Available on my TPT store – click here to view →
Looking for a quick, high-energy Halloween warm-up that’s easy to set up and easy to run? Paper Plate Activate turns 20 Halloween-themed exercise plates into a fitness activity your students will ask to repeat all October.
Spread the plates around your gym or classroom and turn on some upbeat Halloween music. Students start at any plate and perform the exercise shown on it. When the music stops, they move to a new plate. They can’t visit the same plate twice. A rest plate is included for students who need a break after completing at least 5 or 6 exercises.
What’s Included
- 20 full-color circular exercise plates
- All 20 plates shown together on one page
- Movement instructions page explaining each exercise
- Introduction and procedures pages
- Step-by-step plate setup guide (paper plate method plus a cardstock shortcut)
- PDF plus JPG files (29 pages total)
The 20 Exercise Plates
Jump Rope, Fly in a Circle, Straight Arm Rotations, Tip-Toe in a Circle, Jumping Jacks, Dance, Pogo Jumps, Overhead Rope Pulls, Zombie Scissor Steps, Skip in a Circle, Jog in a Circle, Shoulder Shrugs, Surf the Broom, Zombie Walk in a Circle, Rest, Wall Push-Ups, Push-Ups, Sit-Ups, Stir the Pot, and Basketball Jumps.
What Students Practice
- Locomotor skills: skipping, jogging, tip-toe walking, and moving in a circle
- Fitness exercises: jumping jacks, push-ups, wall push-ups, sit-ups, and pogo jumps
- Upper-body movements: arm rotations, shoulder shrugs, and rope pulls
- Creative movement: dancing and Halloween-themed actions like surfing the broom and stirring the pot
Easy Setup
Print the plates, cut out the circles, tape each one inside a paper plate, and laminate. For a faster option, print on cardstock and laminate with no paper plate needed. Store them and use them every Halloween season.
How to Use It
Use Paper Plate Activate as a warm-up, a cool-down, or a stand-alone fitness lesson. It runs anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how long students stay at each plate (30 seconds to 2 minutes). Use all 20 plates or pick the ones that fit your space. Music adds to the fun but isn’t required.
Designed for grades K–5.
Created by Cap’n Pete, a physical educator with more than 30 years of teaching experience.
