Field Day and End of School Games

Ping Pong Ball Blow. Set up a track using boards; or mark a track on pavement using chalk, or on grass using lime. The width of the track should be no wider than a foot. Provide each student with a ping-pong ball and a plastic straw. Students blow through the straw to move the ping-pong ball from one end of the track to the other without moving it outside the borders of the track. At the primary grades, recognize at the award ceremony all students who complete the track. For older students, recognize the fastest times.

Follow up:

Rope Jumping Race. Provide each student with a jump rope. Students count aloud as they jump. Record the number of jumps each student completes before missing. You might provide a time limit (for example, two minutes) and record the number of jumps made during that time; that way, students who jump faster -- at more risk of missing -- have a better chance of completing more jumps. The three students who jump the most times within the time limit are recognized at the awards ceremony.

Round and Round the Tire Goes. Set up a looped course. Provide each student with a tire. (You might provide gloves too, so students do not get their hands dirty.) Time students as they roll the tire around the outside of the loop. How long does it take to roll the tire one lap? Students with the fastest times are recognized at the award ceremony.

Rubber Chicken Throw. How far can students throw a rubber chicken? Give each student a toss or two and record the farthest distances thrown by boys and girls for each grade. Recognize the farthest throws at the award ceremony. (See additional activities at Intermediate Field Day Activities on the Northside Elementary School (Midway, Kentucky) Physical Education Page.)

Shoe Kick. Have students loosen one shoe so their toes still are in it. From a marked starting line, students kick that shoe into the air. Record the distance the shoe travels. Students might take a running start, or not; they are disqualified if they take a running start and kick from the wrong side of the starting line. Students in each grade who kick the longest distance are recognized at the award ceremony. (See additional activities at Field Day Activities from TeachNet.com.)

Snow Cone Carry. Set up a simple looped course marked with lime. Students take a cone, flip it upside down, and place a beach ball or volleyball in the opening. Then they walk/run the course holding onto to the "snow cone." How many students can walk the loop five times without the beach ball falling from the cone? Students who complete the task are recognized at the award ceremony.

Something Fishy. Provide a plastic pool. Fill the pool with paper fish; each fish has a paper clip attached to it. Arrange a group of students around the pool. Give each a fishing pole with a circle magnet attached to the end of the line; students have two minutes to catch as many fish as they can. At the award ceremony, recognize students who "catch" the most fish.