Field Day is probably by far your students favorite day of the school year. And it isn’t surprising why. It’s a day for them to run around, compete against each other, and celebrate the end of the school year. When choosing field day activities for your students, you should plan a variety of activities that are both fun and age-appropriate for students. Activities that are too challenging may frustrate young children, while older kids may become bored if there isn’t enough of a challenge. If you are at a loss, here are some traditional and not-so-traditional activities for all ages.
PreK and Kindergarten
For younger children, choose activities that allow them to practice skills like kicking and throwing. These games should have few rules as too many can be confusing for this age group.
Kicking: See how far they can kick a soccer ball or how far they can send a shoe flying off their foot.
Jumping: Hold a sack race or a frog jump.
Throwing: Hold throwing contests like a beanbag toss or throwing a rubber chicken.
Running: Hold a relay race with short runs and fun activities like blowing bubbles or somersaults. You can also simplify it by holding a traditional 25- or 50-yard dash.
Elementary School
In elementary school, children develop more coordination and can understand and enjoy more complex games.
Contests: Have your students compete in basketball free-throw, Hula-Hoop, jump-rope, and limbo contests.
Relays: Bring your basic relay up a notch with jumping jacks and cartwheels. You can also stage a balloon race or sponge-passing relay.
Dance: Being in classic line dances and set up a station where kids can learn the Macarena or the Cha-Cha Slide.
Throwing: Find out how far kids can throw a Frisbee or a softball.
Running: Increase the distance by holding a 50- or 100-yard dash or a jump-rope marathon, where kids jump rope along a set path.
Middle School
Middle school students can understand even more complicated games and organized sports. However, they still like to be silly, so find a balance between wacky games and traditional athletic events.
Sporting events: Volleyball and dodgeball will allow you to involve many students at the same time.
Throwing: Water balloon tosses are always a big hit, especially for really hot days.
Relays: Throw a traditional relay or let students get messy with a flour relay.
Running: Hold a 100-yard dash or challenge students with a wheelbarrow race.
Fun for All Ages
Obstacle courses: Obstacle courses don’t have to be complex. Have kids crawl through large cardboard boxes, hop over cones, and more. If you have younger students, use foam or other soft materials and make sure they are low to the ground.
Relays: Everyone likes a little competition. Ask students to balance books on their head while walking to a set point. You can also hold a shoebox relay, where students shuffle to a certain point with shoeboxes on their feet.
Hula-Hoop pass: Challenge students to hold hands and pass a Hula-Hoop from one person to the next without letting go of their partners’ hands.
Balloon surprise: Write different activities on a sheet of paper and put one sheet in each balloon. Line up students into two groups and have them pick a balloon, sit on it until it pops, and do the specific activity. (Examples include 10 jumping jacks, rub your tummy and pat your head, stand like a flamingo).
Dance station: Pick a fun song and dance off any extra energy!
Cris Johnson’s School Assembly Programs and Library Shows
Choose something fun and unique for your field day! Cris’ assemblies are crammed from beginning to end with important messages, concepts, and lessons designed to help your students treat each other with kindness and respect, appreciate science, math, American history (and other curriculum subjects), develop a love of reading, and more.