Your cart is empty

20 of the best indoor pe games.

Not every day is sunshine and rainbows. When it's too cold outside, or the rain is pouring down, having a list of fun indoor games can help the kids stay entertained, even when you need to fill an entire hour of physical education class.  

This article includes 20 of the best indoor PE games for all ages. From  9 Square  to throwing a dance party, this list of the best indoor games will keep every student looking forward to indoor gym class. 

1. 9 Square 

Indoor 9 square with strong metal frame and nets

9 Square is a fun combination of volleyball and four square (two beloved games). To play, you will need a 9 Square court .  

9 Square is the perfect indoor gym game because it encourages healthy competition, yet without the bite of a one-on-one battle. Nine people can play in a single 9 Square court simultaneously, ensuring that plenty of people participate. As the game goes on, players are always coming in and out of the game.   

The game is simple. Players stand in a three by three grid, and the middle square is the King or Queen square. The rest of the positions spiral out until the bottom corner is square nine, the starter square. If a player misses the ball, they have to move down to the last square, and all other players move up.  

The game's goal is to get to the King or Queen square and then stay in that position. All players have the same chance to move up, meaning that everyone is on an even playing field. If someone hits the ball out, they're out. If they drop the ball, they're out. 

9 Square is the perfect game for a tournament, as those who maintain their place as King or Queen move up and others move down. Because  9 Square is always changing, it will keep kids (even high schoolers) entertained for a full PE class. It's one of the best rainy day games. 

2. Zombie Tag

zombie

Zombie Tag is one of the most entertaining games for kids in PE. It's fun, exciting, suspenseful, and terrifying—every child will love it.  

To play Zombie Tag, you will need no extra equipment or items. All you need is a start line and a finish line. In most situations, you can have the start line be one wall of the gym, and the finish line be the other wall. This also means that the kids will be running back and forth across the gym, getting the most exercise possible.  

Start by selecting one person to be the zombie. The zombie will start in the middle of the gym and can't walk any closer until the gym teacher starts the game. Line up all the other kids on the starting wall. When the whistle blows, the kids will race towards the opposite wall, avoiding the zombie. If the zombie tags one of the players, that person stops running and is a zombie in the next round.  

When everyone has made it to the other wall (not including the new zombies), the game starts over. The new zombies line up on the middle line and try to tag the survivors. The game goes back and forth until there are only one or two players left. At that point, the survivors have lived through the zombie apocalypse and are the winners of the game. 

Zombie Tag is the perfect game for an active gym class. Kids will love the excitement of the game and the thrill of surviving the "zombie apocalypse."

3. Yoga and Pilates

yoga

For kids of any age, yoga and pilates are great indoor activities. Yoga and pilates use body weight to tone and stretch muscles. To hold a yoga or pilates class, you will need a yoga mat for each student.  

Once each student has a yoga mat, begin a simple yoga class. Yoga focuses on slow, meaningful movements and aims to lengthen and strengthen the body. Some benefits of yoga include: 

  • Improved strength and flexibility  
  • Eases chronic pains 
  • Helps to manage stress 
  • Encourages relaxation 
  • Benefits heart health 
  • Improves moods 

By introducing your students to yoga, you're teaching them to a new way to look at exercise and showing them an easy way to manage stress. Yoga is an easy way to introduce overweight kids to exercise. It's undaunting and relaxing—providing the perfect introduction to exercise without forcing the kids to run laps around a track. Best of all, yoga focuses on self-love and teaches you to love yourself no matter what you look like.  

Yoga, pilates, and meditation benefit students by providing them with an outlet for stress and an easy way to exercise. After hosting a yoga class, you'll find that many students continue their practice outside of school and will adopt yoga as a way to feel good and release pent up stress and frustration. 

4. Gaga Ball

indoor gaga ball froggy ball

Gaga Ball  works great as both an indoor and outdoor game. It's a game that is similar to dodgeball where you get out if the ball hits you below the knee or if you hit the ball out of the pit . If you're the last person standing then you've won the game.

5. Captain, Yes Captain 

captain

Captain, Yes Captain is an active form of Simon Says. One person starts as the Captain and gives commands to the other players. Rather than telling the player word for word what to do, the Captain yells coded commands. At the beginning of the game, the Captain tells the other players what the codes mean. If someone can't figure out what the code means, they're out of the game and must "walk the plank."

Some ideas for Captain commands include: 

  • "Bow:" run to the front of the gym
  • "Stern:" run to the back of the gym 
  • "Row:" drop to the ground and begin rowing your arms
  • "Salute:" stand straight and salute the Captain 
  • "Starboard:" run to the side of the gym 
  • "Captain's Quarters:" run to the Captain 
  • "Shark!:" run to designated bases 

When the Captain yells, "Shark!" everyone has to run to a specific base to stay safe from the shark. The last person to arrive gets eaten by the shark and is out of the game. The Captain continues to call out orders until they eliminate nearly everyone from the game. The last person alive becomes the new Captain. 

6. Musical Chairs 

music

Musical Chairs is an easy game to play with students of all ages. The game is fun to watch and fun to play, making it a great game even if you're the first person eliminated. To play, all you need is a group of chairs. You will need a chair for every participant. Before you start, take away one of the chairs so that there's one person without a chair.  

When the music starts, encourage everyone to dance as they walk in the circle around the chairs. The moment the music stops, everyone has to find a chair. The person who doesn't get a chair is out of the game.  

Before starting the second round, make sure to take away another chair. The game continues until there's one person left sitting.  

7. Speedball 

red ball

Speedball is a great indoor activity to help kids learn each other's names. It's perfect for the first day of gym class. To play, you will need several red bouncy balls.  

Gather all the students in a circle and pass the ball to another player. As the ball leaves your hands, call out the name of the person you're passing the ball to. The person has to be paying attention to catch the ball. When they catch the ball, they pass it to another player.  

If someone drops the ball, they're out of the game. The game narrows until there are only a few players left. As the game continues, add more balls. This means that the players must keep their eyes on several balls flying at the same time. If two balls collide, the two students who threw the balls are out of the game. 

The game is fast-paced since no one can hold a ball for longer than a few seconds. If the teacher yells out, "Red Handed!" the person holding one of the red balls is out. In this way, the game is similar to Hot Potato.  

Speedball is an easy game for all ages. It encourages the students to learn names and form new bonds with other students in the class. 

8. Paper Airplanes 

paper airplane

No matter how old your students are, they will always love playing with paper airplanes. It's the perfect indoor activity for both kids in elementary school and kids in high school. Flying paper airplanes reminds older kids of simpler times—when homework was easy to complete, and their social lives were easy. In a way, flying paper airplanes can help older kids relax and relieve stress. Young kids will always enjoy the simplicity of creating a paper airplane and trying to make it fly.  

For your indoor gym class, give your students a break from the constant barrage of activities and let them throw paper airplanes. Host a paper airplane contest and see what the kids bring to the table. If it's going to rain for two days in a row, plan a tournament. 

On the first day, bring paper for the kids and show them a few designs that work. Have a mock competition. When the kids go home, task them with designing the ultimate paper airplane . When they return the next day, hold a tournament and have the kids compete with their airplanes. 

Start by grouping the kids into groups of ten. The top five from each group move onto the next round. The tournament continues until there are only two paper airplanes left competing. If you want to go the extra mile, bring a small golden paper airplane trophy for the tournament winner.  

This activity encourages kids to put their all into the activity and have fun in their gym class. 

9. Hula Hoop Tic Tac Toe 

tic tac toe

Hula Hoop Tic Tac Toe is an easy indoor game that encourages kids to master motor skills. To play, you will need nine hula hoops and several bean bags or stuffed animals to throw. Set up the hula hoops in a three by three grid, mimicking the grid of a tic tac toe game.  

Separate the students into teams of four (you can also have several games going simultaneously so that everyone can participate). The starting team throws one bean bag into the hula hoops. If the toy lands in a hula hoop, the team claims that position. If the bean bag lands outside of the hoops or lands in a previously taken hoop, the turn skips.  

Other than throwing the bean bags or stuffed animals into the hula hoops, the game is played just like tic tac toe. To make the games last longer, set up this game as a tournament so that one team walks away as the Hula Hoop Tic Tac Toe champion. 

10. Free Play Stations

basketball

Gym class doesn't always have to be structured. Sometimes, the best gym activity for your group of students is free play. Free play means that you set up several stations, and the kids can choose which game they want to play. 

Free play doesn't mean that the kids can choose to sit out of gym class. Instead, it means that they have an opportunity to choose between several activities that you introduced earlier in the school year.  

Easy free play activities include: 

  • Volleyball 
  • Basketball 

The purpose of free play is to let the kids decide which activities interest them most. Hopefully, the students will stay engaged in the activities. Before hosting the free play, make sure to ask your class which activities are their favorite and then try to incorporate those activities in the free play. 

11. Fitness Bingo  

bingo

Fitness Bingo is a great way to get the kids moving without forcing them to run lap after lap. Instead, make exercising a game. Fitness Bingo doubles as both an indoor game and an outdoor activity, making it a versatile option for any time of the year.  

To play Fitness Bingo, print out a bingo card for every kid. The bingo card should have different activities listed in the boxes. Throughout the gym, set up fitness stations. For example, in one corner of the gym, set up a balance beam. On the opposite corner, put up a sign that says, "Push-ups." 

The kids will have options on the bingo card and choose which option they want to participate in first. There's no rush or prize to win by finishing your card before the rest, which encourages a non-competitive atmosphere in the room. The students can also choose to work as a team to complete their cards or exercise alone. 

Fitness Bingo is a circuit of activities that allows students to exercise at their own pace. Some kids might complete their bingo cards within the first ten minutes, while others might take the entire class. The bingo card's purpose is to let the kids take the exercises at a speed that makes them feel comfortable. 

12. Roll the Dice

dice

For this game, you will need two large homemade paper dice. On every side of the dice, write a physical activity. One by one, the students will come up to the front of the room and roll the dice. The whole class has to do the two chosen activities.  

This game is easy to participate in, and it includes the entire class. Rather than just doing exercises, it adds intrigue because the students never know what the dice are going to roll. Here are 12 ideas for your dice.  

  • 20 arm circles
  • 10 burpees 
  • 10 push-ups 
  • 20 calf raises 
  • 30-second plank 
  • 20 crunches 
  • 10 jumping jacks 
  • 30-second run in place 
  • 10 star jumps 
  • 5 triceps push-ups

This game is fun because the kids get a great workout while exercising as a group. The group might collectively groan when someone rolls a combo of "10 burpees" and "10 push-ups." Or the group might cheer when someone rolls "20 arm circles" and "10 jumping jacks." No matter what the kids roll, this is sure to tire out all the participants. 

13. Badminton  

Badminton

Badminton is a great game for kids of all ages. It's simple to set up with easy-to-follow rules. For an indoor activity during a rainstorm or too-cold weather, set up the indoor badminton courts inside the gym. Create a tournament ranking where the best teams move one way, and the losing teams move the other direction.  

Badminton is a great indoor game for young kids and teenagers. No matter the age of your class, everyone will love this indoor activity. 

14. Twister 

twister

Twister both stretches and strengthens your entire body. In a way, Twister is like a yoga class, but with added competition. To play Twister with your entire gym class, you will need a large Twister mat . Separate the group into teams so that each mat has the right amount of players. Then, start the game.  

Although the class will be divided into teams, they are not competing solely within their groups. Every student must try to be the last one standing (or crouching).  

This game will keep the class entertained while they're stuck inside. It's an easy game to set up and has few rules, making it ideal for classes of all ages. 

15. Dodgeball  

dodgeball

One of the best indoor games that maximize physical exercise is Dodgeball. Dodgeball encourages teamwork and helps kids work on their aim and coordination. To play, split the class into two teams. Line up a row of rubber balls along the centerline, the midpoint between the two teams. On a count of three, the two teams will race towards the centerline and try to grab the rubber balls. As soon as they get to the balls, the team will begin throwing them at the opposite team.  

If someone hits a member of the opposite team, that person is out. However, they can get back into the game. There are two different versions you can play. The first version has team members line up just outside the game. If someone from their team catches a ball from the opposite team before it hits the ground, the thrower is out, and someone from the catcher's team comes back into play. 

The second way to play is much more dynamic and ensures that you're still in the game even when you're out. Instead of lining up in order, players stand on the opposite players' side. When someone throws the ball out, the players run to get it and throw it at the opposite team. This means that teams must constantly be looking over their shoulders to watch out for the "backstabbers." 

If a backstabber gets a player out on the opposite team, they join their team again. This version is best for older kids since it requires everyone to be constantly on their guard.  

No matter what version of Dodgeball you choose to play, the students will love it. It's a great game for building teams and is the perfect indoor recess or indoor gym class activity. 

16. Spikeball 

spikeball

One of the best indoor recess games is Spikeball. It's a great indoor game because you don't need a lot of space to play. The one drawback to Spikeball as a PE game is that only four people can play at a time. You will need multiple Spikeball games to allow more than four people a turn at the game. Because only a limited number can play, this game is best for free play or indoor recess.  

Spikeball comes with a small trampoline and a single ball. Players hit the ball on the trampoline, with alternating teams hitting the ball. If a team can't hit the ball back, the opposite team wins a point. The game is highly popular and is a great option for free play during gym class. 

17. Volleybound  

volleyball

Volleybound is a variation of volleyball. The slight variation in the game makes the game more entertaining for the players. To play, each player will need a rubber ball. The players hold their ball pressed between their two hands. When the volleyball is hit over the net, they hit the ball using the ball in their hands.  

You can also purchase a Volleybound set (since playing with a red bouncy ball could send the balls flying halfway across the gym). Volleybound balls come with handholds to make it easier to keep a grip as the students hit the volleyball back and forth. 

18. Keep the Ball Up 

beach ball

This simple game focuses on leg work. By the end of the gym hour, the students will be exhausted, even though they'll be lying down for the entire game.  

To play, you will need a large beach ball. You may also want to lay mats down on the floor so that the kids aren't lying directly on the floor. Have the kids lay down side by side on the mats and then tell them to put their feet in the air.  

Throw the ball into the group of kids and tell them to keep the ball from touching the ground. They will have to kick and punch the ball into the air to keep it up. They will have fun laughing and screaming as they do their best to keep the ball from touching the ground. 

19. Obstacle Course 

climbing

To keep the young kids entertained during indoor gym class, create an obstacle course. Although this takes a lot of preparation, it's the perfect way to make sure that the students are having fun while exercising.  

An obstacle course requires the kids to finish tasks as they get from one side of the gym to the other. Tasks could include walking over a balance beam, jumping across a bean bag river, throwing a stuffed animal into a laundry basket, climbing over a training wall, and more.  

The genius of an obstacle course is that it lets the kids' imaginations shine. Throughout the obstacle course, the kids will create a narrative. For example, when crossing the balance beam, the kids will imagine crossing a river on a rickety old log. If they fall, they will tumble into a fast current that will carry them away—even when they're just crossing a wooden balance beam.  

Obstacle courses let the kids run wild with their imaginations. The various tasks of balancing, jumping, climbing, and crawling are great exercises for kids! 

20. Snowball Fight 

sock

Indoor snowball fight? How is that possible? Buy several packs of clean socks and roll the socks into tight balls to create fun indoor snowballs. For this game, you can combine aspects of your obstacle course with a fun snowball fight.  

Set out a variety of supplies on the gym floor, including cardboard boxes, gymnastics training blocks, sheets, and other buildable materials. Separate the class into two teams and instruct the teams to build several fortresses on their half of the gym. 

Once the fortresses are ready, pass out the sock snowballs. Each team will try to knock out as many players as possible, reusing the snowballs as they fly from one side to the other. Essentially, this is a fun version of Dodgeball that helps the kids imagine that they're outside having a snowball fight. It's the perfect game for young kids and can be played at any time of the year since it's an indoor gym game. 

21. Dance Party 

dance party

One of the best PE activities to lift spirits on a rainy day is a dance party. Throwing a dance party is easy since all you need is music. The kids will get plenty of exercise as they dance and have fun in the gymnasium.  

If your class is more reserved or shy, teach them a choreographed song. At the end of the day, some of the kids might discover a love of dancing or even find that they have a new skill. This activity teaches new skills and encourages the kids to try new things. 

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

  • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
  • Opens in a new window.

Have Questions?

Answers to common questions can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page! If that doesn't work give us a call or email. We're happy to help!

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

FREE Book Bracket Template. For March and Beyond!

46 Unique Phys Ed Games Your Students Will Love

Get your steps in!

Kids playing elementary PE games like head, shoulders, knees, and cones and rock, paper, scissors, bean bag, balance

There’s nothing kids need more to break up a day spent sitting still and listening than a fun PE class to let off some steam. In the old days, going to gym class probably included playing kickball or dodgeball after running a few laps. Since then, there have been countless reinventions of and variations on old classics as well as completely new games. Although there is no shortage of options, we love that the supplies required remain relatively minimal. You can transport to another galaxy using just a pool noodle or two or create a life-size game of Connect 4 using just Hula-Hoops. You’ll want to make sure to have some staples on hand like balls, beanbags, and parachutes. There are even PE games for kindergartners based on beloved children’s TV shows and party games. Regardless of your students’ athletic abilities, there is something for everyone on our list of elementary PE games!

1. Tic-Tac-Toe Relay

Students stand in the background. In the foreground are several hula hoops laid out on the floor (elementary PE games)

Elementary PE games that not only get students moving but also get them thinking are our favorites. Grab some Hula-Hoops and a few scarves or beanbags and get ready to watch the fun!

Learn more: Tic-Tac-Toe Relay at S&S Blog

2. Blob Tag

A large group of elementary school aged children are holding hands and running outside (elementary PE games)

Pick two students to start as the Blob, then as they tag other kids, they will become part of the Blob. Be sure to demonstrate safe tagging, stressing the importance of soft touches.

Learn more: Blob Tag at Playworks

3. Cross the River

A graphic shows how to setup his game. (elementary PE games)

This fun game has multiple levels that students have to work through, including “get to the island,” “cross the river,” and “you lost a rock.”

Learn more: Cross the River at The PE Specialist

4. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Cones

Three photos show students lined up on a line of cones in a gymnasium (elementary PE games)

Line up cones, then have students pair up and stand on either side of a cone. Finally, call out head, shoulders, knees, or cones. If cones is called, students have to race to be the first to pick up their cone before their opponent.

Learn more: Head, Shoulders, Knees & Cones at S&S Blog

5. Spider Ball

Four children facing the camera are chasing after a soccer ball flying through the air (elementary PE games)

Elementary PE games are often variations of dodgeball like this one. One or two players start with the ball and attempt to hit all of the runners as they run across the gym or field. If a player is hit, they can then join in and become a spider themselves.

Learn more: Spider Ball Game at Kid Activities

6. Crab Soccer

People are shown on all fours ready to kick a ball while imitating crabs (elementary PE games)

We love elementary PE games that require students to act like animals (and we think they will too). Similar to regular soccer, but students will need to play on all fours while maintaining a crab-like position.

Learn more: Crab Soccer at Playworks

7. Halloween Tag

A graphic shows neon stick people standing in hula hoops and some have witch hats on. Text reads Halloween Tag (elementary PE games)

This is the perfect PE game to play in October. It’s similar to tag, but there are witches, wizards, and blobs with no bones!

Learn more: Halloween Tag at The Physical Educator

8. Crazy Caterpillars

We love that this game is not only fun but also works on students’ hand-eye coordination. Students will have fun pushing their balls around the gym with pool noodles while building their caterpillars.

9. Monster Ball

A diagram shows how to setup a gynmasium for Monster ball. The left side shows the blue team and the right side shows the red. There is a large ball in a square in between the teams.

You’ll need a large exercise ball or something similar to act as the monster ball in the middle. Make a square around the monster ball, divide the class into teams on either side of the square, then task the teams with throwing small balls at the monster ball to move it into the other team’s area.

Learn more: Monster Ball at The PE Specialist

10. Striker Ball

Large cones and students are spread around a gymnasium.

Striker ball is an enjoyable game that will keep your students entertained while working on reaction time and strategic planning. We love that there is limited setup required before playing.

Learn more: Striker Ball at S&S Blog

11. Parachute Tug-of-War

Students stand around a brightly colored parachute.

What list of elementary PE games would be complete without some parachute fun? So simple yet so fun, all you will need is a large parachute and enough students to create two teams. Have students stand on opposite sides of the parachute, then let them compete to see which side comes out on top.

Learn more: Parachute Tug-of-War at Mom Junction

12. Fleas Off the Parachute

Students stand around a large parachute with small balls bouncing on the top of it.

Another fun parachute game where one team needs to try to keep the balls (fleas) on the parachute and the other tries to get them off.

Learn more: Fleas Off the Parachute at Mom Junction

13. Crazy Ball

A collage of pictures shows a little boy holding a frisbee, a few large dodge balls, and a group of children running.

The setup for this fun game is similar to kickball, with three bases and a home base. Crazy ball really is so crazy as it combines elements of football, Frisbee, and kickball!

Learn more: Crazy Ball at Health Beet

14. Bridge Tag

A stick figure is shown on all fours.

This game starts as simple tag but evolves into something more fun once the tagging begins. Once tagged, kids must form a bridge with their body and they can’t be freed until someone crawls through.

Learn more: Bridge Tag at Great Camp Games

15. Star Wars Tag

A drawing of Star Wars shows a battle with different colored lightsabers.

Elementary PE games that allow you to be your favorite movie character are just way too much fun! You will need two different-colored pool noodles to stand in for lightsabers. The tagger will have one color pool noodle that they use to tag students while the healer will have the other color that they will use to free their friends.

Learn more: Star Wars Tag at Great Camp Games

16. Rob the Nest

Create an obstacle course that leads to a nest of eggs (balls) and then divide the students into teams. They will have to race relay-style through the obstacles to retrieve eggs and bring them back to their team.

17. Four Corners

Four corners are designated by different colored papers. Students stand on different corners. different colored pa

We love this classic game since it engages students physically while also working on color recognition for younger students. Have your students stand on a corner, then close their eyes and call out a color. Students standing on that color earn a point.

Learn more: Four Corners at The Many Little Joys

18. Movement Dice

physical education activities for large groups

This is a perfect warm-up that requires only a die and a sheet with corresponding exercises.

Learn more: Roll the Dice Movement Break at Teaching Littles

19. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

A graphic shows cartoon children jumping and the text reads our version of rock, paper, scissors tag (elementary PE games)

A fun spin on tag, children will tag one another and then play a quick game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who has to sit and who gets to continue playing.

Learn more: Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag at Grade Onederful

20. Cornhole Cardio

Students stand about 10 yards back from cornhold boards. There are cones scattered throughout the gymnasium.

This one is so fun but can be a little bit confusing, so be sure to leave plenty of time for instruction. Kids will be divided into teams before proceeding through a fun house that includes cornhole, running laps, and stacking cups.

Learn more: Cardio Cornhole at S&S Blog

21. Connect 4 Relay

This relay takes the game Connect 4 to a whole new level. Players must connect four dots either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

22. Zookeepers

Students will love imitating their favorite animals while playing this fun variation of Four Corners where the taggers are the zookeepers.

23. Racket Whack-It

A diagram shows how to setup the game Rack It, Whack It.

Students stand with rackets in hand while balls are thrown at them—they must either dodge the balls or swat them away.

Learn more: Racket Whack-It via PEgames.org

24. Crazy Moves

A diagram shows 5 mats laid out with x's on them to represent the students.

Set mats out around the gym, then yell out a number. Students must race to the mat before it is already filled with the correct number of bodies.

Learn more: Crazy Moves at PEgames.org

25. Wheelbarrow Race

A cartoon image shows two kids on their hands while two other kids hold their legs. A third child is yelling Go in the background.

Sometimes the best elementary PE games are the simplest. An oldie but a goodie, wheelbarrow races require no equipment and are guaranteed to be a hit with your students.

Learn more: Wheelbarrow Race at wikiHow

26. Live-Action Pac-Man

Fans of retro video games like Pac-Man will get a kick out of this live-action version where students get to act out the characters.

27. Spaceship Tag

Give each of your students a Hula-Hoop (spaceship), then have them run around trying not to bump into anyone else’s spaceship or get tagged by the teacher (alien). Once your students get really good at it, you can add different levels of complexity.

28. Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance

Two children stand playing rock, paper, scissors, with bean bags on their heads (elementary PE games)

We love this spin on Rock, Paper, Scissors because it works on balance and coordination. Students walk around the gym until they find an opponent, then the winner collects a beanbag, which they must balance on their head!

Learn more: Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance at PE Universe

29. Throwing, Catching, and Rolling

Wedge mats are laid out in front of kiddie swimming pools which are filled with industrial sized paper towel rolls. Children are scattered around holding whiffle balls.

This is a fun activity but it will require a lot of preparation, including asking the school maintenance staff to collect industrial-sized paper towel rolls. We love this activity because it reminds us of the old-school arcade game Skee-Ball!

Learn more: Winter Activity at S&S Blog

30. Jenga Fitness

A diagram explains the rules to playing Jenga fitness.

Although Jenga is fun enough on its own, combining it with fun physical challenges is sure to be a winner with young students.

Learn more: Jenga Fitness at S&S Blog

31. Volcanoes and Ice Cream Cones

A diagram shows children running around flipping cones either upside down or right side up (elementary PE games)

Divide the class into two teams, then assign one team as volcanoes and the other as ice cream cones. Next, spread cones around the gym, half upside down and half right side up. Finally, have the teams race to flip as many cones as possible to either volcanoes or ice cream cones.

Learn more: Warm-Up Games at Prime Coaching Sport

This fun variation on dodgeball will have your students getting exercise while having a ton of fun! Begin with three balls on a basketball court. If you are hit by a ball, you are out. If you take a step while holding a ball, you are out. There are other rules surrounding getting out and also how to get back in, which can be found in this video.

33. Musical Hula-Hoops

PE games for kindergartners that are similar to party games are some of our favorites! Think musical chairs but with Hula-Hoops! Lay enough Hula-Hoops around the edge of the gym minus five students since they will be in the muscle pot. Once the music starts, students walk around the gym. When the music stops, whoever doesn’t find a Hula-Hoop becomes the new muscle pot!

34. 10-Second Tag

This game is perfect to play at the beginning of the year since it helps with learning names and allows the teacher to get to know the first student in line.

35. The Border

This game is so fun and requires no equipment whatsoever. Divide the gym into two sides. One side can move freely while the other side must avoid letting their feet touch the floor by rolling around, crawling, etc.

36. Freedom Catch

This is a simple throwing, catching, and tag game that will certainly be a hit with your PE class. Captors attempt to tag players so they can send them to jail. You can be freed if someone on your team runs to a freedom cone while throwing a ball to the jailed person. If the ball is caught by the jailed person, they can rejoin the game.

37. Oscar’s Trashcan

As far as PE games for kindergartners goes, this one is a guaranteed winner since it is based on the show Sesame Street . You’ll need two large areas that can be sectioned off to use as trash cans and also a lot of medium-size balls. There are two teams who must compete to fill their opponent’s trash can while emptying their own. Once over, the trash will be counted and the team with the least amount of trash in their trash can wins!

38. 4-Way Frisbee

Divide your class into four separate teams, who will compete for points by catching a Frisbee inside one of the designated goal areas. Defenders are also able to go into the goal areas. There are a number of other rules that can be applied so you can modify the game in a way that’s best for your class.

39. Badminton King’s/Queen’s Court

This one is simple but fun since it is played rapid-fire with kids waiting their turn to take on the King or Queen of the court. Two players start and as soon as a point is earned, the loser swaps places with another player. The goal is to be the player that stays on the court the longest, consistently knocking out new opponents.

40. Jumping and Landing Stations

Kids love stations and they definitely love jumping, so why not combine those things into one super-fun gym class? They’ll have a blast challenging themselves with all the different obstacles presented in this video.

41. Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

Regardless of whether you’ve ever seen an episode of American Ninja Warrior , you are probably familiar with the concept and so are your students. Plus, you’ll probably have just as much fun as your students setting up the obstacles and testing them out!

42. Balloon Tennis

Since kids love playing keepy-uppy with a balloon, they will love taking it a step further with balloon tag!

43. Indoor Putting Green

If your school can afford to invest in these unique putting green sets, you can introduce the game of golf to kids as young as kindergarten. Who knows, you might just have a future Masters winner in your class!

44. Scooter Activities

Let’s be honest, we all have fond memories of using scooters in gym class. Regardless of whether you do a scooter sleigh or scooter hockey, we think there is something for everyone in this fun video.

45. Pick It Up

This is the perfect PE game to play if you are stuck in a small space with a good-size group. Teams win by making all of their beanbag shots and then collecting all of their dots and stacking them into a nice neat pile.

46. Dodgeball Variations

Since not all kids love having balls thrown at them, why not try a dodgeball alternative that uses gym equipment as targets rather than fellow students? For example, have each student stand in front of a Hula-Hoop with a bowling ball inside of it. Students need to protect their hoop while attempting to knock over their opponents’ pins.

What are your favorite elementary PE games to play with your class? Come and share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, check out  our favorite recess games for the classroom ..

PE class provides students with a much-needed outlet to run around. Spice things up with one of these fun and innovative elementary PE games!

You Might Also Like

Examples of old school recess games including kids playing hula tag and helicopter jump rope game.

38 Old-School Recess Games Your Students Should Be Playing Now

Ready to feel nostalgic? Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Additional menu

The PE Specialist

The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

PE Games: Monster Ball

PE Games: Monster Ball

physical education activities for large groups

What’s up friends!

In this post I wanted to tell you about another PE CLASSIC…

Monster Ball!

This is a great throwing activity that will get your students moving, thinking and give them plenty of opportunities to practice those throwing skills in a game environment.

It’s also my most popular Youtube video that I’ve ever posted, so I figured it needed it’s own special blog post.

Normally when I teach this game, I give my students a quick Instant Activity and then have them go to Home Base Spots so I can take attendance.

For an example of a fun instant activity you could try out check out the video below ( if that seems too complicated, here’s a more simplified one you could try ):

After the instant activity and stretch we get right into the game.

Check out the video below to see of how I explain the game to my students:

Don’t have time to check out the video?

No worries, i’ve listed the game details below, equipment/setup: :.

  • One large Exercise Ball, Kin-ball or Cageball
  • A bunch of gatorskin balls or any soft balls safe for throwing
  • Divide students up into 2 teams and have students sit on their team’s side of the large square or circle in the middle of the gym facing toward the other team 

Description:

On the command students will attempt to throw the small ball at the Monster Ball in order to make it move.  Their goal is to try and get the Monster ball to cross the line on the opposing team’s side of the square/circle/line.  If the Monster Ball rolls outside of the designated area – the opposing team’s side will receive one point.  Play to a specific number of points or for most points within a time limit.

If you do not have a center circle or center square in your gym or playing space, you can create an area with poly spots, cones, long jump ropes or floor tape.   

Dump out all the small balls and have students pick up 2 balls and line up on their lines before the giving the signal for the game to begin.

Game Rules:

  • You may go ANYWHERE to get a ball
  • Examples of Penalties : Hop on one foot 50 times, count 60 seconds on the wall, Throw left handed for the rest of the game
  • Blocking balls with your body (standing in front of the Monster Ball)
  • Touching the Monster Ball – 1 point for opposing team if anybody touches the Monster Ball
  • 1 point for opposing team when the Monster Ball crosses the line

After playing a few rounds, bring student’s in and discuss strategies before playing the next round.  

Strategies to discuss with students :

  • Jamming the Monster Ball by rolling the small balls
  • Hit the Monster Ball in the middle-top to help it roll easier 
  • Use Teamwork – all throwing at the same time
  • Waiting for opposite team to throw first so ball is closer and then you throw to reverse the direction and the other team will be all out of ammo
  • Don’t just stand there watching after you throw – immediately go get a ball to throw again – the quicker you move, the more chance your team will have to win
  View this post on Instagram   Monster Ball this week to work on our throwing skills???????? . Level 1 with the small exercise ball . After a few rounds we level it up with the Kin Ball – opposite side from the ball gets one point when the time is up . Lots of strategy and teamwork involved and tons of throwing reps . Details and lesson download on my site ???????? . #physicaleducation #physed #pegeeks #iteachpe #pe #peteacher #elempe A post shared by Ben Landers (@thepespecialist) on Oct 25, 2018 at 11:39am PDT

Variations :

  • Larger Class Sizes – Try playing with 4 teams (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow)  If the ball leaves the middle square area in your team’s corner of the court you will receive one point… the team with the LEAST number of points wins the game after 10 minutes – this version is also more strategic because of the multiple teams to consider.  It’s fun to watch students who are on losing teams become allies and try to overthrow the teams in the lead.
  • Using Multiple Monster Balls  – Add in more than one ball and keep track of points as they cross the lines.  Once they cross the other team’s line they must stay out of the playing area and can’t re-enter the game – I usually tally points as they cross the line.  If you are using different sized balls, award more points for a larger ball than a smaller ball. 

That’s it – it’s a great game to work on throwing and to discuss strategy with your students.

I Hope your students enjoy this game as much as mine have

You can download the Monster Ball Game Sheet for free below:

Throwing and Catching Unit Overview:

Check out an overview of My Throwing and Catching Unit Here

Hope that was helpful!

Have Fun and Teach On!

physical education activities for large groups

  • Subscribe to our Free Newsletter to stay connected
  • Become a Member of the Community!

Reader Interactions

' src=

November 29, 2023 at 10:31 pm

Thanks so much. I played this game while I was being observed by he Principal and it went really well!

' src=

November 30, 2023 at 3:29 pm

You’re welcome Jeanne!

Glad the observation went well!

' src=

September 28, 2022 at 9:37 am

Classes enjoyed this game. Where did you find the red and blue team point scorekeeper in the strategizing video?

September 28, 2022 at 3:45 pm

You can find the ScoreKeeper at the link below:

Score Keeper with Stand

Hope this helps!

' src=

April 1, 2020 at 11:59 pm

Before watching your video, I also design this game for my student. It is a funny game。

April 2, 2020 at 12:14 pm

Glad you enjoyed the game. It’s one of our favorites!

' src=

December 2, 2019 at 8:53 am

Good morning. I play a game similiar to this, which I call Snowball Fight. I have a square marked out in the center of the gym, with 4 teams. Students try to hit a beach ball over another team’s line using yarn balls and bean bags.

' src=

December 2, 2019 at 8:47 pm

' src=

January 15, 2019 at 9:34 am

Thank you for this idea. My class had a lot of fun.

' src=

January 10, 2019 at 2:36 pm

Your monster ball game looks like fun. What type of ball(large one) would we use ? Any ideas where to purchase ?

January 17, 2019 at 3:23 pm

Any large exercise ball or Cage Ball will work – you can use a beach ball too, but it will be a short game since they are so light

' src=

August 17, 2018 at 12:39 pm

Great game! What grades do you play this with? Thanks!

August 20, 2018 at 9:33 pm

Usually I play with 2nd through 5th grades

' src=

November 17, 2017 at 11:43 am

I tried this game today with my 5th graders and they loved it! Do you have any other cage ball games that you play with your kiddos?! I want to try four square, and volleyball, and scooter soccer.

November 22, 2017 at 2:11 pm

I’ve done scooter soccer, but this is my most common one and the biggest hit for sure. I also do a really quick one sometimes called “Indiana Jones” where I create a circle with about 2/3 of the class and then make a smaller circle inside with the other 1/3. The cage ball goes inside the circle and the students work together to move the ball and try to tag the student who is selected as “Indiana Jones”. If they last 30 seconds they win and we switch out runners.

November 28, 2017 at 12:23 pm

That sounds awesome! Thanks! 🙂

' src=

October 24, 2017 at 1:08 pm

Great game — I also play a similar version of this called Poison Ball — I place a large volleyball in a hoop in the middle of the gym (this is the poison pit) — each team is behind a line (this is their island). On the signal they will throw their softi balls at the poison ball to make it go over the opposite teams line — if they do they get a point. You are not allowed to go into the poison pit unless you have on foot on the island–you can use team work to make a chain, but if someone lets go you are out of the game for 20/30 seconds. I add a cone with a ball on top for each team (in the basketball key) — if you knock over the ball on the cone –the game stops and your team gets 10 seconds in the poison pit to steal as many balls as possible.

October 24, 2017 at 4:44 pm

That’s a cool way to gamify and switch it up a bit, I like it

' src=

November 3, 2017 at 9:22 pm

I play a similar game, but I call it Powerball. I talk about kinetic and potential energy, along with transfer of energy and friction.

I teach grades 6-8, so I roll the ball down the middle, bounce it, and throw it in the air to begin.

November 7, 2017 at 7:16 pm

Cool – science integration!

' src=

October 24, 2017 at 12:03 pm

Thank you Ben for sharing this game. I too use this same game and call it by another name. It is quite elaborate….we call it Star Wars Ball! We have the dark side and the Jedi’s. The big ball is the Death Star and boy do the kids love it. The balls are missiles and each team is on there respective star ship. I have one student be Luke Skywalker and one be Darth Vader and they are in the middle with the Death Star to send the missiles back to their star ships. Game is won when the Death Star hits (goes over the line) a star ship. I play the Star Wars theme song the entire time to add to it. I really like seeing how this game is played in so many ways. These are the best games, ones that are so versatile.

October 24, 2017 at 4:43 pm

Kids love anything themed with Star Wars – haha. Yes, so many modifications

' src=

October 24, 2017 at 7:29 am

Thanks Ben for all you do. I love the game. I actually do the same game and relate it to social studies. I teach K-3 and I call it Borderball. I use 4 sides of the gym each side represents a town that borders our hometown and we see where the ball travels. Kids love it.

October 24, 2017 at 4:42 pm

Good stuff – thanks for sharing!

' src=

October 24, 2017 at 6:57 am

I do the same game but in a circle with 6 teams. Each team protects a section. If it crosses they are infected by the “toxic pumpkin” and have to go to the dungeon and perform some exercise to get back. Tremendous game!

Cool I like that modification – nice for Halloween Theme too!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top Resources

  • Awesome Music for PE Class
  • How to Teach Gymnastics (Unit Plan)
  • 25 Exercise Posters
  • The PE Poster Tour
  • How to Teach Jumprope (Unit Plan)
  • How to Plan an Awesome Field Day

Top Blog Posts

  • How to Plan a Year of PE in 15 Minutes
  • 5 Awesome Warm-up Activities
  • How to Setup a TV in your Gym
  • 5 Great Classroom Management Tips
  • How to Motivate and Inspire Students
  • You might be a PE Teacher if…

logo

physical education activities for large groups

Need Fun Games for Large Groups?

Download 25 awesome activities for groups of 12 or more kids, engaging large group activities for pe class, youth groups or after school programs.

Each game is broken down with simple step by step instructions showing you exactly what to do. You can print out the games you need or teach directly from your mobile device. Perfect for experienced PE teachers, total newbies, or anyone in between.

physical education activities for large groups

Fun and Flexible for Any Environment

We've provided a wide variety of games for every situation. So you're guaranteed to find something that works for you and your kids!

Designed for Large Groups

Perfect for groups of 12 kids or more. Works great at school, at church, or in after school programs.

Minimal Equipment

Each game uses basic equipment you can find in any PE Closet or Gym, like balls, beanbags and hula hoops   

Indoors or Outdoors

Easy to set up in a gym, church basement, playground or sports field 

Kindergarten to 8th Grade

Includes a variety of different games for different age groups

10-45 Minute Activities

Easy to set up and fun to play, no matter how busy your schedule is

Fundamental Sport and Movement Skills

Games for throwing, catching, kicking, striking, running, dodging, passing, shooting and more!

physical education activities for large groups

Best. PE Class. Ever.

Captivate and engage your kids with these games starting today!

physical education activities for large groups

Secure Instant Access

As soon as your order is securely processed, we'll direct you into our members area, where you can download everything in PDF format

physical education activities for large groups

Download or Print

Save the file directly to your computer or mobile device. Then print all the pages you need in just a few minutes!

physical education activities for large groups

Start Playing!

Now you're ready to go! Have fun watching your kids run, jump, laugh and play 

More than 34,392 Coaches and Educators Trust the American Coaching Academy

Practical info you can use immediately.

Practical information that you can put in use immediately. It helped me as a coach and was beneficial in helping me land a job as an athletic director this year.

physical education activities for large groups

Glendale Zell

Athletic Director at Waggener Traditional H.S. in Louisville, KY

Easy to Access and Easy to Use

Very effective and interactive... easy to access and easy to use. This material is a foundational component for any level.

physical education activities for large groups

Gregory Austin Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Colby Sawyer College

 Quick! Before Time Runs Out

  offer expires soon..., full package includes, $49 $29  $9.

physical education activities for large groups

Click Here to Add to Cart - Just $9

~ Made in the USA ~

physical education activities for large groups

60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee

No questions asked. No fine print. No wiggle clauses. You love the material or you don’t pay for it. Period.

© American Coaching Academy

physical education activities for large groups

PHYSEDGAMES

…click a category above for great p.e. games, the pe games you will find on this site are used by professional physical education teachers as part of successful programs in school gyms – here you’ll find amazing ideas for p.e. – tried, tested, and proven by physed teachers and coaches , direct link to youtube channel: physedgames youtube, browse the categories at the top to enjoy quick and easy video descriptions to learn a new game for your class or visit our youtube to find the most popular games and get the latest game ideas sent directly to your video feed by subscribing. , game of the month.

Looking for some classic physical education ideas? Looking for something new and unique? There are all types of games & activities ranging from sport-specific (soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, lead-ups, etc) to LOG’s, tag, warm-up, fitness, team-building, dodgeball, literacy, numeracy, etc. Children need at least 90 minutes of exercise a day for healthy development – these games will motivate to get students moving and enjoying learning skills in the gym! So hopefully you will find lots here to help supplement your own program.

** Grade level specific categories are searchable: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8 – browse through games that are appropriate for your grade level. HIGHSCHOOLS please note that most of the Grade 8 category games can be used and/or adapted for use at the highschool level – take a look and see what works! **

If you have a favorite PE activity or game idea that you use in your own program and you’d like to share, please send a detailed email to us at [email protected] and we will do our best to create a video to add to the list.

PhysedGames is frequently updated with new ideas to try out. We also offer a couple book options (hardcopy and electronic) to add to your physical education library. These book options convert many of the best game videos into more portable text-based and electronic forms. PLEASE NOTE that all games are firstly and always available for FREE in the video viewing format. For those interested, take a look at the popular PHYSEDGAMES TOP 99 PHYSEDGAMES TOP 99 (affiliate link) hardcopy book from Amazon or get top-rated Digital File Downloads (PDFs) on Teachers Pay Teachers. A big THANK-YOU goes out to those who support PHYSEDGAMES!

Facebook

  • Browse By Category
  • View ALL Lessons
  • Submit Your Idea
  • Shop Lesson Books
  • Search our Lessons
  • Browse All Assessments
  • New Assessments
  • Paper & Pencil Assessments
  • Alternative Assessments
  • Student Assessments
  • View Kids Work
  • Submit Your Ideas
  • Browse All Best Practices
  • New Best Practices
  • How BPs Work
  • Most Popular
  • Alphabetical
  • Submit Your Best Practice
  • Browse All Prof. Dev.
  • Online PD Courses
  • Onsite Workshops
  • Hall of Shame
  • Becoming a PE Teacher
  • PE Articles
  • Defending PE
  • Substitute Guidelines
  • Online Classes
  • PE Research
  • Browse All Boards
  • Board of the Week
  • Submit Your Bulletin Board
  • Browse All Class Mngt
  • Lesson Ideas
  • New Teacher Tips
  • Reducing Off-Task Behavior
  • Browse All Videos
  • Find Grants
  • Kids Quote of the Week
  • Weekly Activities
  • Advertise on PEC
  • FREE Newsletter

PE Central has partnered with S&S Discount Sports to provide a full range of sports and PE products for your program.

Get Free Shipping plus 15% OFF on orders over $59! Use offer code B4260. Shop Now!

  • Shop Online Courses:
  • Classroom Management
  • Integrating Literacy & Math
  • Grad Credit
  • All PE Courses

physical education activities for large groups

  • Cooperative Fitness Challenge
  • Cooperative Skills Challenge
  • Log It (Activity Tracker)

physical education activities for large groups

  • Instant Activities
  • Grades 9-12
  • Dance of the Month
  • Special Events Menu
  • Cues/Performance Tips
  • College Lessons
  • Search All Lessons

physical education activities for large groups

  • Paper & Pencil Assessments
  • Shop Assessment

Assessment in PE

  • How BP's Work

Best Practices Plaque

  • Shop Bulletin Board Books

PE Bulletin Boards

  • Apps for PE Main Menu
  • Submit Your App
  • Ask our App Expert
  • Active Gaming

apps for PE teachers

  • What is Adapted PE
  • Ask Our Expert
  • Adapting Activities
  • IEP Information
  • Adapted Web Sites
  • Shop Adapted Store

adapted PE books

  • PreK Lesson Ideas
  • PreK Videos
  • Homemade PreK PE Equip
  • Shop PreK Books

Preschool PE books

  • Shop Class Mngt Products

Classroom Management

  • Search Jobs
  • Interview Questions
  • Interview Tips
  • Portfolio Development

School funding center for grants

  • Becoming PE Teacher
  • Fundraising/Grants

PE Articles

  • New Products
  • T-Shirts/Accessories
  • Class Management
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Curriculums
  • Limited Space

PE is Cool Tshirt

  • Search Our Lessons

PE Central on Twitter

Contact Us: [email protected] 678-764-2536

Workshop Home

This page features presenters who share large group games in physical education classes.

  • Upcoming- July 2018: National Physical Education and School Sport Institute- 1. Pulling it all together- Creating a quality PE program that SHINES!
  • 2. Large Group Activities that ENGAGE! March 2018: SHAPE America- Nashville: "Fired up Fitness"- It's time to start your engines
  • October 2017: GAHPERD Convention- Athens, GA: 1. Large Group Activities a PIRATE Would Love! Practical, Inspirational, Radical, Active, Timely, Edgy 2. Never Let Them See You Sweat! Creating a Positive Learning Environment in Physical Education
  • August 2017: PHYSED Summit- Online with the PHYSEDagogy group Large Group Activities a “PIRATE” would love!
  • November 2016: ESPEchat PHYSED Summit- Never Let Them See You Sweat! Creating a Positive Learning Environment in Physical Education
  • Quick Movers- Instant activities and easy to implement warm-ups
  • Fired up Fitness- A series of cutting edge, visual-based fitness activities (Fidget Spinner Fitness, Scrabble-Scramble, Fitness Blasts, Tic-Tac-Toe Fitness, etc.)
  • Fitness Circuits- Health & skill-related components of fitness task cards
  • Manipulative Skill Development (small group)- Catching & Fielding, Throwing & Tossing, Kicking & Foot Dribbling, Striking & Volleying, and Hand Dribbling & Ball Control
  • Sport-Specific Skill Development (small group)- Base Games, Basketball, Soccer, Lacrosse, Floor Hockey, Volleyball, Football Skills, Team Handball, Track & Field and Racket/Paddle Sports
  • Large Group Games- Non-traditional, fun games for large PE classes
  • Skills Assessment- Teacher, peer and self-assessment- formative and summative visual checklists for 24 essential PE skills
  • Field Day, Seasonal Activities and Special Events- Visual-based activities for yearly events and holidays
  • Reciprocal teaching using visuals- Ed. Gymnastics, Jump rope and YOGA
  • Lesson, Unit and Yearly Planning Tools- Templates that ROCK!
  • Are you a PE Pirate? Passionate, Intentional, Resilient, Adventurous, Tenacious & Engaged
  • Teaching PE: Breaking through the obstacles, overcoming the challenges
  • Featured speaker at the Share the Wealth Conference in Jekyll Island, GA; every year since 2006
  • Featured speaker at the DuPage Co. Physical Education, Health, & Driver Ed. Institute in Naperville, IL, Mar. of 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2017
  • PE2theMax Workshop for the LAHPERD Pre-Convention in Baton Rouge, LA, November of 2015
  • Presenter at the Southern District SHAPE Convention in Williamsburg, VA, and the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo in Minneapolis, MN, 2016
  • PE2theMax, Inc. (six hour) Workshop for the Metro Nashville Public School District, TN, August of 2017
  • and 170+ more all over the nation
  • No Standing Around in My Gym: Lesson Plans, games, and teaching tips for physical education
  • PE2theMax: Maximize Skills, Participation, Teamwork, and Fun
  • PE2theMax II: Stepping up the “Game” in Physical Education
  • PE²: Double the Physical + Double the Education = Double the Fun
  • HyPEd Up! Taking Physical Education Games to the Next Level
  • Welcome to Let's Dance! Come Bust some Moves with J.D. Hughes
  • Maximizing Positive Behavior Outcomes through Game
  • Choice-Driven Physical Education

Ben Landers

  • Plickers in PE - Local District PD 2015
  • Large Class Hacks - The PhysEd Summit 3.0 - 2016
  • PhysEd Hacks - The National PE Institute Ashville - 2016
  • Technology Tools in Phys Ed
  • Phys Ed Hacks: Management Tips and Tricks
  • Teambuilding and Adventure Games
  • Gamification in PE
  • Using Social Media to Up Your Game
  • How to Plan your Phys Ed Curriculum
  • Easy and Fun Instant Activities and Warmups
  • My Favorite Phys Ed Games
  • And More...!

Dave Senecal

  • Large and Small Group Games
  • Skill Development Games
  • Tactical Games
  • Innovative Dance K-2
  • Innovative Dance 3-8
  • Striking/Fielding Activities
  • Great Tag Games for Cardio and Fitness K-8
  • Technology in Physical Education (Grades K-12)
  • Teacher Keys Effectiveness System and Student Learning Objectives
  • Circus Arts
  • Outdoor Education/Games

Contact us at " [email protected] " or call at 678-764-2536 to learn more and book a workshop.

physical education activities for large groups

PE Central Copyright 1996-2020 All Rights Reserved

PE Central - What Works in Physical Education

PE Central 2516 Blossom Trl W Blacksburg, VA 24060 E-mail : [email protected] Phone : 540-953-1043 Fax : 540-301-0112

Copyright 1996-2016 PE Central® www.pecentral.org All Rights Reserved Web Debut : 08/26/1996

Close

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive

physical education lesson ideas, assessment tips and more!

Your browser does not support iframes.

No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in physical education.

40 Brilliant Large Group Games for 20+ people!

physical education activities for large groups

If you are running a small meeting or group workshop you probably have your favorite group activities that are easy to run and have proven to be effective in the past. But what about when your group size balloons to 20-40+ people? That's when well-designed large group games come into their own!

These activities create space for fun and play in big teams, whatever your environment. In this post, we'll share our favorite large group games alongside tips for running them too!

Design your next session with SessionLab

Join the 150,000+ facilitators 
using SessionLab.

Recommended Articles

A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop, how to create an unforgettable training session in 8 simple steps, 47 useful online tools for workshop planning and meeting facilitation.

Whenever you design a session, you’ll want to consider the number of participants so you can plan activities appropriatel y. With very large groups, it gets harder to involve everyone, but it’s important that you do. Research has proven that play is vital not only at home or in the classroom, but at work too!

These large group games are designed to help you encourage play, connect and team build with groups of twenty or more people. They are also easy to run in parallel in smaller groups and are designed so that everyone can easily organize themselves easily.

We’ve categorized them for the following purposes, so you can find a suitable activity whether you are running a specific event or are looking for ideas for large group games you might use in the future!

Group games for breaking the ice

Do you need some large group games to get people moving and raise the energy level in the room? Or an activity that helps to break the ice and get participants comfortable talking to each other?

Consider these exercises and group activities for kicking off your next training workshop or large group team building session. They’re great to get large groups comfortable with one another in a fun, playful way.

Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament

This is fun and loud energizer game based on the well-known “Rock, Paper, Scissor” game. People play against each other in pairs until the first win. But instead of the losing players becoming eliminated from the tournament, they become a fan of the winner, and they cheer for them as the winner plays against a new opponent. You repeat the process until there are only two players left with a huge fan base cheering for them. The last two players have to play until one has won twice.

As this group activity tends to get loud, it’s best to play it somewhere outside. The great thing about this game is that it works whether you’re looking for a small group activity or large group game – it scales very easily and requires very little preparation!

Rock, Paper, Scissors (Tournament)   #energiser   #warm up   #remote-friendly   This is a fun and loud energiser based on the well-known “Rock, Paper, Scissor” game – with a twist: the losing players become the fan of the winners as the winner advances to the next round. This goes on until a final showdown with two large cheering crowds! It can be played with adults of all levels as well as kids and it always works! 

Doodling Together

Doodling Together is a fun and creative game where the group gets to collaboratively draw postcards through a series of instructions as participants complete the postcards started by others. You can simply use this technique in parallel groups as the instructions are easy to follow.

It is a great group activity to establish creative confidence, collaborate effortlessly and build capacity for working together as a workshop group. Large group games rarely have the potential to be more hilarious and creative!

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

Bang is a group game, played in a circle, where participants must react quickly or face elimination. One person stands in the middle of the circle as “the sheriff”, pointing at other players who must quickly crouch while those on either side of them quickly “draw”.

This is a good activity to generate laughter and it can also help with name-learning for groups getting to know each other. For a party or event with more than 30 people, it is best to play it in parallel groups. If you’re looking for energizers for large groups, this is one of the best group games to help get people excited and raise their energy level.

Bang   #hyperisland   #energiser   Bang is a group game, played in a circle, where participants must react quickly or face elimination. One person stands in the middle of the circle as “the sheriff”, pointing at other players who must quickly crouch while those on either side of them quickly “draw”. A good activity to generate laughter in a group. It can also help with name-learning for groups getting to know each other.

3 Question Mingle

In this group game, every participant creates three thoughtful questions that they want to ask other group members to get to know them better. People start to mingle to ask and answer questions in pairs. After asking a question and listening to the answer, they hand over that question. Thus, in each one-on-one meeting, participants will swap one question each.

This allows your team to learn interesting facts about each other and works with a group size of up to 50-60 people. A more thoughtful group game, 3 Question Mingle is great whether you’re working with internal teams or at a conference where you’re trying to encourage participation.

3 Question Mingle   #hyperisland   #team   #get-to-know   An activity to support a group to get to know each other through a set of questions that they create themselves. The activity gets participants moving around and meeting each other one-on-one. It’s useful in the early stages of team development and/or for groups to reconnect with each other after a period of time apart.

Group Order

Help teams get to know each other better with this fast, simple ordering game. Start with everyone standing and milling around your space and ask them to organize themselves into a line based on a criteria such as height, number of pets, time at your company or something else entirely! Helping friends learn something new about each other while getting into a line is a great addition to a team building session, and can help kick-off any group event.

Though the number of people playing is dependant on available space, I’ve found this quick game a hit, especially playing with ideas and ordering criteria that are a little outside of the box!

Group Order   #get-to-know   #energiser   #icebreaker   #thiagi   #team   This is an energizing activity that helps members of a group get to know each other, network, and recognize what they have in common.

Icebreaker: The Group Map

Large group icebreakers are a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other and share a little about yourself with the team. This game invites participants to imagine the available space as a map of the world and place themselves where they are from.

This first step is often energetic as people try to find their relative geographies and move around the space. Next, ask your team to reflect on where they are from and then share some positive memories or experiences from that place. As with any large group activity, it’s helpful to go first and demonstrate the kind of thing people should share and set things off in a fun, light mood.

Icebreaker: The Group Map   #get-to-know   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Ask people to place themselves on an imaginary map laid out in the room representing the country according to where they grew up. Ask them to share one internal value they got from that place, and why is that important for them. Encourage people to share a short story if they want

Apple, Orange and Banana!

Complexity isn’t your friend with a large group. Sometimes, all you need is a quick game with simple instructions in order to get things kicked off!

Apple, Orange and Banana! is a fast, active energizer that is great for teams of any size. Start by asking the group to form a circle and put their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Next, ask everyone playing to jump forward when you say apple, jump back when you say orange and then jump and turn 180 degrees to put their hands on the shoulders of the person who has behind them. Work up to combining multiple commands to keep your team on their toes and generate lots of laughter too!

Apple, Orange and Banana!   #energiser   #icebreaker   #fun   #teambuilding   Fun energiser to create energy and fun. Great to use after breaks such as lunch or coffee breaks.

One Word Method

Some of the best games for playing with big groups of people are the simplest. This word game invites everyone in the room to contribute a single word to a collective sentence that grows as you go round the group.

I love running this game with kids and adults alike, and it’s really fun to see how things change as every player contributes a word. It also scales well with any number of players and it’s easy for people to learn and improve at with repeated turns. If you’re looking for a hilarious way to spend time with others without a need for equipment, this is a guaranteed hit where everyone wins!

One Word Method   #product development   #idea generation   #creativity   #icebreaker   #online   #warm up   Creating a sentence relating to a specific topic or problem with each person contributing one word at a time.

Team building games for large groups

Facilitation techniques that help build team spirit, encourage teamwork and are suitable for running with lots of people are important to have in your toolkit.

These large group games put an emphasis on fostering trust and openness for better collaboration and managing team dynamics effectively. You could use them to initiate meaningful conversation or engage your party in engaging tasks where they work together in order to win.

Working together towards a common goal is often essential to increase cohesion within teams and you should definitely include such activities in a team building or development workshop . They’re also great for bringing a sense of play and fun to proceedings and encouraging everyone in your team to get involved.

Draw your Coat of Arms

This group game helps group members to get to know each other better through a creative drawing exercise: Each participant draws their own coat of arms – a design that is unique to themselves, representing important characteristics, achievements and values of its owner.

If you want to direct the focus of this game then you can instruct your team to the best question to answer in each segment of the Coat of Arms. (E.g. What is something you are very good at? What is something your colleagues don’t know about you? ).

When people are finished drawing, they present their work to in their group. The presentation part is practical to do in smaller groups. And whether you have a small or large group, you can arrange a neat Coat of Arms gallery by sticking all the drawings on the wall of the workshop room. Large group games where participants have something to show at the end can be especially effective and can really set the stage for a productive, interactive workshop.

Coat of Arms   #teambuilding   #opening   #icebreaker   #team   #get-to-know   #thiagi   Coat of Arms exercise provides a way for participants to introduce themselves and their colleagues, particularly for groups who think they already know each other very well. Almost invariably participants discover something about their colleagues of which they previously had no idea. Occasionally this revelation has an immediate and direct application to another participant’s current project or challenge.Because this activity forces people to use drawings rather than words, it is particularly useful as a dual-purpose introductory exercise in training sessions that deal with such topics as innovation, creativity, and problem-solving.

Marshmallow Challenge

In eighteen minutes, teams of 3-5 people must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top.

Since the instructions are fairly simple, it is easy to scale this activity up to 20-30 groups playing in parallel and competing who builds the highest structure. It emphasizes collaboration, group communication, leadership dynamics and problem-solving strategy – everything you want in your large group games. Also, there are marshmallows. All group activities are better with marshmallows!

Marshmallow challenge with debriefing   #teamwork   #team   #leadership   #collaboration   In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.

Helium Stick

The Helium stick group activity gives a simple challenge to teams that require teamwork and coordination to manage. People are lined up in two rows facing each other, 5 to 10 people per row, depending on the length of the sticks you have for the game. Participants point with their index finger and hold their arms out in a way that a stick can be horizontally laid on their index fingers.

The task is to lower the stick to the ground while everyone’s index fingers stay in contact with the rod. Why Helium Stick? Often, the stick will rise first, like helium!

You can easily scale this activity for larger teams, just have as many sticks as the number of lines you will create, and the sub-groups will compete against each other who manages to lower their stick first. A gentle sense of competition can be great for bringing people together – try mixing teams if you’re working with multiple departments and encourage people who don’t normally interact to work together in this group activity.

Helium Stick   #teampedia   #team   #teamwork   #icebreaker   #energiser   A great and simple activity for fostering teamwork and problem solving with no setup beforehand.

History Map

Creating something collaboratively is a wonderful way of building team spirit with a large group or party. When we find time to reflect on our shared history and create something tangible as a result, even better!

Begin by rolling out a large piece of paper and draw a timeline representing a shared project, experience or the history of your group. Next, instruct everyone to use the materials provided (colored pens, pencils, even collage materials!) to add memorable experiences and moments to the timeline. History Map is a great activity to run with any number of people, though be sure you bring enough materials for everyone to get involved!

This activity works great on an online whiteboard, and be sure to encourage your virtual team to use GIFs and videos to illustrate the map further! Debrief by going round your team and inviting commentary and reflection.

History Map   #hyperisland   #team   #review   #remote-friendly   The main purpose of this activity is to remind and reflect on what group members or participants have been through and to create a collective experience and shared story. Every individual will gain a shared idea of what the group has been through together. Use this exercise at the end of a project or program as a way to reinforce learnings, celebrate highlights and create closure.

Cross the Circle

While group discussions can be an effective way of helping bring everyone together, this can be time-consuming and unwieldy, especially with large groups. This activity is a fast, playful way to uncover commonalities and bring everyone together.

Begin with all the players around a circle except for one, who stands in the middle. The person in the middle then makes a statement such as “Cross the circle if you can speak a second language,” or “Cross the circle if you’ve worked here more than three years.” Instruct those who match the statement to cross the circle, though the last person to cross must then stand in the middle and make a new statement.

Continue this game as time allows, and try to give everyone a spot in the middle of the circle! It’s always interesting to note what everyone asks, and this approach allows the team to learn something new about each other too,

Cross the Circle   #teambuilding   #get-to-know   #energiser   #team   #thiagi   This activity provides a playful way for participants to find commonalities among themselves.

This classic group activity is a proven method of bringing a team together for a shared goal while also generating some laughs. Split your participants into two or more teams and provide each team with an egg, a heap of straws, tapes and any other crafting material you wish. Next, ask each group to create a structure that will allow the egg to fall over 7 feet without breaking. To add complexity, add some additional rules for building the structure, a time limit or some other constraint.

Egg drop   #teampedia   #collaboration   #teamwork   #icebreaker   #team   This fun activity could be used as an icebreaker for people who have just met but it can be framed as a method that shows and fosters team communication, collaboration and strategic thinking as well.

When designing a session for groups of more than 20 people, it pays to be organized .

In SessionLab, it’s easy to create a structured agenda for any group event or workshop. Add an opening section, core group activities and closing exercises to build your session in minutes.

Add clear timings and instructions for every activity to stay on track. Need to make changes on the day? Your event timing will automatically adjust so you’ll stay organized, whatever changes!

physical education activities for large groups

Party games for large groups

Classic party games are a great way to bring people together, even outside of a party environment. A sense of familiarity can help rouse any hesitant participants and they’re a proven method of helping people having fun.

While all of the games in this post could be used in a party setting, these large group party games are especially conducive to a party atmosphere. Whether at work, home or some other gathering, bring these party games to help engage any large group.

Wink Murder

Inspired by the classic party games Werewolf and Mafia, Wink Murder is a fun game that asks an assassin try to “murder” other players by winking at them.

First, get the group in a circle. Next, get a folded piece of paper for each player and put a cross on one of them. Distribute the papers and let the group know that whoever gets the cross is the assassin. While they attempt to wink and murder the other team, the other players must guess who is the assassin and accuse accordingly. If they guess right, they win. If they guess wrong, they are out of the game.

Wink Murder   #icebreaker   #energizer   #group game   #team   #teambuilding   A fun energizer where one player must try and eliminate the rest of the team by winking – all without being caught.

When you bring a large group together, there is almost always a period where everyone is feeling out the room and getting to know each other. Combining this stage with a fun, light activity is a wonderful way of breaking the ice and energizing the team too!

In Snowball, start by asking players to write the answer to five questions relating to a topic of your choosing on a piece of paper. Then, instruct players to join you in a circle in the middle of the room and crumple up their papers into a ball and get ready: you are about to have a snowball fight!

After play has gotten a bit rowdy, stop the game and invite each person to pick up the snowball closest to them. (Pick up another one if someone finds their own!) Finally, ask people to find who wrote the answers on the snowball they’re holding, have a quick chat, and then introduce them to the group!

Snowball   #get-to-know   #opening   #energiser   #teambuilding   #team   This is a great activity to get people up and moving around in a playful way while still learning about each other. It can be related to any topic and be played at any time during the group’s life.

Solving a puzzle as a team is a great way to bring a large number of people together. In this large group party game, start by organizing people into groups of 7-16 people and ask them to stand in a circle where they are close enough to reach and touch other players. Next, ask each person to close their eyes and connect hands with two other people. Have everyone open their eyes and try to untangle the human knot without breaking the chain.

This activity asks people to engage their problem solving skills while also getting to know each other better! It’s a fun game that scales well to very large groups with multiple human knots being played simultaneously.

Human Knot   A physical-participation disentanglement puzzle that helps a group learn how to work together (self-organize) and can be used to illustrate the difference between self-organization and command-control management or simply as a get-to-know-you icebreaker. Standing in a circle, group members reach across to connect hands with different people. The group then tries to unravel the “human knot” by unthreading their bodies without letting go of each other people’s hands. As a management-awareness game to illustrate required change in behavior and leadership on a management level (e.g., illustrate the change from ‘task-oriented’ management towards ‘goal/value-oriented’ management).

What are you doing?

Improv games are a great way to introduce a sense of fun and creativity to any gathering. This group activity asks that a volunteer enters the centre of the room and starts miming an action.

When someone is ready to guess what the action is, they enter the circle and guess the action. The first player then comes up with another action the next player must perform and whispers it to them. They then mime that action for the rest of the group to guess. Encourage participants to be creative in the actions they mime and give to other players and hilarity will often ensue!

What are you doing?   #hyperisland   #energiser   #remote-friendly   This is a simple drama game in which participants take turns asking each other “What are you doing?” and acting out the various responses. Though simple, it engages the imagination and gently challenges participants out of their comfort zone by having them mime a range of different actions.

Charades is a classic game for both large and small groups for good reason. It’s fun, easy to teach and often brings a party together around shared jokes and memorable moments.

In a live setting, hand out paper and pens and ask each person to write words that they think would be fun or challenging to act out. Players then draw a a word at random and act it out for the rest of the group to guess. Below, we’ve also included a version you can use to guess and have fun with teams online. You can replicate the act of writing down prompts using your online whiteboard and have people guess on webcam for a fun alternative that works great in gallery mode, even with groups of more than 20 people.

Online Charades Game   #icebreaker   #team   #creativity   If you like playing Charades (Guess the word) in a live setting, there is no reason to hold you back playing it online with your team. Here is a handy Mural board and detailed instruction of how to play Charades with your team, using the words and expressions YOU come up with.

A photograph of the SessionLab team playing Human Knot.

Active games for large groups

Most teams can benefit from getting away from their desks, standing up and having fun as a group. These activities involve lots of physical activity, running, and movement and can be run in a variety of spaces. There’s some crossover with the outdoor games you’ll see below, but these games can also work great in smaller spaces too!

Whether it’s for a party, team-building session, school event, or conference, try adding one of these ideas to your agenda when you need a burst of energy and physical activity in your schedule.

Giants, Wizards, Elves

This fantasy inspired game where points are awarded to Giants, Elves and Wizards is a fun one to bring to any party or event. To start, split your group into two teams. Each group forms a circle and decides what character they are going to all play for that round. Next, each group stands in a line facing each other and on the count of three, act out the role they have chosen.

Giants put their hands above their heads and roar. Elves put their hands over their ears to make them appear more elvish and make an elvish noise, while Wizards put their hands out as if casting and spell and making a buzzing noise.

When you face off, remember that Giants beat Elves, Elves beat Wizards and Wizards beat Giants. The winning team then has the chance to tag the other team before they get to the safe zone. Everyone who is tagged joins the winning team and you can repeat the game until only one team remains!

Giants, wizards, elves   #energiser   #teampedia   #fun   #outdoor   It’s a running around energiser which surely help participants to get their energy level higher.

Start by getting all the players to stand in a circle. Tell them they are all spies, and that the aim of the game is not to be caught by the spy catcher. Ask them to silently guess who they believe is the spy catcher and to select one other person who will be their bodyguard. Do this without telling anyone! Next, ask participants to run around and try and position themselves so that their chosen bodyguard is between them and the spy catcher.

This is a great game to get people and energized, and it’s fun to debrief too! Especially if friends may have accused others of being a spy in order to win! Players might try and guess who they thought the spy catcher was or talk about how even a few simple rules can create utter chaos.

Spy   #energiser   A simple game that will have everyone running within minutes. Very effective to fight the “after-lunch” dip.

Human Machine

Improvisation and silliness combined with physical activity is a sure-fire way of getting a large group engaged in the fun! Start this game by explaining that each team will collaboratively create a machine using their bodies. Choose one person to start by improvising the sounds and movements of a part of a machine or robot. Everyone else observes and then one by one, they join the machine and improvise another part.

This can also be a fun game to play with two teams in tandem, or by briefing the players to create a collaborative machine with a particular purpose, such as generating power or cooking a complex meal. This game is best when played with large teams where the machines can become big and very energetic. Just make sure you have enough room!

Human Machine   #hyperisland   #energiser   This fast and physical group gets participants moving and working together in a way that generates energy and promotes collaboration. One at a time, members of the group become parts of the “machine”, each one making a distinct physical motion and a sound, until the whole group is working together in motion, as one human machine.

When looking to engage your team in physical activity, why not take a leaf from the pillaging toolkit of our favorite Nordic invaders? We’ll stop short of any actual raiding, but this game encourages participants to shout Norse words and physical actions to build energy as a team.

Start with everyone standing in a circle. One person begins by shouting the word “Mjolner!” and air punches to the left or right to transfer the role of Viking. Play proceeds loudly and actively, as players respond with different words and by throwing the role of Viking around the room. This is a playful game that works to bring a lot of noise and energy to big teams!

The Viking   #hyperisland   #energiser   In this group game, players stand in a circle and perform a series of loud physical moves, passing from one person to the next. When a player hesitates or makes a mistake, he or she is eliminated and the game continues. The game generates laughter and playfulness in the group.

Dance, Dance, Dance.

No prizes for guessing the subject of this active game! Start by organizing everyone into groups of three to five people. Instruct the group that when you start playing a song, one player in each group becomes the leader and starts dancing. Everyone else must follow their moves. When the music changes, another player must then start dancing and lead the group.

This is a fun game to play with friends and for warming up new teams alike. For bonus points, invite participants to contribute a song to a shared playlist before your session so they recognize their favorite song as you go or can guess who contributed what track! I also like to award points after every round for the most exuberant or creative dance moves though when the goal is to have fun, every player wins!

Dance, Dance, Dance   #hyperisland   #energiser   #remote-friendly   In this short and physically active energizer, participants dance playfully in small teams. Periodically, the music changes and members take turns leading the dance. The aim is to generate fun energy and playfulness in a group, often as a counter-balance to more “serious” group work.

In this improv game for large groups, participants are asked to pass imaginary objects around the circle, beginning with a red ball and ending up with objects like the keys to a Ferrari, a wriggling cat, a sleepy baby and more.

What begins as a quiet group game can quickly become a hotbed of creative chaos that encourages the group to act out the passing of various objects with energy. You might even give the group the opportunity to choose what to pass around next and give players points based on how they correctly (or incorrectly!) handle what’s given to them.

Red Ball   #listening and awareness   #improv game   #active listening   #em   Pass around imaginary balls & other objects

physical education activities for large groups

Fun outdoor games for large groups

When the weather allows, it’s great to take your team outside to play group games in the fresh air. These activities benefit from the outdoor setting as they require space to be run effectively.

Some of these games include asking your group to spread out, and a few of them have a bonus angle of including natural elements that can take advantage of your setting too. These are great games to play with young people and adults alike and always help raise the level of group energy!

Blind Square – Rope Game

Seemingly simple games are a wonderful way to engage large teams. We love that this activity encourages everyone to work together towards a common challenge while helping bring individual skills to the surface. In this outdoor-friendly activity, begin by explaining that all a team has to do is make a length of rope into a perfect square. They have fifteen minutes to plan what they are going to do before everyone is blindfolded and play can commence. It’s so fun to see plans form and fall apart, and this activity works with kids and adults perfectly. Just remember to bring enough blindfolds for everyone! With especially large groups, separate into two teams and see who can create the most perfect square!

Blind Square – Rope game   #teamwork   #communication   #teambuilding   #team   #energiser   #thiagi   #outdoor   This is an activity that I use in almost every teambuilding session I run–because it delivers results every time. I can take no credit for its invention since it has existed from long before my time, in various forms and with a variety of names (such as Blind Polygon). The activity can be frontloaded to focus on particular issues by changing a few parameters or altering the instructions.

Games you can play outdoors with your team are great ways to enjoy the weather, spread out, and also be closer to nature while teambuilding.

This activity requires two ropes, some strong poles or trees, and a supervisor for each team playing. Safety and fun go hand-in-hand when it comes to large groups! Start by tying your ropes from one tree to the other to form a rectangle. Connect string between the top and bottom to form holes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Next, instruct your team that the aim of the game is to get all the members of the group through the web without touching the string or knocking the web.

This is a great game for encouraging players to work together and problem solve in the moment while also having a lot of fun!

Spider web   #team   #teampedia   #warm up   #outdoor   #physical   This is an active team building game and requires participants to move about a lot and so can be also used as an energiser.

Crocodile River

Getting outside is a wonderful way to break up a team-building session and put people into a new frame of mind. This can create a great foundation for setting hypothetical challenges such as trying to cross a treacherous river as a group.

This game asks two teams to work together to collect planks and get everyone in their group across the river. The challenge is that the planks are magic, and sink when not in contact with a person. We love that this game encourages collaboration and critical thinking, while also being fun enough for a party of adults or kids to engage and have fun as a group.

Crocodile River   #hyperisland   #team   #outdoor   A team-building activity in which a group is challenged to physically support one another in an endeavour to move from one end of a space to another. It requires working together creatively and strategically in order to solve a practical, physical problem. It tends to emphasize group communication, cooperation, leadership and membership, patience and problem-solving.

Equilateral Triangles Collaboration

This large group game is a great way to introduce the topic of collaboration in an approachable and fun way. Get all your players standing and start by explaining that everyone in a group should choose two people with whom they will form an equilateral triangle but they do not say who those people are. Next, everyone’s goal is to move around and form that triangle with the other players without verbally communicating.

This game can end up with some hilarious outcomes as your group maneuvers around while aiming to get in sync with one another! It also has some very teachable lessons about clear communication and team alignment you can slot into a larger workshop or conference program. I often like to play a second round to help my team see if they can do better and apply the lessons from the previous round.

Equilateral Triangles Collaboration   #energiser   #warm up   Equilateral Triangles Collaboration is an excellent conference icebreaker that highlights how large self-organizing groups can successfully collaborate without the need for stringent rules, regulations and leadership. As an icebreaker in a workshop or conference that has ‘collaboration’ or ‘self-organization’ as a key theme.

Flamingo & Penguins

Getting outside is a great opportunity for movement and running around. Whatever the age of your group, players often benefit from the extra energy and fun of trying to catch other players and

The instructions for this game are simple. One player starts as a flamingo who must then chase the penguins and give them a little peck on the head to make them a flamingo. The last person to be a penguin is the winner!

Demonstrate how each role moves – one arm is raised to imitate the Flamingo‘s head and it lifts its knee with slow, swinging movements, while a Penguin is walking with waddling, fast, small steps – and then send the group on their way!

Flamingo & Penguins   #fun   #warm up   #energiser   #wondercards   Take 5-10 minutes time to wake up group’s body & brain!

Stress Balls

Passing information from one person to another in a very large team can be difficult, whether you’re working with adults or kids! Stress balls is a fast paced game where everyone playing gets to practice their communication and teamwork skills in order to win. Start by getting your team into a circle and as them to throwing a ball around to represent the movement of a message. Run consecutive rounds and increase speed, more balls and rules that reverse direction to keep everyone on their toes. I love using this game to teach some lessons about team communication while also generating energy and laughter!

Stress Balls   #energiser   #communication   #teamwork   #team   #thiagi   #action   #icebreaker   Understanding the importance of communication and teamwork is an important requirement for high performance teams of knowledge workers. This exercise is an effective energizer that requires communication and teamwork. Ask participants to form a circle and throw a ball around to simulate the movement of a message. Change different variables such as speed, quantity, and complexity to create a mess.

Near and Far

Warming up a group of more than 20 people at the same time can be a challenge. In this energizing group game, get everyone outside and invite them to silently choose one person to stay close to and another to stay away from. Next, ask your team to start playing, using the near and far rules to move around the space without talking. You’ll quickly notice some interesting dynamics and perhaps a bit of chaos as people try to figure things out!

Near and Far is a wonderfully simple game you can use to teach the importance of communication and connections while having fun and being active. Perfect for a large group session with both new and established teams.

Near and Far   #icebreaker   #energiser   #action   #thiagi   #outdoor   #warm up   Near and Far is a wonderful warm up game that provides excellent avenues to build connections and to discuss various issues of corporate culture and dynamics. I have used it in conferences and it is suitable for small, medium, and large groups.

Large group facilitation techniques

Quick games like charades are undeniably effective at getting things rolling, and fun group activities are essential for getting a team engaged, but what if you need to go deeper?

There are dedicated facilitation methods that work really effectively if you need certain conversations to happen in large groups. The techniques below can be used as core group activities for planning and facilitating group workshops with your team. They tend to have only a few guiding principles and rules, which allows smaller groups to organize and manage themselves during a workshop.

Open Space Technology

Open Space Technology – developed by Harrison Owen – is a method perfectly suited for organizing and running large-scale meetings where participants self-organize themselves to find solutions for a complex issue. There are only a few rules guiding the structure of the event, and the agenda is created by the teams attending.

It is a great method for tackling important and complex problems where the solutions are not obvious. The technology can even accommodate hundreds of people!

Open space group activities can be incredibly productive, though remember that there is a degree of self-determination here, and the individual groups in the open space are only as good as their members and the set-up of the session. If you’d like to see a complete open space workshop agenda, you can find an example template here.

Open Space Technology   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #problem solving   When people must tackle a common complex challenge, you can release their inherent creativity and leadership as well as their capacity to self-organize. Open Space makes it possible to include everybody in constructing agendas and addressing issues that are important to them. Having co-created the agenda and free to follow their passion, people will take responsibility very quickly for solving problems and moving into action. Letting go of central control (i.e., the agenda and assignments) and putting it in the hands of all the participants generates commitment, action, innovation, and follow-through. You can use Open Space with groups as large as a couple of thousand people!

World Café

World Café, developed by Juanita Brown and David Isaacs, is a simple yet powerful method to host large group dialogue and is well known among this style of group activity. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines for the groups of people to discuss different topics at different tables. Participants switch tables periodically and getting introduced to the previous discussion at their new table by a “table host”.

The structure of this method enables meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that they find relevant and important. World Cafe works great when slightly informal, with a relaxed cafe-style atmosphere. Group activities like this benefit from the setting of the right tone – make sure to get this right and brief your team before you begin!

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

Conversation Café

While the World Café is a structured process to encourage the cross-pollination of ideas in a large group, the Conversation Café is structured to begin a dialogue regarding a provocative or complex question. So, here the team members do not switch tables but participate in four rounds of conversation with taking different approaches to exchange opinions and discuss the same topic in depth.

This more focused group activity format helps to build trust and connection between teams and is therefore well-suited to handle controversial or difficult topics among diverse participants. Again this method is very practical when dealing with large groups by setting up parallel discussion groups.

Conversation Café   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #innovation   #empathy   You can include and engage any number of people in making sense of confusing or shocking events and laying the ground for new strategies to emerge. The format of the Conversation Café helps people have calm and profound conversations in which there is less debating and arguing, and more listening. Sitting in a circle with a simple set of agreements and a talking object, small groups will engage in rounds of dialogue with little or no unproductive conflict. As the meaning of their challenge pops into focus, a consensual hunch is formed that will release their capacity for new action.

This is an idea generation method that is really easy to scale into large groups, yet still allows every participant to actively take part in the process. You split your team into groups of four, share the challenge or question that people should focus on, then kick off the following sequence of activities in the parallel groups: at first, silent self-reflection by individuals, then generate ideas in pairs, and then share and develop further the ideas in the circle of four people.

At the end of the process, the best ideas from each group should be shared with the whole audience. This method allows you to leverage the whole group’s intelligence and ensure everyone will be included. We love this activity as it allows any number of people to contribute without difficulty!

1-2-4-All   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #issue analysis   With this facilitation technique you can immediately include everyone regardless of how large the group is. You can generate better ideas and more of them faster than ever before. You can tap the know-how and imagination that is distributed widely in places not known in advance. Open, generative conversation unfolds. Ideas and solutions are sifted in rapid fashion. Most importantly, participants own the ideas, so follow-up and implementation is simplified. No buy-in strategies needed! Simple and elegant!

Dot voting – or ‘dotmocracy’ – is a method for prioritizing options and making decisions by a group. Every participant receives a set of colorful sticky dots and they place them next to the ideas they find best – the ideas need to be written on post-its or on a board before the voting starts.

There are different variations: you may give multiple dots to people and they can choose how many dots they assign to each option they like. This tool quickly helps a group to recognize – without spending time on discussions – which options are the most popular. Using group activities that are time efficient can help ensure you cover everything in your agenda.

One thing to watch out for is group bias. The more voting dots an option collects during the process, the more appealing it may become to get further votes from the participants who still have to assign their dots. For this reason, it is wise to use dot-voting not as a final instrument to select the best option, but as an indicator of which few options are the most popular.

Curious to see how this activity fits in a complete process? Check out our Design Sprint 2.0 template for inspiration.

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

hands raised up at a conference

Large group activities for closing a session

So you opened your workshop with large group games that were fun and inclusive, and then included group activities that got the group talking and making important decisions. How then, should you finish the day? What group activities help a team reflect and come away from a workshop with a sense of accomplishment?

The below facilitation techniques will help to effectively close a large group session with any number of people. They are simple, time-bound and allow every group member to share their opinion and find the key takeaways after a workshop or event.

Remember that you should close a session with the same attention and enthusiasm you started with. Group activities such as those below help ensure the energy and success of the session are carried forward and followed up upon.

One-breath feedback

‘Feedback’ has a quite controversial perception. Have you ever met this situation? Someone is asked to present back after a group session and it gets unfocused. It goes on long it’s off the point and people start losing concentration It’s sometimes known as ‘death by feedback’ and can change a group’s perception of the entire session.

This team activity helps to maintain attention and forces everyone to stay concise during a closing round with a natural limit: You are only allowed to share your opinion with just one breath – that is usually no longer than 30 seconds for most people.

In case you have a large group, it works most effectively if you split up the group into circles of 10-15 participants, in order to keep the feedback round under five minutes. Remember that group activities that are timeboxed in this manner can help keep the energy up and ensure you cover everything you need to in time.

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

Feedback Mingle

Feedback Mingle is a great closing group activity to generate positive energy in any team. At the end of the session, group members are invited to give feedback to every other member of the group via post-it notes. You can use prompt questions to direct the feedback, such as “What I appreciate the most about you…” and “ My challenge to you going forward is…”.

After people finished writing a post-it note to everyone else in the group, invite them to mingle and deliver the feedback to each other. The feedback should always happen one-on-one, shared verbally. If you have larger groups, create smaller groups of people who worked together on group activities during the event.

Feedback Mingle   #hyperisland   #skills   #feedback   The Feedback Mingle is an exercise in which every member in a group gives feedback to every other member in the group. Often used as a closing activity, it aims to facilitate feedback, generate positive energy and create a sense of team.

Letter to Myself

You can use this group activity at the end of a workshop or training program to inspire future action. Participants write and send a letter to their future self, in relation to how they will apply the insights and learning they got during the course. For instance, you may ask them to focus on a simple question: “What will I achieve by a certain date?”

When explaining the task, tell the group that you will post the cards/letters in X number of months, and that they should take that into account when writing. You can define the timeframe with the group. Since participants reflect individually in this activity, there is no limitation to scaling this exercise in larger groups.

Letter to Myself   #hyperisland   #action   #remote-friendly   Often done at the end of a workshop or program, the purpose of this exercise is to support participants in applying their insights and learnings, by writing a letter and sending it to their future selves. They can define key actions that they would like their future self to take, and express their reasons why change needs to happen.

Designing large group events made easy

Running any event or activity with large numbers of people is a lot to handle. A well-structured agenda is key to facilitating with confidence and staying organized.

With SessionLab, it’s easy to build effective, engaging sessions for groups of any size. Drag, drop and reorder blocks to build your agenda. When you make changes to the plan, your session timing adjusts automatically .

When you’re ready to share your group event with participants and clients, you can invite them to collaborate or create a professional printout to help. you keep on track during the session.

Explore how to use SessionLab to design effective workshops and meetings or watch this five minute video to see the planner in action!

physical education activities for large groups

Now over to you…

When you run a group activity that generates energy, laughter and connection in your team, it can have a profound effect on the whole team. I hope you have found some useful tips for running large group games and workshop activities above. Now we’d love to hear from you!

What are your favorite facilitation techniques and games that work well with large groups in workshops, meetings or training sessions? Have you tried any of the methods or group activities above? Let us know about your experiences in the comments.

Want to see even more games and activities? Check out the SessionLab library of facilitation techniques for inspiration and proven methods you can use to improve your meetings, events, and workshops.

15 Comments

' src=

Im trying to look for some workshop games for energizer in some of my trainings. Gotcha! I found this . Thanks for this website.

' src=

You’re welcome, Merla!

' src=

This blog post is so awesome! Many of these activities are perfect for my team and department–Thanks!!

You’re welcome, that’s wonderful to hear, Syd :-)

' src=

True False Run Another one that sits at the top of the list for obvious reasons – it’s simple, easy to explain, interesting and works well for any sized group. Doesn’t have to involve the running part if your group is less actively inclinced. Be sure to prepare some interesting true/false questions and maybe a good prize for the winner.

Thank you for the suggestion, Alisha! It sounds like and interesting one! Can you tell us a bit more about how to run this exercise?:)

' src=

Very interesting thoughts and inputs

You’re welcome, Kannan!

' src=

I am looking for a workshop to energize and engage about 200 sales professionals.

Thank you for the question, Veda. You can find dozens of suitable energiser activities in our facilitation library at https://www.sessionlab.com/library/energiser – I hope this helps!

' src=

Quite a vast collection of games I would say. All are quite good .

But I am still look for a game focused on addressing Introductory challenges.

What would you suggest ?

Hi Sanjay. Are you looking for opener activities to kick-off meetings and workshops? If yes, you might find some practical exercises here for this purpuse here: https://www.sessionlab.com/library/opening

' src=

Rob, thanks for these awesome tips. I will surely try some of them. Keep sharing such in-depth guides.

' src=

Is there any game which I can organize on Teams meeting with 200 users?

' src=

I am looking to get some activities for a self discipline workshop for adults, can you recommend some ?

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cycle of workshop planning steps

Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes and help you learn how to plan a workshop from start to finish. On a good day, facilitation can feel like effortless magic, but that is mostly the result of backstage work, foresight, and a lot of careful planning. Read on to learn a step-by-step approach to breaking the process of planning a workshop into small, manageable chunks.  The flow starts with the first meeting with a client to define the purposes of a workshop.…

physical education activities for large groups

How does learning work? A clever 9-year-old once told me: “I know I am learning something new when I am surprised.” The science of adult learning tells us that, in order to learn new skills (which, unsurprisingly, is harder for adults to do than kids) grown-ups need to first get into a specific headspace.  In a business, this approach is often employed in a training session where employees learn new skills or work on professional development. But how do you ensure your training is effective? In this guide, we'll explore how to create an effective training session plan and run engaging training sessions. As team leader, project manager, or consultant,…

physical education activities for large groups

Effective online tools are a necessity for smooth and engaging virtual workshops and meetings. But how do you choose the right ones? Do you sometimes feel that the good old pen and paper or MS Office toolkit and email leaves you struggling to stay on top of managing and delivering your workshop? Fortunately, there are plenty of online tools to make your life easier when you need to facilitate a meeting and lead workshops. In this post, we’ll share our favorite online tools you can use to make your job as a facilitator easier. In fact, there are plenty of free online workshop tools and meeting facilitation software you can…

Design your next workshop with SessionLab

Join the 150,000 facilitators using SessionLab

Sign up for free

Stock group of MK in tshirts 9 featured image

6 Fun PE Games for Middle School Students

By MK Editor, May 23, 2021

Finding the best PE games for middle school students is a surprisingly complex venture. Middle-schoolers are their own special breed, and for good reason. Stuck smack in the middle between elementary and high school, poised on the cusp of young adulthood, these pre- and early teens are dealing with social and academic pressures they’ve never faced before, and managing new stressors like heavy homework loads for the first time in their lives.

These factors make it more imperative than ever that they get regular, vigorous physical exercise to help them expend energy and manage stress levels, but as their social lives shift from the in-person playdates of their earlier childhood to a more isolated and disconnected online or phone-based forum, getting moving becomes less likely. As these children grapple with personal, familial and social issues such as emerging identities, puberty, divorce or bullying, it becomes more important than ever that they develop safe, healthy connections with adult mentors such as their middle school PE teachers and coaches.

And here’s a little secret about this age group: While middle-school kids definitely want to feel grown-up, they also still want to play like kids. PE games for middle school students that incorporate teamwork and empathy are perfect for this age group because they enable older children to learn to work together and accept each other’s differences along with their own strengths and challenges. With all of that in mind, here are six of the best PE games for middle school students, to get their bodies moving.

physical education activities for large groups

1. Relay Races

Classic and time-honored for a reason, relay races are excellent PE activities for middle-schoolers since they allow them to exercise their natural competitive sides while also developing teamwork skills along with their ability to empathize with, support and cheer on their classmates. Relays are also easy to set up regardless of space or equipment limitations; any area will do, and you don’t even need batons for the teams—they can simply high-five one another when each student completes a leg of the race so the next can take over.

2. Disc Golf

This game, which can be played indoors or outdoors, is structured similarly to a relay race and has similar benefits—helping middle-schoolers develop their hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills along with teamwork and related social skills. Use foam discs for safety, and instruct students not to run with the discs; they must transport their discs from the start line to the finish by catching it, pivoting if needed, and then passing it to others on their team.

3. Ball and Bucket

For equipment, this game requires only bouncy balls and some type of receptacle for catching the balls, such as buckets or cardboard boxes. Students are divided into teams; each team receives a ball and instructions to take five minutes to devise a creative strategy for getting the ball from the start line into the bucket at the finish line in a maximum of four moves. Teams must work together to determine unique moves and then execute them. Anything that’s safe is fair game: They can toss the ball, roll it, bounce it, or use their bodies in creative ways to reach the goal. This PE game taps into middle-schoolers’ need for silly play as it develops their collaborative and creative-thinking skills.

physical education activities for large groups

4. Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses are wonderful because they’re so easily customized to each space, equipment set and student group—and middle school students love to challenge themselves! Middle school PE teachers can get as creative as they like in setting up the course to test their students’ abilities on both physical and mental levels. Whether you’re in the gym or outside, incorporate ropes, balls, discs, hula hoops, ladders, balance beams, relay sticks and anything else at hand to create a fun course that will keep middle-schoolers smiling—and moving.

5. Capture the Flag

This classic game works best with two to four teams of students, each of which will work together to devise strategies for stealing the opposing teams’ flags without getting caught. Each team has its own flag and territory within the play area; inside their own territory, players are safe, but they must venture into other teams’ territories in order to steal their flags. If caught, or tagged, while in another territory, students must perform some PE-oriented task, such as a set number of jumping jacks, burpees or pushups, before they can return “home.” Students should be reminded that Capture the Flag is less about guarding their own team’s flag and more about working with their teammates on creative plans for nabbing the win.

6. Free-Choice Fridays

Middle school students are like kids of any other age: They love to feel independent and in control. Thus, Free-Choice Fridays are wonderful to implement with this age group so they can exercise some free will in their physical education. Each Friday (or whichever day of the week works best for your schedule), give students a portion of class time to determine which game they’ll play as a class. Majority rules, but they do have to switch it up each week. One of the best things about Free-Choice Fridays? It gives middle school PE teachers a window into which PE games and activities students like best, to help you plan lessons for the coming weeks!

ABOUT MARATHON KIDS

Marathon Kids is on a mission to get kids moving. The nonprofit organization offers physical education programming and tools through Marathon Kids Connect, a FREE, cloud-based platform that makes tracking and reporting on kids’ physical activity simple.

Make Marathon Kids Your PE Partner 

Sign up to stay connected with Marathon Kids

Newsletter signup- mk, next steps: sync an email add-on.

physical education activities for large groups

The leader in quality Physical Education, Athletics, and Fitness equipment for 75 years.

physical education activities for large groups

PE Universe is the only video library designed specifically for physical educators. Simply browse or search for over 2,000 PE activity and lesson plan videos and resources. You can also filter by grade level and SHAPE standard to find exactly what you’re looking for. Below is a short sample of our favorite activities. Visit PE Universe for more ideas!

* PE Universe is powered by Gopher and is available as a free resource for you and your students.

Icebreaker and Team-Building Activities

8f590955 untitled 4

Beach Ball Team-Building Activity

by Melissa Beninger

27ca3f76 fdbe715d 20200224 095153 thumb1

Reaction Ball Cooperative Activities

by Chris Nichols

60ac1978 video 1793

Half Feet and Random Count Games

by Megan Zeigler

53527b10

Pass the Ring Cooperative Activity

by Bob Vogt

d3f032f8 ultimate teambuilding

Ultimate Team Building Activity

by Justin Cahill

fa3c035c video 2637

Crossing the Great Divide

by Elizabeth McIntosh

Now It's Your Turn To Share!

Share your team building and instant activity ideas on PE Universe. Simply upload a video or link a Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube video to your activity idea.

physical education activities for large groups

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Sign up to receive the latest physical education resources, activities, and more from educational professionals like you straight to your inbox!

  • HARD COPY BOOKS
  • CREDENTIALS
  • PE GAMES CONFERENCE
  • PE GAMES BOOK
  • PRO D AT YOUR SCHOOL
  • LEAVE A COMMENT

Elementary PE Games

Check Out Our New Video!

Huge thank you to all the teachers for their continued support! Your support allows us to create more great content!

physical education activities for large groups

Aliens and Astronauts

Finally released in book volume 5 our famous ALIENS vs ASTRONAUTS!

physical education activities for large groups

Book Volume 5 is OUT!

Our best book yet has 50 warm up pe games!

100 PE Games Books!

Start your school year right, by getting kids happy and active, in the gym or outside, with our pegames.org books! This will be the only Physical Education book you’ll need this year to guarantee to keep the most kids happy and active for the most amount of time possible throughout the day!

PE Games Shop Icon

Elementary PE Games

Rodney pegames logo flex

Every game, warm-up, challenge and activity on this site has been tested by our resident PE specialist. Mr. H. has been teaching physical education at the elementary school level for 7 years, and will make sure that we post only the best of the best.

As a Grade 7 teacher, it can be challenging to keep warm-up games and Daily Physical Activities fresh and new.Having participated in a number of these games, I feel I’ll be able to provide greater variety to my students this year and beyond. Educator: Ian Cox

During the average 45 minute block of physical education, students are actually active (i.e. moving around, elevating their heart rates), for approximately 17 minutes (less than half!). With our website, and the hundreds (soon to be thousands, as our updates continue), of activities, warm-ups, games, individual and group challenges…etc. we aim to keep kids moving, moving, moving.

Please feel free to start navigating the site, as there are all sorts of options for physical activity for your students. We are updating daily, so please continue to check back frequently as there will always be something new to keep your kids smiling and active.

New PE Games

Aliens and Astronauts

Warm-Up PE Games

Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Beanbags. Description: Choose 2-5 kids to be it and give them each an evil red ball (these are the aliens).  Everyone else is an astronaut. Scatter the beanbags all around the gym, and hold onto the empty bin. If an astronaut is tagged...

Zoo

Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Description: Choose 2-5 kids to be it and give them Evil Red Balls. If you get tagged by an Evil Red Ball, you must go down on your hands and knees wherever you are and pick and animal. Whichever animal you pick, you are only allowed to...

Mystery

Equipment: 2-5 evil red balls. Description: Choose 2-5 kids to be it and give them Evil Red Balls. If you get tagged by an Evil Red Ball, then you must sit down on the ground,bring your knees up to your face, close your eyes and put your head down into the palms of...

800.747.4457

Mon-Fri 7am - 5pm CST

Get in touch with our team

Frequently asked questions

Human Kinetics

  • Fitness & Health
  • Sport & Exercise Science
  • Physical Education
  • Strength & Conditioning
  • Sports Medicine
  • Sport Management

Large group activities for teaching rhythmic activities and dance

This is an excerpt from rhythmic activities and dance - 2e by john bennett & pamela riemer..

by John Price Bennett, EdD and Pamela Coughenour Riemer, MA

Chapter 3 of Rhythmic Activities and Dance is intended to introduce rhythms and dance movements to students of all abilities in a no-fault, nonthreatening atmosphere. This chapter contains enough warm-up activities to take any program through years of success.

Many opportunities are provided to reinforce and improve the basic skills needed for rhythmic activities and dance. The activities will assist your dance program, while stimulating students to develop at their own pace. Dance skills can be enhanced when students do not recognize that they are working on dance skills. The activities in this chapter will motivate your students to work on dance skills without any risk of embarrassment.

As you begin using these activities, you will notice opportunities to integrate subjects like math, social studies, science, and language arts with your physical education classes. Take advantage of these connections and help your students see them as well.

Counting, adding, and subtracting occur in Eight, Four, Two; in the circuits; and in Countdown. Games like Happy Heart and Veins and Arteries provide teachers with an opening to examine some basics of the physiology of exercise with their students. Fitness in America could lead to a lesson in social studies. Parts of Speech and Partner Over and Under allow language arts to be integrated with our teaching in the physical education classroom. These activities are the obvious places to integrate material. The only limitations for integration are those we place on ourselves.

You will recognize familiar activities as well as a variety of new ones to expand your students' dance skills. All are designed to promote the development of dance skills and fitness. The familiar activities have been reshaped into dance-related fitness activities. This new look to old activities makes them appealing for all age groups. Give your students an opportunity to add new ways to integrate. The feeling of ownership makes students feel important.

From old to new

Although you will recognize many of these activities immediately, look closely because they may not be what you think they are. Each one has been modified with a focus on the elements of dance. Each one reinforces dance skills and fitness simultaneously. Whether the changes appear small or large, you will be able to focus on new directions through some old organizational patterns.

This chapter is arranged into four categories of activities: large-group, small-group, circuits, and games. Large-group activities may lead to high-quality movement, as do the small-group activities, depending on how they are used. The circuits provide opportunities to practice dance skills in nonthreatening environments, and the games move to a higher level application of a rhythmic dance activity.

Within these four categories are many activities that will be appropriate for your program. You can enliven your classes by applying basic dance skills and using new and challenging conditions. Use these activities and modify them to your needs. With slight changes, you could move one to a different category.

The activities are listed in their respective groups. Individual descriptions follow. Try them as openings and closings to your lessons. They may fit as the middle of your lessons, depending on your focus. When you are working with students who are just starting out, the focus will be on the locomotor basics of walking, running, leaping, jumping, and hopping in a rhythmic manner. When these have been mastered, you will move to combination moves like skipping, sliding, galloping, doing the polka, and so on. When you are teaching students with intermediate abilities, your focus will be first on the combination movements, then shift to the selected dance steps suggested in chapter 1. With advanced students, the focus shifts to mastery of the selected dance steps found in the first chapter. As you select activities from this chapter for your program, be aware of this progression.

Students experience large-group participation and develop a variety of dance skills.

Students are spread out in the room with everyone facing front.

After a designated dance movement is performed eight times, everyone makes a quarter-turn to the right and repeats the movement eight times (see figure 3.4). Repeat with a quarter-turn right (students are now facing the back of class), and have students do it again. When the students make one more quarter-turn to face the front, repeat all movements four times, and follow the preceding sequence. Then repeat the movements two times through the entire sequence: thus the name Eight, Four, Two.

Teaching Tips

  • Use any number of movements—from one to several.
  • Let students contribute suggestions for the activity.
  • Always use music.
  • Post moves for the day on the third wall that the group faces so that they can continue without stopping.

Suggested Moves

Begin with basic locomotor movements, then combinations, then the selected dance steps from the first chapter. This should be the progression to follow when organizing your program.

Basic Locomotor Movements

Combinations.

  • Slide and lunge
  • Skip and jump
  • Gallop and leap
  • Polka and turn

Selected Dance Steps

  • Step touches
  • Schottische steps
  • Lindy steps
  • Jazz circles
  • Sit-ups or curl-ups
  • Bleking steps

This is an excerpt from Rhythmic Activities and Dance .

Large group activities for teaching rhythmic activities and dance

Latest Posts

  • Esports Players and Headaches
  • Summary of Sleep and Recovery Guidelines for Esports Players
  • Understand the 70/20/10 rule as applied by the Liminal Collective human performance community
  • Medicine ball BLOB throw (between legs, over back)
  • What is the strategic sport communication model?
  • Betting by NFL players after the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act

Cap N' Pete's Power PE

  • Pete Charrette

Physical Education Games: 6 Small Group Games for PE That Keep Your Students Engaged!

There are many options for physical educators to teach their PE curriculum and address district, state and/or national standards. This gives physical education teachers a lot of flexibility in how they present material to their students. Small group games in PE offer many benefits over full-class, large group activities. A small group game in a gym class is any game or activity that may be played by a small collection of students, usually three to eight people. Because the numbers are low, they get more movement opportunities and chances to put a learned skill into practice.

physical education activities for large groups

Small group physical education games can be used to teach a wide variety of PE concepts and skills such as hand-eye coordination, footwork, and spatial awareness. They are also an excellent way to promote teamwork, social skills, and leadership. In order to teach children most effectively, PE teachers can separate them into groups based on their skill level and developmental stage. This gives the teacher more time to focus on each group. To keep every student engaged in learning, several small group or class games can be going on at the same time inside the designated learning space.

Small Group PE Games

Why incorporate small group games in a PE class?

Small-group gym games provide a supportive environment that allows for more player-to-player interactions than traditional games. They also give players more opportunities to be successful and feel like valuable members of the group. These games challenge students but tend to be less competitive and therefore can reduce stress levels and create a more positive social atmosphere in the class. When students feel less anxious about their performance (as they might in larger groups), they are more likely to be engaged in fun game and better able to perform the desired skills in a game-like scenario.

In addition, the highlighted PE games in this blog article can directly correlate with SHAPE America Standard 2 which states: The physically literate individual applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance. .* Small group games in PE assist students meet these expectations as well as others that may be determined by a district or state.

SHAPE America Standard 3 Visual

Tips for incorporating a small group PE game into your classes

Determine the skills or movement patterns you want your students to practice

Select small group games that allow for practicing these skills and movements in a game-like scenario. They can involve equipment or be equipment-free games

Make sure to utilize engaging games that are developmentally appropriate for your students

I Can Statements for Physical Education- Standard 1

Playing area safety is key- make sure students have the space to move around freely and without hazard

Before playing, ensure that everyone is on the same page in terms of rules, regulations and boundaries

Have select students demonstrate the game

Encourage students to be active, play fair, and have fun

I Can Statements for Physical Education- Standard 2

Keep the gym class game fun and not overly competitive

Stop the game from time to time to redirect behavior or provide rest periods

Have a wrap-up discussion to celebrate accomplishments

Let's take a look at six different small group games you may use in your program now that we know how and why they work for physical education.

1. Catch Ball

Team's work together to make a playground ball bounce 2 times inside another team’s court Skills Used: throwing and catching

1 playground ball per small group of students (8 to 12 students)

Indoor- Gym lines or small cones for court boundaries

Outdoor-Playground chalk for court boundaries

Two square or rectangle courts are set across from each other.

A serving line is set at back right

Small Group PE Game: Catch Ball

Game Instructions and Rules

Students spread out inside their side of the court.

This team game begins with a serve from the back right corner into the other teams court- The ball must pass the mid-line on the serve

The object is to get the ball to bounce two times in the other team members court. If the ball bounces once or a player drops it and it bounces once and then they catch it, it is still in play

If the ball is thrown to the other side and it bounces once and then out of bounds, the other team gets the point

If the ball bounces twice (in your own court) at any time before it crosses over to the other side, the other team gets the point. The serve changes after each point and rotates through the entire team

Players can pass it to any other player on their team (while it is live) before it crosses to the other side but if it is dropped and it bounces two times, the other team receives the point. The ball may bounce one time at any time during live play

Teachers should count “ONE” when it bounces the first time to remind students

2. Flash Ball

Game created by Dave Senecal. Find Dave (PEPALOOZA) on TPT here

Players attempt to eliminate other players (playing 1 vs. 1) by throwing a ball into their opponent’s rectangular court without them being able to catch it cleanly.

Skills Used: throwing, catching and tapping

One oversized Wal-Mart plastic ball, Slo-Mo ball, or beach ball per playing group (around 16- 20” ball)

Construct lines to make up the rectangular courts) using chalk, tape or Velcro

The courts should measure around 18' L x 3’ W divided with a mid-line

Multiple games can take place around the gym/field/blacktop at one time

Small Group PE Game: Flash Ball

One player starts on each side of the rectangular court. A student ref stands off to the side and will rotate into the game

One player starts a rally by serving the ball into the other person’s rectangle with a relatively easy serve that can be cleanly received and then thrown back

The ball must bounce on the other player’s side inside their rectangle

After the bounce, the ball must be caught before it is thrown back to the other side

Players can not throw inside their rectangle. They must play to the side or behind the rectangular-shaped court

“Tap ups” can be used when the ball cannot be cleanly caught- the player can tap the ball up into the air but must catch it before it hits the ground

If the receiving player misses the ball (doesn’t catch it), they are out of the game and join the end of the line waiting to come back in

The ball can hit any outside line and needs to be played by the person that is in that particular rectangle. The mid-line however, cannot be hit. This results as an out

If knocked out of the game, a player joins the line to rotate back into the next open side

Use the next person rotating in as the referee to make the call

3. Paddle 4 Square

An active game where players strike a ball with their paddle or racket in an attempt to eliminate other players and advance to the highest square, becoming the King/Queen.

Skills Used: striking

At least 4 paddles or rackets per small group

1 small bouncy foam ball per small group

Court lines constructed with chalk or tape

Numbers 1 – 4 written in each square

Small Group PE Game: Paddle 4 Square

One player stands in each of the 4 squares. A line is formed at Square #1 to rotate in.

A server in Square #4 (sometimes known as King/Queen square) drops the ball and then hits it underhand with the paddle into another square

The person receiving the serve hits the ball with the paddle back into any other person’s square and the “rally” continues until someone gets knocked out of the game by 1. Hitting any of the “inside” lines, 2. Hitting the ball out of bounds, 3. Hitting the ball before letting it bounce at least once inside their square, 4. Touching the ball with anything other than the paddle or 5. Hitting the ball after it landed in someone else’s square without letting them hit it first

The ball can hit any outside line and needs to be played by the person that is in that particular square. The inside lines however, cannot be hit- hitting an inside line results in an out

If knocked out of the game, a player joins the line to rotate back into Square #1

Use the next person rotating in as the referee to make the call in the next rally

Video courtesy of Andrew Wymer. Find Andrew on Twitter: @AndrewWyner10s

4. Pin Ball

Two teams play against each other as each team of players work together to toss a foam ball or flying disc at the other team's bowling pin at the end of their court in an attempt to knock it down. Skills Used: throwing, catching

1 ball per small group (yarn ball, foam ball or Frisbee)

4 cones or gym lines to mark off a playing area/court

2 hula hoops at each end of the Court

2 Bowling pins or empty 2 Liter’s (placed inside the hula hoop)

Small Group PE Game: Pin Ball

Students spread out inside their side of the court to start. (3 vs 3 or 4 vs 4 works well).

One team begins with the ball and attempts to pass the ball down the court and shoot the ball to knock over the pin set inside the other team’s hoop

A player with possession of the ball cannot travel with it. They can pivot and make 1 step toward their target (a teammate or the pin) but cannot advance themselves up the court

“Complete” passes must be made to keep possession. If the ball drops to the floor, possession goes to the other team at that exact point

There is no contact whatsoever in the game on defense

If a team makes connecting passes down the court and is able to get an accurate shot that knocks down the other team’s pin, they are awarded 1 point

Games go for a set time or until a team scores “10 points” first

5. Intercept (Indoor and Outdoor Game)

A simple game where one team of players pass a soccer ball around a field or gym while another team attempt to throw a separate ball to hit it while it is rolling. Skills Used: kicking, throwing, fielding

1 soccer ball per small group

1 gator skin ball per small group

Small Group PE Game: Intercept

Students spread out in small teams on a grassy field or large gym (2 vs 2 or 3 vs 3 work best)

One team starts with the soccer ball and they pass it back and forth to each other on the ground in a specified area, using only their feet

The other team tries to hit the soccer ball with their ball, using a Nerf or gator skin.

When the soccer ball is struck, the teams exchange roles and execute the opposite activity.

The team with the Nerf or gator skin ball cannot run with the ball but must advance it by throwing it a teammate in an attempt to get closer to the soccer ball

6. Rescue Me

A creative game where one team of players pass footballs (or other type of balls) past another team to the opposing end zone. where teammates wait to catch and throw the ball and are ultimately rescued. Skills Used: throwing, catching

Equipment and Playing Zone

Several balls (footballs, Nerf balls, Frisbees, etc.) per playing group

Cones or lines to mark playing areas and end zones

The game is played in small groups of 12 – 16 (6 – 8 per team)

Several balls are dispersed on each side of the playing area

The playing area is divided with a mid-line and 2 end-zone lines approximately 30 to 50 feet apart

Small Group PE Game: Rescue Me

Teams put half of their players in their side of the playing area and the other half go behind the other teams end-zone.

Each team attempts to save their teammates from the other team’s end zone by throwing them a ball

The players in the opposing end zone must make a “complete’ catch in the air that is thrown from one of their teammates

If they catch it they must throw the same ball back to any one of their teammates in their “home playing area”, back across the mid-line

If a player makes a successful catch and then throws the ball from the end zone line back across the mid-line to their home playing area and it is caught, they are RESCUED

They then join their teammates in their “home playing field” and attempt to save the remaining players on the other team's side of the end zone

If a ball is not caught, it is thrown back to either playing area and the process is repeated again

A team wins when everyone on their squad has been rescued!

Final thoughts

Now that you know about these six small group PE games, it's time to put them into action with your class. Not only are these games fun, but they also aid in developing students' throwing, catching, foot dribbling and striking skills. Before beginning any game, it is essential that students have the right equipment and are familiar with the rules. Correct and encourage your students as they work together in their class teams. Make sure to rotate the games on a regular basis so that students don't get bored. Most importantly, have fun! With a little preparation, you can easily add these games to your physical education class and provide a beneficial learning experience for your students.

Do you have any favorite small group games for PE? Let us know in the comments below!

Need some FREE physical education games?

Do you need some FUN games for your physical education program that include detailed instructions and play diagrams? Cap'n Pete's Power PE has you covered!

physical education activities for large groups

Fill in the form below to download the FREE Physical Education Games Packet- 18 Game Set to use in your PE program! Inside this package are 18 fun and exciting PE games for students, designed for a wide range of ages.

This set is a PDF digital download that includes selected games (3 from each) from the following sets from Cap’n Pete’s PE Games Super Bundle.

1. PE Base Games, 2. PE Basketball Games, 3. PE Soccer Games, 4. PE Volleyball/Net Games, 5. PE Disc Games, and 6. PE Small Group Multi-skill Games

If you're looking for a ton of PE Games that are ideal for large, medium or small-sized groups, check out Cap'n Pete's PE Games: Super Bundle- Basketball, Soccer, Net, Disc, Base & Small Group Games.

PE Games: Super Bundle- Basketball, Soccer, Net, Disc, Base & Small Group Games.

This Super Bundle includes 150 games from 6 PE game sets that originate from the following resources: PE Base Games , PE Basketball Games, PE Soccer Games, PE Volleyball and Net Games, PE Disc Games, and PE Small Group Multi-Skill Games. Each set has 25 top-rated games that can be used by PE and classroom teachers to teach skills and keep students HAPPY and ACTIVE!!!

You can download them from either of the following platforms: Cap'n Pete's Power PE Website or Teachers Pay Teachers- Cap'n Pete's TPT Store

physical education activities for large groups

  • Activities and Games
  • Manipulative Skills

Related Posts

6 PE Games that will Transform Your Physical Education Classes

Energizing Education: The Power of Brain Breaks in the Classroom; Includes 12 Practical Activities

Engaging At-Home PE Activities for Effective Distance Learning in Physical Education

Hey Vickie...thanks for responding. I am retired from teaching but still designing resources for PE and health teachers. Thanks for using my stuff!!!

Do you still teach or design games?? I use your stuff often!!

Recent Posts

Understanding the New SHAPE America Physical Education Standards for 2024

Understanding the New SHAPE America Physical Education Standards for 2024

Mastering the Dynamics of PE Classroom Management: A Comprehensive Guide

Mastering the Dynamics of PE Classroom Management: A Comprehensive Guide

6 PE Games that will Transform Your Physical Education Classes

Run, Walk, Thrive: How to Implement a Mileage Club at Your School

Empowering Your Voice: A Comprehensive Guide to Physical Education Advocacy

Empowering Your Voice: A Comprehensive Guide to Physical Education Advocacy

Energizing Education: The Power of Brain Breaks in the Classroom; Includes 12 Practical Activities

Adopt-a-Gym: Enhancing Physical Education for Underfunded Schools

The Top PE Equipment Providers for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide for Physical Educators

The Top PE Equipment Providers for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide for Physical Educators

15 Fun PE Stations for Active Engagement in Elementary Physical Education Classes

15 Fun PE Stations for Active Engagement in Elementary Physical Education Classes

Harnessing the Power of AI in Physical Education: Enhancing Efficiency and Effectiveness

Harnessing the Power of AI in Physical Education: Enhancing Efficiency and Effectiveness

Developing Positive Character Traits in PE: The Heart of Physical Education

Developing Positive Character Traits in PE: The Heart of Physical Education

What is Physical Education? A Comprehensive Overview for Educators

What is Physical Education? A Comprehensive Overview for Educators

The Top 20 PE Blogs: Essential Reads for Every Physical Education Teacher

The Top 20 PE Blogs: Essential Reads for Every Physical Education Teacher

Launching Your Career in PE: The Ultimate Roadmap to a Successful Physical Education Job

Launching Your Career in PE: The Ultimate Roadmap to a Successful Physical Education Job

PE Games that Rock!- 12 Large Group Games Bundle

Show preview image 1

Products in this Bundle (12)

showing 1 - 5 of 12 products

Also included in

physical education activities for large groups

Description

KEEP ON ROCKIN' MY FRIENDS!

Save 33% off the individual game prices when you purchase this 12 game bundle!

Download 12 cutting edge, large group physical education games to use in your PE classes, summer camp or for your church youth group program. These quality games were designed to be engaging, student friendly and highly active. They are fast paced and high energy and provide an outlet for students to develop their cardiovascular fitness and manipulative skill growth. All 12 games are FUN, and students will want to play them often throughout the school year.

What Resources are in the PE Games that Rock- 12 Large Group Game Bundle?

1. Battleship- Throwing, gathering, and blocking pins 2. Buccaneer Brigade- Throwing, tossing, catching, and gathering 3. Capture the Pig- Chasing, fleeing, tagging, and teamwork 4. Down on the Farm- Throwing, catching, blocking, defending, and rolling 5. Mission is Possible- Chasing, fleeing, dodging, and tagging 6. Over the Hedge- Throwing, catching, and gathering for the younger students 7. Pirates- Four team dodging a tag, fleeing, and tagging 8. Rescue 911- Throwing, tossing, catching, gathering, and teamwork 9. Spy Kids- Dodge, throw, catch, chase, and run 10. Storm the Castle- Fast paced, high energy chasing, fleeing, and tagging 11. Survivor 1: You’re in it Alone- Rolling and defending 12. Survivor 2: Alliance Attack- Rolling, defending and teamwork

Each game comes with a detailed lesson plan consisting of 1. Overview and Purpose, 2. SHAPE AMERICA Standard 3. Learning Outcomes, 4. Essential Questions, 5. Differentiation/Modification, 6. Game Setup and Procedures (Instructions for Play), 7. Materials and Resources, 8. Safety and 9. Assessment Suggestions. An easy to follow, full page graphical diagram is also included for each game in the Large Group Game Bundle.

All the large group games are tried and true and your students will love them! You can incorporate them with 2 or 3 classes at the same time or teach with as little as 1 class at a time. They are geared towards elementary-aged and middle school age students; however, they have been used with high school students and they love them too! The games can be modified to fit your gym size and the equipment listed in the plan can be switched out for something else that you have in your equipment closet.

**Note: One of the games, Spy Kids is a human target-type game. SHAPE America does not endorse games that use human targets for PE. Spy Kids is a lot of fun and works great as an After School Program, Intramural or Class Reward game.

I have created 2 other series of "fast paced, high energy", large group games entitled:

PE Games for Super Heroes!"

This product is a series of 12 “SUPER Games" that have kids dodging, chasing, fleeing, throwing, blocking, sweating, laughing, smiling and of course, SAVING THE WORLD!

Out of this World PE Games

This product is a series of 12 “cosmic” games that have “cool” references to things like space, planets, stars, aliens, cosmos, meteors, time warps, jets, galaxies, and black holes….all of the things kids love!

A combination BUNDLED PACKAGE-TRIPLE SERIES (with a significant savings) of all 3 of my large group games series can be purchased at the following link:

Cap'n Pete's Large Group PE Games - "Triple Series Mega Bundle"

*****************************************************************************

Customer Tips:

How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases:

• Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your gym or classroom so I can create more for you.

Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches:

• Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. You will now receive email updates about this store.

*************************************************************************

Click the links below to see more of Cap'n Pete's PE and Movement-Based Resources:

Academic Concepts in PE- Curriculum Connections

Activity Resources

Bundles and Super Bundles

Classroom Energizers and Brain Boosts

Components of Fitness Visuals

Field Day and Special Events

Fitness Resources

Health PowerPoints for High School

Health Visuals

Holiday Products

I Can Statements

Instant Activities

Large Group Games

Posters- Bundled Poster Packs

Posters- Classroom

Posters- PE and Health

Sign Packages for PE

Skill Cue Visuals

Stations and Task Cards

Super Friends

Touranment Resources

What's on Your Plate Resources

Word Art Posters

Questions & Answers

Cap'n pete's power pe.

  • We're hiring
  • Help & FAQ
  • Privacy policy
  • Student privacy
  • Terms of service
  • Tell us what you think

IMAGES

  1. Phys Ed Tutorial: Large Group Activities

    physical education activities for large groups

  2. 50 Activities for Large Groups Cards

    physical education activities for large groups

  3. Elementary Pe Games For Large Groups

    physical education activities for large groups

  4. 7 Fun Hula Hoop Games

    physical education activities for large groups

  5. 6 Gross Motor Activities for Large Groups

    physical education activities for large groups

  6. 170 PE Activities & Lesson Plans ideas in 2021

    physical education activities for large groups

VIDEO

  1. Physical Education Activities_2021-22

  2. Physical education activities #youtubeshorts #reels #youtube #sports

  3. students activities in school 🎒/ kids activities/ physical activity in school 🏫 / #studentsactivity

  4. Physical education activities #youtubeshorts #reels #subscribetomychannel

  5. if you can do these skills, you can play any sport… ⚽️🎾🏑⛹🏽🥏

  6. Physical Education Activities

COMMENTS

  1. Large Class Size Activities for PE

    I asked my good PE Buddy Adam Elvington to share a few good activities since he's had 75+ kids at a time for PE Class, he was kind enough to put this activity guide together for you, hope it's helpful. If you haven't already, you must check out J.D. Hughes for some great large class game ideas, you can find him over at PE2themax.com

  2. PDF Ideas and Activities for Large Class Sizes

    IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES FOR LARGE CLASS SIZES Note from Ben: Hey guys, this activity is from one of my good PE buddies who has taught HUGE (100+) class ... Activity: C reative D ance Students W ill B e A ble T o: C reate a d ance u sing a l ist o f c ue c ards Equipment: M usic t hat c an b e e asily c ounted i n a n 8 c ount s tep p attern, c ue ...

  3. Energize Your Physical Education classes with 6 Action-Packed Large

    Welcome to the ever-evolving field of Physical Education, where engaging and inclusive large group games are transforming PE classes into vibrant hubs of activity and learning. The shift from traditional, skill-focused teaching methods to dynamic, all-inclusive games marks a significant evolution in how physical educators can address a variety of standards in physical education. This change is ...

  4. P.E. Games for Large Groups

    P.E. Games for Large Groups. August 18, 2023. This guide is not just a walk down memory lane; it's a treasure trove of innovative PE games designed to light up any large gathering with laughter and energy. We're here to transform your view of physical education into an exhilarating adventure that goes beyond mere fitness.

  5. The 20 Best Indoor PE Games

    No matter what the kids roll, this is sure to tire out all the participants. 13. Badminton. Badminton is a great game for kids of all ages. It's simple to set up with easy-to-follow rules. For an indoor activity during a rainstorm or too-cold weather, set up the indoor badminton courts inside the gym.

  6. 46 Elementary PE Games Your Students Will Love

    6. Crab Soccer. Playworks/Crab Soccer via playworks.org. We love elementary PE games that require students to act like animals (and we think they will too). Similar to regular soccer, but students will need to play on all fours while maintaining a crab-like position. Learn more: Crab Soccer at Playworks.

  7. Monster Ball: A super fun Throwing Game for PE Class

    Description: On the command students will attempt to throw the small ball at the Monster Ball in order to make it move. Their goal is to try and get the Monster ball to cross the line on the opposing team's side of the square/circle/line. If the Monster Ball rolls outside of the designated area - the opposing team's side will receive one ...

  8. Full Length

    These full-length games are all designed to be played during a 45-60 minute period, and work best when coupled with some of our fantastic warm-up games. These games are all designed to keep the most kids active for the most amount of time possible, and really focus on ensuring that everyone has a role to fill (so that there is very little ...

  9. Physical Education Professional Development: Large Group Games for PE

    Therefore, this course is designed to help physical education teachers design lessons to provide for maximum activity in large class sizes through rituals and routines, classroom setup and instructional strategies. This course will focus on large group games. Large groups games are designed to fill an entire class period and follow the 80/80 rule.

  10. Powerhouse PE

    25 Fun PE Games for Groups of 12 or More. Kindergarten to 8th Grade. Perfect for PE Class, Youth Groups or After School Programs. Minimal Equipment. Use Indoors or Outdoors. Detailed Illustrations and Instructions. 100% Digital - Get Access Just 30 Seconds From Now.

  11. PE Central

    Practical, proven lesson plans written and submitted by real teachers and approved by our expert editorial team! Helpful online courses and information for the physical education teacher who wants to continue to develop and grow! View all 79 Resources! See what others are doing to improve physical education at their school.

  12. Phys Ed Tutorial: Large Group Activities

    We were blown away by the international response to our previous Phys Ed Tutorial videos - so we decided to make some more! We're happy and honoured that so ...

  13. PHYSEDGAMES

    The PE games you will find on this site are used by professional physical education teachers as part of successful programs in school gyms - here you'll find amazing ideas for P.E. - tried, tested, and proven by physed teachers and coaches! DIRECT LINK TO YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Physedgames YouTube Browse the categories at the top to enjoy quick and easy video descriptions to learn a new game ...

  14. Large Group Games for Physical Education Speakers

    This page features presenters who share large group games in physical education classes. Book a Workshop Now! [email protected]; 678-764-2536. Pete Charrette ... Large Group Games- Non-traditional, fun games for large PE classes; Skills Assessment- Teacher, peer and self-assessment- formative and summative visual checklists for 24 ...

  15. 40 Brilliant Large Group Games for 20+ people!

    The Viking #hyperisland #energiser. In this group game, players stand in a circle and perform a series of loud physical moves, passing from one person to the next. When a player hesitates or makes a mistake, he or she is eliminated and the game continues. The game generates laughter and playfulness in the group.

  16. 6 Fun PE Games for Middle School Students

    2. Disc Golf. This game, which can be played indoors or outdoors, is structured similarly to a relay race and has similar benefits—helping middle-schoolers develop their hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills along with teamwork and related social skills. Use foam discs for safety, and instruct students not to run with the discs; they ...

  17. 5 fun PE activities for large groups || pegames || physedgames

    These 5 fun activities for large groups can be modified as per your needs. if you don't have markers and pool noodles. you can simply use paper and other ava...

  18. PE Universe Icebreaker and Team-Building Activity Ideas

    PE Universe is the only activity idea library designed specifically for physical educators. Simply browse or search for over 2,000 PE activity and lesson plan videos and resources. You can also filter by grade level and SHAPE standard to find exactly what you're looking for! Below is a short sample of our favorite activities.

  19. Elementary PE Games

    Every game, warm-up, challenge and activity on this site has been tested by our resident PE specialist. Mr. H. has been teaching physical education at the elementary school level for 7 years, and will make sure that we post only the best of the best. As a Grade 7 teacher, it can be challenging to keep warm-up games and Daily Physical Activities ...

  20. P.E. 40 Large Group Games by Physical Education Ideas

    Product Description. 40 creative and engaging PE group games and activities for your Grade K - 10s - great inside your sports hall or out on the field. This Kindergarten to Grade 10 PE Large Group Games Pack has been developed by experienced elementary PE teachers and is great way to incorporate into any PE lesson - or could help you with games ...

  21. Large group activities for teaching rhythmic activities and dance

    Large-group activities may lead to high-quality movement, as do the small-group activities, depending on how they are used. The circuits provide opportunities to practice dance skills in nonthreatening environments, and the games move to a higher level application of a rhythmic dance activity. Within these four categories are many activities ...

  22. Basketball Games for PE: 6 Dynamic Physical Education Basketball Lead

    When teaching basketball to students, it is important to keep them active and engaged. One way to do this is by using lead-up games. These games are a fun way to get the class excited about playing basketball and help them learn and practice the skills needed for the sport. Lead-up games for basketball help to break up the monotony of traditional PE class practice-style or station-style ...

  23. Physical Education Games: 6 Small Group Games for PE That Keep Your

    There are many options for physical educators to teach their PE curriculum and address district, state and/or national standards. This gives physical education teachers a lot of flexibility in how they present material to their students. Small group games in PE offer many benefits over full-class, large group activities. A small group game in a gym class is any game or activity that may be ...

  24. PE Games that Rock!- 12 Large Group Games Bundle

    Download 12 cutting edge, large group physical education games to use in your PE classes, summer camp or for your church youth group program. These quality games were designed to be engaging, student friendly and highly active. They are fast paced and high energy and provide an outlet for students to develop their cardiovascular fitness and ...