Games to Get K-5 Students Running and Beyond! by No Means Is This List Exhaustive and I Cannot Take Credit for All the Games
Christopher Jackson Health and Physical Education North Allegheny School District Peebles Elementary 8625 Peebles Road, Pittsburgh PA, 15237 Phone 412-366-9667, Fax 412-635-2464
[email protected] http://www.northallegheny.org/195520118134625533/site/default.asp
"HEALTHY ACTIVE STUDENTS MAKE BETTER LEARNERS"
Games to get K-5 students running and beyond! By no means is this list exhaustive and I cannot take credit for all the games. I have made them my own and changed the rules to developmentally appropriate for that age group. Many of the games have been adapted from old classics and some activities are from High school teachers and then simplified. I am sure any teacher at any level could adapt these activities for their needs by changing the name or the theme of the game. Good Luck!
Engle ball Skill Activity: Engle ball (outside)/Team Handball (inside) Equipment: Engle ball posts, 2 goal balls, 1 engle ball, cones Explanation: Two large balls are placed atop standards at opposite sides of a field. In a mixture of soccer and basketball, teams pass a smaller ball back and forth, attempting to knock the other team's ball off its perch with the smaller ball. A goal is worth one point and any offensive player who is touched (tagged) by a defensive player has three seconds to pass the ball to avoid a turnover.
Like basketball, teams don't have goalies and the goal is surrounded by a key area where offensive players aren't permitted (circle of cones). Teams do not have a set number of players—the number of participants is simply divided in half. There is no regulation field size and out-of-bounds are arbitrarily set.
Fit pin knock down: Directions: Each student will start the game with one bowling pin. Everyone must set their bowling pin up inside the designated playing area. The object is to protect your bowling pin and keep your bowling pin standing while knocking over other student’s pins. Students may block the softie balls being thrown at their bowling pin. However, they cannot touch the bowling pin to protect it. If a student’s bowling pin gets knocked down they must go to the designated area and perform an exercise of your choice before they can come back into the game. After the student performs the exercises they can find any knocked down pin and set it up as their pin and resume the game. Switch the exercises a few times throughout the game. Student cannot knockdown anybodies bowling pin unless their bowling pin is set-up.
Learning Activity HEART ATTACK TAG Resource: Adapted by Claudia Hickly from Aerobics with Fun by Kuntzleman and McGlynn Focus: Risk factors for heart disease Equipment: three gator skin balls; red, green, yellow; 6 cones to mark off the hospital
Explanation: We can help prevent heart disease by establishing healthy habits: daily physical activity, low-fat diet & not smoking. People with bad habits are more likely to have heart disease that may result in a heart attack. Choose 3 students to be the “Bad Habits” (taggers). The worst Bad Habit is “Smokey” who carries the red ball representing a lit cigarette. The next Bad Habit is “Couch Potato” who carries the yellow ball representing all the fat you’ll accumulate being inactive. The third Bad Habit is “Junky” who carries the green ball representing a high fat, junk food diet. Think of the green cavities.
The Bad Habits will try to tag the other players. When tagged, a player now has a bad habit that slows him down and prevents him from functioning at his best. He must Freeze and begin performing slow motion jumping jacks. A player may be unfrozen when another player faces him and says “Get rid of that bad habit!” Both players will then do 5 jumping jacks together at regular speed. After completing the 5 jumping jacks, both players re-enter the game. No one may tag a player while he is unfreezing another player. Taggers may not puppy guard.
When a player is tagged once, he has one risk factor. Tagged the second time, he has two risk factors. Players do not have to be tagged by different risk factors. When a player is tagged for the third time, he has a heart attack. Player must collapse on floor with arms crossed on chest and chin tucked in. Another player will act the part of the EMT and yell “911” then pulling the victim by heels to the hospital/sideline. Heart attack victims must tuck chin to chest and wrap arms around head while being pulled to the hospital. Victims must perform 10 push-ups before being released from hospital and back into the game.
Start Signal: “If you want a healthy heart, stay away from the Bad Habits!” Or “Watch out for the Bad Habits!” Discuss Cardiovascular disease and #1 and #3 killers of Americans
Skill Activity Jump rope basic individual skills. Swings, 1 foot, THROW OVER, backwards, . Split group by ability to give extra attention to struggling students.
Learning Activity- Discuss Cardiovascular disease and #1 and #3 killers of Americans
Capture the Flag
Two classes will compete against each other at a time. There will be two cones with flags in them and a jail area on each end of the field of play. A centerline will divide the two halves of the field. The object is to capture the opposing team’s flags and bring it across to your side of the field without being tagged. Once across the centerline give the flag to the official. There will be TWO flags to capture. The first team to capture both flags is the winner. The flags do not have to be brought over the line at the same time. Once a flag is captured, it may not be taken back by its team (give flag to official). If a person is tagged on the opposing team’s side of the field, that player must go to jail. To be released from jail, a member of your team must get to the jail without being tagged. The rescuer can tag as many players as they wish. A freed player must raise their hand as they have a free walk back to your side. You may not be freed from jail and run directly to the opposing team’s flag. You must return to your side of the field. The rescuer player is not safe and can be tagged or can try to steal the flag. If a player is tagged while they have the other teams flag, the flag goes back on the cone and the player goes to jail. Flag guards may not go inside the defense zone (small cones) to guard the flag. They may only enter the zone when a player from the other team enters the zone.
Star Wars (gymnasium game) – Play STAR WARS theme music Divide class into 2 equal teams
Set up 6 pins 1’ behind each side line with equal spacing (tape marks on floor). 2 large cones with tennis ball on top and small dome cone with small red sponge ball on top.
Object of game is to be the first team to knock all the other teams’ pins down and balls off cones. LEVEL 1 = knock down the opposing teams pins. Teams may try to throw a ball through the opposite teams hoop for a power up. The player that makes the hoop is able to get a pin and set it back up. (teacher may stop this at any time declaring no more power ups). After all pins are knocked down you may not power up). LEVEL 2 = Knock tennis balls off tall cones (communication towers) LEVEL 3 = Knock small red ball off cone (Death Star)
OTHER RULES Players may not cross the half way line. Defense may not stand behind the black line 1’ in front of the pins. If a pin is knocked down in anyway (ball or defense player) it must be “cleaned-up” place in box at sides of gymnasium within a 10 second count. Otherwise a penalty shot is given to the other team. All team members get one shot without any defense. After all pins are knocked down declare a winner. Shout “clean up” The first team who can clean up the fastest can receive a bonus point. All balls on the line and pins set up and players all sitting on the start line without talking.
Cops and Robbers Grade 1-2
Directions: There will be 3 equal sized teams. 2 teams will be the robbers and try to raid the bank/steal the money/bean bags. They will run from their hideout (safe spot, cannot be tagged) to the bank with the money/beanbags and if they are tagged go to jail. The other 1/3 of students are the police/taggers. If a police tags a robber anywhere except for the robber’s hideout the police must escort the robber to jail/coned off area. Robbers get out of jail by doing 10 exercises (jumping jacks, push-ups, etc.). – Robbers must then go back (sneak) to the hideout outside of the boundaries. Tagger/police must take the robbers to jail and place any loot back in bank before they can tag another robber. If a robber makes it to the bank then they can take one bean bag/ money and try to make it back to the hideout without being tagged. If tagged go to jail. If you go outside boundaries go to jail. After about 3 - 4 minutes switch the teams around, try to keep the time equal. Count money collected at the end to see who collected the most money/bean bags. Try to play 3 games so each team gets a chance to be the cops.
VARIATION = Play with 2 teams…this make it much harder to steal the gold and the group must work harder as a team to send out decoys!
Watch out for police who do not take a tagged player to Jail and take loot back to the bank.
Equipment – jerseys for the police, bean bags, crate for robbers to put bean bags in, cones
Pirates of the Caribbean Equipment: 30 Bean Bags, 2 Buckets, 2 Large Hula Hoops, team vests Explanation- The class will be divided into two teams. Teams wear vests use 2 different colors. Each team is located on one-half of the gymnasium floor. This game may also be played outside using cones to mark the boundary lines. (Use a good size area on the field. There are 20 bean bags located behind the other team. The object of the game is to be able to make it through the other team without being tagged to gather one of the bean bags (treasures). If a student makes it past the other team to a bean bag without being tagged, he/she runs back to his/her treasure chest (bucket) with the bean bag overhead and places the bean bag inside the bucket. If a player is tagged on their way over, they immediately go to the dungeon (hula hoop) on the other teams side, placing at least one foot inside the hula hoop. The tagged student crosses his/her arms over their chest to signal that they have been tagged. In order for a player to return to the game from the dungeon, they must be brought back by a teammate who has successfully made it passed the other team without being tagged. The student who has made it across the floor without being tagged holds a student's hand from the dungeon and returns back across the half court line and begins play again. One player can be designated to guard the dungeon and three or four players can guard the treasures as long as they stay in front of the treasure line. A player is only allowed to pick-up one bean bag (treasure) per trip and is not allowed to pick-up a treasure and release a prisoner from the dungeon in the same trip. Once a player is "freed" (hand held to the half court line) from the dungeon, they are not allowed to get a treasure. They must return to their half of the gymnasium first before they can go and get another prisoner or pick-up a treasure. The game ends when one team has captured all of the other team’s treasures.
Note: A player can not be tagged while holding a prisoner's hand. A player can not be tagged when they are on their own half of the gymnasium (safe zone). Variations: A "jail break" can be called by the teacher if there are too many players stuck in the dungeon. This is a free pass to their respective teams.
Lord of the rings- 4 teams = Dwarfs, Elves, Hobbits and Men. Split playing area into 4 equal zones = 4 Shires or lands in Middle Earth.
Each team has 3 towers. With 3-4 deck rings upon each tower. The object of the game is to capture as many rings as possible and put them in the box in your zone. Each team will have a ring bearer. There job is to replenish the towers with rings as they are removed by the other invaders (teams). No more than 3-4 per cone. Any time a player is tagged they become frozen, a person from that team must come over and free them. When a team looses all their rings the game is over and the team with the most rings wins. Zones can be shut down (exercise while shut down) at any time so other teams can catch up.
Brave heart- Set up a perimeter and have two equal teams wearing team vests standing on each end line. On Go signal the teams will attempt to tag all the others out of the game before being tagged themselves. When one team is all tagged out the other team wins. If tagged you run around the perimeter until the game is over and we start again. Check number of steps after each game. Repeat.
Sharks and minnows Select 2-4 It’s to stand in the middle of the playing area and the rest of the players (minnows) try to run from 1 end zone to the other without being tagged. If tagged you help the Sharks (IT). The last 2 minnows left will be the next rounds Sharks.
Tom and Jerry (cat and mouse) – use a large field Grade 1 and 2 Create several mouse houses. Mice (players) must run between houses on a signal from the cats (IT). The cats say “ we are the cats” Mice “ we are the mice” Cats “ were going to get you” Mice “Oh no you are not” Cats “Oh yes we are” Mice run and scatter to a house if tagged become a cat and help tag (cats start in the center of playing area).
Wipeout Grade 3 to 12 – Play on large field Runners have to make it from different color zones with being caught by the Aliens (taggers). If you are caught then you become an alien. Randomly space the color zones (circles of cones) around the playing area. Students have to make it to the next zone to make it to the next level. Each level will become more difficult as there will be more Aliens. Runners can pick up immunity shields (rings) which are located around the playing area. If they get tagged they can give the ring to the tagger (alien) and they go free. The alien must return the ring to the space ship before they can tag another player.
BINGO BALL Equipment: 18 bowling pins, 24 poly spots, lots of nerf balls Set-up: Divide the class into two teams with a dividing line down the middle. Spread twelve polyspots across the back of each team’s area. Each team begins with six-nine pins. Stand each pin on a polyspot so that each team begins with six empty polyspots and six with pins standing on them.
How to Play: Students throw nerf balls across the dividing line and try to hit a pin on the other team’s side. If a ball you throw knocks over a pin, you may run across the line, bring the pin back to your side and set it up on one of your team’s empty polyspots. Play until one team achieves “Bingo” by collecting all twelve pins on their side -- this almost never happens unless you want to add more pins to the game. Students may only pick up one ball at a time.
Variations: Specify something different from throwing: kicking, rolling, soccer throw-in, etc
Wild West Bounty Hunter – play on large field space – natural boundaries and obstacles (such as trees and bushes) are fun additions! Explain you are the sheriff and there has been a jail break. I need bounty hunters to saddle up and ride to chase down those doughnut eating thieves. All thieves will wear a flag belt. Bounty hunters will attempt to steal flag belts. If a belt is stolen the bounty hunter must take it to the sheriff for the share of the bounty money $100 for each criminal. The last villain standing with a belt wins. The Bounty hunter with the most cash wins. Play in the largest safest area you can allow within vision. It is nice to have some natural obstacles the players can use to go around. Stay away from swing/play sets.
VARIATION: play with out flag belts and give the convicts $500 in Fitness Bucks! Each time a tagger tags them they must give the bounty hunter $100. The Bounty hunter with the most loot at the end of the game wins and the Convict with the most left at the end of the game wins also!
Motion Pictures – (take lots of pictures of objects out and about around your school wear kids can safely run to!) wearing a pedometer the students will take a picture from the basket and move to it with their group. Groups will have to move together as a team and remain connected the whole time while holding a rope with one hand (you may choose not to use a rope!) Discuss keeping team together for safety and also all team must shout check when they reach the object!) The team with the most pictures completed and the team with the most steps will be the winners, the team who were the most cooperative and helped others along. Extend game by going a designated route. The team can get back first wins? Have to retrieve the match/double photo as a check point. Various places around the school grounds.
VARIATION: Give a team 2 or 3 photos to go and find in a row! This game is so simple yet the students love to play it!
Scavenger Hunt- Cardiorespiratory review. SET UP - Place questions around the school at the destinations. The first team to solve the PE quote will win. Students will travel to various places as a team trying to solve riddles to the places that hold the question to a clue. (for example “There is No place like this HOME” answer = home plate) When a team finds a location they must search for a question card they should race to the teacher to unlock the clue. They need to tell the teacher the right answer to the clue. If they give a wrong answer you can ask another question or ask for another try. Once correct the teacher will give them a card with the next clue on it and a part of the answer to the riddle. Riddle = The Best Wealth is HEALTH, or seven days without exercise makes one weak! At the bottom of this sheet they must unscramble the clues to complete the quote. The first team to arrive completed will be the winner! Teams must travel and work together or risk loosing 3 points for breaking away from their groups.
Running back Tag Choose 3 or 4 students to be taggers. To identify them they can wear a pinnie if you wish. Every other student has a football (Optional tuck a flag on each side of waist. Student’s footballs will then line up in the End Zone. These students need to be spread out. On the teachers signal the students in the End Zone (football players), try to score a touchdown by running successfully to the other End Zone. While running they must keep their footballs tucked under their arms and keep from being tagged by dodging and fleeing. If they make it to the other end, they are safe. Students wait in the end zone, until the signal to repeat--running again to the opposite end zone. If a student gets their flag pulled or drops their football they become taggers. Stop the game every minute or so to change positions and restart the activity