Noodle tag
Each pair faces each other with a noodle on the floor between them.
They play Rock Paper Scissors. Immediately, the winner of the game runs to try and escape. The loser picks up the noodle to chase them with the aim of tagging them with the noodle before they reach the end of the playing area.
You can progress this game to challenge the winner to escape and then double their points by turning back, getting past their team-mate with the noodle and safely to their opponent’s end of the playing area.
Bat with them
Noodles are softer and safer for young children to use.
So, you can use noodles as hockey sticks in almost any invasion game.
You can use noodles as bats to hit balls in modified rounders or cricket games.
To help the children further, try starting the ball balanced on a tee, like a tall cone (rather than have the ball served with a throw). This will provide the children with an appropriate entry-level to the game.
Sword fight
Pairs sword fight with a noodle each instead of a sword.
To score a point, you must touch your opponent’s feet with your noodle.
A similar and useful activity is for one of the pair to have a sword and the other not. The child without the sword is on all fours on the floor (on feet and hands, not knees and hands). The child with the sword moves the sword slowly along the floor under their partner. Their partner must move their limbs over the sword and try not to get touched. This is good for core strength development.
Kangaroo tag
Each child has a noodle between their ankles, and they must keep their noodle there by squeezing their ankles together. So, the only way they can move is to jump like kangaroos.
Choose one colour of noodles to be the taggers. They must chase the others and tag them by touching them with their noodle.
Want more easy-to-use PE tips and ideas?
'A Year of Primary PE' has 110 games ready-to-use in primary PE... plus loads of other top tips
A must-have for every primary school
SARAH WATKINS - AUTHOR AND TEACHER @mini_Lebowski
This book is a must-have for every primary school. Mark’s passion for PE, grounded in experience, shines through and he offers an alternative approach that focuses on the holistic development of each learner, as well as developing physical skills. Every activity is carefully planned, tried and tested, engaging and purposeful.
