Ideas for activities in the classroom or the PE hall/playground

On the Road

B Have children stand at their chairs.

B Ask them to listen as the leader calls out different words connected with being on the road. Then ask them to do the following actions when each of the words is called out:

» Green light – Jog on the spot » Red light – Stop » Orange light – Jump up » Roundabout – Turn around on the spot » Traffic jam – Squat down and tip the ground and then stand up » Motorway – Run on the spot Luck of the Draw

B The leader asks pupils as a class to contribute ideas for simple exercises, for example: » Jump in and out, bringing your legs together and apart » Jump in and out diagonally » Squat down and up » Walk sideways and tap your head » Do a full turn with your hands on your hips B The leader writes down 10 of these ideas.

B Pop all the ideas into a pot (or a suitable container). B In a second pot, pop in 11 pieces of paper, each with one of the following numbers - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. B The leader shuffles around the pieces of paper in the first pot until someone says

‘stop’ and they pull out the exercise they have in their hand.

B Do the same for the second pot. B The whole class has to do whichever exercise was chosen, repeating it the number of times chosen – but it’s all the luck of the draw!

B The leader keeps pulling out new activities for the class until all 10 are done!

Move to the Groove B Have each player name various ways they can move their hands, feet, arms and bodies, such as: » stomp or tap their feet » move their arms up, down, out straight, or around » snap, pat, or clap their hands » move their bodies by bending, stretching, jumping, etc.

B Divide the class into their groups and have them make up a pattern to do over and over such as: two claps and three stamps; snap, tap, clap – snap, tap, clap.

Or, they could use arm and hand motions such as arms up, hands on hips, arms up and arms down at sides.

B Have each group perform their arrangement for the other children who then join in and follow their lead. Have the groups start very slowly and gradually increase their speed as they continue to lead their pattern. B A variation is to have them make up a chant to go with their movements. For example,

“Bend to the left, bend to the right, then clap your hands with all your might”.

Healthy Heroes Says B The leader stands in front of the other players and tells them what to do. For example, » Clap your hands » Pretend you are hoola hooping » Jump up high » Jazz hands » Jog on the spot B But! The players should only respond to commands that begin with the words

“Healthy Heroes says…”. B If the leader says “Healthy Heroes says jump up high”, the players should jump. B But if the leader simply says “Jump”, the players must not jump. B If anyone jumps, they’re out of the game!