I’ll be honest, I never heard of fruit loop tag until last year. After trying it out and tweaking some rules, it instantly became a class favorite! 🏆

I would already consider this to be in my top 10 favorite warm up games for elementary PE. It’s COVID friendly, students can social distance, and it uses minimal equipment.

This kicking game also makes a great warm up activity for any soccer unit as well!

I’ve played fruit loop tag with grades 3-5. Depending on your 2nd graders and your patience, you may be able to use it with 2nd grade as well! 😎

If you’re looking for more elementary PE warm up games or cooperative activities, be sure to check out Lightning Tag and Crack The Code!

There are a lot of different ways you can play, but this what I found to be the most successful:

Equipment

The only equipment you will need are deck rings (aka fruit loops):

-For about 22-30 students we had 6 of these in the game and it worked out great.

-If you don’t have deck rings, you could also use hula hoops or bean bags as an alternative.

How To Play Fruit Loop Tag:

-Throughout the game, anyone can be a kicker/tagger, anyone can get hit, and there are no safe areas

-The object of the game is to kick the fruit loops to try and hit the shoes of other players. It’s helpful to remind students to kick with the inside of their foot before playing. It also seems to slide better when you do this! 😄

-IMPORTANT – Students can only kick fruit loops that are not moving! If a student kicks or touches a moving fruit loop they are out!

-Students are allowed to run anywhere they want in the gym and can dodge or jump over fruit loops to avoid being hit

-If a student is hit in the shoe or if they kick/touch a moving fruit loop they are considered out. Designate a section of your gym as the “Fitness Cereal Bowl.” In order for a student to get back in they must perform a specific exercise. For example 5 push-ups, 5 burpees, etc. Once they complete the exercises they are allowed to run back in to the game!

-If a student gets hit above the shoe for example the ankle, shin, calf, etc. then they are safe and still in.

-Students are not allowed to touch or block other players from kicking a fruit loop

-This is a continuous game that can be played as one long round

Teaching Tip

Sportsmanship – if you’re worried about a class having good sportsmanship, be sure to address the issue and remind them before starting. I do this before any competitive activity and stress the importance of being honest and realizing it’s just a game. My students also know if they start having bad sportsmanship, we end up pausing the game/activity and read our good sportsmanship code again as a class. Typically, it only takes one time of doing this for students to realize they are missing out on game time.

Fun Add On

-If you have extra time, you can play a fun competition round where if a student gets hit they are eliminated and can’t get back in.

-When students are eliminated, they can stand off to the side and help referee the game.

-I would only recommend this for older grade levels such as 3-5 and having it only last a couple of minutes!

Video Overview:

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Check Out The Virtual Arcade!

I’ve teamed up with Nick Williamson From Be Well Played, and together we have been on a mission to create fun and engaging physed games and brain break activities!

You can find our entire collection of games inside the virtual arcade, which can be found here ➡️ https://bit.ly/2VqUUmO

Inside the arcade, you can find over 50 Ad Free interactive virtual games/activities that will definitely get your students moving!

We create and add at least 2-3 new games every month!

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