Jennie Graves here from MSA West Academy. We are doing holiday stations in P.E. this week to get into the Christmas spirit. We also use it as a review of all the skills we have done for the second nine weeks. It does require some equipment, but all you have to use is a little creativity.

Purpose: To reinforce previously learned concepts in a fun holiday station set up.

Suggested Grade Level: K-5

Teaching Suggestions: Make sure you watch for safety during the activity especially with the scooters.

Holiday PE Station Descriptions

This is an activity that is wonderful to use the week or days before the holiday break. My students really enjoy the holiday music on while they are at the stations. I have 10 stations listed but if you want to use less you can. I usually partner teach the week before the holidays.

Candy Cane Bowling

Equipment:

• Bowling pins
• Bowling balls
• Candy cane cutouts

Set up a few bowling lanes. Tape pictures of candy canes on the bowling pins (only 3-5 pins for each one). Students take turns with a partner bowling and trying to knock down the pins.

Stocking Stuffers

Equipment:

• Cones
• Christmas stockings
• Bean bags

Set up 2 cones about 5-7 feet apart. One student stands at a cone and holds a Christmas stocking. The other student is at the other cone and has a bean bag. Students use the underhand throw to toss the bean bag and the partners try to catch the bean bag in the stocking. After 5 attempts the partner switches places.

Gingerbread Houses

Equipment:

• Hula hoops

Two students will have 6 hula hoops to build a gingerbread house (Hula Hoop Hut). I always display a picture of a hula hoop hut as a reference. If time permits, have the students try to crawl through the gingerbread house without knocking it down.

Rooftop Balance

Equipment:

• Poly spots (or other obstacle items)
• Stacking cups

Students move through the obstacle course pretending it is the rooftop of a house. Once they make it to the other side, students complete a sport stacking pattern. The teacher will explain that they are completing the balance training.

Dancer

Equipment:

• Jump ropes

Dancer the reindeer says, “Grab a jump rope and jump over it forward and backwards.”

Chimney Toss

Equipment:

• Frisbees
• Carpet squares (felt squares or poly spot squares work too)
• Chimney (or Santa) cutouts

Students stand around the “Chimney” and throw the frisbee on to the square. After throwing the frisbee, students may retrieve them and keep throwing until it is time to rotate to the next station. Tell the “Reindeer” they need to help Santa toss the toys down the Chimney!

Dodging Snowmen

Equipment:

• Bowling pins
• Basketballs
• Snowmen cutouts

Set up 12 bowling pins (with pictures of snowmen taped to them) in a line with a few feet apart. Students will dribble a basketball around the “snowmen” while guarding the ball. This activity helps student work on protecting the ball while dribbling around obstacles.

Jingle Bell Keep Up

Equipment:

• Balloons
• Jingle bells

Place a small jingle bell inside a balloon, then blow up the balloon. Each student will strike the ballon with their hand. The goal of the activity is to play “keep up,” and try not to let the balloon hit the ground. The bell inside the balloon makes it a little bit more challenging.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Equipment:

• Bean bags
• Scooters

Spread out a bunch of bean bags to represent the presents in Whoville. The Grinch (each student) will lie down on a scooter and try to steal the presents one at a time. Once all the bean bags are gone, see which Grinch had the most presents. And most importantly, have each Grinch return the presents.

Snowball Toss

Equipment:

• White yarn balls
• Targets (bowling pins, hula hoops, cones with mini footballs, pictures)

Students use white yarn balls (or balled up pieces of paper) as snowballs to throw at a variety of targets that are on the floor or on the wall. As long as it is safe, let students decide if they want to throw overhand or underhand.

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!