Here at Hey Kanga, our ethos is all about getting students to move joyfully and expressively, allowing both educators and kids to flourish. We are transforming how we teach students and closing the gap between physical fitness and academic success. You may be asking, but how do you do this? Well, we’re here to let you know, and also introduce you to some fun PE games for kids!

With infectiously fun, plug-and-play videos from Hey Kanga, your children’s attitude to exercise and health will be remodelled into a brand new understanding, especially when understanding the importance of regular activity, mindfulness, staying healthy and overall well-being.

There’s a massive link between physical activity and good mental health. The important balance also correlates to strong academic outcomes - but plenty of teachers, parents or guardians simply don’t have the tools to easily teach this.

That’s where we come in. Hey Kanga provides a comprehensive physical education, mindfulness and well-being curriculum - ready for individuals to access at any time. When it comes to homeschooling and creating PE games for kids, we know it can be difficult to think outside of the box.

Among many other kinds of homeschooling tasks, sports education can sometimes drop to the bottom of a long list. But, it’s essential to create a structured routine and integrate PE into a child’s homeschool routine. If you’d like some advice on this, you may wish to check out our dedicated blog that focuses on the importance of fitness at home and why it’s essential to customise a strong routine. Check it out here - Fitness For Kids In The Mind and Body: The Importance of PE In Homeschool Programs.

So, if you’re ready for your students to achieve higher levels of academic attainment, get exposed to a rich variety of exercise activities and experience the transformative benefits of physical education on their social, emotional and mental development, let’s get into our top five PE games for kids.

Before we begin our list, we’d like to remind readers to always stay safe when taking part in physical activity or handling heavy equipment. Remember to plan ahead so all of the activities are as safe and well organized as possible, and for our younger readers, make sure to always complete these tasks with an adult or guardian!

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Obstacle Courses

First up on our list of PE games for kids is an obstacle course. Obstacle courses can be a brilliant way for children to navigate their way through different activities and use many skills whilst doing so. Obstacle courses help improve gross and fine motor skills such as coordination, agility, balance and concentration, so they’re a fantastic way to combine physical and cognitive skills together! Kids will also take part in multi-sensory engagement when they’re completing an obstacle course.

This is because they will be using their sight to figure out the best way to go through the course, their tactile movements to move obstacles out of the way and their hearing, to listen out for any important instructions they may be being given. This will help kids process information and develop critical thinking skills.

You could use household items such as pillows, blankets, chairs, cones and books to create a fun obstacle course. Kids will be able to crawl under tables and through chairs while hopping over pillows and even balancing on different kinds of household objects. They could also go under blankets and consider the most efficient way through the different variables.

To make it extra exciting, your students could pick up special objects along the obstacle route and you can use them as a reward system to keep kids motivated. They could be anything, from pieces of candy to mini-games. Once they have completed the course, you can count up how many special items they have managed to retrieve and work out how to improve the time it takes! Perfect for instilling confidence and motivation into your educational space.

Animal Impressions

Hear us out on this one, although it may sound a little crazy, we think it’s a fantastically beneficial task. Just take a moment to consider how many animals there are in the world around us, and all of the different movements they make. Snakes slither around, birds fly high in the sky, monkeys jump from one tree to another, and cheetahs run like they’re the last animals on Earth.

So, when it comes to creating PE games for kids, it’s a great idea to tap into your creative side and use the wonders of animals around us to get students moving! You could call out different animals and encourage kids to imitate how they move. Individuals could hop like a frog, leap like a lizard, waddle like a duck or prowl around like a tiger. This will encourage children to consider how their body moves, as well as help them to come up with creative ideas!

As well as this, imitating animals can encourage individuals to move parts of their body they may not move all the time, which will enhance their physicality, stamina and strength. You could even take the game a step further and use some of Twinkl’s excellent animal role-play resources to jazz up your PE game!

Simon Says - With A Fitness Twist

We all know the classic game of ‘Simon Says’ and the many benefits of the activity. The game can improve listening skills, as kids will have to pay close attention to the commands, making them more attuned to distinguishing between instructions that they have to specifically follow. As well as this, it’s important for players to remain focused and observant throughout the game, which will improve their overall concentration levels.

Cognitively, ‘Simon Says’ can help students with active recall, mental agility and short-term memory too.

So, why have we included this activity on our list of PE games for kids? You can integrate a fitness-themed component into the game, which will result in a great mix of fun and sports. Fancy some suggestions? Simply read on!

Simon Says hop on one foot for 30 seconds.
Simon Says to do 10 jumping jacks and touch your toes after each jump.
Simon Says twist your body and stretch out.
Simon Says spin to the right.
Simon Says cross your left foot over your right foot.
Simon Says to do 5 sit-ups.
Simon Says to do 10 mini squats.
Simon Says run in place for one minute.
Simon Says put your hands in the shape of a heart and then give yourself a big hug!
Simon Says to do 9 push ups.

This game is also perfect for homeschooled kids, as it requires no equipment, it’s simple and quick, and it’s a well-structured game to enjoy.

Balloon Volleyball

The penultimate activity on our list of PE games for kids is balloon volleyball! The premise of this game is very simple. All you need to do is set up some form of net and grab some balloons. You could use a net, but if you don’t have one, you could use a piece of string, a line of chairs, a hose pipe or even a blanket! Whatever works best for you. Then, blow up a balloon (or a few different balloons) to use as the ball.

The best thing about this game is that it can be modified in many different ways, which is perfect for homeschool education, as kids will find the activities engaging, which is always great for a switch-up.

You could blow the balloons up to different sizes to encourage students to use dexterity and track the different reactions students may have to the different sizes. Kids can use their hands, heads, feet or legs to hit the balloon, and you could ask them to come up with their very own moves to increase their creativity. The game can be played individually or in groups, so you’ll be able to assess children’s hand-eye coordination, communication, cooperation and reaction skills!

Freeze Dance - Sports Edition

The final activity on our list of PE games for kids is freeze dance. Much like ‘Simon Says’, freeze dance incorporates well-known movements into the game, but here at Hey Kanga, we like taking conventional activities and adding a fun twist to them. So, let’s get into the instructions.

Play some music and let your kids dance freely. You could even add some sports-themed music to up the ante, such as the ‘Chariots Of Fire’ soundtrack. When the music stops, individuals must ‘freeze’ in place. You can incorporate different stretches, yoga poses, movements and even weight training activities for them to ‘freeze’ in, and they can complete the reps or movements once they have frozen and followed your instructions. There are many benefits to freeze dance, such as enhancing auditory processing and expression of creativity and emotions! This is because kids can dance in any way they wish and enjoy the fun of the sporadic movements.

And there we have it! A detailed guide to some five brilliant PE games for kids. With Hey Kanga, you’ll be able to use our suggestions alongside the fitness videos and instil a love of fitness in kids.

Our library of over 1,000 videos will keep your lesson plans full of variety and excitement. Spend less time planning PE lessons and enjoy more time with your kids with our wonderful resources.

Check out our Fall Promotion of a FREE one-year subscription to Hey Kanga when you purchase DrumFit Equipment!

DrumFIT is an innovative, turn-key Physical Education program that promotes cardiovascular activity and targets social emotional learning thru cardio drumming with the use of fun, engaging video lessons. With a Play N’ Go video curriculum, lesson planning will be quick and easy for all kinds of educators. DrumFIT aligns with international physical education standards and elevates your home school environment.

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What is Hey Kanga?

Hey Kanga is a platform that aims to get everybody moving joyfully, expressively, and effectively, while helping children discover their full potential. It provides educators with a range of tools, including quick movement breaks, dances, mindfulness meditation, fitness games and comprehensive physical education curriculums!

Is Hey Kanga suitable for homeschooling families?

Yes, we have lots of families who are enjoying the Hey Kanga platform with their homeschooling students.

What is Hey Kanga’s privacy policy?

Hey Kanga’s privacy policy can be found here,

How many videos does Hey Kanga have?

Hey Kanga has over 1000 videos for children ages 3 years to 18 years. Videos can be easily filtered by age, difficulty, genre and music type.

Can Hey Kanga be used by students of all abilities?

Yes, Hey Kanga aims to provide fitness opportunities that fit everybody. Regardless of ability, the platform ensures that every child fulfils their full physical, mental-emotional, and academic potential. It promotes social-emotional active learning, creating an inclusive environment in which all students can thrive.

I am not very technical, can I still use Hey Kanga?

We designed Hey Kanga to be very easy to use and no tech skills are required. Everything is done with a click of a button! If you’re struggling with anything, you can chat to us at any time using this form.