3-5 PE Lesson Ideas

Sometimes performing regular push ups can be boring. The following push up activities should provide some more excitement for kids and provide the same benefits.

Of course students can choose whether to be in the push up position of their choice (i.e., modified or regular). Many of these can also be done in the crab crawl position.

1. Macarena Push-ups

The students reach forward with their right hand while supporting themselves with their left arm. After returning their right hand to the floor they raise their left hand while supporting themselves with their right arm. The following commands are then given: (After practicing add the music and have a great time and a great workout!)

• Right hand forward and turn palm up-return, left hand forward and turn palm up, return.
  
• Right hand to left shoulder-return, left hand to right shoulder-return.
  
• Right hand to right ear-return, left hand to left ear-return.
  
• Right hand to left waist-return, left hand to right waist-return.
  
• Right hand to right hip-return, left hand to left hip-return.
  
• 1/4 turn to your right and repeat the steps facing the next wall.
  

Submitted by Craig Walker who teaches at Spring Garden Elementary School in Hampstead, MD.

2. Alphabet Push Ups

Tap left shoulder with right hand, then right with left, etc. as you recite the alphabet.

Submitted by Eloise Elliott who is Dept. Chair at Concord College in Athens, WV. This was presented by Chip Candy at the 1994 WVAHPERD Conference.

3. Ball Tap Push Ups

Put a small ball (i.e. tennis) in between your hands. Tap the ball with right hand, then left. (The ball does not move).

• This time make the ball move from side to side.
  
• This time touch the ball with your elbow. Right elbow then left.
  

Submitted by Eloise Elliott who is Dept. Chair at Concord College in Athens, WV. This was presented by Chip Candy at the 1994 WVAHPERD Conference.

4. Chin Juggling Push Ups

Put a small ball in your right hand while in push up position. Put in under your chin; put right hand back on floor; remove ball from chin with the left hand and place back on floor. Continue alternating in this manner.

Submitted by Eloise Elliott who is Dept. Chair at Concord College in Athens, WV. This was presented by Chip Candy at the 1994 WVAHPERD Conference.

5. Partner Patty Cakes

Two people in push up position face each other. Tap right hand to right hand and then left to left. Continue alternating until too tired to go on. Too make harder increase distance between partners.

Submitted by Eloise Elliott who is Dept. Chair at Concord College in Athens, WV. This was presented by Chip Candy at the 1994 WVAHPERD Conference.

6. Push Up Position Hockey

Two people in push up position face each other about 5 feet apart. Using a bean bag or ball, try to slide or roll the object between your partners two hands. The partner may stop it with one hand only. Students may choose to keep score if they would like.

This was presented at the 1996 23rd Annual Cal Poly Elementary Physical Education Workshop.

7. A Deck of Push Ups

Using a deck of playing cards, challenge your students to a push up contest. The students turn over a card, whatever the card is, you do that number of push ups. Joker=20, Ace=15, King=13, Queen=12, Jack=11 and so forth on down the line. The teacher then turns over a card and the students do that many push ups. Go back and forth until you get too tired. Tally how many push ups you did as a group.

Submitted by Ken Bell who is a professor at Boise State University in Boise, ID.

8. Bean Bag Push-Ups

Materials needed for this activity are a crate, box, or basket which stands about 1 1/2 feet off the ground and bean bags (approximately 4 per student). Students are in push-up position with beanbags and baskets in front of them. They start by picking 1 beanbag up off the floor with left hand and placing it on the crate, then the next with the right hand, then the next with the left until all the beanbags are on the crate. Now they take the beanbags off the crate one by one alternating hands until they are all off the crate. This repeats until a given time limit such as one minute is over.

9. Alphabet Push Ups with a Partner

Two students are in push up position across from each other about arms length apart. They are to high five each other using opposite hands while working their way through the ABC's. This can then be modified and low fives can be used. To make more difficult have them go through the alphabet backwards.

Robert Rimmel who teaches PE at Sherando High School in Winchester, VA.

10. Tennis Ball Roll Push-Ups

One student is in push up position while a partner is behind them holding a tennis ball. The partner with the tennis ball rolls the ball under the student in push up position and the push up person catches the ball and tosses it back to the partner over their shoulder. To make more difficult have the person in the push up position alternate hands.

Robert Rimmel who teaches PE at Sherando High School in Winchester, VA.

11. One Arm Push Ups with a Partner

This is best for grade 10-12 students. Since this may be fairly difficult for some students it may be best to invite students to attempt it, as opposed to making it mandatory for all to do.

Two students are in push up position across from each other about arms length apart. Each student takes his/her right hand and puts in on the others shoulder. Working together both move to the ground and attempt as many push-ups a possible. Change hands.

David Janinis who is a students at California State University of Chico in Chico, CA.

12. Push Up Ball Fury

13. Push Up Routine