Category Archives: Lesson/Game/Activity

Balloon Games

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Balloon Keep it Up

  • Grade level: 2nd and up
  • Equipment: one ball or balloon for every group of four to six students.

Guidelines: 

  • See how long your group can keep the ball in the air, or count consecutive taps.
  • No one may tap the ball twice in a row.
  • Other ways to tap, elbows, shoulders, punches
  • Variation: Everyone must tap the ball once before anyone can tap it again softly.
  • Use the verbal cue “tap”, instead of “hit.” Try to stay in your own area.
  • Variation: Play one group against another. See which group can keep the ball up the longest.

Balloon Tap Race

  • Equipment : Balloon for each team,
  • Split each team in half, so there are 2-4 on each end of the gym.

Guidelines:

  • The ball is tapped in the air and each person on the first team take turns keeping the balloon in the air in an attempt to move the balloon to the opposite end of the gym.
  • When the balloon reaches the other end of the gym the balloon is passed to the other half of the team, while the 1st half of the team takes their places at that end of the gym.
  • How many times can your team move the balloon to the opposite end in 4 minutes.
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3. Knee Tag for Field Day

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3. Knee Tag: Everybody It

Setup and Equipment:

  • Boundary line markers
  • Yarn balls for a variation of the game
  • One of the out of bounds line is the fence, then set up other boundary lines using boundary markers or ropes.

Guidelines:

  • Students line up behind their cones to start.
  • This is an “Everybody It” Game:
  • The object of this game is to tag other players on the knee.
  • Students use a two-fingered (peace tag) on the knee.
  • If you get tagged on the knee, you immediately go down to one knee and extend a hand. You may continue playing the game after a classmate gives you a “five” with their hand.
  • You are immune from getting tagged whenever you are standing still with your hands covering your knees.
  • The 3 second rule applies for immunity, so you can’t do it for very long.
  • You may not move or run with hands on your knees.
  • This is continuous game.

Speed Up Variation: To add some excitement near the end of the activity. Stop the game and tell everyone that there is one rule change, for the next minute  you cannot cover your knees so there are no bases and the other tag rules remain.

Variation: Choose the Taggers: This time hand out yarn ball taggers to 4 people and they are the only taggers. In this game, if a yarn ball tags you anywhere on your body, go to one knee and one of your friends will give you a high five to free you.

  • THE MOST FUN WINS!
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1. Polyspot Basketball – Field Day

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Setup and Equipment:

  • Line up a red and blue cones in front of one basketball hoop  and the yellow and green cones in front of the other hoop about 30 feet from the hoop (just outside the free throw circle) facing the basket.
  • A pile of polyspots are lined up on the free throw line.
  • Students line up behind their color team cone to start.

Guidelines:

  • One basketball is given to the first person on each team. Note: We have basketballs that match the color teams.
  • On the start signal, one player from each team will dribble up to the basket and shoot the basketball.
  • If they miss the shot, they have one more opportunity to make it.
  • If both shots are missed, they must dribble back to their relay team and pass to the next player in line.
  • If the shot is made on the first or second try, the player should pick up one of the polyspot and bring it back to their team.
  • Dribble the ball back to your line and pass it to the next player, then go to the end of the line .
  • Remind players that they must dribble to and from the wherever they shoot the basketball from.
  • At the end of the game, teams may count up their points.
  • If the game is going slowly, you can add one basketball for each team, so more people are getting turns at the same time.
  • The Most Fun Wins!

Earn Points Variation:

  • Set up the spots before the game starts, you may have some students help with this. Choose two colors (for example green and yellow) spots and set them up farther from the basketball hoops. These spots are now worth 10 points each.
  • The rest of the spots that are located closer to the hoops are now worth 5 points each.
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Four-Way Tug of War

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Four Way Tug of War

four way tug of warSetup and Equipment.

  • One Tug of War rope that has four ropes that are red, blue, yellow and green.
  • Cones are set up around in a 4 foot square with one cone in the center.
  • Each team lines up and holds their color team’s rope.

Guidelines:

  • Everyone lines up and grabs their team’s rope
  • Make sure the teams are lined up, (like the picture above), so their weight is evenly distributed.
  • Leader stands near the center and gradually have the teams start to pull the rope towards them.
  • The object of this game is to have the center square of the rope move past the designated square identified by the cones.
  • When this area is breached, the game stops and each rope is rotated to the right, so they are now replacing the team that was on their immediate right.
  • A new game of tug of war begins…

Variation

  • Mix teams by having the last two people on each team move to the team on the right and move to the front of that line.

 

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2. Plutonium Transfer and Ball Ladder

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2.Plutonium Transfer and Ball Ladder

Line up Teams behind their cones: red, blue, yellow, green
Teach both games to begin, start one group on plutonium transfer, then when they’re done, they can start on one of the ball ladders.
Plutonium Transfer: A Team Building Activity
Your mission is to move the plutonium from the nuclear power plant to a safe storage facility.

Setup and Equipment.

  • 1 metal ring with 8 handles connected with a 5 ft. string

plutonium transerm pic

  • Four Cones: red, blue, yellow, green

Guidelines:

  • The plutonium transfer apparatus is set up with the ring resting on the base with a pole in the middle and a ball on top.  Eight strings with the four colored handles are stretched out so that there are no overlapping strings. The other base 5-15 feet away depending on the age of the group.
  • Each color team lines up in relay style (single file line, everyone facing the same direction).

Guidelines:

  • The first person and second person on each team step to the plutonium transfer site. Their mission is to carefully move the plutonium from the atomic energy plant to the safe storage facility.
  • They should each go to one of the handles that matches their color (red, blue, yellow, green.
  • When the 8 people are ready they can slowly try to lift the ball up together, then try to walk without dropping it to the safe storage.  On their first turn, if they drop the ball they should take everything back and lay out the string, handles and the ball in the same way it was when they started.
  • If a team makes it all the way and is able to put the plutonium on top of post, they should  rest the string and handles on the floor.
  • The next team of 8 now, does the same thing. Continue until everyone completes a turn. 
  • Once students have a turn, it’s time to move to the Ball ladder

Variation: Use different sized balls.

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2. Ball Ladder: A Team Building Activity

Move the ball down the steps of the ladder.

Setup and Equipment.

  • 2 ladders with four steps: eight people per ladder
  • 2 yoga balls
  • 1 ball
  • Four Cones: red, blue, yellow, green
  • Line up in color teams at the cones to start

 

agility lladder picyoga ball pic

 

Guidelines

  • Start two teams at each ladder (4 on each end)
  • There are four ropes on each end of the ladder.
  • Put the ball on one end (the last step) of the ladder.
  • Once you get it balanced, see if you can slowly roll it down the ladder. One team will need to lower their end, while the other team raises their end up.
  • It helps if the people holding the ropes spread far apart from each other.

 

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Keep Away

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 Setup and Equipment:

  •   One soft ball for 6-7 players standing in a four square or circle (10X10)
  •   One player is in the middle

 Guidelines:

  •   Players pass the ball around or through the square – no passing to the person next to you.
  •   If a ball is dropped the person that dropped it goes to the middle
  •   If a ball is uncatchable, the person that threw it switches places with the person in the center.
  •   If the center player steals the ball, they switch places with the player that threw the ball
  •   The center player may also get out by tagging the player that is holding the ball
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Knee Tag

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Knee Tag: Everybody It

Setup and Equipment: No equipment needed.

handsonkneesGuidelines:

  • This is an “Everybody It” Game:
  • The object of this game is to tag other players on the knee
  • If you get tagged on the knee, you immediately go down to one knee and extend a hand. You may continue playing the game after a classmate gives you a “five” with their hand.
  • Variation: You may have students do a 5 second or 5 repetition exercise such as push-ups, sit-ups, etc.
  • You are immune from getting tagged whenever you are standing still with your hands covering your knees. This is the same as standing on a base in many other tag games.
  • Players may only have hands on knees for three seconds, then they have to move.
  • You may not move or run with hands on your knees.
  • This is continuous game.
  • Speed Up Variation: To add some excitement near the end of the activity– The Teacher stops the music and asks everyone to raise their hands in the air. For the next minute you cannot cover your knees so there are no bases and the other tag rules remain.
  • After a minute is up, stop the music and everyone returns to the regular Knee Tag rules.
  • THE MOST FUN WINS!
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Juggling and Diabolo

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juggledog

Juggling 1 ball:  Throw – Catch, Throw – Catch

1. Throw and catch using one hand, then the other
2. Throw with one hand and catch with other
3. Throw, clap, catch with other hand
4. Throw, clap, clap, catch with the other hand
5. Throw, clap under leg and catch with the other hand and so on
5. Throw, turn all the way around and catch with other hand, etc.

Juggling 2 balls: 1. Throw – Throw, Catch-Catch

  1. Start with two balls in your favorite hand, throw one up, when it gets to the top, throw the other one
  2. Throw around in a circle, throw the first one out toward the side, when it peaks throw the second in the same arc, keep them going in a circle
  3. Throw in circle from outside to the center
  4. Do each of these 3 moves with the other hand
  5. Hold a ball in one hand, throw the first across like a big letter “x”, when it gets to the top throw the second up and across the other way; catch the first, pause, catch the second

Three Balls; Throw – Throw – Catch – Throw – Catch

  1. Start with 2 balls in your dominant hand. #1 is held loosely on the finger tips, #2 is in the other hand and #3 is deep in the dominant hand.
  2. Throw #1, Throw #2, Catch #1, Throw #3 and let #2 and #3 fall
  3. Throw #1, Throw #2, Catch #1, Throw #3, Catch #2 and let #3 fall
  4. Throw #1, Throw #2, Catch #1, Throw #3, Catch #2, Catch #3

    CUE: THROW-THROW-CATCH-THROW-CATCH-CATCH

    Challenge: Under the leg and behind the back can be used to start a juggling sequence.

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Diabolo

Diabolo

 

 

 

 

 

  •  Set the diabolo in front of your right foot, stand up and move to farther to the right if possible. The farther the diabolo is set to the right of you, the more spin possible. (Note: lefties will need to set the diabolo to the left)
  • Before rolling the diabolo, stand pointing your sticks at the diabolo off to your left. The string should be hanging from sticks to diabolo. If not, position the diabolo even farther right.
  • Roll the diabolo across the floor in front of you. Start your roll slow, but accelerate faster as the diabolo moves left.
  • As the diabolo reaches a point in front of you (before your left foot’s position); gently lift the diabolo up with both sticks.
  • The diabolo should be spinning counterclockwise.
  • Try to center the diabolo and begin to pull harder with the Right handstick.
  • Practice goals are to reach a medium speed without causing the diabolo to swing wildly after the pickup.

 

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Rock, Paper, Scissors Partner Tag

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Equipment and Setup:

  • Two lines facing each other in the middle of the gym.
  • Space each line so players are  spread out.
  • Each player should have someone across from them. This is their partner.

Practice with the teacher:

  • Rock is a fist (Everyone make a fist).
  • Paper is a flat hand facing down (Everyone make a flat hand facing down).
  • Scissors is a hand that simulates scissors with the 1st and 2nd fingers separating and closing (Everyone make a hand that simulates scissors).
  • ROCK SMASHES SCISSORS
  • PAPER COVERS ROCK
  • SCISSORS CUTS PAPER

Guidelines:

  • Teacher gives signal or starts music to begin game.
  • Partners do rock, paper, scissors by facing each other and pounding their fist into their hand and together chanting: “1,2,3 show”.
  • One the word “show” each player displays either rock, paper, or scissors.
  • When a player wins they become  they become the tagger and do 5 jumping jacks or three spins.
  • The other player may move around the gym and attempt to avoid the tag. When playing in the gym you may want to  define a locomotor skill such as walking (power walking), slide-stepping, skipping, or galloping.
  • The tag we use is called the peace tag. Hold your two fingers up and show the peace sign. When you tag, it is a  peaceful tag,  two fingers in the middle of your partner’s back.
  • After the tag, you can do the rock, paper, scissors to begin a new game again. In grades K /1/ 2 it may work better to just have partners change roles each time.
  • For a longer game and more interaction, pick new partners after each player has completed turns as the tagger and another turn as the player being tagged.

 

 

 

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