Motor Boat
Equipment needed: Pannel mats, shoes, lots of space (such as the floor)
Number of participants: 6+
Game rules:
- Divide into teams. Each team must have at least 2 people on it and each team gets one panel mat. Typically I create 4 teams, one team in each corner of the floor. I find this game works best with more people (10 per team is great, 5 pairs each).
- Spread shoes around on floor (make sure matches aren't close to each other).
- Have one person from each team sit on a panel mat (The captain) and have another be the panel mat pusher (the motor).
- In relay race like format, each team sends their "boat" out to retrieve one shoe at a time from the middle of the "lake" and bring it back. Once back at their corner, send the next pair out.
- Keep going until all of the shoes are gone (some teams may have pairs go multiple times).
- The team with the most pairs of shoes at the end of the game wins.
Need a laugh? This game is hysterical if you blind fold the "motor" and make the captain have to give instructions. It's also fun to put "rocks" (AKA large mats) in the lake so they have to maneuver around them.
Bonus! This game is GREAT leg conditioning! To make it harder, use spotting blocks or weight the panel mats.
Booty Bumpers
Equipment needed: lots of space (such as the floor)
Number of participants: 5+
Game rules:
- Gymnasts spread out on the floor
- Have each gymnast grab their ankles
- Goal of the game is to run around while holding onto the ankles and knock people over with their butts. The last one standing is the winner.
- The gymnast is out if a hand comes off of the ankle (lots will try and cheat and grab their calfs) or if they touch or fall on the floor.
- Be sure to explain that there are no head shots allowed!
Bonus! This game is a great way to get the leg muscles burning! To make it harder, add ankle weights!
Bridge Wars
Equipment needed: lots of space (such as the floor)
Number of participants: 5+
Game rules:
- Gymnasts spread out on the floor
- Each gymnast goes up into a bridge
- Goal is to walk around in a bridge and gently pull other gymnasts legs to get them to fall out of their bridge.
- The last one standing is the winner!
Graveyard
Equipment needed: lots of space (such as the floor, or 1/2 floor depending on number of participants)
Number of participants: 5+
Game rules:
- Gymnasts line up on the "base line" of the floor
- Gymnasts kick up to a handstand and walks as far as they can. If they fall, they lay down in the graveyard. If they make it to the other side, they are safe.
- Have gymnasts continue to cross the graveyard until there is only one gymnast left (it gets harder each time as gymnasts fall because they gymnasts still in have to go over/around them)
- The last person up is the winner!
Note: Be sure your gymnast's have good handstand control and body awareness for this game.
Link Tag (with a twist!)
Equipment: lots of space (such as the floor)
Number of participants: 10+ (need an equal number for pairs!)
Game rules:
- Have gymnasts lay down on the floor with a partner, when the game starts they will begin a plank hold.
- Pick one pair to stand up, one gymnast will be "it" the other will be the runner.
- The runner will run, attempting to avoid getting tagged by the person who is "it". If they are tagged, they become "it" and the tagger becomes the runner.
- The runner's goal is to lay down and plank next to a pair on the floor.
- Once the runner is in the plank position, the person on the opposite end of the pair becomes the runner.
- Time the game for as long as you want it to go!
Bonus! This game is GREAT conditioning. Feel free to mix the plank up with different conditioning, such as hollow holds, arch holds, plank walks or "up downs", etc.
Wipe Out
Equipment: The bigger the gym and more equipment the better!
Number of participants: Varies
Game Rules:
- Set up a massive obstacle course.
- Have each gymnast run the course and time each gymnast.
- The gymnast with the fastest time wins!
Note: We call it wipeout because we try to set up "wipeout" zones. Some of my favorites are blocks in the pit and rolling down a ramp in the "washer" mat. Get creative!
Centipede Races
Equipment: a runway (such as a vault runway, the floor, or a tumble strip)
Participants: 4+
Game Rules:
- Make teams, the more gymnasts per team, the harder it will be!
- Have one gymnast get into a pushup position, the next gymnast will get into a push up with her feet resting on the shoulders/upper back of previous.
- Teams will walk in this centipede position all the way to the finish line.
- If they fall, they group has to start over.
- The first to cross the finish line wins!
Bonus! This game is way harder than it looks! It's great for conditioning.
Natural Disaster
Equipment: The gym!
Participants: The more the better!
The Disaster commands:
- Fire: touch something red.
- Hurricane: Hang from something.
- Flood: Get on top of something.
- Landslide: Jump in the pit.
- Tornado: Get under something.
- Mr. President: one person lays down and the other person (secret service) lays on top
Game rules:
- Have gymnasts begin spread out on the floor.
- Call out a "disaster"
- Last one to complete it is out.
- Go until there is only one left standing!
Color Game
Equipment: The gym!
Participants: The more the better!
Game rules:
- Gymnasts start on the floor.
- The coach calls out a color and a body part.
- Gymnasts have to run and put the corresponding body part on the color. (Ie, butt cheek blue)
- The last person to do it is out!
Machines
Equipment: Lots of space (The floor)
Participants: 20+
Game rules:
- Divide gymnasts into 2 groups. Then divide each group in half.
- One half will be the guessers, the other will be the builders.
- The builders are assigned a machine by the coach. They have X amount of time to create that machine using only their bodies.
- Upon completion of time, the guessers try to guess what machine their team made to earn a point.
- Switch machine builders and guesser groups.
- The first to 5 points wins!
Rat in a Maze
Equipment: Floor space and lots of mats.
Participants: 4+
Game rules:
- Create a large maze on the floor using mats.
- Divide gymnasts into teams, and then each within each team, find a partner. One partner will be the rat, the other will be the commander.
- The rat will be blindfolded on their hands-and-knees and enter the maze ( both teams send their rat in at the same time). The commander stands on a block and yells out commands to get their rat to the finish line.
- Once the rat crosses, the next rat and commander pair begin.
- The first team to have all of their rat/commander pairs across the finish line wins!
