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Fact File 1: Games to play for Year 1
Unit 3: Games activities - unit 1
Year Group: 1

Bat and Ball Relays - Divide children into four teams, each child has their own small ball but shares a bat with the whole team. Each team stands in a line and an empty bucket stands at the opposite end of the work area to them - in a direct straight line.

The first member of the team has the bat and must bounce the ball upwards three times upon the bat. Having done this the team member balances the ball on the bat while walking/running in a straight line towards the bucket. On reaching the bucket the team member deposits the ball and quickly runs back to the next team member, handing over the bat so the whole process can be repeated.

The winning team is the first to deposit all their balls in the bucket and sit in a straight line

Bean Bag Hoop Relay - children are divided into about six teams and each team has four hoops placed in position across the work area.

Children stand in a line, each with their own beanbag, and take turns to throw their beanbag into each hoop. They then jump inside that hoop, pick up the beanbag and throw into the next hoop. If they miss they must pick up the beanbag and throw again. When they reach the last hoop they run back to their team, touch the person at the front of the line and then run to the back of the line and sit down. The winners are the first team to have everyone sitting down.

Bean Bag Goals - Put as many beanbags as possible around the workspace in pairs so that they represent goals. Children work against the rest of the class to score as many points or goals within the given time as they can. To do this they have to run through as many different beanbag goals as they can.

Bean Bag and Cone relays - Divide children into four or five teams, depending upon numbers. Make a course for each team so that children dribble the ball in a straight line, through bean bag goals and around cones. The first child in the team completes the course and then returns to the team by dribbling the ball in a straight line away from the apparatus. They pass the ball on to the next player then run to the back of the line and sit down. The first team that has everyone sitting down, once the course is completed, is the winner.

Beans - children respond to the name of different beans by moving in an appropriate way:

Broad beans - children stretch out arms and legs
Runner beans - children run around
Jelly beans - children shake all over
Chill beans - children shiver and shake
Frozen beans - children stand very still
Baked beans - lay on the floor and sunbath

Beans (version 2) - children respond to the name of different beans by moving in an appropriate way:

Broad beans - children stretch out arms and legs
Runner beans - children run around
Jelly beans - children shake all over
Chill beans - children shiver and shake
Frozen beans - children stand very still
Baked beans - lay on the floor and sunbath
Jumping beans - children jump around the room
Dwarf beans - crawl around on knees
String beans - make a long thin shape
Baby beans - lay on back and wave arms and legs in the air

Cups and Saucers - Divide children into two teams and give each a cup marker or cone that will stand either way. One team sets their markers out around the room with the large hole facing down to represent the saucers. The other team sets their markers out around the room with the large hole facing up to represent the cups.

When the teacher shouts ‘go’ the aim is to turn all the opposing teams markers the opposite way up. e.g. If you were on the cup team you would try and turn all the markers into cups. The winners are the team who has the more turned in their direction at the end of the set time.

Hoop Relays - Divide the children into four teams. Each team stands in a line at one end of the working area. Opposite them, at the other end of the working area is a hoop. Each team member runs with a ball, bounces it into the hoop and returns to their team. They pass the ball to the next person in the line and then move to the back of the line. When every team member has run the winners are the first team to sit down.

Lose my Shadow - the aim of the game is to respond quickly to actions and lose their partner. Children work in pairs and try to stay as far away from their partner as possible. If working outside it may be necessary to designate areas in which children can move. Children can change roles either on instruction from the teacher or by tigging their partner.

Park and Ride - Name four sections of the hall or playground as Park and Ride centres. These could be the names of villages, areas of a large town etc. or real Park and Rides such as Thornhill, Redbridge, Seacourt, Peartree. Children play the game Top Gear, as above, but when the teacher calls out the name of a Park and Ride centre, such as Thornhill, children must move to that area in fourth gear. On arrival they park their car next to another, change cars by swapping their ball with another child, and move off in first gear.

Park and ride trailers - each child has a large ball as a steering wheel and pretends to drive a car according to teacher’s instructions - First gear is a slow walk. Second gear a brisk walk. Third gear a jog. Fourth gear a run. Reverse is moving slowly backwards. Crash is freezing on the spot. Four areas of the work space are designated as Park and Ride centres - eg. Thornhill, Redbridge, Seacourt, Peartree. When the teacher calls out the name of a Park and Ride centre, such as Thornhill, children must move to that area in fourth gear. On arrival they park their car behind another car. The two cars move off together in first gear but stop to put the ball from the rear car into the ball basket then continue in first gear until another instruction is given.

Rabbits - Each child tucks a band into the back of their shorts. The aim is to collect as many rabbit’s tails (the bands) as a child can in 30 seconds.

Rabbits and foxes - One child is chosen to be the fox. He/she has to collect as many rabbits (children) as he/she can within the given time and take them back to his den one at a time. Four other children are chosen as rabbit parents and each wear a different coloured band. Their aim is to collect as many children in their family - with the same coloured bands as themselves - as they can in the time. Once a child has been collected it must hang onto the rabbit in front and can no longer be caught by the fox.

All other children wear a coloured band (equally divided) and stand spaced out in the room. They cannot move until either collected by the fox or their parent.

The winning team is the one that has the most children at the end of the given time.

Rainbows - An equal number of beanbags in four colours - enough for the whole class are needed. The beanbags are scattered around the room. The children move around and between them as instructed - e.g. tiptoe around the beanbags, jog around, run around etc. When the teacher shouts ‘Rain’ each child takes a beanbag. They then have to get into a group of four where each child has a different coloured beanbag and put the beanbags into an arc on the floor to represent a rainbow.

Shadows- the aim in this lesson is to stay as close to their partner as possible. One person is the Shadow and they must copy exactly what their partner is doing. Encourage them to use the movements in today’s lesson.

Sticky Toffee - One child is chosen to be ‘Sticky Toffee’. When they catch another child they join hands to form a chain and catch another child, then another. When four children have formed the chain they split into two groups of two and the game continues. The last child to be caught becomes the next ‘Sticky Toffee’.

Stuck in the mud - select three children to be ‘it’. They tag other players, who when caught stand with their legs open and their arms outstretched. They can be released if another player crawls through their legs. (If the floor is not suitable for crawling children can ‘duck’ under the outstretched arms. Children who are not caught within a given time can be ‘it’ in the next round.

Tinker Tailor - Children stand in a class circle and pass the ball around while the rhyme is said.- at this stage it can be literally passed from hands to hands but this should be developed in later lessons to bouncing between each child. There are different actions for each name. Today teach the action of the Thief - he/she has to run around the circle with the ball chased by the teacher.

Tinker Tailor Rhyme - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich man, Poor man, Beggar man, Thief.

Tinker Tailor (version 2) - children stand in a large circle, with a gap between each child. They bounce the ball around the circle to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich man, Poor man, Beggar man, Thief. The thief runs around the outside of the circle back to his/her place. The child who receives the ball on ‘rich man’ throws the ball into the air and catches it. The child who is the soldier marches on the spot.

Tinker Tailor (version 3) - children stand in a large circle, with a gap between each child. They bounce the ball around the circle to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich man, Poor man, Beggar man, Thief. The thief runs around the outside of the circle back to his/her place. The tinker pretends to sell pots and pans. The tailor pretends to sew clothes. . The child who is the soldier marches on the spot. The sailor salutes.  The child who receives the ball on ‘rich man’ throws the ball into the air and catches it. The poor man cries because he has no money. The beggar man holds out his bowl to beg.

Top Gear - First gear is a slow walk. Second gear a brisk walk. Third gear a jog. Fourth gear a run. Reverse is moving slowly backwards. Crash is freezing on the spot.

Top Gear (version 2) - First gear is a slow walk. Second gear a brisk walk. Third gear a jog. Fourth gear a run. Reverse is moving slowly backwards. Crash is freezing on the spot. Each child drives their car by carrying a large ball.

Tap Relays - Divide children into teams. Put a line of cones, hoops and beanbags etc. for each team to use as obstacles - identical for each team.

Children have to tap the ball between and around all the obstacles until they reach the end of the line. They then return to their team by tapping the ball in a straight line until they reach the next member of the team who repeats the process.

The winning team is the one where everyone has completed the course and is sitting in a straight line.