Musical Pinnies Color Challenge
Pinnies in four colors are scattered on the floor: while the music plays students move around them, and when it stops each student grabs any pinnie and does the exercise that matches its color on the poster. No one is ever out, and chance picks the challenge.
How to play
- Scatter about 30 pinnies in 4 colors over half the court. Post a cardstock key on one side: red, 10 squats; blue, 5 lunges per leg; green, 20-second plank; yellow, 10 jumping jacks.
- With the music on, everyone travels around the pinnies without stepping on them, using the movement the teacher calls: jog, side gallop, skip or slow backward jog.
- When the music stops, each student picks up the nearest pinnie, checks the poster and does that challenge.
- When finished, drop the pinnie somewhere new and jog in place until the music returns.
- Run 8 stops in about 6 minutes. Every 2 stops, change the exercises on the poster by flipping it or crossing out and rewriting.
- Final stop: anyone who has picked up every color chooses an exercise for the whole class.
Rules
- Pick up only one pinnie, the closest one, and never take one out of someone's hands.
- Don't step on pinnies so no one slips.
- Safety: jog backward slowly, looking over your shoulder.
- Finish the whole challenge before dropping the pinnie.
Variations
Easier
Use only two colors with simple exercises and walking.
Standard
Four colors, four exercises and eight stops with a variety of movements.
Harder
When the music stops, grab two pinnies and do both challenges back to back.
Adaptations
- Students with limited mobility get a pinnie handed to them by a partner and have seated versions of each challenge on the poster.
- For students with visual impairments, use high-contrast colors or pinnies with a differently textured ribbon for each color.
- Less-fit students do half the reps for each challenge.
Learning goals
- Warm up with a mix of strength and travel exercises.
- React quickly when the music stops and read the poster for information.
- Follow the equipment pickup rules without conflict.
Equipment for a class of 25
- pinnies: 30
- cardstock poster: 1
- music (speaker): 1
Teacher tip
Put out more pinnies than students so no one has to fight over one. If you're short on pinnies, colored hoops or cones work the same way.
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