Every child needs to participate in gym class, but with games requiring some athleticism and cat-like reflexes, many kids end up sitting out. You can make the change this school year by including fun physical education games to play for kids of all ages and abilities.
Animal Yoga
A fun activity for all children, yoga teaches kids how to relax and practice deep breathing. While there are different yoga-themed activities to embark on with your class, younger kids can have fun learning about animals through yoga poses.
This game is perfect for students between preschool and the fourth grade. The poses you should include in the lesson:
- The butterfly
- The toad
- The snake
- The hawk
- The giraffe
Gaga Ball
For a more inclusive play experience, you don’t want dodge ball; you want gaga ball. Gaga ball is an inclusive game that everyone can enjoy. The game works well for all ages; all you need is a softball and a gaga ball pit.
Gaga ball is relatively easy to play and learn; the rules are simple to follow, and every game lasts between 1-2 minutes, depending on the group size. Here is a sneak preview of how to play gaga ball:
- Assemble the pit.
- Find a location indoors or outdoors.
- Grab a ball.
- Ensure it’s soft and easy to hit back and forth.
- Learn the rules and have fun!
- There should be a referee, so make sure there’s one for each round.
Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors
This game is fun as an icebreaker and everyday activity! To start off class, ask students to get into pairs of two. From there, they play a round of rock, paper, scissors. Now, whoever loses, you could have the student sit down or have the losing student follow behind the winner cheering for the classmate as they go against other pupils.
Referee the students and ensure they all cheer for the other player winning on their team. The process is similar to a tournament, but instead of sitting out, students cheer on their classmates until two students are left standing. To determine a winner before the final round, have a champion stand aside until the last two groups of students finish.
Throw Archery
Throw archery is a game that enhances motor skills. First, children toss bean bags at different targets to score points. Then, all you need to do is lay out jump ropes and mark the point value of each space. Once everything’s thrown, kids run over to pick their bags up, tally their scores, and look for a new opponent.
Every chance you get to include fun physical education games for kids, ensure it’s an inclusive one like the ones above. Every kid has a blast playing games that test their strategizing skills and nurture their cognitive and motor-skills building.
