Warm-up Activities

Warm-Up Games

Rationale: Students at the secondary level still want to act silly while participating in physical education.  By starting with a fun, easy warm-up game, the students can warm  and the teacher can take attendance or continue to prepare equipment for the lesson.

Purpose:  The purpose of all the warm-up games I have gathered is to get the kids moving and increase blood flow to the major muscle groups making them easier to stretch.  I keep the warm-up games rotating so usually the students will not play the same game twice in the same month in an effort to keep things interesting. 

Time: The warm-up should last for at least 5 minutes.  Some warm-up games require more time to explain and set-up, so these should be performed on days when you have more class time of which to dedicate or less complex tasks for them to perform during the main part of the lesson.

Making teams:  I have several methods I use to make teams.  The easiest is to have the students form partners and then split them up into two different teams.

Winners and Those Who Did Not Win- I always try to refrain from using the term, “Losers” because it sounds so negative.  Try to keep the emphasis off of wins and losses by using terms like: Those Who Did Not Win Today.  I also try to keep from having negative consequences for teams who do not win.  However, if I notice the class is a bit sluggish and not giving 100% effort in the game, I may institute a consequence to the non-winning team(s) for motivation.  In this instance, I usually stop the game, give the class options for consequences, let them decide, then restart the game.  Examples may be: push-ups, jogging laps, or timed planks.

Instant Activities- Instant activities are performed while others are still getting changed.  An instant activity should relate to the unit being taught and can be as easy as having the students dribble around the gym, or hit a birdie to a partner.  Once the class is supposed to start, students gather in attendance lines.  Instant activity descriptions should be written on a dry erase board on the wall so students can read what to do when coming in to class.

Stretching: After the Warm-up, the students should always perform a stretching routine.  I have found that a Dynamic stretching routine: keeps the students moving, stretches many different muscle groups, and prepares many of the muscles to be used during activity.  A Static stretch can be supplemented on days when there is limited time or the students have performed a vigorous warm-up activity and could use a rest.  All static stretches should be performed safely without the students bending and stretching to prevent stress on the back.  I have included a description of the dynamic stretching routine I use at the end of the warm-up games section for reference.

1.     

Sharks and Minnows- All students (Minnows) line up on the baseline of the basketball court or a long line of a playing area.  One player (Shark) stands in the middle of the basketball court or playing area.   When the shark says “GO”, all minnows must try to run to the other end line.  If tagged, they will become a shark in the next round.  Play until all minnows become sharks.  Last player left decides who will be the shark in the next round.

2.     Elbow Tag- Divide the group into pairs with each pair hooked together at the elbows.  Ask one pair to break up into an “it” and a “runner”.  Give the runner a 3 second head start.  If a runner is tagged at any time, they switch roles.  To avoid a tag, the runner may hook on to another pair, when this happens, the student on the other side must disconnect and now become the runner.  Play for the length of the allotted warm-up time.

3.     Everybody is “IT”- Tell the players to scatter around the play area within the boundaries (ex: basketball court).  Every player is “IT”. The goal is to be last player standing.  When a player is tagged, they must walk around the outside of the boundary until the game is over.  On the whistle players try to tag each other.  Ties are solved with a Rock, Paper, Scissors playoff.  Winner stays and person who does not win walks around the boundary until the game is over. 

4.     Shoelace Tag- Everyone is it.  Play inside the basketball court.  Students try to tag each other’s shoelaces.  If you get tagged, you get a point. (You do not want points).  Students must stay on two feet at all times, they may Not go down to their knees at any point and can have only one hand on the ground when trying to make a tag.  Students must stay moving and cannot block or hit taggers with any body part.  At the end of 2 minutes, the student with the fewest points is the winner.  If there is a tie, have those students play while the rest of the class walks on the outside of the basketball court.  When tagged, the player joins the rest of the class walking until there is one person left. 

5.     Zombie Ball- Students start spread out around the gym. Have enough balls for 50% of the class.  Balls are thrown to random students. A person is out if: the player is hit with a ball from the shoulders and below, a player throws the ball and it is caught, a player throws a ball and hits another player in the head. The player that is out goes to the sidelines to jump rope and can enter the game when the person who hit them gets out.  Students cannot move when they have the ball and may not roll the ball to themselves.  They may throw the ball off walls, backboards or roll to players in their alliance.  Game continues for 3-5 Minutes or until there is one player left.

6.     Partner Tag/Hide and Seek Tag- Have students find a partner.   Have them find a good self space in the playing area. Identify one student as the chaser and the other as the dodger. On the teacher’s signal, the chaser will try to tag the dodger. If the dodger gets tagged, he/she will close eyes and spin three times saying, “I’m It”, he/she then becomes the chaser. Let this continue for about 30-40 seconds, then switch partners.  Play for about 5 minutes.

7.     Japanese Tag- Similar to the regular game of tag except the one who has been tagged must place his right hand on the spot where he/she has been touched, whether it is on his arm, his chest, his back, his ankle, etc. Then he/she must chase the other players in that position until he has tagged a new person to be “it”, at which point they no longer have to hold a body part.

8.     All in Tag- Starts off with only one chaser, but from there on each person caught also becomes a catcher and helps to catch the others.

9.     Payback Shack- Students are spread out around the gym.  Balls are thrown out randomly.  Players cannot move when they have a ball in their hands and they may not roll the ball to themselves.  When a player is hit, they must go to the payback shack which is an area to the side of the gym with four cones.  Players enter through the back and leave through the front.  When there are five players in the shack at a time (or a designated number based on class size), the first person in line is free.  Game continues for 3-5 minutes.  Those players who have not visited the payback shack at the end of regulation will play in a playoff where each player can now move with the balls and the last one left is the winner.  Players cannot stand outside the payback shack with a ball and wait for players to leave.  Use a buffer zone between the playing area and the payback shack to prevent this.

10.Push Up Ball Fury- Each team forms a wall on a line, shoulder to shoulder, with their teammates. The two teams face each other with about 3-5 yards of distance between each team. Both teams get in a push up position. From the pushup position, their hands should be placed on the floor on the line. Begin the game with one ball. The object of the game is to push the ball to the other team, in hopes of getting the ball to cross their line to score a point. Players have to support their body with one hand while trying to push the ball or stop the ball. Students may rest when ball is away from them. But they may not push the ball in this position. If they try to stop the ball while knees are on the floor, it is a point for the opposing team.  Play to a desired point total or timed game.

11.Bean Bag Freeze Tag-                 

     1. Choose 1 or more students to be the taggers.

     2. Taggers use the swim noodle "taggers" in which to tag (or touch) other students.

     3. Disperse 2 beanbags to other students.

     4. The taggers count down for 5 seconds before starting.

     5. Taggers may tag anyone.

     6. If a student is tagged, they are frozen and can only become unfrozen if a beanbag            is thrown TO them, NOT at them. If the bean bag is caught, the student becomes     unfrozen (or is free). If the beanbag is dropped, and falls to the floor, the frozen          student CANNOT pick it up. (This is done to prevent the student from going down to       get the beanbag while a tagger is attempting to intercept it). If a tagger picks up a     dropped beanbag or catches one thrown in the air, then the beanbag is given to the           teacher and taken out of circulation.  Students with beanbags are given immunity     from being tagged or frozen but must get rid of the bean bag in 5 seconds or it is     taken out. Students who have a beanbag must get their beanbag to "frozen" students          or any student being pursued by a tagger (beanbag must be airborne, not handed        off!)  If the taggers intercept both bean bags, the taggers win and the runners jog           two laps.

12.Chain Reaction- Children pair up with each other as in Elbow Tag, holding hands or linked arm in arm, and scatter around the playing area. One child is chosen to be IT (the chaser). When a pair is tagged they split up to become chasers. Once you become IT or a chaser you remain one for the remainder of the games. The game ends when there are no pairs left.  The last pair chooses the tagger for the next game.  You may allow one group of three.

13.

Belly Double Circle Tag- Choose one player to be the runner and one player to be the chaser. All other players are to lie in a big circle in groups of two. The players lay side-by-side, then a space of about 2 feet, then the next two players with their heads facing the center of the circle and lying on their bellies. On go, the chaser will try to tag the runner. The runner will run on the outside of the circle and try to find a space to lie down next to one set of players. The player on the opposite side of that group will have to get up and start running from the chaser. If the runner is tagged then they are to turn around and chase the chaser. The new runner will find a spot to lie down and the player on the opposite side will start running because they are the new runner.  The new runner may not lye next to anyone that is less than one group away.

14.Heads or Tails Tag- Players divide into two teams. Label one team HEADS and the other TAILS. Lay out two center lines that are parallel to each other and three feet apart. Then set up two boundary lines about 20 feet from the center lines for each team to cross for their safe zone. (basketball court works great) Use hoses or rope if outdoors and tape if indoors. To start, make teams stand facing each other at the centerlines. Toss the coin into the air. Once the coin has landed on the ground, call out if it’s heads or tails. If it was tails, the TAILS team must run to their safe zone. The HEADS team will try to tag the TAILS team before they reach their safe zone to score a point for their team.  If the TAILS team makes it safely to the safe zone, they score a point. After each toss and chase, players are to return to the centerline.  Keep score of how many points are scored each round.  First team to a specified score wins.

15.Stuck-in-the-Mud- One or more players are chosen as catchers depending on numbers playing. There is no 'home' or safe base and depending on the version you are using, players when caught either stand with their legs apart (the most common form) or arms held out. Players can be set free again if another player who has not yet been caught crawls between their legs, or ducks under their arms respectively. Game stops when everybody has been stuck or a time limit has been met.

16.Dog and Bone- Pick an object to be the bone, something soft like a ball. Divide into two equal sized teams and get each team to secretly allocate each team member a number. It is important that members of each team do not know who has the same number as themselves on the opposite team.  Groups line up at opposite ends of the room or playing area/pitch being used. The bone is placed equidistant between the teams and the referee calls out a number. The person with the specified number from each team runs out, grabs the bone and returns it to their side, gaining 3 points. However, if you touch the bone first or are carrying the bone the other person is then free to try and tag you. If they succeed in tagging you they get one point.  Players cannot throw the bone.  If tagged, the bone is placed back to the start.  After the first round, have players choose different numbers secretively and begin a new round.

17.Line Tag- This game is played like a normal game of tag except the tagger and runners must stay on a line at all times.  Use the lines on the gym floor.  Have one person start as a tagger when another person is tagged, they become “IT” and must tag someone else.  Players cannot jump from line to line, they must run to where the lines intersect in order to change lines. You can also play this game where players tagged become part of the tagging mob and play until the last person is left. 

18.Odds and Evens Tag- Play this game exactly like Heads or Tails Tag.  One team is even and one team is odd.  Use a foam dice to roll and whatever number shows, the corresponding team runs while the other team tries to tag.  Keep points after each round and play to designated score.

19.Chicken Run- One Running Team and one Throwing Team.  The throwing team lines up behind the basketball sidelines with a ball each.  The running team starts behind the baseline on one end lined up in running order.  A safe zone is designated by four cones at the opposite end of the court with an item (Rubber Chicken) in the middle.  On the whistle, one person from the running team runs towards the safe zone to grab the item and runs back across the end line to score a point.  The runner continues to run with the item from red line to safe zone and back as many times as possible until hit with a ball. If hit, the runner places the item down where hit and goes back to the end of the line.  The next person in line then tries to pick up the item and continues in the same direction as the previous runner.  Throwers can continue to throw the balls at any time.  Throwers may retrieve the balls in the middle but may not impede the runner’s progress and may not throw the ball until they have returned to the sideline.  After 3 minutes, tally the number of points each team has scored.  Play 3 innings.

20.Blob Tag- One person starts as “IT”.  When the tagger tags another person, he or she must join hands or elbows with the tagger and they are now part of the “BLOB”.  Only the outside members of the blob may tag the runners.  The runners may not go through the blob to escape.  The blob must stay intact at all times to tag runners.  If at any time the blob breaks up while a tag is made, the runner is still safe and the blob must rejoin hands or elbows to tag again.  This game goes on until there is one person left.  Make sure you allow for at least 10 minutes for this game as it will take a while, especially for larger classes.

21.Monarchy- The game begins with all players inside the basketball court or designated area.  Players may not leave the area at any time.  The tagger begins with a soft dodge ball or slightly deflated exercise ball.  On the whistle, the tagger may run with the ball and try to hit the other players with the ball.  Once a player is hit, he/she will join with the tagger and try to hit other runners with the ball, but they may not run with the ball.  Every player hit becomes a part of the monarchy and must try to get others out by passing the ball and throwing it below the shoulders of runners.  Runners are safe if: they are hit in the head with the ball, if the ball is thrown outside of the boundary or if a member of the monarchy ran with the ball prior to throwing it.  Runners are out if: they are hit with the ball below the shoulders (even if it bounces on the ground) or if they step outside of the boundary line.

22.Piggy back Circle Race- Each student finds a partner of the same size, sex and strength.  Form a large circle with their partner leaving about 4 feet between partner groups.  Have one partner stand directly behind their partner in front.  When the teacher says, “UP” the partner behind will jump on the partners back.  When the teacher blows the whistle, 1.) The partner on the back will jump down and crawl from behind through the partners legs. 2.) Run around their partner 3 times counter-clockwise.  3.) Run around the entire circle once counter-clockwise until they get back to their partner.  4.) Run 3 times around the partner counter-clockwise. 5.) Crawl through the front of the partner’s legs and jump on the partner’s back to end.  The first group to complete this is the winner.  Switch positions with partner and play again.  Make sure to explain AND demonstrate the rules at least twice to make sure students understand before you play.

23.Hula-Hoop Scramble- Split class into 6 teams and place 6 hula hoops down in the gym equidistant from each other and one hula hoop in the middle.  Place 30-40 bean bags in the middle hoop.  On the whistle, teams have 90 seconds to try to steal as many bean bags from the middle OR another team’s hoop and take them back to their own team’s hoop.  Teams may only carry one bean bag at a time and may not throw bean bags.  Teams may not guard their own hoops and must allow other teams to take from their team’s hoop.  At the end of 90 seconds, teams must freeze and put any bean bags not in the hoop on the ground.  Teams tally the bean bags in their hoops and the team with the most bean bags wins.

24. Steal the Gold-

25.Down the Line- Students form teams of 5 or 6 and lay flat in a single file line with one person’s feet to the side of another person’s head.  Something is placed in the first person’s feet and must then be passed using only the feet all the way down the line.  As soon as the object leaves the person’s foot, he/she must run to the end of the line lay down in the same fashion as before.  The first team to the end of the line wins.

26.Perimeter- Students form groups of 5 or 6 and lay flat on the ground close to each other with feet against the wall.  A stability ball is placed on against the wall by the first person in line.  When whistle blows, the team must pass the ball using the feet along the wall.  As soon as the ball leaves the person feet, he/she must get up and run to the end of the line to keep the ball moving.  If the ball touches the ground, the team must start at the beginning.  First team to a designated spot is the winner.

27.Swamp Ball- This is a dodge ball game.  Students are placed into two teams of equal numbers.  On each side of the court, place one or two fitness mats.  When students are hit with a ball, they must go to the opposite side and stand on the mat (Swamp) they may only return to their side if a player on his/her team throws them a ball and they catch it.  They may not step off the mat to catch.  If a player is hit in the head, the person who threw it is out.  If a player catches a ball, the person who threw it is out.  The Game is over when everyone from one team is in the swamp, or a pre-determined time has expired and the team with the most remaining players has won.

28.Prison Ball-

29.Snowball Fight-

30.Aerobic Matball-

31.Castleball-