Sports We Play

Talk to the children about the different types of sports that are participated in and played in the area. Ask them what types of sports they have tried and which ones they enjoy. They can also bring in pictures of themselves participating in a certain sport and you can display them.
If there are any school or professional sports teams in the area, you can talk to them about the sport, facility and spectators.

Boating or Rowing

Snowshoeing

Biking

Hiking

Water-skiing or wake-boarding

Soccer

Skiing

Swimming

Ice skating

Sports Obstacle Course

Set up a sports obstacle course using different types of sports, games or physical activities. Ideas could include: riding a bike or trike; bouncing, throwing, hitting or kicking a ball; crawling under, through, or over obstacles; running; jumping over; balancing along; pretending to swim or skate; etc.

Sports Balls

Explore several different types of balls with the children: football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, golf, etc. Observe the way the different balls move if you bounce them, throw them, kick them, hit them with a bat, etc. Discuss why each type of ball is used to play different games.

Sport Match

Use the attached document or cut out several pictures of sports balls or equipment as well as athletes from a magazine. Have your children match the balls or equipment with the athlete that plays it.

Click on any of the images above to view and/or print.

Exploring the Inside of Baseball

Cut off the cover of a baseball and let your children explore the inside of a baseball. You can also do this for soccer and footballs.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Take me out to the ball game.
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some Peanuts and Crackerjack
I don't care if I never get back.
Oh it's root, root, root for the home team.
If they don't win its a shame.
For it's 1, 2, 3 strikes you're out.
At the old ball game.

Sports Visit

Visit a sports stadium or field, a tennis court, a health or fitness club, a swimming pool, or a sports facility at a local high school or college. Learn more about what types of sports are played there and the equipment and facilities used to play them.

Sports Charades

Let the children dramatize various sports without using any noise, just actions (football, baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, running, golf, lacrosse, biking, hiking, skating, rowing, swimming, dancing, gymnastics, skiing, etc) while the others guess the sport being portrayed. Let each child have at least one turn acting out a sport.

Cheese Ball

Blend 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened),
1 stick of butter (softened),
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
& 1/2 package of onion soup mix (such as Lypton's)

or use the following instead of the soup mix package, I found the recipe here:

4 tsp. dry minced onion
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. beef bouillon or 4 cubes
1/8 tsp. celery salt.

Let the children add & mix, then give each one a portion to shape into a ball. The balls can be rolled in nuts & served with crackers or pretzels.

Sports Journal Page

Read a book about different types of sports then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "What types of sports to you enjoy playing? Why?" Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

Click on the image to view and/or print.

Sports Pretend

Provide different types of sports uniforms and equipment for the children to dress up and explore: baseball (caps, balls, uniforms, mitts, masks, etc.), football (pads, uniforms, helmets, balls), skiing (boots, ski, warm clothing), empty water bottles, score boards, cameras, etc.

Sport Shoe Sole Rubbings

Collect different types of sports shoes. Let the children put paper over the soles of the shoes and rub on it with crayons. Compare the different patterns made from the different types of shoe sole rubbings.

Sports Lesson Plan

Click on the image to view and/or print.