Looking for fun elementary September PE games to kick off the school year with tons of movement, laughter, teamwork, and FUN? In this episode of CRAZY FUN PE with Mrs. T., I’m sharing 5 of my absolute favorite back-to-school PE games that my K–5 students LOVE—including Lightning Tag, Chain Tag, Cluck Cluck Chicken, Messy Bedroom, and Cross the River!

These easy, engaging elementary PE games are perfect for building teamwork, cooperation, communication, spatial awareness, and classroom community while getting kids moving from the very first weeks of school.

Grab your coffee, PE friends, because these are five September games you’ll want to play in your gym again and again!

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Welcome to Crazy Fun PE with Mrs. T, the podcast that's on a

mission to make school fun again.

Every Monday morning, I'll wake you up with unique PE games, creative

teaching ideas, and simple management tips that get kids moving, laughing,

and having a total blast, sometimes with a squeaky rubber chicken or two.

I'm your host, Mrs. T. Now let's get moving.

Hey, hey, PE friends.

Welcome back to another episode of Crazy Fun PE with Mrs. T, the podcast

on a mission to make school fun again.

I love September.

I love the cooler, crisp weather, the excitement of a brand new

school year, and that feeling that we all get to start fresh again.

New students, new classes, new routines, and most importantly, new opportunities

to play some crazy fun PE games.

And today, I'm sharing five of my absolute favorite elementary PE games

to play during the month of September.

These are games that I find myself coming back to year after year

because they just work so well for the beginning of the new school year.

They're fun, they're super easy to teach, the kids love them, and

this is really important to me, they're not just filling time.

Every one of these games gives us opportunities to work on those really

important beginning of the year skills like teamwork, cooperation,

communication, listening, spatial awareness, conflict resolution, and

simply learning how to play together well.

So today, we're talking about Lightning Tag, Chain Tag, Cluck Cluck Chicken,

Messy Bedroom, and Cross the River.

And I'll tell you why I love each one, how to play it, and give you some of

my favorite teacher tips along the way.

So ready, set, let's play.

Okay, first up, uh, I had to start with this one.

If you've listened to the, this podcast before, you've read my

blog, or followed me for any length of time, you probably already know

I absolutely love Lightning Tag.

In fact, Lightning Tag is game number one in my book, 59 Crazy Fun Elementary

PE Games That Rock, and there's a really good reason I put it first.

It's just that good.

Lightning Tag is one of my favorite games to teach during the first week

or two of school because you need exactly zero pieces of equipment.

Yep, nothing.

Just a gym full of kids ready to run and have a total blast.

And when you're trying to establish routines, learn new names, organize

your equipment, figure out schedules, and basically survive September, a game

that requires absolutely no equipment and no setup is a beautiful thing.

Here's how it works.

Everybody starts around the outside perimeter of the gym.

When the music starts, everybody is it.

Yes, everybody.

It's complete organized chaos, which, let's face it, is

sometimes the best kind of PE.

Students run around trying to gently tag one another.

When someone does get tagged, they sit down or take a knee.

And here's the important part, they have to remember who tagged them.

They watch that person because the second that person gets tagged, boom,

they pop back up lightning fast, and they're right back into the game.

And this creates this really fun domino effect where kids are constantly getting

tagged, sitting down, popping back up, and getting right back into the action.

Now, inevitably, you're going to hear, "But Mrs. T, we tagged each other at

the same time." Of course you did.

Welcome to elementary PE.

And this is one of the reasons, another one of the reasons, I love teaching

lightning tag so early in the year.

My rule is simple: if two students tag each other at the exact same

time, rock, paper, scissors, done.

No arguing.

Rock, paper, scissors decides.

I even have my kids do rock, paper, scissors back to back.

Um, they do rock, paper, scissors, turn.

So you don't have issues with one person waiting to make their

rock, paper, or scissors right after their partner makes theirs.

It works awesome.

And suddenly we've taken this super simple tag game, and we're also

now practicing independent conflict resolution, a huge September win.

So here is a helpful game tip for you.

If you do notice that like half your gym is suddenly sitting on the

floor, just yell, "Lightning break." Turn off the music for a second.

Yell, "Lightning break." Everybody pops back up and gets right back into the game.

It keeps the activity moving, and it keeps your students active having a total blast.

I also really emphasize gentle tagging, shoulders and below, for

this game because we're tagging with our hands rather than pool noodles

like we usually use for tag games.

But, um, and once your kids learn Lightning Tag, put it in your back

pocket because it becomes a really awesome warmup, instant activity,

or emergency lesson plan that you can easily leave for a substitute

teacher and play all year long.

All right, next up, game number two is Chain Tag.

Chain Tag is another September favorite because you need almost no equipment.

I use just two long pool noodles.

You're gonna choose two students to start as your taggers.

They link together by holding hands or linking arms.

Um, holding hands is usually easier, I've found, but you can do either,

and each student holds a long pool noodle in their outside hand.

That is your starting chain.

Everybody else spreads out around the gym, and when the music

starts or the game begins, the chain starts chasing everybody,

but they have to stay connected.

When they do tag somebody, that person now joins the chain, the outside

of the chain, and they get the pool noodle with their outside hand.

Now, your chain has three people, then four, then five, and pretty soon you've

got this gigantic chain across the gym of laughing kids trying desperately to

coordinate themselves while chasing the few remaining students around the gym.

It's awesome.

Yes, they're running.

Uh, they're getting an incredible cardiovascular workout.

They're also practicing spatial awareness and dodging, but underneath all of that,

they are learning some real teamwork because the chain absolutely cannot

be successful unless they communicate.

They have to figure out, which direction are we going?

Who are we trying to catch?

Are we moving too fast?

Are we pulling each other?

And how do we turn?

Uh, my rule is that if the chain breaks apart when someone gets

tagged, the tag does not count.

So suddenly, the kids realize, oh, we can't just run like crazy

people in five different directions.

We have to work together.

All right, so a tip for this game- I actually talk about

strategy before we play.

I'll say, "Okay, chain, what's your strategy going to be?" And then I'll

talk to the runners, "What could your strategy be to avoid the chain and try

to survive the whole song without getting caught?" Now we've turned a simple

tag game into teamwork, communication, problem-solving, strategy, dodging,

spatial awareness, and a whole lot of cardiovascular endurance work.

Not bad for two long pool noodles.

And PE friends, be prepared.

This game is a definite workout.

Have that water available because your students are going to be tired from

both the game and from laughing so hard.

All right, moving on to game number three, it's time to get silly, and

you all know how I feel about silly.

I am a firm believer that kids need opportunities at school to play, laugh,

relax, and have some serious no judgment fun together, especially at the beginning

of the school year when some of your students are still really nervous.

Some are, um, in a brand-new school, some don't know many kids in their

class, and some are still trying to figure you out as their teacher.

So sometimes you just need a silly rubber chicken.

All right, so this is Cluck Cluck Chicken.

This game is basically Duck Duck Goose, but way better.

Why?

Because we've taken a classic old school game loved by all and

added in an adorable and slightly annoying squeaky rubber chicken.

Have everybody sit in a big circle.

Choose one student to be your first clucker.

The clucker gets the squeaky rubber chicken, and they walk around the

outside of the circle, gently tapping each student on the shoulder or back,

um, gently of course, while saying, "Cluck, cluck, cluck." And eventually,

instead of saying, "Goose," they stop behind someone, squeak the chicken,

and drop it into that student's lap.

That student then grabs the chicken, jumps up, and chases the clucker

around the circle, trying to tag them before they get back to the open spot.

It's simple, it's familiar, and kids think it is hilarious.

Um, it's definitely a good stress-releasing, fun, silly game.

Especially when that chicken starts squeaking, the kids are laughing so hard.

And if you really want to take it up a notch, I definitely love

to play the Chicken Dance song while we are playing this game.

So, so fun.

Now, here's one little management trick I use because eventually

everybody, of course, wants a turn.

We don't want anyone feeling left out.

So once a student has already been selected as the chaser I give them

a beanbag to balance on their head.

Another little silly little thing to do, but it also tells the clucker, "Hey,

choose somebody without a beanbag."

And then it saves me from trying to remember who has and hasn't had a turn.

I love little systems like that.

The kids manage the game, and I don't have to keep track of

who's had a turn and who hasn't.

Everybody wins.

And I especially love Cluck Cluck Chicken in September because it starts

creating that sense of community.

Again, we're laughing together.

We're cheering for each other.

We're getting comfortable being silly.

And then kids begin to learn that PE is a place where it's okay to have fun.

It's okay to take risks without being made fun of or judged, and just be silly,

let loose, get lots of great exercise, and leave my class feeling confident and

good about themselves, which is exactly the kind of gym culture I want to build.

Moving on to game number four.

Game number four is another huge favorite of mine.

And actually, I love this game so much that I recently, I think it's

the last episode actually, dedicated an entire podcast episode to it.

It's called Messy Bedroom.

And before you ask, no, we are not teaching children how to clean

their bedrooms, although parents everywhere would probably really

appreciate that PE standard.

Uh, but Messy Bedroom is one of my favorite September games

because it hits so many of those beginning of the year skills.

Again, teamwork, cooperation, communication, problem-solving,

trust, partner work, and working together toward a common goal.

Here's the basic idea.

I divide students into partners, although teams of three can work, too.

Then we create the messiest bedroom ever in the middle of the gym.

I use all kinds of PE equipment, hula hoops, beanbags, pool noodles,

jump ropes, anything that's safe that can be scattered around the floor.

I do not use balls because I don't want anything rolling

underneath someone's feet.

Each team then starts at one end of the gym.

One partner puts on a blindfold, and their teammate has to verbally guide

them safely through the messy bedroom without stepping on the equipment.

And this is where things get interesting because suddenly students

realize communication matters.

You can't just scream, "Go, go, go," at your blindfolded partner.

That's not particularly helpful.

They need to start using specific directions.

"Take two small steps forward.

Stop.

Move a little to your left.

Step over the noodle.

Okay.

Stop." And I love listening to their communication improve from round to round.

When they do successfully make it across the messy bedroom, they get to

collect a gold plastic coin and then bring it back to their team's cup.

Then they switch who's wearing the blindfold and go again.

One of my favorite parts of the lesson is this: I play for about two

or three minutes, and then I stop.

Everybody meets together with their partner, and I ask, "Hey, guys,

what's working? What isn't working? How could you communicate better with

your teammate during the next round?"

Then give them 30 seconds to come up with a new strategy, and then you go again.

And suddenly the second round looks completely different for the better.

That's where the learning happens.

It's not just about collecting those gold coins.

They're now reflecting.

They're problem-solving.

They're adjusting their strategy.

They're learning how to become better teammates, and that, again, is why

I love messy bedroom in September.

We're building the foundation for how we're going to work with other people

in PE class for the rest of the year.

Okay, PE friends, we have made it to game number five.

Woo-hoo.

And I have saved the most requested game by far in my gym for last.

Cross the River, my kids love, love, love this game.

And I especially love it in September because it doubles as one of the

best icebreakers and get-to-know-you activities I've ever used.

Here's how it works.

Everybody starts on one end line of the gym.

One student starts in the middle with what I call the master ball.

I like to use a giant, uh, fitness yoga ball, um, or a beach ball.

Then I start calling out fun props.

For example, cross the river if you like pepperoni on your pizza.

Everybody who can answer yes runs across the gym trying to make it

successfully to the other side.

without getting tagged with the master ball.

Meanwhile, the student in the middle is trying to roll or throw

the master ball and tag somebody crossing the river waist and below.

Then I give another prompt: cross the river if you like to play video games.

Here they go again.

Cross the river if you've ever been to Disney World or Disneyland.

Cross the river if you know how to whistle.

And what's happening while we're playing, kids are discovering

new things about one another.

"Hey, wait, you like pepperoni on your pizza, too?" "Oh, I

like to play video games."

"You've been to Disney?" And I am learning about my students at the same time.

That is one of the biggest reasons why I think Cross the River is

such an incredible September game.

It's an icebreaker without sitting in a circle asking everyone to

share something about themselves.

They're moving, they're laughing, they're dodging, they're throwing,

they're practicing accuracy, and they're learning about their classmates.

As students get tagged, they grab a soft ball from the sideline, and now they can

help tag students crossing the river.

Eventually, you've got balls flying across the river from the sidelines while

students are dodging their way from one side to the other, and the game continues

until you've got one student left.

That student can become your master ball thrower for the next round.

And here's a tip, something that makes this game, uh, way, way more fun.

If you have a microphone in your gym, I say use it.

I love calling the Cross the River prompts over my microphone.

But you know what is even better?

I like to let a student be the river caller.

Hand them the microphone, give them your list of prompts, and let them run it.

Oh, my goodness, they love it.

And once they understand the game, I often let them make up their own prompts, too.

Just be sure to remind everyone that we're using fun, inclusive,

school-appropriate questions.

This is supposed to help us learn about each other and build community.

And again, that is exactly why Cross the River is such a great September game.

So there you have it, PE friends, my five favorite September PE games: Lightning

Tag, Chain Tag, Cluck Cluck Chicken, Messy Bedroom, and Cross the River.

And when you look at these five games together, there's a reason I keep

coming back to them every September.

We're practicing how to solve little conflicts independently, we're learning

to cooperate, we're communicating, we're working with partners, we're learning

about each other, we're practicing spatial awareness, we're building relationships,

we're running, chasing- Fleeing, dodging, throwing, and laughing And we're starting

to create the kind of gym community that I want to have all year long.

Because September isn't just about teaching rules, it's about teaching

kids how do we do PE together, and have a blast while we're doing it.

That foundation is going to pay off over and over again for

the rest of your school year.

All right, PE friends, if you're thinking, "Okay, Mrs. T, these sound awesome,

but I'm in the car on my way to school.

How am I gonna remember all of this?" I got you.

First, I have a newly published blog post on my website, lovetoteachandlearn.com.

It's titled Five Elementary September PE Games Your Students Will Love.

You can go there, search it up, and all of the games and details for

those games will be there for you.

I'll also put the link to that directly in the show notes for you.

Next, all five lesson plans for these games are inside my 59

Crazy Fun PE Games That Rock book.

So if you've got that, you are good to go.

You can also grab the complete printable lesson plans, plus all the

supporting documents for all five of these games together in my Five

Elementary September PE Games bundle in my Teachers Pay Teachers, uh, store.

You'll get the easy-to-follow lesson plans for Lightning Tag, Chain Tag, Cluck Cluck

Chicken, Messy Bedroom, and Cross the River, so you can print them, head into

the gym, and start playing right away.

And finally, do not purchase the September bundle in my TPT store if you already

have my k-5 PE Always Growing Mega Bundle because all five of these games are

already included in your mega bundle.

And that's almost it for today's episode of Crazy Fun PE with Mrs.

T. Ready for the corny sports joke?

Here we go.

Why couldn't the family go bowling?

Because the pins w- We're on strike.

All right, PE friends, I hope you found at least one new September game

that made you think, "Ooh, my kids are going to love that." And if you

do try one of these games in your gym, I would love to hear how it went.

Reach out to me on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or Pinterest and let me know.

I'll be back bright and early next Monday morning with another episode, so grab your

coffee, hit play on your way to school, and we can hang out again together.

Until then, have a fabulous week filled with plenty of fun and fitness.

And remember, if you had fun, you totally won.

Now let's get out there and make school fun again together.