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Ready-to-Use Physical Education Activities

According to the American Heart Association, about 10 million children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. This statistic makes an effective argument for keeping physical education part of a school's curriculum. There are quite a few physical education activities that need little in the way of equipment. The main goal is to get kids moving and understanding the importance of keeping fit.

  1. Simon Says

    • This game can be played by children of any age group and works not only on physical development but listening skills as well. The teacher, or Simon, leads the class through a series of activities such as jumping jacks, ab crunches, running or any activity that gets kids moving. For this game to work, kids have to listen to the teacher, who is Simon, and make sure they hear "Simon says" before each instruction. If the teacher does not say "Simon says" and any kids perform the activity, they are "out" for the next round. In order for kids not to get "out" on purpose so they do not have to participate, have them take a quick lap or do sit-ups or push-ups. Kids can also be rewarded by being able to play Simon.

    Mother May We

    • In this game, kids ask the teacher, or Mother, to do certain activities. For instance, if the student asks, "Mother, may we do 20 jumping jacks?" The teacher then responds and the entire class either does the activity or another student poses an activity. All questions have to be asked with "Mother may we," otherwise, the answer is always no. Not only do students get to decide what kind of activity they perform, they can also take turns being "Mother." This is a great learning game for younger students.

    Red Light, Green Light

    • While often used as a running game, the leader shouts "green light!" to get students moving and "red light!" to get them to stop immediately. This game can also be used with skipping, jumping jacks, hopping, sit-ups or almost any other physical activity. Mix up the activities during play to keep things interesting. Even water breaks and rest periods can be incorporated into the game. Let kids take turns being the leader. This game works well with children of all age levels.

    Take A Walk Around The World

    • Have students set an individual goal for where they would like be at the end of their walk. They then can find out how far away this place is -- be it a few blocks away or halfway around the world. It does not matter if the destination cannot actually be reached by walking; the important factors here are the destination and the distance. Every day the students can walk, run, skip or hop toward their destination. Let each class period act as a certain number of miles toward their destination. Additionally, students can keep track of what they do outside of the classroom and have that count toward their mileage as well.

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