Active Cube

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Active cube with transparent wallets
Paper (sized to fit into the wallets)
Crayons/pencils
Pictures of moves
Skills
 
Using current topics and interests give children each child a piece of paper and mark makers.
 
Show children pictures of the dragon running very fast, the fairy hopping on her tip toes, the pirate bending down to pick up the treasure, etc.
Show them the word that goes with the picture, i.e. run, hop, bend, etc.
Can you write the word on the paper?  Support them to write the word.
 
Once children have completed the words place them in the wallets of the active cube.  Throw the cube and when it lands all to copy the move on top.
Now we are going to run fast like a dragon, etc.
 
Benefits
Supports the development of gross and fine motor skills, Spatial Awareness, Balance and help children to use their imagination.

Aim and Score

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Beanbag
Hula hoop
 
Divide children into small groups and line up behind the start line.
Place hula hoops a short distance away from the start line in front of each group.
Place the same number of beanbags as children on the start line.
On the ‘Go’ command, the children at the front of each line should try throwing a beanbag into their hula hoop.
That child moves to the back of the line and the next child steps forward to the start line, picks up a beanbag and tries to throw it in the hula hoop.
Each child in the groups takes a turn to try throwing a beanbag into their hula hoop.
Each team score a point for each beanbag that was thrown correctly into their hula hoop.
 
How can children keep record of their scores?
 
Next place three hula hoops in front of each line – near, middle distance and far.
 
Each child takes a turn to try throw in one of their hula hoops.
 
The teams score:
One point for each beanbag thrown in the near hula hoop
Two points for each beanbag thrown into the middle distance hula hoop.
Three points for each beanbag thrown into the far hula hoop.
 
This is not a competition between the groups; it is a way for them to learn score taking and numbers.
 
Benefits
This helps develop children’s’ skills such as throwing and aiming.  It also supports other areas of learning such as mathematics and social skills, as well as hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, taking turns and problem solving.

Animal Obstacle Courses

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Set up courses that will encourage children to move their bodies in different ways, throw, catch, kick, climb over objects, crawl through tunnels or slither under equipment.
 
Encourage different movements and skills such as run in and out of cones, jump from spot to spot, carrying beanbags on different body parts, and skip from place to place.
 
Challenge children to travel in different ways, i.e. walk, run, hop, skip, jump, walk backwards, etc.
 
Use soft play equipment for rolling, sliding and crawling.
 
Place the picture of an animal next to the different sections of the course to encourage children to move in that way.  The imaginative aspect will make the activity interesting and exciting for children.
 
Encourage children to create their own courses and share with other children.
 
Include climbing, swinging and hanging activities to help develop upper body strength.
 
Sneak in a fine motor skill such as digging in the sand pit, using tongs to place pom-poms into a container or threading beads.  This is great for children who find it hard to sit still to do fine motor activities.
 
When children are confident with other games/activities combine them to make obstacle courses, e.g. Beanbag Relay Race (throw a beanbag into a container), Jumping and Hopping activity, Balancing and Tightrope.
 
Use weekly skills.
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills (and fine motor skills), balance, coordination, spatial awareness, agility, pathways and hand-eye coordination.

Ball Stop

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Give each child a ball
Instruct them to roll the ball and chase it
Call out a body part and the child will need to stop the ball with that part of the body
 
Divide children into pairs
One child rolls a ball and the other child chases it
Call out a body part and the child who is chasing the ball will need to stop the ball with that part of the body
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills, coordination, spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination.

Beanbag Relay Races

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In a large area scatter the same number of beanbags as the number of children.
Divide children into small groups.
Give each group a container.
Explain that each group needs to stand in a straight line behind the start line.
On ‘go’ the children at the front of each line runs and collects a beanbag.
Run back to their group and place beanbag in their container.
Once they have placed their beanbag in their container the next child goes.
Once all beanbags have been collected the game ends.
Once children have mastered this, allocate a different skill to each person, i.e. first person in each row skips, second person in each row hops, etc.
If any children with SEN in the group, allocate the skills that they can attain to the line that they are in.
Next ask children who are waiting their turn to do the allocated skill on the spot, hence they will be doing the same skill on the spot that the child who is collecting the beanbag at the time will be doing.
 
The aim of the game is not to race against each other, it is to see how fast they can all collect the beanbags.
 
Place smaller objects on the floor instead of beanbags to help develop fine motor skills.
 
Benefits
Good for developing gross motor, fine motor, spatial awareness skills, agility, getting children active and teaching them about taking turns and working together.

Big Nursery Rhymes

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1.    Identify a nursery rhyme
2.    Create big, energetic moves to the rhyme
3.    The more you move up and down the more energy you will use
4.    Older children can help create the moves
 
Benefits
Can support skills, other areas of learning, topics, imagination, spatial awareness and children reluctant to do physical activities.

Cats and Cobras (Mini Yo!)

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Split children into two groups
One group to pretend to be cats: on hands and knees (stretch back up to the sky, then stomach down to the floor)
The other group pretend to be cobras, lying on their stomachs push themselves up onto their hands while keeping their hips and legs on the floor
On adult’s command the groups swap over
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills, fine motor skills, balance, and good for stretching.

Chasing Tag

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Spots in a circle
Tuck scarf
Hold 2 beanbags
 
Place 10 to 15 spots in a circle spaced to allow children to jump from one to the next.
3 children stand on a spot (allowing at least 2 spots between them and the child in front of them).
Give each child two beanbags to carry and tuck a scarf into the back of their trousers or tie a ribbon around their waste and tuck the scarf into that.
Children chase child in front of them by jumping from spot to spot.
Each child should try grabbing the scarf from the child ahead of them without dropping their beanbags.
If the child manages to grab the scarf the child whose scarf it is must give them a on of their beanbags.
When a child has no beanbags left they need to give the next child a turn.
 
Use weekly skills to change the game.
 
Benefits
This will help develop gross motor skills, fine motor skills, co-ordination, agility and balance (body control).  They will also learn turn taking.

Cone Catches

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Give each child a piece of A3 card
Draw lines to create a triangle shape that will allow it to be made into a cone
Markers
Scissors
Sellotape
Soft balls.
 
Give each child a piece of card and a pair of scissors
Help them to cut the card on the lines.
Children can then decorate their card with the markers.
Ask them to write their name on their card.
Stick two of the edges together to create a cone.
Child holds the cone with both hands.
Place a small light ball in the cone (such as balls from ball pools).
Show the children how you throw the ball up with the cone and then try to catch it in the cone.
 
When children start to confidently throw and catch the ball start to pair them up.
One child should put their cone down and the other puts their ball down.
The child with the ball throws the ball while the other tries to catch it in the cone.
Do this until the child catches the ball.
They then swap over throwing and catching.
If any children find this difficult pair them up with an adult who can help direct the throw and catches.
Children at this age will still be developing their directional skills when throwing and catching skills.  The cone helps children to create a large catching surface and this will give children the opportunity to develop their aiming skills.
 
Benefits
Support gross and fine motor skills, throwing and catching, hand-eye coordination, balance, spatial awareness and problem solving skills.  This will help children develop catching skills, making it easier for them to catch a large ball with their hands.

Colours

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1.    Start with traffic light colours i.e. Red means stop, Green means go, Amber means jump up and down on the spot
2.    Instruct children as to what they should do
3.    When ‘Red’ prompt is called, ensure that the children stand still for at least 10 seconds (this helps develops balance)
4.    Add additional colours to link with skills i.e. Purple means hop, Blue means run, etc.
5.    To develop children’s balance further, instruct them to stand on one foot when ‘Red’ prompt is called out
6. Children can select their own colours and moves.
 
Benefits
Supports gross motor skills, other areas of learning, topics, imagination, spatial awareness, balance and children reluctant to do physical activities.
 
When children stand still for an extended period of time it helps with balance and to build muscle strength.

Crossing the Midline

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Reach and Throw – Reach for objects such as beanbags, balls, etc. across midline and then throw at a target.

Figure of Eight – Draw large figure eights on paper, on the floor with a finger, in the air with a finger, or drive a toy car around a figure eight pattern.

Sand Play – Scooping sand with hands or a container from one side of the body and place it into a bucket on the opposite side of the body without switching hands.

Driving – Children can pretend to drive a car with a ball or rubber spot in their hands as a steering wheel and encourage them to cross their arms as they turns the ‘steering wheel’.

Sideways Walk – Walk sideways, crossing one foot over the other.

Knee Slap Walk – Walk around raising each knee while touching/slapping it with the opposite hand (or elbow). For older children, change it to a skip while touching the opposite knee as it comes up.

Windmills – Stand with feet apart and arms extended out to the sides. Bend over at the waist and tap right hand to left foot. Stand back up and then bend and tap left hand to right foot.

Clapping Games – Make up games to fit nursery rhymes and song. When done with a partner, the pattern should be something like “Down, clap, cross (clap hands with partner), clap, down” etc.

Hand Jive – Children do this individually and is suitable for any age, adjusting the speed for the age. For older children, speed can be alternated; the brain must process the changes in speed which is an added benefit as children will need to listen for the words “slow,” “medium,” and “fast”.

• Lap – Pat lap twice
• Clap – Clap twice
• Right – Right hand over left hand in sideways motion two times
• Left – Left hand over right hand in sideways motion two times
• Right fist – Right fist on top, taps left fist two times
• Left fist – Left fist on top, taps right fist two times
• Right thumb – Toward right shoulder in “jabbing” motion twice
• Left thumb – Toward left shoulder in “jabbing” motion twice
• (Repeat)

Crossing Hands – Cut right and left hands out of coloured paper and laminate them. Place them on a wall in such a way that kids can cross their hands and walk down the wall by alternating left and right hands.

Benefits
Activities where children are required to cross the body help build the pathways in the brain that improve coordination, reading, writing and overall physical ability.  Also develops gross motor skills, co-ordination, and spatial awareness.

Enchanted Forest

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Set up different activities around the room.
Tell the children that you heard different characters in the forest e.g. dinosaurs, lions, buzz light year etc.

1. Green coloured cones are a forest which children have to run through
2. Small steps are mini mountains to walk up and down
3. Spot markers are stepping stones which they have to jump/leap/hop on in order to get across the river
4. Blue cones signify water they have to swim across

Do different movements on each obstacle (jump in the water, hop on the stepping stones etc.)
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, imagination and links to topics.

Four Corners

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Colours
In a large room or space place a different colour spot in each corner.
All children stand in the middle.
Call out a colour.
Children should run to that corner.
When children find this easy shout out a colour and skill (hop, roll, etc.)
Children will need to move to the correct corner using that skill.
 
Animals
In a large room or space, place a picture of four different animals in each corner.
All children stand in the middle.
Call out an animal.
 
Children should run to that corner.
When children find this easy, allocate a move to each animal.
Children will need to move to the correct corner using that animal’s move.
 
Sorting
In a large room place a spot/marker of different colours in each corner.
Place a mixture of coloured spots/markers in the middle of the space.
Children to collect one spot/marker at a time and place them in the corner with the corresponding colour.
 
Benefits
Supports the development of gross motor skills, spatial awareness and mathematics.

Hunts

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Treasure Hunt
Hide ‘treasures’ (plastic jewellery) around your outdoor area.
Instruct children that there is lost treasure outdoors and they need to find and collect it.
Give them a set time to search for the treasure.
When the time is up and they return have a discussion.  Suggested questions:

• Count how many treasures were found?
• Count how many different colours the treasures are?
• How else can we divide the jewels (i.e. necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, etc.)?
• Count how many necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, etc. there are?
• Who looks for treasure?
• What should you do if you found treasure?

 
Number Hunt
Use cards with numbers on one side and animals on the other side (e.g. Mini Moves cards)
Hide one number per child in the outdoor or large indoor area (number 1 – 10, more than one of each number if more than 10 children).
Explain to children that the numbers are all over the area, incl. climbing equipment, bushes, etc.
Instruct children to search for a number and return pretending to be the animal on the back of the card when they find one.
When all children have returned ask them to arrange themselves in a line in ascending order.
Ask them questions such as:

• Put your hand up if your number is lower than 6.
• Which number goes before 6?
• Which number goes after 8?
• Which number is the smallest number?
• Which number is the largest number?
• Which number has two round circles/ which number has a straight line and a circle, etc.?

 
Benefits
These activities support the development of gross motor skills, fine motor skills, mathematics, problem-solving and social skills.

London Bridge (Mini Yo!)

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Split children into two groups
One group to pretend to be bridges
The other group pretend to be boats, staying still for a short while and then pushing themselves around on their bottoms, pretending to be rowing around a river
On adult’s command the groups swap over, try to swap over regularly so that bridges do not get too tired
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, core strength and body strength.

Mini Yo!

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Warm Ups
Mini Yo! moves can be used individually to warm up and stretch before any high impact physical session/activity.
 
Active Stories
Demonstrate a selection of moves for children to do.
Once children feel comfortable to perform the moves individually, create an active story with a selection of moves.
Use a combination of standing moves and moves on the ground to raise childrens’ heartbeat.
 
Alphabet
Using the ‘Alphabet’ card, demonstrate moves that start with the letters of the alphabet.
Help child to spell their names using their bodies.
Can you write your name?
Now can you spell you name with the mini yo! moves? i.e. T for Tree, A for Aeroplane and M for Mountain spells TAM.
If there is no move for a letter in your look at the alphabet card to see what you should do?  What word starts with that letter?  i.e. Add an ‘M’ and ‘I’ to TAM and it spells TAMMI.  Inhale for I?
 
Benefits
Supports gross motor development, balance, independence, imagination and fine motor skills (spelling and writing).

Monkey Madness

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Equipment: 3 balls or 2 beanbags and 1 ball per team.  Pretend they are fruit.
 
Divide children into groups of up to 6
Each team should stand in a line shoulder to shoulder
Let’s pretend we are all monkeys collecting lots of fruit
 

1. The teams first pass each ball/beanbag with their right hand only (or make a mark/place stickers on their right hand so they can identify which hand they can use) and collect it with their right hand only.
2. The child at the end of the line should drops the ‘fruit’ and shout “Monkey Go!” for the first child to pass the next ‘piece of fruit’
3. Repeat step 1 but with left hands
4. Repeat step 2
5. Then bounce the ball sideways to each other, children can catch with one or two hands
6. If a ‘piece of fruit’ is dropped it must be returned to the beginning of the line and that task needs to be started again.
7. When they have finished passing all the ‘fruit’, the whole group should pretend to be monkeys and should all make monkey noises!

Benefits
Can support coordination, basic skills, social skills, cooperative play and taking turns.

Number Hide and Seek

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Hide cards with numbers on one side and animals on the other side in an inside or outside environment.  Ensure there is at least one card per child.
If there are up to 10 children, hide numbers 1 to 10.  If there are over 10 children either double/triple up the numbers for the younger children or hide numbers up to the equal amount of children.
Explain to the children that they:

1. Should find a card
2. If they recognize the animal on the card then return pretending to be the animal
3. If they do not recognize the animal then they can just run/skip/hop/etc. back

Progressions

1. When they return ask them if they can order themselves into 1 to 10 (highest number)
2. Ask two of the children with small numbers to step forward and ask all children that if their numbers were added together who would come stand with them (i.e. 2 + 3 means the person with number 5 would join them)
3. If there are multiple of the same numbers ask children to find a friend with the same number.
4. Shout out a number and all children must move around like the animal on that number card

Benefits
Gross motor development, development of spatial awareness, development of language, mathematics and listening skills.

On the Farm

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Set up a farm with different farm foods (coloured cones) scattered in an area with an entrance and exit gate on each side of the farm. 
Divide children into groups of 4 or 5, allocating an type of animal to each group.
The teacher calls out an animal group – they enter the gate moving as that animal and collect one piece of food (cone). 
They then exit, return to the beginning and place the food on the same colour pile. 
Repeat with different animals.
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills (and fine motor skills through crawling), spatial awareness and teaches children about working in groups and taking turns.

Paper Fortune Teller

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Start by making a square out of an A4 piece of paper by folding one corner of the paper over to the adjacent side.
Cut off the small rectangle, forming the square, which is already folded into a triangle.
Fold the two opposite ends of the triangle together, forming a smaller triangle.
Unfolding all the folds.
Fold one corner into the central point. Repeat with the opposite corner and then the other two corners.
Flip the paper over.
Fold a corner over to the centre. Repeat with the opposite corner and then the other two corners.
Ending up with a smaller square.
Fold the square in half, then unfold and fold in half the other way.
Unfold and pull the four ends together, making a diamond-like shape. Pick up each of the four square flaps, and put your fingers inside. You will be able to move the four parts around.
Write any four colours on the four flaps.
Flip it over, and write 8 numbers on the triangular flaps.
Write 8 active fortunes inside the flaps underneath the numbers.
Examples of fortunes:

•  Touch your toes 5 times.
• Balance on one foot.
• Jump 7 times.
• Hop 2 times on each foot.
• Hop like a bunny rabbit 5 times.
• Leap like a leopard 4 times.
• Stomp like an elephant 6 times.

They might need help writing this as the space is small.
 
First demonstrate how it works then pair up children so they can take turns to move the fortune teller and select the colours, numbers and perform the fortune.
 
Benefits
Supports fine and gross motor development, social skills, mathematics and literacy.

Racing Animals

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Children to go down to hands and knees
All to move around like animals that walk on all fours, i.e. cat, dog, cow, lion, sheep, etc.
Make the animal noise
Children then move to hands and feet, this should be a greater challenge
All to move around like animals that walk on all fours, i.e. cat, dog, cow, lion, sheep, etc.
Make the animal noise
 
Benefits
This will help develop children’s strength, co-ordination, spatial awareness and balance.

Scarf Dance

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Equipment: Scarves – one per child
 
Children should throw the scarves as high into the air as they can and then try to catch them
As scarves will move in different ways it will encourage children to move in different ways in order to catch the falling scarf
Ask children to throw their scarves into the air and then move in different ways to try catch it, e.g. hop, skip, leap, depending on the skills of the week.
Next ask children to use one hand
Can they catch the scarf with different body parts?
 
Benefits
Supports balance, agility, spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and gross motor development.

Sit Down Stand Up

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Children find a space
Attempt to sit down on the floor with crossed ankles without putting hands and knees down
Attempt to stand up with crossed ankles without putting hands and knees down
Once children can confidently do this repeat without crossing ankles:
Attempt to sit down on the floor with feet flat on the floor without putting hands and knees down
Attempt to stand up with feet flat on the floor without putting hands and knees down – lean back and roll forward to create momentum to stand up
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills, balance, core strength and body strength.

Stop and Go

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Place the same amount of spots as children on the floor
All children move between the spots in different ways (free movement, movement to music, skills, etc.)
On adult’s command, children find a spot and become statues on one.
Children to pair up – one child is statue and other child mover
Remove half the spots
The statues stay as still as possible on a spot while movers move between the statues in different ways without knocking them over. 
On teachers command the movers must find their partner and become the statue on their spot, while their partner becomes a mover and moves in the way indicated by the teacher.
 
Benefits
This develops gross motor skills, balance and spatial awareness.

The Boat (Mini Yo!)

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Sit on the floor with your feet flat on the ground
Pull stomach in tight and keep back straight
Put hands on the floor behind your bottom
Lift feet off the ground (the lower and the straighter your legs the harder)
If you can, lift your hands off the floor and hold them straight out in front of you
Hold the position for a short while
Pretend you are in a stormy sea and the boat capsizes to the one side
The boat manages to float back to normal
It capsizes the other way
It manages to float back to normal again
Pretend to row the boat, moving arms back and forth out to the side
Throw your anchor overboard and dock (put your hands and feet down)
 
Benefits
This develops balance and core strength.

The Knights

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Give each child (The knights) a ball of different weight, size and texture. 
Set out a large circle in the play area as the boundary.
Children stand in a small circle in the large circle facing outwards.
The Knights have to practice slowly rolling their ball and follow it to retrieve it before the ball reaches the boundary.
Encourage the children to try to roll the ball so it stops inside the boundary.
This can also be done with beanbags, where children need to try throwing it out of the boundary.
 
Benefits
This supports the development of rolling and throwing.

Throw & Catch

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Equipment
Beanbag
Markers

1.  Give each child a marker and a beanbag
2.  Children to hold the markers in both hands as if they are holding a bowl
3.  Place the beanbag in the marker
4.  Children to throw the beanbag in the air and catch it
5.  Once they have mastered this, pair up the children, remove one beanbag and instruct them to throw to each other
6.  Once this has been mastered, return the second beanbag and instruct the children to throw and catch the two beanbags at the same time
7. Children to remove one beanbag and one child holds a beanbag while the other child holds both makers like scoops
8. The child with the beanbag throws it and the child with the markers try catching it by clapping the markers together
9.  Next, place one marker upside down on the floor in front of each child
10. Children to throw their beanbag into the marker, see if they can flip the marker over to     cover the beanbag
11. Once they have mastered this, instruct them to step further away from the marker
12.  Turn the marker over and place a ball/object on top
13.  Can the children knock the ball/object off the marker?
14.  What else can you think of for children to aim and throw at?
15.  Children can move at their own pace, hence this activity is good for group of children of various ages or abilities
 
Benefits
Throw and catch can support skills such as throwing, catching, aiming and rolling, other areas of learning, spatial awareness and helps children to develop self-control.