Gamifying physical education activities can be an excellent way to motivate students, tap into their love of games and competition, and keep them engaged in exercise. I wanted to share some fun ideas for gamified PE lessons and resources I’ve used successfully.
One activity I like is “Sit-Up Basketball.” Students lie down and perform sit-ups while shooting a basketball into a close-by net or hoop. They play for 1 minute, seeing how many baskets they can score by sitting up and shooting. It combines core strength and shooting skills in a fast-paced game.
Another is “Velcro Push-Up Ball Pick-Up.” Students wear a velcro vest and do push-ups over scattered balls. The velcro picks up the balls on their chest with each rep. They race against the clock or compete against a partner to see who can pick up the most balls.
For “Plank Ladder Race,” students hold a plank position and quickly move bean bags from one end of a ladder to the other using only one hand. Keeping the core engaged, they race against classmates to transport all their bean bags.
Today in #APE students worked muscular endurance and eye-hand coordination by completing a bean bag plank race! Easily adaptable game for students with different abilities & all these kids were sweating at the end! #PhysEd #ilovemyjob @BHSMarlins pic.twitter.com/qPgKN1y7qB
— Jenn Vedder (@CoachVedder_HPE) February 13, 2018For video game-inspired workouts, I love Matthew Wood’s Stomp Videos. Students jump, stomp and clap to mimic Guitar Hero gameplay. They race their on-screen characters by performing the movements. It feels like a fun music video game brought to life.
Another excellent resource is Coach Corey Martin’s Chase Series Videos. Students jog in place or around cones as if moving through a video game world. When prompted, they act out dodging obstacles, climbing walls, and battling enemies – all while keeping their heart rate up.
Gamification allows students to imagine themselves inside a game while engaging in physical skills and cardio. I’ve seen it boost participation and excitement in my classes. With some creativity, we can level up PE through the power of play!
Please share in the comments ways you are gamifying fitness.
