It’s a cold and snowy day here in Pennsylvania, but I am thinking about our Fun in the Sun Day. This is our field day for the K-2 students and is held (hopefully) on a sunny day during the last week of school. It’s an entire day of just PE games! I love it! It’s my favorite yet most exhausting days! I work with the Parent -Teacher Organization (PTO) to create a fun day for roughly 200 students in a rural school. We keep the kids grouped by homeroom to rotate through the stations (see schedule). The PTO handles the parent helpers, so that’s a huge weight off my shoulders since all volunteers must have clearances! They also organize four of the stations; usually a craft station, snacks, DJ/Dance party, and bubbles! The rest is up to me to design!
For my stations, I tend to choose the kids’ favorite activities from the year! I see my students once a week, so we don’t get to spend a lot of time on any one activity. Here is the Game book– or the directions that I give the volunteers and teachers! To keep it budget friendly, I pull from my PE closet to create the stations. I ask for donations for specific equipment when the PTO asks what I need. My stations last year included:
1. Obstacle course – I use our playground as part of it! I used donated pool noodles and 5 PVC pipes to create a stand-up slalom. I use our jump ropes, agility ladders, and hula-hoops. I create small hurdles by putting caution tape tied to cones. I also use vinyl spot markers to create a pathway. The kids go up and down the slide as the final step. I make it long enough 2-3 kids are on the course at a time but aren’t running past or over each other. They can go through as many times as they want as time allows!
2. Angry Birds – I used recycled Styrofoam containers (like shipped from Omaha steaks), balls, and cones. Kids build contraptions using the cones, Styrofoam boxes and lids to hide my pigs (dog toys). Others throw foam coated balls from a poly spot to knock the pigs out. I got the containers by asking parents for them. I use them from year to year. I tried cardboard paper boxes and lids, but they didn’t hold up to the balls being thrown like Styrofoam does. I bought the pigs on sale at my local grocery store, but you can use any stuffed animal or even bean bags! (see photos for what this looks like!)
3. Tag games – we use a variety of cones to make our play area. We play different tag games like Crocodile, Captain Midnight (a version of “What time is it, Mr. Fox?”) or even Red Light/Green Light.
4. Parachute – the kids’ favorite!
5. Duck, Duck, Splash – a water game if it’s hot enough, otherwise we play Duck, Duck, Goose. A bucket of water and some sponges is all it takes for Duck, Duck, Splash. I do let the kids bring towels if we are going to have the perfect weather for this game!
6. Relays – using cones, jump ropes, hula hoops, potato sacks, and similar items
At the end of the day, everyone is exhausted, teacher included! But the bottom line is that the kids always have a good time! That’s what it’s all about!
Links to equipment I have purchased through Gopher over the years!
Cones – https://gophersport.com/rainbow-stay-n-play-cones
Half-cones – https://gophersport.com/protuff-half-cones
Poly spots – https://gophersport.com/rainbow-topspot-vinyl-spot-sets
Jump ropes – https://gophersport.com/quickturn-speed-jump-ropes
Hula hoops – https://gophersport.com/rainbow-durahoop-rhythm-hoops
Balance beam – https://gophersport.com/aai-foam-balance-beam
