RecFest – Creative Recreation Inspired Activities for P.E
Chad Triolet – Chesapeake Public Schools
[email protected] // www.PErocks.com
2014 VAHPERD Convention
Recreational games and activities provide excellent opportunities to connect physical education and lifetime
physical activity. Exposing students to a variety of activities, rules, and skills is a great way to promote being
physically active outside of school. I enjoy adding fitness and additional movement opportunities into some of
our traditional recreational activities.
ROLLING/ BOWLING ACTIVITIES
MYPLATE BOWLING CHALLENGE (adapted from Jessica Shawley)
Equipment: 12 – 24 bowling pins or empty plastic bottles, 2 gatorskin balls per team, food group cards, 1-4
baskets/hoops to hold food group cards, 1 polyspot per team (this acts as the team’s empty MyPlate
Skills: Rolling at a Target, Teamwork, Strategy
Organization: Teams (groups of 4’s on on half of the space and plastic bottles randomly spaced on other half
of the open space
Activity: Each team of 4 students will start with 2 gatorskin balls. When the game begins, players will take
turns (one at a time rolling a ball towards the bottles at the other end of the space. After each roll, the
student who rolled the ball will follow it and retrieve it. If the ball knocks over a pin/bottle, the students will
pick up the bottle/pin before returning back to the team with the ball. If a bottle/pin was knocked down,
before returning, the player will also collect a food group card from one of the baskets/hoops and start filling
out “the team’s MyPlate”). If no bottle/pin is knocked over, the partner will quickly return the ball to the team
so the next player can roll. The quicker the ball is returned, the better the chance that the team will complete
the task of completing a full MyPlate (all 5 food groups). If a team can complete the challenge, they earn a
MyPlate super bonus and start to complete another MyPlate.
Adaptations/Tips:
1) Remind students that they may NOT throw or bounce the ball.
2) No duplicate cards can be collected. If a duplicate card is selected, it must be returned to the pile.
3) Have students travel using different locomotor patterns while collecting the ball.
4) If a team completes the task, then they must use their non-dominant hand for round two.
PROGRESSIVE BOWLING
Equipment: 6-10 bowling pins or empty plastic bottles per group, 2-3 gatorskin balls per team, 1 polyspot per
team, 1 basket or box per team
Skills: Rolling at a Target, Stepping with Oppositional Movement, Teamwork, Strategy
Organization: Teams (groups of 3-4 student start lined up behind a polyspot
Activity: Each team of 3-4 students will start with 2-3 gatorskin balls. The teams will stand behind their
polyspot with a pin/bottle across form the team on the other side of the playing area. The rest of the team’s
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RecFest – Creative Recreation Inspired Activities for P.E
pins/bottles will be located in a basket or box near the single pin. Before the activity begins, the last
teammate in line will go to the other side of the playing area and stand next to the pin/bottle, he/she (the
collector) will be responsible for collecting the ball after it has been rolled. When the activity begins, the
student closest to the polyspot will roll his/her ball and try to knock down the pin/bottle. The collector will
collect the ball and run to the end of the line. The roller will run down next to the bottle and become the new
collector. If the pin/bottle was knocked down, the roller will pick up the pin/bottle and add a new one. If the
pin/bottle is not knocked down, the team will continue to try and knock down that pin/bottle. The objective is
for the team to collect and knock down all of the bottles.
To clarify, round 1 is one bottle, round 2 is two bottles, round 3 is three bottles, etc.
If a tam successfully completes the task, then they will be given a new challenge. See the list below.
Challenge 1
Use the non-dominant hand
Challenge 2
Balance on one foot while rolling
Challenge 3
Roll the ball while in a push-up plank
Challenge 4
Roll the ball while balancing on his/her bottom
Challenge 5
Roll the ball through the legs (feet must be on the ground)
Challenge 6
Roll the ball by hiking it backward through his/her legs
Adaptations/Tips:
1) Remind students that they may NOT throw or bounce the ball.
2) Have students travel using different locomotor patterns while collecting the ball.
3) Have the students perform a fitness task while waiting for their turn.
4) Do not allow students to throw the balls back and forth, the ball should be carried from the pin/bottle to
the starting line.
BOWLER BALL (3 v. 3) (from Dr. Curt Hinson)
Equipment: for a class of 24 – 8 hula hoops, 8 bottles/bowling pins, 8 gatorskin balls
Skills: Rolling, Offense, Defense, Teamwork, Strategy
Organization: Four courts will be set up in an open space (see diagram below).
Activity: VERSION 1 - Students will get into groups of 3s and place their feet inside a hula hoop facing another
team. To begin, each team will number the players 1, 2, and 3. Player 1 will start with the ball and have one
foot in the hoop. Players 2 & 3 will start even with the hoop. The player with the ball may not move his/her
feet. The ball must be rolled from player to player. The object is to pass the ball across the playing area to the
opponents bottle/pin and knock it down. In this version of the game, there is no defense. The teams must
make at least 3 passes (so that each player touches the ball) and the player who starts the round will be the
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RecFest – Creative Recreation Inspired Activities for P.E
player who gets to attempt to knock the bottle/pin down. No player may go inside the hoop. After each
round, the next number player will begin the round. The teams will see how many times they can knock down
the bottle/pin before time expires. If students demonstrate proficiency, they may advance to the second
version of the game.
VERSION 2 – For this version, there will be only one ball per game. Both teams must start by their hoops and
when the person with the ball says go, all players may begin moving. As before, the ball must be rolled from
player to player. This time, the team without the all may play defense and attempt to block or intercept the
ball. If the ball goes out of bounds, the team who touched it last will turn over possession. If the ball goes out
of bounds or there is a change of possession due to a rule infraction (i.e. – throwing the ball), the ball must be
passed at least one time before an attempt can be made to knock down the target.
Adaptations/Tips:
1) Remind students there is no diving or sliding for safety reasons.
2) Remind students that they can use the space behind the hoops to get an advantage when attempting to
score.
3) Use version 1 as an opportunity to refine the skills needed to play the actual game (Version 2).
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RecFest – Creative Recreation Inspired Activities for P.E
CARDIO CORNHOLE
Each student will find a partner. Each pair will need a polyspot, a cone, and 4 bean bags (2 different colors).
The polyspots will be place about 10-20 feet away from the cone. The partners will stand near the cone and
when the activity begins, they will toss their two bean bags toward the polyspot. If the bean bag lands on the
spot, it is worth 3 points. If the bean bag lands part of the way on the spot, it will be worth one point. Once
both partners have taken one toss, the partners will quickly gather the bean bag add any new points to the
total and return to the starting position. In this activity, the partners are working together to score the
number of points designated by the teacher. When the task is complete, the pair can move the polyspot
further away, choose a smaller polyspot as a target, or toss the bean bags with the non-dominant during the
next round.
To increase the challenge and add fitness to the activity, use the Cardio Cornhole Challenge Task Cards. Each
team must complete the 5 challenges on the task card then can get a different card to keep the activity going.
To add some competition, have the partners join another pair to make a group of 4 students. Each group will
collect 2 polyspots and 4 bean bags. The groups will place the polyspots about 10-20 feet apart. Each pair will
stand to the left of a polyspot opposite the other pair of partners. When the game begins, each student will
take a turn tossing the bean bag toward the spot. The first team to 11 points wins the round.
** Remind students that the faster they go the better their chances of scoring more points.
Adaptations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Change the size of the polyspots to make the activity more or less challenging.
Have students use different locomotor patterns when traveling to collect the bean bags
Change the distances between spots and teams based on ability level
Add fitness by having student complete a simple fitness activity every time they collect a bean bag (i.e.
– elbow to knee squats, cross crawls, jump jacks, push-up shoulder taps, etc.)
5. Change the way that they students can toss the bean bag (i.e. – non-dominant hand, through the legs,
behind the back, etc.
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RecFest – Creative Recreation Inspired Activities for P.E
SLAM JAM
For this game, the teacher will put out plastic baskets with poly spots in them (one basket for every 1 or 2
pairs of students). The baskets will be placed on the perimeter of the space and the students will line up
behind the cones in the middle facing a basket. Each pair will have two discs. When the game begins the
partner without the disc will stand behind the basket facing his/her partner. When their partner A throws the
disc, partner B will try to help block or guide the disc into the top or side of the basket. Discs that touch the
basket are worth one point, discs that make it into the basket are worth three points. After both discs have
been thrown, the partners will switch roles and the game continues. The partners will combine their points
when playing the game. When the round is done, the top 3-4 scoring teams get to move further from their
baskets when the next round begins.
Challenge Ideas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Increase or decrease distance from the basket
Have students toss with their non-dominant hand
Have student who is slamming only use one hand
Have students who are tossing get into a plank position (crab or push-up)
Use different throwing techniques
TIPS:
1. When the partners travel they must a different locomotor pattern each time.
2. When students achieve a certain number of points (designated by the teacher), they may move the
basket further away.
3. For younger students (K-2), use foam discs for this activity.
4. Allow students to try trick shots after some time and practice.
SPEED LAWN BOWLING
Depending on class size and equipment available, you can divide students into groups of 2s or 3s. Each group
will collect two sets of 2 bean bags, koosh balls, or wiffle balls (must be different colors) and a target (deck
ring, bean bag, wiffle balls, etc.). The target must be a different object than the tossing objects. The team will
find an open space and one player will toss the target object out to an open area. The teacher can set
guidelines for how far and in what general locations the target object can be placed for safety and
organizational purposes.
When the activity begins, the partners who are tossing will take turns trying to toss their object and get it the
closest to the target. The players will alternate turns until both objects have been tossed or rolled. The player
closest to the target receives 1 point. If both of the tosses are closer than the opponent, the closest player can
receive a maximum of 2 points. Scoring can be altered based on the group.
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RecFest – Creative Recreation Inspired Activities for P.E
When one player gets to a designated number (i.e. – game is to 11), the game is over and players may find a
new partner.
Tips:
1. Students should watch out for other groups and make efforts to avoid crossing paths (for safety
reasons).
2. If playing outside, it is better to play with a round ball rather than an object that does not roll well.
3. If playing in groups of threes, all three players may toss each round. The games take a little longer but
this way all of the players are engaged.
4. Require the students to travel in different locomotor patterns when going to retrieve the ball.
5. You can add fitness by having student complete physical activities before they start the next round or
have players toss the objects while they are in a plank position.
LINE-UP KICKBALL
Students must get into groups of 4’s for the activity. When each group has found fours, the group will stand
behind a cone. The first person in line will be the outfielder and will walk past the hula hoop. The second
person will walk to the hoop and be the pitcher. The third person will be the first batter and stand next to the
plate, and the last will go behind the hoop and be the outfielder. Once in positions (this will take some time),
the teacher will discuss the rotation for the activity. Catcher goes to batter, batter goes to pitcher, pitcher
goes to outfield, and outfield goes to catcher. Every player gets a chance to play all positions during this
game. The batter gets one kick per turn. After the batter kicks the ball, he/she will begin running between
home plate (poly spot) and the pitcher’s mound (hula hoop) while the other players must get the ball back to
the hula hoop to stop the batter. The batter receives one point for each base they are able to touch. When
the batter’s turn is over, the players will rotate positions and continue the game.
Tips:
1. The teacher can add bases in each group (first, second, third, and home). Each base will be worth on
point and can be run more than once to score extra points.
2. Use groups of four students and engage play with another group of four. Every person on each team
must bat each round. Total number of points is added up among players. Batters must hit or kick
each ball between first and third base.
3. Catching the ball in the air is not an out. The batter will continue to run between the bases until the
ball is placed in the hula hoop.
4. Encourage teammates to work together to complete the task of putting the ball in the hoop.
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