Football Fun in Physical Education: 6 Football Games, PE Stations and Small Group Activities
Football season is in full swing and that means it's the perfect time to add some football fun into your physical education class! Using football as part of your curriculum is an excellent way to get students active and can be modified to fit any skill level. Football is not only a great sport, but it can also be easily learned by playing modified games and activities in a safe environment such as in Physical Education class. Many young people already enjoy playing football, so they will be more likely to want to learn some skills associated with it in their school setting.
Pics by Tracy Angel @Mrs_Coach_Angel
If you're searching for new and exciting physical education football stations and small group activities to add variety to your class, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, I'll look at the football skills that can be taught during a typical PE class, provide some tips for implementing a station format, and highlight six different stations that are guaranteed to keep your students active and engaged. The station guide provides you with an overview of the equipment you will need, station set up information, and step-by-step instructions. So grab a football or a few footballs and let's get started!
Football Skills for PE
There are several skills involved in football that can easily be utilized and taught in a PE unit. Throwing, catching, ball-carrying, kicking, punting, and defending, are all important aspects of the game. Stations and small group activities are a great way to get students up and moving while they learn and practice these football skills. They can be a valuable method to help students of different skill levels learn and succeed. This is critical since every student arrives at class with varying levels of football expertise.
Incorporating stations for teaching football in PE
Most physical education classes involve working with large groups of students. When you're dealing with a large number of children with various skill levels, it's tough to give everyone the attention they need, but football stations and small group activities may be used to split the kids up into smaller groups and put them in different places around your learning area.
The station model allows educators to teach multiple skills simultaneously while also being able to group students with similar abilities. This setup also requires less equipment and allows students to learn more effectively.
Video by Coach Capps @WCE_PhysEd
Can football stations help students meet learning standards?
The highlighted football PE activities in this blog article can easily encompass district, state and national PE standards and directly correlate with SHAPE America Standard 1 which states: The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.*
Tips for setting up the station activities to help develop your students' football skills
Copy and laminate any football-themed station signs and visuals
Place the station cards around your learning area with plenty of space between stations
Pics by Tracy Angel @Mrs_Coach_Angel
Give the stations a sequence number and rotate your students every 2 to 6 minutes (depending on your time and the number of stations you intend to use in each lesson)
Give a brief set of instructions and demonstrations prior to your active part of the lesson
Play music during activity and stop in when students rotate
As they take part in the activities, walk among the students and offer instructional or behavioral feedback as needed
Adapt the activity to your student's particular abilities, equipment requirements, and space restrictions
Include football game terms as you teach the skills
6 Engaging PE Football Games, Stations, and Small Group Activities
1. Football Obstacle Course
Overview
Students take turns running through an obstacle course (carrying a football) by sprinting around a hula hoop, leaping over a pool noodle, jumping rope, and running back to the start.
Equipment
A football for each obstacle course you set up
1 starting poly spot, 1 hula hoop, 1 pool noodle or line, 1 jump rope, and 1 end cone for each obstacle course
Set-Up
Place a football at the start of each obstacle course
Students line up at the start of the football obstacle course. Keep the lines as short as possible (2 to 4 in a line)
Station Instruction
Students work in small groups to take turns running and carrying a football and performing the following tasks:
Start at the start line and run around the outside of a hula hoop in a circle pattern
Leap over a gym line or a pool noodle
Drop the football and jump rope 3 times
Run around the end cone, get the ball on the way back and sprint to the finish
The next person in line repeats...time your group for fun! Make it fun and race the other team of students beside you
2. Through the Hoop
Overview
Students take turns throwing a football through a hula hoop. Students are encouraged to throw from different distances.
Equipment
Enough footballs for each small group of 2 to 4 students in your class
A hula hoop in a holder, hanging from a basketball hoop or held up by another student
A few poly spots to throw from
Set-Up
Place a football at one of the poly spots or throw lines for each group
Students take turns throwing the football through the open hula hoop from different distances
Station Instruction
Students throw the football attempting to make it go through the hoop
Football throw a football from a set poly spot or cone
Try to make the ball fly through the hula hoop
The hoop can be hanging from a goal post or a basketball goal
The hoop can also be placed in a hula hoop holder or held by another student
A group member can retrieve the ball in between throws
Take 2 throws if needed and try it from different distances
Trade roles with your partner
If there are more than 3 in the group, establish a throwing order
3. Punt for Distance
Overview
Students take turns punting a football from a line for distance. Partners can mark distances using cones or poly spots.
Equipment
Enough footballs for each small group of 2 to 4 students in your class
A line or poly spot to kick from
A cone or poly spot to mark the distance of the punt
Set-Up
Place a football at one of the poly spots or punt lines for each group
Students take turns punting the football from that line or spot
Another student in the group marks the spot it lands or rolls to
Station Instruction
Students punt the football as far as they can (best done in an outdoor environment with ample space)
Stand behind the punting line
Punt the ball as far as possible
A group member can mark the distance with a poly spot or cone
Return the ball to the punt line
Trade roles with your partner
If there are more than 3 in the group, establish a punting order
Video by Tracy Angel @Mrs_Coach_Angel
4. Partner Throw and Catch
Overview
Students throw and catch a football with a partner or multiple partners in a designated station area.
Equipment
Enough footballs for each small group of 2 to 4 students in your class
Set-Up
Place a football in a station area
Set parameters for students to stay within
Station Instruction
Students throw and catch a football in a designated station area inside a gym or outside on a field
Spread out in an open space (inside the station zone area) with a partner or a couple of group members
Throw and catch the ball inside the zone area. Practice the proper throwing and catching cues
Try some stationary catches and then proceed into some catches while moving
Establish some pass patterns before the throw and catch
Attempt some short and long passes and catches
5. Four Corner Ball Carry
Overview
Students take turns running 4 cones and perform the following locomotor movements between each cone: run, slide step, backpedal, and crossover.
Equipment
A football for each 4 corner course you set up
4 cones for each 4 corner running course
Set-Up
Place a football at the start of each 4 corner running course
Students line up at cone #1- the start of the course. Keep the lines as short as possible (2 to 4 in a line)
Station Instruction
Students work in small groups to take turns carrying a football and performing the following locomotor movements:
The first player starts at cone 1
They run Forward to cone 2
Slide step facing out to cone 3
Backpedal to cone 4
Crossover (grapevine step) back to cone 1
The next person in line repeats...time your group for fun!
6. Two vs One Passing (Football Throwing Games)
Overview
Students take turns playing quarterback, receiver, and defensive back in a small grid area.
Equipment
Enough footballs for each small group of 3 to 4 students in your class
1 flag or 2 flags per offensive player (optional)
4 cones to make a playing grid
Set-Up
Place a football in a station area
Set up a grid, using cones with an end zone
Station Instruction
Students set plays to throw and catch a football past a defender
Establish who will be the quarterback, receiver, and defender
The quarterback and receiver determine a pass play and establish a passing pattern
The 2 offensive players try to make a complete pass
Establish some pass patterns before the throw and catch
Rotate positions every 2 or 3 attempts
You can convert to flag football. An offensive player must stop when the flag pulled
If you have a 4th player, they can act as a referee and then rotate into the game
Pics by Stephanie Weber @MrsWeber_PE
Final thoughts
Incorporating football stations and small group activities into your PE classes is a great way to keep your students both active and engaged. Not only will they enjoy the dynamic activities, but they'll also learn skills and satisfy required PE standards while doing it. You can easily adjust the football activities to be more advantageous for your students, regardless of their skill level or development stage.
In this blog post, I have shared 6 fun football stations and activities that you can use in your own PE class. These activities were designed to help students improve their throwing and catching skills, hand-eye coordination, footwork, and team play. I hope you find these activities helpful and enjoy watching your students have fun while being physically active!
Do you have a favorite PE football activity that you use in your class? I would love to hear about it in the comments below!
*SHAPE America. (2013). National Standards for K-12 Physical Education. Reston, VA: Author.
Need resources?
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This freebie set will be sure to enhance your PE curriculum for years!
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