3-Team Continuous Tee-Ball

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3-Team Continuous Tee-Ball
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: Two Batting Tees, Jerseys (3 colors), 4 Mats, large Poly spots, and bats Grade: 3-5 (2nd possibly)
Purpose of Event: Students will demonstrate striking, base running, and spatial awareness skills by safely hitting a ball off a tee and continuously advancing around bases to score points while avoiding getting three outs.
Time: 18-25 minutes
Organization:

  • Place 4 mats on the floor to represent bases (baseball diamond style).
  • Set up 2 batting tees at home plate (slightly spaced for safety).
  • Divide students into 3 groups:
    • Team A (Batting)
    • Team B (Batting)
    • Team C (Taggers/Fielders)
  • Provide taggers with safe tagging equipment (see options below).

Description: The game begins with the first player from both Team A and Team B hitting the ball off the tee and immediately running the bases, while the next batter in line prepares to go, keeping play continuous. Runners must travel in order from first to second to third and then home, and they are safe while standing on a base (mat). There is no limit to how many runners can be on a base at once, even if they are from different teams; however, once a runner steps off a base, they must continue to the next base without stopping or going back. A team earns one point each time a runner successfully returns to home plate.

Rules:
Players are out if they are hit by a ball, a ball is caught in the air, or they are forced out (per normal kickball rules). Teams continue batting until they either receive three outs and/or run out of players in their lineup. When this happens, that team rotates to the outfield, and the current outfield team becomes a batting team. Throughout the game, multiple runners from both teams are active at the same time, batters enter play continuously, and the activity maintains constant motion, quick decision-making, and high engagement.

Scoring:
We use three different-colored buckets, each corresponding to a team’s color. We also use popsicle sticks (or, during Easter time, plastic Easter eggs). Each time a runner from a team successfully rounds the bases twice before their team rotates to the outfield, they place one popsicle stick (or egg) into their team’s bucket. At the end of the game, we count the items in each bucket to determine the winning team.
Concerns:

  • Ensure all runners move in the same direction and stay aware of others
  • Clearly define safe zones (bases, aka mats)
  • Maintain proper spacing at batting areas (on-deck circle)
  • Require students to stay behind designated lines when not actively participating
This idea is from: 

 

 

Base Race Bonanza

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Base Race Bonanza
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: 5 mats set up like 5 on a dice, yarn balls, & foam dice Grade: 3-5 (2nd possibly)
Purpose of Event: Students will develop locomotor skills, particularly running and base movement, while reinforcing accuracy in overhand throwing and evasion strategies. It also integrates cognitive learning by engaging students in math and literacy tasks as they move.
Time: 18-25 minutes

Organization:

Divide the class into 5 equal groups, one on each mat. The one in the middle is a thrower attempting to hit the runners (working on overhand throws). You could have a 6-member group retrieve the yarn ball. The other 4 groups are the runners.

Description:
Play begins when the teacher does: Option 1. The teacher calls out a number, and that is the number of bases they run. Option 2. Math problem (add, Sub, multiply), Option 3. Use dice to do the math problem. Option 4. Run using letters or spelling (e.g., run until you get to the letter M in the alphabet), 5. Run to the spelling of your name or spelling words. If you get hit, you become a ball retriever, or you must add bases. ** We use this activity to teach students how to run the bases (in which direction) before we play our T-Ball/Wiffleball games.** 
Concerns: Use only soft yarn or foam balls and require all throws to stay below the shoulders to minimize injury risk. Clearly define running lanes and space bases appropriately to prevent collisions, while ensuring students remain aware of their surroundings. Establish controlled throwing rules, designated retriever areas, and clear stop/play signals for safe game management.
This idea is from Kurt Skogstad, retired PE Teacher (Sioux Falls School District)

 

 

Build a Snowman Relay

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Build a Snowman Relay
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: Several (hula-hoops), balls, scoops, cones, beanbags, & jerseys. Any item students can add to their snowman.  Grade: K-5
Purpose of Event: Students participate in a winter-themed cooperative activity that develops locomotor skills, teamwork, and problem-solving as they build a snowman through movement and relay-style challenges.
Time: 18-25 minutes

Organization: Divide the students into equal teams, usually 3-4 groups, in a relay formation. Place several items (hula hoops for a snowman body, balls, scoops, cones, beanbags, hockey sticks, & jerseys). Any item students can add to their snowman in a line away from the students, requiring them to run to obtain one item per trip to build their snowman.
Activity:

In Build a Snowman, students are divided into small teams. Each team starts at a home base with a designated “snowman building area ” across the gym. Using a relay format, students travel from their team’s line to collect snowman pieces (e.g., body circles, eyes, hats, or buttons) and return to assemble a complete snowman. Students must first build their “base” snowman (3 hula-hoops: Head, Body, and Bottom). 

Students use a variety of locomotor movements (running, skipping, galloping, or sliding) as determined by the teacher. Only one student from each team may move at a time, thereby reinforcing turn-taking and fair play. Teams must communicate and work cooperatively to correctly assemble their snowman before the activity ends. The goal is for students to be as creative as possible, making their snowmen as unique as possible. 
Concerns: Simultaneous movement by multiple teams can increase the risk of collisions among students.
This idea is from Several PE teachers within my district. 

 

 

Reindeer Pooper Scoopers

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Reindeer Pooper Scoopers
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: Scooters (1 per student), Scooper or long-handled scoopers (1 per student), Gator balls or foam balls (multiple colors) = “Reindeer Poop”, Buckets or bins (color-coded) = “Dumpsters”, & Cones to define the play area. Grade: K-5
Purpose of Event: Scooter control and spatial awareness, improve upper-body strength and coordination using scoopers, Practice color recognition and decision-making, & Cooperate and stay engaged in a themed physical activity.
Time: 18-25 minutes

Organization

  1. Scatter all balls evenly throughout the play area.

  2. Place color-coded buckets (dumpsters) around the perimeter of the gym.

  3. Assign each bucket a matching ball color.

  4. Give each student a scooter and a scooper.

Activity:

At the start of the lesson, the teacher gathers students and introduces the activity with a fun holiday story: “Uh oh! Santa just called… the reindeer had an accident in the gym! Your job today is to help clean up all the reindeer poop before Christmas!” The teacher then briefly reviews expectations by explaining the purpose of scooters, identifying where the color-coded dumpsters are located, and demonstrating how to safely scoop and move while traveling around the space.

For the activity, students sit or kneel on their scooters and move carefully around the play area. Using their scooper, they pick up one ball at a time and transport it to the matching colored dumpster (bucket). After placing the ball in the correct bucket, students return to the play area to collect another piece of “reindeer poop.” The activity continues until the gym is clean or until the teacher calls time.

 
Concerns: Scooters must stay on the floor at all times with no standing, scoopers are used gently without swinging, students watch where they are going to avoid collisions, and only one ball may be carried on the scooper at a time.
This idea is from: Garret Stephens

Chain Reaction

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Chain Reaction
 

State Standard: 1,  4
Equipment: Hula-hoops (at least one per student + extras for play), Beanbags (one per team), Timer or stopwatch, Cones to designate team zones Grade: K-5
Purpose of Event: Hand-eye coordination, teamwork, throwing accuracy, & sportsmanship
Time: 20-25 minutes

Organization: Spread hula-hoops around the playing area with ample space between them. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4 and assign each team a starting position (relay line formation). Place one hula-hoop per team at their starting point to begin the “chain.”
Description: Students line up in relay formation behind their team’s starting hula-hoop. The first student tosses the beanbag into the hula-hoop. If successful, they retrieve another hula-hoop and place it at the end (top) of their team’s chain. If unsuccessful, they retrieve the beanbag, return to the line, and the next teammate takes their turn. Continue until the timer runs out. Their goal is to have the longest chain when the timer is up. Variation: Allow teams to strategize whether to grab a new hula-hoop or steal one from another team when successful. Encourage strategic placement of the hula-hoop chain to maximize success.
Concerns: Ensure students are not getting a hula-hoop if they did not get it into their hula-hoop. Students must stay in line order as well. 
This idea is from Coach Byrd, Twitter.

 

 

 

Feed The Alligators

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Feed The Alligators
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: Mats, Cones, Baskets, and Scooters Grade: K-2
Purpose of Event: Moving in General Space, Manipulative Skills, and Throwing
Time: 18-25 minutes

Organization:

Scatter ball pit balls all over the gym floor. Set six color-coded baskets in the middle of the gym on top of the four mats. The mats represent the lagoon, the baskets are the alligators, and the ball pit balls are the food. Students scoot around the gym, pick up two balls at a time, then scoot over to the mat and throw the balls into the corresponding colored baskets. They do this while remaining seated on their scooters.  

 

You can have them throw balls into a basket of the same color. You can also have students pick up balls the same color as their scooters and then feed any alligators.

 
Concerns: Ensure the students are safely riding on the scooters and not running into one another. 
This idea is from Amy Staples, a Sioux Falls School District PE teacher.

 

The “Death Star”

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The “Death Star”
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: Cageball (or Fitness Balls) and Playground Balls.  Grade: 3-5 (K-2 possibly)
Purpose of Event: Throwing at moving targets & Teamwork
Time: 18-25 minutes

 

Organization:  Divide the class into two teams and have them line up along their chosen sideline. Mark an area about 30 feet wide across the center of the playing area, with the cageball aka “Death Star” in the center.

Description: “Death Star”: The two teams are the Dark Side vs. The Force. In May, we play this game for “May the 4th Be With You.”  The game’s objective is to throw the playground balls at the Death Star (Darth Vador’s Spaceship), forcing it across the line in front of the opposing team.  Rules: Players may come up to the line but cannot move into the center area, and no one is allowed to touch the Death Star at any time. If balls become caught in the center, students can go retrieve a ball, but they must return to their throwing zone. If the Death Star crosses over to the opposing team’s side, that team wins. The game stops, and that particular team must perform an exercise. The game starts over with the Death Star starting back in the middle of the gym. 

Variations: We use the Yoga Balls with medium-sized gator-skin balls for K-2 students. For 3-5 grades we use the cageball with playground balls.

Instead of just one cageball/yoga ball have multiple (5-6). More opportunity for students throw at the Death Star.  
Concerns:

  • Be safe while throwing the balls. Students are not allowed to throw the balls at one another. Students need to be aware of the ricochet from the playground balls off the cageball.
This idea is from: 

 

Pin-Galore Hockey

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Pin-Galore Hockey
 

State Standard: 1, & 3
Equipment:  20 Plastic pins, Several gator-skin balls, Hockey Sticks (enough for two teams), and Poly Spots
 Grade: 3-5
Purpose of Event: Using Long-Handled Implements while striking a Ball. 
Time: 15-20 minutes
Organizations:
Place 10 foam pins on each side of the gym on Poly Spots. Put several poly spots down the middle of the gym to separate into two halves. Description:
This is a modification to the regular game of floor hockey.  Instead of the typical scoring (puck into a hockey net), players will try to knock over the other team’s pins while striking a gator-skin ball with their hockey stick! If a player strikes the ball and it knocks down a pin from the other team their team scores a point (I use a digital scoreboard). Once the pin is down it stays down!!!!!  Once one team has knocked all the other teams pins down their team wins. Goalies are optional. If I do use a goal they must be in-between the pins to protect. 

Rules:
No high sticking. Both hands must be on the hockey stick. If a student breaks the rules they go to the penalty box (area where students have to do an exercise to get back in the game). 
Concerns: Be cautious when students are using their hockey sticks!!! 
This idea is from: Idea modified from physedgames.com

 

Warm-up Activities

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 Warm-up Activities
Standards: 1, 2, 3
Grade: 3-5
Purpose of Event: The following list of activities will help in warming up the students and get them excited for other activities to follow.  Each activity listed should last four to five minutes.
Time: 3-5 minutes

Balance Tag: Two taggers are chosen and are given gator balls to use to tag the other students as they move around the gym.  Players may stay on a safe zone (poly spot) if they can balance on the correct foot, such as — orange spot – left foot balance; blue spot – right foot balance.  The students must move off the spot if they put their foot down or if they rest the foot on top of the balanced foot. Players who are tagged are required to perform a certain task.  When the task is completed, the player can return to the game.

Circuit Training: Set up various exercise stations in the gym.  Place students in same number of groups, as there are stations.  Place groups at a station. On the command “Go!” The students will perform the exercise at there station.  After 45 seconds have groups switch stations until they have completed the entire circuit.

Class exercises: Students will be stay in their homes.  Students will perform various teacher led exercises. Exercises may include jumping jacks, sit-ups, pushups, ski jumps, arm circles, and other various exercises and stretches.

Countdown Stations: Set up exercise stations in each corner of the gym.  All players begin at station one. Students must perform the exercise posted at station one and then jog 4 laps.  They then move to station two and perform the required exercise; plus jog 3 laps. Students will then go to the third station and continue to count down to one lap.

Exercise Cards: Many different exercises are posted on a set of 3X5 cards.  As the students enter the gym have them draw a recommended number of cards.  After they have drawn their cards they must go to their home spaces and complete the exercises on their cards.

Exercise Tag: Two students are chosen to be it.  On the signal, the It’s try to tag the other students.  If the students get tagged they must come to the center circle and perform an exercise assigned by the teacher.  Once they complete the exercise they may return to the game.

Exer-dice: In this activity the students roll one foam die to determine the exercises they perform.  Post a list of six exercises on the gym wall and correlate them with the dice numbers. For example a students rolling a six may have to do 25 jumping jacks for rolling the six.  They perform the exercises in their home then come back to the line. Each student will get 4 turns.

 “Fit”-tionary: Divide the class into six groups.  Place exercise cards face down opposite each group.  Take turns running down picking up a card, placing the card in another pile.  Run back to the group, without talking draw the exercise. When the team guesses the correct exercise everyone in the group does 15 of the exercise.

Four-corner Cartoon Traveling: To begin show students how each corner of the gym has a picture of a cartoon character.  Let them know that when the music begins, they will be moving around the gym using a specific locomotor movement that you call out (skip, jog, gallop, etc.)  When the music stops, they are to safely move to one of the four corners and wait there until you pick one of the exercise cards from your hand. The students standing by the picked character card must do a chosen exercise.  Continue until song is complete.

Jogging: Have the students jog a teacher determined number of laps.  Encourage the students to pace themselves.

Jump roping: Have the students jump for a certain length of time.  Students should jump the rope in their home space and they may experiment with different styles of rope jumping.  Use music to increase the enjoyment.  

Jumping:  Students will work in pairs.  Designate one partner as partner A and the other partner as partners B.  Students will face each other and jump up and down together 6 times. On the sixth jump, each student will place either their left or right leg out.  If the students have opposite legs out Partner A gets a point if the students have the same leg out Partner B gets a point. Play to 10 points and begin again.

Mat-ercise: Each student is supplied a mat to take back to their home space. Have students perform various exercises on the mat.  Use sit-ups, push-ups, and stretching activities. Also have them build bridges over the mat.

On the Bank – In the River:  Line students up behind a line.  When you say “in the river”, they jump across the line.  When you say, “on the bank”, jump backward across the line.  If you catch a mistake, or they are the last one, they go back to the next line on the gym floor and keep on playing after they do 5 push-ups, jumping jacks, or crunches.  Keep playing until last one on the original line is still there.

Partner Duck, Duck, Goose:  Start by placing the children in pairs.  Each partner faces the other about two to three feet apart; close enough to be able to touch each other with a hand.  Mark a safety line off about 20 to 30 feet behind each player. Each player takes turns tapping the other on the shoulder and saying either “duck or goose”.  When a player says “duck” nothing happens. When a player says “goose” he or she turns and runs to the safety line while the other player chases. If the chaser tags the runner before the runner reaches the safety line, the chaser wins the turn and they return to the starting area for another turn.  If the runner makes it to the safety line without being tagged, the runner wins the turn and a new game is started.

Partner Tasks: Students will work in pairs.  Each partner will line up on the sidelines across from each other.  They will be given different tasks to do. For each task they are given they will run to the middle and meet and perform the task together.  Example: 1) give each other a high five 2) give each other a low five 3) give each other a sole five 4) do 10 jumping jacks 5) do 10 pushups 6) do 10 ski-jumps.

Playing Card Warm-up: As the students enter the gym they go to the middle circle and draw 2-3 cards from the pile.  They will then match the number/letter on the card with the numbers on the posters and perform the exercise posted.  

Playing Card Warm-up II: As the students enter the gym they go to the middle circle and draw one playing card from the pile  (two decks with 2’s, 3’s, & 4’s removed). They match the suit of the playing card to one of the four posters in the corners of the gym and go to that corner.  The posters tell them what activity to perform and the number on the playing card tells them the number of repetitions. When completed, he/she goes back to the center of the gym to get another card.  Picture cards count as 10 and aces are 11. When the students complete five cards, they sit in their homes.  

Pushup Fun:  Students will work in pairs.  Have students either side by side or facing each other approximately 1 foot apart.  Pushup tag: One person begins as “it” and attempts to tag their partner on the hand while remaining in pushup position. You can only move your hands not your whole body.  “It” person is constantly changing. High Five pushups: Partners will proceed to give each other a high five with the left hand and then the right hand while remaining in pushup position.  They will continue this pattern for 1-2 minutes.

Stretching: Have the students perform various stretches in their home space.  Be sure to stretch each area of the body. The teacher should lead the activity.  

Tag Team Running: Each student will pick a partner.  While #1 partner is running a lap, #2 is performing a specific exercise.  When #1 finishes running, he/she tags his/her partner and they switch roles.  The students will run a total of 2-3 laps and do 2-3 different exercises

Trading Cards:  Equipment: a number of different colored cards & colored wallstops.

Give each student a colored card.  Students move throughout the gym, switching cards.  After 45-60 seconds give them the signal to stop and whatever color card they are holding will determine which wallstop to go to.  If a student has a red card they go to the red wallstop and pick and exercise from the list to perform. After a certain time, signal them to begin moving and switching cards again.  

Tug of War: Divide the class into evenly matched teams. Have the rope going across the length of the gym.  The team in which has their anchor touch the red mat first is the winner. Be sure to switch teams around so everyone has a chance to be on a winning team.
Concerns: Be cautious when moving around the gym and working in partners.
This idea is from:

 

Football Hoop Tag

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Football Hoop Tag
 

State Standard: 1, & 3
Equipment:  5 hoops, 5 nerf footballs (may need more depending on number of students) 3 noodles (for tagging), music
 Grade: 4-8 (1-3 with koosh balls)
Purpose of Event: Throwing and Catching skills, Locomotor movement
Time: 15-20 minutes
Description: 

Scatter 5 hoops around on the floor, and have a student start in each with a football. (You may need to add hoops/balls)  Give out 3 noodles for tagging.  At the start of the music, the taggers start to tag as many people as possible (people in the hoops cannot be tagged).  If you get tagged you are frozen.  Once frozen you must get the attention of someone in a hoop and have them throw you a football.  If the football is caught, you are un-frozen, and take the spot of the person in the hoop, that threw you the ball.  If you do NOT catch the ball you remain frozen until you catch a ball.  People that are not frozen, need to pick up the balls that are not caught, and give them back to the students in the hoops, because the students in the hoops may not leave the hoops until they are replaced.  You cannot be frozen if you have a football in your hands.

Stop every couple of minutes to switch taggers, also change the locomotor movements.

I would play this with lower grades, but use a koosh ball instead and have more hoops and balls since the throwing and catching isn’t as controlled.
Concerns: Be cautious of the hoops, don’t step on them, they slide.  Throw carefully, lots of movement going on.
This idea is from: “Great Activities”