Warm Up PE Games
All of these games are designed to be played for between 5 and 10 minutes at the beginning or end of a PE period. When playing tag games, I like to use a specific colour dodgeball (ours is the “Evil Red Ball”), to distinguish who is “It.” This way, after a minute or so, you are able to blow the whistle, give the kids 5 seconds to give their ball to someone new, and re-start the game again with a totally different dynamic. Also, remember how much kids feed off of your energy! The goofy names for each game often lend themselves well to silly sounds, actions and movements. The more buy-in you give to the game, the more the kids will believe in what they are doing and want to play too!
Armpit Tag
Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Class set of pinnies. Description: Have 3-5 people who are “it,” and give them evil red balls. Everyone else has a pinnie or a scarf that they can stick under their armpits. If you get tagged, you have to freeze and stick your pinnie...
Shape Shifter
Equipment: NONE Description: There are two ways to play. First way, have kids partner up and face each other across the gym. When you shout out a letter from the alphabet (L, U, t, c, m, A, e, f…etc. are all great letters to use), the kids have to run to the center of...
Chuck the Chicken
Equipment: 1 rubber chicken (or similar silly object). Description: Divide the kids into two teams. One team stands in a line (one behind the other), while the other team links their elbows together and makes a circle. The team in the line starts with a rubber...
Ladders
Equipment: NONE Description: Split the kids into boys and girls. Have each boy, and each girl, find a partner in their group, and have them sit down and put the soles of their feet together. Have each partner set leave about a foot between them and the next partner...
Spy Vs. Spy
Equipment: A beanbag per student. Description: Have each kid pick a partner, get a beanbag, and then face their partner at the center line. Determine what line they have to run to behind each player. Both kids are spies, and they’re holding a bag of diamonds. On the...
Motorbike Tag
Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Some “thing” (batons, mini-hurdles, rings…etc.), that each student can hold and pretend that it’s a motorbike. Description: Using the batons, everyone is a motorbike. If you get tagged, you have to sit down and set up your motorbike...
Horse and Carriage
Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. A baton or stick per group of 2. Description: Have one kid in front (2 hands on the stick behind them), and one kid with two hands on the stick in front. If they break apart, they must sit down and hold the stick out between the two of...
Mission Impossible
Equipment: NONE Description: Have the kids lie on their stomachs at one end of the gym. When the lights are turned off, they are allowed to crawl (NO STANDING UP OR THEY ARE ELIMINATED FROM THE GAME!!!), trying to make it to the other wall. When the lights come on,...
Lily Pad
Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. 5-7 hula hoops. Description: 2-5 kids start with an evil red ball (lily pads). Scatter the hula hoops around the playing area. If you are on a “lily pad,” then you are safe (2 frogs to a lily pad at a time). If you get tagged outside of...
VCR
Equipment: 1 beanbag per kid. Description: Have the kids put their beanbag on their head. Use the commands of: Fast-Forward, Rewind, Pause, Play, Slow Motion and Eject (toss the beanbag in the air and catch it), and then let the kids do it as you yell out commands. If...