PE on the playground: How to design an obstacle course

Educators across the country agree: teaching PE during pandemic times is exceptionally hard!In my elementary school, teachers have limited or no gym access, no access to equipment, and clear guidelines that direct us to limit physical contact. With so many go-to games and activities off-limits, it’s a real struggle to find creative solutions to help students develop fundamental movement skills in meaningful ways.One simple solution that has worked for my Grade 5 class is to hack the school playground and work together as a class to create a skill-building obstacle course.Here’s my recipe for a pandemic-safe PE unit that blends physical literacy, applied design, and fun. This unit can bring some purpose and a focus to your outdoor PE class, encouraging students to be active and work together to spread the fun.Start with basic movement skillsGive students the chance to explore the playground equipment differently by asking them to find different ways to use the spaces.Also in this series...