Warm Up / Small Games
Switch: Coloured cone at each corner matching the four colours of beanbags used. Everyone has a beanbag and travels to music, when switch is called they must change beanbags with someone else. When music stops they go to the corner with the matching cone. For upper primary - each corner involves a designated exercise.
Hoop Tag Shuffle: Everyone moves inside a hoop. They must have both feet in the hoop and keep the hoop on the ground. Choose one colour to be catchers. When children caught, swap hoops with catcher.
Body Part Game: When body part is called pupils should; put body part on beanbag, in hoop, on coloured line or just in group. Can also include a number so four hands in blue hoop etc.
Trucks and Trailers: In pairs, sitting back-to-back, creating a line of pairs down middle of hall. One side are trucks other side are trailers. When truck is called they must run to wall they are facing, trailer must stand and try to catch truck before they reach the wall.
Indian Run: Jogging slowly round the outside of the gym in single file. Person at the back must sprint to the front of the line, and when they get there they must remember to slow down. Can add a ball to be passed to the front, the person running to the front has to beat the ball.
Bean Game: Children are travelling whilst listening for type of bean to be called. Different beans have different actions. E.g. jelly beans - wobble, baked beans - lie in the sun, chilli beans - brrrrr, string beans - stretch up tall, kidney beans - sit back to back with one other, runner beans - sprint on the spot. Can also be played as egg game.
Octopus: Game where everyone must run from one side to the other without being caught by the ‘octopus’. When caught child becomes a tentacle which remains on the spot but can catch people passing too close.
Traffic Lights: Call out colours that have designated actions. Red - stop, amber - jog on spot, green - go. Speed camera - slow motion, roundabout - sit and spin etc.
Freeze Tag: Blue ball carrier can freeze people by touching them with the ball. Yellow ball unfreezes. When the yellow ball is handed to someone that is frozen they defrost and become the yellow ball carrier.
Mix Up Game: Three beanbags start in matching coloured hoops. One team must mix them up as the other team tries to keep them in the right hoops. One beanbag at a time, no throwing allowed.
The Incredibles Game: Similar to tag but when caught a child stands in a designated 'incredible' pose. The child can be freed when another child guesses which 'incredible' character they are.
Band Game: Everyone starts with a band tucked into their shorts. Game is to steal as many bands as possible. You can only steal if you have a band tucked in to your shorts. When the child is out (i.e they have no band) they keep jogging.
Travelling To Music: Children travel about the hall. When the music gets louder pace increases, slower = quieter, and stop when music stops.
Partner Tag: Facing a partner try to touch the body part of partner as it is called without them touching that part on you. For example: If 'elbows' is called each child tries to touch their partners' elbows as many times as possible and avoid them touching their own elbows.
Sticky Parts: Beanbag has to be balanced on body part when it is called.
Volcanoes and Craters: Divide children in to two teams. Start off with all discs/markers placed randomly around an area facing upwards and facing downwards. One team must try to get all discs/markers the correct way up - volcanoes, and at the same time the other team are turning them over - craters. This game is sometimes called domes and dishes.
Knee Tag: Divide children into small groups in a set area. It is tag but one person is the catcher and must try to touch other peoples knees. This is a good game for encouraging a good body position in volleyball and badminton.
Shadow Partner: Divide children in to pairs. Get one of the pair to travel about area making different movements. Their partner has to copy not only their actions, but also their pace and direction, and try to stick to their partner so that when 'stop' is called the child can reach their partner. Meanwhile the person in front is trying to lose their partner.
Coloured Cones: Follow a path of only one colour of cones – introduce specific skill – dribbling etc.
Partner Cardio: Divide children into pairs. Standing across from partner, the class is in two lines. One line is all the number ones, the others line are all number twos. Number ones start by running to partner and back x2, then the number twos go, repeating what partner just did. Introduce other exercises e.g. run to partner and jump, run to partner and do 8 high knees etc.
Wizards, Goblins and Giants: Can be related to Harry Potter. Game is like 'paper, scissor, stone'. Wizards zap goblins, goblins nip giants' ankles, giants stomp wizards. Two teams face each other after deciding which action they will all do. Winning team has to chase the other team and if any are caught before they reach the safe area they swap to the other team.
Foxes and Squirrels: Nominate some children to work in pairs, approx. 5 depending on class size. All pairs stand and hold hands above their heads thus creating 'trees' for the 'squirrels'. Nominate two catchers who will be the 'foxes'. Everyone else is a 'squirrel'. A squirrel is only safe from the foxes when they are in a tree. However, as there are less trees than squirrels when another squirrel comes to your tree the original squirrel has to leave this tree and try to go to another tree without being caught by the foxes. When a squirrel is caught they swap places with a tree.
Snake: For every ten children have a row of at least ten cones. The children must weave in and out of the cones. When the first person gets to the 3rd cone the next person starts and so on. When the first person gets to the end of the cones they turn and come back, snaking in and out of children and cones. You can add object control or different travelling movements.
Bug Catcher: This is tag with a variation. When caught the pupil lies on their back with legs and arms in the air until someone comes and touches their hand or foot so they can join back in. Please note the safety issues with pupils lying on the ground while others are running.
Fitness Tag: This is tag with a variation. Each time a person is caught they have to go to the side. First time out they do 1 jack, 1 sit up and 1 burpee. Next time caught they have to do two of each activity and so on.
Scarecrow Tag: This is tag with a variation. When the catcher touches a child they must stand like a scarecrow (arms out). To be freed someone must run under both arms.
Animal Tag: This is tag with a variation. When caught a child must do the actions of an animal - no noises. They are only free when someone guesses which animal they are. Keep the animals simple so that people can guess.
Chain Tag: Game starts with one catcher. The first person that is caught links with the catcher by holding hands, and they must stay linked to catch others. Chains can be no longer than 6 people so when it gets to 6 people the chain splits into 2s or 3s. Safety is an issue in this game so only try it with a class you know will follow the rules.
Video: Children follow the instructions of a video. Play - walk; Fast-forward - run; Rewind - walk backwards; Eject - jump; Pause - freeze.
Travelling Warm Up: Teacher calls out different travelling movements and pupils change the way they travel. Try to encourage the pupils to move in different directions.
Travelling Movements: