Grade level: 4-8
Equipment: Projector
Game Description: Nazca Lines. Don’t know what they are? Look it up, they’re pretty cool. In this 6th game of the World Wonder series, groups (or the whole group) will try to make your own! Turn your gym into Peru and have some fun working together to communicate to complete some fun tasks while learning at the same time.
Category: Team-building
Saving Easter Island
Grade level: 4-8
Equipment: Chairs (or benches), cones, type of ball
Game Description: Game #2 of a New PHYSEDGAMES Series of WORLD WONDER themed games! This time we try to save the statues of Easter Island. Whole group game, or team vs team race to win. A variety of throwing and catching skills involved while at the same time connecting this game to history/geography/social studies.
Hoop It Up
Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: Hula hoops, skipping ropes, cones
Game Description: Hoop It Up is a fun teamwork or team-building game with a good challenge. Score points by collecting hoops – hoop it up, scoop it up!
Shoe Relay
Grade level: K-6
Equipment: None (shoes)
Game Description: Try something different with a simple shoe relay: use as a warm-up, team-building, or just to do try something new!
Together Ball
Grade level: 2-6
Equipment: Giant Ball, Pool Noodles, Exercise Mats
Game Description: Work together, be friends, score goals!
Pool Noodle Relays
Grade level: K-8
Equipment: Pool Noodles, Cones
Game Description: A simple video explaining 5 fun ways to use pool noodles in a relay format. Quick, fun, ideas that involve teamwork, balance, and/or other! Could be used as a warm-up of sorts as well. May seem elementary, but it a go and you’re sure to be surprised how fun it actually is.
Act It Out
Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: None (exercise mats if desired)
Game Description: Simple and fun creative movement activity that can be played throughout most grade levels. PE plus a bit of drama (not your typical grade 7 drama that gives teachers a headache, but the other kind of drama). So simple: make some groups, find some space, and give each group a theme or an idea that they will have to act out using the best of their physical movements capabilities! Keep it informal and have a blast, or make it more formal and specific, create rubrics and things to include, etc – groups present to the class once finished! That’s the basic idea, please watch the video for a few more details!
Rescue
Grade level: 1-8
Equipment: 4 scooters, 4 mats, 4 ropes
Game Description: Object of this game is to “rescue” teammates off of “Danger Land” and get everyone to “Fun Land”. Explain that Danger Land is a dangerous place to live due to earthquakes, fires, flooding, dinosaurs…; while Fun Land is a safe pleasant place. Each team is allowed one boat (a floor scooter) and one rope. Players are not allowed to touch the water or else they will have to return to Danger Land. It is up to each group to figure out the best way to get their team across the ocean (without touching water). Students are allowed to stop at the island, but will want to continue their journey to Fun land, because there is no food on the island. This is not a race (although you could add that challenge for a little bit of competition) – teams just try to make it! If a group finishes first have them repeat again!
(Thanks to Mark McConnell)
Sinkerball
Grade level: 2-6
Equipment: Scooters, pins, skipping ropes, cones
Game Description: Sinkerball is a PHYSEDGAMES original game that combines teamwork with throwing, rolling, kicking, goaltending/blocking, balance, speed, and finesse. 2 teams face-off against each other in either a “who-can-last-the-longest” set of rounds, or point-scoring game. 1 team starts along an end of the gym as the “tugboats” pulling their cargo (a plastic pin balanced on a scooter, pulled by a skipping rope). Each player on that team has their own cargo to pull. The other team is along the sides in a designated throwing area (use cones) – they each have a foam ball or 2 to start with. On the “GO” signal, the tugboats try to travel back and forth from wall to wall as many times as possible, keeping their pin alive (ie, not fallen over, either by self mistake by pulling too fast, or from a ball hitting it down). The throwers will of course try to knock off the pins from the scooters! When a player’s pin is knocked over, that player isn’t out – he or she can then go and block/guard one of their teammate’s pins as they continue travelling along. Eventually, the whole team surrounds their last member’s pin/cargo trying to keep it up until it finally falls and then the 2 groups switch roles for the next round. Points can be earned every time a player makes it safely to an end. Or see which team lasts the longest before all pins are down. Have fun as usual!
Streets & Alleys
Grade level: 2-8
Equipment: None
Game Description: Streets & Alleys is a great small space game – perfect for a classroom when the gym is unavailable. A large group of players work together to form rows and columns (streets and alleys) that give pathways for the cat and mouse to travel through. The cat tries to chase the mouse to catch him, but the group (which consists of something like a 5 x 5 group of players) keeps switching who they’re holding hands with, depending on when the caller/teacher calls “Streets” or “Alleys”. Players in the large group must be close enough that they can easily switch who they’re holding hands with to form the streets and alleys. The cat and mouse are NOT allowed to run – they must POWERWALK. Also, the cat and mouse cannot go under or over or through the people holding hands. Give a time limit, or go until the mouse gets caught and then give other players a chance to be the cat and mouse! (Thanks to Eric for this game idea)