12 EASY GAMES FOR KIDS – AT A DISTANCE!

Our BOKS lesson plan documents contain endless games to run with your students, many of which can be modified to play without equipment and while ensuring students are at an appropriate distance. Here we have pulled out 12 of these games that are easy to run while maintaining current protocols and ensuring that your students are staying active, moving regularly and having FUN.

1- SHIPWRECK 

Move around the activity space in a crabwalk. The trainer will call out different instructions, and kids follow along with the corresponding activities:

  • Bow - the front of the ship. Crabwalk to the front of the activity space.
  • Stern - the back of the ship. Crabwalk to the back of the activity space.
  • Port - the left side of the boat. Crabwalk to the left side of the activity space.
  • Starboard - the right side of the boat. Crabwalk to the right side of the activity space.
  • Salute your Captain - stand straight and salute!
  • At ease - bring your salute down.
  • Swab the deck - hold a plank and pretend to wash the deck.
  • Mermaid – lay on your belly, prop your hands under your chin, and point your toes to the sky (like a mermaid waving its tail).

2- BOKS SAYS

  • Lead Trainer calls outs out “BOKS Says” followed by a movement.
  • Trainer calls out exercise movements quickly to keep kids moving. If trainer does not say “BOKS says” before the movement, kids should not move.
  • Be sure to include “BOKS says” to do a plank or whatever your skill of the week is!
  • If kids move when the trainer does not say “BOKS says”, have them do 10 jumping jacks prior to joining back in the game.

3- SHADOW

  • Have students get into pairs, while staying 2 meters apart at all times.
  • Partner A can start doing one of the following movements, while partner B shadows (follows behind) doing the same movement:
    • Skipping
    • Jumping
    • Side shuffle
    • Butt kickers
  • Partner A can change movements at any time.
  • Trainer calls out “SWITCH” and partner B becomes the leader.
  • Trainer can also call out “free for all” and the leading partner can do whatever kind of movement they want.

4- RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

  • Have a trainer or BOKS kid of the week be the “Stop light” and lead the game.
  • The “Stop light” faces away from the group when they say “Green light”, but turns and faces the group when they say “Red light”.
  • The “Stop light” cues the participants to start moving by saying “Green light”. The participants should walk fast or jog, but not run. The participants will stop moving when they hear “Red light” and the “Stop light” turns around to make sure everyone is standing still and not moving.
  • If a kid moves after you have said “Red light”, they return to the starting line, perform 5 squats, and re-enter the game.
  • Play until someone passes the “Stop light”. They become the new “Stop light”.
  • All of the kids go back to the starting line and play again. Suggestion: You can change the game up by having the kids do a different movement on the “Green light” cue, like skipping, galloping etc.
  • Make sure that students are spaced out 2 metres apart while playing this game.

5- SQUAT WAVE

  • Get the kids to make 2 circles with proper distancing in effect.
  • One kid starts by performing 5 squats while all others hold a specific balance (ex. tree pose, airplane, etc.).
  • Once that kid who starts has finished their 5thsquat, the kid to their right starts their 5 squats.
  • Try to see which circle can complete the squat wave fastest or most accurately.
  • Variations: Vary number of squats per individual depending on the skill of the group or complete more than one revolution. Another variation is to use a different skill other than squats, such as burpees.

6- RED CUP PYRAMID SQUAT CHALLENGE (*REQUIRES INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT)

  • The purpose of the game is to build your pyramid as quickly as possible, still using proper form.
  • Each kid will need 3, 6, or 10 cups to start.
  • Placing one cup at a time, kids will place the cup and perform as many squats as there are cups in the pyramid.
  • One cup = one squat, then place the second and do 2 squats, etc.
  • The game is much more difficult with more cups, and kids can challenge themselves to build and squat as fast as they can to construct a full pyramid.
  • Variations: kids can build and then disassemble the pyramid to provide even more difficulty. If cups fall, do a burpee for each one that falls before resuming game.

7- BOKS BASEBALL

  • 4 bases (cones or poly spots) around the gym or on a field, divide the kids into 4 teams.
  • Run around the bases with your team at a physical distance, doing designated movements.
  • Stay at each base for 1 minute. Run the bases!
    • First base – air squats
    • Second base – jogging in place
    • Third base – crunches
    • Home – jumping jacks
  • You can change the movements or mode of locomotion (skipping, galloping, crab walk, bear crawl, jumps) as desired.

8- DECK OF CARDS

  • Each suit is an exercise – Hearts = jumping jacks, Diamonds = crunches, Spades = push-ups and Clubs = air squats.
  • Lead Trainer flips a card and kids need to do the number of repetitions shown on the card of the designated exercise (i.e. 2 of diamonds = 2 crunches).
  • Keep flipping cards for the allotted period of time.
  • Variations: Hearts = plank, Diamonds = mountain climbers, Spades = tuck jumps, Clubs = lunges.

9- STATIONS

Set up 6 stations around the gym. Have kids do 1 minute per station. Rotate through at least 2x.

  • Supermans
  • Squat Jumps
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Butt kickers in place
  • Tuck Jumps
  • Push-ups

10- GO, BACK, HIT IT

  • Ensure students are 2 metres apart at the start line. You can send the students out in small groups – 5 students at a time.
  • The trainer yells “GO!” The kids run as fast as they can towards the end of the gym.
  • The trainer can either yell “BACK!” or “HIT IT!”
  • If they yell “BACK”, the kids start running backwards as fast as they can. (Note: lean forward on their toes in order to counterbalance the backward motion of the body.)
  • If they yell “HIT IT!” the kids drop to the floor (like a burpee), jump back up and start running again as fast as they can towards the end of the gym.
  • The trainer can alternate calling Go, Back or Hit it as many times as they want until the kids reach the end of the gym.
  • Note: When the kids are running, it is an all-out effort. They should not be slowly jogging to try and predict what the trainer will say next.
  • Variation: You can modify the “Hit It” with a squat, jump or any other functional fitness movement for the kids.

11- LEADER OF THE PACK

  • Kids split into groups of 5 students, forming a line with each person 2 metres behind the person in front of them.
  • The line leader starts jogging at a slow pace so all team members can jog behind.
  • The last kid in line sprints around the team and replaces the leader.
  • The new leader slows down to set the pace for the team.
  • When ready, the new leader yells to the last kid in line, “Go!” and the kid sprints to the front to become the new leader.
  • Kids keep jogging until everyone has the chance to be the leader.
  • This activity is ideally run outdoors. If done in a gym, have one or two groups go at a time and then switch groups.

12- RELAY FUN!

  • Have partners stand next to each other, maintain physical distancing (maybe put a cone, skipping rope in between them for a visual). Feel free to make this game an individual game if you have a small group.
  • One partner will broad jump to the designated end (could be the middle of the field, end of field or whichever you decide) complete 3 burpees and bear crawl back. Once their partner crosses the line the next partner can go.

Give these games a try to keep moving, stay active and have fun!

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SHANNON MACMILLAN

BOKS Canada, Manager, Programs & Training