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Sports Day Ideas


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Hi,

I am new to my role (FS Co-ord) and have been speaking to the KS1 phase leader as to how to combine our sports day. I really would like to invite the parents and have mummy races/daddy races etc. Has anyone done this successfully?

 

Also what types of activities have people tried for sports day and have you been successful?

 

Thanks in advance for your responses!

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We've had two very different kinds of sports day for FS/KS1. The first a traditional sports day - each class split into teams - races - sprint for each class (different lengths for different classes), obstacle race - varied to suit age/ability of children, egg and spoon race, sac race and/or skipping race for Y2, might have a relay race. During these sports days we have invited mums/dads to join in their own race with a bottle of wine for the winner - we usually end up with up to 10 mums and dads taking part (have to say I would never have entered myself!)

 

The other type of sports day has been a fun sports afternoon where children from FS/KS1 mix into teams. They then complete a carousel of sports activities with the team being awarded points for each activity. (will post some of the activities we've done, if you're interested) Personally I prefer this type of sports day as children are active all the time, the older children have some sort of responsibility helping/taking care of the younger children and children get a chance to try out a variety of physical skills rather than just rewarding the children who are good at running - although I have to say that parents moan that it's not a 'proper' sports day.

 

The first type of sports day is infinitely easier to organise - just harder to mind children who get bored just sitting around waiting for their one minute of glory (or not as the case may be). Sorry if it's obvious where my preferance lies :o

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

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We did a competitive sports day last year which was fantastic! All children from reception to yeatr 2 were split into colour teams, and children who came 1st, 2nd or 3rd got a sticker and points or their teams. All children competed in 3 races each so they were all involved lots and they loved cheering their team mates on. We had a mum's race, dad's race and toddlers race and all parents were very enthusiatic about it! We did running races, egg and spoon, sack race, obsticle course.

 

It was soooooo lovely to see children who are not academic do really well! Whilst we made a big point of saying that its the taking part that counts and to enjoy it I think a bit of competition is healthy in a fun way.

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Not sure what some of you will think off this but...at my old school we had a trifle race. An obstacle course with the aim of making a trifle at the end. A tub of jelly, a tub of custard, a tub of cream & then sprinkles.

 

I was really torn with this one, the kids loved it & it was really funny, but there's the mess to consider and the waste of food.

 

Our nursery usually have an obstacle course race where the children have to dress up along the way, i.e. put on some large wellies, a sun hat & then put up an umbrella and race to the finish line.

 

hope you have fun.

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We did a competitive sports day last year which was fantastic! All children from reception to yeatr 2 were split into colour teams, and children who came 1st, 2nd or 3rd got a sticker and points or their teams. All children competed in 3 races each so they were all involved lots and they loved cheering their team mates on. We had a mum's race, dad's race and toddlers race and all parents were very enthusiatic about it! We did running races, egg and spoon, sack race, obsticle course.

 

It was soooooo lovely to see children who are not academic do really well! Whilst we made a big point of saying that its the taking part that counts and to enjoy it I think a bit of competition is healthy in a fun way.

 

 

Maybe didn't make myself quite clear as to why I enjoy the team type activities sprts da. It's not the winning/failure that particularly bothers me - it's more that when we do the trad sports day the majority of the afternoon the childre spend sitting down - albeit watching and cheering on their classmates. But in the other type all children are involved and active 100% all the time - using a variety of skills. It was the parents who objected and we decided to run the sports day on alternate years, and 'warn' the parents who think it's a waste of time and not having time off work to watch their children participate in team games. The scores for the teams were noted and we did have winning teams -just not individual children.

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Maybe didn't make myself quite clear as to why I enjoy the team type activities sprts da. It's not the winning/failure that particularly bothers me - it's more that when we do the trad sports day the majority of the afternoon the childre spend sitting down - albeit watching and cheering on their classmates. But in the other type all children are involved and active 100% all the time - using a variety of skills. It was the parents who objected and we decided to run the sports day on alternate years, and 'warn' the parents who think it's a waste of time and not having time off work to watch their children participate in team games. The scores for the teams were noted and we did have winning teams -just not individual children.

 

I don't work in a school (Im pre-school) but my children's school do this as described above and as a parent I have to say I prefer this too. It's not only the children who get a bit bored sitting and waiting :o

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Thanks for relying as a parent thumperrabbit (I think I've got your reply the right way round - had a busy day and have had a couple of glasses of wine s0 may have got the wrong end of the stick) - but I think you're saying you prefer the children being active and going round various activities). I do believe it has more benefits overall - physical activity, team work, olders supporting youngers, variety of skills being used, and the chance to do well as an individual AND for your team). BUT we had such a reaction from parents when we did it, even when I tried to explain the rational! Yet when we do a traditional sports day the same parents will sit chatting to their friends after the first couple of races - some children's races being finished without parents even realising.

 

Sometimes it's hard to please everyone :o

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