Where do we possibly begin with this one, KINDERGARTEN P.E.?
I just laugh every time I see the meme of the teacher herding the cats and putting them back in line. Right, welcome to everyday in Kindergarten P.E. I feel like once I get one student doing the right thing then the next one needs me. If you have not seen the video of the adult lining up the kittens you must see it now https://youtu.be/EZOx1RhMHIo. How many of you can relate to that? ME, ME, ME!
After talking with numerous Elementary PE teachers we are all in the same boat. Just where do we begin with our K students? What activities work best with this age level? What is good class management with a Kindergarten PE class? How can I keep them engaged?
I wanted to share an idea that has kept me sane for many, many years in Elementary PE classes. Just a quick question. How do your students enter the gym and what happens next? Setting the tone the very first minute you greet your class will set you up for success. I have tried numerous ideas and have found a winner! Gym floor tape to the rescue! When the students enter the gym they have their own personal X on the floor. The students go directly to their seats. The students are proud and totally obsessed with the fact that this is their seat in the gym. I have no idea why they have this ownership but it is very important to them, not to mention life saving for me. If their X is missing don’t worry they will tell you all about the fact that their seat is not there.
I use gym floor tape so it is easy to pull up and replace as needed. It is a bit expensive ( $7.99) but I use my Jump for Heart Gift Certificates from US Games https://www.usgames.com/floor-marking-tape and stock up each year. This might be a back breaker and a pain in the neck every few weeks to replace and repair X’s but trust me SO worth it to keep the class organized. You as a teacher will love these seats because it makes for an easy seating chart, easy line up procedure, easy transition time and most of all a space that provides ample room for not touching others. I must say this is a win win all the way around!
Some Ideas for Seats
Color code each row to help students find their seats. Example row 1 X’s are red,
row 2 yellow…..
Write numbers on X’s so they know their row number.
Hang a team sign at the end or front of each row so they know their row number.
Are your K’s not good with numbers or colors, try putting a picture of a sports ball,
animal or anything of your choice to help them identify which row is theirs.
So, now you have them in seats, what comes next? Some will say Mad CHAOS. I hope not! KEEP THEIR ATTENTION WITH A STUDENT WARM UP LEADER. I call them the Warm Up Sticks. They don’t have to be fancy. You can use popsicle sticks, tongue depressors or spend a little cash and get some great colorful ones from Amazon. I love these ones that I found on Amazon. To find them on Amazon just type in the search bar Fun Express Pencil Flip Name Sticks - 36 Pieces - Educational and Learning Activities for Kids. They sell for approximately $7-13.
How do Warm Up Sticks Work?
Write an exercise on each stick.
Put the sticks in a cup or container of some type.
Leader pulls out a stick and tells the class what to do
Most K students will need help reading the sticks.
You can encourage the leader to tell you what letter the exercise starts
with.
You can pick a leader any way that works for you daily, weekly, monthly,
random… My stick leader is my Superstar of the month. The Superstars
job is to help lead the sticks and to call the teams to line up at the end of class. As you can imagine, they love being the Superstar.
Examples of Warm Up Sticks
You can write so many different things on the sticks. I start each year out with 20 second Plank Hold, 10 push Ups, 20 Jumping Jacks, 20 Butterflies, 20 Line Jumps,10 Flamingo Hold, Superstars Choice, Do Nothing,2 running laps, 20 crab walks, 20 arm circles, 10 sit ups, 20 crab walks, 10 spin jumps and 10 donkey kicks.
I hope you find this helpful to get your Kindergarten and other Elementary classes organized from the beginning and ready to get up and get moving in Physical Education class. Speaking of moving, visit Ready Set PE to grab some fantastic resources to get your Kindergarten students engaged and moving!
My top 4 Go To Kindergarten Resources
*Exercise Cup Stacking Fitness Challenge Task Cards- Set of 50
*PE Exercise & Brain Break Fitness Action Task Station Cards
* Book Counting 1-10 Exercise Fun
*
Want to save money - grab it in a bundle for tons of fun and movement activities throughout the entire year!
Keep up the good work teachers! We can do this!
Happy Moving,
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