Field day is a kids’ favorite for the end of the school year! Kids love the chance to run around outside with their friends all day, participating in exciting and challenging events. The best field day games and activities include options for all kinds of students, no matter what their age, interests, or ability. This inclusive roundup of field day activities can help make your event a success for everyone involved.
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Field Day Scorecard Bundle
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How To Organize a School Field Day
There’s a lot more to a successful field day than just choosing the activities, of course. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Before Field Day
DETERMINE THE DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION: Full day or half day? School grounds or another location? Plus, don’t forget to decide on plans for inclement weather. Will you set an alternate rain date or move your field day indoors?
CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVITIES: Don’t try to cram in too many activities! For a half day, five to seven events is plenty, while a full day can accommodate 8 to 12. Be sure to select inclusive events so everyone gets a chance to participate.
PLAN THE SCHEDULE: This is one of the most important tips for field day success. Will you focus on one event at a time or rotate classes/teams through the events continuously? Tip: Always be sure to plan a little more time than you think you need, and don’t forget to include time for breaks.
CREATE A MAP: Sketch out your plan for where each event will take place. It might even be helpful to provide teachers and volunteers with a copy of the map so they know where to direct their class/team next.
RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS: You’re going to need them! Reach out to parents and families and invite them to help with setup, score-keeping, crowd control, refreshments, and more.
GATHER EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND AWARDS: Don’t wait until the last minute to be sure you have enough balls, Hula-Hoops, water balloons, and other supplies! Make a detailed list of everything you need, including where you’ll get it from. Check each item off as you go.
PREP STUDENTS AND TEACHERS: Give teachers an overview of the day in advance. Encourage them to have their classes create cheers or decorate field day T-shirts to build excitement. Distribute the schedule of events, and ensure that students sign up in advance for each event (including alternates). This will keep things running more smoothly on the day.
On Field Day
SET UP ACTIVITIES AND TEST EQUIPMENT: You’ll probably need to get an early start to get everything in place before your field day starts. Remember to make sure everything is in working order, too, so you won’t experience delays or disappointments later on.
START PROMPTLY AND KEEP THINGS MOVING: Keep up the pace! Field day is meant to be fun, so aim for a high-energy event where kids move smoothly from one event to the next while enjoying time with their friends.
USE AN ANNOUNCER TO STAY ON TRACK: If you can, set up a PA system or even use a bullhorn to make announcements about the schedule and status of events. Play music to keep the energy high!
ENSURE EVERYONE STAYS SAFE: Don’t forget to provide stations with water, sunscreen, and first aid. Take regular breaks, and set up shady areas if it’s an especially warm day.
KEEP SCORE AS EVENTS ARE COMPLETED: Enlist multiple judges to help with events, and report everything immediately to the official scorekeeper. Share updates throughout the day, or post the running scores on a big board so everyone can see them.
ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS: Bring everyone together for a final event where you celebrate the winners and congratulate everyone on a fantastic day!
After Field Day
ENLIST VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH CLEANUP: You’ll be exhausted when the day is over, so plan your cleanup duty in advance. Provide trash bags, gloves, and other supplies, and be ready to give clear directions on where everything needs to go.
RETURN EQUIPMENT AND STORE EXTRA SUPPLIES: If you borrowed equipment, make sure it gets back to its original owners. Store leftover supplies in clearly labeled bins or boxes for next year.
DEBRIEF WITH PARTICIPANTS: Talk with students, teachers, and volunteers to hear what they enjoyed and what they’d do differently next time around. You can do this in person or with an online survey.
MAKE NOTES FOR NEXT YEAR: Use information from the debrief to jot down ideas for the next field day. It’s also helpful to create a list showing any stored supplies or equipment for next year’s organizer.
THANK TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS: Be sure to offer heartfelt gratitude to those who helped make the day a success. Handwritten notes, gift cards, or photo remembrances of the day are all a nice way to say thanks.
Classic Field Day Games
Hreisho via Pixabay
Field days have been around a long time, and some activities have become staples. Here are some classic field day games to add to your list of events.
100-Yard Dash
Water Balloon Toss
Wheelbarrow Race
Three-Legged Race
Sack Race
Obstacle Course
Egg-and-Spoon Race
Backward Race
Tug-of-War
Long Jump
Musical Chairs
Duck-Duck-Goose
Cornhole
Capture the Flag
Tag (Find fun variations here!)
Unique Field Day Activities
Want to jazz up your standard list of field day activities a bit? We love these fun and creative games, and your students will too.
Kid-Friendly Things To Do
Keep It Up
Each team joins hands in a circle, then works to keep a balloon in the air without letting go. The team that lasts the longest is the winner.
Learn more: Keep It Up
Kid-Friendly Things To Do
Elephant March
Kids love Minute To Win It games (see all our favorites here), and this one is always a hilarious hit. Shove a ball into the foot of a pantyhose leg, then put the top of the hose over each student’s head. They race along a line of water bottles, trying to swing their “trunk” and knock over each bottle. First to the end wins!
Learn more: Elephant March
Hand and Foot Hopscotch
Trace outlines on the playground or tape papers to the floor representing right and left hands and feet. Mix up the order to make it tricky. Students race along, placing the correct hand or foot on every square in the row to advance.
Pass the Hoop
Kids join hands to form a long line. Then, they must pass a Hula-Hoop along the line without breaking the chain, stepping through it carefully to move it along.
Sweet Dreams Are Made of These
Blanket Pull
Go for a ride with this fun race. Kids pair up to pull each other across the field on a blanket. Even things out by having one kid pull on the way down, and the rider pull on the way back.
Learn more: Blanket Run
Fundraising Directory
Football Toss
This football toss game is surprisingly easy to assemble. You can also just hang Hula-Hoops from a branch or pole—swinging targets make things even more challenging!
Learn more: Football Toss
Kid-Friendly Things To Do
Human Ring Toss
One team member tosses rings at the other in this life-size ring toss game. The human “target” can move their body but not their feet. (You can use Hula-Hoops, but large inflatable rings make this game a little safer.)
Learn more: Human Ring Toss
Hometalk
Frisbee Golf
Frisbee golf is another one of those field day games that’s very easy to set up with inexpensive supplies. Set round laundry baskets into tomato cages pushed into the ground to arrange your course. Arm kids with Frisbees, and you’re ready to play!
Learn more: Frisbee Golf
The Joys of Boys
Pool Noodle Croquet
Make oversized croquet hoops from pool noodles, and grab some lightweight balls. Kids can hit the balls with more pool noodles, or try to kick them through the hoops as they make their way along the course.
Learn more: Pool Noodle Croquet
Parachute Volleyball
Round up a big beach ball and some small parachutes (beach towels work too!). Teams work in pairs to catch and launch the ball back and forth over the net.
Fun-a-Day
Coconut Bowling
Coconuts make this bowling game much more challenging—and hilarious! The uneven shape of the fruit means it will roll in ways kids will never expect.
Learn more: Coconut Bowling Game for Kids
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Turn the popular game Hungry Hungry Hippos into life-size mayhem! One student lies on their stomach on a scooter, holding a basket upside down in front of them. The other student grabs their legs and pushes them forward to grab as many pieces as possible. After everyone has had a turn, total up the pieces to find the winner.
A Girl and a Glue Gun
Frozen T-Shirt Race
Buy oversized T-shirts, wet them down and fold them, and stick them in the freezer overnight. For the race, each participant works to get their shirt thawed, unfolded, and then put it on first. So funny to watch!
Learn more: Frozen T-Shirt Race
How To Have It All
Balloon Stomp
Get ready for some chaos with this one! Tie a balloon to each student’s ankle with a ribbon. Blow the whistle, and let kids loose trying to break each other’s balloons with their feet. Last one standing is the winner. (Make this a team game by issuing balloons of the same color to each teammate.)
Learn more: Balloon Stomp
Mrs. Russell’s Room
Chicken Stix
This is just plain silly, but it’s so much fun. Kids use pool noodles to pick up rubber chickens and carry them to the finish line. This one’s easy to turn into a relay race.
Learn more: Chicken Stix
Color Blaze
Color War
This is really more about having fun than getting competitive, but kids relish the chance to run around flinging colored powder at each other! If you want a more competitive version, try adding colored powder to a traditional game of Capture the Flag.
Learn more: Color War
Relay Race Ideas for Field Day
You can do the classic pass-the-baton relay race, of course. But these field day games put a new spin on the classic relay race and make the whole experience more fun for everyone.
S&S Blog
Tic-Tac-Toe Relay
Set up three rows of three Hula-Hoops to be the tic-tac-toe grid. Then, have teams race to try to get three in a row first. They’ll be surprised to learn a little strategy can really improve their chances!
Learn more: Tic-Tac-Toe Relay
Paper Plate Relay
You’ll need an equal amount of people on each team, plus enough paper plates for each person to have one and one extra per team. The only way to move forward is by stepping on a plate, so the person in the front lays down the extra plate and jumps onto it. Everyone else moves up one, and the last person passes the extra plate up the line. Repeat until everyone has crossed the finish line.
NOLA.com
Limbo Relay
Throw on some music and grab a long pole, then challenge teams to a limbo relay. Everyone on the team must make it beneath the poles on each round, and the slowest team is eliminated. Lower the poles on each round until only one team can manage it.
Learn more: Limbo Relay
Balloon Pop Relay
This one’s a classic: Each team member is given a balloon. One at a time, they race up to a chair, then sit on their balloon until it pops. Then they race back, tagging in the next team member. Tip: Underinflate the balloons a bit to make it a little more challenging. Or make them water balloons on a hot summer day!
Scooter and Plunger Relay Race
Scooter relay races are fun, but when you add in plungers, they get even better. In this version, kids must hold their feet up and use toilet plungers stuck to the floor to help them propel instead. Tricky, hilarious, and so fun!
Over-Under Relay
Kids stand in a single-file line, about arm’s length apart. Students on each team count off as “ones” or “twos.” The “ones” will pass the balls over their heads, while the “twos” must pass between their legs. Give the first person a ball, then start the passing. After a few seconds, give each team a second ball, and then a few seconds later, a third. Each team must get all of their balls to the end of the line and then back to the beginning. Don’t be surprised when things get a bit nuts!
Rockbrook
Dizzy Bats
Here’s a classic relay, and all you need are some baseball bats. One at a time, team members race out onto the field and place their forehead on the end of a bat while the other end rests on the ground. In this position, they spin around five times, then try to make it back to the finish line so the next team member can go.
Learn more: Dizzy Bats
Get-Dressed Relay
You’ll need lots of old clothes for this one: a box each of shirts, pants, and hats, at least, with enough items in each box for every player. (Make it more challenging by adding socks too!) Kids line up in teams. At the signal, the first player runs to each box and puts on one of each item of clothing over their existing clothes. When all items are all the way on, they race back and tag the next runner. The game continues until one team has everyone back at the start and “dressed” in their fun new outfits.
Kid-Friendly Things To Do
Beach Ball Relay
The task: Partners carry a beach ball to the end of the field and back. The twist: They can’t use their hands! If they drop the ball, they need to pick it back up without using their hands, or go back and start again. Each set of partners passes the ball to the next pair on the team, again without using their hands, until one team wins.
Learn more: Beach Ball Relay
Obstacle Relay
Obstacle races are a field day mainstay, but turning them into a relay makes them even more fun! You can make your course as simple or complicated as you like, so every race is unique.
Non-Strenuous Field Day Activities
Not every kid loves running and jumping (and some of them can’t). Make sure the event is fun for everyone by including some of these non-strenuous field day activities. They let everyone shine!
Cookie Face
This game is pure silliness, and kids are gonna love it! Have them tip their heads back, then place a cookie on their foreheads. When you shout “Go!” they race to move the cookie from their foreheads to their mouths without using their hands.
Everyday Dishes
Ball Toss
This game requires a bit of skill, but it’s easy enough for anyone to try. Label cans or other containers with point amounts. Give each student five balls to toss, and total up their points at the end.
Learn more: Ball Toss
Ping-Pong Tic-Tac-Toe
Make a 3 x 3 grid of plastic cups, one for each team. Fill the cups most of the way with water. Then give each team a bowl of Ping-Pong balls, and watch them race to get the balls into the cups until they make three in a row.
Angela Parker via Pinterest
Giant Kerplunk
This game is pretty easy to make with tomato cages and bamboo skewers. Each competitor pulls a stick, trying not to be the one who causes the balls to fall!
Learn more: Giant Kerplunk
Sugar & Cloth
Flamingo Ring Toss
You could play ordinary ring toss, of course, but how fun is this version? Grab some lawn flamingos (you might even find them at the dollar store) and set them up. Then give each player a set of hoops and let them do their best.
Learn more: Flamingo Ring Toss
Constantly Lovestruck
Lawn Scrabble
Give your word lovers a chance to show off their skills with an oversized game of Scrabble! Make the tiles from pieces of cardboard or card stock.
Learn more: Lawn Scrabble
Ladder Beanbag Toss
This clever take on beanbag toss is super-easy to set up. Simply label the rungs of a ladder with various point totals. Then let kids try to land their beanbags on the steps to build up points for their team.
Life Sew Savory
Yard Yahtzee
Buy or make some giant wooden dice, then compete at an outdoor game of Yahtzee. (Don’t tell kids they’re actually practicing their math skills on field day!)
Learn more: Yard Yahtzee
We Are Teachers
Scavenger Hunt
Complete a scavenger hunt as a team, or make it an individual event. Teens will especially love a photo scavenger hunt, where they get to use their phones to take pics of items on the list!
Learn more: Free Printable Scavenger Hunt Bundle
Whack-a-Mole
Kids love this fun game where they get to test their reflexes while whacking at those pesky pop-up moles. You can make your own DIY version, or even rent an official game booth for your field day.
Water Games for Field Day
If you’re willing to let kids get a little damp (or, let’s face it, soaking wet), these are the field day activities for you!
The Resourceful Mama
Fill the Bucket
Here’s a classic water game that’s easy to set up and always popular. Teams race to see who can fill their bucket first, using only the water they can carry in a sponge.
Learn more: Fill the Bucket Outdoor Water Game
The Creative Bite
Wacky Waiter
Combine Dizzy Bats (above) with Fill the Bucket! After each player spins around with their forehead on the bat, they must pick up a tray of water glasses and carry it back to the finish line. They use any water that remains to fill up a bucket. Play continues until one team tops off their bucket.
Learn more: Wacky Waiter
A Girl and a Glue Gun
Pass the Water
We like this one best as a big-team game. Kids line up, one after the other, each holding a cup. The person in front fills their cup with water, then pours it backward over their head into the next person’s cup. Play continues up to the last person, who pours it into a bucket. Repeat as many times as needed to completely fill your bucket.
Learn more: Pass the Water
Wooden Spoon Water Balloon Race
Kids must pick up a water balloon and balance it on a wooden spoon, then race to the finish line. If their balloon falls off and doesn’t pop, they can pick it up and keep going. Otherwise, they have to head back to the start for a new one.
All for the Boys
Water Cup Race
Hang plastic cups on strings, then use squirt guns to push them along to the finish line. (Don’t want to use water? Have kids blow through straws to propel the cups instead.)
Learn more: Water Cup Race
The Happy Housewife
Dunk Tank
Give kids the chance to douse their teachers with a DIY dunk tank. Or divide kids into teams, and give each team a chance to soak the other. The team with the most wet players loses!
Learn more: Dunk Tank
How Does She?
Play Party Plan
Toe Diving
Drop diving rings, marbles, or other small objects into the bottom of a kiddie pool. Kids have one minute to use only their toes to pull out as many objects as they can. The one with the most items at the end wins.
Learn more: Toe Diving
Hello, Wonderful
Water Balloon Piñatas
No candy in these piñatas … just water! Hang them high and arm kids with sticks to hit them. The first team or person to break all their balloons wins.
Learn more: Water Balloon Piñatas
Get Your Holiday On
Water Hunt and Fight
This water balloon fight variation is perfect for a hot afternoon. Number water balloons and lay them out on a field. Draw a number from a hat, and send kids out to find a balloon with that number. (There will be more kids than balloons, which is part of the fun.) Those that find the right number then get a chance to throw their balloon at any other player. If it hits and breaks, that player is out. If the player can catch it without it breaking, the thrower is out. Continue each round with a new number until there’s just one player left dry.
Learn more: Water Balloon Fight
Get my free field day scorecard printable bundle!
This bundle includes three sheets perfect for recording team and individual events.
What are your favorite field day games? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!
Plus, check out these elementary PE games your students will love.
