Category: No Equipment!

Shoe Relay

· ALL, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, K, No Equipment!, Small Group, Team-building

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!

Tatanka

· ALL, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, K, No Equipment!, Tag, Warm-up

Grade level: K-6
Equipment: None
Game Description: Try this traditional Indigenous game for some good old fashioned fun. Get nice and sweaty.

Pair Running

· ALL, Fitness, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, Gr 7, Gr 8, Large Group, No Equipment!, Outdoor, Small Group

Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: None
Game Description: A German running method – literally means “Pair Run” – Wunderbar! (Thanks Brian Loeppky)

Cops N Robbers

· ALL, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, No Equipment!, Outdoor, Tag, Warm-up

Grade level: K-6
Equipment: None
Game Description: Here’s the classic game of Cops N Robbers. First and most importantly is to find a fun area to play this game (technically it could be played anywhere but the more obstacles and hiding spots, the better). You’ll create a couple Cops whose job is to find and tag the Robbers. Once robbers are tagged they need to go to jail. Sounds simple because it is, and it’s a whole lot of fun too! (Thanks to a friend and colleague Paul Grosskopf for bringing this game back to life)

Predators & Prey

· ALL, Fun, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, No Equipment!, Outdoor, Tag, Warm-up

Grade level: 1-6
Equipment: None
Game Description: Here is an awesome cross-curricular idea that’s lots of fun, and teaches science concepts through play. Find a playing area indoors or outdoors. Have a quick discussion to see what students know about predators, prey, carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, etc. Ask students to give some examples. Then start setting up the game (it’s really simple actually). You’ll start by choosing a herbavore (example rabbits). Most of the players will be the rabbits. Their job is to simply run away from the taggers (the omnivores and carnivore). Then choose 2-3 players to be the omnivores (example foxes). The foxes will be chasing down the rabbits to try to tag them. But then you will also choose a carnivore, at the top of that food chain (example wolf). The wolf is able to chase after either the foxes or the rabbits and tag them. When players are tagged they need to go to the teacher at the side to perform a predetermined quick exercise to get back into the game. The teacher also has a special job… (thanks to Richard Turenne for this game idea!)

Mini Gym Riot

· ALL, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, Gr 7, Gr 8, No Equipment!, Outdoor

Grade level: 4-8
Equipment: None or Various
Game Description: Here’s a game idea perfect for anytime – give it a try and have a pile of fun! Teams will face-off in a series of challenges to try to earn points (like they would in a real gym riot, however with smaller groups and maybe different challenges). Create 4 teams, and have a list of challenges ready – with or without equipment or a combination. For every challenge, each team will send one member to complete the challenge against the other teams, MAKING SURE PLAYERS TAKE EVEN TURNS THROUGH EACH CHALLENGE. You could arrange ‘surprise’ challenges where students are surprised with which challenge they are going to have to complete, OR show them the list and let them choose who from their team will complete which challenge. Use the examples given in the video, or come up with some of your own creative ideas! Teams earn points whenever their member wins a challenge. See which team comes out on top at the end, and reward them if you’d like. I like to reward the winning team with 20 burpees ;p

Act It Out

· ALL, Fun, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, Gr 7, Gr 8, No Equipment!, Outdoor, Small Group, Team-building

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!

The Great Outdoor Treasure Hunt

· ALL, Fun, Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3, Gr 4, Gr 5, Gr 6, Gr 7, Gr 8, K, Large Group, No Equipment!, Outdoor, Small Group

Grade level: K-8
Equipment: Nature
Game Description: What better way to use outdoor space than a scavenger hunt!? This hunt is a bit different from your typical hunt, because instead of a list that players need to just check off when they see the items, they must BRING THE ITEMS HOME to their collection area. You can and should create a secret treasure item that you’ve hidden somewhere outside beforehand (for example hide a Kleenex box somewhere good and players need to also retrieve a tissue from the box). Simply start by creating a home area where individuals or partners (depending how you want to do it) put their hula hoop on the ground, which is their collection area to bring the items into. Next, go over the rules with all students, and give them a list of the items (or leave a master poster at the home area so they have to use their memory). Note that they can only bring 1 item back at a time! Obviously choose items that students can find or access in your area/community. Stress the importance of respecting property and not taking things that they shouldn’t. At the end, players will return all the items that need to be returned!

PHYSEDGAMES

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