Warm up Activities

Builders and Breakers

Equipment you will need: A pile of cones.
What to Do: Split the class in two and designate half the class as “breakers” and the other half as “builders”. Throw the cones around the play area so that they are both right side up and upside down. The point of the game is for the builders to fix the cones by standing them upright and for the breakers to flip them over. Students all play at once and are not allowed to touch or block one another. Encourage constant movement for rounds of about 60 seconds before restarting the game.

Bunnies and Bears

Equipment you will need: Nothing
What to Do: Designate two to three players as “bears” who must chase the rest of the class (bunnies) by moving around only on their hands and feet. Bunnies must escape but cannot take their feet apart and must move by hopping. Tagged bunnies become bears and the game continues until all but two to three bunnies are converted into bears, in which case the game may be reset with the last few remaining bunnies becoming the new bears.

Kaleidoscope

Equipment you will need: Three sets of pinnies
What to Do: Organize students into 3 teams and give each team one colour of pinnie. Students all jog around the gym in open space. When the teacher calls a colour, students with that pinnie run around trying to tag the other two team members as they try to escape. If tagged, students must stand with their spread legs in a sumo or semi-split stance. Teammates can crawl through their teammate’s legs to place them back into play. Play continues for around 60 seconds each round and then all students continue jogging and the teacher calls a new colour.

Blob Tag

Equipment you will need: Nothing
What to Do: Designate one to two players as “blobs” who must chase the rest of the class. When a blog tags someone, they must link arms and continue trying to tag others as the number of blob members grows. When a blob reaches eight members, it splits in half to become two four-member blobs.The game continues until all but one or two fleers bunnies are captured by the blob(s), in which case the game may be reset with the last couple remaining fleers becoming the new blobs.

Games

21

Equipment you will need: One ball per 3 student teams, 3 pylons per 3 student teams.
What to Do: Students form teams of 3 and set up 3 pylons about 6, 10 and 16 feet away from a “shooting spot”. Students will take turns throwing a ball or other game object at either the first, second or third pylon. They get 1 point for hitting the closest pylon, 2 points for hitting the middle and 3 for hitting the farthest. Students take turns shooting until one reaches 21, and is declared the winner.

Can’t Touch This

Equipment you will need: One ball per 2 teams, one set of cones.
What to Do: After two teams of roughly equal physical/athletic ability have been created, the teacher should outline a small play area (roughly 20 yards by 20 yards) and put two teams of 4-6 members in each area. The point of this game is to complete a set number of passes amongst all teammates without the opponents taking possession of the ball. Passing to each teammate once in a single possession results in a point being scored, but if intercepted the possession resets and is given to the other team. The ball cannot be handed off and no more than three points may be scored per possession. Passes must cover a greater distance than a meter (no handoffs) and players may not push or contact others. Defenders must give an arm’s reach for the player in the possession of the ball to throw, and the teacher may add a countdown timer to make sure the game remains quick-paced.

Passball:

Equipment you will need: One ball per 2 teams, one set of cones.
What to Do: Separate the class into four different teams of roughly equal physical/athletic ability. The point of the game is to pass the ball amongst one’s teammates to move the ball into the opponent’s endzone without dropping it. Players cannot run with the ball and must use passes to move it up the field. Defenders must stay an arm length away from the player with ball, but can block others. Offensive support must move to become open for a pass from their teammate by moving into open space away from defenders. The teacher may limit the length of throws to avoid cherry-picking. When one team scores, the other team begins with the ball at the start of their own endzone. A dropped ball results in a turnover from the point it was thrown.

Hip to be Square

Equipment you will need: One ball per 3 students, one set of cones.
What to Do: In groups of 3, students will set up a square of 4 cones in an open area of the gym/field (roughly 8 yards by 8 yards) a safe distance from other groups. The player with the ball will make a pass, and players must move to ensure that the two supporting players are at either the right or left of that player by moving to another cone to the right of left of them. A fourth player may be added as a defender to change the activity to work on defensive positioning and passing under pressure. Make sure a new defender gets in every ten or so passes.

Ludicrous Ball

Equipment you will need: One volleyball, one set of cones.
What to Do: Batting team will all stand in one designated corner of the gym outlined by cones while the fielders will spread out across the gym. The teacher will call one batters name, and the pitcher will roll a volleyball towards them. The batter will kick the ball and all players on the batting team must move around the bases in a counter-clockwise order. Runners may not interfere with the ball at all, or the other team receives 3 points. 1 Point is scored for each person passing home base. Unlimited players may be at a base at once. The fielding team may score points by catching a kick (5 points) and may tag runners with the ball to gain 2 points. Tagging a runner, catching a kicked ball or passing the ball to the pitcher pauses play and runners may not advance any more. Once all batters have participated (teachers should use a premade list) teams switch positions.

Squambat

Equipment you will need: One ball per 2 teams, 3-4 pylons per team and a set of cones.
What to Do: After creating an even number of teams, give each team 3-4 pylons each which they can put in their goal zone. Players cannot run with the ball and must use hand passes to move the ball down the court and use it to knock over the opponent’s pylons. Possession switches if a knock over happens and the thrower retrieves it and adds it to their own pylons. Attackers may not go within a meter and a half of the opponents or their own pylons (except to retrieve a dead ball in their own area). If a player on either team drops the ball, it immediately turns into a game of soccer with the pylons as the target. If the ball is kicked up and caught, it returns to a handball style of play.