Though outdoor games provide valuable exercise opportunities, elementary students can enjoy many games in a gym. Indoor games also provide opportunities for physical fitness and fun while teaching motor skills, teamwork and ingenuity. With a little creativity, teachers can transform school gyms into obstacle courses, playing fields and sports courts.
Kickerama
Parenting magazine recommends a game that helps kids burn energy in a fun way. Kickerama is similar to traditional kickball in that a player on one team kicks a kickball while the players on the other team field the kickball. However, in Kickerama, after the pitcher rolls the ball to the kicker, the pitcher yells a command such as "jump" or "skip." The kicker has to follow the command as he runs around the bases. For example, if the pitcher rolls the ball and then yells "hop," the kicker has to hop to first base. Parenting magazine adds an extra challenge to the game by suggesting that the pitcher quacks like a duck before he fields the kickball.
Parachute Games
If you have access to a parachute, there's a myriad of parachute games you can play in a gym. Spread the parachute out and let each child hold a section. Throw small, soft balls into the center of the parachute and let the kids wave the material up and down to watch the balls fly into the air.
You can also put a larger soft ball on one edge of the parachute. Show the kids how to wave the chute up and down to pass the ball around the circle. The goal is to use teamwork to keep the ball out of the center of the parachute and pass it completely around the circle. If you have two parachutes, divide the students into teams and see which group can complete a rotation first.
Obstacle Courses
A little creativity and a few everyday items can lead to a challenging obstacle course. By safely arranging tables and chairs and piling books, toys and hula hoops, you can create a maze that will keep kids entertained and on their toes. Tell the kids to crawl under chairs, dash through hoops and climb over tables. Line the course with jump ropes, yo-yos and beanbag tosses for added challenges. Once they've mastered the course, time them to see who can complete it first or pair them up and blindfold one member of each pair.
Relay Races
Relay races are a fun way to teach teamwork. Divide the children into teams. Give each student a spoon and challenge them to pass a ping pong ball from the first person's spoon to the last person's spoon. Another variation on a spoon relay is to give each student a spoon and a penny. The first child has to put his penny on the second child's spoon. The second child has to put his penny on the third student's spoon. Each time the pennies drop the students who dropped them must pick them up and start from there. The first team to get all the pennies onto one spoon wins.
