PE class gives kindergarten students a chance to burn off energy. The physical games and activities also improve coordination and motor skills in young children. The typical gym class setup usually includes a warm-up, the main activity and the cool down. A variety of gym games keep the students engaged and help develop a positive attitude toward physical activity. Games that are age-appropriate ensure the kids can perform without injury.
Letter Locator
This kindergarten gym activity reinforces the students’ letter recognition as they stay active. Place several different letters around the gym, either taped to the floor or hung on the wall. Use the entire alphabet or only a few letters. You’ll need at least three copies of each letter to help disperse the students. Review the letters with the students before starting the game. Call out a way of moving, such as hopping, skipping or running. Call out a particular letter. The kindergarten students move in the stated way to get to the specified letter. For example, you might have them hop like a bunny to the letter B. This game is easy to modify to fit numbers, colors, shapes or other basic concepts.
Ribbon Movement
Ribbon sticks give kindergarten students a chance to practice their motor skills while watching the fluttering ribbons. Each child needs her own ribbon stick and enough space around her to avoid hitting her classmates. Give specific directions for different ways to move the ribbon sticks. You might have the children make circles, squiggles or diagonal line patterns with the ribbons. Another option is to have the kids lie on the floor and move the ribbons along the floor or overhead in particular patterns. Give the kids some time at the end to experiment with their own methods of moving the sticks.
Childhood Rhyme Actions
Many nursery rhymes and children’s songs include some sort of action that works well as the basis of a PE activity. Let the kids act out the main action in a modified way to fit into gym class. For “Jack Be Nimble,” the kids might jump over a cone or other low object a specified number of times. Have them imitate a rowing motion for “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.
Airplanes
This kindergarten gym activity appeals to the airplane lovers in the group. The kids pretend to be airplanes flying around the gym with their arms out like wings. They must avoid crashing into other “airplanes” in the gym. Blow a whistle or give a command to let the kids know it’s time to land. The kids pretend to fly to a specified area that represents an airport. Give another signal to indicate it is time to take off. This idea also works with an animal theme. Designate a corral area for the animals. Call out a different type of animal. The kids move around the gym like that animal until you give the signal to head into the corral.
