PE Games for Small Groups: 6 Fun Gym Games That Keep Every Student Moving
Updated: 19 hours ago
PE teachers have lots of ways to teach their curriculum and meet district, state, and national standards. Small group games are one of the best. A small group game is any game or activity played by a small group of students, usually 3 to 8. With fewer players, every student gets more chances to move and practice the skills they've learned.
Quick Answer: Fun small group games for PE include Catch Ball, Flash Ball, Paddle 4 Square, Pinball, Intercept, and Rescue Me. Small group games use 3 to 8 players, so every student gets more turns, more touches, and more practice with throwing, catching, kicking, and striking skills in a less stressful setting.
Small group games can teach a wide range of skills and concepts, like hand-eye coordination, footwork, and spatial awareness. They're also great for building teamwork, social skills, and leadership. You can group students by skill level so every game is a good challenge, and you can run several games at once so everyone stays active and engaged.
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Why Use Small Group Games in PE?
Small group games create a supportive setting with lots more player-to-player interaction than big games. Every student gets more chances to succeed and feel like a valued member of the group. These games still challenge students, but they're usually less stressful than large group games. When students feel less anxious, they're more engaged and better able to use their skills in game situations.
The games in this post line up with SHAPE America's Standard 2: Applies knowledge related to movement and fitness concepts.* Because students work closely with teammates, they also practice Standard 3: Develops social skills through movement.* Small group games can help you meet district and state standards, too.
*National Physical Education Standards are used under license from SHAPE America.
© 2024, SHAPE America, https://www.shapeamerica.org/. All rights reserved.
Tips for Using Small Group Games in PE
Pick Your Focus: Decide which skills or movement patterns you want students to practice.
Choose the Right Games: Pick small group games that let students practice those skills in game-like situations, with or without equipment.
Keep It Age-Appropriate: Use fun games that fit your students' age and ability. My I Can Statements posters help students know exactly what they're working on.
Make Safety a Priority: Give students plenty of room to move freely and safely.
Go Over the Rules: Before playing, make sure everyone understands the rules and boundaries.
Demonstrate: Have a few students show the class how to play.
Encourage Fair Play: Remind students to stay active, play fair, and practice good sportsmanship.
Keep It Fun: Keep the focus on fun and learning, not winning.
Pause When Needed: Stop the game now and then to redirect behavior or give students a break.
Wrap It Up: End with a short discussion to celebrate what students accomplished.
Need more small group games for your PE classes? My PE Small Group Games: 25 Fun Activities set is perfect for taking your classes to the next level.
6 Small Group Games for PE Classes
Now that you know why small group games work so well, here are six fun games you can use in your program right away.
1. Catch Ball
Overview
Teams work together to make a playground ball bounce twice inside the other team's court. Skills Used: throwing and catching
Equipment
1 playground ball per group of 8 to 12 students
Gym lines or small cones for boundaries (indoors)
Playground chalk for boundaries (outdoors)
Two square or rectangle courts set up facing each other
A serving line at the back right of each court
Game Instructions and Rules
Students spread out on their side of the court.
Serve: Start with a serve from the back right corner into the other team's court. The ball must cross the midline.
Two Bounces Wins: Try to make the ball bounce twice in the other team's court. If it bounces once, or a player drops it and catches it after one bounce, it's still in play.
Out of Bounds: If the ball bounces once in the other court and then goes out of bounds, the other team gets the point.
Watch Your Side: If the ball bounces twice in your own court before it crosses over, the other team gets the point. The serve switches after each point and rotates through the whole team.
Pass It Around: Players can pass to teammates before sending the ball over, but if it's dropped and bounces twice, the other team scores. The ball can bounce once at any time during play.
Teacher Tip: Count "ONE" out loud on the first bounce to remind students.
From My PE Classes
Catch Ball was one of my favorite small group games. My students loved setting up their own courts, with cones in the gym or chalk outside. My 4th and 5th graders were especially good at it, and they got into some amazing rallies. It was so much fun to watch.
2. Flash Ball
Game created by Dave Senecal (PEPALOOZA). Find Dave on TPT here.
Overview
Players face off 1 vs. 1, trying to throw the ball into their opponent's rectangle so it can't be caught cleanly.
Skills Used: throwing, catching, and tapping
Equipment
1 large, lightweight ball per group, like a large plastic ball, Slo-Mo ball, or beach ball (about 16 to 20 inches)
Chalk, tape, or floor lines to make a rectangle court
A court about 18 feet long and 3 feet wide, divided by a midline
Several games can run at once around the gym, field, or blacktop
Game Instructions and Rules
One player starts on each side of the court. A student referee stands off to the side and rotates into the game next.
Serve: Start the rally with an easy serve into the other player's rectangle so it can be caught and thrown back.
Bounce: The ball must bounce inside the other player's rectangle.
Catch: After the bounce, the ball must be caught before it's thrown back.
Where to Throw From: Players can't throw from inside their rectangle. They must throw from the side or behind it.
Tap Ups: If you can't catch the ball cleanly, you can tap it up into the air, but you must catch it before it hits the ground.
Miss and Rotate: If you miss the ball, you're out and go to the end of the line.
Lines: The ball can hit any outside line, but if it hits the midline, it's an out.
Rotate In: Players who are out join the line to rotate back into the next open side.
Student Referee: The next player waiting to rotate in serves as the referee.
3. Paddle 4 Square
Overview
Players hit a ball with a paddle or racket, trying to knock other players out and move up to the top square, the King or Queen square. My racket and paddle games post has more striking ideas.
Skills Used: striking
Equipment
At least 4 paddles or rackets per group
1 small, bouncy foam ball per group
Court lines made with chalk or tape
Numbers 1 to 4 written in the squares
Game Instructions and Rules
One player stands in each of the 4 squares. A line forms at Square 1 for players waiting to rotate in.
Serve: The player in Square 4 (the King or Queen square) drops the ball and hits it underhand with the paddle into another square.
Rally: Players hit the ball into any other square until someone is out. A player is out for hitting an inside line, hitting the ball out of bounds, hitting it before it bounces in their square, touching it with anything but the paddle, or hitting a ball that landed in someone else's square.
Lines: The ball can hit any outside line, but hitting an inside line is an out.
Rotate: Players who are out go to the end of the line and rotate back into Square 1.
Student Referee: The next player in line serves as the referee for the next rally.
Video courtesy of Andrew Wymer. Find Andrew on X: @AndrewWymer10s
4. Pinball
Overview
Two teams work together to pass a foam ball or flying disc down the court and knock over the other team's bowling pin. Skills Used: throwing and catching
Equipment
1 ball per group (yarn ball, foam ball, or flying disc)
4 cones or gym lines to mark the court
1 hula hoop at each end of the court
2 bowling pins or empty 2 liter bottles (one inside each hoop)
Game Instructions and Rules
Students spread out on their side of the court to start. Teams of 3 vs. 3 or 4 vs. 4 work well.
Start: One team starts with the ball and passes it down the court, trying to knock over the pin in the other team's hoop.
No Traveling: The player with the ball can pivot and take 1 step but can't run with it.
Complete Passes: Passes must be caught to keep possession. If the ball hits the floor, the other team takes it from that spot.
No Contact: No contact is allowed on defense.
Scoring: Knock down the other team's pin to score 1 point.
Winning: Play for a set time or until one team scores 10 points.
5. Intercept (Indoor and Outdoor Game)
Overview
One team passes a soccer ball around the field or gym with their feet while the other team throws a separate ball, trying to hit the soccer ball as it rolls. Skills Used: kicking, throwing, and catching
Equipment
1 soccer ball per group
1 gator skin or foam ball per group
Game Instructions and Rules
Students spread out in small teams on a grassy field or in a large gym. Teams of 2 vs. 2 or 3 vs. 3 work best.
Pass: One team passes the soccer ball back and forth on the ground in a set area, using only their feet.
Hit It: The other team tries to hit the rolling soccer ball by throwing their gator skin or foam ball.
Switch: When the soccer ball is hit, the teams switch roles.
No Running: The throwing team can't run with their ball. They pass it to teammates to get closer to the soccer ball.
6. Rescue Me
Overview
Teams throw footballs or other balls past the other team to their teammates waiting in the far end zone. When a teammate makes the catch and throws it back successfully, they're rescued! Skills Used: throwing and catching
Equipment and Playing Area
Several balls per group (footballs, foam balls, flying discs, and more)
Cones or lines to mark the playing area and end zones
Groups of 12 to 16 players (6 to 8 per team)
Several balls spread out on each side
A playing area with a midline and 2 end zone lines about 30 to 50 feet apart
Game Instructions and Rules
Each team puts half its players in its own playing area and the other half behind the other team's end zone line.
Goal: Each team tries to rescue its teammates from behind the other team's end zone by throwing them a ball.
Catch: Players in the end zone must catch the ball in the air.
Throw Back: After a catch, they throw the same ball back across the midline to a teammate in their home area.
Rescued: If that throw is caught, the player is rescued!
Join In: Rescued players join their teammates in the home area and help rescue the rest.
Missed Catch: If a ball isn't caught, it's thrown back to either playing area and play continues.
Winning: The first team to rescue all its players wins!
Final Thoughts
Now that you know these six small group games, it's time to try them with your classes! They're fun, and they build throwing, catching, foot dribbling, and striking skills. Before each game, make sure students have the right equipment and understand the rules. Encourage students and give feedback as they work together, and rotate games often to keep things fresh. If you'd like to sharpen the skills first, my Catching Skills Unit is a great place to start. For more game ideas, check out my posts on throwing activities, Frisbee games, football games, and playground ball games. Which game will you try first? Let me know in the comments below!
Need some large group games for your PE program? Check out these posts: PE Games for Large Groups: 10 Tips for Success and 6 Large Group PE Games Your Students Will Love
Need Some FREE Physical Education Games?
Do you need fun games for your physical education program with clear instructions and play diagrams? Here's a free set to help!
Fill in the form below to download the FREE Physical Education Games Packet: 18 Game Set to use in your PE program! Inside are 18 fun and exciting PE games for a wide range of ages.
This PDF digital download includes 3 games from each of these sets in my PE Games Super Bundle:
1. PE Base Games, 2. PE Basketball Games, 3. PE Soccer Games, 4. PE Volleyball and Net Games, 5. PE Disc Games, and 6. PE Small Group Multi-Skill Games
150 PE Games
If you're looking for lots of PE games for large, medium, or small groups, check out my PE Games Super Bundle: Basketball, Soccer, Net, Disc, Base, and Small Group Games.
This Super Bundle includes 150 games from 6 PE game sets: PE Base Games, PE Basketball Games, PE Soccer Games, PE Volleyball and Net Games, PE Disc Games, and PE Small Group Multi-Skill Games. Each set has 25 top-rated games that PE and classroom teachers can use to teach skills and keep students happy and active!
You can find this bundle in my TPT store: PE Games for Team Sports: Super Bundle
About Pete Charrette
Pete Charrette is a National Board Certified physical education teacher and former Georgia PE Teacher of the Year with more than 30 years of experience teaching elementary PE. He is the creator of Cap'n Pete's Power PE and has developed more than 1,000 PE and health resources used by teachers around the world. Pete loves helping PE teachers build programs their students enjoy.
