Most kids love to run, but they may not be too excited about simply running around a track or a field. But playing fun running games will motivate them to keep moving, all while having a good time and getting the benefits of running. Here are some fun running games for kids to play during gym class or practice for track or other sports.
Red Light, Green Light
This classic, simple game is fantastic for not only getting kids to do an interval workout, but also helping them to work on their listening skills.
What’s needed: Just a large open space (field or gym) with lines that kids can run to and from
How to Play:
- Line all the kids up across the starting line.
- When the coach or teacher yells, “Green light,” everyone starts running fast toward the finish line.
- When the coach or teacher yells, “Red light,” the kids must freeze in place.
- The kids can start running again when the coach yells, “Green light.”
- If the coach yells out, “Yellow light,” the kids should slow their pace until they hear red or green light again.
- Once everyone gets to the finish line, you can start all over again.
Run Like an Animal
Along the same lines as Red Light, Green Light, this game has kids doing interval runs, while working on different paces: slow, medium, and fast.
What’s needed: A large open space (field or gym) with lines that kids can run to and from; whistle (for coach/teacher)
How to Play:
- Line all the kids up across the starting line.
- To start this game, the coach or teacher should ask the kids to collectively pick an animal that runs fast, one that runs slow, and one that’s sort of in the middle. So, for instance, they may choose: Cheetah, turtle, dog.
- The coach or teacher blows a whistle and yells either cheetah, dog, or turtle (or whatever animal names are picked).
- The kids start running at that corresponding pace – so, FAST pace for cheetah, MEDIUM pace for dog, and SLOW pace for turtle.
- The coach/teacher continues to blow the whistle at intervals and then yell out one of the animal names.
- Once everyone gets to the finish line, you can start all over again.
BONUS ACTIVITY: With my track team (grades K-3), we enhance this running game and mix things up with some jumping exercises once they reach the finish line. I ask one kid to name an animal that jumps (i.e., kangaroo, rabbit, frog) and then the whole group jumps like that animal for 30 seconds, before we start the next round of “Run Like an Animal”.
Obstacle Course Relay
Obstacle courses are a great way for kids to work on physical skills other than just running.
What’s needed: Two identical obstacle courses made using cones, mini hurdles, jump ropes, speed ladders, hula hoops, foam pool noodles, and other items.
How to Play:
- Set up the obstacle courses and then divide kids into two even teams.
- Kids line up in two lines and go through the obstacle course. Once through, they run back to the start and tag the next teammates.
- First team to get all their players through wins.
Catch the Leader Runs
This is a good way for older kids (grades 3-8) to do some interval training and also work on
pacing and teamwork.
What’s needed: Nothing – but it’s best done on a track or around a soccer/football field
What to do:
- Kids line up in a single file and run one in front of the other, at an easy pace.
- The last kid in line steps out and sprints to the front of the line, and then resumes the easy pace.
- Once that kid reaches the front of the line and takes over as leader, the last kid in line then sprints to the front of the line. Everyone else in the line needs to keep going at the easy pace, so that the line stays together.
- The pattern continues until the group finishes a specific number of laps around the track, or each kid has done a certain number of sprint intervals.
Flag Hunt
This is a great game to play with a small or large group, because you can do team, partner,
or individual play.
What’s needed: Different colored index cards (or flags, ribbons)
How to play:
- Hide index cards (flags) in different locations.
- Kids are assigned a color and then run – either as a group or individually – to find flags of that color.
- Each time they find a flag, they need to bring it back to the “home” base (where the coach/teacher is) and then run back out to collect another flag.
Cops and Robbers
This is one of those games that kids on my K-3 running team ask for at every practice. Like classic tag games, it’s always a favorite and it’s simple to play.
What’s needed: A large open space (field or gym)
- Divide the team/class into two teams — the cop team and the robber team. The cops will chase the robbers to tag them.
- Once a robber is tagged, they must go to a section of the field/gym that’s has been designated as the “jail”.
- Robbers who have not been tagged can release from jail their teammates by tagging them.
More Running Games
About the author: Christine Luff is a certified RRCA running coach, kids’ track coach, and an American Council on Exercise certified youth fitness specialist. Her book, Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, is available on Amazon.
