What you will need:

• Balloon
• 2 chairs
• String

What to do:

• Tie a piece of string between two chairs to create a volley ball net.
• Divide the children into two groups and allocate one side of the net to each group.
• Blow up a balloon and ask the children to try and tap it over the string.

For younger children:  

Play this game sitting down and help children tap it or tap it for them. Put the focus on watching the balloon cross over the net.

For older children:   

Try this activity at quieter times or set up a weekly roster for the activity where children can enjoy playing in smaller teams of 2-6. To make it harder add multiple balloons or make the string higher.

What you will need:

• Large pieces of paper/cardboard
• Music

What to do:

• Cut out some lily pad shapes from the paper/cardboard.
• Mark one with something special such as some gold paint or stickers.
• Place the lily pads on the ground and put some music on.
• Ask children to jump from one lily pad to the next without stopping.
• Once the music stops, they must stop jumping.
• The child on the special gold lily pad is the winner of the game.
• Repeat several times.

For younger children:  

Instruct children to crawl or walk to the lily pads.

For older children:      

Mix up the way children move to each lily pad, suggest hopping or walking backwards.

What you will need:

• Pegs
• String
• 2 chairs
• A range of clothes or pieces of fabric

What to do:

• Tie a piece of string between two chairs to make a clothesline.
• Sit a basket of clothes/fabric in front of the clothesline.
• Divide the group of children into smaller groups (up to 6).
• Give each group a container of pegs and ask the groups to line up a distance from the clothesline.
• On the signal “Hang out the clothes” the child at the front of each group runs to the clothesline, pegs a piece of clothing up and returns to tag the next group member. Each group member repeats this step.
• The first group to get through all their members wins the game.

For younger children:

Instead of using a clothesline use an empty cardboard box as a prop for a washing machine. Encourage children to put the clothes in the washing machine.

For older children:      

Make this more challenging by setting up a few obstacles the children have to navigate before getting to the clothesline e.g. climb under a table or through a tunnel.

What you will need:

• A medium to large space free from obstacles
• Masking tape/objects (to mark boundaries)

What to do:

• Use masking tape or objects to mark some boundaries.
• Explain to the children that in this game they can’t step over the boundary.
• Ask the children to move around the area by walking, jogging, jumping or hopping.
• When you call out a number children need to form a group of that size.

For younger children: 

Use coloured pieces of paper at each side of the boundary and call out a colour for children to go to.

For older children:

Rather than calling out a number try a colour – children have to find others wearing that colour.

What you will need:

• A medium to large space

What to do:

• Ask children to get into pairs and stand opposite each other in lines.
• One line become the leaders who perform a movement.
• The other line is the mirror who copies the leader’s movement.
• Call out a number between 1-5, this is the number of repetitions of the movement that both the leader and mirror have to do.
• After a few goes ask the leaders and the mirrors to swap roles.

For younger children: 

Have the Educators as the movement leaders.

For older children:

Suggest some movements or ask children to think of a couple. At the end of the game ask each child to share their favourite movement with the group.

What you will need:

• ‘Pirates Gold’ (a sparkly or shiny item)

What to do:

• Select one child to be the pirate and ask them to stand with their back to the group. The other children become the pirates crew.
• Place the gold 1 meter behind the pirate.
• Mark a starting line and ask the crew to stand behind it.
• When the pirates back is turned, the pirates crew can sneak towards the gold.
• When the pirate turns around the crew must freeze. If the pirate catches anyone moving they call out their name and they are sent back to the starting line.
• When the pirate turns their back to the group the crew can move again.
• The first crew member to reach the gold, pick it up and get back to the starting line, without being caught by the pirate is the winner. Swap pirates after each game.

Other ideas:

Instead of walking or running to the gold ask children to try hopping, skipping, jumping or crawling.

Incorporate a craft activity into this game allowing children to create their own gold out of boxes, glitter, beads and paper.

What you will need:

• Blocks
• Boxes
• Sheets/fabric
• Chairs
• Tables
• Cushions

What to do:

• Using a range of items set up an obstacle course that encourages children to move their bodies and practice their movement skills.
• Depending on the age of the children in your room set up easier and more challenging versions of an obstacle course.

For younger children: 

Create an obstacle course that involves crawling and some walking (making sure there are some surfaces so little ones can pull themselves up).

For older children:      

Involve some aim and throwing options by putting a washing basket or box some distance from some small bean bags for children to throw as part of the course.

Also consider some imaginary options: a river to jump over, a paddock to hop through, a log to roll under.

What you will need:

• A medium space

What to do:

• Ask children to stand in a group and take a step away from the person next to them (so they have some space).
• Call out a shape and ask the children to try and make this shape with their body, such as; star, round, tall, ball, small, big.
• Allow children to get a little more active by calling out some movements every now and then such as; fast (running on the spot), like a kangaroo (jumping on the spot).

Other ideas:

Ask children to contribute their own ideas for shapes or children to form a shape as a group or in small groups.

What you will need:

• A medium space

What to do:

• Ask children to stand in a group and take a step away from the person next to them (so they have some space).
• Call out a shape and ask the children to try and make this shape with their body, such as; star, round, tall, ball, small, big.
• Allow children to get a little more active by calling out some movements every now and then such as; fast (running on the spot), like a kangaroo (jumping on the spot).

Other ideas:

Ask children to contribute their own ideas for shapes or children to form a shape as a group or in small groups.

What you will need:

• Music with a steady beat
• Masking tape

What to do:

• Tear of 20 cm strips of masking tape and stick them to the floor to create a pathway for children to follow (make sure you add some turns).
• Turn some music on and ask children to practice marching on the spot.
• When they have got the hang of it ask the children to line up and lead the group marching along the pathway to the music.
• At the end of the path turn around and ask the children to follow the path back, each time using a different movement such a; marching, jumping, hopping, skipping (depending on the age of the children make these easier and more challenging to suit).

Other ideas:

Give the children some musical instruments such as maracas, rhythm sticks, shakers or drums to march with.