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Summer is Here – and it’s the best time of year for Outdoor PE!

Published on 26th May, 2022

There’s no better feeling than being outdoors, and as the weather becomes warmer and more consistent, it means a lot more outdoor PE and activities outside.

Getting outside can be a brilliant way for pupils to enhance their learning. The extra space allows for more activities and more opportunities to explore and develop.  Outdoor PE is fun, exciting and increases overall physical fitness.

Building Relationships

PE Planning Orienteering game illustration.

Changing environments from the classroom, or school hall, to the school field or outdoor space, can help children change their perspective, brighten their mood, and help build relationships and create new friendships.

Orienteering is a great summer sport, and an ideal outdoor PE topic, that can give your children opportunities to engage with peers in different ways. It can develop communication skills and allow children to appreciate their outdoor environment.

The competitive element of orienteering makes it fun and challenging for everyone! We have Orienteering Units of work available from Year 1 to 6.

Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

There’s lots of research out there telling us that pupils who are active are happier and more confident than pupils who are not.

Increasing activity levels with your class can be difficult when the weather is poor, and indoor space is limited. BUT, there’s no better time than now to get outside.

Besides maximising time for outdoor PE, here’s a few examples of how you can help promote being healthy, give more opportunities for children to be active with peers, and enjoy the great outdoors with your class…

  • Take your class on a 5-minute brain break walk within your school’s outdoor space. During a classroom-based lesson, take a 5 minute break with your class. Enjoy a walk around the school grounds, enjoying the sunshine.
  • Print out some of our Lunchtime Games resources for your Play Supervisors / Play Leaders to use with children during breaktimes. Creating structure and organised activities on break times not only encourages physical activity, but is also great fun and improves overall behaviour.
  • Organise a ‘Mini Olympics’ with your class. Practise the more traditional Olympic Athletics events using our Athletics Units of Work, or create your own events with the help of your class and compete in teams at each event.

Celebrate Success in Sport

Setting goals and targets for your class can create positive experiences.

A ‘K a Day’ challenge with your class is a great achievement for children to complete. It is an achievable daily target that you can do together as a class, and pupils can measure their success and progress. If this sounds like something you’d like to organise, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to help you get started.

Wimbledon takes place in the months of June and July. If Tennis is on your PE Long Term Plan, celebrate the tournament’s history as well as developing the skills needed for tennis. Our Calendar Resources also offer some one off fun Wimbledon activities.

An example Calendar Games for Wimbledon. Activity called 'Road to Wimbledon'.

Sports Day

The long awaited return of Sports Day!

It’s one thing we’ve all missed for the last couple of years! The whole school coming together, parents and families cheering their children and smiles and celebrations from the children competing in a vast array of activities. We Love Sports Day!

Let’s make it the best one yet! Have you got a date set? Prizes? A plan? Our Sports Day Guide could help you organise a fab fun day!

Children enjoying the sack race on sports day.

We hope you have a great Summer Term


If there’s anything we can help with, please just give us a shout! We are on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and would love for you to follow us and get in touch.