Looking for some fun gym games for kids? Look no further. Whether you are looking for games for your physical education class or just some games to play in an empty gym, these games are sure to lead to hours of physical exercise and fun.
QUESTION: Besides exercise, what benefit do children receive from games?
Many games help children learn skills they need to know:
• How to solve problems…
• How to do things hand and body wise …
• How to follow directions and rules…
• How to be fair…
•How to wait their turn…
Lots and lots of games on KidActivities! There are also games in every ‘Theme and Holiday’ Category.
Designate boundaries. Depending on the size of the play group, one or more children are the Blob.
Any one tagged by the Blob must join hands and become part of it.
Object: For the Blob to devour everyone and for everyone else to stay alive as long as possible.
Use whatever you have that can be thrown and not hurt anyone…
Balls, wads of paper, sock balls, rubber chickens, koosh balls, etc.
Have two equal teams with a center line.
Each team starts with the same amount of items.
At the signal each team throws whatever it can get their hands on – from their side of the line to the other side.
Players continue to throw until the signal to stop (or if music is used when you play – and the music stops)
The winning team is the side with the least amount of garbage on it’s side.
To play more rounds – divide the garbage evenly again and continue. Keep score of whoever has the most wins.
You can add interest by having the “losing team” pick up all “garbage” or have both teams pick up garbage but the losing team has to do what the winning teams directs such as accomplish a certain amount of push-ups- sit-ups, etc.
One person is “it.” Whenever someone is tagged by “it” they must hold a bandaid (their hand) on the spot where they were tagged. Then the game continues.
When someone runs out of bandaids, (they get tagged three times), they are frozen until two other people come over to them and “operate.”
The two other people need to tag the frozen person at the same time and count to five.
Switch the person who is “it” often.
Play as with dodge ball (or gaga ball), but instead of sitting out to the side players sit down where they are tagged by the ball. From their sitting position, the octopus (tagged kids) help with tagging any players who get close enough to be touched. If a player is caught this way, they also sit down where they have been caught.
One player is designated to be the lighthouse.
One quarter of the players assumes the role of “rocks” and they scatter in a bounded area.
All the other students become ships and boats of various sizes.
Equipment :3 Balls (Beach Balls)
Players scatter over the playing area and a ball is tossed into the air. The objective is to keep the ball in the air using any part of the body.
Once one ball is up, get two or three balls going at the same time.
Keep count of the number of times the ball (or balls) is kept up in the air before it hits the ground.
Youth try and better the number next time around.
K-6 Promotes cooperation and develops strength…
Need several old sheets or blankets
#1 Version: Divide the group into two teams.
Give each team a blanket.
Have one player from each team lie down on the blanket.
The teams must drag the body on the blanket from one end of the gym or yard to the other.
Whoever crosses the finish line first, wins.
#2 Version: You can also increase the number of kids on the blanket and have more draggers pulling them…or have an entire team get on the blanket and try to move to the destination point and back by rolling, scooting, shuffling, etc.
#3 This vesion is played as a relay…
Have players form teams of 6-10.
Players form pairs within their teams.
Object is that one player drags his/her partner who is laying or sitting on the sheet or blanket to the end of the room (or where you decide) and drag back again.
(They can also switch at the half-way point.- If they don’t switch half-way -they go all the way back and then switch places.
Each pair repeats the process– until all have had a chance to drag and be dragged.
Supplies:
Ball of any type,
Large area for play
Something for a goal (desk, basket, trash can).
It’s a simple race.
First, hold a broom or baseball bat in the air, looking at the top of it.
Keeping your eye on the top, spin in a circle 10 times.
Now (try to) run to the finish line. Lot’s of silly fun should follow…
Players stand and hold a bed sheet on opposite ends.
A ping pong ball is placed onto the sheet.
The sheet is then raised or lowered.
The object of the game is to get the ping pong ball to fall off the other team’s side of the sheet.
Body part freeze tag is just like regular freeze tag except once tagged, you are NOT completely frozen.
Children are divided into teams. Each team selects one child from their team to be the prisoner of the other team; the two prisoners are placed in jail.
This can be a designated area or a chalk box if playing outside.
The teams each line up and the object of the game is to free the prisoner from the other team.
The teams must get to the prison by going to the other team’s side to free the prisoner.
If tagged, that child then becomes a prisoner too and must go to jail.
If a child makes it to jail, he or she is safe as long as he is inside the prison.
The rescuer can only rescue one person at a time and can choose the right time to “break for it.”
This game is fast-paced and great for a larger group.
This game was developed in Africa…
Required: Brooms, rubber ball, and goals (boxes or buckets)
Players: 2 or more
This game can be played in any size room.
You need: A gym floor with 4 squares …
Required: Blindfold
Players: Medium to large groups
Here’s a quick game that can be played in a classroom or gym.
In an area of 60×30 (volley ball court or gym) place squeaky toys, balloons, chairs, ropes. and cones randomly about.
Kids form partners.
One person is blindfolded; their partner must talk them through the “mine field.”
Partners may not touch each other at any time.
Try and make it from one side of the playing area to the other.
Several pairs may try to maneuver at the same time…
Need Flags or a strip of cloth to be used as a tail.
Players have a tail inserted into his/her belt or pocket that is hanging at the back-side.
All players chase one another trying to collect tails, while protecting his/her own.
Players with the most tails collected in a specified time are the winners.
The children begin by ” popping ” around the gym as pieces of sticky popcorn, searching for other pieces of popcorn.
When two pieces of popcorn meet, they stick together.
Once stuck together, they continue to pop around together, sticking to even more pieces, until they end up in a big popcorn ball.
(This could also be called Zoo, Ocean, Circus, or Outer Space, if you are having a “Theme”; You’d just change the names to go with the theme.)
Required: Playing cards (preferably larger size playing cards) and activity slips-two of each directive (be creative)
Players: Small to large groups
Sit ups, push ups, right sideway leg lift, left side-way leg lift, run in place, shoulder rolls, jumping jacks, hop on right foot, hop on left foot, jump up and down, scissor jump-steps, swimming from waist motion, jump rope in place-without a rope, etc.
Everyone walks around with their eyes closed in a small space.
When they bump into someone they ask, “Pruie?”
If “Pruie” is said back to you then they are not the person you are looking for and you continue looking in the group.
The referee has whispered to one person, telling them that they are the “Pruie”.
The Pruie does not have to close their eyes and if someone bumps into them and asks “Pruie?” they do not respond.
This is the clue to join onto their hand and open your eyes.
The fun comes when there is only one person left to find the Pruie!
Select one child, to start the game and be the “stoplight”.
All the children line up on the other side of gym.
The ‘stoplight’ yells “Green light!” and the children lined up start running.
Object of game: The first one to make it to the stoplight wins and is now the stoplight.
It gets tricky when the stoplight changes…
Scatter out several hula hoops around the floor.
Assign taggers to freeze the other players.
Students inside a hula hoop can not get frozen, but can only stay long enough to count to 10.
Only one child per hula hoop is allowed.
This game is played like traditional tag.
The number of children playing, will determine the number of “ITS” you have–which would normally be from 1 to 3.
______ minutes, change your “It”.
Formation : Scatter
Three or four players are “It”.
Players try to tag others.
Other players can be immune from the tag by holding their nose with one hand and their toes with the other.
They can only hold this pose for three seconds.
They must immediately start to run after stopping in his manner.
When tagged they also become an “It”.
All the children line up side by side except the player who is the caller. The caller stands at a distance from the lined up players.
He calls on each player in turn to take a number of steps toward him. The steps allowed are: baby steps, giant steps, and scissor steps (like forward jumping jacks.)
The player answers “Mother, may I?”
The mother answers “Yes, you may.”
The player takes the given number of steps toward the caller.
If the player forgets to ask permission after they get directions and takes steps toward the caller they are sent back to the starting line. The first player to reach the caller is the winner and new caller.
Idea: Change the name to the season: Teacher May I? Santa, Snowman, Cupid, Leprechaun, Bunny, etc.
Scatter with 3 or 4 kids who are “It”.
Need Soft balls- For Medium to large groups
Purchase feathers at a local craft store.
Give each child a feather.
When you say, “GO!” the kids start blowing the feather in the air. Whoever can keep the feather in the air the longest (using only his/her breath) is the winner.
This game can also be played in teams.
Half of the group are called foxes and the other half are named rabbits.
Rabbits are standing behind a line at one end of the play area. (home)
Foxes are scattered all over the gym.
Equipment: Sponge balls of various sizes
A ball is thrown in to start the game.
The teams (each on their own side of line) throw two or three balls, back and forth, trying to hit the opposite team.
As players are hit, they must go stand behind the opposing team on the back line so that they can RETRIEVE the balls AND THROW THEM BACK to their team.
A basic tag game.
If children are tagged, they must stand with their legs apart (stuck in
the mud) until someone crawls through and releases them.
1. You have two or more taggers, and two youth with rubber chickens.
2. The taggers run and tag children to freeze them.
3. The students with the rubber chickens can run around and unfreeze the “frozen.”
4. After a few minutes switch the taggers and the chickens.
Make sure there are no trip hazards.
Blindfold all children, set them a distance apart from each other, spin them gently/slowly around, and then turn them loose.
They must find their friends, link arms, and then find the rest of their friends.
They will have a good time shuffling around and bumping into each other!
(Be sure an adult is present at all times)
Two players hold a soft rope or stick 3′ to 4′ long. Players take turns leaning backward and shuffling under the rope. Lower the rope after each round. (Be sure to play Limbo music!)
Have all players join hands in a circle. Choose a ‘Cat’ and a ‘Mouse’.
The cat chases the mouse around and through the circle.
Players help the mouse but not the cat. When Mouse is caught a new Cat and Mouse are chosen.
This one is a surefire winner! Keep your own program, classroom, or family book of records; have kids/players try to set records for things such as:
1. Choose one child to become “It.”
2. Divide the remaining players into teams of three members each. Each team will choose one of the three members to be a target. The target on each team will wear an identifying marker such as a piece of masking tape.
3. The Game:
Players hold onto their teammates’ wrists. “It” counts to 10 while the other players move away from him/her. Players continue to hold each others wrists during the entire game.
4. Once “It” reaches 10, they race to each team and try to tag the targets.
5. Each team blocks/protects their target.
The winning team is the one that avoids having its ‘target’ tagged.
If a large group of children are playing, have more than one “It”.
When “It” touches a player and says “Scat”, that person must chase “It” around the circle.
“Scat” tries to tag “It” before he/she gets home.
TIP: CONSIDERING HOCKEY? TRY THIS TO LEARN.
For a safer version:
Instead of using actual Hockey sticks, use foam noodles that are for swimming. Instead of a puck, use a waffle ball. If you don’t have small goals, use two cones at each end.
Tape or mark off the boundaries. Make sure to enforce a “no high sticking” rule before the game begins. This will ensure that the teams aren’t whacking each other with the noodles. Have a penalty box for the rule-breakers. You can make a time limit, or a goal limit. If you have many kids be sure to switch out players…
Tip: Do you remember your favorite game as a child?
Teach that game to your kids. Celebrate and have fun keeping the old games alive!
TIP: TEACHING JUMPING JACKS
Saw this quite awhile back …don’t remember where…but it works!
When the kids’ legs are out and hands clapped above the head, this is called “teepee” and when the kids’ legs are together and hands at their sides, it’s “pencil.”
They can learn this skill slowly as they shout “teepee… pencil…teepee…pencil.”
GAME FUN FACT :
‘Simon Says’ started as a game in New York State’s Catskill Mountains during its heyday as a resort area. It was designed to get older women up and exercising.
A very simply game to get kids to work on their balance. It will also engage their core muscles and teach them how to control their legs and bodies better. Here’s how to play:
TIP – Don’t raise your feet too high, it’s much easier keeping your balance with feet closely to the ground.
Need some team names for your gym games? Check out our 101 team names for kids.
Looking for more games. Just click on your interest!
A father to three young boys with a passion of homeschooling. I am always seeking new ways to help them learn, grow, and have fun. I have a passion for traveling with the family and exposing our kids to new experiences and life lessons.
