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The PE Specialist

Awesome Resources for Physical Education Teachers

PE Games: Cross The River

This week I’m coming to you with a CLASSIC game that I play every year with my kids. Like most activities – I only play it once a year so kids love it when they walk in and see the game setup. I usually save it for a time when students are coming back from a break and kids would benefit from some team building and cooperative activities.

Aside from the fact that it’s an awesome activity, I think my students love it so much because I present the game in a gamified format by creating different levels for each increasingly difficult or complex extension of the game (I do this with most activities, for more examples check out Hula Hut Relays , Pass the Frog , or Fire and Ice .

Check out the video below for an example of me teaching the game to a 3rd grade class at my school:

If you don’t have time for the video check out the summary of the game below, or download the free lesson plan at the bottom of this post.

Cross The River

I shoot for about 5-7 kids on each team, but you can modify and adjust for different situations. The setup below is for one class, for double classes I would simply double the equipment. To start the game, I give my K-2 students 1 more dot than the members of their team, with 3-5th they get the same number of dots as team members.

No sliding or throwing the PE equipment
If any part of your body touches the “water” your entire team must start over

Level 1: Get to the “Island”

In this level students will learn how to get across the river with their team and attempt to make it to the island (gymnastics mats folded up)

Level 2: Cross the River

In this level students will attempt to cross the ENTIRE river. If they make it to the island, it acts as a “Checkpoint” where they can “Save their game”. If they fall in after saving their game, they can start over at the island.

Level 3: You Lost a Rock

In this level students once again, attempt to get their entire team to the island – However, you have some bad news for all the teams… The water has picked up and they’ve lost one of their rocks! They must use creativity and brainstorm a way to get to the island with one less rock. One hint I give kids on this level is “You need to think outside the Box!” 😉 , you can see an example in the instagram post below :

View this post on Instagram Kids: This is totally impossible…???? . Me (for the 3,00th time): Think outside the BOX and use all of your resources… . Kids: ???????????? USE the BOX!!!! . Me: ???????????????? . Details and lesson plan for this team building game “cross the river” are linked up on our resources page ???????? . #physicaleducation #physed #pegeeks #iteachpe #pe #peteacher #elempe #primarype #teamwork #teachersofinstagram A post shared by Ben Landers (@thepespecialist) on Jan 9, 2020 at 6:07am PST

Level 4: Cross the River Again

Same as level 2, but with one less rock this time. Checkpoint stays the same.

Level 5: Double Up

In this level I combine my 4 teams into 2 teams and have them attempt to make it to the island and then combine all of their equipment to go all the way across the river together.

That’s the basic outline, but there are tons of variations and different ways to present the game (different equipment, blindfolds, add obstacles to the river, create mines with bowling pins, change the scenario or add more restrictions).

I really love watching the kids play and there are TONS of teachable moments that will happen throughout the game that you can explore with the kids after each level.

I also use this game as one of my Field Day stations each year. The classroom teachers enjoy watching the kids use teamwork and attempt to be the first group to “cross the river”

If you want specifics and a more detailed list of ideas, strategies and variations – you can download my lesson plan for free below:

It’s so fun watching kids complete a challenge for the first time – check out the post below to see what I mean 🙂

View this post on Instagram Going into Friday like… . ???????? . #physicaleducation #physed #pegeeks #iteachpe #pe #peteacher #elempe #primarype A post shared by Ben Landers (@thepespecialist) on Jan 10, 2020 at 7:04am PST

Got some cool variations of the game not included in the lesson plan? Leave them in the comments below.

Have fun and teach on.

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Reader Interactions

February 4, 2023 at 2:19 am

The object of the activity is to get all members of the group safely across the river. this a great game.

February 6, 2023 at 3:24 pm

Glad you’re enjoying the activity Rebecca!

May 18, 2021 at 1:50 pm

I just had my students play Cross the River. I needed a break from our Field Day fun prep and some inclement weather so I went on the website looking for something new. I have played a similar game that I call “Rescue Island” with my 3-5th graders that uses a scooter board (boat) substituted for the step (log) to the spots and the island played across the width of the gym. Anyway, Ben I sure appreciate your ideas and resources! I will definitely be adding this to my cooperative games unit. Teach on!

May 18, 2021 at 4:18 pm

Sounds like such a cool game Nathan! Thanks for sharing!

April 8, 2021 at 10:57 am

Hi! this is great fun with the kids, tried yesterday 🙂 but i am having trouble downloading the lesson plan. Not sure if it’s on my end or yours! 🙂 Loryn

April 8, 2021 at 3:25 pm

Sorry about the issue!

Usually, this issue is related to a school filter, pop-up blocker, or browser caching issue – so we’d recommend trying from another computer, switching browsers, clearing your cache and making sure all pop up blockers have been turned off.

As a another option you can also find some of our products on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist

Just search “Cross the River”

Hope this helps!

March 14, 2021 at 8:03 pm

Exactly what I’ve been looking for! Can’t download the lesson plans though:/

March 15, 2021 at 3:45 pm

April 1, 2020 at 1:28 pm

It was a good game for the children to learn how to work together

April 2, 2020 at 12:16 pm

CTR is one of our favorites!

October 14, 2019 at 2:25 pm

Do you play until one team finishes the level or until 5 minutes are up or do you give all the students 5 minutes to finish and teams that finish first sit and watch?

October 16, 2019 at 4:52 pm

I stop the music about 20 seconds after the first team finishes and have all the teams reset – we talk about strategies and refinements and then play the next level. DO what works for you though!

October 3, 2019 at 9:39 am

I’m not able to download the lesson plan above. Is there another way to retrieve it?

October 7, 2019 at 6:14 pm

March 11, 2019 at 3:09 pm

I love the idea of this game but I am unable to download the lesson plan…

March 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm

Hey Rochelle, sorry about the issue, but it’s working on our end.

As a another option you can also find this product on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist

January 9, 2019 at 8:23 am

Thank you! Fun reminder of some renditions of this classic!

January 6, 2019 at 10:13 pm

This sounds like a super fun game to kick off second semester! We do not have any Aerobic Steps. Trying to think of an alternative? I am going to rummage through our equipment room tomorrow.

January 9, 2019 at 5:21 pm

Anything works – yoga mats, scrap pieces of wood, pieces of cardboard…

January 6, 2019 at 2:15 pm

How can I get access to your Cross the River Download? When I click on “checkout” there is nothing in my cart.

January 9, 2019 at 5:20 pm

Sorry about the issue – Usually, this issue is related to a school filter, pop-up blocker, or browser issue – so we’d recommend trying from another computer, switching browsers and making sure all pop up blockers have been turned off.

As a last resort you can also find this download on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist

January 5, 2019 at 12:20 pm

Thanks looks fun.

May 15, 2018 at 8:07 am

Hi Ben, I saw the modifications you make for Grades K-2. Even with grades K-2 you still use the “LOG”? How does that work with K passing and moving the “LOG”? Is it something they struggle with physically? Just was curious before I teach it to my younger students.

May 16, 2018 at 3:18 pm

K usually doesn’t pass the log (even though it’s there if they thought of it). They usually don’t need to use the log because I always give them one extra spot.

1st and up can pass the log without any issues – although, yes it’s harder for them than it would be for a 4th grade student.

August 9, 2017 at 8:49 pm

Thanks so much! I used it for VBS and the kids loved it! It was so fun to see them work together and think. The 1st graders did better than the 4th graders, too many chiefs in the older group. LOL!

Thanks for sharing!

August 14, 2017 at 4:02 pm

Haha – perfect. I’ve used it for a church camp as well – it’s always a hit 🙂

May 22, 2017 at 9:36 am

What could I use instead of the aerobic steps as the logs?

May 22, 2017 at 4:27 pm

Go to home depot or Lowes and by a few 2x4s and have them cut it into smaller pieces and use those. Or you could get 1 x 6s if you want to have a wider “log” for the kids to make it easier.

Or you could use any other flat object in your equipment room that can be stepped on – or just don’t use logs, use scooters instead as “boats”

May 3, 2017 at 11:18 am

Ben have you ever used Cross the River as a Field Day station? I was thinking Of playing it with my 2nd-3rd grades. My field day stations are 15 min. each. Do you think we could play 2 levels in that time? Just wanted your opinion.

Thanks, Doug

May 8, 2017 at 8:56 am

Yep – we use cross the river for Field Day every year with K-5th, our stations are 7 minutes each, but I think 15 would work as well if you had the different levels.

February 21, 2017 at 2:43 pm

I play this game using floatation devices (pinnies, poly spots) instead of rocks. Students must ALWAYS be touching (with some body part) the floatation device or it will float away and the team will have one less device to get across with. I like how you added levels.

February 22, 2017 at 7:11 pm

Nice! I’ve heard of that variation with the floating objects, but never tried it – sounds fun though. Thanks for sharing!

February 15, 2017 at 4:06 pm

I did this today with third and fourth graders. They really enjoyed it. Presenting it in a “gamified” format really resonated with a lot of them. I had a number of students ask me after class when we could do this again. Ben Landers for the win!

Top Resources

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How to Teach Gymnastics (Unit Plan)
25 Exercise Posters
The PE Poster Tour
How to Teach Jumprope (Unit Plan)
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Exercise in Disguise: Fun PE Games and Activities

“5 laps around the gym – Go!”

Is this a familiar command you recall when you entered the gymnasium for your Physical Education class in elementary school? Did it make you excited to take part in PE? Or, did it raise anxiety and/or boredom as you dreaded the same old routine to start the PE lesson? If you answered the later, a common response, it may have led to a negative attitude towards physical activity, perhaps even a disengagement in PE because it wasn’t fun , enjoyable, and varied in its approach.

Everyone should be able to associate physical activity as a fun, enjoyable experience and a necessary component of everyday life.

With only 9% of Canadians kids aged 5 to 17 achieving 60 minutes of heart pumping exercise daily, and similar statistics in the United States, we need to change the way we get kids moving in PE and throughout the school day through fun games and activities. ( ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, 2015 )

Have you ever thought about “ gamifying” your approach to teaching fundamental movement skills , personal fitness, and interpersonal skills? Developing more movement vocabulary and physical literacy opens up a gateway to active participation for life.

To “ gamify ” something means to turn an activity or task, such as physical activity, into a game or something resembling a game; usually making the activity more interesting. Here is an example gamifying a common paper and pencil game such as Tic Tac Toe into a dynamic warm up for a PE lesson.

Tic Tac Toe Relay

This game combines components of fitness such as speed, agility, cardiovascular fitness and problem solving skills. See video example!

Games in Physical Education

Games permeate every aspect of school PE and can be used as warm-ups or modified instructional tools, as well as taught as complex activities. They enable students of all ages and abilities to achieve a range of core competencies of a quality Health and Physical Education program. Through games students can:

Actively participate in sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity according their abilities and readiness level.
Demonstrate responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.
Develop a range of movement skills (e.g., stability, locomotion and manipulative), concepts (e.g., body and spatial awareness) and strategies (e.g., rules and boundaries, conventions of fair play) to acquire movement competence and increased physical literacy
Develop personal, interpersonal skills and use critical thinking and problem solving skills.

If games are taught well, students can improve their fitness, learn new skills, cooperate with teammates and challenge their intellect by solving problems of strategy and tactics. If games are taught poorly, students may learn that winning is everything and cheating is a viable strategy.

No doubt, the use of games can increase fun and student enjoyment in PE. Consider planning instruction of games with intent . Create guiding question(s) to frame the learning in a game/activity.

“Why do games have rules?” Ask yourself this if you want to emphasize conventions of fair play, structures of games.
“What makes a good team player?” Ask yourself this if you want to emphasize interpersonal skills and teambuilding skills.
“What skills from this activity can I transfer to another game or sport environment? ” Ask yourself this if you want to emphasize the development of movement competence and personal fitness.

Useful Tip: Use novelty type equipment such as a rubber critters or throton, both are non-sport specific throwing objects. This can create a more inclusive learning environment and engage students of all readiness levels and skills to begin with, before progressing into more complex activities.

Here are some fun PE games to get you started:

Everybody is it.

At the start of the game everyone is it and every player tries to tag another player while trying not to be tagged. If tagged, players have to perform a task (e.g., choice of 5 stride jumps, 5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, 5 tuck jumps) and then return to the game. If players tag each other at the same time both perform a task. Continue for several minutes of fun and movement!

Triangle Tag

Improves agility and coordination.

Builders and Boulders with Gopher’s ACTION! Topple Tubes

Scatter 20-30 topple tubes (or cones) around the playing area in no particular order or color pattern. Divide the class into 2 teams. On the signal, players race to flip their team’s color to the top. If playing with cones players either race to flip the cones to standing upright (builders) or flip cones on their side (bulldozers). Players must only use their hands to flip the tubes or cones, not their feet. Play the game for a period of time and declare the winning team with the most standing tubes in its color “up” or the cones in the assigned position.

Check out Gopher’s full selection of ACTION! Team Games! These games are designed to be action-packed, class oriented, teacher friendly, inclusive, and incorporate national standards!

Flying Chicken Baseball – develops interpersonal skills and game sense for striking and fielding games.
Code Breaker – a team circuit game by Thompson Educational Publishing.
Minute to Win It – a fun circuit that appeals to students who love competition by Thompson Educational Publishing.
Rock, Paper, Scissors Games – a fun baseball favorite and more from CIRA Ontario.

What fun games and activities are in your “PE tool kit” and why?

Be sure to check out my next blog in June featuring a fun filled game called Kin-Ball . It’s a game that emphasizes teamwork and develops movement vocabulary such as hand eye coordination, manipulative skills and spatial awareness, all in one!

Featured Resources

5 ways small sided games make a big impact, author: jessica shawley, a brand new tool for pe you didn’t know you needed, author: brett fuller, 5 skill-based floor hockey games, author: michael beringer, 16 parachute team building activities, author: tim mueller, we're social, motivating unmotivated students, author: dr. robert pangrazi, jessica shawley, and tim mueller, promoting activity and success through adapted pe, author: dr. robert pangrazi, marci pope and maria corte, author: randy spring.

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28 Best PE Games With Absolutely No Equipment

P.E. lessons can be a bit daunting at times. All that equipment to organize and worry about. Yuck!

Then there are the safety aspects to consider. Eek!

The good news is, there are plenty of simple P.E. games that you can use with no equipment!

The Ultimate List of PE Games With No Equipment

Whether you need ideas for Kindergarten PE games, or PE games for preschool this list will spark the creativity you need for gym class or at home!

I’ve been teaching in early education for the best part of 20 years now, and in that time I’ve come up with a full armory of the very best PE games WITH NO EQUIPMENT! Woop!

Table of Contents

That’s right! Just a group of children are enough to create many games and have plenty of fun.

All you need are a good space and plenty of energy, so let’s go!

1. Stop And Go Bubbles

Practice drawing a great big pretend bubble with your finger in the air.

Reach up as high as you can and reach down as low as you can. Really reach all the way around you.

If you can reach and touch anyone else with our moving your feet you are too close to move away and make sure you are in your own space.

Stretch out in your bubble to make sure you can’t touch anyone else’s just in case you should burst their bubble.

Ask the children to move like a bubble and float around the space. How freeing and mindful this bit is!

When you tell them to stop, make sure their bubble is in a good space so that no one can burst it.

2.Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)

This is a brilliant pairs game, that is good as a warm-up or as a fun game on it’s own!.

What you do is invent three movements and demonstrate them to the group.

Once you’ve played it a couple of times, the kids can come up with their own ideas.

Three examples of moves could be:

Doing star jumps
Doing Jazz hands
Jumping a 360 spin on the spot

Then everyone gets a partner.

The true challenge now is to activate your ESP, which (as pretty much all kids seem to know), is your Extra-Sensory Perception. Simply put, this is the ability to read your partner’s mind (which is very exciting).

Everyone displays one of the three moves at the same time. You want to do the move that you think your partner will do.

Do the same move? Woo woo! You activated your ESP.

Different move? Just try again.

Keep going for a few goes, before changing partners to see if your ESP works better or worse on other people.

As well as being a great PE activity, I often use this as a circle time game in class. This is one of the favorite games from my book 101 Circle Time Games…That Actually Work!

This book contains all the very best mindfulness circle games, active circle games, math games, literacy circle games, and so much more! You can check out the book here.

3. Foxes And Hares

Once the children have got a good understanding of space, and they can stop and start on your command, there are lots of fun PE games you can introduce.

Foxes and hares is a classic chase game .

Aim of the game: To catch all the hares of course!

About a fifth of the children should be foxes. So if you are playing with 10 children, 2 children can be foxes.

The hares move around the space by hopping. To hop, they should move both feet together and then put two hands together on the floor, just like a rabbit or a hare moves in bunny hops.

The foxes also move on four legs (hands and feet) but they should be quicker as they are less restricted.

To catch a hare, simply touch them (gently, please! No fox attacks).

When all the Hares are caught by the foxes, the game is over and you start a new game with a new group of foxes.

4. Trains and Tunnels

This is a similar version to the game above. There are always loads of train enthusiasts among pretty much any age of children, so this game is always a winner.

Choose a few children to be the trains.

Explain that the rest of the children are tunnels. They should make a tunnel by putting both their hands and feet on the floor and arching their back as high as they can to make a high tunnel with their body.

The trains should run around the space until you shout Whoo Whoo.

At the sound of the train whistle, they should crawl through as many of the tunnels as they can.

When a train has been through a tunnel, the tunnel is released and becomes a train.

Keep playing until all the tunnels are trains.

This is a fun game for pairs.

One child is the leader, the other is their shadow.

Explain how your shadow does exactly what you do. It follows you everywhere, and your movements are identical.

As the leaders move around the space, the shadow follows and copies exactly what they do.

Encourage the children to use different levels of movement.

Roll on the floor
Move on your hands and knees
Move on one or two feet

Encourage them to use different speeds of movement

Move slowly and gracefully
Move quickly and craftily

Encourage them to use different balances

Balance on one foot
Balance on all fours
Balance on two feet and one hand

Remember to swap over so that both children have a chance to be the leader.

6. Good Toes Naughty Toes

This is another simple listening game requiring no equipment and it can be played as an indoor and outdoor game.

There are two instructions that the children are going to listen out for. Those are:

Good toes – They should stand completely still with their feet together

Naughty toes – They should dance around wildly using the space and not bumping into anyone else. (Music can be used if you want to)

This game is all about freedom and expression!

7. Noisy Running!

This is possibly my all-time favorite mindful PE game.

This is best done outside in a large space.

The idea is that the children are going to move and make noises at the same time. The volume of the sound they make will be directly linked to how fast they move.

Start by all humming very faintly, and walking really slowly.

Then try a fast walk, and raise the volume of the sound coming out of everyone’s mouth.

Then try light jogging, with a medium noise – aaaaahh – coming from everyone’s mouth, about the volume of talking.

Keep getting faster and increasing the volume! When you are running at full pelt, you will also be yelling as loud as possible – AHHHHH!

I like to do this activity in a structured way to introduce it and mix up the speeds/volumes for a while.

But then, for a couple of minutes, let the children ‘freestyle’. They choose their speeds and volumes and race around.

This activity is all about mindfulness , and experiencing a sense of freedom and liberation from inhibitions!

8. Floating!

Another mindful PE activity here.

Get the children to stand in a space and close their eyes. Then you are going to help them to visualize that they are transforming into something that floats or flies!

It could be:

Let’s imagine we start with the balloon.

Tell the children to visualize they are slowly changing into a balloon. Their skin is becoming colored rubber. And now someone is blowing them up, and they are getting lighter and lighter, and larger and larger.

Then, tell them they are fully inflated.

The children open their eyes, and now they are going to imagine they are floating like balloons around the space!

Off they go – billowing and wafting in the breeze.

After a couple of minutes, you can try transforming into feathers or eagles.

9. Be The Teacher

This is a good way for children to start to think about the quality of their movements in PE class.

Work in pairs again. One child should be the teacher.

Explain that as the teacher, they have to help their pupil make the best quality moves and shapes that they possibly can.

It depends on what kind of moves you are working on, but I like to do this with gym moves.

Try moves like:

Forward roll
360 jump rotation

Ask one child to demonstrate the move, and the other child should help them to make it perfect.

Encourage the children to be kind and helpful. For example, they might say things like:

Tuck your head in a bit more.

Can you straighten your legs even more?

Can you reach up taller?

Ask them to use lots of praise if they spot some good quality movements and make sure they tell their partner what they are doing well.

Don’t forget to swap so that everyone has a go at being the teacher.

10. Make A Shape

Put the children in groups of 4 or 5 and give them the challenge of working as a team to make a shape.

Explain that they can work on the floor, lying down or standing up, as long as the shape is clear.

Begin with the basic shapes of:

circle, triangle, square rectangle

Build up to more difficult shapes like:

stars, hexagons, ovals, rhombus, or octagon

11. Body Letters And Numbers

You can extend this from shapes to letters of the alphabet or numbers.

Simply ask the children to make a letter by working together to get into the shape. This is a good activity for team building as they will have to work together and everybody is needed.

12. Dance Like No-One’s Watching

Dancing is good for you for so many reasons. It’s a workout for the whole body, it encourages you to keep a beat and keep in time with music, and most of all, it’s fun.

It’s good for the soul, so put some happy upbeat music on and encourage some free dancing.

Clap your hands, wiggle your hips, wave your arms. Have fun!!

13. Heart Monitors

It’s important for children to know that exercising makes changes to our bodies so that they aren’t frightened by the changes and they understand what is happening to them.

This is a nice activity to explain those changes so that the children understand that it is perfectly normal.

Count down one minute of any kind of high-intensity exercise, for example:

Fast running on the spot with high knees
Tuck jumps with both feet together
Pretending to skip on the spot as fast as you can
Burpees (lay down then jump up)

Really encourage the children to put lots of effort in here.

When the minute is up, encourage the children to put their hands on their hearts and feel it beating.

If they’ve put enough effort in, it should be pounding. Ask them to feel their forehead – it should be at least warm, if not hot and sweaty.

Notice how fast their breathing is when they stop. They should be out of puff.

With older children, you could ask them to take their own pulse before and after exercising and see how much their pulse rate has increased.

14. Eight Dance!

This is a great dancing game for kids of all ages.

Put some pumping music on to get everyone going!

Then pick some kind of action or dance move, and everyone does it eight times to the music while also counting at the same time – ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8!’

So, you might do eight star-jumps while counting. Or eight big marches on the spot.

Then shout out a new action, and start that, keeping the counting going throughout.

Some other good dances/actions could be:

Arms up arms down
Punch the air with one arm, then the other
Arms wide, arms across your body
Walking in place

For the older ones, the emphasis is on the movement. But for younger kids, this is also a great rote counting activity.

15. Animal Copy Cat

One child will be the leader in this game. This is the ‘cat’ that the others will try to copy.

The leader is going to pretend to move like an animal. Everyone else will copy!

For example, they might move like a monkey. They will stoop low, and swing their arms like a monkey. Everyone copies!

After a while, the leader will change the animal. They might pretend to be an elephant!

The trick is for everyone to watch for the transition and try to copy.

The leader can mix things up as quickly or slowly as they like.

16. Animal Freeze!

This is a variation of the animal copycat game above with a bit of music added.

Once again, have a leader that is going to pretend to be different animals that the others copy.

Put on some music, and the kids move around like the animal that the leader is demonstrating.

The adult will pause the music at any given moment. The children must then freeze in their best animal pose! It’s a bit like musical statues at this point. Anyone that moves could be out! (Or you can just play the non-competitive version where everyone gets to carry on each time).

17. Transformers

Wow – transformers are one of the most exciting things on the planet for many kids.

And this game really taps into this enthusiasm.

The kids are all now shape-shifting transformers. They can transform in the blink of an eye into many different types of vehicles, and move around the space like them.

Some good vehicles to try include:

Train – with ‘chugging’ arms and lots of tooting!
Helicopter – arms as rotas spinning over your head
Racing cars – running around as fast as possible!
Plane – Lots of swooping and soaring
Monster trucks – Be as big and wide as you can

18. Mr Men/Little Miss Game

The idea of this is that the kids pretend to be some of the characters out of the Mr. Men and Little Miss books.

Some good ones to try include:

Mr. Grumpy – stamp around the room with your angriest face

Mr. Tall – Stretch up and walk as tall as you can

Mr. Bump – Go round bumping into walls and imaginary objects (though not other people)

Little Miss Tiny – Curl up like a tiny weeny ball

Lots of modeling of movements work well for this game – both from the adult and skillful children.

19. Child-Friendly Yoga

I find yoga is most effective with children when they can readily understand that the pose they are doing is mimicking something.

Some great poses that mimic things that children know are:

Household Yoga

In this, the kids mimic everyday actions in the house. It could be sweeping the floor, or washing the pots.

Lie on your front, with your hands flat on the floor next to your face.

Push upwards until your arms are straight, your chest is off the floor, and your back is arched.

This stretches the back and abdomen.

Giraffe Pose

Stand with one foot in front of the other.

Reach up high with both hands (this being the giraffe’s neck.) Then slowly bend down, and touch your leading foot with both hands.

Then slowly return to the original position.

Turtle Pose

Lie on your back. Pull your knees into your chest so that you form a ball shape. Slowly rock backward and forwards.

Your curved back forms the turtle’s ‘shell’.

20. Bean Game

This is one of those all-time classics that I thought I should include on this list.

The children pretend to be types of beans, each of which has its own separate movement.

Model two or three bean movements to start off with, have a practice, and then all play the game. Add more bean movements when the children get more confident.

The adult simply calls out a bean name, and the children move in that way.

The beans and associate movements are:

Sprouting bean – Walk around on your tip-toes, with your arms stretched as high above you as possible

Baked bean – Sit down on the floor

Broad bean – Try to be as wide as possible! Walk around like this

Beans on toast – Lie down on the floor

Chilli bean – Shiver! This is a ‘pun’ on the word ‘chilli/chilly’ (obviously!)

Jelly bean – Wibble and wobble!

Runner bean – Run around like crazy

French bean – Say, ‘Bonjour!

When you’ve played a few times, a child could potentially become the leader of this game.

21. Action Stories

This is a really good way of combining storytelling, listening, and action!

The adult makes up a story, and the children act it out.

After you’ve done it a few times, a confident child might well be able to lead this.

You want to have lots of active characters in the story, such as stamping giants, witches on broomsticks, unicorns galloping, and all that kind of thing.

As well as that, it’s good to have lots of action, such as terrible storms blowing, landslides, sinking sand, and all the rest of it.

The kids act all of these things out.

A sample start of a story might go:

‘One day the giant went stamping off through the forest. A terrible wind began to blow. The trees were swaying from side to side. Suddenly a unicorn came galloping into the forest to save the giant…’

I’m sure you get the picture!

22. Traffic Lights

Here’s another absolute classic of the repertoire!

In this, the children will pretend to be cars, and the adult gives different verbal instructions that the cars respond to.

The easiest way to play the game is to have three simple instructions that correspond to the colors of a traffic light:

Green – Go! Jog around the space

Red – Stop still

Yellow – Walk on the spot, ready to go

Start easy, but you can always add more elements to the game when they are ready. Some other verbal cues include:

Honk the horn – A noisy one, this! Go round tooting!

Roundabout – Jog around in a narrow circle

Parking Lot (or car-park) – Lie down on the floor

Freeway – Run as fast as you can

23. Fox and Chickens

This is a variation of a basic tag game .

The idea is to mix up the game by incorporating a theme that the children are interested in.

So, you could have a fox catching chicken by tagging them. Or one of the following:

A shark catching fishes
A bird catching worms
Or a witch catching children

Anything you think the children will respond to is fine.

24. HIIT Session

Here is a simple idea, that is great for fitness for all ages.

You have a structured sequence of activities that you perform together. Spend about thirty seconds on each movement, with a fifteen-second break.

Some simple moves include:

Reach up, reach down
Jumping like a frog
Jumping in place
Reach to one side, reach to other

For older or more skillful children, you can try some of these:

You can do one round of the activities or even two or three reps!

25. Simon Says Active Version

Of course, you all know the basic idea of Simon Says .

But it works really well in PE sessions if you make the moves super-active!

So, rather than ‘Simon says touch your nose’ kind of instructions, you want to think more along the lines of ‘Simon says crawl like snakes across the floor!’

Some other good examples might be:

‘Simon says wade through the muddy swamp.’

‘Simon says climb the rope ladder.’

‘Simon says run like a cheetah on all fours!’

26. Captain’s Coming

This is another game that is donkey’s old, but children love it generation after generation.

All the kids pretend to be on a boat. The adult gives orders to the ‘crew’.

These include:

Scrub the deck – Get on hands and knees and start scrubbing the floor!

Swim to shore – Use a powerful front crawl to move around the space

Into the hammock – Lie down on the floor

Lift the cannonballs – Lift up those super heavy cannonballs, and load them into the cannon!

Row the boat – Row!

Captain’s coming – Salute!

27.Melting Moments

This is a visualization and mindfulness game that is great as a warm-down.

The children are going to be imagining that they are something that melts. For example, they could be:

-A chocolate bar

-An ice-cube

Let’s imagine we go for ‘snowman’. Tell the children to stand in a space and then close their eyes.

Tell them to imagine that they are transforming into a snowman. They can feel their freezing cold body, their carrot nose, and coal for their eyes.

But now the hot sun has come out. You can feel the warmth on your face!

Feel how the snow is melting your body. Water is starting to drip down the snowman.

Imagine you are shrinking! You are getting lower to the ground! And finally, you are a steaming puddle lying on the floor.

(Ask the children to lie down and imagine this!)

28. Figures Of Eight

This is a good game to use as a warm-down.

The basic idea is that the kids stand in a space, and they are going to form a large figure 8 in the air with different parts of their bodies.

Start with their finger, but then move on to using their:

Warming Up And Cooling Down

To warm-up before PE Class or a fun activity at home, I like to play some music with a good steady beat and perform some repetitive actions for the children to copy. I make sure I warm up my arms, shoulders, feet, legs, hips, and neck.

To cool down after PE games, try some nice long stretches for all the different body parts. I always like to finish a cool-down with some big deep breaths. Scoop up some air, stretch up and hold it above your head and then blow it away as you release your arms back down to your sides.

Not Just Good For Physical Learning

One of the biggest benefits of daily physical activity is that children’s behavior improves as well as their overall confidence and independence. Check out this study on tracking of physical activity into into adulhood for more information on the benefits of PE Games .

Now that’s something worth trying for.

Good luck if you try out any of these fun PE games!

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Taken part in a range of PE games and activities. Followed simple instructions and applied rules. Worked collaboratively as a pair and in a small group. Used and applied simple diagrams with pictures and symbols.

Work with others to solve problems. Describe their work and use different strategies to solve problems. Lead others and be led. Differentiate between when a task is competitive and when it is collaborative.

to use clear communication, strength and flexibility to complete a task.
to work with others to complete map-reading tasks.
to draw and create a clear route on a map for others to follow.
to work with others and identify what went well and what we could do to improve.
to use the outside of the foot to control the ball and dribble.
to safely take part in trust-based activities.
What does trust mean?
How did you work together to decide on the layout of your station?
Do the symbols give us any clues as to what real-life object/area they might represent?

Variety of ropes, hoops, bean bags, a range of sports equipment, teaching resource cards, soft balls, bibs/bands.

Maps, diagrams, scale, symbols, orienteering, controls, challenges, problem-solving, lead, follow, plan, trust.

To problem solve, you need to think through possible problems before arriving at a solution. Children should take on the point of view of every team member.

Head – Use acquired skills to create maps and directions.

Hand – Perform with strength, stamina and endurance in more physical tasks.

Heart – Can work with others to solve problems.

Lesson Overview

Show working as part of a team
Communicate to solve problems
To use strength and flexibility to complete a task

We are learning: to use clear communication, strength and flexibility to complete a task

Activity: Assessment for learning task.

To identify basic symbols on a map
To complete tasks using symbols and maps
To work with others to complete simple map reading tasks

We are learning: to work with others to complete map-reading tasks

Activity: Colour cards and symbol challenge

Confidently read and follow a basic map
Create a route on a map for others to use
Work independently and as part of a team

We are learning: to draw and create a clear route on a map for others to follow

Activity: Follow a map and design a route on a map

Respond to problems in a group situation
Identify what worked well and what they need to improve when working as a group
Play competitively and fairly

We are learning: to work with others and identify what went well and what we could do to improve

Activity: Tag ball, shark-infested water and all aboard

Identify what they need to do to complete a challenge
Participate safely, considering others
Confidently work closely with others

We are learning: to identify and explain what is required to complete a variety of challenges

Activity: Alphabet and bridge game, circle hoop and hands challenge

Lead and be led by others
Take part in trust-based activities
Know what they must do to participate safely

We are learning: to safely take part in trust-based activities

Activity: Pairs blindfold games, sheep herding game

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The importance of problem-solving skills in today’s workplace

According to a 2019 report by McKinsey , soft skills are increasingly important in today's world — and problem-solving is the top area in which skills are lacking. A company or team’s success weighs heavily on the willingness of managers to help employees improve their problem-solving abilities. Team building activities targeting focus areas like communication and collaboration, adaptability, or strengthening decision-making techniques help.

All problem-solving processes start with identifying the problem. Next, the team must assess potential courses of action and choose the best way to tackle the problem. This requires a deep understanding of your team and its core strengths. A problem-solving exercise or game helps identify those strengths and builds problem-solving skills and strategies while having fun with your team.

Problem-solving games aren't for just any team. Participants must have an open mind and accept all ideas and solutions . They must also have an Agile mindset and embrace different structures, planning, and processes. Problems usually arise when we least expect them, so there's no better way to prepare than to encourage agility and flexibility.

Another aspect to keep in mind when engaging in problem-solving games and activities: There are no winners or losers. Sure, some games might end with a single winner, but the true goal of these exercises is to learn how to work together as a team to develop an Agile mindset. The winning team of each game should share their strategies and thought processes at the end of the exercise to help everyone learn.

Here’s a list of fun problem-solving activity examples to try with your team. From blindfolds to raw eggs, these problem-solving, team-building activities will have your team solving problems faster than Scooby and the gang.

Classic team-building, problem-solving activities

1. a shrinking vessel.

Helps with: Adaptability

Why adaptability is important for problem-solving: Adaptability is highly associated with cognitive diversity, which helps teams solve problems faster , according to the Harvard Business Review. Innovation and disruption are happening faster than ever before . People, teams, and organizations that can adapt will come out on top.

What you’ll need:

A rope or string

Instructions:

1. Using the rope, make a shape on the floor everyone can fit into.

2. Slowly shrink the space over 10-15 minutes.

3. Work together to figure out how to keep everyone within the shrinking boundaries.

2. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

Helps with: Collaboration

Why collaboration is important for problem-solving: “Collectively, we can be more insightful, more intelligent than we can possibly be individually,” writes Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline . We can solve problems better as a team than we can alone, which means developing your team’s collaboration skills will lead to better problem-solving outcomes.

What you’ll need (per team):

20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti
1 roll of masking tape
1 yard of string
1 marshmallow

1. The goal of this exercise is to see which team can use the materials provided to build the tallest tower within an allotted time period. The tower must be able to stand on its own.

2. To make this exercise more challenging, try adding a marshmallow to the top of the tower. This team problem-solving exercise helps people think on their toes while building camaraderie and leadership.

3. Egg Drop

Helps with: Collaboration, decision-making

Why decision-making is important for problem-solving: Making decisions isn’t easy , but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices. Train your team’s decision-making muscles and they will become more adept at problem-solving.

A carton of eggs
Basic construction materials such as newspapers, straws, tape, plastic wrap, balloons, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc., tarp, or drop cloth
A parking lot, or some other place you don’t mind getting messy!

1. Each team gets an egg and must select from the construction materials.

2. Give everyone 20-30 minutes to construct a carrier for the egg and protect it from breaking.

3. Drop each egg carrier off a ledge (i.e. over a balcony) and see whose carrier protects the egg from breaking.

4. If multiple eggs survive, keep increasing the height until only one egg is left.

4. Stranded

Helps with: Communication, decision-making

Why communication is important for problem-solving: More employees work remotely than ever before. Good communication skills are vital to solving problems across virtual teams . Working on communication skills while your team is together will help them solve problems more effectively when they’re apart.

Here's the setting: Your team has been stranded in the office. The doors are locked, and knocking down the doors or breaking the windows is not an option. Give your team 30 minutes to decide on ten items in the office they need for survival and rank them in order of importance. The goal of the game is to have everyone agree on the ten items and their rankings in 30 minutes.

Creative problem-solving activities

Helps with: Communication

What you'll need:

1. Divide everyone into small teams of two or more.

2. Select an overseer who isn't on a team to build a random structure using Lego building blocks within ten minutes.

3. The other teams must replicate the structure exactly (including size and color) within 15 minutes. However, only one member from each group may look at the original structure. They must figure out how to communicate the size, color, and shape of the original structure to their team.

4. If this is too easy, add a rule that the member who can see the original structure can't touch the new structure.

A lockable room
5-10 puzzles or clues (depending on how much time you want to spend on the game)

1. The goal of this exercise is to solve the clues, find the key, and escape a locked room within the time allotted.

2. Hide the key and a list of clues around the room.

3. Gather the team into the empty room and "lock" the door.

4. Give them 30 minutes to an hour to find the key using the clues hidden around the room.

7. Frostbite

Helps with: Decision-making, adaptability

A blindfold
1 packet of construction materials (such as card stock, toothpicks, rubber bands, and sticky notes) for each team
An electric fan

Instructions: Your employees are Arctic explorers adventuring across an icy tundra! Separate them into teams of four or five and have them select a leader to guide their exploration. Each team must build a shelter from the materials provided before the storm hits in 30 minutes. However, both the team leader’s hands have frostbite, so they can’t physically help construct the shelter, and the rest of the team has snow blindness and is unable to see. When the 30 minutes is up, turn on the fan and see which shelter can withstand the high winds of the storm.

8. Minefield

An empty room or hallway
A collection of common office items

1. Place the items (boxes, chairs, water bottles, bags, etc.) around the room so there's no clear path from one end of the room to the other.

2. Divide your team into pairs and blindfold one person on the team.

3. The other must verbally guide that person from one end of the room to the other, avoiding the "mines."

4. The partner who is not blindfolded can't touch the other.

5. If you want to make the activity more challenging, have all the pairs go simultaneously so teams must find ways to strategically communicate with each other.

9. Blind Formations

1. Have the group put on blindfolds and form a large circle.

2. Tie two ends of a rope together and lay it in a circle in the middle of the group, close enough so each person can reach down and touch it.

3. Instruct the group to communicate to create a shape with the rope — a square, triangle, rectangle, etc.

4. If you have a very large group, divide them into teams and provide a rope for each team. Let them compete to see who forms a particular shape quickest.

Quick and easy problem-solving activities

10. line up blind.

1. Blindfold everyone and whisper a number to each person, beginning with one.

2. Tell them to line up in numerical order without talking.

3. Instead of giving them a number, you could also have them line up numerically by height, age, birthday, etc.

11. Reverse Pyramid

Helps with: Adaptability, collaboration

1. Have everyone stand in a pyramid shape, horizontally.

2. Ask them to flip the base and the apex of the pyramid moving only three people.

3. This quick exercise works best when smaller groups compete to see who can reverse the pyramid the fastest.

12. Move It!

Chalk, rope, tape, or paper (something to mark a space)

1. Divide your group into two teams and line them up front to back, facing each other.

2. Using the chalk, tape, rope, or paper (depending on the playing surface), mark a square space for each person to stand on. Leave one extra empty space between the two facing rows.

3. The goal is for the two facing lines of players to switch places.

4. Place these restrictions on movement:

Only one person may move at a time.
A person may not move around anyone facing the same direction.
No one may not move backward.
A person may not move around more than one person on the other team at a time.

13. Human Knot

1. Have everyone stand in a circle, and ask each person to hold hands with two people who aren’t directly next to them.

2. When everyone is tangled together, ask them to untangle the knot and form a perfect circle — without letting go of anyone's hand.

Our last two problem-solving activities work best when dealing with an actual problem:

14. Dumbest Idea First

Helps with: Instant problem-solving

1. "Dumb" ideas are sometimes the best ideas. Ask everyone to think of the absolute dumbest possible solution to the problem at hand.

2. After you have a long list, look through it and see which ones might not be as dumb as you think.

3. Brainstorm your solutions in Wrike. It's free and everyone can start collaborating instantly!

15. What Would X Do

1. Have everyone pretend they're someone famous.

2. Each person must approach the problem as if they were their chosen famous person. What options would they consider? How would they handle it?

3. This allows everyone to consider solutions they might not have thought of originally.

Looking for more team-building and virtual meeting games? Check out these virtual icebreaker games or our Ultimate Guide to Team Building Activities that Don't Suck.

Additional resources on problem-solving activities

Problem-Solving Model : Looking for a model to provide a problem-solving structure? This detailed guide gives you the tools to quickly solve any problem.
The Simplex Process: Popularized by Min Basadur's book, The Power of Innovation , the Simplex Process provides training and techniques for each problem-solving stage. It helps frame problem-solving as a continuous cycle, rather than a “one and done” process.
Fun Problem-Solving Activities and Games : Looking for more ideas? Check out this list of interesting and creative problem-solving activities for adults and kids!
The Secret to Better Problem-Solving: This article provides tips, use cases, and fresh examples to help you become a whiz at solving the toughest problems.

How to organize problem-solving activities with Wrike

If you want to make problem-solving activities more effective, consider using team collaboration software such as Wrike.

Wrike’s pre-built actionable meeting notes template helps you keep track of meeting discussions, assign action items, and keep everyone in the loop. It’s an effective tool to streamline your problem-solving sessions and turn insights into real projects.

Brianna Hansen

Brianna is a former Content Marketing Manager of Wrike. When she’s not writing about collaboration and team building games, you’ll find her in the kitchen testing out the latest recipes, sharing her favorite wine with friends, or playing with her two cats.

7 Teamwork Terrors and How to Conquer Them

Since the dawn of man, teamwork and cooperation has been the preferred method of getting things done. From the pyramids of Giza to the Golden Gate Bridge, we rely heavily on teams of engineers and architects to create such majestic masterpieces. However, where there is teamwork, there is work required to be a team. Too many voices and conflicting opinions can lead to a giant headache and bring productivity to a grinding halt. Throw in egos, politics, and laziness and you've got a recipe for disaster. Here are 7 barriers that harm the harmony of your team: 1. Anchoring Have you ever been part of a group brainstorming session where, once two or three ideas have been shared, new ideas stop flowing and the group sort of shuts down? That’s anchoring. Teams get mentally stuck on the first few ideas and stop thinking of new solutions. Avoid the anchoring trap with these 7 brainstorming tricks, including brain writing. Be sure to keep all types of workers in mind with team building exercises for remote workers, so everyone feels included in the creative conversation. 2. Groupthink This teamwork barrier occurs when a majority of the group conforms to one idea despite their own concerns and insights, perhaps due to laziness, fear of judgement, time limitations, or being subjected to peer pressure from other members of the group. Because this is another common brainstorming risk, techniques like Stepladder and Round Robin brainstorming encourage everyone in the group to share their thoughts before settling on a course of action. 3. Social Loafing "If I don't get around to it, then someone on my team will just do it for me." If you've said this to yourself, then you're guilty of social loafing. Don't pat your lazy self on the back quite yet, you might have just cost your team some valuable productivity! Social loafing is the act of putting in less effort for a team project than you would for a solo task. This forces other team members to pick up the slack and possibility grow to resent you. One way to avoid this is by breaking a project into individual tasks and holding each team member accountable for certain steps. See how Wrike can help you assign tasks and delegate big projects. 4. Unresolvable Conflict Even the most successful teams sometimes experience conflict due to differences in opinion, perspectives, and experiences. However, if there is no way to resolve the conflict, then conflict harms your project's outcome. Unresolvable conflict can be caused by unclear goals and expectations for the project at hand, so avoid it by clearly communicating goals with the team and helping everyone understand their role. 5. Confirmation Bias Confirmation bias is the tendency to only accept information or evidence that confirms your own preconceptions. This bias can quickly become a roadblock when trying to iron out team conflict or justify a decision, and it can potentially lead to the Halo/Horn Effect (see below) and compromise good decision-making. To ward off this bias, challenge your beliefs and play devil's advocate. The Six Thinking Hats technique can also help you see a different perspective on the issue. 6. Halo/Horn Effect The way you perceive an individual strongly affects how you interact with them. If they made a poor first impression, or an offhand comment rubbed you the wrong way, you may have a subconscious bias against them. When that individual voices an opinion, you might automatically be more critical than you normally would. This can work to the opposite effect too. When someone you like shares their opinion, you might have a tendency to agree. When making big team decisions, try to be aware of this bias and focus on the best outcome for the team. 7. Overconfidence Effect Your perceptions and experiences inevitably shape who you are — but they can also lead to subtle mental biases that result in flawed decision making. The Overconfidence Effect happens when you accept or reject an idea based purely off a hunch with no evidence to back you up. (In fact, studies show that entrepreneurs are more likely to fall for this mental fallacy, rejecting others' ideas because of the false belief that they know what's best.) Don't fall for this mental trap! Always research new information and seek objective evidence to combat confirmation bias (and hopefully learn something new as well). What other teamwork barriers have you experienced? We'd love to hear how you resolved your teamwork troubles in the comments!

13 Awesome Team-Building Games (Infographic)

Whether you want to do new hire orientation icebreakers or just bond your team closer together, check out our list of awesome team building games that you and your team will want to play over and over again.

6 Different Team Effectiveness Models to Understand Your Team Better

Understanding these 6 team effectiveness models can help you figure out which model to adopt for your own team. Or it may simply help shed light into what's working in your own group, and how to help improve what's lacking.

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Physical education games, games designed for learning..

Net & Wall

Striking & fielding, chasing & fleeing, health & fitness, cooperation, on the lines, off the lines, treasure grab, prairie dog pickoff, elf express, guard the pin, beanbag bocce, lobster ball, reindeer round-up, pirates of the caribbean, frogs & fish, giants, elves, & wizards, everyone’s it frozen tag, beaches, bridges, & boats, chicken noodle tag, jake the hungry snake, danish longball, emotions mixup, castlemania, space invaders, chuck the chicken, rps tug-o-war, team swarm tag, healthy hanukkah, whacky baseball, musical hoops, rodeo roundup, star wars tag, halloween tag, builders & bulldozers, snowman blitz, ghostbusters, race to the bases, game categories, a thematic approach to physical education..

By categorizing games based on the similarities that exist between their components (e.g. skills, tactics, playing area), we can take a thematic approach to teaching PE. In a thematic approach, students get to explore tactical problems that exist across a variety of games (e.g. getting open in invasion games). This approach promotes the transfer of learning between multiple games and supports the development of competent, confident movers.

Physical education games categories icons, featuring invasion, net and wall, striking and fielding, target, FMS, chasing and fleeing, health and fitness, and cooperation games.

Game Category

Invasion/territorial.

Invasion games are games in which two teams compete to outscore their opponents within a certain amount of time. Teams score by invading their opponents side of the field and sending the object (e.g. ball, puck) into a goal or getting the object pass a goal line. Players in invasion games constantly transition between offence and defence based on whether or not their team is in possession of the object.

Teaching games for understanding invasion games.

Net and wall games are games in which players/teams compete to outscore their opponent(s). They do so by sending the object (e.g. ball, shuttlecock) to a space in their opponents’ court so that it cannot be played or returned within the boundaries of the game. Net and wall games are typically played on a net-divided court or in a common space using a shared wall.

Teaching games for understanding net and wall games.

Striking and fielding games are games in which teams attempt to outscore their opponents by scoring more runs/ points within a set amount of innings. To score a run, players typically need to run around a certain amount of bases or run between two set bases. Within an inning, teams alternate between being at bat (offence) and fielding the ball (defence).

Teaching games for understanding striking and fielding games.

Target games are games in which players compete to outscore their opponents by placing a projectile (e.g. ball, dart, arrow) closer to a target than their opponent is able to. Some target games are “unopposed” (i.e. a player’s opponent cannot interfere with their play and success depends solely on a player’s accuracy) while others are “opposed” (i.e. a player may interfere with their opponent’s play).

Teaching games for understanding target games.

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Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults

Here is our list of the best problem solving games, activities and exercises for adults.

Problem solving games are activities that require players to use critical thinking skills to solve puzzles. Example activities include escape rooms, Sudoku, and murder mysteries. The purpose of these exercises is to sharpen reasoning and decision-making skills in group settings and to do team building with employees.

These activities are a subset of remote team games , found in problem solving books , and are similar to team puzzles , team building brain teasers and team riddles .

This article contains:

team building problem solving activities for employees
free problem solving games for adults
virtual problem solving activities for students
group problem solving activities
problem solving team builders

Here we go!

List of problem solving games & activities

From word and number puzzles to role-playing games, here is a list of inexpensive and free problem solving team builders that help groups practice the art of critical thinking and compromise.

1. Espionage! (Team Favorite)

For an exciting game of social deduction, check out Espionage! This thrilling experience will put your team’s wits and instincts to the test.

Espionage! offers the following:

a 90-minute session led by an experienced host
undercover teams of agents and spies
challenging puzzles, tasks, and maneuvers
team conversations to help uncover secret identities

The best part is we will bring all the necessary game materials to your preferred location. If you are interested in boosting communication and critical-thinking skills within your team, then consider Espionage!

Learn more about Espionage!

2. Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh (Hosted)

You can turn your team into skilled detectives with Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh! In this captivating mystery, participants will locate the stolen artwork, The Bedroom .

Key features of this experience include:

a 90-minute adventure led by a world-class host
detailed puzzles, clues, and mysteries to unravel
trails of evidence and hidden secrets
group discussions to find the art

Additionally, you can include a cocktail kit to spice up your event. Through Art Heist, you will enhance your team’s ingenuity and problem-solving skills!

Learn more about Art Heist: The Vanishing of Van Gogh .

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3. War of the Wizards (Popular)

With War of the Wizards, teams roleplay as minions of powerful wizards to vanquish forces of evil. Participants will play thrilling games and go on a quest to restore harmony to the realm!

War of the Wizards offers the following:

a 90-minute journey guided by a distinguished host
immersive storytelling that transports players into a magical realm
engaging activities like world-building, role-playing games, and storytelling
opportunities for forming alliances, facing challenges, and going on quests

Through the power of imagination and teamwork, your team can overcome tasks and participate in an epic fantasy battle. To improve communication and bonds, include War of the Wizards in your agenda!

Learn more about War of the Wizards .

Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge. To play Sudoku on Zoom, screen share the game board. Then, turn on the annotation features. Using the add text functions, participants can fill in the numbers on the grid.

We made a starter puzzle you can use in your next meeting or virtual team bonding session:

Here are more online Sudoku puzzles .

5. Crossword puzzles

Crossword puzzles are word games that ask players to fill in words based on clues. Words interconnect, and players must think critically about the surrounding words to select the right phrase for the space.

You can use an online crossword puzzle maker to create a custom puzzle. Here are a few themes you may want to consider:

teammates’ tastes and interests
company knowledge and history
industry terms and trends

Or, create a miscellaneous puzzle just for fun.

We made a sample puzzle you can use for your game:

To complete puzzles during online meetings, you can use the share screen function and add text through annotations.

Or, subscribers can play the New York Times’ daily crossword puzzle virtually . Dictionary.com also offers a free daily online crossword puzzle .

Check out more vocabulary games .

6. Online Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are timed games that get groups working together to solve puzzles. Traditionally, players enter a locked room and must complete all puzzles in an hour or two to unlock the door. However, groups can also play escape rooms online.

Digital escape rooms typically come in one of two forms: in a Zoom room and led by a host, or in a choose-your-own adventure format via Google Forms or websites. To play escape rooms virtually, enter a video meeting and follow the prompts, or screen share the Google Form and work out the puzzles together.

Check out our full list of online escape rooms .

7. Murder Mysteries

Murder Mysteries are story-based games that ask players to take on the roles of suspects or detectives while trying to identify a killer. These games often involve reading lines from a script, searching for clues, and occasionally solving puzzles to get hints.

These games make participants pay attention to conversations, analyze other characters’ behavior, and search for hidden meaning in the script. Players must use their powers of observation and logic to unravel the mystery.

Check out our list of Zoom murder mystery games .

8. Treasure Hunts

Treasure hunts are scavenger hunts with intention. While virtual scavenger hunts often ask players to collect random items, treasure hunts require participants to locate clues that lead to other prompts and hints. The game typically ends with players finding a treasure or solving a mystery, sometimes both.

The treasure hunt can have a specific theme such as secret agent missions or a hunt for pirate treasure, or you can run a more general hunt. Teammates can either compete simultaneously via Zoom call, or can play the hunt on an app individually and compete to beat each other’s scores.

Check out our list of treasure hunt apps .

9. Poem or story challenge

Most team building problem solving activities for employees revolve around science, math, and logic. Poem/story challenges rely on writing skills and are sure to appeal to the language lovers on your team.

Each player receives a limited word bank to use to create a story or poem. Then, players have a few minutes to craft their pieces. Afterward, everyone reads out or screen shares their creations.

Here are a few word challenge activities you can do remotely:

Found poems or stories : Participants make poems or stories out of words they find by visiting websites, searching emails, glancing out the window, or taking a walk or drive around the neighborhood.
Random word generators : Teammates use a random word generator to populate a word bank, and must use each word in the poem or story.
Poetry magnets : Group members make poems using poetry magnets. You can send poetry magnet sets to employees and assemble the verses on a cookie pan during a Zoom call. Or, teammates can play with poetry magnets online .
Page poems: Participants receive one page of a book or magazine, and must make a poem or story by blocking out other words so only the chosen text remains visible. This activity is part storytelling, part art, since story crafters can illustrate the pages as part of the design.
Ransom note stories or poems : Players cut out letters from magazines and must form new words to make poems and stories. Or, players can receive a mix of random letters, form words, and run the text through a ransom note generator .

These activities are suitable for teams and individual players.

10. Moral challenge

Some problems are ethical rather than factual. Moral judgment plays just as important a role in the decision-making process as technical prowess. Players can flex their moral problem-solving skills by tackling ethical dilemmas or social puzzles.

Here are some social problem solving games online:

Moral machine
Scruples – the game of moral dilemmas
Morality play

To play these games, either download the apps, or pull up the website and then screen share the prompts. These games are best played when discussed as a group, because the more belief systems and opinions, the harder an issue is to resolve. These exercises provide practice for real-life conflict resolution.

You can find similar challenges on our list of online personality tests .

11. Frostbite

Frostbite is a group game that hones team leaders’ communication skills while sharpening teammates’ listening and cooperation skills. The premise behind the game is that a group of explorers gets caught in a snowstorm and must build a shelter. Frostbite has paralyzed the leaders’ hands and snow-blinded the rest of the team. The leader must give the team instructions to build a tent that can resist arctic winds.

To play Frostbite, each teammate wears a blindfold. Then, the leader gives directions. Once the structures are complete, players turn on a fan to test whether tents can withstand the wind.

Frostbite is usually an in-person game, however you can also play virtually. In the remote version of the game, teammates construct tents out of cards and tape, while the leader surveys the scene on screen.

This exercise demonstrates the challenges of leading remotely, as teams need to operate with minimal oversight or supervisor observation. Therefore, instructions need to be clear and direct to be effective.

Check out more team building games .

12. Virtual Hackathons

Hackathons are events where participants have a set amount of time to design and pitch a new product or solution. This type of event originated in the programming world and is often used to create new apps, however you can apply the game to any industry or school subject.

Virtual hackathons are online versions of the event. Teams enter the competition, then work with each other via virtual meeting software or remote work communication platforms to design the solution. At the end of the competition, teams pitch ideas to a panel of judges and a winner is decided.

To run a virtual hackathon, first announce the theme of the event and collect sign-ups. So that no teams work ahead, hint at the general idea of the issue, and only explain the precise problem when the event begins. Then, give teams anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete the project.

Discover more virtual hackathon ideas .

13. Improv games

Improv games are excellent problem solving activities. These exercises force participants to think and respond quickly to keep scenes moving in a logical and entertaining way.

Here are some good problem solving improv games:

Banned words : Performers cannot say certain words. Scene partners will conceive of situations that encourage the actors to use those words, and the actors must find alternatives, such as using synonyms or taking the scene in a new direction.

Scenes from a chat : Audience gives a suggestion for a scene, and players act the scene out. Though it’s a fictional and often ridiculous scenario, actors must react to the situation and solve the problem in order for the scene to end.

Miracle cure : Miracle cure is a quick-moving exercise that follows a simple format. One player declares, “I have a problem.” Another player responds, “I have a….[random object.]” The first player then replies, “great! I can use the [random object] to….” and describes how they will solve the problem.

Check out more problem-solving improv games .

14. Spaghetti Tower

The spaghetti tower is a classic team building game. Participants gather uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows, and must construct the tallest freestanding tower.

During the in-person version, players must construct one tall freestanding tower. However, for the virtual version of the game, players construct individual towers. You can send groups to breakout rooms for the build, then reconvene in the main room for judging. Teams are judged on three main factors: number of towers, height, and uniformity.

This version of the game not only tests the structural integrity of the tower, but also consistency and quality control. This exercise teaches teams to align and collaborate remotely, and produce a consistent product even when far apart.

15. What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? is a simple situational game that challenges participants to react to different circumstances. To play this game, read prompts one by one, and then ask participants to respond with gameplans. You can use the polling or raise hand feature to vote for the best option.

Here are some problem solving scenarios for adults or kids to use in the game:

Zombies attack and you have to find a place to hide.
You are at the zoo and the animals escape. Which one do you try to corral back into the pen first?
After waiting in line for hours, someone cuts in front of you last minute. The person appears to be visually and hearing impaired, and doesn’t notice your protests. An official announces that due to diminishing supply, this individual will be the last in line to be served.
You are eating a meal with important clients and/or your partner’s parents, and you want to impress. The individuals make you a dish that does not fit within your dietary restrictions, but you do not speak the same language and cannot explain why you do not want to eat.
An imposter has infiltrated the organization, who looks, speaks, and behaves exactly like you. How do you convince your peers that you are the original?

For similar dilemmas, check out this list of Would You Rather? questions.

16. Desert Island Survival

Desert Island Survival is a game that challenges players to prioritize. The premise is that players have been stranded on an island, and must decide what order to perform survival steps.

Here are the possible actions:

Set up shelter
Explore the island
Try to signal for help
Make weapons for self-defense
Build a raft to escape the island
Start a fire
Choose a group leader
Search for other survivors

All group members must agree on the order of the steps. Players should explain the reasoning for the order of each step while ranking the actions.

Another version of the game involves players receiving a list of 15 to 20 items, and selecting five or so to bring to the island. You can also vary the location of the game, substituting remote islands for destinations like outer space or the distant past.

17. Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure stories enable readers to determine the outcome of the story by making decisions. Each action has a consequence that takes the tale in a different direction. Participants can try to guess how the story may unfold by talking through the different choices. When completing the activity in a group setting, the majority of the team must agree on an action before moving forward in the story.

There are a few ways to facilitate these activities online:

Play an online role playing video game
Watch an interactive movie like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Read from a Choose Your Own Adventure book on Zoom
Click through a Choose Your Own Adventure platform
Create your own story using a Google Form

Whichever way you choose to do the exercise, you can use the screen share feature in your virtual meeting software so that listeners can more easily follow along.

18. MacGyver

MacGyver is a show where the hero escapes sticky situations by improvising tools out of unlikely materials. For example, in one episode the hero makes a telescope out of a newspaper, magnifying lens, and a watch crystal.

To play MacGyver, you can either list three to five objects participants can use, or challenge players to use items that are within arms reach.

Simply state a desired end result, such as “a way to open a locked door,” or “a getaway vehicle,” and then ask teams to explain what they will build and how they will build it. To make the activity more collaborative, you can give teams five or ten minutes in breakout rooms to strategize and design a prototype.

19. Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a roleplaying game where players pretend to be magical figures and creatures. One player serves as the dungeon master, who guides the game, while the other players pick characters and make decisions to move the story forward. Upon choosing a course of action, players roll a twenty-sided die to determine whether or not the plan succeeds. The game is story-based, the possibilities are nearly limitless, and truly creative problem solving options arise. Also, since gameplay is mostly verbal, Dungeons & Dragons is an easy activity to do over Zoom.

Here are the basic rules for Dungeons & Dragons .

20. Pandemic

Pandemic is a game that pits players against the forces of nature in a race to contain and control disease outbreaks. At the beginning of the game, each player receives a role such as containment specialist or operations expert. Participants must carry out the duties of their roles by choosing appropriate actions. Pandemic is a great game for groups because each team member has a clear part to play, and players must collaborate and work together instead of competing against each other.

To play the game online, you can use a Pandemic game app , or talk through the exercise while one attendee moves and displays pieces on the board.

Note: The subject of this game might hit too close to home for some players, considering recent history. You can find games with similar mechanics that deal with different subject matter, such as Forbidden Island.

Check out more team building board games .

21. Model UN

Model UN is one of the best virtual problem solving activities for students. This exercise casts participants in the role of international diplomats who must negotiate to solve realistic problems. Each player assumes the role of a country ambassador and must form alliances and propose solutions to solve crises.

Here are some sample Model UN scenarios:

Human rights violation by powerful country
Food shortage
Disease epidemic
Technology privacy violations
Civil war branching into surrounding countries
Natural disasters

Depending on the size of the group, participants either take on the part of an entire government of a country, or play a certain role within the government. To carry out the activity on Zoom, players can take turns giving speeches, message other countries privately via the chat, meet in breakout rooms to form alliances or have more intimate discussions, and use the polling feature to vote on propositions.

If politics does not resonate with your group, then you can alter the exercise by applying the same activity structure to a different theme, such as the Justice League, movie characters, business board members, or reality TV stars.

The main purpose of the exercise is to research, talk through problems, and compromise. As long as these elements are present, then the specifics of the setup do not matter.

There are many types of problem solving activities for adults. You can do online problem solving games, which require a different skill set than in-person problem solving. For instance, communication must be much clearer and more abundant when group members are far apart and unable to demonstrate or pick up physical cues.

Though many problem solving games include props and in-person elements, there are many games you can play together online. These exercises work well as educational tools as well as team bonding accelerators. Upon completion, participants are likely to feel a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence. These games are also great practice for real life conflict resolution, creative thinking and team building.

Next check out this list of connection games , this collection of crime-solving games , and this post with conflict resolution games .

We also have a list of the best decision making books and a list of team building problems for work .

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FAQ: Problem solving activities

Here are common answers to questions about group problem solving activities.

What are problem solving games?

Problem solving games are challenges that ask players to think critically and use logic to overcome issues or answer riddles. Examples include sudoku, murder mysteries, and spaghetti towers. These games are also known as “problem solving exercises”, “problem and solution games” and “group problem solving activities.”

What are the best problem solving games for groups?

The best problem solving games for groups include online escape rooms, moral challenges, and improv games.

What are some good problem solving team building activities for students?

Some good problem solving activities for students include crossword puzzles, choose your own adventure stories, and model UN.

How do you play problem solving games online?

The best way to play problem solving games online is to join a video call meeting to talk through the issue. Using the screen sharing and digital whiteboard features helps participants visualize the problem more clearly. Breakout rooms give teams the chance to discuss the issue more intimately.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education

Lauren Chiangpradit
November 16, 2023
Reviewed by Sean Barton
Reviewed by Haley MacLean

Table of Contents

The Synergy of Movement and Learning

Physical education stem activities for elementary school, stem activities for middle school pe students, advanced stem challenges for high school learners, tech, tools, and resources for stem in physical education.

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into Physical Education (PE) classes offers an innovative approach to education. In an era where sports statistics, science, and technology increasingly influence athletics, PE classes are uniquely positioned to blend physical activity with STEM learning and 21st century skills. This article explores how PE educators and facilitators can use STEM learning in their coursework. It also provides a range of curriculum activity ideas to get students at different education and skill levels engaged.

Research indicates that physical activity can significantly bolster cognitive abilities. When students participate in movement-based learning, they benefit physically and experience enhanced concentration, memory, and creativity. This cognitive boost is crucial for comprehending and applying STEM concepts, which often demand high levels of problem-solving and critical thinking. Active learning, where students engage in physical activities while learning STEM concepts, results in more profound understanding and retention of information. Integrating physical and mental challenges not only makes learning more enjoyable, but is more effective, as students apply theoretical concepts in practical settings, leading to better comprehension and recall.

Integrating STEM into elementary physical education presents a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity in young students. Through these innovative activities, elementary school children can explore and understand key STEM concepts while engaging in fun and physical play. Each activity is designed to be not only educational but highly interactive and suitable for their developmental stage. Here are some engaging activities that blend physical education with STEM learning for elementary students:

Jump and Measure: Students perform a variety of jumps – like the long jump and high jump – and measure their distances or heights. This activity introduces basic concepts of measurement and physics, encouraging students to understand how force and motion play a role in their physical activities.
Geometry with Body Movements: In this activity, children use their bodies to create geometric shapes, either individually or in groups. It’s an engaging way for students to learn about basic geometry, spatial awareness, and symmetry. Teachers can challenge students to form complex shapes, enhancing their understanding and teamwork skills.
STEM Soccer : In a lesson devoted to measuring throw-ins, students collect data in centimeters and convert their data to meters dividing by 100. Students then evaluate measurement systems to decide the best measurement size. This disguised learning, interactive lesson is a great way for physical education teachers to add STEM into their PE classes.
Weather and Exercise: Students observe and record weather patterns over a week and discuss how different weather conditions affect physical activities. This integrates meteorology into PE, allowing students to see the real-world application of science in their everyday activities.
Heart Rate Exploration: After engaging in various exercises, students measure their heart rates to learn about the cardiovascular system and the science behind exercise. This activity not only educates them about their bodies, but about the importance of physical fitness in maintaining health.
Playground Physics: Utilizing playground equipment, this activity allows students to explore concepts like gravity, force, and motion. They can experience firsthand how these physical laws impact their play and movements, turning the playground into a living laboratory.

As students enter middle school, their capacity for more complex and abstract thinking grows significantly. This developmental stage is an ideal time to introduce more intricate STEM concepts through physical education, enhancing their learning experience with practical applications. The following STEM activities are tailored for middle school students, offering a blend of intellectual challenge and physical engagement. These activities are designed to pique students’ curiosity in STEM fields through the familiar and enjoyable medium of sports and physical exercises. By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here’s a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:

Sports Statistics Analysis: Students gather and analyze sports statistics from games or physical activities. This teaches them about data collection, interpretation, and the importance of statistics in understanding and improving athletic performance.
STEM Football: During a lesson in STEM Football, students collect and graph data of a controlled experiment by using a line graph. Students then explain the relationship between kinetic energy and mass by writing a claim evidence supported by evidence-based reasoning from class data. This lesson highlights the strong classroom connection between physical education and STEM learning, and how it can help create tangible examples for students.
Energy and Movement: This activity focuses on the concept of kinetic and potential energy in the context of sports. Students explore how energy is transferred and transformed during different physical activities, such as running, jumping, or throwing a ball.
Biomechanics of Sports: Here, students delve into the study of human movement and mechanics in various sports. They learn about the science behind athletic performance, injury prevention , and how athletes optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and safety.
Mathletics Relay: A relay race where each leg involves solving a math problem before passing the baton. This combines physical fitness with mathematical skills, emphasizing quick thinking and teamwork.
Technology in Sports Training: Students explore how technology is increasingly used in sports training and performance analysis. They might look at wearable tech, video analysis software, or other tools that help athletes improve their skills and coaches to make informed decisions.

High school students, with their advanced cognitive skills and heightened interests, are well-positioned to tackle complex STEM challenges through physical education. This section of the curriculum is designed to offer high school learners in-depth, hands-on experiences that combine higher-level STEM concepts with physical activities and sports. These advanced activities are not just about physical exertion; they require students to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative innovation. They provide an opportunity for students to see the real-world applications of the STEM knowledge they acquire in their classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation. By participating in these activities, high school students can gain a deeper understanding of various STEM fields, such as physics, engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science, observing how these disciplines intersect with sports and physical fitness. Here are some challenging and intellectually stimulating STEM activities designed for high school learners:

Physics of Sports Equipment Design: Students research and discuss the physics principles involved in the design of sports equipment. This can include topics like material science, aerodynamics, and ergonomics, providing insights into how equipment is optimized for performance and safety.
Engineering a Miniature Golf Course: Students design and construct a miniature golf course, applying concepts of geometry, physics, and design. This project not only involves creativity, but a practical application of STEM principles by creating functional and enjoyable mini-golf holes.
Sports Analytics Project: Students undertake a project to analyze a sports game using statistical methods and tools. This activity introduces them to data science in sports, teaching them how to interpret and use data to understand game strategies and player performance.
Biotechnology in Athletics: This topic explores how biotechnology is used in sports, from equipment design to performance enhancement techniques. Students might study material innovations, genetic research in athletics, or the ethical implications of biotechnology in sports.
Environmental Science in Outdoor Sports: Students analyze how environmental factors impact outdoor sports activities. They can study topics like climate change, pollution, and natural terrain, understanding the interplay between sports and the environment.
Virtual Reality Sports Training: Students explore how VR technology is being used for skill development, strategy training, and injury rehabilitation in various sports by discussing the emerging role of virtual reality in sports.

Bringing STEM into PE classes effectively requires the right resources, including technology tools, educational kits, and comprehensive guides. Resources like the STEM Sports® kits provide ready-to-use activities that seamlessly blend physical education with STEM learning. These kits offer an invaluable resource for teachers looking to enrich their curriculum and engage K-8 students through a cross-curricular learning approach. For additional resources, tools, and innovative ideas, please visit STEM Sports® .

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Stepping stones.

Classic group initiative that inspires collaboration.

20 - 30 min
Small (8-15 ppl)
Inspires teamwork
Promotes communication & trust
Highlights goal-setting
Develops coordination & focus
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Step-by-step instructions.

Designate two ‘safe zone’ areas approx eight to twelve metres (25′ – 40′) apart.
Ask your group to stand within one of the safe zones, and supply every person with one stepping stone, plus one extra for the group.
The group’s task is to cross between the two safe areas, without touching the ground in between.
All movements across the area will necessarily involve the use of the stepping stones, with two conditions: – Everyone must remain in contact with the stepping stones at all times; and – If a stone is left untouched while it is placed within the forbidden area, that stone may be taken away from the group.
Also, if someone happens to touch into the forbidden area, the group will be required to start over.
Allow your group 20 to 30 minutes to complete the task.
When ready, invite your group to reflect on what happened and what they may have learned.

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Have you played this activity? What worked, what didn't work? What type of group? Do you have useful advice for other users? Do you know a fun variation?

Comments (3)

Love this activity. In groups of 15 – 20, usually i give 1 “stepping stone” per participant and they go about it. Depending on the group, my variation is to walk behind the last person and collect the stones they leave behind. Once the group has reached the safety bank, i congratulate them and we reflect on the experience..

I choose to then tell them that ” there is a new hazard and they now need to return back to the starting point.. but at this time they do not have any stones left.. and possible would have been worthwhile hanging on to the stones even if they think that they do not need it.. lead into conversation about resource management or supports.. who are our supports in our life (parents/ teachers ) etc.. and keeping these alliances strong as we never know when we may require their assistance or when we can be of assistance to them.. lots of possible conversations there… love it

Terrific David, thanks for sharing. Yes, I enjoy guiding a group through a reflection to see how well they prepared for ‘contingencies’ in the event something went wrong. The approach you typically see may also speak to the ‘disposable’ culture some communities have developed.

Can work very well with one group of up to 50 or 60 people. With groups of between 20 and 60 people: – allow your safe zones to be around 8m apart – give the group only 8 or 9 stepping stones – everyone must stay in contact with each other the entire time (holding hands, shirts, etc), from the moment the first person enters the ‘forbidden area’ to the most the last person crosses into the far safe zone. If someone breaks the connection, everyone starts again – if someone’s foot, heel or toe touches the ground off the stepping stone, everyone starts again – when they start again, they recover any lost stepping stone – the last person to come across the ‘forbidden area’ must collect all the stepping stones

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Team Building & Problem Solving

Subject: Physical education

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

8 July 2013

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Teaching Idea

Think Critically, Build Community: 7 New York Times Games to Play in the Classroom

Wordle? Spelling Bee? Flashback? Connections? Teachers across subject areas and levels say Times games have become part of their routines.

An illustration of four rows of various cube-shaped items.

By Katherine Schulten and Natalie Proulx

Why do people love games?

Back in 2020, when we all were quarantining and playing more than ever , Sam Von Ehren, a New York Times game maker, posed this question and answered it, in part, by describing what game designers call “the magic circle.”

When we are inside it, we are “playing” the game, he writes: “We’ll only do what the rules of the game allow. We will try to win. When the game ends, we leave the circle and return to normal. The magic circle is what separates a game from reality.”

For teachers, one line in his article may stand out: “When we enter the magic circle, we give ourselves permission to explore, to fail, to lose.”

This kind of exploration — and the low-stakes practice in problem-solving and collaboration that come with it — is why many teachers say they play Times games in the classroom, whether the daily crossword in the print paper or recent digital hits like Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections.

The Games team carefully constructs its puzzles to “generate a satisfying friction between difficulty and delight” so players get an “aha” moment. Teachers tell us that when their students are in the magic circle, they are engaged and thinking critically, discussing strategy, focusing on details, testing logic, refining solutions and bonding with one another — all in the few minutes it takes to solve a puzzle before they move on to other work.

Though not all of the games below can be played without a Times subscription, many can, at least up to a certain level. Which ones are your students’ favorites? Why?

First, consider the role of games in students’ lives.

Games are a rich subject for discussion. After all, nearly everyone has played at least one in their lives, and many teenagers are passionate gamers. And, according to recent reporting, their generation is inspiring changes in even the most traditional games .

To get you started, we have posted a related Student Opinion forum that asks students to think about games of all kinds, when and with whom they play them, and what benefits they bring to their lives.

Invite your students to answer the questions in their journals, or discuss them in small groups or as a whole class. They might then post some of their responses to our site to join the public conversation.

Next, borrow these teacher-suggested strategies for play.

Over the years, teachers at all levels and across multiple subject areas have told us that New York Times games are a much-anticipated part of their classroom routines.

Here is some of the advice we’ve heard over and over:

Project or draw games on the board for a whole class activity. Or, have students team up in small groups to play against one another — or against the teacher.

Work one or more games into your classroom routines. They can be a daily warm-up or cool down activity, or a special treat each week. (Wordle Wednesdays? Mini Mondays?)

Let students lead the solving. Stand in the back of the classroom and allow the class to figure out tips and tricks on their own, without any “hints.”

Offer extra games as an enrichment option for students who finish their work early.

After you’ve played a game several times, create your own version that relates to your curriculum — or challenge your students to do so!

As students work, or after they finish, process the experience by having them share their thinking and strategies. What worked? What didn’t? What will they try next time? Is the game helping them sharpen skills they can use in their lives in general? How?

Finally, choose your game — or play them all!

What it is: A viral sensation first released in 2021, the game gives you six chances to guess a five-letter word.

Why play? As one student told us , “ It is a perfect combination of strategy, vocabulary, risk and guessing all in one package.” Another said, “By playing Wordle, I feel connected to millions of people across the world.” Teachers tell us that it fosters a love for words and language, and also helps develop their students’ reasoning skills.

Many educators seem to use it. For instance, in 2022, Lara Hunt, from Baytown, Texas, wrote:

I use Wordle with my newcomer emergent bilingual students everyday! I challenge them to figure out the words using an ESL dictionary. Sometimes they use the dictionary, and sometimes they don’t. The excitement is contagious when they figure out the word, especially if they used fewer tries than me!

Students also enjoy it on their own. In 2023, Jack Cole, a 16-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., was a winner of our Summer Reading Contest with these reflections on the game, which he titled “Until Tomorrow, Wordle!”

When I first accepted your challenge, I thought you were a refreshing way to start my brain for the day. Well, 648 days later our relationship has, shall we say, evolved. There are days that you and I are as one. When this happens, I enjoy a challenging but solvable puzzle, smile, and move on with my day. Other mornings, you are exceptionally easy, leading me to believe that I am obviously an expert Wordler. Then there are the other days. Wordle, although you vehemently deny it, I know you are getting sneakier over time. When you used the triple vowel for the unbelievably random word “CACAO,” I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Despite this courtesy, there are the days that you slide in the double consonant words when you know full well people aren’t thinking of two “N’s in “ENNUI.” I mean, that’s not even English! Then, you get downright subversive. For example, “PARER” is a word that may be used outside of a professional kitchen once a year. I fully admit that I threw my (encased) phone at the couch when you told me on guess four that “PAPER” was incorrect. You knew that would ruin people’s days, right? And the worst part, Wordle, is that I can’t clean out my phone’s history because I’m terrified of losing my 232-day winning streak. Until tomorrow, Wordle!

Make it your own: In 2022 we asked teachers to tell us how they use Wordle and to offer advice for others. Here is some of what they said:

Dean Schmeltz, from Denver:

By the end of last school year, I was starting my classes with a quick game of Wordle most days. I’d load the site on a big screen in front of the room, and students would call out word suggestions, trying to convince one another what the next guess should be. Wordle was a language-related way to bring more collaboration into the classroom, and ensure that my students experienced a collective win within the first few minutes of class. Engagement was voluntary — it was more of a free-for-all than a typical “Do Now” activity, which would be expected of everyone and aligned to the lesson. It was often an opportunity to observe how participatory individual students were feeling that day.

Traci Fontana, from Fort Collins, Colo.:

I use Wordle as a way to discuss word strategies. Top strategies include: 1. Start with a word with at least two vowels (and many need a refresher in what vowels are) and high frequency consonants. We discuss what these might be. 2. Think of sounds that commonly blend together — such as sh, sl, st, tr, ch, etc. when faced with a single consonant and you have established it is not followed by a vowel. 3. When an A is in the third letter position, it is a long A when the last letter is E. The e is silent. For English language learners, this helps as they add unfamiliar words to their personal word bank. 4. There are familiar ways that words end, more than simply -ing. We discuss those and take note of them too as we encounter them in various texts.

Catherine Murray, from Wayne, N.J.:

As a high school French Teacher, I create my own Wordle in French. The first student who gets it receives a small prize — a no homework pass, or something comparable. They love it!

Liz Mendoza, from Phoenix:

We use the D.I.Y. Wordle knockoffs more. We will use these as anticipatory sets for new content area and as very low stakes formative assessments. We choose words related to topics we will be studying in class.

Sean Flanagan, from New York City:

In my fourth grade homeroom, we do an “offline” version using five blank squares and X’s and O’s and check marks to represent gray, yellow and green. The kids love it! After I choose a word, I let a student pick the next one.

What else to know: There is a new Wordle every day. Though your students will quickly develop their own strategies for winning, here is a collection of the best tips and tricks from solvers all over the world, and an article on how people choose a starting word. There is also a Wordle bot that analyzes your play, as well as a daily Wordle review . And because so many classrooms have adopted a Wordle habit, you can find many more ideas online, as in this piece from Education Week . You can also find variations through pieces like “ Wordle Inspired Games for the Classroom ” or this collection called “ LikeWordle .”

Finally, if your students don’t know Wordle’s origin story , they are sure to be charmed by it.

Spelling Bee

What it is: A word game that challenges players to make as many words as they can from a set of seven different letters. Since its print debut in 2014 and the introduction of the digital game in 2018, Spelling Bee has spawned a mascot named Beeatrice, an ardent online #HiveMind and daily forums for solvers .

Why play? Spelling Bee is excellent for building vocabulary and practicing spelling, of course. Plus, it’s a naturally differentiated activity. There are always some easier words and some more difficult ones.

How to adapt it for your classroom: In this post , we teamed up with Sam Ezersky, the editor of Spelling Bee, to create five puzzles appropriate for middle and high schoolers that can be played without a subscription.

In the post, we quote Miah Daughtery, a former English teacher and the literacy director of content advocacy and design at NWEA, a research and student assessment organization. She suggests placing students in pairs to find words in the puzzle, and then giving them a set of follow-up questions to relate them to their reading:

What word on your list could be used to describe any character from the book we’re reading and why?

If a character were to say one of the words on your list, which one would they say and why?

Consider the setting of the text we’re reading. What words from the puzzle would you use to describe it?

Choose two words from your list. Now, think about the text we’re reading. How would you use the two words you chose to describe the text to someone who has not read it?

What else to know: You can play a new Spelling Bee online each day. Spelling Bee also appears in the print paper on Sundays, in the Magazine section. The Times offers a suite of helpful resources, including a library of tips and tricks , a bot that gives you personalized hints , a daily discussion forum and a collection of past puzzles . To learn more about its community of solvers, read “ The Genius of Spelling Bee .”

Connections

What it is: A logic game where you group words that share a common thread.

Why play? This game challenges players to look closely, identify patterns and use logic to find the connection among words. It builds vocabulary and subject-specific background knowledge and encourages wordplay with idioms and homonyms. More than some other games on this list, your success will be informed by your unique knowledge and personality.

Make it your own: Try creating your own Connections game — or challenge your students to create one — related to a topic you are studying in class, perhaps as a review or formative assessment. Or, make one about your school and its local community. This post, from Minds in Bloom , explains how one teacher uses the game and adapts it.

For tips on how to build a game and vary the difficulty, read “ How Our New Game, Connections, Is Put Together ,” by Wyna Liu, the game’s editor. You can use this site to create a custom puzzle or, for a more tactile version, write or print words on individual pieces of paper that students can move into categories by hand.

What else to know: There is a new game online each day, as well as a daily discussion forum, Connections Companion . You can find an unofficial archive of puzzles here . (And you can see the answer to the Connections puzzle above here .) For tips and tricks, consult How to Line Up a Great Connections Solve .

What it is: A weekly history quiz that asks you to sort eight events in chronological order.

Why play? A great tool for the history classroom, Flashback not only tests students’ general knowledge, but also helps them to build historical context and make connections to what’s happening in the world. Times editors choose the events, and many are related to news from the previous week. If you want to go deeper on any one event, you’ll find links to Times reporting.

Make it your own: As a review or assessment, create a Flashback quiz for your students — or have them create their own — using events related to something you are studying, such as a particular historical period, the plot of a novel or the discovery of scientific concepts you are teaching.

Or, create a hands-on version by writing each event on a piece of paper and inviting students to arrange them by hand.

What else to know: You can find a new quiz every Sunday in the Upshot section or via The Morning newsletter. And if your students love current events, don’t forget that The Learning Network has a free weekly News Quiz , as well as annual summer and end-of-year quizzes.

The Mini Crossword

What it is: A mini version of the classic New York Times Crossword that can typically be solved within minutes.

Why play? This little 5-by-5 grid can do a lot. Educators have long known that crosswords help build cultural knowledge, not to mention strategy, vocabulary, spelling and reasoning skills. Many of the words in this Times game are also connected to the news of the day. Plus, the mini version may be more manageable for students.

Make it your own: Create your own mini crossword or challenge students to make one related to a theme or topic you are studying in class as a formative assessment. The Times has a whole series that walks readers through how to build a crossword , including how to develop a theme , how to build and fill the grid, and how to write clues . Plus, it’s put together a collection of digital tools to help you make your own puzzle.

For inspiration or for fun, you can also check out our old Student Crossword Archive , which contains more than 150 puzzles on topics inspired by subjects across the curriculum.

What else to know: A new puzzle arrives each day and you can play without a Times subscription. For tips and tricks for solving the Mini see this tutorial . You can find an archive of puzzles here . And if tackling this mini puzzle inspires your students to take on the full Times Crossword, here is a guide to solving it.

Letter Boxed

What it is: A word game where players must spell words by connecting letters around a square.

Why play? This is a spelling and vocabulary game that also requires a bit of logic and spatial reasoning. Like Spelling Bee, it is naturally differentiated — players can spell short, simple words or look for more complex letter combinations. You can up the ante by challenging students to solve in the least number of words possible. Can they use all the letters with fewer than six words? Four? The elusive two?

Make it your own: Like all the games we’ve featured here, this one is excellent for building community and prompting a little friendly competition between classes. For an extra challenge, you might ask your students to create sentences with each of the words they make, or ask if they can connect any of the words they came up with to something they’ve learned in class — and explain those connections.

What else to know: Read “ How to Beat Letter Boxed at Its Own Game ” for some helpful tips.

What it is: A logic puzzle that is a numbers game minus the math.

The Times didn’t invent Sudoku, of course, though its origins are murky . A regular game, like the one pictured above, has nine boxes, each divided into nine cells for a total of 81. The goal is to fill in each of the cells with a number from one through nine. The digits must be placed so that each appears only once per row, column and box.

Why play? This game can improve students’ reasoning, enhance their ability to focus, help them recognize patterns and spur them to think critically. Though it is a logic game rather than a math game, teachers tell us having students explain their reasoning as they make moves can help them practice the kind of “math talk” they need for solving math problems. And, because you can play at different levels, it is an easy activity to differentiate.

Make it your own: Sudoku is a logic puzzle, which can be solved through deductive reasoning. While Sudoku puzzles are generally created using computers (such as an online Sudoku generator), students can actually create their own custom logic puzzles about anything they like. The Alachua County Library District provides step-by-step instructions for creating a logic grid puzzle , with an example that uses book titles, genres, due dates and students.

What else to know: You can play this puzzle daily on “easy,” “medium” or “hard,” and Sudoku Tips for Beginners , from the Games team, can help you level up. If you become really good, you might like to know what it takes to wear the Sudoku crown so you can enter the World Sudoku and Puzzle Championships. To become as agile as possible, you might also want to try these Sudoku variants .

But wait! There’s more …

Because all links to Times articles from The Learning Network are free, we’ve rounded up and categorized some pieces that can invite the gamers in your classroom to go further. Enjoy!

Not satisfied with the seven New York Times games we’ve listed above? Here are three more:

Tiles Vertex Strands

Want some tips for winning a few classics? The Games team has thoughts:

Solitaire UNO Catan Scrabble Monopoly Jenga Logic Puzzles

Looking to learn new games or host a game night? These articles can help:

Running Out of Games? Remember These Old-School Favorites

New York Times Video Game Reviews of 2024

Keeping the Peace With Road Trip Games

The Perfect Game Night Doesn’t Have to Be a Puzzle

Interested in the role games play in our lives? Here are some interesting recent articles:

The Dungeons & Dragons Players of Death Row

Video Games Let Them Choose a Role. Their Transgender Identities Flourished.

My Children Helped Me Remember How to Fly

The Treasure Hunters of Block Island

How Gen Z Made the Crossword Their Own

Curious about the New York Times Games team? Learn more:

How Joy Grows in the Space Between a Game’s Rules

The Nicest Place on the Internet

And from Vanity Fair: Inside The New York Times’ Big Bet on Games

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

Natalie Proulx joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2017 after working as an English language arts teacher and curriculum writer. More about Natalie Proulx

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COMMENTS

PDF The PE Cooperative Games and Problem Solving Activities
activities that combine the eye-hand coordination skills with cooperation and problem solving. Fortunately, most activities in PE require cooperation. At least, if the group is going to be successful at any activities, they need to use the same skills in every activity that was used in the group initiative/cooperative/problem solving activities.
PE Games: Cross The River
The classroom teachers enjoy watching the kids use teamwork and attempt to be the first group to "cross the river". If you want specifics and a more detailed list of ideas, strategies and variations - you can download my lesson plan for free below: Free - Cross the River Lesson Plan. It's so fun watching kids complete a challenge for ...
Teaching Cooperative Learning and Problem Solving in PE
I decided the best way to have my students learn and practice these skills wasn't through the traditional cooperative learning activities. Instead, I began by teaching them a variety of simple games. A four-team Capture the Flag type game. A six-team invasion type game. A six-team tagging game. A four-team knock down the targets game.
PE Games: 5 Fun Games to Disguise Exercise!
Everybody Is It. At the start of the game everyone is it and every player tries to tag another player while trying not to be tagged. If tagged, players have to perform a task (e.g., choice of 5 stride jumps, 5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, 5 tuck jumps) and then return to the game. If players tag each other at the same time both perform a task.
The PE Shed
The PE Game Ideas section provides you with Physical Education resources which will help you to plan PE Warm Up Games, PE Tag Games, PE Thinking Games, and PE Coordination Games. Within each section you will find a whole range of different games which will excite and challenge your students. Each PE Game outlines what equipment is required, how ...
Team Building and Cooperative Games
In these 11 challenges we will look at some fun and interesting team building and cooperative games to do with your students.For these challenges you will ne...
The PE Shed
The PE Thinking Games section provides you with Physical Education resources which will help you to plan PE Thinking Strategy Games. Each PE Game outlines what equipment is required, how to set the game up, how to play the game and how to differentiate the game.
28 Best PE Games With Absolutely No Equipment
3. Foxes And Hares. Once the children have got a good understanding of space, and they can stop and start on your command, there are lots of fun PE games you can introduce. Foxes and hares is a classic chase game. Aim of the game: To catch all the hares of course! About a fifth of the children should be foxes.
Physical Education: PE Central's Cooperative Physical Education Activities
PE Central exists to assist teachers and other adults in helping children become physically active and healthy for a lifetime. Many physical educators are incorporating activities into their programs that engage students in problem solving activities. Below are ideas that PE Central has published along with other resources that may be helpful. ...
Problem-Solving Activities & Team-Building Activities
Build Better Teams . Group problem-solving activities, or team-building initiatives, provide an opportunity for group members to effectively communicate, cooperate and interact with each other to solve a problem that often has more than one 'answer.'. These activities often stimulate significant growth for a group, especially if their experience is processed upon completion.
The PE Shed
Crab Football Clearout is a PE Game focused on coordination and strength. To find out how to play this PE Game and for further activity differentiation download now. This PE page includes a variety of PE Physical Education games. These are warm up PE Games perfect for the start of Physical Education lessons.
OAA
Taken part in a range of PE games and activities. Followed simple instructions and applied rules. Worked collaboratively as a pair and in a small group. Used and applied simple diagrams with pictures and symbols. Work with others to solve problems. Describe their work and use different strategies to solve problems. Lead others and be led.
Top 15 Problem-Solving Activities for Your Team to Master
3. Egg Drop. Helps with: Collaboration, decision-making. Why decision-making is important for problem-solving: Making decisions isn't easy, but indecision leads to team paralysis, stagnant thinking, and unsolved problems. Decision-making activities help your team practice making quick, effective choices.
ThePhysicalEducator.com • PE Games Database
By categorizing games based on the similarities that exist between their components (e.g. skills, tactics, playing area), we can take a thematic approach to teaching PE. In a thematic approach, students get to explore tactical problems that exist across a variety of games (e.g. getting open in invasion games).
PE Games
Free Lesson Plan Download at: http://www.thepespecialist.com/crosstheriver/ VVV MORE LINKS BELOW VVV More Teambuilding Games:Hula Hut Relays: http://www.t...
PE Year 3 Lesson 3: Problem Solving PE Games Lesson Pack
This problem-solving PE games pack contains a range of resources that could be helpful for planning a PE lesson to challenge your students. This pack contains a wide range of resources, including aims posters, non-participation activity sheets, skills posters, warm-up and cool-down cards, and an area plan. Everything you need to plan a PE lesson involving problem-solving is included in this ...
17 Fun Problem Solving Activities & Games [for Kids ...
For this problem solving activity for older kids or teens, you will need four 2×6 boards. Divide your group into two teams with an equal number of children on each team. Place two of the four boards end to end on the ground or floor. Set the other two parallel to the first two about two or three feet apart.
Problem Solving Games, Activities & Exercises for Adults
Learn more about War of the Wizards. 4. Sudoku. Sudoku is one of the most popular free problem solving games for adults. The objective of this game is to fill each box of a 9×9 grid so that every row, column, and letter contains each number from one to nine. The puzzle makes a great team challenge.
9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education
By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here's a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:
PE Games Physical Education Resources
Our Story. The PE Shed was born on October 2016 to provide Physical Education resources to people all around the world. It's mission is simple: To make Physical Education teaching simple, fun and engaging. Our ideas were created in the classroom (gymnasium) and have been tested on real children!
Stepping Stones
Step-by-Step Instructions. Designate two 'safe zone' areas approx eight to twelve metres (25′ - 40′) apart. Ask your group to stand within one of the safe zones, and supply every person with one stepping stone, plus one extra for the group. The group's task is to cross between the two safe areas, without touching the ground in between.
Twinkl Move PE
This problem-solving PE games pack contains a range of resources that could be helpful for planning a PE lesson to challenge your students. This pack contains a wide range of resources, including aims posters, non-participation activity sheets, skills posters, warm-up and cool-down cards, and an area plan. Everything you need to plan a PE lesson involving problem-solving is included in this ...
Team Building & Problem Solving
Team Building & Problem Solving. Needs a few simple bits of equipment, but very effective to use as a lesson for starting OAA, concentrating on cooperation, communication & trust If you like these, please give some comments! If you don't, please give some feedback! to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions.
Think Critically, Build Community: 7 New York Times Games to Play in
Here is some of the advice we've heard over and over: Project or draw games on the board for a whole class activity. Or, have students team up in small groups to play against one another — or ...