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46 Unique Phys Ed Games Your Students Will Love

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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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Fun PE Running Games

By MK Editor, May 23, 2021

Running is one of the simplest and most basic ways the human body is built to move—which is probably why it’s on almost every physical education teacher’s agenda, regardless of their students’ ages or grade levels. But just because running is fundamental doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Instead of heading out to the track to run laps, why not spice up the routine? Here are twelve fun running games for kids of all ages to try out during your next pe class or play at home with the family!

1. Red Light, Green Light

This classic running game is great for interval training as well as building physical endurance and listening skills. Line your students up at the starting line. Once the teacher calls out “green light,” everyone starts running as fast as they can toward the finish line. When the teacher calls out “red light,” all the runners must freeze in place. The students can start running when the teacher calls out “green light” again. If the teacher calls out “yellow light,” the students must slow their pace until it’s time to freeze or run fast again.

2. Band-Aid Tag

There is one Tagger and two Doctors in this silly twist on tag. The rest of the students are potential patients who run to avoid being tagged. When runners are tagged, they must hold a “Band-Aid” (a hand) over the spot where they were tagged and continue running. If they’re tagged a second time, they have to hold their other hand over that spot as well and keep going. If they’re tagged a third time, they’re out of “Band-Aids” and become Patients. This means they have to freeze in place, until the Doctors come “operate.” Both Doctors must tag a frozen player at the same time in order to “operate” and “heal,” or un-freeze, the Patient, so the player can start running again. This game gets goofy when the Tagger tags runners on silly or hard-to-reach spots like their heads, knees or backs!

3. Sharks And Minnows

This game might seem childish, but it can be lots of silly fun for all ages and in almost any space, whether you’re holding class in a gym, on a basketball court or in a field. Designate one student as the shark, and have them stand in the center of the play area. All the other students are the fish and should line up side-by-side at one end of the area. All the fish call out in unison, “Shark, shark, may we cross your ocean?” When the shark responds, “Go, minnows, go,” every student runs for the far side of the play area, trying to avoid being “eaten” (tagged) by the shark. If a runner is tagged, he or she then becomes a second shark and works with the first to tag other fish. The round or game is over when there’s only one minnow left.

4. Wacky Laps

There are times when running laps around a quarter- or eighth-mile track is necessary—but it never has to be boring. To make running laps more fun and interesting for your students, introduce Wacky Laps, in which they run every lap in a different (and wacky!) way. Students can run the first lap to music, the second lap backward, and the third lap as slowly as possible. They can run a lap weaving among cones, another while holding hands with a partner, and another jumping over mini-hurdles (such as bean bags or any other small item that won’t trip them up). Letting the students brainstorm their own Wacky Laps is another great way to keep them engaged.

5. Criss-Cross Relay

Relay races are another great way to blend running practice with interval training and teamwork. For this whole-group relay, divide students into four groups and have each group line up in the four corners of your gym or play area. Designate the first runner—the first student in one of the lines, who will run diagonally across the play area to the group at the far corner, high-five the first runner there, and go to the end of that line. Meanwhile, the second runner (who received the high-five) has taken off to the third corner’s group to high-five that group’s first runner and head to the back of that line. That third runner will run diagonally across the area to high-five the fourth group’s first runner—and so on. The running pattern follows a continuous hourglass shape. To switch things up, have two students run at a time, and always diagonally across the play area, to create an X-shaped running pattern.

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Defining clear learning objectives at the start of each lesson helps set pupils up for success.

Assessment is essential and integral to effective teaching and learning in PE as it provides information on students’ strengths, weaknesses, and educational requirements, which informs future planning and teaching

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Lessons need to be accessible for all students and their diverse needs. Learn how to effectively differentiate your PE lessons.

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Being able to deliver Physical Education lessons in a variety of ways is an essential skill as a PE teacher.

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Asking effective questions is a skill that can be developed throughout your teaching career. If this is a skill that you wish to develop, check out our article.

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Discover how some of the most prominent theories of learning relate to teaching Physical Education.

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No Equipment Games and Activities for Physical Education

No equipment games and activities in physical education needs to be considered moving forward. We can’t take the chance of contaminating multiple pieces of equipment that hundreds of kids will share throughout the day.

Cleaning will start slacking, and equipment will carry around our germs to be passed from student to student.

Even as the teachers, we have to worry about our own health.

With that in mind, I have compiled a list of no equipment activity/games your students can do in physical education class.

No Equipment Games In Physical Education:

1. relay races.

Simple enough. Your students can social distance in line, while their teamamtes complete their part in whatever type of relay you create.

Instead of tagging hands for their teammates to take their turns, just cross a specific marking on the floor like the baseline.

2. Fitness Exercises

Throughout K-12 physical education, our students should be learning about the five health related fitness components .

This can easily be incorporated into fitness activities while you are trying to teach your students while having them social distance from one another.

Your students can get a great body weight workout with no machines or equipment if you teach them how and why it’s good for them.

As stated in a previous post called, Social Distancing Activities in Physical Education Class I talk about different resources you can find to teach your class yoga.

With all the known benefits of yoga , it would be a disservice to your students if they didn’t learn it.

4: Get to Know You Activities

These are usually done at the beginning of the school year, but who says you can’t use certain activities throughout class.

One of my favorite ways to keep little kids engaged if I’m losing them is to tell them to get in a line in order by tallest to shortest, or vise versa.

With any grade you can create different scenarios. For instance, get in order by age, alphabetical order, birthday month, alphabetical order by favorite number etc.

You could go a step further and put poly spots on the floor to ensure your students are standing 6 feet apart.

I encourage you all to look up the adventure education curriculum. There are 7 stages, but stages 1-3 will be the easiest to social distance.

See what games and Get to Know You Fun I played with my students while staying socially distanced here!

5: Track and Field Games

If you are lucky enough to teach near a track, you could incorporate a track and field unit. Even if you don’t have a track, get creative. Have kids run around your building or field.

Normally when I write, I try to make the article readable and beneficial for all grade level teachers. But in this section I will show how a track and field unit will be helpful for high school students using 9-12 Grade Level Outcomes with students showing level 2 proficiency.

The great thing about seeing high school standards even though you teach elementary, is knowing what you should be prepping your young students for long term.

Below are just a few of the many grade level outcomes you can use to guide your students towards success while social distancing at the same time;

• Applies rates of perceived exertion and pacing. (S3.H3.L2).
• Creates a plan, trains for and participates in a community event with a focus on physical activity (e.g., 5K, triathlon, tournament, dance performance, cycling event). (S3.H6.L2).
• Adjusts pacing to keep heart rate in the target zone, using available technology (e.g., heart rate monitor), to self monitor aerobic intensity. (S3.H10.L2).

6: Hand-Eye Coordination Drills

Yes…this does have equipment. But the great thing about this is that it’s individualized practice meaning everyone works in their own space with their own equipment.

Jason Calhoun creator of Kid Fitness Challenge on YouTube , created this awesome video showing how to keep your hand-eye coordination sharp for any sport.

You could make this as easy or challenging as you need based on the age/grade of your students.

Check out more of Jason’s YouTube video with the link above, or his Instagram account: @calhounskidfitchallenge.

7: Numbers Creativity Game

Another amazing idea I stumbled upon was created by Dan Betty in his YouTube video, Physical Education Games with NO Equipment. Check out his channel for more visual ideas.

One of my favorite activities from his video was the numbers game where he will call out a number, and students will have to have that many body parts touching the ground.

This can be used for the older kids as well. Maybe a quick instant activity to get them bring them back to focus if they are getting off task.

And for the little ones, you could create a whole lesson out of it!

Check out the full video below, where Dan introduces 5 no equipment games to play in PE.

8: Mental and Emotional Health Unit

I love how close PE and health relate to one another. You can’t have one without the other.

Of course PE should include movement, but physical literacy isn’t the only thing we need to teach our students about. Their mental well-being is important too.

In a previous article, I talk about emotional health and how to strengthen it, as well as improving your mental health .

Sit your kids down and talk about the importance of healthy bodies and healthy minds .

Anyone watch the office?

If you haven’t check out the clip above about how “not” to do parkour. But as Jim says in the video, the point is to get from point A to point B as creative as possible.

Parkour is also known as free running where you can jump, climb, roll, vault, swing etc. to avoid obstacles in your way.

I don’t know about you, but as a PE teacher my grade level outcomes radar just went off the charts hearing all of the skills parkour includes.

Be as creative as you want with this one!

10. Outdoor Pursuits/Geocaching

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

How fun would it be for students to go on a real life treasure hunt!? The only problem is that most geocaches are located off school property, so it would be near impossible to pull this off without getting permission to take your students on a field trip.

But…you could teach your students about Geocaching and have them download the app as a family.

Families will get to spend more quality time together while getting physical activity…and they learned about this in PE class! See PE is important.

After you have introduced your students to this outdoor pursuit activity, you could have them create their own geocaches to hide around the school with a detailed map. Then each student would select a different treasure hunt map created by a classmate and go find their item!

Rules and boundaries must be created before heading out, but once that is squared away…happy outdoor pursuits!

Virtual Teaching

For detailed information on how to set up your virtual classrooms, and what to do with your kids during your live Zoom or Google Meets, check out my two latest posts:

• Virtual Physical Education Activities for Grades K-2
• Virtual Physical Education Activities for Grades 3-5

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Author: Detroit PE

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4 Fun Fitness PE Activities!

As promised in my last blog , the following are fun fitness PE activities to teach students about fitness and provide meaningful fitness experiences. Find many of these fun fitness PE activities and more for free at Dynamic PE ASAP .

Fitness Challenges

Using 30-second intervals, the teacher leads the class through a variety of activities. Typically, cardiovascular activities are alternated with activities for muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility.

Example for a lesson with flexibility emphasis. Perform each for 30 seconds.

• Abdominal challenges
• Locomotor movement (student choice)
• Flexibility challenges
• Flexibility content
• Push-up challenges
• Flexibility activities/review

Repeat the sequence twice for an 8-minute routine (which works well in a 30-minute lesson). This activity works well all the way from kindergarten to high school. If lessons are longer, this activity can be revisited in elementary schools. In middle and high schools, interval lengths could be increased which opens the door for great discussion on overload and progression principles. Fitness Challenges work particularly well at the beginning of the year or when you want to teach new challenges. You can also integrate 30 second tag games rather than 30 seconds of the locomotor activities.

Hexagon Hustle

• Use 6 cones to outline a hexagon inside the teaching area. On each cone is a sign (see example).
• When the interval music is on (usually it’s a 30/30 interval with 30 seconds of music and 30 seconds of silence), students move around the hexagon performing the activities on the signs.
• As they move, they read the sign which indicates the hustle activity they are to perform as they approach the next cone.
• When the music is off, the teacher provides activities from either flexibility, abdominal strength, or muscular strength/endurance.
• After the 30 seconds of silence, the music automatically starts and students continue around the hexagon.

This works well for 8-10 minutes. For high school students, increase the distance between the cones and increase the interval time to 45-60 seconds. Signs on both sides of the cones allows you to alternate the direction and provide a variety of activities.  

Scavenger Hunt

• In small groups of 4-6, provide students with a Scavenger Hunt card (see image) and an item number to start on. This prevents all groups doing the same activity. Try starting with 45/5 (45 seconds of music, 5 seconds of silence) interval music.
• When the music goes off, this signals groups to move to the next item on the list. Notice, the activities do not include repetitions or times (other than how long to hold each stretch). This avoids the “we’re done” syndrome from students. They will be working the entire 45 seconds (quality, not quantity).

As with other routines, halfway through the activity, stop the class to discuss the fitness concept of the day.

Racetrack Fitness

• Students are arranged using partners ( Classroom Management: The Foundation of Effective Instruction )
• In the middle—also known as “the pit” – are 6-8 signs, each with a different activity on it.
• Partner A reports to the pit and performs the first activity on the card. Partner B performs a locomotor activity of his/her choosing around the perimeter of the activity space (make this one lap or two).
• When finished with the assigned number of laps, Partner B gives Partner A a high-five, and they switch places.
• After a lap or two, Partner A goes back to the middle and Partner B returns to going around the perimeter.
• This process continues until both partners complete all activities on the card.

I typically do this activity with continuous music. Halfway through I will stop the class and have a short discussion of the concept of the day. If desired, this activity could be done with an interval music with partners switching each time the music goes off. In this instance, a 30/10 interval might be in order. During the 10 seconds of silence, partners switch. You can also put mats in the pit for activities if desired, especially for older students.

These are just a few of the countless fitness routines and PE activities you can use or create to integrate the strategies to teach them about fitness, make fitness fun, and provide them with meaningful fitness experiences.

Find more fitness lesson plans for free at Dynamic PE ASAP .

Sources: Pangrazi, R.P. & Beighle A. (2015). Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School  Children (18 th ed.) San Francisco: Pearson.

Darst, P., Pangrazi, R.P. Brusseau, T., & Erwin, H. (2015). Dynamic Physical Education for Secondary School Students (8 th ed.). San Francisco: Pearson.

6 Responses

Hi I’m just reaching out to anyone I can for advice and ideas. Hoping I could get some from you. I recently started teaching elementary and middle school PE at an alternative therapeutic school. It has been very challenging to come up with activities that these kids actually want to do. They are very unmotivated and physical contact at the school is something that is not allowed. Classes are very small. Can range from like 4-8 or 9 kids because some kids don’t even make it to PE for acting inappropriately previously in the day or even day before. I guess I’m just asking if I had any ideas? Preferably none competitive because they can get out of hand with who wins and who doesn’t, as well as teams not being fair. Fitness days are a atruggle bc they just don’t want to do anything really. ANY IDEAS, ACTIVITIES, GAMES would help. Thanks Susan Toussaint CAE

Thank you for your message. Sounds like you have a challenging yet tremendously satisfying position working with a population that needs you more than most. Have you considered cooperative activities in which they all work together to accomplish a task? This could potentially help them learn some very valuable social skills like listening, cooperating, leading, following, compromise, etc. Granted, those would probably have to be learned but it might be worth looking into. If you think this is worth a shot, I can send you some cooperative activities from our book “Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children”.

Please let me know. I’ll help anyway that I can.

I worked in a setting like that and I used to require at least 15 minutes of their time and I used the “trouble makers” as team leaders, or gave them specific tasks to help get more buy in. As for activities I use “fun” variations of regular games. Such as Paramedic Dodgeball. This gives them continuous play but adds an empathetic response to keep playing. Just a suggestion, this works for me.

Here’s some things I used. Breathing exercises. They looked at me weirdly when I started, but they got it. We used is a stress relief and combined it with some stretching. We did some additional stretching on the floor. Core fitness. That was well received – sit ups, push ups, jumping jacks. You might try bite sized yoga, or thai chi. One thing that surprised me was simple marching and chanting in unison. We alternate with clapping as they go. It was fun to watch them learn to work together in the same rhythm. I also used a segment where one does dance step and the others learn it. Short bits.

One thing that I would like to share to all of you is to incorporate some virtue talk along with your class discussion. I been into a situation were students are not following your procedures and they don’t want to do your activity. As a teacher, always do consistency of your rules and procedures inside the classroom and start to putting something virtues talk (even one at a time) to your activity during your discussion. At the point, students will slowly understands your purpose until such time everything will be understood. It takes time to get the trust of your students however there is always a way that these students will follow your command. W

Thank you for your comment Acre-k. I can’t agree with you more about holding high expectations. And you are correct, getting students to trust and be comfortable is important. Can you give us an example of a virtue talk?

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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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The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

Awesome Warmups and Instant Activities

How do you Start Your PE Class Each Day?

When my kids walk into their Physical Education class, our routine is that I give them a quick greeting and then we get into a quick warm-up or instant activity.   After that we do a little stretching with our Daily Warmup Routine while we’re spread out at our Home Base Spots .  While we get stretched out I take attendance and give any needed announcements and then get into our lesson for the day.

Rules Review

For every K-2nd Grade class I always start by reviewing 3 important rules that my kiddos struggle with (see below)

Start Simple

At the beginning of the year I usually keep the warm-up really simple and do walking lines and jogging lines (jog the sidelines and walk the end lines) to some upbeat music for about 2-3 minutes ( here are my PE Playlists ).  As the year progresses we’ll add some more locomotor movements on the lines like skipping, galloping, sliding. 

Sometimes we also add in some footwork ladders on the lines or even going over and under hurdles while traveling around the room.

Skill Related Instant Activities

Once my kids are in a good routine I start to mix it up with some other instant activities.   Sometimes we add challenges related to the unit or lesson we are working on that day – for example balancing a ball on a paddle or dribbling a basketball while you are traveling around.

Skill Formula = 4-5 Reps of any skill – Jog a Lap – Repeat

For an example, check out the video below for an instant activity that I use in my Frisbee Unit .   

The formula above works great for any unit that you’re teaching just change the skill challenge to apply to your lesson, you can change the number of reps and change the skill, for another example in the video below we’re working on throwing and catching off the wall and only doing 3 catches.

You can also add more levels if you want them to work on more than one variation of the skill, see an example below for a format that I use often to allow students to self progress using animated GIFS to show skill specific instant activity challenges.

Fun Quick Games and Challenges

I usually don’t introduce games as instant activities until after at least the first quarter since I want my kids to get into a good routine and learn the dynamics of each class and student.  Once I feel we are ready I will introduce some fun quick games or challenges as instant activities for my classes that can handle it.  For my K-1st students I normally keep it pretty simple and use the same activities I’ve mentioned above, but with my 3rd-5th grade classes (and sometimes a mature 2nd grade class) I find that most of the games below work pretty successfully.

The Thunderstick Challenge

This is a classic activity that I always do with my kids during our Jump Rope Unit, but I also bust it out every now and then just for fun to switch things up for our instant activity.

Check it out below for an example:

Basically, I have the kids all come to the middle and if the rope hits their feet – they either head to the walk/jog lines, or grab a jumprope and practice until the 3 minute timer is done.

Another great Jump Rope Warmup if your students already know how to do it is doing the “ Whirlwind Challenge ” for 3 minutes, same rules as Thunderstick if you get eliminated (Shoutout to J.D. Hughes for showing me this awesome jumprope game).

I spend an entire lesson of our jump rope unit on the Whirl Wind challenge with my 3rd – 5th graders and then once they already know the rules we might use it for an instant activity in a following lesson.

Switch is a really fun no equipment game that’s perfect for recess and can be played on a 4 square court or using 4 cones, spots or tape to mark the 4 corners of a square.

If you’ve never seen it, check out the video below:

If you want more info about SWITCH you can head over to this page for a more detailed breakdown of the game

The Cone Flip Mixer

This is a game that I used for a Field Day Relay Race and the kids loved it so much that I started using it as a mixer or instant activity as well to talk about winning and losing and learning to be a good sport.

Check out the video below for an example:

If you want more info, check out this page for a more detailed breakdown of the game

The Fastest Class Challenge

This is a fun class running challenge that I do with all my classes in 1st – 5th grade.

I run the challenge 3 times a year and it’s been super motivating for students and allows for some healthy competition between classes.

You check out the video below for an overview of the Fastest Class Challenge:

All Links from the video linked on the page below:

• Check Out Fastest Class Challenge Resources Page

Plug and Play Activities

There are definitely times that I need to setup or take down equipment to transition from one class to the next or do some other management task – in those situations I use warm-ups that are plug and play – so the kids are engaged and active while I’m getting ready for the lesson.  

These are some of my Favorite Plug and Play Warm-Up Activities.  They are great for those situations when need to transition or prepare for the next lesson, but also need to get your class warmed up.   Just setup a projector or plug into a TV and you are good to go.

If you don’t have to do another task like setup equipment or take attendance you can join in the activity with your kids and lead by example, while also offering feedback and refinements throughout the activity.

Note : The first 3 activities will require a screen, TV or projector of some kind.

Youtube Follow Alongs

After the year most teachers had in 2020 and many of us going virtual for at least part of the time, there are TONS of awesome follow along videos that would work great for kids warming up.  Some of my favorite channels for quick warmups are Go Noodle , Fitness Blender , Just Dance Videos and Get Kids Moving

When I was teaching virtually I also made a cool resource for our Membership and TPT store with over 100 of my favorite follow along workouts and warmups – you can check it out on TPT here: The Youtube Resource Guide or if you’re a member you can download it in the membership area.

Sometimes I even put my own Daily Warmup Follow Along up for the kids if I am setting up for an activity

Follow the Leader Skills Videos and Animated GIFS

After I got a TV installed in my gym I started creating follow the leader videos for each unit that I was teaching my students.  I really loved having them warmup using skills that are specific to the lesson and would contribute to the overall focus of the unit.

It was a ton of work figuring out how to use a green screen and deciding what skills to use, but I’m so glad I did because it’s been a great tool to use when teaching.   In the videos I take students through different skills related to the unit and move to a new skill every 30 –  60 seconds depending on the video

I also used the videos to create some great Animated GIF Slideshows that I use to progress. students through a lesson and sometimes use as Instant Activity challenges as well, see the video below for an example:

Or sometimes instead of having a sequence 1-4, I’ll just throw up a few different skill challenges and let the students choose the one they would like to work on

You can see below for an example of a summary slide from our Jump Rope Unit, so students could choose out of these 4 skills which one they’d like to work on.

If you want to see the whole process I used to create these Follow The Leader Videos and Animated GIF Packs, check out this post

The Sworkit App

Sworkit is a great App and also has an online version as well now with a “Kids” section that is free for anyone to use.   If you want to see a walkthrough of how to sign up and what the workouts look like check out this video .

It’s an awesome tool for PE Teachers.  You can create custom workouts with your own exercises and choose any length that you’d like.  

The examples are all appropriate for elementary age students and the app has kids performing the exercises as well.  Just plug your iPad, iPhone or computer into a projector or TV and have your kids follow along.

You can sign up for a free account at https://sworkit.com/

Offer a Choice

Another fun and motivating thing to do is to offer your students an option to choose between 2 warmup activities.

For example sometimes I tell my students they can either do a Just Dance video in the middle of the gym jog and jump hurdles on the jogging lines.

Before I had a TV in my Gym, I would just offer students the choice to do a Line Dance in the middle or jog the outside, here’s a fun line dance if you need an idea .  

Interval Timer Pro

No TV or Screen?  Then this one is for you.  I use this App any time we are doing a tabata style or crossfit style warmup.  I use station slips to indicate a few exercises or activities for students to choose from at each station and then input what intervals I want to use – play some music and then the app rotates the kids around the room for a set number of rotations automatically.  

If you do have a screen you can plug the app into the screen so students can see the countdown timer for each rotation as an added bonus.

You can use any exercises, but I created my own set of 25 Exercise Posters that I use for interval workouts, see an example below: 

You can check out the 25 Exercise Posters Pack Here if you’re Interested

I usually do a 30 seconds on – 15 seconds rest/rotate – If you have 6 stations that means you have a 4.5 minute warmup activity (3 minutes of work, 1.5 minutes of rest/rotation)

This is also a great way to use stations to give a quick review of content you’ve already taught or give your students practice for something you are planning to teach soon.  

Workout Posters

• If you haven’t taken advantage of the hundreds of free workout posters at Darebee.com you really need to check them out.   You can also find posters homemade by some great Phys Ed teachers around on the internet… Like these super hero posters for example.
• Workout posters are great – they give students a few options to choose from and are self paced .  Just set a time limit and see how many times your kids can get through the workout before the time limit is up.  I leave a few permanently up on my walls in the gym.
• I also created some pretty cool One Page Workouts myself using the exercise posters I mentioned earlier, which you can check out here if your interested

Daily Stretching Routine

After my students complete one of the instant activities I mentioned in this post we will head to our Home Base Spots which is how I do assigned seats in my gym.  I will lead a quick stretching routine (or have a student lead) and take attendance while the kids are getting stretched out.  

• Daily Stretching Routine Poster

I hope some of those instant activities and warmups are useful for you and spark some new ideas for you to try with your students!

Got some ideas I didn’t mention?  Leave them in the comments!

Have fun and teach on.

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Reader Interactions

January 9, 2023 at 4:18 pm

I teach at an alternative school. My students are all 6-8 grade. So far there are some things I will probably incorporate. However, we only have an outside court, so many of the things for placing on walls will not work, especially since most days are highly windy. The Good Sportsmanship, and Self-Assessment ideas I love.

January 10, 2023 at 4:10 pm

No problem Willam! We always say, “Take what works, trash what doesn’t”. Glad you’re finding some of the resources helpful!

October 12, 2022 at 1:33 pm

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these warm up activities. I am going to start implementing these in all of my PE classses. I feel like the students and I get very bored of the typical dynamic warm up. I cannot wait to change it up!

October 12, 2022 at 4:07 pm

Hey Madisen!

Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

January 21, 2022 at 1:16 am

As a high-school PE teacher, I still find so much value in your posts. I’ll be looking for ways to adapt and include the “fastest class challenge” and “SWITCH” into future classes. Thanks for all of your hard work!

January 21, 2022 at 3:10 pm

That’s awesome to hear David! Thanks for sharing! Good to see the resources still being helpful at the secondary level!

September 14, 2021 at 2:11 pm

Where did you get the stick for your Thunderstick Challenge? I have jump ropes and whiffles balls but that hollow stick how do you keep the rope in there it looks like they have a cap on the end to keep it tight. ????

September 14, 2021 at 4:51 pm

Hey Lindsey!

You can find all my recommended equipment and technology tools at the link below:

http://thepespecialist.com/amazon

The Jump Baton/Thuderstick is on the list and linked below:

http://amzn.to/2tyOO1n

Hope this helps!

August 17, 2021 at 3:52 pm

I would love some ideas for just outside as my school does not have a gym. We are outside ALL year round.

August 18, 2021 at 3:48 pm

Hey Cynthia,

We usually teach in my gym to save time and steer clear of distractions, but sometimes I’ll go outside when the weather is nice or when we have a scheduling conflict in the gym.

Below you’ll find a few ideas for teaching outside.

Jump Rope is a great activity and can be taught and played pretty much anywhere, overview of my unit below https://www.thepespecialist.com/jumprope/ Frisbee is an awesome outdoor activity, here’s a walkthrough of how I teach it: https://www.thepespecialist.com/frisbeestations/ Four Square is a classic recess/camp activity and is great if you have a black top or some concrete to play on. I’ve never played on dirt or grass, but if it was hard enough ground you might be able to make it work https://www.thepespecialist.com/foursquare/ Tag Games are always fun to play outside here’s a few of my favorites Noodle Tag https://www.thepespecialist.com/noodletag/ Fire and Ice https://www.thepespecialist.com/fireandice/ Throwing and Catching games are fun if you have a fenced in area, if the area is too big or unfenced it can get annoying with all the balls getting lost or rolling super far away, so it kind of depends on your space, a few of my favs are linked up in the post below: How I Teach Throwing and Catching in PE: https://www.thepespecialist.com/throwing Team Building Games are great for any setting Cross the River Pass the Frog Hula Hut Relays Adventure Bingo The Crazy Cards Challenge Fitness activities can be done anywhere as well, I will sometimes do circuit training with my 25 Exercise Posters or use my One Page Workouts to do an AMRAP style workout Using Exercise Posters for Warm Ups and Workouts Also, the Fastest Class Challenge is a good outdoor activity: https://www.thepespecialist.com/fastestclasschallenge/

September 15, 2020 at 4:33 pm

I would like to purchase a Thunderstick. If I am trying to find one at a vendor, what would it be called?

September 15, 2020 at 6:11 pm

Thunderstick can be found at the link below: http://amzn.to/2tyOO1n

September 15, 2020 at 8:39 am

In times of COVID I am looking for new plans for when I have a substitute teacher. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

September 15, 2020 at 6:02 pm

You’re welcome Cindy! Glad you’re enjoying the resources!

May 21, 2020 at 3:14 pm

We have a set warm up we do, called Head to Toe. I like the idea of having it printed out for students to refer too (the cheat sheet). I teach PE in the UK to Years 1-6.

May 28, 2020 at 8:27 am

Thanks for the feedback!

April 1, 2020 at 6:12 pm

Great way to work out and have fun at same time.

April 2, 2020 at 12:15 pm

Hey Matthew,

Thanks for the feedback. We appreciate it!

March 16, 2020 at 1:07 pm

Thanks for all of the great ideas. When my students come into the gym, I have a specific place for them to stand. I call it their “Homebase”. Once they all get to their spot, I will usually give them a choice for the warm-up exercises to do for the day. This did take some time to go over at the beginning of the year, but they now know a wide variety of warm-up exercises get to choose from their favorites.

March 16, 2020 at 3:52 pm

Awesome! It’s so helpful to have a good routine in place.

August 27, 2019 at 11:44 pm

Hi, I am a member and use your posters all the time. I am trying to print your stretching routine poster but it is going to charge me $4. Since I am a member, is there a way to get this poster for free? I teach at three different schools. Thanks, Tami

September 2, 2019 at 1:09 pm

Yep! You can just login to the forums and download it in the Posters and printables section, if you missed our welcome page explaining how to access resources check it out below:

https://www.thepespecialist.com/welcome-to-the-membership/

August 1, 2018 at 4:30 am

Warm up before a workout is very essential because without warming up muscles are not prepared for firing in a maximum throughput and will also lead to injury. Thanks for sharing this information on warmup movements.

July 28, 2018 at 12:34 pm

I love your blog! I have a quick question: Do you let students pass one another when they are jogging/walking the lines for warm up? Or do they have to stay in a line? This has been such a struggle for me. I’ve tried it both ways and when they pass, they cut corners and almost knock people over and when they stay in a line, there is always that slow person who refuses to walk fast or jog and it slows everyone down. Any suggestions? I teach PreK through 5th grade.

July 31, 2018 at 4:21 pm

With K-2 I usually do no passing, with 3-5 I sometimes allow them to pass each other depending on the responsibility of the class and put out 4 cones for them to jog around

May 18, 2018 at 3:32 pm

Hello, I am so pleased to join your blog! I am teaching a health and PE course for preservice elementary and middle school teachers. You have given me many wonderful ideas for engaging my teachers in teaching skills according to the psychomotor, affective and social-emotional development of each student. I will be returning soon!

May 19, 2018 at 10:02 pm

Hey Ellen – so pumped to hear you’ve gotten some good ideas, thanks for the feedback!

January 25, 2018 at 8:16 pm

I noticed that besides the superhero warmup posters there were cards. Any ideas on how the cards are used? I am wondering if there is a game? Thanks for any ideas.

January 29, 2018 at 4:45 pm

No idea, but you could contact Mr. C on Twitter and ask him how it works – he’s the one that created the cards

September 11, 2017 at 10:17 pm

Ben, thank you so much for the self-assessment idea for the end of class. I now use it in my health and PE classes and the students LOVE it. I used emojis for the WOW…Got it…Almost There… Not Yet and my second and third graders love tapping out at the end of class. I’m getting great feedback from other teachers as well! Thank you for sharing your ideas. Chris

September 12, 2017 at 7:51 pm

I’ve seen a few of the Emoji versions on Twitter – I might have to add some to mine, cool idea.

Glad it’s working for you

September 7, 2017 at 9:27 am

This is my 17th year teaching but it’s my first as a full time gym teacher. I have used all of your suggestions for the first week and I cannot tell you how much you have positively impacted my program. The Home Base spots, Conflict corner, PE Rules, noodle tag, walking and jogging lines… Everything has been incredibly helpful. I think I’m going to love teaching gym! Thank you, Melanie

September 8, 2017 at 4:13 pm

So great to hear that Melanie! Hope you have an awesome first year!

P.S. Start calling yourself a “PE Teacher” instead of “Gym Teacher” – the gym is your classroom not what you teach 🙂

September 12, 2017 at 10:51 am

Thank you, Ben. I ALWAYS teach my PE students (and teachers) to call me/or others, Physical Education teachers, or PE teachers for short. I’ve found that “gym teachers” is actually demeaning to our profession. Always try to keep a positive/tactful attitude when working to change things.

August 8, 2017 at 8:36 am

Thank you so much Ben, your contents are very nice and hopefully will help me tomorrow to get my job dream, PE teacher.

July 19, 2017 at 9:29 pm

Your blog is making the transition into my first year as Physical Education Teacher amazing!

July 25, 2017 at 10:11 am

Thanks Scott! Appreciate you checking it out and I’m pumped that it’s helpful – have a great first year!

July 18, 2017 at 2:12 pm

This is getting me motivated for that first week. My goal is to read a bit of your site/blog each day to prepare me for my new role in Physical Education.

As an Ontario teacher, I am pleased to see the OPHEA video.

Thank for all of your guidance and keeping PE fun. D

July 19, 2017 at 11:21 am

Wow – I’m excited for you with the new job – congrats! I hope the site gives you some great ideas.

March 11, 2017 at 2:55 pm

I love Parillo’s Let’s Dance videos on You Tube

March 13, 2017 at 3:10 pm

Yes! Ben’s got a great Youtube Channel – definitely recommend it.

September 1, 2016 at 11:24 pm

What an incredibly helpful website you’ve created! Thank you. I plan to use many of your ideas this school year. I teach k-5 at a small Christian school and the kids will love many of these activities. Thank you, Aimee

September 2, 2016 at 2:08 pm

That’s great Aimee, thanks for sharing! Glad it’s helpful.

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Here you'll find a list of ideas and activity descriptions for hosting an adaptive physical education or special olympics event. It includes the setting, rules, and pointers for over 10 different track and field activities.

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Physical education teachers encouraging summer activity.

Encouraging youth to stay active when school is not in session and opening further communication with parents are focuses for the Marshalltown Physical Education Team. So, they sent Marshalltown Area Youth Recreation Opportunity Spring/Summer 2024 brochures home with their students, listing organized activities children can engage in during the summer months.

Team member Nicole Boliver, who teaches physical education at Rogers Elementary, said when parent teacher conferences occur, PE instructors are not usually on the list for a visit. They decided to partner with community organizations such as the city Parks and Recreation Department and the YMCA to spread the word of activities.

The brochures contain QR codes for sign-up for sports such as soccer, tennis, baseball, golf, swimming and more.

Even though Boliver has not directly heard of the most popular activity so far, she knows they are being used. Soccer and swimming are generally what has attracted the most interest in Rogers. Fellow team member Sarah Murphy, who is the physical education teacher at Woodbury Elementary, said parents have expressed the most interest in soccer.

“A lot of girls have also asked about volleyball, baseball, swimming, dance and gymnastics,” she said.

Encouraging activity during the summer is especially important as both Boliver and Murphy have seen a higher number of students engaging in sedentary behavior. Murphy attributes that to increased growth of interest in gaming.

“We want them to see it is important to get physically active every day,” she said.

Boliver agrees the reason for the decreased exercise in children is increased screen time.

“There has been an increase in the number of kids who are more sedentary because of electronics and video games,” she said. “COVID didn’t help, and we have been working hard post-COVID to navigate students back to normal.”

One way the team is doing that is utilizing more technology in their curriculum during the school year.

“We try to make everything more engaging and innovative for the students,” Boliver said.

She said some of her students hate leaving their Chromebooks behind when PE rolls around. So, one way they are using technology is turning activities into Four Corners-type games. If a student correctly identifies a GIF or a digital image, they move to the corresponding corner. Then, they determine whether the image is cardiovascular, muscular or endurance.

“We know they like video games, and they then use their motor skills,” she said. “We can keep them active that way. The kids respond very positively to that. ”

——

Contact Lana Bradsteam at (641) 753-6611 ext. 210 or [email protected].

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Comparative effects of dynamic geometry system and physical manipulatives on Inquiry-based Math Learning for students in Junior High School

• Published: 02 May 2024

Cite this article

• Hao Guan 1 , 2 ,
• Jing Li 1 ,
• Yongsheng Rao   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9615-3658 1 ,
• Ruxian Chen 1 &
• Zhangtao Xu 3  

Mathematical inquiry involving hands-on activities has received increasing attention in mathematics education. Besides various customized physical teaching aids, subject-specific information technology, such as Dynamic Geometry System (DGS), finds extensive use in mathematical inquiry activities. However, effects of DGS and physical manipulatives on inquiry-based math learning remain an open question. Hence, by adopting a quasi-experimental research design, this paper aims to empirically compare the immediate learning outcomes, knowledge retention, and learning interest of seventh-grade students who explore with virtual manipulatives (i.e., the DGS) and who explore with physical manipulatives. Specifically, 131 students participated in learning activities centered on exploring pyramids and prisms. During the inquiry process, Group A ( n  = 33) constructed pyramids and prisms in DGS, Group B ( n  = 34) observed pre-made virtual models in DGS, Group C ( n  = 32) observed physical models, and Group D ( n  = 32) made physical pyramids and prisms with polymer clay and small sticks. Moreover, pretest, post-test, and delayed post-test designed according to the Van Hiele model, as well as an adapted interest questionnaire, were employed to evaluate students’ performances; and collected data were analyzed by means of ANCOVA and t-test. Findings of the study revealed that in the context of construction, students employing the DGS exhibited superior immediate learning outcomes and greater knowledge retention compared to their peers who utilized physical manipulatives; while in the case of observation, the virtual and physical manipulatives yielded similar impacts on students’ immediate learning outcomes, but students who involved in the DGS demonstrated higher knowledge retention. Furthermore, regarding the DGS environment, students who engaged in constructive manipulation surpassed their peers who engaged in observing manipulation. In terms of interest, the DGS proved to be more effective in both stimulating and maintaining higher interest compared to the physical manipulatives, and constructive manipulation was more effective than observing manipulation. In summary, as compared to the physical manipulatives, DGS, particularly when employed with constructive strategy, has shown to encourage students to more actively engage in task-related cognitive behaviors, thereby supporting and enhancing inquiry-based math learning of students in junior high school.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks in particular the teachers and students who participated in the study. In addition, thanks to Aunt He, who is a dedicated math teacher as well as an enlightened mom.

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 62172116) and the Innovation Research for the Full-time Postgraduates of Guangzhou University (No. 2022GDJC-M34).

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Institute of Computing Science and Technology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

Hao Guan, Jing Li, Yongsheng Rao & Ruxian Chen

School of Computer Science of Information Technology, Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities, Duyun, China

School of Mathematics and Statistics, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China

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Guan, H., Li, J., Rao, Y. et al. Comparative effects of dynamic geometry system and physical manipulatives on Inquiry-based Math Learning for students in Junior High School. Educ Inf Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12663-6

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5 Exercises for a Better Sex Life

Any physical activity can improve your sexual health. But a few exercises are especially beneficial.

By Danielle Friedman

As far as your muscles are concerned, sex is just another workout. And like most workouts, the more conditioned you are, the more enjoyable it can be.

Yes, you can train for sex.

“It’s important to remember that sex is movement, and it’s exercise,” said Debby Herbenick, director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at the Indiana University School of Public Health. If you want to have satisfying sex, she said, you’ll likely benefit from moving your body outside of the bedroom.

If you’re happy with your sex life, a regular fitness habit can help to ensure your body c ontinues to function properly. If you feel like your sex life could be more satisfying, exercise may help with erectile dysfunction , pain with penetration and low sex drive , among other issues.

Regular physical activity can also help you become more self aware. “You learn to listen to your body ,” Dr. Herbenick said, “and then you can carry that wisdom over to your sexual life.”

While pretty much any workout routine can improve sex over time, a few specific types of movement can be especially helpful for sexual function and enjoyment, depending on your needs and physical ability. Here are five exercises that experts in sexual health and fitness recommend.

Work in bursts of high intensity cardio.

Your cardiovascular health directly impacts your sexual health, and not just because sex can sometimes be vigorous and aerobic, Dr. Herbenick said.

The cardiovascular system powers two bodily systems that are important for sex: erections and vaginal lubrication. Without proper blood flow, one will likely have trouble achieving or maintaining either, she said. Research also suggests that, for some people, aerobic exercise itself can stimulate arousal.

If you don’t already do aerobic exercise, begin by establishing a solid cardio baseline through regular, moderate-intensity activity, said Darlene Marshall, a personal trainer in upstate New York who has helped clients train for better sex.

Then, once you can comfortably walk or jog at a “conversational” pace for about 20 minutes, add intervals of high-intensity effort, she said — to train for the bursts of exertion sex can require. Depending on your fitness level, running or cycling sprints, brisk stair climbs or high intensity interval training are all good options.

“The goal is to help your body avoid becoming overwhelmed, cardiovascularly, during sex,” Ms. Marshall said.

Do Kegels — correctly.

The health of your pelvic floor, the hammock of muscles that sits at the base of the pelvis, can make the difference between a gratifying sexual experience and a lackluster or even painful one — for women and men — said Janelle Howell, a pelvic floor specialist in Chicago. Between 10 and 20 percent of women in the United States report pain during sex.

When your pelvic floor muscles are weak or tight, you may not experience as powerful an orgasm. Tight pelvic floor muscles can also make penetrative sex painful. Healthy pelvic floor muscles need both strength and flexibility to be able to contract and fully release on command.

Kegel exercises , which mimic the effort of holding and releasing urine or gas, can be an effective way to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, Dr. Howell said. The key is to make sure that after every contraction, you fully relax the muscles — something many people don’t do properly.

For women, Dr. Howell suggests imagining an elevator slowly going up, then slowly going all the way back down to the ground floor, to ensure the muscles fully release. For men, tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold for three seconds, then fully relax for three seconds.

If you have a tight pelvic floor, experts advise skipping the Kegels and focusing instead on diaphragmatic breathing , which can help to relax and lengthen the muscles. (A pelvic floor physical therapist can offer a full assessment.)

Limber up your hips.

Most people spend hours a day sitting, which can lead to tight hip muscles, fascia and ligaments. When your hips are tight, you may experience back and pelvic pain during sex.

“I hear a lot that people can only do one position,” because they’re stiff or other positions hurt, Dr. Howell said.

Improving your hip mobility can help your whole lower body move more fluidly and comfortably, and may improve pelvic pain during sex, she said.

As a first step, Ms. Marshall recommends releasing some of the constricted areas by placing a tennis ball against your glutes and rolling it around, then shifting it to your hips and hamstrings, massaging each area until you feel the muscle release. This can be done sitting or against a wall.

From there, stretch your hips, hip flexors, glutes, back muscles and hamstrings by doing a figure-four stretch , 90/90 stretch , cat cow or happy baby pose , Dr. Howell said, or “any movement that’s bringing your chest closer towards your knees.”

Finally, dynamic exercises such as deep squats and glute bridges mobilize the hips and build strength. And if you want to dial up the intensity, weighted squats , leg presses and kettlebell swings can increase the power in your glutes and hamstrings.

“I love kettlebell swings for sexual training,” Ms. Marshall said, because they involve “a rhythmic movement of flexion and extension in the hips.”

Focus on your entire core.

The more strength you have in your core, the more you will be able to move easily during sex. Most of the nerves and muscles that are involved in sex are integrated into the core, and strong core muscles can also help to reduce back and hip pain before, during and after sex.

“Strengthening the core can really help with endurance during sex, helping you feel strong and solid in your body,” said Rachel Zar, a sex therapist in Chicago.

To work the full cylinder of muscles that make up the core, Dr. Howell recommends doing planks daily. “You can start small,” she said. “Say you can only hold it for five to 10 seconds — that’s going to help you to engage all of your core muscles at one time.”

Another bonus to working the core muscles? Dr. Herbenick and her team have found that, for some people, contracting and releasing their core muscles helped them become aroused. Consider your planks foreplay.

Practice five minutes of daily yoga.

Yoga can help improve hip mobility and build core strength. And practicing slow, deep, diaphragmatic breathing is especially valuable for sex, Dr. Herbenick said, because it helps to relax both the body’s parasympathetic nervous system and the pelvic floor.

“You might find that vaginal penetration is more comfortable. You might find that erections come more easily,” she said. “Stress is the enemy of erections.”

If you don’t feel up to moving through yoga positions, practicing the breath work alone is valuable, Dr. Howell noted. “Even just laying on the yoga mat, putting your hands on your belly and just breathing into your belly can really start to calm that nervous system,” she said, “which can then support more pleasure in your sex life.”

Danielle Friedman is a journalist in New York and the author of “Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World.” More about Danielle Friedman

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