Fun Christmas-Themed Activities for the PE Classroom
We understand how busy teachers can get during the festive season, juggling end-of-term tasks, holiday preparations, and everything in between. To make things a bit easier for you, we’ve put together some fun and creative Christmas-themed physical activities for your PE lessons.
These activities will not only keep your students active but also fill the gym with festive cheer. So, whether you’re looking for games, challenges, or ways to transform your gym into a winter wonderland, we’ve got you covered!
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Reindeer Relay Races
- How to Play: Divide students into teams and set up a relay race course. Each student must race while wearing a pair of antlers (you can use headbands or make your own from cardboard) and holding a “reindeer” tail (a piece of fabric or a soft ball). The race can include hurdles to jump over or cones to weave through, creating a fun challenge that builds both agility and speed.
- Variations: Add a “Santa’s sleigh” element by having students pull a lightweight “sleigh” (a small sled or a towel with toys inside) to the next team member.
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Snowball Toss
- How to Play: Use soft white balls to create “snowballs.” Set up a series of targets such as hula hoops, cones, or buckets at varying distances. Students must try to toss the snowballs into the targets. To make it more challenging, add obstacles or create a time limit for each player to score as many points as possible.
- Variations: Organise a competition where students must complete the task with their non-dominant hand or work in pairs to pass and throw the snowballs.
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Christmas Tree Agility Drills
- How to Play: Set up an agility course that represents decorating a Christmas tree. Use cones, hoops, and ropes to create a “tree” outline. Students must run around the cones, jump through hoops, and crawl under ropes as they decorate their tree with “baubles” (soft balls).
- Variations: To increase the difficulty, students can carry or balance a Christmas decoration (a foam ball or small cushion) as they complete the course.
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Santa’s Sack Race
- How to Play: Students line up in large “sacks” (or large pillowcases) and race to the finish line, hopping like Santa delivering gifts. You can make this more festive by using sacks decorated with Christmas-themed designs or adding a challenge such as hopping to the beat of Christmas music.
- Variations: Set up a “Santa’s chimney” obstacle where students have to hop through a set of hoops before racing back.
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Christmas Elf Obstacle Course
- How to Play: Create a Christmas-themed obstacle course with sections that represent different holiday activities, such as delivering presents, decorating the tree, or helping Santa in the workshop. Use cones to represent presents, hoops for wreaths, and balance beams for “snow-covered rooftops.” Students must navigate the obstacles while pretending to be busy little elves helping Santa prepare for Christmas.
- Variations: Add challenges like balancing a Christmas tree decoration on their heads or crawling under “snowflakes” (tape strung across the floor).
Transforming Your Gym into a Winter Wonderland
To make these activities even more engaging, consider transforming your gym into a festive winter wonderland. Here are a few creative decoration ideas to bring the holiday spirit to life:
- Christmas Tree Corner: Set up a large Christmas tree or several smaller ones in the corner of the gym. Decorate them with tinsel, baubles, and fairy lights, so students feel like they are participating in a magical holiday environment.
- Snowflakes and Garland: Hang paper snowflakes or garlands around the gym to add a touch of winter to the walls. You can even use white streamers or cotton wool to simulate snow and drape them over gym equipment or the ceiling.
- Themed Equipment: Swap out standard equipment for Christmas-themed items. For example, use red and green cones, decorate dodgeballs to look like ornaments, or even use large inflatable snowmen as targets for snowball tossing.
- Festive Music: Play upbeat Christmas tunes throughout your PE lessons. Songs like “Jingle Bells,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” will add energy to the activities and keep everyone in the holiday spirit.
- Holiday Costumes: Encourage students and staff to dress in holiday-themed clothing, such as Santa hats, elf costumes, or reindeer antlers. This adds to the fun and festive atmosphere, making PE lessons even more enjoyable.
We hope these festive ideas help make your Christmas PE lessons fun, engaging, and full of holiday spirit! With all the planning and organising that comes with the season, we know how busy teachers can get. If you’re looking for a little extra support with planning activities beyond the classroom, remember that we take care of all the logistics and planning for sports tours. Get in touch with us – we’re here to help make your job easier!
