Christmas PE Circuit Games
Set up eight festive stations around your hall or playground and let pupils work their way around each activity. Children can work individually, in pairs or small groups, spending 30–60 seconds at each station before moving on.
1. Santa's Sack Shuttle
Can your pupils help Santa deliver his presents? Place beanbags (presents) at one end of the playing area and a hoop (Santa's sack) at the other. Pupils collect one present at a time and transport it to the sack as quickly as possible.
Challenge: How many presents can you deliver before time runs out?
2. Reindeer Jumps
Set out a series of hoops or floor markers for pupils to jump between, just like Santa's reindeer leaping through the snow.
Challenge: Can you jump with two feet together or try hopping on one foot?
3. Snowball Target Throw
Use beanbags or soft balls as snowballs and set up hoops or buckets as targets. Pupils aim to land as many snowballs in the targets as possible.
Challenge: Move the targets further away or introduce different scoring zones.
4. Elf Agility Run
Santa's elves need to be quick on their feet! Set up a zigzag course using cones and challenge pupils to weave through them with control.
Challenge: Can you complete the course travelling sideways or backwards?
5. Penguin Balance Walk
Pupils become penguins, carefully balancing a beanbag on their head while travelling along a marked route.
Challenge: Can you navigate around cones without dropping your beanbag?
6. Chimney Crawl
Santa needs to squeeze through the chimney! Set up a safe crawling route using mats, tunnels or suitable obstacles. Pupils travel through the course using different crawling movements.
Challenge: Can you complete the route using a bear crawl?
7. Candy Cane Balance
Create a balance trail using floor lines, spots or low balance equipment. Pupils carefully travel along the trail, keeping their balance.
Challenge: Try balancing a beanbag on the palm of your hand as you move.
8. Christmas Star Fitness
Finish with a festive fitness challenge! Pupils complete a selection of simple exercises:
- 10 star jumps
- 10 squats
- 10 high knees on each leg
- 10 alternating knee lifts
Challenge: How many rounds can you complete while maintaining good technique?
Christmas PE Circuit Teacher Tips
Adapt the activities to suit your pupils' ages and abilities. Younger children may benefit from simpler movements and longer practice times, while older pupils can be challenged with more complex movement patterns.
Use festive music to create a Christmas atmosphere and encourage children to focus on improving their own performance rather than competing against others.
The circuit works well as a standalone PE lesson or as part of a Christmas activity day!
