Arctic Games Stations
A station circuit of traditional Inuit and Alaska Native games from the Arctic, once played indoors during the long winters to stay strong. Students build strength, jumping power, balance and the drive to beat personal records.
How to play
- Set up 4 stations with mats and make 4 groups of 6. Explain that everyone is trying to beat their own best, not each other (2 min).
- Station 1, kneel jump: kneeling on the mat, swing the arms to jump up and land on your feet as far forward as possible. Mark the landing with a cone.
- Station 2, two-foot high kick: a partner holds a balloon tied to a dowel at the chosen height; jump with feet together, try to touch it with both feet and land on your feet.
- Station 3, seal crawl: in a plank on your hands, travel the length of 2 mats dragging your straight legs behind you.
- Station 4, stick pull: partners sit facing each other, soles of the feet together, both gripping a dowel; on the signal, each pulls for 5 seconds without standing up.
- Rotate every 5 minutes (20 min). Students keep track of their best at each station and say at the end where they improved most.
Rules
- You compete against your own best.
- In the high kick, the jumper chooses the height and always starts low.
- In the stick pull, if the dowel slips, both let go together and restart.
- Safety: all landings happen on mats, and stop at any wrist or knee discomfort.
Variations
Easier
Kneel jump landing on hands and knees, balloon at hip height and a one-mat seal crawl.
Standard
All four events with height and distance chosen by each student.
Harder
One-foot high kick with the balloon above the waist and a three-mat seal crawl.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: instead of jumping, the student taps the balloon with a hand from a wheelchair and does the stick pull seated in it.
- Autism: post a picture card of each event at its station and keep the same rotation order.
- Lower arm strength: do the seal crawl on knees with forearms on the mat.
Learning goals
- Build strength and jumping power with traditional events.
- Set and beat personal records.
- Learn how Inuit and Alaska Native peoples played and trained in the Arctic.
Equipment for a class of 25
- mats: 8
- balloons: 4
- dowels: 6
- cones: 6
Teacher tip
These events are still contested today at the Arctic Winter Games and the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics. Put the high kick station next to you so you can watch landings.
PatioLab has "Arctic Games Stations" and 1299 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More main activities for Elementary
3v3 Mini-Volleyball with Set Passes
Small-sided 3v3 mini-volleyball on small courts, with a bonus for building the play with a set.
4v3 Soccer Counterattack Game
Four attackers try to score on a goal guarded by three defenders, who counterattack toward two small cone goals if they win the ball.
Accuracy Circuit with Cloth Targets
Accuracy stations with cloth targets on the floor and on the wall, where students toss bean bags and score points by ring.
Adapted Beach Handball
An adapted beach handball game with a soft ball: no dribbling, three steps with the ball, and double points for spectacular goals such as jump or spin shots.
Adapted Gaelic Football
A school version of Irish Gaelic football that blends hands and feet: players may run with the ball, hand-pass it with a fist, and kick for goal.
Adapted Speedball
Speedball is an American invasion game that blends soccer and team handball: a ball on the ground is played with the feet, and a ball lifted by the foot into the hands…