P.E. Easter Throwing Game - Jellybean Wars

Jellybean Wars

The week before Easter, I wanted to come up with a game involving pretend jellybeans.  In the past we've played a throwing game called "Star Wars", so I thought we'd do something similar called "Jellybean Wars".  The kids loved it!  I played this with 2nd-5th graders and they all had a lot of fun!

Equipment Needed:
Tons of small foam balls,yarn balls, or other small soft balls (25-50)
4 Large, clean garbage cans, or other containers that are similar size
6 smaller containers (I used buckets)
Music (optional)


Description of Activity:
Players practice the overhand and underhand throw by throwing pretend "jellybeans" into "Easter baskets".


Set-Up:
Divide class into 2 teams.  Each teams has to stay on their side of the gym.  The half court line divides the teams.  Place tons of foam balls around the playing area.  Place 2 garbage barrels on each side of the gym.  Place 3 (or more) smaller containers/buckets on each side of the playing area.  Make sure the barrels/buckets are placed in a variety of distances from the half court line so that players can throw balls far or close, depending on skill level.

Rules:
1) Players are to pick up balls (aka. jellybeans) and try to throw them into the buckets/containers (aka. Easter baskets).
2)  Players must not cross the half court line.
3)  Aim for buckets that are on the other team's side (don't throw jellybeans into the Easter baskets on your side of the gym).
4)  Player may not stand and block the Easter baskets.  Players may catch jellybeans or attempt to stop them from landing in the Easter baskets, but they may not stand and guard a basket.   (We had a 5 second rule....no standing for more than 5 seconds.)
5)  Players begin game on their team's end line.  When teacher starts music, they may begin playing.  
6)  Optional - After a period of time (2-5 minutes), the teacher may stop the game to count how many jellybeans each team got in their Easter baskets.    Baskets placed farther from the half court line could be worth more points (because these are more challenging).

Penalty for Breaking a Rule - Player had to do 10 Bunny Hops on the sideline, OR you could tell them to do bunny hops for a period of time (watch the clock and when it changes they can come back into the game).  

Videos of Jellybean Wars - 5th Grade


3rd Grade

P.E. Easter Jellybean Tag

This game is very similar to Easter Egg Tag.

Equipment Needed:
2 rubber rings (or small pieces of foam pool noodles) for tagging players
2 Bunny ears (optional)

Description of Activity:
In this game, we pretend that the players are jellybeans and the taggers are Easter bunnies.   Bunnies could wear bunny ears as an option.

The end lines are safe.  Begin game with players lined up on the end line and 2 taggers in the middle circle.   Tell each player what color of jelly bean they are going to be (or have players choose what color they want to be).  Limit colors to 3-4 (example: purple, yellow, pink, black).  When taggers call a color, those players (aka. jellybeans) run across to the other safe line.   You could also have boys be one color and girls be another color.  If taggers call "Jellybeans" then ALL players run. 

If they make it without being tagged they are safe and wait for their color to be called again.  If they are tagged, the player sits down on the floor and curls up small like a jelly bean.  They may stand up and run to the end line when another player helps them by touching their back.

Choose new taggers every 2-3 minutes.  

Notes:

1)  For a more aerobic game, eliminate the end lines being "safe".  Play is continuous.  Players move in the area while taggers chase them.  Tagged players sit like a jellybean and others can help them by touching their back.  

2)  Whenever we play tag with the end line being safe, I give a "penalty" to any player who runs too fast across the line and crashes into the end wall.    I have heard stories of kids breaking their wrists due to running into the wall and putting their hands up to stop themselves.  The penalty exercise I use is ABC push-ups.  This really helps keep kids safe because they remember to stop at the line!

Click here to view my "Easter Egg Hunt" game!

P.E. Easter Egg Tag

There are so many different ways to play Easter Tag.  Here is how we played Easter Egg Tag this week in P.E. class.

Equipment Needed:
Plastic Easter Egg for every student (3-4 different colors)
2 rubber rings (or small pieces of foam pool noodles) for tagging players

Description of Activity:
In this tag game, the end lines are safe.  Begin game with players lined up on the end line and 2 taggers in the middle circle.  Each player holds a plastic Easter egg in their hand at all times.  The taggers will call a color and any player holding that color of Easter egg has to run to the opposite end line.    If they make it without being tagged they are safe and wait for their color to be called again.  If they are tagged, the player sits down and holds up arms making the shape of an Easter Egg (holding their plastic egg up at the top).  They may stand up and run to the end line when another player helps them by touching their back.

Choose new taggers every 2-3 minutes.  

Notes:

1)  For a more aerobic game, eliminate the end lines being "safe".  Play is continuous.  Players move in the area while taggers chase them.  Tagged players sit like an egg and others can help them by touching their back.  

2)  If you do not have plastic Easter eggs, student can pretend they have one and just remember what color they are.  (I used purple, pink, blue and green). 

3)  Whenever we play tag with the end line being safe, I give a "penalty" to any player who runs too fast across the line and crashes into the end wall.    I have heard stories of kids breaking their wrists due to running into the wall and putting their hands up to stop themselves.  The penalty exercise I use is ABC push-ups.  This really helps keep kids safe because they remember to stop at the line! 

4)  I also give a penalty exercise for any student who DROPS their Easter egg.  This rule keeps students from throwing their eggs up in the air and potentially dropping/breaking them.

Click here for More Easter Games!

P.E. Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Egg Hunt

I am looking forward to this year's Easter egg hunt!  Last year I bought TONS of plastic Easter eggs on sale to use for P.E. class.  I set up an Easter egg hunt for all of my students the week before Easter.   It is ideal to play outside, but I also did this in the gym and it worked out fine.  The kids loved this game and had lots of fun!

Equipment Needed:
Lots of plastic Easter eggs (I used a couple hundred)
Cones - all sizes (I used all I had, about 30)
Domes (optional - these are just for hiding eggs under)
Easter baskets (4-10)
Gym mats (if inside)
Cardboard boxes (if you need to create more hiding spots for eggs)

Description:
There are many ways to do this hunt.  The most standard way is put the students in 4 groups/teams.  Treat it like a relay race.  Students take turns running out into the field to find TWO Easter eggs.  I did not allow them to take more than TWO.  Players run back to their team (who is standing in line) and put their two eggs into their team's Easter basket.  Hunt continues until no one can find any more eggs.  Groups may count to see how many eggs they have.  After the hunt, I have students hide the eggs for the next class!

Options: 
1)  If you would like to play this again, after hiding eggs tell the students each team has to find a specific color.  Example:  Team 1 = blue eggs, Team 2 = pink eggs, Team 3 = yellow eggs, Team 4 = green eggs.  Any left over colors can be freebies for any team.  Example = Purple eggs are for any team to collect!

2)  Another option is to make more teams so students have more turns to run (groups of 2 or 3).  Or, if you have 4 teams, you could allow TWO players from each team to hunt together.

Set-Up:
This hunt does take some prep work!  But, it is worth it when you see how much the children enjoy it.  First, mark a line or use a cone to show where each team lines up for the relay.  Last year I painted huge numbers in the grass so each team knew where to stand.  You could also put a cone there and tape a piece of paper to the cone with the number written on it.  Give each team an Easter basket to collect their eggs.

Scatter cones, domes, cardboard boxes, Easter baskets, etc. out in the playing area.  Put a few up close, some in the middle, and many far out!  Make it a challenge!  Hide the plastic eggs under cones and other items.  If inside the gym, you can stand mats up vertically and use them as walls to hide baskets, etc.  When playing outside I also scattered some unhidden eggs just in the grass.

Videos will be posted when we play this before Easter!

P.E. Bowling Game - Pinball

Pinball

If you're looking for a great team game which involves bowling skills, try this one out! I've
played with Preschool (4 year olds) through 5th grade. It is loved by all ages and is easily adaptable for skill levels.

Click PINBALL for a printable version of this game.



Here's what we did during recess (5th grade). This is one of my first students to learn how to jump double dutch! AWESOME!