Skip to content ↓

PE games for home

Small Games and Activities to play at home or alone: please ensure that you are supervised in these activities and are using a suitable space to undertake them.

Solo Ball Skills

They do not need teammates to practice skills.

Shooting baskets is a great game for kids to play alone. So is practicing soccer skills like dribbling or shooting on goal. If you have a rebounding net, kids don't need a partner to play catch with a football or baseball, either. Also, a pitching machine is an inexpensive way for kids to put in some extra baseball practice.

Dancing 

All it takes is music. You can also use games, such as Just Dance or Zumba classes. These can help kids build a repertoire of moves.

Go for a Ride

Encouraging your child to go on a little bike or scooter ride is a great option. It's also a perfect solo activity. You will need to set boundaries and make sure kids know and obey safety rules before they set out, though.

Solo Balloon Volleyball 

Volleyball is usually a team sport, but it's a lot of fun for one, too. All you need is a balloon and, with a few boundaries set, it can be an indoor game.

Set up a ribbon to act as a net and blow up a balloon for a ball. Then challenge your child to play volleyball—on both sides of the net! They hit the balloon up and over the ribbon, then scoot under to hit it from the other side, and so on until the balloon wafts to the ground.

Chalk games

On a nice sunny day, a tub of sidewalk chalk can keep many kids busy for a long time. They can use the chalk to make hopscotch, mazes, obstacle courses, and much more. You might even show them photos of amazing sidewalk chalk art by professional artists to inspire their own artwork.

Captain’s Orders

Captain’s Orders is the perfect choice for a competitive group of kids who want to outdo each other.  It can really test your student’s endurance levels and improve their fitness.  The game begins with one person being nominated to be the “Captain”.  

The Captain is limited to a set of commands, which you can alter if you have specific fitness objectives for the class to reach.  You could use a mixture of fun commands and physically demanding ones, like:

  • Captain’s coming
    The crew must salute the captain and stand at attention

  • Run to starboard/port
    The crew must run to the left (port) or right (starboard) sides of the room and touch the wall.

  • Scrub the deck
    The crew must do 10 pushups

  • Man the lifeboats
    The crew will perform 10 sit-ups while moving their arms like oars

Cops and Robbers (Team tag game)

There are many fun variations of tag that are useful for PE classes.  In “Cops and Robbers”, the PE class is divided into two teams — the cop team and the robber team.  The cops will pursue the robbers to tag them.  Once a robber is tagged, they must go to a section of the playing area that has been nominated as the “jail”.

Robbers who have not been tagged can release their team mates by sneaking into the jail and tagging them.  The game is complete when the cops have managed to round up all of the robbers.  Playing this game in an outdoor area with plenty of places to hide can make it even more enjoyable.

Wheelbarrow races

This activity is very challenging and a lot of fun.  It’s best suited for fit students with decent upper body strength.  Split the group up into teams of two people that will stand on one side of the gymnasium.  Each team will have one person go into plank position while the other grabs them by the ankles.  Or time yourself as a pair and try to improve your personal best.

Headstand/handstand practice

There are many advantages to teaching basic gymnastic techniques in the classroom.  Headstands and handstands are a particularly useful gymnastic skill that can be practiced indoors on carpet or outdoors on grass. Begin by teaching students correct headstand form — from getting into a correct starting position to eventually lifting their legs and completing the move.  

High Jump Competition

This simple game is a great way for kids to have some fun while testing their athleticism.  Have the children split into groups of two and stand next to a brick wall.  Have them jump as high as they can, touching the highest brick they can reach with their hand.  Each child gets 3 jumps.  

The highest jumper in each pair gets to go through to the next group, were they are paired off again and will get another three jumps.  Eventually, you will discover who the highest jumper in the group is.  You could also have a standing long jump competition to see who can jump the furthest.

Simon Says

This is another classic game that young children love.  It is easy to incorporate it into a PE class and everyone will know the rules.

Gymnastic Talent Show

Have the students split into groups of 3-4 children each and ask them to devise a short gymnastic routine that shows off their skills.  Encourage them to do their best, but remind them to only perform stunts they are comfortable with. 

I Spy, Fitness Version

I, Spy is a favourite game of children everywhere.  One person will identify a physical object that is visible nearby and everyone else will have to guess what it is, using a series of questions.  This  game combines I, Spy with 20 Questions to provide the kids in your PE class with an excellent workout.

Start by spotting an object in the area, like a basketball ring.  Going around the class, each student can ask one question about the item you are thinking of, or guess what it is.  If the answer to their question is “No” or their object guess is incorrect, the entire class must perform an exercise.  The number of repetitions they must perform increases every time they get the answer wrong.

Funny Running

This is a super fun PE game that young children will love.  The objective of funny running is to get from one side of the gymnasium to the other while running like an animal.  You can choose a different animal for each pass, including monkeys, snakes, horses, and kangaroos.  

You can also have the kids run across the gymnasium while performing a funny dance like the Floss Dance or teach them some disco moves.  Put some catch music on and they will have the time of their lives as they exercise!

Speed Bounce 

Children choose a line or a mark on the floor. At a signal, they jump from one side to the other, counting how many bounces they can make before they are told to stop. 

Mark your partner 

Put the children into pairs. One is the leader; one is the follower. The follower must try to stay close enough to the leader to touch them on the shoulder, without touching them. The children move around the space. When the teacher says “freeze!” the follower checks to see if they can still touch the leader on the shoulder. Then swap roles. 

Standing long jump practice 

Put the children in pairs and ask them to stand on a line. Partner one jumps as far as they can from the line. Partner 2 stands where Partner 1 landed. Partner 1 returns to the line, takes one step to the side (this is quite important) and jumps again, trying to beat their previous distance. 

Slow Race 

Line the children up facing forward. Decide on a finish line. The winner is the child who reaches the line last without stopping moving. If a child is seen to stop moving, they are out and must move to the side. They then become a judge, looking out for other people have stopped moving! No bumping or pushing allowed. This is a nice calming cool down activity. 

Catch the Cane 

Have the students form a circle or divide the class in two and make two circles. Each student has a number from 1 to the end. One student is "It" and stands in the middle of the circle holding a cane or meter stick with one end on the floor. This student calls out one of the numbers and let's go of the cane. 

The student whose number was called, must catch the cane before it falls to the floor. If s/he fails, s/he becomes "It".

The Mouse Trap 

Half of the class join hands and form a large circle. 

The other half of the class are mice and run in and out of the circle. 

On a signal from the teacher, the trap closes (students drop arms and squat). 

All mice caught in the trap are out. Repeat until all the mice are caught and then switch the mice and the students forming the trap. 

Lasers around the house 

Set up coloured string pulled tightly across your kids rooms or in certain hallways, and you have to go over and under the lasers each time you traverse the hallway.

Don’t touch the lasers!

The floor is lava. This is both great for exercise around your apartment, for a fun date night or night with the kids, and for playing True American. Though one is slightly more healthy than the other.

Build your own workout

If getting to a gym class, or paying for one, is putting you off working out, don’t worry – you can get the same benefits from a home workout. Use the ready-made Healthier. Happier. workouts, or build your own routine of individual exercises.

Frisbee

Frisbee is a quick and easy way to get moving with a friend. Count how many times you can throw the frisbee back and forth without dropping it, and make it more of a workout by asking them to make you run for it.

Catch and kick

Anyone with kids will know that sometimes entertaining them takes priority over looking after your own health. Kill two birds with one stone and take them to the park to kick a footy or throw a ball back and forth. Once everyone’s practised their kicking, throwing and catching skills, take things to the next level by asking them to throw or kick long and make you run for it.

Water balloon battle

For some people, the best way to get active is to make it a competition. Gather some friends, fill a basket with pre-filled balloons and try to stay dry!

Master a jump rope routine

Jumping rope is great aerobic exercise and will get your heart rate up in no time. Get fancy by learning a jump rope routine – you can find tutorials online for everything from basic tricks through to complicated routines.

Practise a yoga arm balance

If you’ve been thinking that yoga is all about gentle flows and deep breaths, think again. Arm balances call on core, arm and shoulder strength as well as the focus yoga is renowned for fostering. Start with something easy and spend some time each week developing your strength.

Obstacle course

Create your own obstacle course. Include a ball, jumping, crawling, sidesteps. Time yourself and try to improve.

Heads and Volleys

Try to score a goal by header or a volley. Need a football.

Horse

Can be adapted to any sport. Take a shot and have your partner try to replicate the shot. If they fail they get a letter. First to spell HORSE loses.

Practice your own sporting hobby

Use your equipment to put some extra practice in. Shoot hoops, Dance, Score a goal, pass and catch, skate, ride a bike.

Hula Hoop

While the trick is one of the basics, it takes practice to master. Once you've got the hang of it, encourage each other to try something fancier: Shift the hoop up and down your neck, or get a pair of hoops and see if you can whirl one on each arm at the same time.

Make Targets 

If you set your hoops on the ground or prop them upright against a wall or tree, you can use them as targets for beanbags, water balloons, or foam darts.

Want something a little more challenging? Use a rope to hang the hoop from the beam of a playset or a tree branch to create a moving target.

Roll Along 

For centuries, kids have been using sticks to roll upright hoops along the ground. For a modern take on "hoop rolling," have your child see how far they can roll a hoop with a stick or their hand before it falls over.

Once they get the hoop rolling, draw a line with chalk and challenge them to trace the path with the hoop. For an added challenge, put up obstacles (such as small traffic cones, plastic bowling pins, or even lawn chairs) or devise a clever maze for them to navigate.

Hoop-Scotch 

You'll need several hoops for this game. Lay each hoop on the ground in a pattern your child can hopscotch through. You can also arrange two parallel rows of hoops for kids to race through like a tire run.

Ring Toss 

Place two hoops about eight feet apart (you might have to adjust the distance depending on players' ages and skills). Give each child one or two beanbags. The goal is to toss their bean bag(s) into their opponent's hoop while at the same time preventing their opponent's bags from landing in their own hoop. They can use their hands, feet, or any other part of their body to deflect the incoming beanbags.

With a little more planning and a safety-first mindset, try the human version:

Have one kid put on a bike helmet and stand still inside a hoop base. The other players can then take turns trying to toss a hula hoop over the human target from a predetermined spot. Each kid can have a turn donning the helmet, and you can make the game more challenging by increasing the distance of the starting point for the toss with each round.

Hoop Jump

No jump rope? No problem! Show your kid this neat hooping trick.

Stand with the hoop vertically in front of your body, then flip it down toward your feet. Next, jump over it, bring it back behind you, then over your head and back to where you started.

To avoid skin knees, have your kid try it in the yard on the soft ground first in case they stumble.

Up High 

It sounds simple, but this trick is harder than it looks.

Have kids take turns tossing a hula hoop straight up in the air with the goal of catching it on the way down. Just remember to put everyone's safety first: Onlookers may want to stand clear while your kids try to master this one.

7 up Ball game

To play the 7-Up ball game, all you need is a smooth, flat surface (a wall or a floor) and a bouncy ball. If you have a safe, open indoor space (without breakables), you can even play 7-Up inside. Kids can play the 7-Up game solo or with friends. The game is simple to learn but challenging enough to keep your child's interest. Most importantly, it gets them moving to boost their physical activity time.1

  • Supplies: Bouncy ball, such as a tennis ball or soft, small rubber ball

  • Where to Play: Garage, basement, driveway, playground, schoolyard, cul-de-sac

  • How to Play Find a safe space to play. Outside, you need a flat area where you can safely bounce a small ball, such as a tennis ball or a rubber ball. The 7-Up game is traditionally played against a smooth wall or even a garage door. Brick or concrete works better. 

The object of the game is to bounce the ball against the wall a set number of times while performing a specific skill in between bounces.

Sevensies: Bounce the ball against the wall seven times. Catch it on the seventh time.

  • No-wall version: Bounce the ball against the ground seven times.

Sixies: Bounce the ball against the wall and then allow it to bounce once on the ground before you catch it and throw it again. Repeat six times.

  • No-wall version: Throw the ball up in the air six times (no bounces).

Fivesies: Bounce the ball on the ground five times.

  • No-wall version: Bounce the ball on the ground five times, but throw it hard enough so it bounces up over your head. Catch on the way down.

Foursies: Bounce the ball from the ground to the wall and then back to you (this is the opposite of what you do for Sixies). Repeat four times.

  • No-wall version: Throw the ball up, let bounce, then catch. Repeat four times.

Threesies: Bounce the ball on the ground first, then use your palm to bat the ball against the wall, then catch it before it bounces on the floor again. Repeat three times.

  • No-wall version: Bounce the ball, then hit it down again before catching. Repeat three times.

Twosies: Toss the ball under your leg and bounce off the wall, then catch. Repeat.

  • No-wall version: Bounce the ball under your leg, twice.

Onesies: Throw the ball against the wall, spin around completely (360 degrees), then catch the ball before it bounces.

  • No-wall version: Throw the ball up in the air, do your spin while it falls and bounces, then catch.

Want to keep playing? Repeat the whole process, but add in a clap of the hands between each throw/bounce. Then add two claps, and so on. Or change to a finger snap, a knee lift, or some other move. There is plenty of room for creativity.