Field Day
It is that time of year again. All of us P.E. teachers are planning Field Day. I have included 5 of my favorite Field Day Activities that can all be used inside or outside. Planning Field Day seems to be the hardest part of the process. I have been teaching physical education for 15 years, and each Field Day I have planned and executed have been different. I enjoy it each year and am happy to share some of this year’s ideas below.
The Glass Half Full
Equipment:
- Split Team Mug
- 4 Small Buckets
- 4 Large Buckets
- Water (outdoor) and/or Ping Pong Balls or pom poms (indoor)
- Polyspots and cones for markers
Set-Up:
- Place 4 large buckets/bends about 3 feet apart on one end and 4 small buckets (all the same school) directly across from them about 20 feet away.
- Fill up the large buckets with water. (If you are playing inside fill it up with ping pong balls.)
- Place a mug half next to each large and small bucket.
- Put 4 cones in the the middle of playing area. This is where the teams will transfer water from one mug to the other.
- Divide the students into 4 groups. Depending on how many students are in each group, put 2 students behind the small bucket and 2 students behind the large bucket.
Rules:
- On the word “go” the first person at the large bucket (student “A”) takes the mug and gets as much water out of the large bucket as possible and runs or walks to the cone in the middle. The person that is behind the small bucket (student “B”) also grabs the mug and meets their teammate at the cone in the middle.
- The student “A” transfers the water into student “B’s” mug. Student “B” returns to the small bucket and dumps the water into the bucket.
- The next person in line repeats this process.
- Each team continues until their small bucket is full.
- The first team to fill their small bucket is the winner.
Variations:
- This game can be played inside with ping pongs instead of water.
- If a ping pong ball touches the ground, it cannot not be used anymore.
Egg-xactly Scooter Relay
Equipment needed:
- Plastic Easter Eggs (different colors and sized)
- Hula hoop for each team
- Scooter for each team
- Polyspots and cones to mark the playing area
Set-up:
Place all the plastic eggs in the center of the gym or playing area. The eggs should be broken apart and mixed up. The 6 hula hoops, cones and scooters should be placed equal distances away from the center. Divide the class into 5 or 6 groups. The hula hoop is used to put all the plastic egg halves inside.
How To Play:
On the “go” signal, the first person of each group will sit on a scooter, go to the center, pick up half of an egg and put it in the hula hoop. Then the next person in the group will get on the scooter and do the same. The game will continue until all the egg halves are gone or until time is up. (I usually don’t tell the students they are looking for matches until the end of the game. I say the goal of the activity is to get as many egg halves as possible.) Once all the egg halves are gone, tell each group to match as many eggs as they can. The group with the most matches wins.
Rules:
- Students can ONLY grab half of an egg at a time.
- All students must SIT on the scooter when it’s their turn.
Mouse Trap
Equipment needed:
- 6 Speed Stacks Jumbos per team (3 stacks of jumbo cups)
- One set of Speed Stacks per team (6 stacks of speed stacks)
- One cone or marker per team (6 cones)
Set-up:
Begin by placing each team’s set of Jumbos in the center of the area. I would suggest setting up enough for 6 teams. In this example we’re going to set up the relay as a starburst design. Next, place a downstacked 3-3-3-3 starting three feet away from the center Jumbos. Space cups evenly apart and set cones or markers around the outside perimeter to represent the starting line for stackers.
How To Play:
On the ‘go’ signal, the lead stacker upstacks the 3-3-3-3 pattern advancing toward the center Jumbos. Once the Jumbos are reached, the stacker takes one Jumbo and sets it on the ground, then runs back to tag the next stacker in line. The next stacker downstacks the 3-3-3-3 pattern and sets the next Jumbo cup on top of the previous one, stacking them end-to-end creating a tower. This pattern is repeated until all Jumbos are stacked in tower form. Remember, prior to reaching the Jumbos, each stacker is either upstacking the 3-3-3-3 or downstacking the 3-3-3-3 pattern, not both. Once the final Jumbo is placed, completing the tower, team members raise their hands in the air signifying their team’s completion.
Rules:
- Stackers must keep their feet behind the starting cone/marker until they are tagged by the returning stacker.
- If a stacker knocks over a cup(s) they must fix it to its proper position before continuing the race.
- If the Jumbo tower is knocked over, the stacker must fix the tower before continuing.
This is a diagram of what the set-up looks like.
This is what the tower looks like as it is being built.
Spoon Relay
Equipment needed:
- Spectrum™ Jumbo Ostrich Egg & Spoons
- Small River Stepping Stones
- Large Stepping Stones
- Hurdles
- Polyspots & Cones to mark the playing area
Set-up:
Use the hurdles and stepping cones to make 5 or 6 similar obstacle courses. Mark the beginning and end of each course with cones. Divide the class into 5 or 6 groups. Each team needs to line up a different obstacle course.
How To Play:
On the “go” signal, the first person balances the egg on the spoon and goes through their teams obstacle course without dropping the egg. If someone drops the egg, they must start back at the beginning. Then the next person in the group completes the obstacle course. The game will continue until each person has a turn.
Rules:
- Students can NOT touch the egg with their hand.
- If the student drop the egg, they must start back at the beginning.
Operation
Equipment:
- 6 Laminated Operation Lists
- 12 Paddles (same-size)
- 6 Cones
- 6 Hula hoops
- 6 Jump ropes (small)
- 6 Frisbees
- 6 Spectrum beanbags
- 6 Beanbag animals
- 6 Pieces of food
- 6 Deck rings
- 6 Noodle halves
- 6 Spike balls
- 20 Dry erase markers
Set-Up and Rules:
Prior to kids arriving objects are scattered in the area. I make copies of the “Operation List” on cardstock and laminate the sheets, so we can reuse them. Kids are divided into 4-6 teams depending on the class size.
Download the Operation List here.
How To Play:
The teams are placed behind a cone with the objects they will be finding on a list. There is also a hula hoop there and each team is given 2 paddles. The first person runs to the area and picks up 1 item by squeezing it between the 2 paddles. If they drop the item, they pick it up again and bring back to their hoop. They must only bring one of each item to their team. First team to collect all 8 is the winner.
About Jennie Graves:
I am a Physical Education teacher in Plaquemine, Louisiana who loves crafting, my students, my family, and riding on the back of my husband’s Harley Davidson. I currently live in Addis, Louisiana with my husband Chris and our three kids: Abby, Wyatt and Kameron. This is my 15th year as an Elementary P.E. teacher. I got my Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from LSU. Go Tigers!
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