Grade level: K-2
Equipment: None
Game Description: The classic game of What Time Is It Mr. Wolf…the big bad wolf stands opposite from the group who keeps asking him what time it is. If it’s 10:00, the students take 10 steps closer. 5:00 and it’s 5 steps closer. Soon it will be LUNCH TIME and the wolf is hungry! The first player he chases and catches becomes the new wolf.
Category: Gr 1
Knock em Downers & Pick em Uppers
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: Bowling pins or pylons
Game Description: Half knock em down, the other half picks em up! Cones or pins work great! This game can last as long as you want it to last, then switch roles. Lots of running, bending, crouching, and manipulating in this game. Read More →
Bean-Bag Tag
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: Bean bags
Game Description: Slide beanbags along the floor to tag other players in the foot. All players can run around and jump to dodge, but once there’s a beanbag in a player’s hand, they can no longer move around. When hit, players sit until a beanbag slides within reach. Read More →
Side Switchers
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: Dodgeballs
Game Description: This PE game called ‘Side Switchers’ matches two teams up against each other – each on one half of the gym. It’s a dodgeball game with a simple idea: when hit, that player must switch over to the other team, but before joining them, he must first touch the back wall on that side.
Parachute Game: Dizzy Dizzy
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: Parachute
Game Description: This parachute game gets students spinning in different directions, hence the name Dizzy Dizzy. Add in some of your own tasks or activities to this game!
Tail Swipe
Grade level: K-8
Equipment: Tails (flags or scarves)
Game Description: Grab the tails off of other players, but try not to lose yours! This is an action-packed game that gets students moving and laughing. It’s a great stand-alone physical education game, or a fun lead-up game to flag football. Read More →
Stations
Grade level: K-8
Equipment: Variety
Game Description: Here’s the basic idea of setting up stations in the gym. Lots of different things you can do in stations: equipment practice, skillwork, tag games, fitness, etc. The video gives a list of some specific ideas to help get you started.
British Bulldog
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: None
Game Description: The dog catcher calls out ‘British Bulldog’ from the middle, and the bulldogs attempt to run from one end to the other without getting caught. When caught, the players become taggers as the rounds continue, making it harder for the remaining bulldogs to get from end to end. This is one of the most common tag games out there, a must play!
Leap-frog Tag
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: None
Game Description: When a player is tagged in this game, he crouches down into a lump and is stuck there until a player who isn’t tagged can leap-frog over him. Simple idea, yet very effective. A good next step in the progression of leap-frogging!
Here Come The Bears
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: None
Game Description: Here Come The Bears is a chasing and fleeing tag game where the bears try to run to the opposite side without getting tagged by the catchers. The trick is that the catchers can only run left and right along lines in the gym. When tagged, the bears join the catchers on the line.
- Players line up along one edge of the gym. They are the bears.
- Two catchers start on width-wise lines as the catchers who will try and tag the bears as they run across.
- The catchers yell ‘Here Come The Bears’ and the runners run.
- The catchers can only move left and right along their line.
- Any bears who are caught then become catchers and join them on the line.
- Play until all have been caught!