Rainy Day Games

[Vince]

So, as some of you may know, I am now a P.E. Teacher for 4th and 5th graders. It's an amazing job, and I love it to death. But it happens to rain sometimes, and it's supposed to rain here all week. I remember games like 4 Corners and Heads-Up-Seven-Up from when I was a kid, but they get old after a while, and I'd like to introduce something new for the kids this week. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Vince]

Dola - we have to stay indoors, and we have classrooms around us, so hopefully nothing too wild and crazy. But I would like to incorporate SOME physical activity.

[st.cronin]

How many 5 year olds can you take?

[Pyser]

prisoner dodge ball.

[Lathum]

is 4 corners the same as boxball?

[PSUColonel]

dodge ball...best indoor game there is...but let me guess? the school district will no longer allow it.

[Lathum]

dola- cornhole?

[Lathum]

dodgeball is the first thing that came to mind but I wouldn't be surprised if schools don't allow it anymore.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Lathum

dodgeball is the first thing that came to mind but I wouldn't be surprised if schools don't allow it anymore.

Just out of curiosity...why are you not surprised?

I guess I'm not surprised either at this point, but I will NEVER understand the thinking behind it.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

Just out of curiosity...why are you not surprised?

I guess I'm not surprised either at this point, but I will NEVER understand the thinking behind it.

I wouldn't be surprised because we as a society feel the need to coddle our children, god forbid they are allowed to play a game where the kids who are more superiour win.

threadjack over

[path12]

Guess the Voltage. Kids love it.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I wouldn't be surprised because we as a society feel the need to coddle our children, god forbid they are allowed to play a game where the kids who are more superiour win.

threadjack over

a very dangerous thing to do indeed.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

a very dangerous thing to do indeed.

sarcasim?

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Lathum

sarcasim?

not at all. I feel the same way you do. It is what has happened to the educational systems in this nation on many different levels. Many of which I will not discuss for fear of being put in the penalty box again, because we are no longer permitted to voice our opinions here if they are of a conservative nature. But I agree..end of threadjack.

[Raiders Army]

Back to the subject: Tell them to play the quiet game.

[Lathum]

can you set up any kind of obstacle course indoors?

[st.cronin]

Naked Movie Star

[PSUColonel]

others we always liked were indoor "box" hockey or "box" soccer.


of course that means checking

[Raiders Army]

Get them to play WereWolf.

[Izulde]

Bombardment, which is a dodgeball variant.

You split the class in two halves on either side of the gym and distribute these spongy balls that are a little smaller than basketball sized.

The two sides then run at each other with the midline of the gym as the boundary that can't be crossed. The players on each side throw their spongeballs at the other side, trying to hit somebody on the other team. If you hit someone, they're out of the game.

If, on the other hand, you catch the ball, the person who threw the ball at you is out. You can then throw the caught ball right back at the other side before the next round, which occurs after all the balls have been thrown on both sides.

Note: Because the balls are thrown more or less simultaneously, it can be fast-paced and you'll need to keep track to make sure people aren't cheating.

Advanced Strategy Tip: Use the caught ball to deflect other balls thrown at you.

[Lathum]

is the gym big enough for kickball?

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Bombardment, which is a dodgeball variant.

You split the class in two halves on either side of the gym and distribute these spongy balls that are a little smaller than basketball sized.

The two sides then run at each other with the midline of the gym as the boundary that can't be crossed. The players on each side throw their spongeballs at the other side, trying to hit somebody on the other team. If you hit someone, they're out of the game.

If, on the other hand, you catch the ball, the person who threw the ball at you is out. You can then throw the caught ball right back at the other side before the next round, which occurs after all the balls have been thrown on both sides.

Note: Because the balls are thrown more or less simultaneously, it can be fast-paced and you'll need to keep track to make sure people aren't cheating.

Advanced Strategy Tip: Use the caught ball to deflect other balls thrown at you.

but you need to use the old rubber balls..sponge balls don't go where you throw them because they are too light.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

but you need to use the old rubber balls..sponge balls don't go where you throw them because they are too light.

But these are elementary school kids, so it was fine when we used the spongeballs in my elementary days.

[Dr. Sak]

Wiffleball

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by Izulde

But these are elementary school kids, so it was fine when we used the spongeballs in my elementary days.

we used the rubber ones when I was in elementary school.

[Vince]

I guess I should have mentioned that we don't have a gym, and we are in my classroom, which has a bunch of desks and bookshelves. Dodgeball is definitely frowned upon, so sadly that is out. I'd also be afraid of broken windows if we played in my classroom.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Vince

I guess I should have mentioned that we don't have a gym, and we are in my classroom, which has a bunch of desks and bookshelves. Dodgeball is definitely frowned upon, so sadly that is out. I'd also be afraid of broken windows if we played in my classroom.

that complicates things a bit

[Lathum]

8 minute abs?

[st.cronin]

thumb wrestling

[st.cronin]

strip poker

[Ragone]

Teach them to duck and cover in case of a nuclear strike

[DaddyTorgo]

honestly? i go with Werewolf.

[Vince]

Honestly, I could probably go with Werewolf. However, since these are 9, 10 and 11 year olds, I'd need to do something to change "lynching" and "killing" to something more palatable for young people. Perhaps making them outcasts...but how to handle the werewolf kills at night?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Vince

Honestly, I could probably go with Werewolf. However, since these are 9, 10 and 11 year olds, I'd need to do something to change "lynching" and "killing" to something more palatable for young people. Perhaps making them outcasts...but how to handle the werewolf kills at night?

yeah. ummm...make it something fun for them and non-exclusionary too. say like...the people who get lynched/killed (once you figure out what to call it) get to go over to the other side of the room and like...i dunno. do something so they're not just sitting there waiting too.

make it like a survivor thing maybe? and just say that there's a secret tribe trying to win the game and every night in addition to the one person voted off "the island" they get to "vote someone off" too. and those people that are voted off...ummm...give them some sort of role or something to do though so they don't just get bored.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I'm fond of a game played with Uno or Skip-Bo cards called "ALL UP IN YO ASS". It doesn't involve anything going up anybody's ass.

[beargrowlz]

"Killer": all the kids walk around the classroom shaking hands, but one (or more) have been selected to be the killer and when they shake your hand they scratch your palm with their fingernail. Then you count to 5 and fall to the floor. The kids who aren't dead can try and guess who the killer(s) are, if they they guess right they win, if not they fall to the floor and die. The killer's job is to kill everyone before anyone guesses it is him/her.

There's Paper Football: Pair off the kids and fold a piece of paper into a pyramid shape and tape it up with scotch tape. The object of the game is to push the "football" across the desk so that it ends up partially off and partially on, basically hanging there. That's 7 points. You can also try a "field goal" by having the other person make a goal post by holding their two hands up, thumbs connected and two index fingers extended upward. You then "flick" the football with one finger trying to get it thru the other person's fingers.

Finally, three penny hockey: you pair the kids up again. One person starts with the three pennies, the other basically makes the goalpost from above, but instead of holding their hands up, they lay them down on the desk like a goal. The object of the game is to get one of the pennies into the goal and score a goal. The catch is you're flicking them with one finger, and the penny you flick can never hit another penny or go backwards or sideways. If it does, you lose the "puck" and its the other team's turn.

Hope those help.

[Coffee Warlord]

Hold 'em.

[stevew]

Can't you do aerobics or something like that with a tape? Hold'em sounds like a good idea too(not really, but it would be cool).

[Crim]

I heart Pumpy.

[Toddzilla]

When we had a "free day" in gym class - due to the gym teacher not having anything for us to do, we'd sneak out of the gym and shotgun beers in the parking lot.

So I suggest Beer Pong

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

When we had a "free day" in gym class - due to the gym teacher not having anything for us to do, we'd sneak out of the gym and shotgun beers in the parking lot.

So I suggest Beer Pong

That's a productive gym class!

[rkmsuf]