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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. ADVERTISEMENT

Learn more: Spider Ball Game at Kid Activities

6. Crab Soccer

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

Learn more: Crab Soccer at Playworks

7. Halloween Tag

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

Learn more: Halloween Tag at The Physical Educator

8. Crazy Caterpillars

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

9. Monster Ball

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

Learn more: Monster Ball at The PE Specialist

10. Striker Ball

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

Learn more: Striker Ball at S&S Blog

11. Parachute Tug-of-War

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

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

12. Fleas Off the Parachute

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

Learn more: Fleas Off the Parachute at Mom Junction

13. Crazy Ball

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

Learn more: Crazy Ball at Health Beet

14. Bridge Tag

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

Learn more: Bridge Tag at Great Camp Games

15. Star Wars Tag

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

Learn more: Star Wars Tag at Great Camp Games

16. Rob the Nest

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

17. Four Corners

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

Learn more: Four Corners at The Many Little Joys

18. Movement Dice

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

Learn more: Roll the Dice Movement Break at Teaching Littles

19. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

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

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

20. Cornhole Cardio

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

Learn more: Cardio Cornhole at S&S Blog

21. Connect 4 Relay

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

22. Zookeepers

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

23. Racket Whack-It

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

Learn more: Racket Whack-It via PEgames.org

24. Crazy Moves

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

Learn more: Crazy Moves at PEgames.org

25. Wheelbarrow Race

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

Learn more: Wheelbarrow Race at wikiHow

26. Live-Action Pac-Man

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

27. Spaceship Tag

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

28. Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance

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

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

29. Throwing, Catching, and Rolling

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

Learn more: Winter Activity at S&S Blog

30. Jenga Fitness

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

Learn more: Jenga Fitness at S&S Blog

31. Volcanoes and Ice Cream Cones

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

Learn more: Warm-Up Games at Prime Coaching Sport

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

33. Musical Hula-Hoops

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

34. 10-Second Tag

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

35. The Border

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

36. Freedom Catch

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

37. Oscar’s Trashcan

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

38. 4-Way Frisbee

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

39. Badminton King’s/Queen’s Court

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

40. Jumping and Landing Stations

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

41. Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

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

42. Balloon Tennis

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

43. Indoor Putting Green

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

44. Scooter Activities

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

45. Pick It Up

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

46. Dodgeball Variations

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

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

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

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50 Fun PE Games Your Students Will Love

by Sara Ipatenco

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

1. Blob tag

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

2. Chain tag

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

3. Bean bag balance

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

4. Clap and catch

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

5. Animal races

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

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

7. Bridge tag

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

8. Crab soccer

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

9. Step back

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

10. Freeze tag

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

11. Parachute change

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

12. Parachute volleyball

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

13. Banana tag

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

14. Teacher island

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

15. Throw archery

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

16. Crazy moves

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

17. Rob the nest

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

18. Tic-Tac-Throw

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

19. Bounce into buckets

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

20. Backward soccer

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

21. Speed ball

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

22. Pool noodle archery

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

23. Kangaroos and Crocs

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

24. Noodle hockey

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

25. Continuity ball

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

26. Birds on a branch

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

27. Shark zone

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

28. Cats and mice

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

29. Tunnels and trains

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

30. Noisy running

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

31. Freeze dance

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

32. Eight dance

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

33. British bulldogs

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

34. Body part tag

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

35. Crab Kickball

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

36. Broom hockey

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

37. Hop in a hoop

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

38. Hot potato

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

39. Scooter tag

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

40. Bucketball

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

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

42. Shipwreck or Captain Says

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

43. Hula hoop tag

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

44. Museum guard

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

45. Mirror, Mirror

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

46. Backward tag

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

47. Alligators in the swamp

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

48. Sleeping baby

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

49. Garbage tag

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

50. Lighthouse and ships

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

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

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PHYSEDGAMES

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on March 2, 2020 by jcahill

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

Pin-Up Relay

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

ROOMBA CLEAN-UP

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

Dice Doubles vs. Cone Flip

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

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

Will You Be my “PAL”- entine?

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

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

Hit or Miss Striking

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

Streets, Allies, and Lamp Posts

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

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

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

RING BEARER

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

Jump Rope Tag

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

Toss 12 TURBO!

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

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

Beachball in a Basket

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

How to play:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Full Length PE Games

These full-length games are all designed to be played during a 45-60 minute period, and work best when coupled with some of our fantastic warm-up games. These games are all designed to keep the most kids active for the most amount of time possible, and really focus on ensuring that everyone has a role to fill (so that there is very little potential for any kids to be simply standing around). All of these games have been played (oftentimes over and over again!), by large groups of kids, and all of these games help to ensure constant fun, participation and activity. Feel free to change or modify any elements of the games so that they better suit your specific group, and please be sure to comment and vote on your favorites!

Hot-Dog Switch

Equipment: 2-4 evil red balls. Description: Have students lie down in groups of 2 or 3, one beside the other, on their tummies, propped up by their elbows. Give at least one student an evil red ball (they are it), and have at least one other student remain standing...

Steal the Bacon

Equipment: 2 large hula hoops. Pinnies to distinguish teams. Bacon (i.e. Rubber Chicken, Mat,pool noodle......etc.). Description: Split the students into 2 even teams. Set the bacon in the middle of the gym. Line the two teams up shoulder to shoulder, facing each...

Ring Soccer

Equipment: 1 ring for each group of 2 people (ringette rings work great!). Description: To start, have all of the students find a partner. Give each group of 2 a single ring. The object of the game is to get more points than your partner by kicking the ring, using...

Equipment: At least 4 Hula Hoops. Description: Have each student find a partner and stand with their partner. Have the students decide between them who is partner 1 and who is partner 2. Bring all of the partner 1s to the middle of the gym, and have them hold hands...

Shooting Stars

Equipment: As many rings (ringette rings work great), or balls, bean bags...etc. as you feel are necessary (at least 20). Description: Create a rectangular playing area using either the lines in the gym or cones if you are outside. The playing area should be almost as...

Racket Whack-It

Equipment: 1 racket per student (ping-pong paddles, squash or racket ball rackets or tennis rackets). As many dodgeballs as you want! Description: Give each student a racket or paddle. Remind them not to hit other students with their rackets, or swing their rackets in...

Cops and Robbers

Equipment: 7-9 hula hoops. A whole bunch of bean bags. Cones to mark center safe zone (if playing outside). Description: Scatter the hula hoops around the gym. Put as many bean bags into each hoop as you can. Split the class into 2 even teams, placing one team in the...

Crazy Moves

Equipment: Enough mats so that you can fit groups of 2-4 students on them comfortably. Description: Scatter the gymnastic mats throughout the gym. Tell the students that you are going to call out a number and that they must try and get that number of people onto a...

Equipment: Pinnies to separate teams. 1 dodgeball. Cones (if outside). 2 garbage cans (the lighter the better), with the bottoms cut out. Description: Split kids into 2 teams of 6-10 players. Have 1 student from each team stand up on a chair inside the basketball key...

Equipment: 3 benches. 2-5 evil red balls. As many other dodgeballs as you deem necessary. Description: Scatter the benches around the playing area. 2 - 5 students are it and are given evil red balls. Everyone else can start anywhere else in the playing area (except...