Quality Relay: Gymnastics Moves Scored on Form

A team relay where the winner isn't the fastest team but the one with the cleanest gymnastics moves. It warms up the whole body and puts the focus on form from minute one.

How to play

1. Six teams in lines; each picks a judge who scores another team on a card with three criteria: legs together, pointed toes and control (2 min).
2. Round 1: side gallop with arms out, back in crab walk (2 min).
3. Round 2: lunge with a trunk twist to the cone, back with low cartwheel steps, hands on the floor (3 min).
4. Round 3: scissor jumps with arms up, back in sideways bear crawl (2 min).
5. Switch judges, then a free final round: each team picks the move it does best (2 min).
6. Tally: judges read scores and name one specific detail they noticed (1 min).

Rules

• Form scores, not speed: rushing costs control points.
• The next person goes when the previous one taps their hand.
• Judges score only 0 to 2 per criterion, with no comments about anyone's body.
• Cartwheel steps happen on the mats.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: serve as head judge or do the arm patterns seated.
• Blind or low-vision students: go with a guide partner who taps the shoulder at each change.
• Nervous students: pick the low version of each move at no penalty.

Learning goals

• Raise body temperature with varied movement.
• Pay attention to execution quality.
• Judge with objective criteria.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 12
• mats: 6
• scoring cards: 6

Teacher tip

Print the cards half-page size and laminate them for dry-erase markers. The usual problem is it turning into a race: dock points visibly in round one and it stops.

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