Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: 2 basketballs
Game Description: What a fun shooting game! Players can get really sweaty; a good sign of healthy exercise. This continuous shooting game gives lots of reps of practice for the shooting skill. Even when players get knocked out of the game, they can either cheer on their friends who are left in the game or go shooting around on another hoop. This is a definite must-play physical education game, especially as a part of a basketball unit.
Category: Outdoor
Red Light Green Light
Grade level: K-4
Equipment: None
Game Description: Red light: stop. Green light: go. One of the most basic ideas to use to practice basic routine and whistle sequences, as well as basic movement skills. Lots of different ideas and variations can be implemented to enhance this game.
Pizza Tag
Grade level: 2-5
Equipment: None
Game Description: There’s a chef who’s ready to cook some pizzas. And then there are 3 types of toppings who try to run across to the other side without getting tagged by the chef. When tagged, players go into the oven, but only for awhile. This game is best played when students get to choose what toppings they’d like to be. Sometimes it gets pretty creative! Either way, lots of running, and lots of fun. Read More →
3-on-3
Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketball
Game Description: 3-on-3 basketball is a great way to play a scrimmage-type game using only 1 net. It’s great for practicing screens, picks and rolls, give and gos, triangles, cuts, and all other fundamental basketball skills. Many lunch hours have been spend in the gym playing good old 3 on 3 basketball.
3-Ball Soccer
Grade level: K-8
Equipment: 3 soccer balls
Game Description: For more action, and more touches, play 3 ball soccer. It’s essentially a big soccer game with the added bonus of 2 more soccer balls. Great to play especially with large classes or groups of students.
What Time Is It Mr. Wolf?
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.
Frisbee Golf
Grade level: 4-8
Equipment: Frisbees, hula hoops, pylons
Game Description: A great game to test out and practice throwing accuracy and targeting for frisbee. Create different holes at varying distances, with different pars for the course. See how many throws it takes to hit the target at each hole! Read More →
HORSE
Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketball
Game Description: The goal is to not be the HORSE. In this basketball shooting game, players must make the same shot that has been made by the player before them, or else they get a letter. So if your friend shoots from downtown and makes it, then you have to make that exact same shot, or you get a letter ‘H’. Fun little game to play with anywhere from 2-5 people.
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 →
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!