Locomotor Skill Games

Equipment: Music

Group Size: 1+

Object: Perform locomotor movements to the beat of the music.

Rules:

• Start the music and call out a locomotor movement.
• Encourage students to keep the beat of the music (i.e., fast, slow, loud, soft, etc.).
• Periodically stop music and complete non-locomotor stretches.

Variations:

• Change the locomotor skills used throughout the game.
• Keep the music on while doing non-locomotor movements. Make sure students are not jerking or bouncing for these movements.
• Create a routine by combining various locomotor and non-locomotor movements.

Equipment: Object to Pass, Music

Group Size: 5+

Object: Pass the object to the beat of the music. Try not to be the one holding the object when the music stops.

Rules:

• This activity is played like "Musical Chairs."
• Students stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle.
• When the music begins, an object is passed or tossed around the circle to the beat of the music.
• When the music stops, the person holding the object goes to the center of the circle and does a selected non-locomotor or locomotor movement skill until the next round is over.
• Encourage the player in the middle to do the movement to the beat of the music.
• After a new round, the person in the middle rejoins the group and is replaced by the player that ended up with the passed object.

Variations:

• More than one object can be passed around the circle. This will send multiple players into the center to complete the motor skills.
• Use a basketball and the different basketball passes.

Equipment: Music (optional)

Type of Exercise: Game

Object: Moving your body and enjoying yourself.

Rules:

• The fun part about the rules of this game is that there are NO RULES!
• Turn the music on any song you like.
• Move your body to show how you feel.
• You can choose from any type of movements you want. Some examples could be:
  If you are sad, you can sway and spin slowly.
  If you are happy, you can skip or gallop around.
  If you are mad, you can stomp or sway your arms quickly.
  If you are hyper, you can jump or bounce.

Variations:

• Dance with no music.
• Move to the beat of the music.
• Dance with different emotions. (i.e., happy, sad, tired, scared, etc.).
• Have someone guess what emotion you are dancing to.
• Use as many different locomotor or non-locomotor movements you can think of.
• Dance with a partner.
• Dance with an object (i.e., broom, chair, stuffed animal, etc.).

Equipment: 4 Cones or Markers

Type of Exercise: Game

Object: Practice and increase coordination with various locomotor skills.

Rules:

• Set up four cones in a square. Choose the best distance that works for those participating.
• The player will stand at one corner.
• Decide what locomotor movements will be used.
  walking
  running
  galloping
  hopping
  skipping
  sliding
• On "GO!" players move from one cone to the next in a square pattern.

Variations:

• Use one locomotor movement around the entire square or change movements at each cone.
• Set up two squares and have a race between two players.
• Have a relay race between two groups.
• Time how fast players can complete the square and have them try to beat the previous time.

Equipment: None

Group Size: 6+

Object: Try to avoid being tagged from the person that is "it" while completing various locomotor skills.

Rules:

• One person is chosen to be "it."
• The person that is "it" tries to tag the other players.
• A locomotor movement is called out and all players must move around with chosen locomotor movement.
• When someone is tagged by the person that is "it," he/she becomes "it" and tries to tag the other players.

Variations:

• Change the locomotor skills at anytime throughout the game.
• Once a person is tagged, he/she is out of the game. Play until there is only one person left.