assignments for pe

The World's Most Evidence-Based Physical Education & Physical Activity Programs!

Free Lesson Plans

Spark sample lesson plans, the following pages include a collection of free spark physical education and physical activity lesson plans. if you’re searching for lesson plans based on inclusive, fun pe-pa games or innovative new ideas, click on one of the links below..

Snakes and Lizards Lesson Plan

Field Day Activity

Centipede Pass

Manipulatives Lesson

Partner Hoop Rolling

Parachute Switcheroo Lesson Plan

Catching and Throwing

Catching and Throwing Circuit Lesson Plan

Skill Cards

Skill Cards (Spanish)

Back to School

Back to School (Spanish)

Social and Emotional Learning

Kindness Definition Card and Lesson

Fitness Circuits

Body Composition Circuit Lesson Plan

Mirror, Mirror Lesson Plan

Performance Rubric Assessment

Choice Count (Pedometer Activity)

Cross the Pond

3-Catch Basketball Lesson Plan

SEL Definition and T-Chart Card

Flying Disc

Durango Boot

Zone and Player-to-Player Defenses

Radio Control

Mini Soccer

Soccer Student Self-Assessments

Track and Field

Sprints and Jumps Circuit

Skill Cards (English & Spanish)

Task Cards (Spanish)

Cooperatives

Spartan Adventure Race 201

Spartan Adventure Race 101

Group Fitness

Yoga Basic Training Lesson Plan

Yoga Content Cards

Yoga Content Cards (Spanish)

Basic Training Peer Checklist

Basic Training Peer Checklist (Spanish)

SFI Certification Tracking Sheet

iGames Lesson

iStrike/Field

Boulder Runner

I Got Your Back Lesson Plan

Practice Plan

Practice Plan (Spanish)

Fitness Fun

Fun and Fitness Circuit Lesson Plan

Fitness Station Cards

Fitness Station Cards (Spanish)

Fun Station Cards

Fun Station Cards (Spanish)

Great Games

Balanced Breakfast

Flying Disc Group Challenge Lesson Plan

Task Card (Spanish)

Building Blocks

Starting and Stopping Lesson Plan

Family Fun Activities

Family Fun Activities (Spanish)

Beanbag Bonanza

Station Play Lesson Plan

Station Cards

Have a Ball

Bounce and Catch

Recess Activities

Social studies.

Social Studies Fitness Relay

State Lists

State Lists (Spanish)

Fitness Relay State Cards

STEM Fitness Training

STEM Fitness Training Cards (English & Spanish)

Me Activities

ME: INSIDE (K-2)

ME: OUTSIDE (3-5)

We Activities

WE: INSIDE (3-5)

WE: OUTSIDE (K-2)

3 Activities

3: INSIDE (3-5)

3: OUTSIDE (K-2)

Sample Resources

Group Juggling

Object Control Skills-Underhand Throwing

What Your PE Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder Wishes You Knew

Football Unit Inclusion Strategies 3-6

SPARK Holiday Lesson

Hearty Hoopla

Stop the Grinch!

Zombie Graveyard

Build a Turkey

Let's Be Friends

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Lesson Plan Sections

• Environmental (1)
• Science (1)

P.E. Lessons

Physical education prepares children for an active and healthy life while improving self discipline and reducing stress. This section includes PE lessons from kindergarten through high school spanning different skill levels and objectives. Lessons are categorized by grade for easy retrieval. These lessons were created by real teachers working in schools across the United States. The section will continue to grow as more teachers like you share your lesson plans. We encourage you! Share your lessons plans Teacher.org, contact us .

Sponsored School(s)

P.e. environmental lesson plans, food chain tag.

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

P.E. P.E. Lesson Plans

Aces and exercise.

Using a deck of playing cards, the students will pick the number of reps for various exercises.  

And Freeze!

Students will practice listening skills and basic physical concepts as required in physical education class. Students will also work on balance and coordination.

Animal Laps

Combining information about the speed of animals, the students will run laps in the gym or outdoors.

Basketball Relay

Students will practice teamwork, dribbling, and shooting a basketball.

Bear Hunt Obstacle Course

This plan will combine reading with balance and coordination skills to allow students to navigate a simple obstacle course.

Boom Over Movement Game

Students will play a game in which they need to change direction quickly. Students are to pretend that they are on a sailboat that is in the middle of a storm. They will have to run and change direction based on verbal commands and duck quickly to avoid being hit by the imaginary boom.

Butterfly Stretches

This lesson is designed to help students learn the importance and reasons for exercise through multiple activities and discussions.

Coordination Course

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical.

Multi-Ball Basketball

The student will participate in a game of basketball using various sizes of available balls.

Music Movement

The students will move to the music based on its beat, words, tune, and other variables.

On Top of Spaghetti

Pe immigration.

The students will research games and activities from other countries to share during a PE class.

Pass It Off

This lesson will allow students to practice passing, dribbling, and bouncing skills using basketballs

Plate Aerobics

Students will practice basic aerobics moves while trying to stay positioned on paper plates, this aids in coordination.

Race to the Answer

This lesson will allow students to practice teamwork, basic math skills, and get exercise through a relay race. Note: Problems/difficulty level can be altered by grade

Ride ‘Em Cowboy/girl

This lesson will allow students to practice gross motor skills.  

Students will practice listening skills and basic physical concepts as required in physical education class.

Ski to the Finish Line

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical. Students will demonstrate moving straight, backwards, and in a zig-zag pattern.

The New PE Class

The students will create a PE activity to share and demonstrate to peers.

This lesson will allow students to practice teamwork and trust building, as well as working on directionality for younger students.

What Time is it FOX?

The students play a game where they practice different movements including jumping, galloping, skipping, running, jogging, leaping, and walking. Based on National Physical Education Standards, students should have been learning these skills for the last 4 years.

P.E. Science Lesson Plans

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The Joy of Teaching

Sharing creative ideas and lessons to help children learn.

50 Exercises and Activities for At-Home P.E.

November 3, 2020 by Evan-Moor | 0 comments

Online school means hours of sitting in front of computers and screens, both for you and your children. One of the best ways to break up this screen time is with movement sessions, or simply at-home P.E.! One of the aspects of school that gets lost in the translation to online learning is P.E. Recreating physical exercise classes at home is very important for both mental and physical development. Here are some ideas and suggestions.

Why Is P.E. Important?

In addition to giving kids a break from online school, P.E. activities are extremely beneficial in development, and they improve:

• Flexibility
• Cardiovascular endurance
• Muscular strength and endurance
• Agility and balance
• Coordination
• Power and speed
• Reaction times

Physical exercise also has a direct impact on the behavior and development of the brain. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , physical activity has an influence on cognitive skills such as concentration and attention. It can also improve children’s attitudes and behaviors.

Exercises for the Whole Family

It can be motivational and encouraging for children to do these exercises with you or the whole family. Take a break from your day to do some of these family-friendly exercises and activities!

• PE Shed : This online resource has many great ideas for at-home P.E., including activities, games, and other resources to keep kids active.
• Color matching game: Draw circles on the sidewalk using chalk, each a different color. Challenge your children to find items of similar colors and place them in the circles.
• Red light, green light: Line everyone up on one side of your yard and have one person calling out “red light, green light.” To make it more fun, change the instructions from walking or running to jumping, skipping, or spinning!
• Create an American Ninja Warrior course at home : Watch this video for ideas on how to create your own backyard ninja obstacle course!
• Fill out a bingo sheet with different exercises and call them out at random one at a time.
• After children complete the exercise, they can mark it on their bingo sheet. First to get bingo wins!
• Soccer juggling in a group
• Create your own obstacle course in your backyard
• Children lead an exercise circuit – their pick!
• Get Kids Moving workouts : These fun workouts are made especially for kids, and have fun themes like Superheroes, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and more!
• Beanbag toss (use paper plates or tape for targets).
• Bowling (set up plastic cups or other objects as targets and roll or kick the ball)
• Exercise stations: Set up four stations in your backyard, each with a different exercise (hula hooping, jump roping, agility ladders, hopscotch, etc.) and do each for 30 seconds before rotating.
• Sponge race: Using two teams, set up a bucket of water on one side of the race (one to share or one per team) and on the other side, place a cup or bucket for each team to fill. Children must race from one side with a sponge full of water and squeeze it out into the cup on the other side. First to fill their cup wins!
• Balloon/beach ball striking: Don’t let it touch the ground!

• Paper airplane contest: Design and make your own paper airplanes and then see how far they’ll fly! Use long hallways or big rooms to test distance or do fun tricks inside.
• Obstacle course using household items
• Treasure hunt: Hide an item somewhere in your home and write out clues or riddles for children to solve and find the item! You can also play hot and cold with this game, saying “warmer” as the person gets closer to the hiding spot and “colder” as he or she moves away from it.
• The floor is lava! Don’t touch the floor as you get to the other side of the room.
• Indoor bowling: Using softer objects and a hallway or clear space
• Balloon volleyball
• Indoor basketball: Use rolled-up socks as your ball and try to make it in targets, using yarn, paper plates, or baskets.
• Agility ladders (use painter’s tape to mark ladder spaces).
• Make an indoor laser maze using a hallway and painter’s tape.
• Beanbag toss: Arrange targets in a line or spread out and see if you can land your beanbag on the target.
• Hide-and-go-seek
• Wax museum: Assign one person to be the guard. While his or her back is turned, everyone can move around freely, but when the person turns around, you have to freeze in your position! Don’t get caught moving.
• Active board games like Twister
• Family yoga or stretching: Cosmic Kids Yoga : This channel has fun yoga videos for kids and the whole family.
• Indoor exercise routine (sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.)

Independent Activities for Your Child

• Jump rope challenges: Assign a challenge each day. For example: 30 jumps without messing up, 10 skipping jumps in a row, etc.
• Soccer exercises: Practice passing against a wall or juggling (set goals like 10–30 juggles in a row).
• Shoot baskets, taping marks for where you want to practice shooting from.
• Tennis against a backboard
• Agility ladder exercises: Write down which ones they should do.
• Create your own workout calendar: Your child can check the calendar to see which exercise or activity is assigned (jump rope, ladders, basketball, yoga, etc.). Here’s an example of an exercise calendar .
• Cosmic Kids Yoga can be done by kids by themselves!
• P.E. with Joe : This YouTube channel supplies fun, kid-friendly workouts and exercises that can be done indoors or outdoors.
• Ring toss: Use beanbags and paper plates or hula hoops and a cone or water bottle.
• Soccer ball bowling

• Coach Wood Workouts : Coach Wood is a popular YouTube channel who does themed workouts for kids! He guides children through an activity or workout with a fun twist.
• GoNoodle Games : With a variety of games and activities (for a short or long period of time) GoNoodle will get children moving and having fun throughout the day.
• Balloon striking: Don’t let it touch the ground; challenge yourself by only using your foot or head.
• Cup stacking: A challenge that improves dexterity and coordination
• Workout circuit indoors: Assign each room an exercise (sit-ups, jumping jacks, hopscotch, etc.) and have your child complete the circuit.
• Balance beam: Use a long thin object or painter’s tape on the floor and challenge your child to cross it without falling.
• Put a twist on a regular indoor scavenger hunt by including a theme that your child enjoys! For example, make it a Pokemon, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Princess scavenger hunt!
• Balancing challenge: Balance items like beanbags, books, or other objects on your head as you walk across a room.
• Kids HIIT Workout
• KIDZ BOP Daily Dance Break
• Digital games like Just Dance get kids moving and having fun. Just Dance Videos are available on YouTube.

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PE Game Ideas and Resources

The PE Game Ideas section provides you with Physical Education resources which will help you to plan PE Warm Up Games, PE Tag Games, PE Thinking Games, and PE Coordination Games. Within each section you will find a whole range of different games which will excite and challenge your students. Each PE Game outlines what equipment is required, how to set the game up, how to play the game and how to differentiate the game. The resources can be downloaded and can support your PE planning. Lots of the resources are free.  Click below to explore each section:

Teaching Resources

Thinking Games

Warm Up Games

Coordination  Games

Christmas PE Games

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Learn How to Support Stressed and Anxious Students.

46 Unique Phys Ed Games Your Students Will Love

Get your steps in!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 ..

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PE Lesson Plans for High School (FREE High School PE Activities)

• Doug Curtin
• November 17, 2021

Physical education teachers have a lot to cover! We have put together a week’s worth of PE lesson plans for high school students that range in fitness, nutrition, yoga and more. We hope you enjoy the free content and give some lessons a try with your students! 

Struggling to find engaging PE activities for high school students ?

Finding quality physical education lesson plans for high school is no simple task! Getting the right instructional materials that will engage and excite your students while not breaking the bank is hard! 

Yes, you can search online, go to a Shape America conference, or talk to fellow PE teachers and find hundreds of PE activities and physical education lesson plans to use.

But, you will often end up with tons of phys ed games for high school students that are fun once and then quickly lose student’s attention. Or, you end up finding workouts that have barely clothed models that are a far cry from what you want for high school fitness lesson plans . 

What is there for high school PE ?

Producing high school physical education units on multiple topics is tough!

Do you feel like you are a jack of all trades and yet a master of none? You only have so much money in your budget and time in your day to teach all the different PE topics well. You are left asking yourself, 

• What equipment do I need for fun and cutting edge PE games for high school ? 
• Do I have the right equipment to run PE workouts for high school ? 

How does this all even fit into what my administrators want for high school physical education lesson plans ?

A week’s worth of free PE lesson plans for high school classes

When you feel like you are at stalemate with your lessons, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to sample! With so many great phys ed lesson plans for high school, it is hard to make sense of all that is out there. Here you will find a sample week of high-quality content that high school pe teachers tap into on a yearly basis. 

With a combination of fitness, nutrition, yoga, and dance, there is something to for every student to look forward to in the week. Additionally, you’ll find that some days give you a little extra time to sprinkle in some of those fun pe games that your kids still long for!

Day 1: Intro To Fitness – Air Squat & Hinge 

Many students arrive to high school needing a full introduction to foundational human movements. Even if they did learn things like the squat, lunge, hinge, press, and pull at the middle school level, chances are that your high school physical education class will greatly benefit from movement review. 

Today, we are beginning our movement and fitness journey by learning two of the most important foundational human movements – the Squat & the Hinge.

• 2 Minutes of light cardio
• Spiderman & Reach – 1 Minute Continuous Movement, Alternating 
• Alt. Samson – 1 Minute Continuous Movement
• Good Mornings 4 x 10 Reps 
• Elbow Plan 4 x :20 Seconds 
• 1:00 Rest After Each Round
• Introduce the 4 points of performance 
• Air Squat 2 x 5 Reps

5 Rounds Of 10 Air Squats + 2:00 Walk/Jog/Run

Day 2: Intro To Nutrition – Calories 

Are you tasked with teaching wellness within your physical education class? If you need a day off from physical activity and in need of lesson ideas, nutrition can be a fantastic addition. 

While nutrition can be a part of k-12 physical education plan, high school is often the first time where students can start to contextualize the science and practical application of nutrition. With written and video lessons, paired with chapter questions students have an interactive way to start exploring their everyday nutrition.

• Written lesson breaking down what our body sees when we eat and how many calories we need 
• Video breaking down energy and chemistry of calories
• Check out the full lesson segment here
• Written lesson discussing signs of not eating enough or eating too much 
• Video introducing and explaining the hunger to fullness scale
• Check out the full lesson segment here 
• 9 chapter questions provided that can be either done individually or incorporated as part of a group discussion

Discover the Power of PLT4M

Curious how more than 10,000 PE teachers are using PLT4M’s Fitness and Wellness Curriculum and digital learning software? 

Day 3: Intro to Fitness – Press & Pull 

Returning back to another fitness lesson plan for high school PE. Now, we hit the upper body and learn how to safely press and pull. We focus on scaling and modifying with all our physical activity, but place a special emphasis on this with things like pressing and pulling. 

In this lesson students will learn how to appropriately scale the level of difficulty the push up and inverted row.

• Shoulder Warm Up – 15 Slow Reps per movement 
• 1:00 Jumping Jacks
• Introduce the 4 points of performance of push up  
• Review movement scaling and elevating the push up 
• Elevated Push Ups 4 x 5
• Introduce the 4 points of performance of the inverted row 
• Inverted Row 5 x 5
• Introduce the butterfly sit up 
• Butterfly sit up 2 x 5
• AMRAP 8: 60 Jumping Jacks, 10 Push Ups, 10 Butterfly Sit ups

Day 4: Intro To Yoga – Standing Poses 

Yoga is one of the most popular exercise options and requires no equipment. But as a physical education teacher you may not feel comfortable teaching yoga. 

Like any type of physical activity, yoga has basic components that can be introduced as an excellent start. In this lesson, students will get a chance to try and practice four of the most popular standing poses in yoga, and then put them into a more traditional flow.

• Begin yoga integration 
• Flow Sun A with performance and refinement cues 
• Flow Sun A using breath to movement
• Chair Pose Intro & Practice 
• Warrior 2 Intro & Practice 
• Extended Side Angle Intro & Practice 
• Reverse Warrior Intro & Practice
• Apply new poses to a full flow 
• Practice 2 times through, 1 slow, 1 faster

Day 5: Dance Fitness 

Many physical education programs have what is called a ‘fun Friday.’ If you arrive on day 5 and want to give the choice of different gym games for high school students, then go for it!

You have had a great week of lessons, and your students can now have some time to explore and play different games like frisbee, badminton, or volleyball that you have throughout the gym. 

If you want to have a little more structure but keep the fun, give dance fitness a try! A trending topic in the world of fitness, dance gives students a fun way to sweat and move.

• Get moving with some light cardio 
• Layer in a few static stretches
• Introduce and and practice the 8 main dance moves for the main cardio effort
• Put the 8 dance moves to work through a fun sequence following along with Coach Alexa
• Let your heart rates come back down and hit some stretches before going on with the rest of your day

Let us do the heavy lifting! Get access to our complete lineup of PE lesson plans for high school students

This was just one week of PE lesson plans to give you a taste! At PLT4M, you can tap into hundreds of high school physical education lesson plans that fit your goals and needs. Tap into fitness, flexibility, yoga, dance, weightlifting, and more all in a centralized and easy to use spot. 

All of PLT4M’s instructors make these resources with high school students in mind and work to keep it fun and engaging. On top of keeping your students excited about PE, keep your administrators happy knowing all of PLT4M’s programs are aligned to Shape America national standards.

How are Plt4m’s high school PE units delivered?

PLT4M is totally flexible and customizable to your classroom, students and teaching style. Use it as much or as selectively as you like to enhance your curriculum. PLT4M is designed to work seamlessly with your classroom technology, whether you have a projector, are one-to-one, or can allow students to use their phones. 

What types of high school physical education activities do you cover?

Our ever-growing library of original content includes a variety of programs intended to spark lifelong physical literacy. Check out the options below: 

• Weight Training 
• Dance Fitness 
• Mindfulness 
• Remote Learning 

Do you only provide fitness activities for high school students?

No, we also have PE lesson plans for middle school students that are age appropriate and engaging! There is something for everyone within PLT4M! 

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Virtual Physical Education Activities for Grades K-2

Virtual physical education activities seem to be the hot topic for the online school teachers right now. I have been seeing a lot of questions or resources for how to teach the younger kids remotely.

Personally, I am loving it. I feel like I am able to get more cross curricular content into my students PE class without them even realizing.

Remote learning doesn’t have to be this overly hard task given to teachers to navigate alone. There are SO many resources out there. USE THEM! You might have to stray from your normal curriculm and that’s okay! It’s not normal school! Adapt to your environment and make the best out of the circumstances you’re in.

For me personally, I feel like I am killing the virtual teaching game. I have a great system down, and use the resources other people have worked so hard to create in order make OUR teaching lives easier.

I will be honest…I love virtual teaching, but it’s not for everyone. And from the looks of teacher Facebook groups, I feel like I am the odd man out because I don’t have much to complain about. And I am very thankful for that.

But maybe you’re in the boat where you could use a little bit of help…

Well I’m Here To Help Make Your Virtual Physical Education Class So Much Easier!

More resources:

• Virtual Physical Activities for 3-5.
• Virtual Physical Activities for Middle School.

What and Who Do I Teach?

I am currently in a K-8 school with three separate classes per grade level. Normally I would teach 23 DIFFERENT classes a week, and 45 classes total per week, but luckily for virtual physical education and the other specials my school made some changes to the schedule.

What it now looks like is I teach 9 different classes a week, but only once. Once the trimester ends, my 9 classes move on to Art or Technology and I will gain one of their 9 classes. It makes it so much easier on the kids and parents at home. This way they don’t have to constantly remember what special they have each day. My kids will see me on Google Meet or go into my Google Classroom every day for 12 weeks with no confusion.

For a deeper look into my day to day, you can check out my Teaching Update post here !

Virtual Physical Education Activities for Kindergarten:

Kindergarten is my favorite class to teach right now. There are so many virtual activities you can do for physical education in this grade.

Let me walk you through how I have set K up, and what we do weekly.

Google Classroom for Kindergarten

Since I only go live on Google Meet with K-2 on Mondays, that means I only see Kindergarten once a week. But as a PE teacher, we know we want our kids to be moving every day. So I set my Google classroom up two different ways.

Some weeks I will post an exercise video for the students every day. This allows the students or parents to enter my Google Classroom, and complete the exercise on screen during their virtual PE time. Each post is scheduled to show up the day they are to complete it, that way they wont be confused. Once they pop up for the students, they stay there. This is great, because if there are any activities the students liked they can revisit them at any time during the week.

If I am not posting workout videos, I am posting a PE Schedule that is always labeled Physical Activity Assignments. Students and parents know they will see a PDF with weekly workouts. This is a simple idea for you, but you also have to take into consideration who is reading the work.

Sometimes the videos are easier for the families. The parents can just pull it up and the kids follow along. With the PDF, the parents have to explain what their child should be doing. And we know that isn’t always possible due to working conditions. The plus side of the PDF though is that you can be more specific with activities (you will see in my 3-5 physical education virtual activities).

Grading For Kindergarten

My thought process for the little ones is to make it as user and kid friendly as possible. You have to be mindful that some K students are coming to school for the first time learning their letters. There’s a 99% chance they won’t be writing reflections or responses to your questions.

Do we want to check for understanding? Absolutely. But remember your kindergarteners don’t even know how to use a computer. Let alone produce work to be graded for you.

Below is a picture of what my K-2 students will complete to receive a participation grade. Every week only once, the kids or parents will open a Google Form document and submit their answer. It let’s me know they are on track with each week, and can navigate through my Google Classroom.

The below image shows the one question needed to be answered. I use emojis that relate to the words, in hopes that the students will associate the two together. If it is repetitive enough, the younger students will be able to start to complete this form on their own.

Not every student is going to complete this form. But Google Classroom makes it easy to keep track of who does and doesn’t. If I notice a student misses a week or two, I keep a closer eye on them in our Google Meet PE and give them their participation points that way. No student should fail PE in kindergarten…especially when it’s virtual.

Live Google Meet Physical Education Virtual Activities for Kindergarten:

This is the best part of virtual teaching. I get to see my babies for 30 minutes! And if you’ve made it through my post so far this is probably the main section you were looking for. Now what in the world should you be doing with your students?!

Since I have a really great flow, I am happy to share what I do. I will also be posting more in depth virtual physical activities for PE in a later post. So stay tuned.

Anyways…

Kindergarten live PE class is very structured shown below:

Stretching/Counting

Jumping Jack Clap

• Letter Movement Video

Jumping Jack Clap + 2

Alphabet exercises.

• Breathing Cool Down

Every class we start off with a warm up. They are normally no longer than 5 minutes long. Instead of telling kids to just do the boring jumping jacks and push ups, I share my screen and play a movement video.

When we first started I would play videos with locomotor movements in them so the students could practice. Two of my favorites are:

• Listen and Move
• Action Songs For Kids | The Singing Walrus

But once the students started to get more comfortable, I started sharing videos they could interact with on a playful level. I discovered PE Bowman on YouTube and tried out his video called Balloon Pop Workout . I had saw a lot of PE teachers talking about this video online and through I’d give it a try.

It was SO MUCH FUN! Not only for the kids, but for me! If you’ve read my previous posts, I talk about how I always do the activities with the kids.

For more content check out PE Bowman on YouTube for his other extremely fun videos. I’m a huge fan of his Level Up 1-3 videos.

No matter what we do on our Google Meet session, stretching is a MUST. I always talk about why stretching and flexibility is important in our lives.

I do about 10 different stretches with my kids and tell them what part of the body they are stretching. I will use specific terms such as hamstrings or quads, but always follow it up with front or back of the leg to help with understanding.

This is also our time to practice our counting. Each stretch I call on a different student to count to 10 or 20. Lately we have been counting backwards, or skip counting to 100 by 10’s. Today we counted to 100, but each student that was called on only got to count ten numbers at a time. So student A counted 1-10, student B counted 11-20, student C counted 21-30 etc.

This was started in week two with the kids. Every week we learn new letters (next section), and do a jumping jack clap to reiterate what we learned.

We simply review all of the letters we’ve moved by doing jumping jacks and saying the letter at the clap when our hands touch. Today my students reviewed A-L so we did 12 jumping jack claps (JJC). You will see after today they learned M, N and O and we were able to add 3 more letters to our JJC.

Here we practiced A-H, completing 8 jumping jacks.

This video is our second JJC of the class where we add the letters learned that day to the first JJC we completed.

But the set up is still the same.

Letter Movement Videos

Every class we learn 2 letters to move and dance to. This is just added practice onto what their classroom teacher does, so we start from A and move towards Z at our own pace.

The videos I always share are from the YouTube subscription Have Fun Teaching . They have so many educational videos for younger grades, and I would highly recommend checking them out.

Two videos we stared the year off with were:

• The Letter A Song
• The Letter B Song

While these are playing we dance. I will usually do some squats during the parts where the song sounds the letter out and I’ll notice some kids copying me. But I don’t make copying me a rule. Watching the kids be creative in their own movements is great to see.

Once both of the letter songs are over, I will make them find me something in their house that starts with the letter we learned. I give them 30 seconds to find something. Since we don’t have a lot of time, I don’t let them share. I usually just announce their different items and tell them what a great job they did.

Like the above section where we clap through the letters we learn, this is the part of the Google Meet where we add our daily letters to our JJC.

Last week Kindergarten finished on letter L. So today we reviewed, and then we learned about letters M, N and O.

I tell the kids from letters A-L is 12 jumping jacks. Then I ask if they can add MNO or 3 letters to that. A few kids raised their hand to answer this math problem and the first kid I called on got it right!

Since we are in PE, we have to be moving right? I feel confident that my kids and I spend at least 25 minute or more of our 30 minute class moving.

The last part of our class we spend associating our letters learned with exercises or stretches.

Every class we perform all of the letters learned that day, as well as the previous letters from past weeks. Each exercise or stretch is held for 10 seconds. If you are short for time, count faster or just do a couple reps each exercise. Either way the kids love this part of the class and are able to tell me what exercises go with each letter now due to the repetition.

Cool Down Breathing

Class always ends with five deep breaths in and out to get the kids ready for their classroom teacher.

This video called Cool Down Breathing Exercises is a visual of what we do, but I lead the class instead of sharing my screen for a video.

Once this is over, I give my kids a backwards ten second countdown to leave the Google Meet and tell them I can’t wait to see them next week!

And remember they have activities to do in their Google Classroom the rest of the week, so they will still be getting movement.

Virtual Activities for First Grade:

Lucky for you my K-2 Google Classroom is set up where the activities I provide on non Google Meet PE days are the exact same, so you won’t have to read through my 1st and 2nd grade GC setup.

We’ll get right into the physical education virtual activities for 1st grade on Google Meet every week.

First grade virtual activities for live PE is structured as follows:

Stretching/Flexibility: Skip Counting

• Sight Word Spelling Exercises
• Cross Curricular Content OR Free Activity

As you can see it’s pretty similar to Kindergarten, but more age appropriate for first grade.

A lot of the workouts provided from PE Bowman’s YouTube channel are great warm ups for first grade, but another favorite I use is Mike Morris .

He does all of his videos at home so the students can relate to him. I try to use the videos without equipment, so the students don’t have to go looking for items in their house they may not have.

Stretching/Flexibility: SKip Counting

Just like with Kindergarten, I stress the importance of stretching our muscles. The difference between K and 1st is that we do more skip counting. Currently we are counting to 100 by 10’s.

I share the chart below with the kids to follow along with or to use as a guide to help if they need, and call on kids individually to do our stretch skip counting for us.

Sight Word SPelling Exercise

Maybe I should have specified that it’s not always a sight word activity during this part of our Google Meet session. But recently it has been.

Also, you will start to notice I do a ton of cross curricular activities. Of course my PE content is important, but since virtual school has thrown everyone for a loop, I am able to sneak more grade level content into our live PE sessions WHILE still incorporating my content.

We may not be learning how to play a five on five game of basketball, but we are learning body parts and muscles while spelling words and having fun.

I text with the first grade classroom teacher and ask what lesson she wants her students to get more practice with. In the beginning of virtual school we did verb practice, or letter sounds combined with physical activity.

Currently I am spending about 5 minutes showing kids on screen the sight words they have covered in their classroom already. I will call on a student to have them read the word out loud and then spell it. After they spell the word we use our alphabet exercise chart to perform each exercise/stretch for ten seconds per letter in the word.

First Grade Content OR Free Activities

With about 5-8 minutes left of our PE class, I will either throw in a little more 1st grade content into our lesson combined with virtual physical activities, or I will play a fun activity for the kids to enjoy.

Some of the fun virtual physical activities I like to share are:

• Line Jump Workout For Kids
• Animal Dance and Freeze
• Cosmic Kids Yoga (I only play a few minutes of it)

The best part about YouTube is when you select a video according to what you searched for, it recommends similar videos to play next. You could get sucked down a rabbit hole finding relatable content!

Just like K, we cool down with some deep breaths. If you map out these 30 minute workouts, you realize that you are moving the majority of the time and the kids heart rates can stay high.

While we take our deep breaths, I inform the kids that the exercise they did made them stronger, healthier and smarter. And now our deep breaths are clearing our minds, and helping us get ready for their classroom teacher again.

Virtual Activities for Second Grade:

Again, 2nd grade Google Classroom is the same as K and 1st, so I will jump ahead to our Google Meet live PE sessions.

Their structure is identical to 1st grade, only their classroom content differs.

For second grade, their virtual physical education activities are laid out as follows:

• Cross Curricular Movement
• 2st Grade Content OR Free Activity

I’ve been excited for this one. I recently stumbled upon an activity on accident with 3rd grade incorporating dancing and yoga. The point of the video for third was to work on their balance in a fun way, but since my K-2 aren’t learning balance yet I figured the following videos would be great warm ups and lead ups into a balance and gymnastics unit.

PE Games: Yoga Freeze Dance had been the best activity my students and I have done so far.

Yoga Freeze Dance

This is a one minute clip of one of my classes warming up with our Yoga Freeze Dance video.

As you can tell from some of the kids, it’s a lot of fun. I highly recommend these these videos for your virtual physical education class activities.

Just like with K and 1st again, we practice the different ways to count. With 2nd grade, we started with 10’s, then 5’s and are about to start 2’s in the next few weeks.

Currently their classroom teacher is working on skip counting by 5’s with the kids, and but from what I’ve seen during our live PE sessions they are doing exceptionally well.

I share the number chart shown in the 1st grade section for students who need a little extra help.

CRoss Curricular Movement

Second grade is a little more fun when it comes to cross curricular virtual activities. For the first couple weeks we did math workouts. Since the students were learning how to add whole numbers 1-12, in our PE class we would add exercises.

For instance, the problem might read: add 5 pushups + 5 pushups. As a class we would count it out together, completing 10 pushups total for that problem. It’s also a great way to add fun new exercises into their world such as ice skaters, burpees, jump squats and shoulder touches.

Another fun activity we did was a vowel lesson. The kids classroom teacher had taught long and short vowels the previous week, so I made a Google Slide document with a variety of words the kids could read.

I show one word at a time and will call on students individually, and ask them to sound out and read the word. They then will decided if the word has a short vowel or long vowel sound and count how many letters are in the word. If it has a short vowel sound the whole class will do as many push ups as letters in the word. For long vowel sounds the whole class will do jumping jacks for as many letters are in that word.

This may seem like it takes a long time, but once the students catch on it can go pretty quickly! Remember I don’t necessarily teach new classroom content, I reinforce content the kids classroom teachers have already taught.

Second Grade Content or Free Activity

The cross curricular for the students is such a good way to help them understand concepts in a different way. But that doesn’t mean you have to shove math into their brains 24/7. So if they have had a a lot of classroom crossover in my PE class, I love to just let loose with them in a non educational way.

Free activity time built into their virtual PE give their brains a break, but keeps their bodies moving. One YouTube subscription I really like is called Little Sports . A 5-10 minute animated workout with music is a hit.

Scavenger hunts are also pretty fun. You can have kids find you items in their house, to get them up running around. Sometimes I’ll ask for them to find me something of a specific color, while other times I’ll ask for items starting with certain letters. We change it up a lot, but the best thing is getting to see them excited ready to share there home lives with me.

And for the kids who don’t feel comfortable sharing they just enjoy watching their classmates. But I can promise you that doesn’t happen often.

And just like the above grades, we focus on getting our heart rates back to a normal beat.

Closing Thoughts

When I said in the beginning of this post that I loved teaching virtually, I wasn’t lying. It’s an amazing experience I get to share with my students. I’m learning so much more than I ever thought I would about my students, and I am so grateful for that.

Whether you are virtual or hybrid, I hope you gained a little bit of insight from this post. My teaching is not perfect by any means, but what I am currently doing is working. That’s the main reason I needed to share!

Pretty soon I will be creating videos to help give you a visual on how I structure my classes. But the bottom line is if you have a plan and you’re decently organized, you’re going to do great. Don’t decide what you are going to teach five minutes before your classes start. That will just stress you out and the kids will notice.

Relax and enjoy this time. There are so many things out of your control, so focus on what you can do in the moment and give your students your best. They deserve it!

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Author: Detroit PE

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50 Fun PE Games Your Students Will Love

by Sara Ipatenco

Kids naturally love PE because it’s a time to be active and play fun games. An essential part of the school day, PE teaches kids the life skill of getting regular exercise. While playing the same old games over and over again can get a bit boring, incorporating a wide variety of games into your lesson plans helps keep PE fun and engaging. With a few PE staples, such as foam balls, hula hoops, and bean bags, your students will be having fun in no time! Here are 50 PE games to get you started.

1. Blob tag

Choose one child to be “it.” As that child tags other children, they link arms or hold hands to create a “blob.” The game continues until the blob has tagged everyone in the game.

2. Chain tag

This is kind of like blob tag, but instead of forming a blob, students must link arms to form a chain.

3. Bean bag balance

Give each student a bean bag. Ask the students to balance their bean bags on various parts of their body, such as their foot or knee. See how long the students can balance before they move off their bean bag falls. Give increasingly hard challenges as you go, such as on the shoulder or the thumb.

4. Clap and catch

Arrange your class into a large circle. Give one player the ball and have them get ready to toss it. Players must clap before they catch the ball. If a student doesn’t clap or drop the ball, they are out.

5. Animal races

Line your PE class up at one end of the gym or playing field for this game. Call out an animal, such as a cheetah or a frog, and students have to race to the other end, running like that animal.

This is another racing game that starts with lining your students up on one end of the playing field. Every time you yell, “jump,” students jump as far as they can. Repeat until the winning player reaches the end of the field or until the whole class finishes.

7. Bridge tag

This game starts as regular tag, but each time a student is tagged he must kneel and form a bridge. Players can rejoin the game when another player crawls under their bridge, which frees them.

8. Crab soccer

This game follows the rules of traditional soccer, but players crab walk instead of regular running.

9. Step back

Put your class into teams of two. Have them stand about three feet apart and roll a hula hoop to each other. Once the other person catches the hula hoop, they must take a large step backward and continue playing. As they get further apart, the game gets more challenging.

10. Freeze tag

This is another tag game that starts out like traditional tag. However, once a student is tagged, they are “frozen” until another player tags them. They can then rejoin the game. The last player to be frozen gets to be “it” on the next round.

11. Parachute change

Arrange your students around a large parachute. Call out things like colors the students are wearing or birthday months. Any player who fits the category you call out has to run under the parachute and switch places with someone else.

12. Parachute volleyball

Have your students arrange themselves around a parachute. One half of the parachute is team A while the other half is team B. Put a beach ball in the middle of the parachute. The objective is to launch the ball off the parachute and over the heads of the opposing team, which scores one point.

13. Banana tag

Spread your students around the play area and choose two kids to be “it.” They are the monkeys. When they tag another student, he turns into a banana and must put both arms straight up above his head. Other players can free the “bananas” by peeling them, which means they pull down one arm and then the other arm.

14. Teacher island

This PE game includes the teacher! Stand on a stool and have a bunch of cones or balls handy. Start throwing them toward the students, who are spread out around you. If a student fails to make a catch, he is out. Play continues until only one student is left.

15. Throw archery

Set up five jump ropes at various distances from where your students will stand. Give them bean bags and have them try to get them past the different jump ropes. The further away the jump rope, the more points the student gets. For example, getting the bean bag past the first jump rope is worth ten points while getting it past the last jump rope is worth fifty points.

16. Crazy moves

Set out several mats around the play area. Start calling out numbers and that number of kids need to find a mat and stand on it together as fast as they can. Any student who doesn’t find a mat is out.

17. Rob the nest

Set up the game by putting a hula hoop (nest) in each corner of the play area and ten or more basketballs in the middle of the play area. Divide the class into 4 teams, one at each hula hoop. Students take turns getting a basketball and dribbling it to their hoop. Any time you blow the whistle, students can steal basketballs from other nests. The winner of each round is the one with the most basketballs when you blow the whistle a second time.

18. Tic-Tac-Throw

Set up nine hula hoops in a 3×3 grid, like a tic-tac-toe board. Make enough grids so you can divide your class into teams of two. Give the teams two different colors of bean bags. The students will throw the bean bags into the hula hoops trying to get three in a row.

19. Bounce into buckets

Set up enough buckets in the middle of the play area that there is one for each group of two kids. At each bucket, have one student on each side. The kids take turns trying to bounce balls into the buckets. Make it more challenging by having the students back up further from the bucket as they go.

20. Backward soccer

Play this game just like you would regular soccer but turn the soccer goals around backward.

21. Speed ball

This PE game combines basketball and soccer. Divide your students into two teams and give them a rubber ball to play with. Play starts with students passing the ball to other players on their team. There is no bounce passing in this game. If the ball hits the floor, the game switches to soccer.

22. Pool noodle archery

Have one student hold up a hula hoop while another child tries to launch pool noodles through the hoop. Once a student gets a noodle through, the players switch places.

23. Kangaroos and Crocs

Divide your class into two teams – one team will be kangaroos and the other team will be crocs. Have the teams line up back-to-back in the middle of the play area. Call out one of the animals. That team will try to make it to the end of the play area without getting tagged by the other team. Anyone tagged sits down and is out. Play continues with additional rounds.

24. Noodle hockey

Play a traditional PE game of court hockey but use pool noodles and a small plastic ball instead of hockey sticks and a puck.

25. Continuity ball

Have your students spread out in the play area. Give them one beach ball and challenge them to keep it from hitting the ground. Gradually add more beach balls until you have several going at the same time.

26. Birds on a branch

Set up two balance beams and split the class into two teams. Have the teams line up on the balance beams and call out directions, such as “stand on one foot” or “put your arms above your head.” If a student falls off the beam, he is out. The winning team is the one who keeps the most “birds” on their branch.

27. Shark zone

Set up mats, hula hoops, and other PE equipment around the gym. Use items that students can stand on or inside of. These are shark-free zones. Identify one or two students as sharks. When you say go, players will run around the gym standing on mats or inside hula hoops to stay away from the sharks. If a student fails to get to a safe area before being tagged, they are out.

28. Cats and mice

Give each student a scarf – one color for cats and one color for mice. Have them tuck the scarves into their back pockets or waistband as tails. Cats will chase mice and mice will chase cats. If the opposite team catches a tail, they keep it. The winning team is the one who steals all the tails first.

29. Tunnels and trains

Choose two students to start out as trains. The rest of the students put their hands and feet on the floor creating a tunnel with their bodies. The trains must crawl through the tunnels. When a train goes through the tunnel, that student joins the tunnel at the front and the next student at the back of the tunnel turns into a train. Play continues until all students have become trains.

30. Noisy running

Explain to students that you will be playing music and the louder the music gets the faster they need to run around the play area. As you turn down the volume, they will slow their running.

31. Freeze dance

Play some upbeat dance music and encourage students to free dance. When you stop the music, they must freeze. Any student who doesn’t freeze is out.

32. Eight dance

Choose one student to start the game. Turn on some upbeat music and have the student demonstrate any move they want, such as jumping or spinning in circles. The rest of the students must copy the move eight times. Let all the children have a turn to be the instructor.

33. British bulldogs

Choose one student to be the bulldog. He stands in the middle of the play area. The rest of the players try to get past the bulldog without getting tagged.

34. Body part tag

This game is played like traditional tag except that whatever body part gets tagged cannot be used anymore. If a student gets tagged on the arm, they cannot use their arm anymore. If he gets tagged on the leg, he has to hop on the other leg.

35. Crab Kickball

This game is played just like traditional kickball except that students must walk and play in the crab walk position.

36. Broom hockey

This is a PE game played like regular hockey except students use brooms instead of hockey sticks.

37. Hop in a hoop

Lay out several hula hoops in the play area. Have students run around the hoops while you play music. When you stop the music, students must hop into a hula hoop – one student per hoop. Students who don’t have a hoop are out.

38. Hot potato

Arrange your students in a circle and give them a small ball. They will pass the ball around the circle until you blow the whistle. The student holding the ball when the whistle blows is out.

39. Scooter tag

This PE game is played just like traditional tag except students must play by sitting on and moving around on scooters.

40. Bucketball

This game is played just like regular basketball except students use a bucket instead of the usual basketball hoop.

Break your class into small teams of 5 or 6 players. Give one student from each group a jump rope. That student will spin the jump rope on the ground while the other members of the group jump over it. If the “snake” touches a student, they are out.

42. Shipwreck or Captain Says

This is a game that puts a twist on the traditional “Simon Says.” Line your students up and start calling out commands that have to do with ships and pirates, such as “swab the deck” or “walk the plank.” Instead of saying “Simon says,” you’ll say, “Captain says.”

43. Hula hoop tag

This is another version of traditional tag. Students follow the same rules as regular tag, but they must spin a hula hoop while they run around.

44. Museum guard

This game is like freeze tag. Students will tiptoe silently around the play area pretending to sneak around a museum. When you call out “museum guard” they must freeze. Students who don’t freeze are out.

45. Mirror, Mirror

Divide your class into teams of two. Have them stand facing each other. One person does a move, and the other students must copy the move. Continue playing, encouraging students to make the movements harder and more complicated.

46. Backward tag

Play this game just like regular tag except students can only walk or run backward during play.

47. Alligators in the swamp

Choose several students to be alligators and have them lay on their stomachs in the middle of the play area. Spread them out so there are several feet between each alligator. The rest of the class starts on one end of the play area and has to try to get past the alligators. If an alligator tags them, they are out.

48. Sleeping baby

Students run around the play area until they hear the teacher yell, “sleeping baby.” At this point, all the kids drop to the floor and pretend to be sleeping. The last student to “fall asleep” is out.

49. Garbage tag

Wad up a bunch of pieces of paper to be the garbage. Choose one student to be “it.” That person starts to throw the garbage at the other players. Any player hit with a piece of garbage is out.

50. Lighthouse and ships

Place several obstacles around the gym, such as cones or mats. Students will close their eyes and pretend to be ships trying to get to the lighthouse. If they run into one of the obstacles, their ship is sunk and they are out.

PE class is about to get so much more fun for your students! Any of these games are sure to make PE their favorite class of the day.

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9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education

• Lauren Chiangpradit
• November 16, 2023
• Reviewed by Sean Barton
• Reviewed by Haley MacLean

Table of Contents

The Synergy of Movement and Learning

Physical education stem activities for elementary school, stem activities for middle school pe students, advanced stem challenges for high school learners, tech, tools, and resources for stem in physical education.

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into Physical Education (PE) classes offers an innovative approach to education. In an era where sports statistics, science, and technology increasingly influence athletics, PE classes are uniquely positioned to blend physical activity with STEM learning and 21st century skills. This article explores how PE educators and facilitators can use STEM learning in their coursework. It also provides a range of curriculum activity ideas to get students at different education and skill levels engaged.

Research indicates that physical activity can significantly bolster cognitive abilities. When students participate in movement-based learning, they benefit physically and experience enhanced concentration, memory, and creativity. This cognitive boost is crucial for comprehending and applying STEM concepts, which often demand high levels of problem-solving and critical thinking. Active learning, where students engage in physical activities while learning STEM concepts, results in more profound understanding and retention of information. Integrating physical and mental challenges not only makes learning more enjoyable, but is more effective, as students apply theoretical concepts in practical settings, leading to better comprehension and recall.

Integrating STEM into elementary physical education presents a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity in young students. Through these innovative activities, elementary school children can explore and understand key STEM concepts while engaging in fun and physical play. Each activity is designed to be not only educational but highly interactive and suitable for their developmental stage. Here are some engaging activities that blend physical education with STEM learning for elementary students:

• Jump and Measure: Students perform a variety of jumps – like the long jump and high jump – and measure their distances or heights. This activity introduces basic concepts of measurement and physics, encouraging students to understand how force and motion play a role in their physical activities.
• Geometry with Body Movements: In this activity, children use their bodies to create geometric shapes, either individually or in groups. It’s an engaging way for students to learn about basic geometry, spatial awareness, and symmetry. Teachers can challenge students to form complex shapes, enhancing their understanding and teamwork skills.
• STEM Soccer : In a lesson devoted to measuring throw-ins, students collect data in centimeters and convert their data to meters dividing by 100. Students then evaluate measurement systems to decide the best measurement size. This disguised learning,  interactive lesson is a great way for physical education teachers to add STEM into their PE classes.
• Weather and Exercise: Students observe and record weather patterns over a week and discuss how different weather conditions affect physical activities. This integrates meteorology into PE, allowing students to see the real-world application of science in their everyday activities.
• Heart Rate Exploration: After engaging in various exercises, students measure their heart rates to learn about the cardiovascular system and the science behind exercise. This activity not only educates them about their bodies, but about the importance of physical fitness in maintaining health.
• Playground Physics: Utilizing playground equipment, this activity allows students to explore concepts like gravity, force, and motion. They can experience firsthand how these physical laws impact their play and movements, turning the playground into a living laboratory.

As students enter middle school, their capacity for more complex and abstract thinking grows significantly. This developmental stage is an ideal time to introduce more intricate STEM concepts through physical education, enhancing their learning experience with practical applications. The following STEM activities are tailored for middle school students, offering a blend of intellectual challenge and physical engagement. These activities are designed to pique students’ curiosity in STEM fields through the familiar and enjoyable medium of sports and physical exercises. By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here’s a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:

• Sports Statistics Analysis: Students gather and analyze sports statistics from games or physical activities. This teaches them about data collection, interpretation, and the importance of statistics in understanding and improving athletic performance.
• STEM Football: During a lesson in STEM Football, students collect and graph data of a controlled experiment by using a line graph. Students then explain the relationship between kinetic energy and mass by writing a claim evidence supported by evidence-based reasoning from class data. This lesson highlights the strong classroom connection between physical education and STEM learning, and how it can help create tangible examples for students.
• Energy and Movement: This activity focuses on the concept of kinetic and potential energy in the context of sports. Students explore how energy is transferred and transformed during different physical activities, such as running, jumping, or throwing a ball.
• Biomechanics of Sports: Here, students delve into the study of human movement and mechanics in various sports. They learn about the science behind athletic performance, injury prevention , and how athletes optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and safety.
• Mathletics Relay: A relay race where each leg involves solving a math problem before passing the baton. This combines physical fitness with mathematical skills, emphasizing quick thinking and teamwork.
• Technology in Sports Training: Students explore how technology is increasingly used in sports training and performance analysis. They might look at wearable tech, video analysis software, or other tools that help athletes improve their skills and coaches to make informed decisions.

High school students, with their advanced cognitive skills and heightened interests, are well-positioned to tackle complex STEM challenges through physical education. This section of the curriculum is designed to offer high school learners in-depth, hands-on experiences that combine higher-level STEM concepts with physical activities and sports. These advanced activities are not just about physical exertion; they require students to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative innovation. They provide an opportunity for students to see the real-world applications of the STEM knowledge they acquire in their classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation. By participating in these activities, high school students can gain a deeper understanding of various STEM fields, such as physics, engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science, observing how these disciplines intersect with sports and physical fitness. Here are some challenging and intellectually stimulating STEM activities designed for high school learners:

• Physics of Sports Equipment Design: Students research and discuss the physics principles involved in the design of sports equipment. This can include topics like material science, aerodynamics, and ergonomics, providing insights into how equipment is optimized for performance and safety.
• Engineering a Miniature Golf Course: Students design and construct a miniature golf course, applying concepts of geometry, physics, and design. This project not only involves creativity, but a practical application of STEM principles by creating functional and enjoyable mini-golf holes.
• Sports Analytics Project: Students undertake a project to analyze a sports game using statistical methods and tools. This activity introduces them to data science in sports, teaching them how to interpret and use data to understand game strategies and player performance.
• Biotechnology in Athletics: This topic explores how biotechnology is used in sports, from equipment design to performance enhancement techniques. Students might study material innovations, genetic research in athletics, or the ethical implications of biotechnology in sports.
• Environmental Science in Outdoor Sports: Students analyze how environmental factors impact outdoor sports activities. They can study topics like climate change, pollution, and natural terrain, understanding the interplay between sports and the environment.
• Virtual Reality Sports Training: Students explore how VR technology is being used for skill development, strategy training, and injury rehabilitation in various sports by discussing the emerging role of virtual reality in sports.

Bringing STEM into PE classes effectively requires the right resources, including technology tools, educational kits, and comprehensive guides. Resources like the STEM Sports® kits provide ready-to-use activities that seamlessly blend physical education with STEM learning. These kits offer an invaluable resource for teachers looking to enrich their curriculum and engage K-8 students through a cross-curricular learning approach. For additional resources, tools, and innovative ideas, please visit STEM Sports® .

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100+ Homeschool P.E. Activities for 2024

By: Author Jess Brooks

Posted on Last updated: January 21, 2024

This article may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

If you’re looking for P.E. activities to do at home, this list of 100 homeschool P.E. ideas is sure to serve you well.

Homeschooling can be a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be hard when it comes to physical education.

These 100+ physical education activities are easy and fun, and they’ll keep your kids active and healthy.

Whether you’re a new homeschooler or you’re just looking for some fresh ideas to make homeschool fun , read on for inspiration.

Then go get moving and have some fun!

Easy Navigation

Featured Homeschool PE Activity

Yoga Friends on Noggin

• Practice breathing exercises and poses
• Led by teacher, Stephanie and animated friends
• Season 2 coming soon!
• Extensive library of educational content including math games and more with subscription

Yoga Friends is a great way for kids to practice flexibility and balance in the comfort of your own living room or playroom. And they’ll have a blast with animated friends like Skye, Gil, and Lorelai! You can get access to the show on the Noggin by Nick, Jr. app (along with a ton of other educational and entertaining content) free for 60 days!

100+ Homeschool Physical Education Activities and Ideas

Hopefully, there are enough ideas here to last you for years! Or go find more ideas on setting up your own homeschool gym .

• Do a fun online workout video to get some exercise in (we love using the Bodi app — it has tons of workout videos available on demand)
• Balloon Volleyball
• Practice Gymnastics (Summersaults, Cartwheels, etc)
• Karate or Other Martial Arts (in a studio or on YouTube)
• Backyard Trampoline
• Scooter Riding
• Skateboarding
• Relay Races
• Play in the Sprinklers
• Water Balloon Fight
• Make Homemade Tin Can Ice Cream , or use an Ice Cream Making Soccer Ball from Amazon.
• Wash the Car (fun gym activities for middle school kids who are homeschooled!)
• Physical Activity Jar ( printable ideas at the bottom of this post )
• Roll the Dice activity game ( printable dice with physical activities coming soon )
• Sit on a Giant Ball During Schoolwork or While Watching TV
• Go Sledding
• Build a Snowman
• Go on a Hike or Nature Walk
• Go Rock Climbing (Indoor or Outdoor – or buy a set and turn your backyard or tree into a climbing adventure)
• Go to a Ropes Course (or bring a ropes course to you – middle school kids LOVE this activity!)
• Go Swimming (at a rec center or in a backyard pool (fun PE activities for kindergarten and middle schoolers alike)
• Kayaking/Rafting
• Surfing (Or Ride a Flowrider)
• Plan and Set Up a Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt
• Go Geocaching
• Red-Light, Green-Light ( follow the link for instructions )
• Red Rover ( follow the link for instructions )
• Freeze Tag ( follow the link for instructions )
• Missionary Tag ( follow the link for instructions )
• Other Versions of Tag
• Simon Says ( follow the link for instructions )
• Giants, Wizards, Elves ( follow the link for instructions )
• Hand Clapping Games (A sailor went to sea, Miss Mary Mack, etc)
• Follow the Leader
• Obstacle Courses
• Build a Fort (Snow, Dirt, Branches, etc)
• Jumping Jacks
• Sit-Ups, Push-Ups or other Warm-Up Exercises. View more homeschool exercises here.
• Playgrounds (parks, fast food locations, or paid indoor venues)
• Walk a Dog (Yours or one from the local shelter.)
• Have a Paper Airplane Contest and Race!
• Play Frisbee
• Hold a Handstand Contest
• Play Wall Ball
• Duck Duck Goose
• Play Tug-O-War (two teams needed for this one)
• Play Four Square (as opposing teams or several solo players)
• Have a Pillow Fight
• Squirt Gun or Snowball Fights
• Boxing/Kickboxing
• At-Home Gym (Or Gym Membership with Exercise Classes or Personal Training)
• Weight Lifting (Including Soup Cans!)
• Wii Games (or Other Virtual Reality Games)
• Go for a Walk (Including around the Neighborhood, Aquarium, Zoo, etc)
• Run Up and Down Stairs
• Go to the Playground
• Climb a Tree (here’s a handy tool kit for easy tree climbing )
• Roller Skating/Blading
• Capture the Flag (one of my favorite fun gym games for middle school)
• Try Parkour
• Dance (Classes, YouTube, or at-home parties – these are some great Kindergarten PE ideas!))
• Ice Skating
• Skiing/Snowboarding
• Go to an Amusement Park
• Go to a Water Park
• Go to a Trampoline Park
• Go to a Children’s Museum (Or Any Museum)
• Petting Zoos
• Shooting Range
• Throwing Star/Axe Ranges
• Horseback Riding
• Play Hockey
• Play Basketball (Including Horse)
• Play Soccer
• Play Baseball
• Play Football
• Play Volleyball
• Play Badminton
• Play Tennis
• Go Mini Golfing
• Go Bowling (or set up your own bowling alley at home)
• Other Youth Sports, Team Sports, or Individual Sports

See? What’d I tell you?

There are SO many ways to get kids of any age out and moving around! You just have to make your mind to include physical education classes as part of your regular homeschool routine.

Some of the games listed in the list above might be games you are less familiar with. Go to this article on homeschool p.e. games for elementary students to get instructions for each game.

Keep reading to learn how to play a few of the games listed above. And if you make it to the very bottom of this post,

Printable Ideas for a Kid’s Physical Activity Jar

If you need some more ideas for ways to keep kids active, check out this kids’ physical activity jar! You’ll find some simple activities that your kids can enjoy when they need a ‘brain break’ or to just get some wiggles out. Plus there’s a nice printable version of the activity jar ideas if you want.

• Crawl like a cat
• Walk like a bear
• Pretend to collect pollen like a bee
• Hop like a frog
• Gallop like a horse
• Act out the life-cycle of a butterfly (and then act it out in reverse!)
• Pretend you are a rainstorm. Now a tornado.
• Crawl like a crab
• Stretch as high as the tallest tree
• Chomp like an alligator
• Stand like a flamingo for as long as you can!
• Prance like a chicken
• Roar like a dinosaur
• Waddle like a penguin
• Stomp like an elephant
• Flap like a bird
• Crawl like a tiger (nice and low!)
• Slither like a snake
• Slide like a seal
• Crawl like an inchworm

Anybody can access this list of 20 fun physical activity jar ideas just by landing on this page. But it’s kind of hard to stick a webpage into a jar for kids to pull out and pick and activity. (I’m just saying…)

So to solve that conundrum, I created a pretty, printer-friendly version of these activity jar ideas! Sounds great, right? Right!

The catch is the printable version is only accessible to those on my VIP Subscriber list. The good news is, that the VIP list is free and easy to join!

Here we have just one of the 5 printable pages!

See how cute those little slips are? Wouldn’t you love to fill a jar or a cup or a bowl with these so they’ll be readily available next time your kids need something fun and active to do?

If you want to get your copy of the printable physical activities, just fill out the form here . Instructions will be sent to you right away and you’ll be printing your new pages in no time! This printable list is only available to VIP subscribers. If you want to get the printable, join the list for free . VIP Subscribers get early access to deals and exclusive access to printable freebies all year long.

I hope you enjoy these easy and fun homeschool physical education ideas!

How to Implement a Fun Homeschool P.E. Program

The easiest way to implement physical education in your homeschool is by simply allowing your children the time and space for some outdoor free play!

Most kids use this outdoor free play time to run, jump, skip, bike ride, or dig in the dirt. Hide-and-seek and tag are also favorite games amongst kids.

If you are willing to think outside the box, the number of physical education options available to homeschoolers is nearly limitless! Seriously, there are so many ways to get your kids active and healthy.

However, I understand that at certain times of the year, the weather is not conducive to a lot of physical fitness options.

I also understand that the number of kids in a family or the number of digits in a family’s bank account can also affect physical education. options.

So to combat this problem, I have compiled a  huge list of fun homeschool P.E. ideas  for you and your family. The ideas on this list came from physical fitness activities our family has enjoyed in the past (and present!) as well as ideas I found scattered throughout the internet.

Some of these ideas are free and can be done easily at home! Others need a group (such as a large sibling group or a homeschool co-op group. Still others require either signing up for classes or attending a fun venue.

One great homeschool P.E. resource is a membership pass that gets you into multiple venues. Many states are starting to implement resources like this  Get Out Pass  that make fun and exciting physical education activities even easier and more affordable for homeschooling families!

Whether you are looking to invest a little money into your physical education program, or you are looking for fun and budget-friendly options, you’re sure to find something useful on this list.  

Bonus points – a lot of these ideas can double as fun family activities that also enhance motor skills. If you aren’t stuck with a virtual family reunion this year, take some of these ideas to your extended family get together as well!

Why Include PE in Your Homeschool Curriculum?

Including Physical Education (PE) in a homeschool curriculum is every bit as important for the holistic development of children as other subjects.

PE goes beyond just physical fitness; it plays a pivotal role in shaping well-rounded individuals with a host of physical, mental, and social benefits.

• Physical Health and Fitness: PE ensures that children receive regular physical activity, helping them develop healthy habits from a young age. In an era marked by sedentary lifestyles and screen time, PE provides a structured opportunity for kids to engage in physical exercise, improving cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, and coordination. It helps combat issues like childhood obesity and promotes a lifetime commitment to wellness.
• Mental Well-Being: Physical activity isn’t just about building strong bodies; it also contributes to robust mental health. Exercise releases endorphins, the “feel-good” hormones, which can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Incorporating a homeschool physical education class into your routine can provide children with a much-needed outlet for releasing pent-up energy, boosting their mood, and enhancing their overall emotional well-being.
• Cognitive Development: Surprisingly, PE is not separate from cognitive development—it enhances it. Regular physical activity has been linked to improved concentration, memory, and problem-solving skills.
• Lifelong Healthy Habits: Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of including a homeschool PE class in your curriculum is that it instills a love for physical activity and fitness that can last a lifetime. By making exercise a regular part of their daily routine, children are more likely to carry these habits into adulthood, reducing the risk of health issues related to sedentary living.

Related Posts

Unlock Homeschool Field Trips with a Get Out Pass Get Into Any National Park For Free Setting Up Your own Homeschool Gym PE Activities at Home

And hey, I’ve teamed up with a WHOLE BUNCH of other bloggers to bring you an epic list of boredom busters and educational activities. Feel free to browse this list if you’re in a bind! There are some great resources here.

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Wednesday 3rd of March 2021

i want activities not exercises

Charlene Hess

I think you'll find there are plenty of activities in this post that are considered more fun than exercise. For example: jump ropes, hula hoops, juggling, relay races, obstacle courses, the physical activity jar (which also includes a free printable), several versions of tag, etc etc. If you want activities that do not double as exercises, perhaps you should not look for them on a 100+ easy and fun homeschool p.e. ideas post. :-)

Tuesday 22nd of September 2020

It's so hard to find things for homeschool PE. Thanks for all these ideas.

Rikki Ridgeway

Friday 27th of March 2020

These are all amazing tips, I can't wait until it stops raining, and it dries up to be able to go outside and play and do a bunch of these activities. But I also like how you included some indoor activities, like prance like a chicken. I'm definitely going to let my daughter do some of these activities that can be done inside.

Tuesday 24th of March 2020

Staying active and healthy is so important! These are some fun ideas!

April Kitchens

These are fun ideas for playing the the backyard. Backyard play for us is considered PE for homeschool lol. My daughter also participates in a homeschool gymnastics class and a homeschool yoga class for PE.

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The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

What’s Up?

We’re glad you’re here!

First of all, if you’re not already getting our free email updates – you can subscribe to the free newsletter HERE and get regular freebies and PhysEd Updates + a FREE PE Games E-BOOK! (we recommend using a personal address like Gmail – sadly the school district email robots sometimes block our emails because of all the download links we send out… silly robots…)

Secondly – Stay connected on your favorite Social Media, we’re always sharing awesome ideas and we’d love for you connect on whatever platform you use most (links below)

FACEBOOK |   INSTAGRAM |   PINTEREST | TWITTER | YOUTUBE    

Third – The most helpful free resource we’ve created over the years on this site is the massive amount of blog articles which are organized by category below – We’d encourage you to check out some of the blog posts to get some good ideas and inspiration.  

Fourth – After checking out the free resources below, you might want to join our PE Specialist Membership Community where we’re working hard to give P.E. teachers all the support they need to be successful.  All members have access to everything we’ve ever created… it’s pretty AWESOME!

If you have an idea or a resource request hit us up on the contact page.

Have Fun and Teach On

Classroom management strategies and tools.

• The Conflict Corner (Teaching students conflict resolution)
• Daily Self Assessment (Teaching students daily self reflection)
• The Levels of Partner Acceptance (Learning to work with any partner/group)
• Home Base Spots (Assigned Seats in the Gym)
• Printable “I Can Statements” for PE Class
• The Good Sport Code (Teaching students to be a Good Sport)
• My Daily Warmup Routine
• Shoes, Injuries and Time Out Form
• Easy Score Keeper Cards (Teaching students to keep their own score)
• Exercise Posters and One Page Workout Posters Pack
• A Tour of all the Posters on my Gym Walls (+ Skill Cues Poster Pack)
• PE Rules and Consequences Poster
• 5 Awesome Classroom Management Ideas
• How to Setup Nets in your Gym (Volleyball or Tennis)
• My System for Managing Recess Equipment
• How to plan out your year of PE
• How I Manage Doing Grades for Elementary PE
• Pushup Coupons as a PE Reward Idea

Lesson Ideas and Unit Overviews

• How I Teach Spikeball in Phys Ed
• How I run a Cosmic Bowling Tournament
• How I Teach Soccer in Phys Ed
• How to Teach Jump Rope in Phys Ed
• How to Teach Gymnastics in Phys Ed
• How I do Fitness Testing (Fitnessgram)
• How I Teach Striking With Paddles
• How I teach Four Square in Phys Ed
• First week of school lesson
• How to Plan an Awesome Field Day
• Tips for Teaching PE Using Station Activities
• How I Teach Throwing and Catching in Phys Ed
• How I Teach Frisbee Throwing in PE

Teaching Tips

• 2020: Tips for Teaching During COVID
• How to Plan a Year of PE in 15 Minutes
• Common Phrases I say in P.E. Class
• Change Takes Time: Be Patient and Enjoy the Process (Please read this)
• Tips for Teaching with Station Activities (and Free Printable Station Signs)
• Teaching Tips – Short Thoughts for Teachers to Reflect on

Technology Resources

• Using Animated GIFs and Follow the Leader Videos in PE (Jump Rope GIFS and Videos)
• My Complete TV Setup in My Gym and related Technology Tools
• What’s in My Backpack? An Overview of my Daily Carry Technology Tools
• Using iMovie Trailers to Advocate for P.E.
• Google Forms + iPads to give End of Year Surveys
• How to use Plickers to Assess Students
• Using the Clips App to Create Awesome Videos for Sharing on Social Media
• An Awesome Wireless Mic for Teaching PE
• My Favorite Teacher Technology Tools and Tips

Games and Activities

• RPS Entourage: A Fun No Equipment Mixer for PE
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• How I teach Hula Hooping in Phys Ed
• Awesome Warmup and Instant Activity Ideas
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• 10 Awesome Parachute Activities for PE
• Using Exercise Posters for Warm Ups and Workouts
• Striking Balloons with Implements (Free Lesson Plan Download)
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• Teaching Ball Handling  
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• The Dribbling Cues Knowledge Assessment

Music and Dance

• My Favorite Phys Ed Music Playlists
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• How to do the Cupid Shuffle
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• Practicing Locomotors with the Chicken Dance
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Other Articles:

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• How to Inspire Students
• Health Integration Ideas
• Christmas Games and Activities

Resources for Teaching Virtually

• Blog on Tips, Resources and Ideas for Teaching Virtually and Socially Distant
• Podcast going over Mindset, Routines, Face to Face and Virtual Teaching Tips
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• Tips for Running a Virtual Field Day
• Learn How to Tie Your Shoes
• Throwing and Catching Challenges with Tissue Paper

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Have Fun and Teach On!

Top resources.

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• 25 Exercise Posters
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• How to Teach Jumprope (Unit Plan)

Top Blog Posts

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• How to Motivate and Inspire Students
• You might be a PE Teacher if…

• Pete Charrette

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

In an era where distance learning and at-home education have become increasingly prevalent, the role of physical education has evolved yet remains fundamentally vital. Physical education, traditionally known for its structured classes in the confines of a gym or oversized classroom, now faces the challenge of adapting to remote and home environments. However, this new setting brings a unique opportunity to underscore the importance of physical activity, not just for physical well-being but also for mental health and overall skill development. In the confines of a living room, backyard, or a small apartment space, physical education can be a dynamic tool to keep students engaged, active, and learning. It serves as a crucial outlet for energy, a mechanism for stress relief, and a platform for teaching valuable life skills such as self-discipline, goal-setting, and personal responsibility.

This article aims to provide physical educators with a suite of creative, fun, and easily accessible physical education activities tailored for at-home implementation. Recognizing the constraints and challenges of home environments, these activities are designed to be versatile, requiring minimal equipment and space, while maximizing student engagement and fitness/skill benefits. From fitness-based exercises to yoga poses, each activity is chosen to cater to a wide range of student needs and preferences, ensuring that every child can participate and benefit. Alongside these activities, I'll share tips and strategies to help educators effectively integrate these exercises into their online classes or as engaging homework assignments. The goal is to empower educators with the resources and ideas they need to continue delivering high-quality physical education, fostering a love for physical activity and a commitment to health, even outside the traditional school setting.

Fitness-Based Tasks for Students in their Homes

In this section, we explore a variety of engaging fitness-based tasks tailored for at-home physical education, ensuring students stay active and healthy during remote learning

Maintaining Fitness in Remote Learning Scenarios

Fitness is not just a physical endeavor; it's a holistic approach to well-being, crucial for students learning from home. The absence of traditional PE settings and routines can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, impacting both physical health and mental agility. In remote learning scenarios, maintaining fitness becomes not just an activity, but a necessary discipline to ensure students stay active, engaged, and healthy. Fitness tasks at home can serve as a catalyst for building resilience, improving concentration, and boosting overall mood — key factors in successful learning and personal development.

Specific Fitness-Based Tasks

Bodyweight Exercises:  Introduce a series of bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, and lunges. These exercises don’t require any special equipment and can be easily adapted to various fitness levels. Use your visuals to demonstrate correct postures and sequences.

Jump Rope Challenges:  A jump rope is a simple yet effective tool for cardiovascular fitness. Propose challenges like '100 jumps a day' or 'jump rope alphabet', where each letter represents a different jumping style. This can be a fun and engaging way to keep students motivated.

Flexibility (Static and Dynamic) Movements:  Incorporating stretching routines help to improve students' flexibility while reducing their stress. Share easy-to-follow flexibility sequences and stretching routines, suitable for small spaces.

Circuit Training at Home:  Design circuit training sessions that combine several exercises into one high-intensity workout. Circuits can include a mix of cardio, strength, and flexibility exercises, tailored to be done in limited space.

Dance and Movement:  Encourage students to stay active with dance-based fitness. Choreograph simple routines or collaborate with students to create a 'class dance', fostering creativity along with physical activity.

Tips for Incorporating Fitness Tasks into Online Classes and Assignments

Structure and Routine:  Create a weekly fitness schedule for students to follow. This provides structure and helps in setting clear expectations. This is especially effective for middle school and high school students to enhance learning.

Engagement and Interaction:  Use online resources and tools like Google Classroom or Zoom to interact with students to implement virtual physical education classes. Live sessions for group workouts or posting recorded demonstrations can be highly effective for online learning.

Personalization and Adaptation:  Recognize that each student's home environment and fitness level is different. Offer variations and alternatives to cater to diverse needs.

Feedback and Encouragement:  Regularly check in with students to provide feedback. Celebrate achievements, no matter how small, to keep students motivated.

Family Involvement:  Encourage students to involve family members in their fitness tasks. This not only adds a fun element but also promotes a healthy lifestyle for the entire family.

By integrating these fitness-based tasks into remote PE classes, we not only keep our students physically active but also engaged and motivated. It's about creating a culture of fitness that transcends the boundaries of the traditional classroom and enters the homes of our students, empowering them to lead healthier, more active lifestyles.

Tossing and Catching Tasks for Students at Home

Tossing and Catching Tasks for Students at Home focuses on accessible and enjoyable activities designed to enhance students' coordination and motor skills right in the comfort of their homes.

Enhancing Hand-Eye Coordination and Gross Motor Skills

Tossing and catching are foundational activities in physical education that significantly enhance hand-eye coordination and develop gross motor skills. These skills are essential not just for sports, but they also play a crucial role in daily activities and cognitive development. In a home learning environment, where students might have limited access to traditional sports equipment, it becomes even more important to find creative ways to maintain and develop these skills. Tossing and catching activities can be adapted to any space and can be performed with a variety of household items, making them ideal for at-home PE sessions.

Tossing and Catching Challenges - At-Home PE Activities

Sock Ball Toss and Catch:  Create a DIY ball by rolling up a pair of socks, ideal for a safe indoor tossing and catching game. This activity helps students enhance their hand-eye coordination and agility in a confined space. They can practice tossing and catching the sock ball in various ways - 2 hand, 1 hand, clap and catch, under leg, behind back, from a foot, etc.

Playground Ball/Basketball Toss, Bounce & Catch:  Utilize a playground or basketball (or any ball a student might possess around home) for a versatile activity that combines tossing, catching, and bouncing, challenging students to maintain control and accuracy in each movement.

Grocery Bag/Scarves Toss and Catch:  Employ lightweight grocery bags or ultra light scarves for an imaginative catch challenge, where students can use one, two, or three bags to practice tricks and juggling maneuvers, developing their coordination and reflex skills. They can also move around in small spaces while tossing and catching the scarves.

Partner Toss and Catch:  Invite students to involve a family member in a partner toss and catch exercise, using items like a rolled-up sock, a ball, or grocery bags, to promote interpersonal bonding and simultaneously enhance their catching and throwing skills.

Target Toss:  Set up a target toss at home, where students aim to accurately throw an object at a designated spot, such as a laundry basket, trash bin or table top, to improve focus and precision.

Integrating Tossing and Catching in Virtual PE

Interactive Challenges:  Host live tossing and catching challenges during your online virtual learning classes. Students can demonstrate their skills on camera, providing a sense of competition and camaraderie.

Skill Progression Assignments:  Assign tasks that progressively increase in difficulty. Students can start with simpler activities and gradually move to more complex tasks, documenting their progress.

Use of Household Items:  Encourage creativity by allowing students to use different household items for their activities. This not only makes the tasks more accessible but also adds an element of fun and innovation.

Family Participation:  Involve family members by encouraging them to participate in these activities. This not only makes the activity more fun but also fosters a sense of community and support.

Feedback and Encouragement:  Provide constructive feedback on the videos or live demonstrations. Celebrate achievements and offer tips for improvement to keep students motivated.

Adapt for Space and Safety:  Always remind students to adapt the activities based on their available space and to ensure safety. For instance, softer objects like sock balls or balloons are safer for indoor use.

Incorporating tossing and catching tasks into at-home PE activities offers a unique opportunity to develop essential motor skills and coordination. With creativity and adaptation, these activities can become a fun and engaging part of the students' home physical education experience.

Small Space Movement Tasks for the Home Environment

In this section, we explore a variety of movement tasks specifically designed for small spaces, ensuring that students can stay active and develop key physical skills even in limited areas at home.

Overcoming the Challenges of Limited Space

One of the most significant challenges in at-home physical education is the constraint of limited space. Many students may not have access to large, open areas typically found in school gyms. However, limited space should not limit the opportunity to stay active. This section focuses on how to turn small spaces into effective arenas for physical activity, ensuring students can continue their physical development regardless of their environment. Adapting to confined spaces requires creativity and a focus on safety, ensuring movements are suitable and do not risk injury or damage to the home.

Movement Activities for Confined Areas

Agility Drills: Students can   set up a mini agility courses using household items like pillows, water bottles or chairs, allowing students to practice quick directional changes and improve their agility in a confined space.

Plyometrics/Jumping Challenges: Introduce plyometric exercises like squat jumps, jumping on to paper plates, or hopping on one leg, which are perfect for building leg strength and explosive power, even in limited spaces.

Balancing Challenges: Challenge students with static and dynamic balancing activities, such as standing on one foot or walking along a taped line (or string) on the floor, to enhance their stability and core strength in a fun, space-efficient way

Partner Activities: For those with a family member present, suggest engaging in simple partner activities like limbo using a broomstick, partner hurdles with stacked cushions, circle jumps, or a walk and jump challenge using a pool noodle, promoting teamwork and physical activity.

Locomotor Movement/Animal Walks: Encourage students to move around the room in various ways (skipping, galloping, hopping, etc.) or mimic different animal movements, such as crab walks or bear crawls, offering a creative way to develop coordination and strength within a small area

Customizing Activities for Different Age Groups and Skill/Fitness Levels

Younger Students:  For younger kids, turn these activities into games or challenges. Use storytelling or imaginative scenarios to make the exercises more engaging and age-appropriate.

Older Students:  Increase the complexity and intensity for older students. Introduce timed challenges or more advanced versions of the exercises to keep them challenged and engaged.

Adapting for Different Skill/Fitness Levels:  Offer modifications for each activity. For example, provide low-impact alternatives for students who may find certain movements challenging.

Safety Tips:  Always remind students about the importance of clearing their space of any obstacles and practicing exercises safely.

Incorporating Educational Elements:  Combine physical movements with educational components. For instance, while doing spot jogging, students can practice math problems or language skills, adding a cognitive aspect to the physical activity.

Remember, the goal is to ensure that every student, regardless of their living situation, can participate in meaningful physical activity. These small space movement tasks are designed to be inclusive, adaptable, and effective, providing students with the opportunity to stay active and healthy, even in limited spaces.

PE Manipulative Skill Tasks for Students at Home

Exploring manipulative skills at home, this section delves into activities that enhance students' coordination and control, using everyday items to master essential physical skills in a fun and engaging manner.

Developing Essential PE Motor Skills Outside of School

Manipulative skills are a cornerstone of physical education, involving movements that require controlling objects with the hands, feet, or other body parts. These skills include activities like throwing, catching, kicking, striking, dribbling, and more. While traditionally honed in a gym or outdoor setting, many of these skills can be creatively adapted for the home environment. Developing these skills is vital for physical literacy, coordination, and confidence in various physical activities. In a remote learning scenario, focusing on these skills ensures that students continue to develop their motor abilities, even outside the traditional PE setting.

Skill-Focused Activities for Home Practice

Balloon Volleying:  Encourage students to keep a balloon in the air using their hands, feet, or head, a simple yet effective activity to improve hand-eye coordination and reaction time in a fun, low-risk way.

Target Practice:  Set up targets using household items and practice throwing with accuracy. This can be done with soft balls, bean bags, or even crumpled paper, focusing on both underhand and overhand throws.

Foot Fun:  Challenge students with foot-based activities like soccer ball dribbling or toe-tapping (foot volleying) a balloon, fostering agility and control through engaging and playful foot coordination tasks.

Ball Handling/Maneuvering:  Use any type of small ball to practice dribbling, bouncing, or rolling around their bodies or obstacles, enhancing control and precision while engaging in a variety of ball-handling skills suitable for limited spaces.

Homemade Bowling:  Set up a simple bowling alley using recycled bottles as pins and a soft ball or sock ball. This activity helps in developing aiming and rolling skills.

Strategies for Remote Student Assessment and Feedback

Video Submissions:  Have students record and submit videos of themselves performing the tasks. This allows for direct observation and provides an opportunity to give personalized feedback regarding student learning.

Digital Skill Logs:  Encourage students to maintain a digital log of their practice sessions, noting their progress and any challenges faced. This can be a part of their regular PE homework.

Online Quizzes and Reflections:  Create quizzes or reflection prompts related to the skills learned. This can include questions on techniques, rules of games, or even personal experiences with the activities.

Peer Review:  Utilize peer review systems where students can watch each other’s videos and provide constructive feedback under teacher supervision. This not only aids in assessment but also fosters a sense of community.

Use of Apps and Digital Platforms:  Leverage technology, like fitness tracking apps or educational platforms, to monitor student progress and maintain a record of their activities.

Adaptation Challenges:  Challenge students to modify or invent new activities using household items, encouraging creativity and problem-solving.

By integrating these manipulative skill tasks into the home environment, PE teachers can effectively continue the development of essential physical skills. It's about finding creative ways to adapt traditional activities to new settings, ensuring that learning and skill development remain uninterrupted and engaging.

Yoga Poses (Mindfulness) for Students at Home

Embrace the calm and focus of yoga with this section, introducing students to various poses that not only enhance physical flexibility and strength but also promote mindfulness and mental well-being, making them ideal for a home setting.

Embracing Yoga and Mindfulness for Holistic Health

In the realm of at-home physical education, incorporating yoga and mindfulness practices offers profound benefits for both physical and mental health. Yoga, known for its gentle yet effective stretches and poses, enhances flexibility, balance, and strength. Moreover, its inherent mindfulness aspect plays a crucial role in reducing stress, improving concentration, and fostering an overall sense of well-being. Particularly during remote learning, where students may experience increased levels of anxiety or feel disconnected, yoga can be a grounding and calming practice, offering a much-needed balance to their daily routine.

Yoga Poses and Sequences for Young Minds

Basic Poses:  Introduce simple poses such as Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Warrior Poses (Virabhadrasana), and Tree Pose (Vrikshasana). These are foundational poses that help in building balance and focus.

Sun Salutations:  Teach the Sun Salutation sequence (Surya Namaskar) as a warm-up or a standalone routine. This sequence is excellent for building energy and warming up the body.

Restorative Poses:  Include restorative poses like Child's Pose (Balasana) and Lotus Pose (Padmasana) for relaxation. These poses are essential for winding down and promoting mindfulness.

Partner Yoga:  If family members can join, suggest simple partner yoga poses. This can be a fun way for students to engage in yoga with their siblings or parents, enhancing bonding and making the practice more enjoyable.

Breathing Exercises and Meditation:  Incorporate basic breathing exercises (Pranayama) and short meditation sessions to conclude the yoga practice. This helps in enhancing mindfulness and relaxation.

Conducting Virtual Yoga/Mindfulness Sessions

Structured Online Classes:  Run live yoga sessions, guiding students through poses and sequences. Use your visuals to demonstrate poses and offer modifications for different skill levels.

Recorded Sessions:  Provide pre-recorded yoga sequences for students to practice at their own pace. This can be particularly helpful for students who might feel self-conscious about live participation.

Interactive Feedback:  Encourage students to share their yoga experiences and any challenges they face. Offer personalized tips and modifications during live sessions or via your online platform.

Engagement Activities:  Create yoga challenges, such as maintaining a pose for a certain duration or mastering a new sequence. Offer positive reinforcement and rewards like digital badges or certificates.

Family Involvement:  Invite family members to join the yoga sessions, making it a family activity. Provide tips for family yoga and how parents can encourage mindfulness in children.

As a physical education teacher, incorporating yoga and mindfulness into the at-home physical education curriculum offers students a way to nurture their bodies and minds. This section not only outlines specific poses and sequences but also provides practical tips for PE teachers to effectively conduct and integrate these practices into their remote teaching.

Final Thoughts

In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the significance of at-home physical education cannot be overstated. This article has highlighted a diverse array of activities and strategies, tailored to ensure that students remain active, engaged, and healthy, even outside the traditional classroom setting. The impact of these at-home PE activities extends far beyond physical fitness; they play a crucial role in students' mental and emotional wellbeing, social skills development, and overall quality of life. By integrating these varied and inclusive activities, we not only cater to the immediate physical needs of our students but also contribute profoundly to their holistic development.

To all physical education teachers navigating this new terrain of remote and hybrid learning: your adaptability, creativity, and dedication have never been more vital. The unique challenges of teaching PE outside the traditional school environment call for an innovative approach, and your willingness to embrace these challenges is commendable. Remember, your role in students' lives is invaluable – you're not just teaching them how to stay active; you're instilling lifelong habits of health and wellbeing. Your efforts in creating dynamic, accessible, and enjoyable PE experiences help lay the foundation for a healthier, more active generation. Continue to inspire, motivate, and guide your students, knowing that every lesson you craft extends far beyond the confines of a physical space – it touches the lives of each student, fostering a healthier, more active, and resilient community.

Download a FREE Visual: 12 COOL Ways to Move in Your Home

12 cool ways to move in your home.

This Distance Learning Visual- Twelve Cool Ways to Move in Your Home serves as a practical instructional graphic for teachers to use to share a variety of home-based movement experiences with their students. The visual can be shared as a graphic in a synchronous (live) remote lesson or included as a resource in an asynchronous assignment or packet.

Fill in the form below  to download this "12 COOL Ways to Move in Your Home" PDF file. The Twelve Cool Ways to Move in Your Home movement experiences are easy for students to understand and implement at home with minimal equipment. Any equipment showcased would be something a student could typically find in their home. The visual is downloadable in 6 color schemes displaying twelve fitness or skill based movements. The graphics utilized in the visual are attractive, kid friendly and relatable.

Need More At-Home Visuals for PE Distance Learning?

Ignite at-home physical education movement with Cap'n Pete's PE Distance Learning Series: 5 Set Super Bundle! This vibrant collection offers a total of 184 diverse, easy-to-follow task cards, covering a wide range of fitness, movement, and skill-based activities, tailored for home environments. 🏠💪

Each individual PE Distance Learning Task Card set provides 24 to 40 HOME-BASED task cards that students can use at home to stay active during times they are not at school or involved in an organized movement program. The visuals make it EASY for students to first read and then perform a variety of fitness, movement, and skill-based movements in small space environments. 🌟📋

What Resources are in the PE Distance Learning Series: 5 Set SUPER BUNDLE for Home?

1. 40 Fitness-Based Tasks for Students at Home

2. 40 Small Space Movement Tasks for Students at Home

3. 40 Tossing and Catching Tasks for Students at Home

4. 40 PE Skill Tasks for Students at Home ⛹️

5. 24 YOGA Poses for Students at Home

Flash Bonus - Celebrate 100 Fitness Blasts : For a limited time, get an additional set of 10 exhilarating MINI-BLAST workouts. Each workout includes 10 fun, energetic movements, perfect for a quick and lively fitness session. 🎉🔥

You can find this super bundle on Cap'n Pete's Power PE website here  or at my Teachers Pay Teachers store located here.

The PE Distance Learning Series bundle provides a convenient and creative way for you to have your students move at home “with a purpose!” The task cards are colorful with “top of the line” graphics and detailed instructions. Each skill-based task card includes the following components: 1. Movement/Skill Identification, 2. Movement/Skill Graphic, 3. Rep or Time Suggestion, 4. Detailed Description of the Movement/Skill, and 5. Tips for Success. Also now included in each set's zip folder is the Optional PE Movement Activity Log (in Word or PDF) for students to record the tasks/movements they perform at home.

• At-Home/Distance Learning
• Activities and Games
• Creative Movement

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