PE Games by Aislinn McHugh

Ratio: 5 / 5

1.Video game:

Explain that the signs are images from a video player. Students begin by running in all directions around the gym and must follow the instructions when the sign is read out:
Play - walk around
Rewind - run / walk backwards
Fast Forward - run
Pause – Strike a pose
Stop - Stop
Eject - Jump Up

2. Stuck in the mud:

Two people are 'on' (that is depending on the size of the class - my example is for a class of 24-30 students). They have to chase the people that are not 'on' and tag them.
When they have tagged another student who was not on, that person is 'stuck in the mud'. They stand with legs and arms out and they cannot move. The only way to release them is if another person who is not stuck goes under the student that is stuck to free them. They can go through the person's legs, or under their arms.
To increase the difficulty level, use more catchers.

3.Voyage across the ocean:

This game involves groups of approximately 5-6 students working together to successfully cross the ocean (gym) on two rafts (square gym mats). The students need to work together to figure out a way to get all of their group members safely to the other side of the ocean without having any member fall into (touch) the ocean. Materials required: 2 gym mats per group of students.
Arrange each group along a line at one end of the gym. Explain that the floor is the ocean and that no-one is allowed to touch the floor. They must use the 2 mats/rafts to make their way across the ocean. They need to figure out a way to travel from one side to the other without having any group members fall into the ocean (gym floor). If a group member touches the floor, then the entire group must go back to the start.

The task can easily be accomplished by having all the group members stand safely on one mat while they move the other mat carefully to the front. Then they can transfer themselves to the new mat and move the other one to the front until they get to the other side.
Progression - add cones as obstacles or 'icebergs' in the sea they have to avoid.

4.Duck,Duck,Goose:

Divide the class into 2-3 groups and have each group sit on the floor in a circle. Choose one person from each circle to be ‘the farmer’. The farmer walks (or runs) around the outside of the circle, tapping the heads of each person who is sitting down and says ‘duck’ until the farmer decides to choose one person to be the ‘goose’. The goose quickly gets up and chases the farmer around the outside of the circle. The aim is for the farmer to make one lap of the circle and get back to the goose’s seat without getting caught. Then the game is repeated.

5.Make a letter:

Teacher calls out a letter and children make their bodies into that shape. Teacher can demonstrate if children find it difficult. Stick with capital letters as most are straight shapes.
Then make shapes; circle square triangle etc
6.Fruit basket
Divide the class into 4 groups and have them move into each corner of the gym or play area. Give each of the groups a fruit name such as apples, oranges, bananas and watermelons.
Call two of the fruit names and those groups have to run and change places. They maintain the same name throughout the game.
When you call "Fruit Basket" all of the children run and sit in the centre of the gym.

6. Squirrels & Hawks:

Two teams of Squirrels are competing for the same pile of nuts to store in their holes. The Hawks are trying to protect the nuts for the duration of the game.
Materials required: 3 hula-hoops and 11+ bean bags (represent squirrel’s nuts).

Place one hula-hoop in the centre of the court and place one hula hoop at each end of the court. Put all the bean bag "nuts" in the middle hoop; this is the Hawks' Nest. The other two hoops are the Squirrels' Holes. There are three teams in this game. Choose 4-5 students to be the Hawks. The rest of the class is evenly divided into two teams of Squirrels.

The object of the game for the Squirrel teams is to gather as many nuts into their Holes. The object for the Hawks is to keep the nuts in their Nest for the duration of the game (5-10 minutes).

The Hawks protect their Nest by tagging the Squirrels. When a Squirrel is tagged, he remains frozen until a teammate tags him. If a Squirrel has a nut when he is tagged, the Hawk takes the nut back to the Nest. If all the nuts are taken from the Hawks' Nest before the game is over, the team with the most nuts in their hole wins.

7.The Man from Mars:

In this tag game, the class pick one student to be called “The Man from Mars". He/She stands at the opposite end of the gym. The rest of the players will line up at the other end of the gym. The Man from Mars will call out:
"I am the Man from Mars. I will chase you to the stars if you are wearing ......" (example: a blue t-shirt, black shorts, white shoes, etc.).

These players will run across the gym to the other end line. The Man from Mars will try to tag as many people as he/she can. The players that are tagged will join the Man from Mars in the middle and help tag until everyone has been tagged.

8.Voyage across the ocean:

This game involves groups of approximately 5-8 students working together to successfully cross the ocean (gym) on two rafts (square gym mats). The students need to work together to figure out a way to get all of their group members safely to the other side of the ocean without having any member fall into (touch) the ocean. Materials required: 2 gym mats per group of students.
Divide the students into groups (about 5-8 students per group). Arrange each group along a line at one end of the gym. Explain that the floor is the ocean and that no-one is allowed to touch the floor. They must use the 2 mats/rafts to make their way across the ocean. They need to figure out a way to travel from one side to the other without having any group members fall into the ocean (gym floor). If a group member touches the floor, then the entire group must go back to the start line and begin again.

The task can easily be accomplished by having all the group members stand safely on one mat while they move the other mat carefully to the front. Then they can transfer themselves to the new mat and move the other one to the front until they get to the other side.

9.Twisted:

A small group of students (5-6) hold hands in a straight line, all facing in the same direction. The task is for each person to end up with their arms folded across their chest.
The person at the end holds onto a pole, or puts their hand on the wall. None of the students can let go of their hands and the person at end must keep hand on the wall or pole. The student at the other end of the line has one hand free.
One solution is that the end person who is free to move, leads the entire group under the arm of the person attached to the pole or wall. This end person continues to lead the group under the wall person's arm again and again until everyone has their arms crossed. Finally the end person turns and faces the opposite direction w/o taking their arm off of the wall (this crosses their arms.

10.Blindfold:

Materials Needed: 6 cones and 1 blindfold for each team.
In a team of four students, three students give instructions in English to attempt to guide a blindfolded teammate through a course of five cones. The students can create the course with the cones.

Useful Phrases:
Walk forward 2/3 steps.
Turn right/left
Go back 2/3 steps.
Jump forward/back.
Walk like a chicken for 3 steps!!

Then, rotate positions so all players have a turn be blind folded.