Planning The Perfect Sports Day

Hello Awesome Sports Day Planners!

We’re super thrilled to present you with a day brimming with pure kinetic joy - the imoves All-Inclusive Sports Day Spectacular! This plan is your ticket to a day that’s chock-a-block with fitness, fun and some fantastic memories. We know just how important it is to celebrate both traditional and innovative activities on this special day. That’s why we’ve divided your Sports Day into two delightfully different halves - each equally important in promoting active, healthy lifestyles and fostering team spirit amongst the children.

In the morning, we’ve got a range of traditional races ready to roll. It’s all about the adrenaline rush here as children participate in the heart-thumping Flat Sprint, the ever-popular Egg & Spoon Race, the bouncy Sack Race, the team-focussed Relay Race, and other awesome events! These races are all about speed, coordination and the joy of healthy competition. But don’t worry, we’ve also included inclusive field events running concurrently, ensuring that every child gets to participate and shine.

As the afternoon sun (hopefully) smiles down, we transition into a carousel of innovative, rotational activities. Here, it’s not just about winning, but the journey of discovery and participation. With a diverse range of up to 20 different events to explore - each one lasting no longer than 10 minutes - children will get a taste of sports and games they may not usually experience. Activities range from dancing along with imoves Active Blasts challenges to a whole host of inclusive and accessible events (Boccia anyone?). It’s all about embracing the School Games Values and celebrating effort as much as achievement. This modern twist to the Sports Day assures that there’s something for everyone to enjoy and excel at.

With this plan, we’re combining the charm of tradition with the freshness of innovation. We believe that this balance is key to a successful, modern Sports Day - one that caters to the diverse interests and abilities of our children, creating an inclusive and exciting atmosphere for all!

Get ready to cheer, challenge and champion the joys of being active!

Your friends at imoves.

Why This Approach?

In today’s varied classrooms, it’s essential that our Sports Day not only respects tradition but also kindles a love for health, fun and total participation. Traditional contests offer that historical link, bolstering our school spirit while focusing on physical skills. They tie together generations and allow students to feel the buzz of friendly competition in a sporty environment.

But let’s be realistic, not all our students might end up standing on the winners’ podium in these traditional games. That’s where our exciting, new-fangled activities step in. They’re not just about being the best; they’re about taking part and discovering the joy of physical activity. They add a dash of variety to the mix, making sure every student, regardless of their athletic ability, can find an area where they can excel. These activities allow students to explore, to push their boundaries and help foster a culture of inclusive physical education.

Our goal here isn’t to churn out a bunch of future Olympic stars. Instead, we’re aiming for a much bigger prize. We want to spark a love of being active that stays with our students long after they’ve left the school gates. We’re not just here to host a day of races and games; we’re here to create a lifelong legacy of enjoying physical activity.

By offering both traditional and fresh sports activities, we get maximum engagement. Every student can find something that piques their interest and caters to their abilities. It creates an atmosphere where everyone feels they have a role and a chance to shine. This balance helps to shape a modern Sports Day that not only boosts physical health but also nurtures teamwork, personal growth and above all, a love for staying active.

So, in orchestrating Sports Day with this dual approach, we’re giving a big cheer for tradition, a nod to innovation and most importantly, a roaring applause for our students and their journey towards a healthier, more active life!

Our comprehensive plan starts with a well-structured To-Do List to guide you through the organisation process, followed by a detailed breakdown of both the morning and afternoon events, including timings, team placements and activity details.

We’ve also incorporated sections discussing vital considerations such as inclusivity, space utilisation, staffing and even financial viability. To make things easier, we’ve added helpful tables for team groupings and staff placements for each activity.

Also, there are scorecards for both the morning and afternoon sessions that you can magpie. And we haven’t forgotten the essential equipment list, ensuring you have everything you need for a successful, action-packed Sports Day.

This plan is your roadmap to a day full of fun, fitness and unforgettable moments!

Download The PDF For Printable Resources To Help You Plan The Perfect Sports Day

Parents: The Good, The Bad, & The Sporty
Having parents involved can truly elevate the atmosphere, filling the day with additional cheer and support. We recommend inviting them particularly for the afternoon sessions, where their participation could unlock extra points for their children.

However, it’s vital to get the balance right with parental involvement. Whilst their presence can augment the day’s spirit, we need to ensure it remains a positive influence. To prevent any inadvertent overstepping of boundaries, it’s essential to lay down specific ground rules. These rules should underscore that parents are there as encouraging spectators or supportive participants, not sideline referees or critics. By fostering an environment that champions all forms of participation, we can create a Sports Day that’s truly memorable, inclusive and balanced in every respect.

Morning Session Plan:

The morning session will run traditional running races. The children will be divided into four teams (Team Red, Team Blue, Team Green and Team Purple), allowing for competitive, yet fun, activities.

Obviously, the events you choose are completely up to you. Once the children have completed each race, they can then complete the concurrently running field event, before returning to their base.

Download The PDF For Printable Resources To Help You Plan The Perfect Sports Day

The grouping of teams can be based on their class year or randomly allocated to encourage cross-year interactions. You can have more than one team in each colour. The table below shows mixed year group teams where the names in each row will compete against each other. So, for example, Y1 will still race against other Y1 children, Y2 against Y2 and so on.

These groups can be extended depending on how many children you need to accommodate.

For the relay races, you want to get the whole team back together, then spread them out around different starting positions along your track. If your track isn’t very large, you can split the relay into a KS1 race and a KS2 race, or pair a KS1 child with a KS2 child and have them run together.

Remember to run all the same genre of races first before moving on to the next type. I.e., Run all of the flat races with each team before returning to the top and then running the Egg & Spoon races.

In conclusion, the Morning Session plan offers an exciting array of races and challenges that will ignite the spirit of healthy competition and teamwork among the participants.

With well-structured timing and careful coordination, the morning will be filled with exhilarating moments as the children sprint, balance, throw and race their way to victory. The Morning Session sets the energetic tone for the day, laying the foundation for an unforgettable Sports Day experience.

Afternoon Session Plan:

The afternoon session will run rotational activities, each lasting up to 10 minutes with a 2-minute transition period between stations. Each team will begin at a different station and move through in a clockwise direction (moving in a logical sequence throughout the school grounds).

The rotation ensures all groups get a chance to participate in each event, but you will have to adjust the times/stations in use to match your school size. The teams are the same as in the morning, so the members of Group 1 will rotate around the stations with each other.

To manage this, assign a team to each station to start. When time is up, blow a whistle or use a loudspeaker announcement to signify it’s time to rotate. All teams then move to the next station in their rotation. Adjust the amount of stations / time at each station to suit your needs.

Map It Out

To create a map showcasing the locations of all the events, we can use a screengrab of the school’s ground from Google Maps as a base. Begin by taking a screenshot of the desired area on Google Maps, ensuring it captures the entire school ground.

Next, using image editing software or a simple drawing tool, annotate the image by adding icons or symbols to represent each event’s location. You can use different shapes or colours to differentiate between indoor and outdoor activities.

Don’t forget to include a legend or key to explain the symbols used. This annotated map will provide a visual guide for participants and attendees, making it easy to navigate and find each event throughout the Sports Day. Here’s an example:

To ensure profitability, food and drink stalls can be set up, and a small entrance fee can be asked from the parents. Consider having local businesses set up stalls and ask for a small percentage of their sales. Look for sponsorship opportunities with local businesses to help offset some costs.

Finally, remember that for a successful event, proper planning, timely communication and coordination among all parties involved are crucial.

And that's a wrap on our Afternoon Session extravaganza! We’ve curated a whirlwind of inclusive and thrilling activities that will keep the excitement soaring till the very end. From the mesmerising frisbee golf to the dancing along with imoves Active Blasts; each activity fosters teamwork, encourages effort, and embodies the School Games Values. With this dynamic rotation schedule, every team will have the opportunity to conquer each station, ensuring an afternoon brimming with joy, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments.

Get ready to celebrate the true spirit of sportsmanship and adventure!

Download The PDF For Printable Resources To Help You Plan The Perfect Sports Day