Lesson end earlier than planned? Teacher running late to pick up their class? Class need re-energizing?
Check out these 5 easy time fillers that you can use anytime, anywhere without any equipment!
Top 5 Time-Filler Activity Ideas
Every great educator needs a few activities in their back pocket to pull out when needed. Something they can go to without any equipment, something quick, something easy, something to fill time. Time filler activities are great for when a lesson ends earlier than expected, or if a teacher is running late to pick up their class from gym. They’re also great to re-energize the group, transition to the next activity, or use them to warm up or close down a class.
Here are some of my favorite time fillers…
1. What are you doing?
Have students form a circle. Choose one student to start out in the middle of the circle and act out something, let’s say riding a bicycle. Another student calls out their name and says “What are you doing?” The person in the middle replies back, “I am not riding a bicycle, I am mowing the lawn” Then the student who asked the question new student goes to the middle and pretends to mow the lawn.
2. Count to 21
Have the group form a circle. Choose one person to start by saying one or two numbers consecutively counting to ten. For example: the first person can say “1” or “1, 2”. The next person counts in order choosing to say one number or two numbers, for example “3” or “3, 4”. Whomever says “10” is out and has to sit down. Kids continue to count until there is one person left!
3. Buzz
First choose a target number – let’s say 4. The first student starts counting at one and the next student continues in order. When a student reaches a multiple of 4 or a number with 4 in it, he or she must say “buzz” or they are out. Keep the game rolling at a fast pace. To make the game more advanced, you can also require students to say “buzz” if the digits add up to the target number. For example Thirty-one (3+1=4) would be a “buzz.”
4. Circle Relay
Have students stand in a circle. Choose one student to be the runner first, they run around the outside of the circle until they get back to their starting point and then the next person takes a turn and so forth. You can have a competition between two teams depending on the amount of extra time you have.
5. Shipwreck
Students perform an action move to word commands that are called out. You can see this activity in action on PE Universe (Shipwreck)!
Shipwreck Actions:
– Attention
– Salute the Captain
– Captain Hook
– Cannon Ball
– Lighthouse
– Signal in the Tower
– Hit the Deck
– SHARK!
– Swin Ashore
– Swab the Deck
– Walk the Plank
–
2 Responses
A game I feel that would work in this list is quickdraw. Students assemble as they have here for shipwreck. There is one leader who I have stand in back. I, or the leader say “1-2-3-quickdraw!.” At the command, students have 3 gesture choices that they hold:
1) Salute (traditional)
2) Strongman (arms flexed like showing off biceps)
3) Crossed arms (arms crossed over chest)
The leader also does one of the three actions. Anyone MATCHING the leader is out and sits down (if outside I have them walk around the group still playing)
The game ends when there is one person left, or if all players are out, the leader gets to repeat
Great stuff I’m a pe teacher do you have preschool ideas?