Fun sports day activities for children
Your school sports day is one of those events that everyone remembers whether it’s good or bad. Being the one in charge can be daunting, but the event can and should be enjoyable for everyone – even if the responsibility lies with you!
You need to organise activities and games that suit the age of children in your classes as well as create a fun and inclusive day that the teachers, parents and carers and children will all enjoy.
Why is sports day important?
Sports day can be a great way to show children how much fun taking part in sport can really be. It also gives children the opportunity to showcase their talents to their families and friends. As well as this, competing in sports days can:
- Improve health and fitness
- Build leadership and teamwork skills
- Improve social skills
- Develop discipline
We have covered a whole range of different activities for you to plan and enjoy. Perfect for your whole class, no matter their skill level.
We’ve teamed up with @misscteacher and @this_sonny_day to show you how fun and engaging sports day can be! They participated in a variety of sports, ideal for their children, and they had a blast doing it.
Plan ahead
First things first, make a plan. This may seem like an obvious task, but you’d be surprised how much it helps. Ensure you have thought of all the sports that are to be included on the day, and don’t forget any equipment that may come with it!
Another thing to consider is the weather. Be mindful of the British weather and make sure you have an indoor plan just in case it rains. This way, no matter the weather, your class will still have a fun sports day to remember.
Once you’ve planned ahead, you need some fun sports activities for primary schools. We have produced some sports activities that will undoubtedly be fun for all.
Tennis
In the summer months, the world of tennis springs to life with the French Open, The US Open and of course, Wimbledon all taking place. In recent years, tennis has grown rapidly in popularity, and this is something which children can make the most of.
It is also a very adaptable sport; there are both group and individual games and activities that can be done using tennis resources. It is great for beginners too! Children can learn at their own pace without affecting others around them.
Athletics
In the lead-up to sports day it is good to practice the essential athletics activities! Throwing, catching, running, jumping; anything can be made into a fun game or competition. Just like throwing bean bags into a hoop or target. Ideal to help children with their hand-eye coordination. And our bean bags are the perfect tool.
Similarly, to tennis, athletics is adaptable and does not limit activities to one skill level. There is always something for everyone to engage in. Our junior relay batons are perfect for your class and suitable for all ages when taking part in relay races.
Egg and spoon race
You cannot have a sports day without the popular egg and spoon race. Suitable for all ages and a great sport to get the parents/carers and staff involved in too. All you need is our sports day pack and you will have everything you need. And if the weather doesn’t hold up, this can be taken indoors too. Just make sure you have enough safety measures in place.
Sack race
Children jump down the course in a sack – holding onto the top edge as they jump. The first to the finish line wins. Traditionally set up in a straight line although you can make the course curved to make it longer or weave in and out of obstacles to make it harder for the older children. Or you can make it even harder and have the parents/adults participate too. But make sure you have larger jumping sacks so they can participate.
Everyone’s a winner
No matter how many children won and lost, everyone is a winner and should be commemorated for their participation. Make sure no one is being teased for losing as just getting involved can be difficult for some children. Congratulate everyone for participating and award those that have won too.
Download our free certificate
We have a participation certificate perfect for your class. Why not download our certificate, put the children’s names on it, and hand them out to all that got involved. This is a perfect way to make the children feel like they have achieved something, even if they didn’t win a race or sport.
Let us know how your sports day goes!
