Warm Up
Bean Game
Arrange children into a large circle and go through instructions:
RUNNER BEAN Run around playground
JUMPING BEAN Jump/bounce on the spot.
GREEN BEAN Walk about holding stomach, moaning as if ill (green faced).
BAKED BEAN Standing up, hands behind head and sizzle as if baking in the sun
1. ‘Run around’
2. Shout a type of bean’ - players to perform action of that bean
3. Game continues with leader shouting various beans
Equipment required NONE
To make game
easier
Arrange the children in a circle facing
the leader. The leader will introduce
the actions and the children can copy.
As the children become familiar with
the actions the leader will ask them to
run about the area.
To make game
harder
Ask the children to hop, skip or
side step in between introducing
the actions.
To change the game
Change to relay races getting the children to run as the various beans
Warm Up
Food Game
Arrange children in the middle of the area and go through
instructions:
If the leader shouts a food the children will run to one side of the area and if they shout
a drink the they will run to the other side. Healthy Options please!
The leader will choose children to become “Spaghetti” and they must stand in the middle
of area using their arms to try to catch children as they run past.
If the “spaghetti” catches the children they will then become “spaghetti”.
Equipment required NONE
To make game
easier
Use a bigger area and only allow the
“spaghetti” to use their arms while
standing stationary.
To make game
harder
The “spaghetti” is allowed to side step
in a straight line making it harder for
the other children to run past without
getting caught.
To change the game
Change to specific types of food or drink and allow the children a chance at being the
leader.
GAME
Jungle Snake
Arrange children in a large circle and go through instructions:
Ask the children to imagine that they are in the jungle. The leaders will describe certain
characteristics of the jungle to allow the children to imagine that they are walking through the
jungle e.g. Noises, Scenery and Animals.
The leader will shout certain animals and the children must perform the action of that animal
walking round in their circle e.g. Crocodile, Monkey, Giraffe, Elephant, and Tiger.
When the leader shouts “ Jungle Snake” the children must quickly form a line to become a snake.
The child at the end of the snake then is allowed to shout the animal actions to the rest of the
group again finishing with “Jungle Snake” allowing another child a turn.
Equipment required NONE
To make game
easier
Arrange all children to face in the circle
with the leader standing in the middle of
the circle. The children then copy the
actions of the leader.
To make game
harder
Introduce more actions relating to the
Jungle e.g. Stampede of elephants
Children have to stamp around in a circle,
Rain Storm, Quick Sand.
You could also split the group and have some
of the children as lions and the others as
Zebras, when the lion catches the zebra,
the zebra becomes a lion and continues in
the game. This can be done for a variety of
different animals.
To change the game
Ask children for their ideas of animals and actions. Change to “Under Water Adventures”,
“Farm Animals” or “Zoo Animals”.
GAME
Shark Attack
Arrange children in a large circle and go through instructions:
Ask the children to imagine that they are in the sea and that they are all fish. The
leaders will choose one child to become a shark. The shark will put two hands
on their head to make a fin.
The leader will shout “Fishes go swimming” and children must swim around the area like
a fish.
Hoops will be set out as islands and when the leaders shouts “Shark Attack” the fish
must swim to an island. The fish must squeeze into the islands to stop the Shark
catching them. If the shark tags a fish before it reaches an island, that fish will now
become a shark.
The game continues until all of the fish become sharks.
Equipment Required 4-5 Hoops
To make game
easier
Use a small area with more hoops this
will make it easier for the fish to stay
safe.
To make game
harder
Instead of placing the islands before
you shout “Shark Attack”, keep hold of
them and throw them into a space at
the same time. This will make it
harder for the fish to reach an island.
To change the game
Introduce “Jelly Fish”. When a Shark catches a fish he or she can then decide if that
person will become a fish or a “Jelly Fish”. The “Jelly Fish” will be placed in an area and
when the leader shouts “Shark Attack” they will use their arms to catch the fish. The fish
will then become “Jelly Fish”.
GAME
Traffic Lights
Arrange children in a large circle and go through instructions:
Ask the children to imagine that they are in a vehicle e.g. car. Set the scene by pretending to
climb into the car and turn on the ignition. Once on the road, the children will enjoy
shaking their faces to mimic the car going over a bumpy road, steer the children around
corners, up hills and over bridges.
When the leader shouts Red – The children must Stop and stand still
When the leader shouts Amber – The children get ready to go by turning on their engine
When the leader shouts Green – The children drive off in their car
The game continues with the leader adding further actions.
Flat Tyre – Children must hop on one leg
Raining – Children use their arms like window wipers
Car Horn – Children make the sound of a horn.
Equipment Required None
To make game
easier
Concentrate on one type of vehicle
and repeat actions to allow children
time to get to know them.
To make game
harder
Change the type of vehicle e.g.
Aeroplanes, Skateboarders, Bikers.
Introduce the actions at a quicker
pace.
To change the game
Introduce a relay game and have the children racing in an imaginary circuit.
GAME
Fruit Shoot
Arrange children in a large circle and go through instructions:
Ask the children to hold on to a colour on the parachute with both hands.
Red Strawberry
Blue Blueberry
Yellow Banana
Green Apple
Everyone will pull the parachute tightly and crouch down. As the leaders shouts a fruit
everyone must stand up making a mushroom with the parachute.
The child holding on to that fruit/colour must run underneath the parachute and hold on
to the same fruit at the other side. The game continues with the leaders shouting the
various fruits.
Equipment Required Parachute
To make game
easier
For children who have never used
a parachute before use the colours
for the actions instead of the fruits.
To make game
harder
As the children go underneath the
parachute ask them to perform an
action e.g. Shake hands with another
child or complete a star jump.
To change the game
Change to “Falling Fruit ” By placing soft balls on top of the parachute to represent the
fruits, all the children must shake the parachute until the fruit falls off. If e.g. the
bananas fall off the children holding on to “yellow” must run and collect the balls and put
them back on the parachute before they can join back in.
GAME
Olympic Relays
Arrange children into equal teams and go through instructions:
Each Team will be asked which country they want to represent at the Olympics.
In their teams they must complete the relay and the winning team is the first one back
to their original positions.
Events
Swimming – Children pretend they are in the pool swimming
Marathon Walking – Children must swing their hips and use their arms to power walk.
Downhill Skiing – Children must jump on to the course and use their imaginary poles to
ski in and out of the cones.
Hockey – With their imaginary stick they must dribble in and out of the cones.
Hurdles – As the children reach a cone they must jump as if they are jumping hurdles
Equipment Required
Cones
To make game
easier
Introduce sports at a slower pace
To make game
harder
Increase the size of area and set out
more cones.
Decrease the size of the area.
To change the game
Introduce more sports and adapt relay to suit - Horse Riding, White Water Rafting,
By setting the scene and getting the children to imagine that they are putting on the
correct sports equipment helps to create excitement and fun.
Cool Down
Ice Cube
Arrange children in a line at one side of the area and go through
instructions:
One child will be the “ice cube” and they will stand a distance away from the other
children.
When the “ice cube” turns their back, the children are allowed to tip toe towards the “ice
cube”
When the “ice cube” turns back round the children must freeze. Any child moving must go
back to the start before joining back in.
The first child to reach the “ice cube” and shout “ice cube “ will then get to swap places.
Equipment Required None
To make game
easier
Make the area smaller.
To change the game
What’s the time wolfie!
To make game harder
Ask the “ice cube” to turn round at
quicker intervals or when the children
freeze they have to do a balance.