Primary School Sports Day Activities

There are a variety of races that are popular with sports days. In a three-legged race, students are paired up; they stand next to each other and their two legs in the middle are tied together, giving them "three legs." Students will then race a specified, usually short, distance.

There is also the potato sack race. Here, children stand inside of large potato sacks and jump the distance of the race.

Finally, there is a plain-old relay race. Generally, a round track is used and teams are spread around the track. The first child will run to the second and pass off a baton, who will in turn run and pass the baton to the third child and so on until the last team member crosses the finish line.

A spoon and egg race is another popular sports day activity. Each child will have a spoon and either a real egg—which can get messy—or a plastic Easter egg. The child will run with the egg on the spoon to a specified line and then back to their team. The next child will then do the same until each child in a team has gone. If the egg is dropped off anyone's spoon at any time, they must go back to the starting line and try again until they get it. The first team to have all its children finish, wins.

Set up the kickball field just like a baseball field, with four diamonds and a pitcher's mound. One team will spread out in the field and the other team will be kicking. Once three outs have been made, the teams switch sides. The length of the game is generally nine innings, just like baseball, but it is really up to the teachers running the sports day.

For a football throw, hula hoops are strung up at different height and distance levels from where the teams are standing. Children take turns throwing the football, aiming to get it through the hula hoops. Each hula hoop is assigned a different points value.

Students are paired up and given a water balloon. Every team is put an equal distance apart and one throws the balloon to the other. If it is caught, the student takes a step backward and then tosses it back to their partner. If it is dropped or pops on the child, that team is out. The teams that keep catching the balloon without breaking it will continue to take steps backward until only one team is left. If your sports day is going to include a water balloon toss, be sure to tell the students to bring a change of clothes.