Interactive Physical Education Activities for Kindergartners

Physical education leads children through structured activities in the effort to improve their health. It also teaches them the importance of basic values such as teamwork, following directions, and keeping a good attitude. Because of their limited comprehensive skills, young children need games that are easy to play and that do not contain too many rules.

Duck Relay

You will need a playground ball and markers for your starting and finish lines. Establish a starting line and a finish line. Divide the students into two teams. Have the students for each team line up single-file at the starting line. Hand the ball to the first student in each line. The students must place the ball between their knees, waddle to the finish line without dropping the ball, and then waddle back to the starting line. At this point, the student passes the ball to the next person in line who completes the waddle to the finish line and back. The student who just completed a lap stands to the side. The process continues until all players have had a turn. The first team whose members complete the relay is the winner. If, at any time, the students drop the ball, they must stop, put the ball back between their knees, and continue the race.

Balloon Battle

You need masking tape and one balloon for each student (half blue, half red).

Use a piece of masking tape to divide your play area into to equal sections. Split your class into two teams and place the teams on opposite sides of the masking tape. Give one inflated blue balloon to each member of Team A. Give one inflated red balloon to each member of Team B. Set the timer for three minutes. Once you give the signal for the game to begin, the students must try to toss, bat, or kick their balloons to the opposite side while keeping the balloons from the opposing team from entering their side. When the timer goes off, all students must freeze. The balloons will then be counted. The team with the most balloons on the side of the opposing team is the winner.

Perfect Pandemonium

Divide the class into four teams. Each team stands in one corner of the activity area. At the signal, all four teams must try to cross to the opposite diagonal corner, causing perfect pandemonium when the students meet in the middle. The first team with all its members in the opposite corner is the winner. The game can continue on with a variety of commands, such as hopping, twirling, running, walking backward or crawling.

Ball Bounce

You will need a large blanket and a playground ball. Have the students stand in a rectangle (or square), each holding a small section of the blanket. Place the ball in the center of the blanket. The students must figure out how to move the blanket to bounce and then catch the ball. Essentially, they must turn the blanket into a trampoline for the ball. This game encourages teamwork.

References

• "Junior High Ministry"; Wayne Rice; 1978