• Children stand behind or sit at their desks
• Teacher then asks students to do a number of challenges
• If they are prefaced by "Simon says …" then the students complete the challenge.
• If the challenge is not prefaced by the words "Simon says .." then those who move must perform another physical task like holding a pose for a number of teacher decided rounds.
• Challenges are limited a little by the space that is available but could include tasks like:
  • stand up, sit down, jump up high, touch the ground, turn around, hop three times, climb an imaginary ladder, demonstrate freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke, run on the spot, stand on your chair, kneel on your chair, hold a stork stand, perform and hold a 'v' sit, hands on heads, shoulders, knees, toes, touch your chair, desk, elbow, nose, point up, down, left, right, perform three star jumps

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

Children either sit at or stand behind their desks and listen to a teacher read story.

Each time the teacher reads a 'doing word' (verb), the children must demonstrate this behind their desks eg:

"Tom and Mary walked quickly (children demonstrate walking quickly) towards the circus exit. They had to constantly look over their shoulder (children demonstrate looking over their shoulder) to see if they were being followed."

The story of course can be modified by the teacher depending on the age and ability of the children.

Equipment:

Children's story book

Space needed:

Classroom

Have kids make 4-6 lines at one end of the classroom
Have a desk at the opposite end of the classroom, one for each line

Each student brings 2-3 objects from their desk with them to their line

1. When the teacher says "go", the first student in line must speed walk to the desk at the other end of the class and set their item down on it, then return to their line and high five for the next student to go.
2. After getting their high five, the next person speed walks down and tries to stack their item on top of the first item and then returns (this step might need a 'time is up' signal).
3. The game continues until one team has all of their items stacked.
4. The first team with all of their items stacked one on top of the other wins one point.
5. The team with the tallest tower wins three points!
6. Change the mode of transport from walking to hopping, side stepping, skipping, backwards walking, two feet jumping and so on.
7. You could also have the children waiting in line hold a certain pose or balance.

Equipment:

Items from children's desks.

Space needed:

Classroom

1. Each student has 3-4 playing cards.
2. Students walk around the classroom until they year the teacher call "card war'.
3. On this signal, students face the person closest to them and fan their cards.
4. Each student then selects a card from the person they are facing and the highest card picked wins.
5. The loser must perform a challenge – 5 x sit ups, 5 x squats, 5 x star jumps, hold a plank for 30 secs, do 5 x step ups on and off a chair …etc
6. Game begins again.

Equipment:

Playing cards

Space needed:

1. Ask everyone to sit on their desks with their legs hanging off the end.
2. The teacher starts with the speedball (soft and squishy) at the front of the class, and asks a question – any question.
3. The teacher throws the ball to a student who has their hand up to answer.
4. If the student misses the catch or answers incorrectly, then the teacher gets the ball back and the game continues.
5. If the student answers correctly, then the teacher will say "Go" and start a timer.
6. The student with the ball must pass to each class member as fast as possible.
7. If anyone moves off their desk or the ball touches the ground, then the round is over.
8. If the ball is successfully passed to each member of the class, then the time is recorded on the board and a new round begins.
9. Students love having their fastest time recorded on the board.

This is a great game to review various classroom concepts.

Equipment:

Soft ball.

Space needed:

Classroom

1. Place a chair in each corner of the room.
2. Have students all close their eyes and lay their heads down on their desks.
3. The teacher then walks around the room and taps 4 students on the head and 4 students on the back.
4. The four students tapped on the head are the assassins.
5. The four students tapped on the back are the detectives.
6. When the teacher says "Go", all students stand up and start moving around the classroom.
7. If anyone talks, they "die" on the spot.
8. The detectives immediately get up, stand on the chairs and start watching for the assassins.
9. The assassins are trying to kill as many people as possible without getting caught.
10. To "kill" someone, the assassin must gently poke them in the back.
11. When someone feels a poke in the back, they can not turn around or make any indication as to who poked them, but must instead count to 5 then "die" in a very dramatic way (they will stay on the ground until the next round).
12. At any point in the game, a detective can call "Freeze" and everyone must stand still. The detective then has one chance to guess who an assassin is. If they are correct, then the assassin is out of the game, if they are incorrect then the detective is out of the game.
13. Play continues until all of the assassins have been identified, all of the detectives have been eliminated or the teacher calls for a new round.

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

1. The teacher calls out a number, a place in the classroom and a body part.
2. Students must get to that part of the classroom, meet up with the specified number of students and place the specified body part out in front of them.
3. Anyone who doesn't make it in time must go and touch all 4 walls of the classroom before re-joining the game.
4. For example, if the teacher calls "3 Desk Elbow", then students must get to a desk with two other students and place their elbows on the desk.
5. Try these combinations – 2 Back Window, 4 Knee Chair, 6 Anywhere Finger, 3 Floor Bottom, 3 Foot Chair, 5 Hand Desk, 4 Shoulder Wall

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

1. Have your class make a circle.
2. Pick one student to go and stand in the corner with their eyes closed.
3. While the student is in the corner, pick an "Activity Leader"
4. The Activity Leader's job is to keep the whole class moving by doing a variety of activities. Whatever the leader does (frog jumps, squats, hopping, circle turning, toe touching, lunges, stretches etc) the rest of the class must copy exactly.
5. Once the Activity Leader has started the first activity, the student from the corner moves to the centre of the circle and tries to figure out who is the appointed "Activity Leader".
6. The Activity Leader must do each activity for at least 20 secs then try to switch to a new activity without being caught by the person in the middle.
7. The student in the middle has three guesses to figure out who is the leader.
8. If you have a big group you can split into two circles or increase the number of people in the middle of the circle.
9. For a competitive group the challenge is to see how many switches can be made without getting caught, remembering that each activity must be done for at least 20 seconds.

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

1. Have children find a space in the classroom and attempt a series of teacher led isometric poses.
2. The challenge is to hold the pose for as long as possible.
3. Those who falter must re-start but may not win the round.
4. Try these – the plank, a 'v' sit, a bottom sit -  legs and hands off the ground, a stork stand (balancing on one leg, one foot on the opposite knee, arms extended up), tippy toes hold, the flamingo (one leg straight back, arms out to the side), the crab (hands and feet on the floor, torso facing the ceiling), the chair hold (hold your chair up for as long as you can), chair leg extension (sit on your chair, extend both legs out straight and hold) push up hold (begin in a position as if you were about to do a push up – then hold), make the letter "C" (stand tall, arms extended up high then bend to the side to make a curve and  hold), the starfish (balance on one hand and one leg with the other leg and arm extended to make a star).

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

Children stand behind their desks and act out a teacher read "as if" sentence for 20 seconds.

• Jog in place as if a big scary bear is chasing you
• Walk forward as if you are walking through chocolate pudding
• Jump in place as if you are popcorn popping
• Reach up as if you are grabbing balloons out of the air
• March in place and play the drums as if you are in a marching band
• Paint as if the brush is attached to your head
• Swim as if you are in a pool of jelly
• Move your feet as if you are ice skating
• Shake your body as if you are a wet dog

Students might like to create their own action sentences.

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

• Children stand in the aisle between two rows of desks (thus half the class will be working while the other half is watching)
• Children place their hands on the desks on either side of them
• On the signal "Go", supported by their hands, children imitate a bicycling motion with their legs.
• The child who rides the longest without touching the floor with their feet is the winner for the row.
• Winners can compete later for the bike riding champion of the room.

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

• Children can be standing, sitting or seated at desks
• Divide the class in half and position either side of a rope (real or imagined) stretched just above their reach.
• On "Go" the teams try to bat a balloon back and forth aiming to keep the balloon off the floor or the walls.
• The balloon can be batted as often as is necessary.
• Two balloons used at once provide great action.
• A rotation system (like in Volleyball) where students move positions in a clockwise rotation after each point will ensure everyone potentially gets a fair go and a turn at each spot in the room.
• Scoring is accomplished when one side fails to control a balloon and allows it to touch the floor or desk or wall.

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom

• Move desks to form rows, children then sit in the rows to form a team.
• The first person in each row faces the object that is to be passed to the desk behind.
• At the signal to pass, the first person in the row claps hands, picks up the object and passes it overhead to the child behind.
• The next child places the object on the desk, claps once and passes the object overhead.
• The last child in the row receives the object and runs (or power walks) forward to the head of the row, using the aisle to the right.
• After the runner has passed each child in the row, they then each move back one seat, using the same aisle.
• The child with the object now sits in the first seat, places the object on the desk, claps once and passes the object overhead to the person behind.
• This continues until the children are back in their original seats and the object is on the front desk.
• The first row finished wins.

Equipment:

Beanbag, whiteboard cleaner or similar objects for passing

Space needed:

Classroom

Just like the 12 Days of Christmas, except students create and do various activities.Here is an example, easily adapted to the students age and capacity.

1. On the first day of fitness my instructor asked me – Please stand tall, just like a tree
2. On the second day of fitness my instructor said to me  - 2 tuck jumps and stand tall just like a tree
3. On the third day of fitness my instructor said to me – 3 sit ups, 2 tuck jumps and stand tall just like a tree
4. On the fourth day of fitness my instructor said to me – 4 star jumps, 3 sit ups, 2 tuck jumps and stand tall just like a tree
5. On the fifth day of fitness my instructor said to me  - 5 arms a circling, 4 star jumps, 3 sit ups, 2 tuck jumps and stand tall just like a tree
6. On the sixth day of fitness my instructor said to me – lie and stand back up, 5 arms a circling, 4 star jumps ……
7. On the seventh day of fitness my instructor said to me – running on the spot, lie and stand back up, 5 arms a circling …….
8. On the eighth day of fitness my instructor said to me – rest for 8 seconds, running on the spot, lie and stand back up ….
9. On the ninth day of fitness my instructor said to me – 9 bottom wiggles, rest for 8 seconds, running on the spot, lie and stand back up, 5 arms a circling.
10. On the tenth day of fitness my instructor said to me – 10 leg stretches, 9 bottom wiggles ….
11. On the eleventh day of fitness my instructor said to me – 11 calf raises, 10 leg stretches, 9 bottom wiggles …
12. On the twelfth day of fitness my instructor said to me – 12 arm stretches, 11 calf raises, 10 leg stretches, 9 bottom wiggles …

See what your students can come up with!

Equipment:

None

Space needed:

Classroom