February 24, 2012- Endurance Tag

Endurance is a LONG tagging game (hence the name).  Choose 3 students to be the taggers and give them noodles.  The other taggers line up on the other side of the gym.  I use the basketball baselines as the boundaries.  They must run to the other side without getting tagged.  If they make it to the other side (past the baseline) they are in a safe zone.  Each student is given 1 straw that they carry back to the starting line.  The object is to get as many straws as possible.  If someone is tagged they must exchange their straws for the tagger's noodle.  They are now the new tagger.  The game ends when all of the straws are taken.  Have students count up the amount of straws they have and return them to the teacher.

AGES: Kindergarten and up

EQUIPMENT: 3 tagging noodles, 300 straws (I buy a 100 pack and cut them into thirds), a bucket to hold the straws in.

February 23, 2012- Fitness Marathon

The fitness marathon is a great way to get children experience with many different activities in a short amount of time.  This also assumes that the students understand what all activities mean.  Basically you write out a list of activities for the students to do.  They do these activities with a partner.  When their partner and them finish, they sign their name on each other's sheet.  This will keep students accountable, and also help them interact with every student in the class.

EXAMPLE:
30 sit ups
30 push ups
100 jumping jacks
Throw and catch a ball 25 times
Touch all 4 gymnasium walls
20 mountain climbers
40 squats
25 forward-backward line jumps
25 side to side line jumps
hula hoop 20 times
jump rope 100 times
give your teacher a high five
plank as long as you can, now try again


You can add or subtract any activities.  The goal is to just keep the students active and interacting with others.  You choose the activities and the amount of work each student does.  Make it your own!!!

AGES: 3rd grade and up

February 21, 2012- Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones is a dodgeball and running game.  Split the students into two groups.  One groups stands at the basketball baseline.  The other stands on both sidelines all the way down the court.  The group on the sidelines has dodgeballs in their hands.  On the whistle the group on the baseline runs to try to make it to the other end without getting hit with a dodgeball.  If they get hit with a ball, they are out, and join the group on the sideline throwing.  The last person left is the winner- INDIANA JONES!  After you determine a winner the teams switch tasks.

AGES: 4th grade and up

EQUIPMENT: jerseys to differentiate between teams, about 25-30 dodgeballs

February 17, 2012- Toilet Tag

Pick 2-3 students to be the taggers.  When someone is tagged they must kneel down on one knee and hold their hand out to the side.  The only way to get back in is if another student "flushes" them by pushing their hand down.  Play for a few minutes then change taggers. 

EQUIPMENT: 2-3 tagging noodles

AGES: Kindergarten and up

MODIFICATIONS: I sometimes make my students spin 3 times after being flushed to mimic the actions of a toilet

February 16, 2012- Pitcher's Hand Kickball

This is a kickball game that can make every student successful.  Put out 4 mats for the bases.  Play typical kickball rules, except that ONLY way you can get someone out is by giving the ball to the pitcher while a runner is off base.  That is the ONLY way to get out. A caught ball is not an out.  There are no force outs.  You may have as many students on base as you would like.  The pitcher must stand inside a cirlce (I use a hula hoop) and pitch.  The pitcher can go outside the circle, but it only count as an out if the pitcher has the ball AND he or she is inside the circle.  There is a chance (a good chance) that a team can get several outs on one play.  We play 6 outs then we switch sides.  Make sure students keep the same order in line so everyone gets to kick.  If they get out of line, they automatically get 2 outs.

AGES: 2nd grade and up

EQUIPMENT: 1 kickball, 4 mats, 1 hula hoop

MODIFICATIONS: make somewhere an automatic home run.  For younger kids I like to use the farthest wall from home plate.  I reward a home run even if the ball doesn't hit the wall on the fly, so the outfielders have to run hard to stop the ball.  Play more or less outs depending on your students' abilities.

February 15, 2012- Oscar's Trash Can

This game may also be called Tornado Ball.  Basically two mats are set up in the middle of the gym.  The mats needs to be standing up and be connected in a circle.  Two students get inside the mat structure.  All of the other students throw balls (that are scattered on the floor) into the mat structure (trash can).  The two students inside the trash can must throw all of the balls out of the trash can.  Play for a couple of minutes then count the balls inside the trashcan.  After you count the balls, empty the trash can and pick two new students to be in the trashcan.

AGES: Kindergarten and up

EQUIPMENT: two folding gymnastic mats, as many dodgeballs as you can find

MODIFICATIONS: have students outside the trashcan work on throwing different ways- underhand, overhand, left hand, right hand, two hands, etc.

February 14, 2012- 4 Goal Soccer

Split your students into two even teams.  4 Goal Soccer is exactly what it sounds like.  It is a typical soccer game played with 4 goals instead of 2.  There also are 3 soccer balls on the field (or in the gym) at one time so there is more action for the students than a typical soccer game.  This keeps students involved more in the game.  When a goal is scored all 3 soccer balls start in the middle of the gym.  The team that got scored on gets to start with all 3 soccer balls.  If there is a handball play stops and the team gets to start with all 3 soccer balls at midfield. 

EQUIPMENT: 4 soccer goals, or tape to put on the walls to create goals, 3 soft foam soccer balls, jerseys to identify the two teams.

MODIFICATIONS: play with goalies, play without goalies, play with more soccer balls for bigger classes, can be played in a gym or outside.  If a lot of goals are being scored and play is being stopped many times, change the rules and after a goal the other team's goalie gets to start with the ball.  This will keep the game moving better.

AGES: 3rd grade and up