The Clipboard
VOLUME 3,
NUMBER
1
——————— P L AY D AY S ———————
We are excited to take on the challenge
as the new editors of The Clipboard.
With our combined 60+ years in
physical education, our network of
colleagues will share a wealth of ideas,
strategies, and tips that will help you to
deliver the best physical education
programs possible. We will continue
the excellent standards set by previous
editors Marg Schwartz (Alberta) and
Debbie Keel (British Columbia),
ensuring that this continues to be a
valued publication to the profession.
A big thank you to those people who
contributed to this “Play Day” issue.
We trust that these ideas will only be a
starting point and that the wonderful
activities that are created will be limited
only by our own creativity and
imaginations. Have Fun!
To help you connect with your
colleagues – whether they may be in
the same town or across the country –
use the email addresses provided. You
never know, this may develop into an
ongoing and very effective working
relationship.
We would like to hear from you with
your comments, ideas and contributions
for future issues. We can be reached at:
[email protected]
Harry & Herwig
Chicken Playday
Lisgar Public School in Mississauga,
Ontario found that a “rubber
chicken” made an interesting theme
for a Play Day. Check out these
activities.
➤ Chicken over and under: Pass a chicken
through your legs and then over the next
person’s head. For extra fun and excitement, fill the chicken
with water.
➤ Chicken Dizzy-Lizzy: Place one end of a baseball bat on the
ground and the other end on your forehead, spin around the
bat 5 times and race to get the chicken.
➤ Chicken volleyball: Play a volleyball-type game using a
chicken. Try taping a chicken to a volleyball or have a mass
chicken toss.
➤ Chicken slam – dunk: Give scores for the most creative slamdunk.
➤ Hung-chicken-kicken: Suspend a chicken from a basketball
hoop and try to kick it over and into the hoop.
➤ Chicken target throw: Have students throw chickens at
various targets.
➤ Invent a chicken game: Give a small group a couple of
chickens and see what they create. You’ll be amazed.
➤ Chicken-sponge-throw: Toss wet sponges at suspended
chickens.
Submitted by Andy Raitby, Lisgar P.S., Mississauga, Ontario
THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE
T e a c h i n g
T i p s
IT’S A DOGGONE
GOOD LIFE
BACKGROUND: “It’s a Doggone Good Life” is the
theme for this Play Day activity for young
students. Because of the novel theme, student’s
attention is held throughout the afternoon.
STATION DESCRIPTIONS: There are 15 activity
stations, each managed by one or two teachers/
volunteers. Form small groups and assign them
to an initial station. Each group is rotated
through all 15 stations spending 5-6 minutes at
each station. If time permits, have students
repeat some or all stations.
STATION 3 - Frisbee Toss: Divide students
into three lines and have them
throw a Frisbee through the
mouth of the cardboard dog. How
many Frisbees can the dog catch?
STATION 4 - Dog Agility Training: Have students go
through an obstacle course set up with hoops for
jumping through, mats for rolling over/on etc.
The second student begins when the first student
is half way through the course. If time permits,
have students go through again.
STATION 1 - Here Spot: Divide
students into three lines. Place a
table in front of each line. The
first student in each line runs to the table where a
poster board picture of a drawn Dalmatian
(missing his spots) is taped to the table. The
student reaches into a container, pulls out a spot
(all the spots have distinctive shapes like apple,
star, heart, leaf, etc.) and attaches it to the
Dalmatian (there is Velcro on the spot and the
dog). When finished, the next person takes a
turn. Continue until the Dalmatian
has all of its spots.
STATION 5 - Fill the Water Dish:
Divide the group into three lines
that are spread out so the first student
in line is standing next to a dog dish
and the last student is standing next to
a bucket of water. Each student has a
small cup. The last student in each line dips a
container into the bucket, then pours the water
into the next student’s cup. This continues until
the first student in line has the water and pours it
into the dog dish. The last student continues to
get water and passes it along. The object is to be
the first team to fill up the water dish.
STATION 2 - Find the Buried Bone:
Divide students into three lines.
Place a box with a lid a short
distance in front of each line.
The box should have a small
door cut in the top and is filled with packing
peanuts. Bury a bone in the packing peanuts.
The first student in each line runs to the box,
reaches down inside the packing peanuts and
finds the bone. When found, the student places
it on top of the box and runs back to the line.
The volunteer buries the bone back in the
packing peanuts before the next person gets to
the box. Keep track of the line that finds the
most bones in a pre-determined time (i.e. two
minutes.)
STATION 6 - Match the Dog Biscuit Relay: Divide the
group into three lines with a table placed in front
of each line. The table has three charts. Each
chart has a different sized dog biscuit drawn on it.
Next to each chart is a container filled with dog
biscuits. The first student in each line must run to
the table, take a biscuit from the container, match
it up on the chart, then return to the line to tag
the next student. This continues until all of the
dog biscuits are matched.
STATION 7 - Go get the Paper: Divide the
group into two lines. The first student
in each line has a rolled up newspaper
and throws it as far as possible into an
open space. The next student in line
runs to retrieve the other team’s
THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE
T e a c h i n g
T i p s
newspaper and brings it back to their own line.
The object is to throw the newspaper as far as
possible so that the other team has to run a long
way to retrieve it. When both runners return, the
next two students throw the papers. Play
continues until all players have had a turn.
STATION 8 - Lame Dog Relay: Divide the students
into three lines. The first person in each line
assumes the lame dog position (on all fours, but
lift one back leg when the race begins). The
student travels in this position to a cone, goes
around it, and returns to the line. The next
person in line goes. This continues until all
students have had a turn.
STATION 9 - Iditarod Dog Sled Race:
Divide the group into three lines.
The first two students in each line
work together. One student sits
on a scooter with feet out in front
and hooked around a rope. The
other student uses the rope to pull the person on
the scooter down to a certain point and back.
The students switch places. This continues until
everyone has had a turn.
STATION 10 - Walk the Dog Relay: Divide students
into three groups. The first student in each line
takes the invisible dog leash and runs zigzag in and
out of the fire hydrant cones and returns to the
line. The leash is then passed to the next person.
STATION 11 – Fetch: Divide students into two or
three lines. Each line has a Styrofoam bowl with
a plastic straw lying across it (the bowl has
notches for the straw to lay in so that it will not
blow away.) The first person in each line runs to
the bowl, picks up the plastic straw with his
teeth, and runs back to the line. This continues
until all students have had a turn (volunteers
place new straws on the bowl after each turn).
Discard used straws in the garbage can.
STATION 12 - Rug Run: Divide students into three
lines. In front of each line are three carpet
squares spaced apart, but in a straight line. The
first three players in each line lie down on a
carpet square; the rest of the players watch. On
the word “go” the first person runs and replaces
the second person on the carpet square. The
second person runs to replace the third person.
The third person runs to replace the first person
on his rug. This continues until everyone is back
on the original rug square.
STATION 13 - Escape from the Dog Catcher (sack
race): Divide students into three lines. The first
student in each line gets inside a sack, hops to a
cone, gets out of the sack, and runs back to the
next person in line. This continues until everyone
in line has had a turn.
STATION 14 - Dog Collar Ring Toss: Divide students
into three lines. Each line has several dog collars.
The first student in each line throws a collar and
attempts to ring it on a wooden stake. Points are
assigned to each wooden stake. Throwers tally
their points after each turn. After the student
throws all of the dog collars, he/she retrieves them
and brings them to the next student in line. If
time permits, players can have several turns.
STATION 15 - It’s Bath time: Divide the
group into three lines. Place a
bucket of water with a large sponge
in front of each line. Further away
is a bowl with a small plastic dog
in it. The first person in each
line takes the sponge, dips it in
the water, runs to the empty
bowl, and squeezes the water from the sponge
over the plastic dog and into the bowl. The
sponge is handed to the next student in line. This
continues until one team has their bowl
completely full of water.
Submitted by Kathy Wagner, Wichita, Kansas
I M P O R T A N T
Considerations for
Planning a Successful
HOW TO RUN A SWIM MEET
W I T H O U T WAT E R
Equipment: Trickle trunk filled with: 1 water
gun, bowl to hold water, sweat shirts, spoons,
old shoes without shoelaces, a bag of wrapped
candy, two old lifeguard shirts, swim hats
(optional).
Space: Playing field, gymnasium or large
classroom. Use four pylons to outline the size of
the pool.
Duration of Activity: One hour.
Activities: All events use a relay set-up. Each
event is started by “Swimmers, take your mark!”
and the water gun is squirted into the air.
FIRST EVENT – Butterfly
FOURTH EVENT – Back Stroke
Participants place their thumbs under their
armpits, move their arms up and down,
hopping on two feet to the end of the pool
and back. Once the participant reaches
their staring point, they tag the next
swimmer on the team. Each participant on
the team swims once. The first team
finished is the winner.
The first participant from each team places
a wrapped candy on a spoon. The starter
starts the race. The participant walks
backwards, swinging one arm in a back
crawl motion while the other hand holds on
to the spoon. If the candy falls off the
spoon, the swimmer “duck dives” foot first
to the bottom of the pool, puts the candy
on the spoon and continues the race. After
all participants have had a turn, they sit in a
line singing the school cheer.
SECOND EVENT – Side Stroke
The first participant on each team puts on a
sweatshirt. The starter starts the race. The
participant side steps with their feet,
moving their arms in a sidestroke motion to
the end of the pool and back. The
participant takes the shirt off; the next
participant puts the shirt on and goes two
lengths of the pool. This continues until all
members have had a turn. The first team
sitting down wins.
THIRD EVENT – Breast Stroke
The first participant from each
team places an old shoe
over the toes of their right
foot. The starter starts the
race. The participant hops on
their left foot, keeping their
right foot off the floor,
balancing the old shoe, and
moving their arms in a
breaststroke fashion. If the shoe falls off,
they “duck dive” to the bottom, put the
shoe back on, and continue the race. After
all participants have had a turn, they stand
in relay formation whistling, “Row, row,
row your boat”.
FIFTH EVENT – Candy Dive
Place a wrapped candy in front of each
relay team at the opposite end of the pool.
The starter starts the race. The first
participant runs to the end of the pool and
picks up a candy. While the participant is on
the way back, another candy is placed at
the same spot. When the participant
crosses the starting line, the next participant
goes. This continues for one minute. When
the time is up, each team counts their
candies. The totals are given to the
scorekeeper.
Variations: Try a synchronized swim
meet where each team has five
minutes to put together a synchro
routine with a song (everyone on the
team must be involved in a 30-second
routine). Routines are judged by volunteers
based on song and creativity.
Try using plastic pennants, water safety
posters, pool safety posters and so on to
decorate the pool.
Submitted by Alf Grigg, CIRA Ontario.
THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE
T e a c h i n g
T i p s
PLAY DAY
DUTY LIST – Sign out all
equipment, label and number
equipment, line the fields (if
needed), plan and order (or
make) awards, assign group
leaders and ensure proper
supervision is in place.
PROMOTING THE DAY –
Take pictures, post charts
with results and winners,
make pre-event announcements, come up with slogans,
develop a school mascot.
SAFETY – Gym floors should
be clean and dry, walls should
be free of obstructions,
enough protective gear must
be
available
for
all
participants, check fields for
broken glass, holes etc.,
inspect equipment.
PLANNING – Schedule the
event, adapt equipment,
book other venues for events
(not just the gym or field),
make plans for different
seasons or inclement
weather, set-up the teams
and rotations, clarify
instructions, book a
photographer, assign a cleanup crew. Be sure to involve
students in planning.
VOLUNTEERS – Recruit
responsible students, high
school leadership students,
parents, staff members, and
members of the community
(police, politicians, fire
fighters, etc.)
Garth Wade,
Fredericton, New Brunswick,
[email protected]
Other Interesting Play Day Ideas
PRIMARY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ————————————
PENNY HUNT
Clearly establish the boundaries for this activity. Scatter pennies
around the area. On the signal, both teams try to find as many
pennies as they can. Once the pennies are found, the teams work
together to make a structure or picture using the pennies.
GET READY FOR WINTER
Divide the group so that half the students are on one side of the field
and the rest are on the other. The first member of the group starts the
relay by putting on a coat, a scarf, and a pair of mittens, then runs
across the field to the second person in the group. Once the runner
reaches the other side, he/she takes off the winter clothing and gives
it to the next person. This is repeated until everyone has had a turn
and each group has made an invisible person with the clothing items.
BUBBLES
Give each group a large container with a soapy bubble solution and
enough plastic wands for each member. Give students time to be
creative and to explore with bubbles. Use a variety of group
challenges, e.g., biggest, most, tiniest, etc.
GRADE 2 OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ————————————
GROUP WARM-UP
Students make one giant circle with one student standing in the
middle. That student chooses a fitness activity (such as jumping jacks)
and everyone follows. A new student is chosen every twenty seconds
to lead a different activity.
MAD DASH
Set up buckets of water at the starting line and empty buckets (with an
indication line on them) at the other end of the field. Give each person
a small container with several holes in it. Have the groups line up
behind the starting line. On the signal, the first runner on each team
uses the leaky container to transport as much water as possible to the
bucket, and then returns the container to the next runner. Repeat the
process until the water reaches the indication mark on the bucket.
BEACH BALL
SANDWICH
RELAY
Give each team a beach ball. From behind the starting line, the
first two runners sandwich the ball between them, run to the
other end of the field and back and pass the ball to the next
two runners. If the ball drops, they must pick it up and resume.
GRADE 3 OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ———————————
DISCUS THROW
Using a Styrofoam plate, the team tries to throw the plate the
farthest combined distance. Record the distance of each throw
and add them up for a team total.
TEAM LONG JUMP
From behind the start line, the first team member does a
standing long jump as far as possible. The second team member
starts from where the first team member has landed. The
pattern continues until everyone on the team has jumped.
MINI JAVELIN
Make javelins by taping several straws together (8-10). The
teams compete to decide which team has the best overall
distance.
Myra Stephens, OPHEA, [email protected]
P L AY D AY S P L AY D AY S P L AY D AY S P L AY D AY S P L AY D AY S
Play Days are a great way to promote
promote
physical activity, participation, social skill
development, and to provide leadership
leadership
opportunities for older students.
CANADA GAMES DAY
The Canada Games Council, with support from CAHPERD, is developing a new Canadian resource designed for school
field days or winter carnivals. Based on the Canada Games model, the resource can be delivered in an “Instant
Games Day” format or as a leadership module. It will enable schools to develop Canada Games experiences through
provincial/territorial team competition and many cross-curricular opportunities. The resource is full of activities that are
geared to every student in the school and offers both scoring and non-scoring strategies. With the help of this resource,
schools can host a Canada Games Day activity, regardless of its facility limitations.
Look for this exciting new resource in September 2001. If your school would like to participate in the pilot test of this
resource, contact CAHPERD at [email protected].
Balloon Activities
Balloons make an excellent apparatus to use in all kinds of
settings. Coupled with motivating music, balloons lend
themselves well to teaching movement skills, hand-eye
co-ordination, tracking skills, game concepts, space
awareness and countless other skills. Check out the
following interesting balloon activities.
Have students
create their own
unique games and
challenges!!
- Keep the balloons up while walking, skipping, running,
sliding, etc.
GROUP ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
- Keep the balloons up using different parts of the body
such as hands, fingers, thumbs, head, shoulders, knees,
etc.
NAME OF GAME ______________________________________
- Develop tracking skills by keeping the balloon up while
touching various lines in the gymnasium. Extend the
concept by having them touch the floor with various
body parts while keeping the balloon up.
_____________________________________________________
- Try doing gymnastic rolls while keeping the balloon up.
_____________________________________________________
MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
OBJECT OF GAME ____________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
SELECTION OF TEAMS ________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
INSTUCTIONAL POINT (RULES)
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Keep your expectations high and your voice low!
- Working in partners, try keeping the balloon up for as
many hits as possible. Turn it into a volleyball-type
game over a line on the floor.
- Divide the gymnasium into quadrants. Have the group
congregate in one quadrant and try to keep their
balloons up. At the same time, everyone tries to knock
someone else’s balloon to the floor. If your balloon
touches the floor, you must move on into the
next quadrant where soon someone else will
join you and the game continues.
- Create a balloon routine. Use music that is
suitable for the quality of the movement.
- Launch helium balloons with mail back
instructions attached. The envelope
that is mailed back from
the farthest distance wins
points for the team.
- Broom and Balloon: Each
participant stick handles a
balloon through a designated
course.
- Stuffing Long Johns. Have
teams stuff a pair of size
xxx Long Johns to create
a “Jolly Red Giant”.
Submitted by Les Potapczyk, Niagara Falls, Ontario,
[email protected]
THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE
T e a c h i n g
T i p s
SS AA M
M PP LL EE SS PP OO RR TT SS DD AAYY
FRISBEE THROW
The first person on each team throws three Frisbees from the
distances of their choice at one hoop. Then they
retrieve the Frisbees and give them
to the next person.
PING PONG BLOW
Each team takes its place
along two adjacent sides of
the table. On the starting
signal, the ping-pong ball is
released in the center. Each team must try to blow it off the other
team’s side.
CHARLIE CHAPLIN RELAY
On the signal, the first person puts a volleyball between their knees,
a beanbag on their head, and carries a skipping rope. The student
swings the rope and walks down around a designated pylon and
back.
SOCCER RELAY
The first person on each team dribbles the soccer ball while weaving
through a line of four pylon markers and back. The next person
takes a turn.
FIELD HOCKEY RELAY
On the signal, the first person stick handles a ball, weaving through
the course of four pylon markers and back. The next person takes a
turn.
FOOTBALL THROW
Each team stands in a marked area on either side of the football
goal posts. The object is to throw the ball over the crossbar, landing
on the other side without the other team catching it. One point is
scored each time the football lands on the opposing court. The play
originates on the same side of the court.
FLAG TAG
Each team member wears a flag football belt. On the start signal,
each team tries to take the other team’s flags and deposit them in a
box. When a team member loses his/her flag, they must wait until
a team member gives them another one from the box. When one
team loses all their flags, it scores a point and the game is restarted.
OVER/UNDER RELAY
The teams line up side by side with one metre between each team
member. The team members pass an object (your choice) over the
shoulders, then between the legs to the back of the line. When the
basket is empty, it is passed to the end and the last person carries
the full basket to the front.
WATER RACE
The first person dips a tablespoon into a pail of water, runs to a
cylinder and dumps the water into the graduated cylinder. At the
end of a designated time, the team with the most water in the
cylinder wins.
Two teams can work through this circuit moving in opposite
directions.
Debbie Sprentz, Hamilton, Ontario, [email protected]
Beach Day Playday
1. BEACH BLANKET VOLLEYBALL
With a partner, students hold onto each end of
a large towel. Each team must use their towel to
propel a beach ball to their opponents. The
opponents must return it before it touches the
ground.
2. GONE SWIMMIN’
One at a time, students run to four different
areas marked with pylons. At each pylon they
must put on an article of beach wear (hat,
flippers, swim trunks, lifesaver) and return to
the start line fully dressed. The second time
around, students take off their beachwear so
that each item is returned to its original station
for the next participant.
3. CATCH OF THE DAY
Children will try to catch a prize-winning fish in
a plastic pool. The magnets at the end of the
rod will catch a fish. Each is marked with a prize
number (fish crackers).
4. SAND CASTLE CONSTRUCTION
Supply a variety of instruments that will allow
the children to construct an interesting and
unique sand castle.
5. GIANT BUBBLES
Teams will use cord string and straws to
construct a giant bubble holder and then use
the bubble solution provided to make a huge
bubble. The largest bubble wins.
6. HIDDEN TREASURE
In a marked off area of playground sand,
children try their luck discovering buried
treasures by using sand sifters to discover
“gold” and “silver”
nuggets.
7. SURFIN’ SAFARI
Lay down on your stomach
on two scooters. Push yourself using your arms
through a pylon course and back.
8. DRINK STATION
Have groups sing a song/recite a poem with the
word “summer” to receive their drinks.
Diane Clarke, Edmonton, Alberta,
[email protected]
A CANOE REGATTA
W I T H O U T W AT E R
BASIC EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Old file folders, gift wrap rolls, cardboard boxes, life
jackets, broom sticks, string, duct tape, trash balls (grocery
bags stuffed with newspaper), pylons.
HOW TO RUN THE EVENT:
Flatten cardboard boxes and shape them into a canoe.
Keep the ends of the boxes intact. Place two thwarts
(sawed off broomsticks) into the box (canoe). Students
step into the canoe between the thwarts wearing a life
jacket. The student lifts the canoe to their waist adjusting
the strings over the shoulders. For a paddle, use old file
folders duct taped to cardboard gift-wrap rolls. For
doubles, two canoes are attached together by tying the
thwarts. The ultimate is the Voyageur Canoe with seven
canoes attached together.
P L AY D AY
Ideas and Tips
Play Days are an ideal end-of-year
celebration, beginning-of-the-year
“get acquainted” activity, and also
make great special events (Olympic
Days, Spirit Days), holiday events
(Pumpkin Days, Easter Egg Hunt,
Reindeer Relays) and seasonal
activities (Spring Fling, Winterfest).
Activities should be a mix of
cooperative, fun activities with a
minimum number of competitive
events.
For large groups, two circuits of the
same
activities
could
run
simultaneously.
Ten stations work well with 10 minutes
allotted at each station.
A refreshment station could be set up
as one of the stations (juice, water,
healthy snacks).
EVENT IDEAS
Singles – Paddle forward turning 180 degrees on each
whistle.
Doubles – Paddle a white water course set up with pylons
(trash balls placed as rocks).
Triple Gun Whale Bobbing – The student in the third canoe
stands, the other two crouch; alternate up and down to
continue throughout the race.
Great Portage Race – Use the voyageur canoe to paddle a
set number of lengths of the ‘lake’. Portage to different
stations to perform tasks such as singing, solving a
problem, etc.
Alf Grigg, Toronto Parks and Recreation.
Team captains can carry scorecards for
teachers or leaders to record results at
each events. Keep awards simple.
BE CREATIVE
There are nearly one hundred activity ideas
in this issue of The Clipboard! Why not
pick and choose, hunt and find, cut and
paste (you get the idea), and create your
own special play day. Have fun!
THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE
T e a c h i n g
T i p s