foam tennis ball) – Spooner boards – Basketball dribble – Wall Bounce and catch with playground ball

August 14, 2017 at 9:41 pm

Your website and passion for PE is inspiring Ben! I am will be starting my 27th year of teaching elementary PE and happy to say I really love what I do!

What are your thoughts on some ideas for SLO’s? Last year we had our 4th graders demonstrate their understanding of the components of fitness through a pre and post test of examples. We used pictures of The Incredibles and labeled them Mr. Muscle, Miss Flexibility and Kid Cardio. Throughout the year we referenced activities according to the characters. It was amazing how even my kinders would shout out, “that is a Mr. Muscle activity Mrs. Simone!”

August 11, 2017 at 12:01 am

Hey Ben, are your bathrooms within eye sight of your playing area? I’m nervous to let my kids have free access to them without being able to keep an eye on them (mine are around a corner). Thoughts? Hopefully they wouldn’t want to stay in there, but we all know how kids are.

August 14, 2017 at 4:05 pm

Yep – they actually retrofitted us a single bathroom and water fountain in our gym about 5 years ago – it’s way better, but I know how it was letting kids go down the hall. I would just do whatever your school policies and the regular practice of the other teachers at your school are doing.

You can always give them a physical pass so that only 1 is gone at a time as well.

August 8, 2017 at 1:30 pm

7th year teacher here! Good job on the website with a lot of great ideas! My lesson back to school is very similar and structured. Keep up the great work and have an awesome school year!

August 5, 2017 at 4:56 pm

Thanks for everything you do, I’ve used several of your lesson plans and resources and they have benefited my students greatly. I am wondering, are you willing to share a bigger image of your two rules posters and the bathroom poster? I’d like to print those on an 8×11.5 for my gym.

Thank you, Mr. Chasteen

August 14, 2017 at 3:55 pm

You can check them out and download them in the “Management Pro Pack” here: http://thepespecialist.com/hacks

August 1, 2017 at 7:22 pm

Hey this is awesome.. ur website is amazing. You have amazing ideas so I have a question for ya! We have a classes from 30-60! They have 5 mins to get dressed for a 45 mins class. Well the guys get in and out in a min and the girls take forever. We stretch first in our stretching lines so the guys are just sitting there and a couple of girls. Any activity we could do with the ones that are always waiting and so eager to play?

August 14, 2017 at 3:54 pm

I would just choose something that your kids resonate with so it’s a motivator for them to dress out quickly. The quicker they get out the more game time they can have.

Maybe 4-square, Knockout, jumpropes… just depends one what your kids are into and can do independently

August 1, 2017 at 5:43 pm

I love the idea of Home Base spots! Do you assign them as they walk in on the first day? How much time does that take? Do you keep a chart of who goes where?

August 14, 2017 at 3:53 pm

Yep, we get them on the first day with 1st – 5th. (I just have my Kinder kids sit in the middle circle). It takes about 2-3 minutes usually, even less with the older kids.

Actually just wrote a blog about this, you can check it out here: https://www.thepespecialist.com/homebasespots/

July 18, 2017 at 5:01 am

I’ll be a going into my first year of teaching PE for 1st-6h graders and wanted to know how you would spread out each lessons for 40 mins each? For example, introduction and rules and polices/expectations etc. Would love any type of feedback.

July 19, 2017 at 11:19 am

I have 50 minute classes, so pretty similar to you. My structure for 2nd – 5th is normally: – Instant Activity + Warmup/Stretch = 5-10 minutes depending on the activity – Get into the lesson introducing new concepts, skill practice with progressions getting more difficult as we go along – 10 minutes – Modified Gameplay – 25-30 minutes – Closure – 5 minutes

Of course that changes depending on what we’re doing, at the beginning of a unit I spend more time developing and practicing skills – towards the end we spend more time playing games.

With K-1: it’s a similar start, but instead of gameplay we work in stations practicing different skills

July 14, 2017 at 9:11 am

This is great! Thanks for posting your ideas!

June 2, 2017 at 10:07 am

On the first day I’ve tried to make learning the rules and expectations an active process. Some years I have put signs around the room with a rule or expectation followed by an activity to perform as they learn the rule. Other years I have written the rules/expectations along with an activity on balloons and scattered them around. After allowing time for the students to get around to all of them I bring them together to discuss the rules/expectations, and consequences. Remaining time is spent with a quick easy tag game. I like what you are doing, thanks for sharing.

June 5, 2017 at 4:27 pm

Good stuff David – thanks for sharing your ideas

January 4, 2017 at 11:47 am

I used your power point today to start my second semester!! Of course with some changes. But I didn’t really read the Emergency Drill page…. There are no hurricanes in Missouri. Oops! My 8th graders thought it was pretty funny. I am so glad I did this though. I have done the same thing for years and it was always boring, for me!! I feel so good about my day.

January 4, 2017 at 1:38 pm

That’s awesome! Really glad it worked for you – Always nice to try something new!

October 25, 2016 at 12:27 am

I’m so glad I found your blog:) I’m on my 15th year of teaching, but I love all these new ideas. I haven’t had a gym all year because the floor is being replaced. I’m supposed to get back in next week and I need to start all new again with procedures and management. This would be the perfect time to start new. What teacher evaluation system do you have?

October 26, 2016 at 7:07 pm

Hey Stephanie – Glad the blog has been helpful. In SC, we are under ADEPT, we go through an SLO process every year and do recertification every 5 years.

October 26, 2016 at 7:17 pm

Thank you. The school has started a new evaluation system (Danielson). I just didn’t know if there many others out there using it.

August 25, 2016 at 6:36 am

I really like your home base idea but was wondering if the numbers and letters are already on the floor or walls?? Thanks for clarifying

January 27, 2017 at 5:01 pm

Yep, it’s like an excel spreadsheet. Numbers (1-5) on one wall and Letters (A-F) on the other wall, so I can accomodate up to 30 students.

We have another set of numbers on the other side of the gym as well for double classes.

August 18, 2016 at 12:29 pm

Great Advice for the first week…awesome

August 12, 2016 at 9:27 am

Question on Home Base spots….what if 5 students are not present that day? That would throw everything off…especially making groups/teams for the day’s activities…what do you do in this situation? Generally I put my students are different colored teams each class to not only deal with this problem, but to give them an opportunity to play/work with a different set of students each class…instead of the same team each week…thoughts?

August 17, 2016 at 3:39 pm

I normally group teams myself or use an app called Team Shake – super cool app, Google it for some tutorials.

I use home base spots as a way to check my attendance, or get warmed up or stretched out quickly.

August 29, 2015 at 1:33 am

Great lesson. My first lesson has very similar content. I use Power Point presentation to illustrate my information. After the presentation, For reviewing the safety rules I integrate introduction to orienteering. I created 20 stations around the gym, each with a number and different safety rule. Each pair of partners got a gym map and specified route to follow. They have to travel to each post of their route choosing different locomotor movement. After reading a rule, they have to discuss it. If they think something needs to be added, they leave their comment on sticky note. They also place a sticky note with a new word to be added to our word wall.

August 29, 2015 at 2:14 pm

Thanks for sharing. That’s a very cool idea, I’ve never ventured into orienteering, but it sounds like a lot of fun. Sticky note comments is a good one too.

August 25, 2015 at 5:58 pm

My 1st day is very similar! We use an activity called People to People for discussing summer activities and meeting new classmates. Here is a link that demonstrates the basics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuJE9Uhqgno Of course, I make it age appropriate. When they meet a new partner we start with- name to name, and a discussion question, i.e. What did you do this summer. We also use different locomotor skills when searching for a new partner. We build up to bigger groups as well.

Thanks for the post!

August 25, 2015 at 6:40 pm

That’s awesome – great game idea. Thanks for the comment.

August 18, 2015 at 2:46 pm

Thanks Ben for the ideas!

August 13, 2015 at 2:51 am

Great break down of a first day lesson and thank you for the physical literacy video as a resource! Have a great school year!

August 13, 2015 at 3:58 pm

Thanks, there are 2 other videos in the series as well – worth checking out. Have a good one.

July 18, 2017 at 8:39 pm

Hi Ben, I love the video. I was wondering do you show these videos to all grades K-5? And do you fit in the other two videos sometime later in the year?

July 19, 2017 at 11:22 am

In the past I showed it to K-5, but since then I only showed it to K-2 because the 3rd-5th graders remembered it and didn’t really want to watch it again.

I showed the other videos to my 3-5 classes one a week the following weeks.

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• Pete Charrette

15 Fun PE Stations 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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Daily Physical Education

Physical education is best and most impactful when instructed by a certified or licensed physical education teacher. SHAPE (Society for Health and Physical Educators) America recommends that schools provide 150 minutes of instructional PE for elementary students and 225 minutes for middle and high school students per week for the entire school year. Because physical education is based on a comprehensive, content-specific instructional curriculum, it should not be compared to or confused with other school-based physical activities such as recess, intramural sports, brain breaks or classroom energizers.

Take Action

Follow these suggestions to incorporate daily physical education into your school.

• Check out your state’s physical education mandates and ensure that your school is meeting or exceeding the specific guidelines.
• Leverage your school health team to advocate for quality physical education that meets 150 minutes weekly for elementary school children and 225 minutes weekly for middle and high school students.
• Check to see if your school specifies a required number of instructional PE minutes each week.
• Determine if students are permitted to sign  opt out waivers for physical education . If so, work with the school administration and School Board to decrease the number of waivers granted or to deny waivers entirely.
• Look for language requiring PE to be taught by licensed or certified physical education teachers.
• Use a comprehensive and age-appropriate physical education curriculum. SHAPE America provides a guide to help align your curriculum with national standards.
• Ensure the teacher/student ratio in physical education is similar to other classroom sizes for optimal instruction and student safety.
• Conduct an inventory of your physical education environment and equipment. Consider activities that can be easily implemented in various areas outside a traditional school gymnasium such as the hallway, classroom, and outside.
• Apply for a grant from Action for Healthy Kids to enhance your PE program and equipment needs.
• Make this activity inclusive for all abilities: Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) that include physical education goals and objectives should be available for all students with identified disabilities.

Social Emotional Health Highlights

Activities such as these help students explore…

Self-Awareness & Self-Management: Daily physical education provides opportunities for children to identify and manage their emotions through movement. Endorphins from movement enhance our moods and prepare us to use our brains in creative ways, – positively impacting student health and academic success.

Social Awareness and Relationship Skills: The great part about daily physical education is the ample opportunities for team sports and games that it provides! Including more team and partner work into class teaches children how to be respectful team members inside and outside of the classroom. Many games require skills in communication and social engagement, which are valuable assets for children in all walks of life.

Work to have students moderately to vigorously active for at least 50% of each physical education class. Simple strategies include reducing class size, implementing instant activities, assigning routines, and utilizing PE technology such as heart rate monitors or pedometers.

Scheduling can be tough. If your school is unable to schedule daily PE, consider reworking your schedule so that all students receive the recommended minutes of weekly instruction.

An important component of a quality PE program is an adapted PE program to support all students. Be sure to create ways for all students to participate!

Remember that daily PE should complement your  Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP).

Engage your students! Ask your older students to help plan or lead a day of physical education.

Engage  parents in physical education . Invite them to participate with their students for a day to highlight the importance of daily PE.

Engaging volunteers has a wide range of benefits. Volunteers can offer new perspectives and make a lasting impact and contribution through their knowledge base and support. Volunteers can provide an extra helping hand or a needed, valuable skill set. Who in your network has skills or interests that complement your needs? Brainstorm ways to engage individuals, organizations or businesses as volunteers to help.

Encourage staff to attend physical education for their own workout! This supports  staff as role models  for students and helps create a healthy school culture.

For more activities and ideas like this one, be sure to  sign up for our news and updates . And if you like what you see, please  donate to support our work  creating more ways to help build a healthier future for kids.

Additional Resources

Related activities, comprehensive school physical activity programs.

A Comprehensive School Physical Activity Plan (CSPAP) is a multi-component approach for schools to provide opportunities for students to be physically active for 60 minutes each day.

Is your school looking for ways to increase physical activity before or after school? Consider hosting open gym!

Fitness Testing

Fitness testing is a great way to monitor and assess students' ability as it relates to aerobic fitness, strength, and flexibility.

Avoiding PE Opt Out Waivers

Does your school have a waiver that allows students to opt out of physical education? If so, take action today!

Categories: Physical Activity & Play , At School , Digital Resource

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SEL Activities in PE: Strengthening the Mind-Body Connection

• By: Elizabeth Bolger
• January 18th, 2020

One of the reasons I went into teaching physical education is because I wanted to teach students the power of the mind-body connection. I wanted them to develop strength not only in physical skills, but in the mental skills as well.

I also want my students to learn that our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes can positively or negatively affect our biological functioning. In other words, our minds can affect how healthy our bodies are. The opposite is true as well. The things we do with our physical body (e.g. what we eat, how much we exercise, how many hours of sleep we get) can impact our mental state, positively or negatively. This results in a complex relationship between our mind and body.

When I was younger, I struggled with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. I would allow negative thoughts to control me. I struggled with my own self-worth and I had a lot of difficulties managing my emotions.  Participating in physical education and sports gave me the opportunity, as a teenager, to work on my social-emotional skills and allowed me to eventually grow into the confident, happy person I am today. I am blessed to have gone through those past earlier experiences, for I see it as an opportunity to help teach my students and my own children how to manage their emotions and how to positively affect the mind-body connection. What a gift it is to be able to teach my elementary students these skills at a young age.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in Action I am always looking for creative and unique ways to teach about the mind-body connection and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) skills in physical education. Since I enjoy creating Escape Rooms, I created an SEL Escape Room that is based on the CASTEL’s (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) 5 core competencies to teaching SEL. These 5 competencies include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.

Activity 1: Emotional Chains I started by tying each team of students up in handcuffs. I made these handcuffs out of elastic and string. I then gave instructions to the students on how to tangle themselves up. Once tangled, I told the students they were in an Escape Room. Then I told the students a story about George The Giant. I explained to the students that they were captured, placed in chains, and locked up by George the Giant. I also mentioned that George use to be a Gentle Giant. He was very sweet and kind but then one day something happened. George let his emotions get built up and he just erupted! He became so angry and out of control! George became the Grizzly Giant. The emotions bothering George became his chains. He kidnapped all the students in Sayville, locked them up in these chains and wouldn’t let them return home.  I then instructed each group to work as a team to help untangle the emotional chains that George had placed them in.

The objective of this game was to teach my students how our emotions can feel like chains and the only way we can break free of these chains is by sorting out our feelings and learning coping skills to help us handle our emotions. When they broke out of the chains, they were given a clue to the next code and instructions to the next activity.

Activity 2: Domino Effect The students were then instructed to create a “ domino effect ” showing George how his display of emotions have affected all of us. The students had to perform different locomotor skills as they raced around the gym collecting domino pieces. They had to follow the clues and eventually create a “ domino effect ” starting at their team base and ending at the finish cone, where a key to the next lock was hidden. This activity teaches the students that we have the exceptional power to feel and that our emotions run the gamut from sad to happy and everything that lies in between. These emotions are waves of energy, but they don’t just affect us; they impact others around us, and still others that those initial people encounter. What you feel and give off radiates all around you. It touches those closest to you and then makes its way to those beyond that initial circle. In other words, we have the capacity to not only feel but to impact others with our display of emotions. These “ dominos ” represent those people we can affect with our displays of emotion.

Activity 3: Labeling Emotions The next clue gave each team a handout of pictures of children displaying different emotions. The teams will try to label these emotions. Posters representing each of the 6 core emotions (Anger, Fear, Surprise, Happy, Disgust, Sad) were hung around the gym. Underneath each of these 6 core emotions posters,  I created a color chart of the different shades of those emotions. The shades of emotions chart help narrow down each of the core emotions. As the colors get darker, the emotions become more specific. For example, the core emotion of anger was the color red. The shades of emotions chart underneath anger started pink with the word hurt and as each emotion on the chart became more specific, the color intensity increased. The end emotion was “ Hostile ” and the color was deep red.

The students will try to correctly identify the emotion in the picture. If the students label the emotions correctly, they will find the code to open the next lockbox. The objective of this activity is to teach the students that to deal effectively with emotions we must first name them. Labeling emotions helps us develop control over them. Being able to accurately identify them is essential to creating a plan to resolve those feelings. We can’t create a plan or decide on coping strategies if we haven’t labeled our feelings accurately.

Activity 4: Learning to Focus In the next activity, the students were told that George “ lost his noodles ”. The students had to help George “ find his noodles ” and help George “gather his thoughts”. I placed swimming pool noodles on the opposite side of the gym. The students were given different teamwork tasks to help move the noodles back to the opposite side of the gym. Once all the noodles were back, the students were given a puzzle to solve. The puzzle had instructions written on it. The instructions said for the students to help teach George the difference between things he can control and things he can’t control. On half of the noodles I wrote examples of things we can control such as how many times we smile today, our effort, time spent worrying, how we act on our feelings, etc. On the other half of the noodles, I wrote examples of things we can’t control such as the weather, what others say, what others feel, your past, your brother/sister, etc. The students had to sort the noodles into two piles: things we can control and things we can’t control. The code was written on the noodles with the things we can control.

The objective of this activity was to teach students that sometimes we have a lot of things going on at one time and it’s hard to focus. We need to gather our “ noodles ” or thoughts and sort through them. Which ones do we have power over? Which ones can we control? Which ones can’t we control? If we have no power over it then why do we waste so much time worrying or thinking about those things? This activity is an opportunity to teach students that they may not be able to prevent something, but they can control how they prepare for it.  In addition, they can’t control how someone else behaves, but you can control how you react. We can teach students to focus on their choices and we can help them develop effective strategies to manage their stress.

Activity 5: Coping Skills Next, the students went on a scavenger hunt to help George find some effective coping skills. The students raced around the gym looking for pictures I made of different ways we can cope with our emotions. Some of these ways included exercise, listening to music, talking to a friend or adult, doing mindful breathing techniques, naming three things you are grateful for, etc. When the students found all the coping strategies, it led them to their final activity.

Activity 6: Positive Self-Talk For the final task, I drew a giant brain on the poster board and cut out holes a little smaller than the size of ping pong balls. On some balls, I wrote examples of positive self-talk and on some balls I wrote examples of negative self-talk. The students had to first sort through the balls and separate them into a pile of positive self-talk and a pile of negative self-talk. The students had to “ fill the brain ” with positive self-talk. The team would work together to try to tip the board to get the ball to land into a hole in the brain. Once successful, they would move on to a new ball. When the brain was “ full of positive self-talk ” they would find the clue to the final box.  Inside the final box, was a thank you letter from George for restoring him to his gentle ways and a thank you gift for the class. The thank-you gift was a class “ Coping Toolkit ” the students could use to prevent them from ever turning into George the Grizzly Giant. Inside the toolkit was crayons, a drawing pad, fidgets, stress balls, aromatherapy bags, bubbles, breathing beads, mindful snow globes, putty, and puzzles.

As teachers, we have a lifelong effect on our students. This impact involves not only the teaching of particular academic skills, but the fostering of students’ social-emotional skills. I hope my students always remember that they need to be their biggest cheerleader. That their self-thoughts have the most impact on their actions. I hope I inspire my students to believe in themselves, challenge their inner negative thoughts and change them to positive affirmations. I hope my students learn to fall, to fail, and to rise and try again. I want them to understand that they have the power to be all they dream of becoming. What do you hope they will remember from you?

For more information, search for @Coach Bolger’s Power PE.  Here you will find my teaching resources and this SEL Escape Room with all activities and posters.

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Contact: [email protected]

Coach Bolger is the ultimate role model for her students and her colleagues. Her creativity inspires lessons that completely engage all students. We are so lucky to have her at Lincoln Avenue Elementary School!

Not enough positive things can be said about Beth! Her energy, enthusiasm and passion for PE is limitless. If you ever have a chance to observe her classes or participate in one of her workshops, please do so!

Based on the last two articles on this site that I read that were written by Beth, I would have to agree with the last two commenters. Beth rocks! Too bad I’m retiring this year and won’t have an opportunity to put into practice what Beth teaches. At least not in my PE classes. I will try to in other areas of my life. Thanks Beth.

Thank you John for your sweet comments!! Enjoy retirement and stay healthy!!!

Beth, I would love to share your ideas in the G.A.M.E.S. Gazette, an online digital quarterly journal through teachers helping teachers. The Gazette is particularly geared to grades K-6 and I am the social emotional editor. I love what you created for your students in social emotional learning activities. You would be cited for complete credit and you would receive a free edition of the gazette. Please let me know if you feel I could use some of your material. Thanks so much.

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• Education, training and skills
• Pupil wellbeing, behaviour and attendance
• Health, safety and wellbeing in schools

PE and sports in schools

Information to help schools increase access to PE, physical activity and extra-curricular school sport, including examples of good practice.

Applies to England

Enhancing physical education provision and improving access to sport and physical activity in school

PDF , 375 KB , 42 pages

This document explains how schools can meet the:

• ambitions of the physical education ( PE ) national curriculum
• aims of the school sport and activity action plan
• Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines

It includes a variety of schools’ approaches to providing:

• a minimum 2 hours of PE per week
• equality of access to PE and extra-curricular school sport and competition

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The Eclipse Is Great for Learning. But It’s Tough on School Logistics

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A total solar eclipse will cross a large swath of the country on April 8, sparking tough management choices for leaders of the school districts in its path.

The rare astronomical event will provide an engaging science activity for students. But in many districts, concerns about traffic, crowds, and safety have eclipsed the potential upsides of the collective learning event, sparking precautionary school closures and early student releases.

“I’m a former science teacher, so this is right up my alley,” said Paul Norton, superintendent of the Lake Travis district in Austin, Texas, which will close that day. “We want to make sure our kids are aware of why this is a generational opportunity, but we also don’t want our buses to be stuck on the road [returning students home] until 7 o’clock at night.”

In an event dubbed “the Great North American Solar Eclipse,” the moon will pass between the sun and the Earth, blocking out daylight for people in a 115-mile-wide path of totality that will stretch from Texas to Maine, starting at about 1:40 Central Time, NASA projects.

The total solar eclipse—the last that will be visible in the contiguous United States until 2044—will give viewers the rare opportunity to see the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as a corona, which is usually obscured by the star’s bright light. The temperature will drop in the eclipse’s path, nocturnal animals may stir, and many viewers will see a 360-degree sunset effect.

It will all be over in less than four minutes, scientists project, but educators recognize the eclipse could fuel weeks of classroom discussions and potentially spark a long-term interest in science for students who see it.

Lake Travis district leaders started preparing for the eclipse last summer, Norton said. Ultimately, a recommendation from the county’s emergency management department led leaders to close schools that day.

We are just two weeks away from a total solar eclipse across America!🌎 🌑 ☀️ Want to know what the April 8 eclipse will look like where you live? Enter your location into NASA’s new interactive eclipse explorer map and see for yourself! https://t.co/qDvOzhjVs2 pic.twitter.com/1D390teI47 — NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) March 25, 2024

Communities across the path of totality expect an influx of tourists and accompanying traffic that could make it difficult for students to walk or ride home in a safe, timely manner, superintendents said. Lake Travis is surrounded by wineries and public lands that will host large events for the eclipse, which will bring out-of-towners—many in RVs—to the region.

Educators plan to teach lessons on the eclipse in advance so that students are prepared to view it at home, Norton said.

Like Lake Travis, hundreds of school systems across the country plan to close that day, some in anticipation of high numbers of absences from students who plan to take a day off to view the eclipse with their families. Some have opted for early dismissals or e-learning days with planned breaks for students to step outside. Further north, the eclipse is expected to hit right around school dismissal times, creating driving challenges for new teen drivers.

Educators are also concerned about monitoring young students during the darkness and ensuring they all wear special disposable glasses that make it safe to view the eclipse. Even just a few moments observing without proper protective eyewear can permanently damage the eye’s retina, scientists and doctors warn.

“This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and we are fortunate to be in the middle of the action,” said a notice from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which plans to close April 8.

The district will provide donated glasses to each of its students for home viewing, and its website links to information about watch parties hosted by the city’s library and several museums.

Eclipse provides science learning opportunities

In Arkansas, where the eclipse will cross the state in a diagonal path, students will have a special opportunity to learn collaboratively with their peers in other districts, even if their schools are closed, state education Secretary Jacob Oliva said.

Sixty schools in 45 counties have signed up for a special data collection project in cooperation with the state’s K-12 computer science initiative, through which students and teachers will use special handheld sensors to collect data about shifts in light and temperature levels as the moon passes in front of the sun.

Researchers at the University of Central Arkansas, who trained teachers to use the devices through regional education service cooperatives in recent months, will then combine the data. Following the event, students across the state can then use the results for data-analysis projects in science and computer science classes.

Eclipse FAQs for Educators

Is it safe for students to view the eclipse.

Except for a brief moment of total sun coverage, it is not safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye, NASA scientists caution. But students can safely view it through special eclipse glasses or by projecting the sun’s outline onto the ground through simple homemade devices. Read more here.

Where will the eclipse be visible? What if my school is not in the path of totality?

The total solar eclipse will be fully visible in a swath of the country stretching from Texas to Maine. People outside of the path of totality may see a partial eclipse. Learn more about the eclipse’s path here.

“We need to embrace this as a full educational experience,” Oliva said. “Any time we can support teachers and leaders to bring relevance to the classroom, it’s a real win for everybody.”

More than Arkansas 130 school districts and charter schools have announced plans to close that day. In anticipation, the state has provided resources for students as young as prekindergarten to learn about the solar system, make art projects inspired by the eclipse, and craft devices like cardboard pinhole viewers that project the sun’s outline on the ground for safe viewing.

At the Arkansas School for the Blind, students will use special handheld LightSound devices created by researchers at Harvard University that project a sound that changes in pitch as an internal sensor detects less light.

“It is really a positive thing to hear so much excitement around science,” Oliva said.

Staying open, staying safe

Some districts have opted to stay open the day of the eclipse, preparing educators in advance to help their students safely view it.

In Ann Arbor, Mich., where the eclipse will occur at about 3:13 p.m., district leaders used donations from businesses to buy 20,000 pairs of eclipse viewing glasses—enough for all 17,000 students plus teachers, administrators, and bus drivers who want to take in the event, said Tony Stamm, the district’s elementary math and science curriculum coordinator.

“We won’t see this event again here until 2099,” Stamm said. “To actually be able to step outside and witness something like this during the day together, that’s really rare. I don’t think there’s anything comparable that really accounts to the magnitude of the event, as well as the accessibility.”

The district has its own planetarium, a rare facility for K-12 schools, but teachers don’t often have the opportunity to explain the movement of planets and stars in such a real-world fashion, Stamm said. The district created lesson plans for elementary school teachers, including special materials for those in grades that don’t typically include units on space, he said. Administrators also drafted special announcements for principals to read over school intercoms, including safety instructions and advice for viewing.

At Ann Arbor’s middle schools, the eclipse is expected to darken the sky right at dismissal time. Rather than cancel classes, educators have planned a community event, inviting families to picnic outside with their students and learn about science together.

“We are trying to cover it from all areas because we know this is a unique opportunity that won’t happen again in many of our lifetimes,” Stamm said.

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