Three Fit Games - Outcome B (K-3)-3

Students can experience fitness through a variety of games. Each of the following games focuses on a different component of fitness. These activities can be adapted to focus on strength, endurance, flexibility or cardiorespiratory benefits.

Endurance/Cardiorespiratory Game

Before students start this activity, ask them to put their hand flat on their chest to feel their heart beat.

Play a series of tag games with each game lasting approximately 3 minutes. Every three minutes, change the locomotor pattern and ask students to reflect on their level of exertion, by placing their hand on their heart again and talking about what is happening.

E.g., Play "Frozen Tag" while running. Every few minutes switch to an alternate movement pattern such as hopping on one foot, skipping, galloping, leaping, walking with very large steps or walking laterally.

Strength Games

Have students create an obstacle course in the gym. They are to propel themselves through the course on scooter boards, using only their arms. Encourage challenging activities like pulling themselves along a "vine". (The vine is a long skipping rope held at waist height or lower, by two people. The length of the "vine" should be reflective of their strength levels.) The participants lie on their backs on the scooters and attempt to pull themselves along the vine by pulling arm over arm. Other activities could include a "coconut throw" (using foam-filled balls) to hit targets . They can "swim" through a series of cones by lying on their stomachs and using their arms to propel themselves. Using plungers for propulsion, "paddle" down the Amazon River. Or while seated, using legs only and miming a rowing action, row through a course of pylons.

Flexibility Games

While playing a rolling target game such as bowling or bocci, stress to students the importance of taking a large step and releasing the ball by stretching toward the target. After rolling the ball to the target, students move to gather the balls by being inchworms. An inchworm starts with its body stretched out on the floor in a front support position (think push up!). It moves by walking its feet toward its hands until it can't get any closer comfortably. Then it walks its hands away from its feet until it is once again in a front support position. As it moves its feet towards its hands, it keeps its knees slightly bent, not locked straight.

Other animal walks include an alligator (from a front prone position, move both the leg and arm from the same side at the same time), horse or dog.

After all the games have been played, some discussion questions you could ask are: How did your body feel when playing the games? Did your body feel warmer? What happened to your heart beat? Did your breathing change? Of the three games, which were easier? Which were harder? Would you play any of the games at home or in recess? Why or Why not? What would make the games more fun?

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