These games are great if you are looking for a filler in your lesson or a fun game to wrap up your lesson. They can take 10-15 minutes.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Kick Bowling Materials: Balls, Pylons or Plastic Bottles

  • Divide students into groups of 4. Give each group a ball, this will be the “bowling ball” and 6 pylons or plastic bottles these will be the “bowling pins”.
  • Each group will set up their pins in a triangle formation and use a pylon to mark the line that they must stay behind when kicking.
  • Ensure each group has enough space and will not interfere with other groups. If this is not achievable in the gym, you may want to play outside.
  • When the game is set up, each team member will take turns kicking the ball towards the pins, trying to knock down as many pins as possible.
  • After one person kicks the ball, they must run to the pins and set them back up quickly, then return the ball for the next person to go.
  • Note: You can create scoring sheets for the groups and encourage them to keep score during the game.

Move & Score Materials: Pylons and Balloons

  • Divide the students into teams of 4 (3 will run on the field and 1 goalie). To ensure all students get to practice being goalie they must rotate positions.
  • For every two teams create one play area with two nets, similar to a soccer field. Create the nets using pylons or actual nets if you have them.
  • The goal is to pass the balloon to your teammates 3 times before trying to score on the opposing teams net.
  • Once one team scores they give the balloon to the other team. If the balloon touches the ground, it becomes the other team’s balloon.
  • You can encourage teams to keep score or not. The main focus is being able to pass the ball to all their teammates before attempting to score.
  • Note: In terms of defense, you can scale how much they are aloud to use for example students are aloud to use their bodies (no hands) to try and make it difficult for the other team to score. However if a team is down 3 or more points they can use their hands to try and block the balloon.

Over, Under, Throw Materials: Foam Ball

  • Split the class into 2 equal teams. One team will have the ball, they other team will not.
  • The team with the ball will line up in a straight line. The person in the front of the line will have the ball and start by passing the ball to the person behind them by either going over their head (“Over”) or through their legs (“Under”).
  • The next person in line then passes to the person behind them by doing the opposite of what the person in front of them did. For example if the person in front did over then the next person does under.
  • Over, under continues to alternate until the end of the line. When the last person in line has the ball they will kick or throw the ball far away from the other team.
  • While the ball team is doing under over, the team without the ball is huddled in a tight circle or blob. That team chooses one of their team mates to run laps around their group, while the other team is going with the ball.
  • The goal is to get as many laps as possible before the other team throws the ball.
  • Once the ball team throws the ball, the laps team runs to the ball and beings the over under line. The other team that just threw the ball becomes the lap team and tries to get as many laps as possible.
  • Laps accumulate each round. At the end of the game, the team with the most laps is the winner
  • Notes: To increase the difficulty you can try using different size balls or have students try to move their ball down the line with their eyes closed.

Lucky Dice Materials: Gym Mats, Dice

  • Set up 6 gym mats around the gym and number them 1 through 6.
  • Have students move around the gym using different locomotor movements. You can play music during this time to keep the energy high.
  • When the teacher says “Stop” or when the music stops, students need to stand beside one of the mats (likely the one they are closest too).
  • The teacher will roll the dice. If students are standing by the mat/the number that is rolled they get a point.
  • Students keep track of their own points. Change the locomotor movement each round.
  • Note: Once students understand the game, start bringing in the idea of a “quick choice” when choosing a mat or else their choice will not count. You can also talk about who is lucky in terms of how many points a person gets or if there is skill involved?

Wash Hands Tag Materials: Two different coloured Foam Balls (3-5 of each)

  • In this game I use a red ball and a blue ball. You can use whatever colours you have, or if you don’t have different colours use two different types of balls.
  • The red ball is the “germ” ball. The blue ball is the “soap” ball.
  • Give 3 to 5 red balls to students, they will be the taggers. If someone is tagged with a red ball they are frozen by the germs.
  • The only way to be unfrozen is by having the blue ball handed to you. Once you have are unfrozen, you run around with the ball and try to unfreeze other people.
  • You can not be tagged when you have a blue ball, but students should not be holding on to the balls for more than 5 seconds if there are frozen people.
  • After a while you can stop the game and change the taggers. You can also change the locomotor movement.
  • Note: To increase the difficulty, you can add a throwing element for the blue balls. This means students can pass the balls to other players to unfreeze them.