Warm-ups

Fruit Basket Turnover (K-3)

Class is divided into 4 groups and each group is named a fruit (apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries). Each group starts in one corner of the gym. Two fruits are called out ("apples and oranges") and those two groups have to switch corners as quickly as they can. Whichever group gets there last has to do some kind of funny exercise (donkey kicks, star jumps, etc.). If "Fruit Basket Turnover" is called, then all groups must find a new corner. Again, the group that gets there last must do a funny exercise. If "Fruit Salad" is called then everyone must come to the middle and sit around the coach.

From: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/pe/fruitbasket.htm

Fox & Hounds (2-5)

In groups of 4, three students hold hands in a circle (hounds) and the remaining student (fox) starts outside the circle. The fox picks out one of the hounds that he/she is going to try to catch (tag). The other two hounds try to protect the fox from tagging the hound that is 'it'. Students switch roles when the fox tags the hound.

From: http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/edu/projects/migi/secure/teacher2/LESSON/Lwarm.htm

Dishes & Domes (K-5)

Using 'saucer-flexi-cones' each student gets 1 (2 if just one class) cone. Half of the class is designated "dishes" and the other half "domes". Students place their cone(s) anywhere in the playing area as either dishes (cones turned upside down) or domes (cones set upright) and then line up against their team's wall. When the music starts dishes try to turn over all the domes and make them into dishes and domes try to turn over all of the dishes and make them domes. Play for 1 minute and then count dishes and domes to see which team has the most.

From: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/pe/cupsandsaucers.htm

Freeze Tag (K-2)

One boy and one girl from each class are designated taggers and everyone else is trying to flee the taggers within the playing area (there is no base). If tagged students must freeze, standing with their legs apart. Frozen players may become unfrozen if a classmate crawls through their legs. Some variations to unfreezing classmates are naming a fruit, vegatable, state, etc., running around a frozen classmate three times and doing an exercise for your frozen classmate (jumping jacks, push-ups, etc.) Game is played for 2 minutes and new taggers are selected.

Sharks & Minnows (K-5)

One boy and one girl are selected as "sharks" and all other students are "minnows". Minnows must try to cross the sea (designated by the area between 2 endlines) without getting tagged by the sharks. If tagged a minnow becomes a shark and joins them in the middle to catch other minnow. This warm-up is used for different locomotor movements (skipping, gallopping, hopping, etc.), soccer (dribbling with the feet to get across) and basketball (dribbling with the hands to get across).

Knockout (2-5)

All students start with a ball (basketball or soccer ball depending on the unit). A playing are is designated. On the signal every student tries to knock out other student's balls out of the playing area while keeping their ball inside the playing area. Play until one student remains. Sometimes give students second chances (i.e. if their ball gets knocked out they can dribble with their non-dominant hand 20 times to get back in the game for a second chance).

Category Passing (2-5)

Each squad breaks into 2 single-file lines and face eachother about 5 yards apart. One person starts with the ball and calls out a category (colors, states, sports, fruits, etc.) and then passes the ball to the first person in the line across. As the pass is made he/she must name something in the category (red, Georgia, soccer, apple, etc.) and the pattern continues with each person making a pass and naming something in the category. Is a student repeats an answer or hesitates too long they must sit out until a new game starts.