Big dreams happen in small spaces…and schools often have small spaces that are overlooked. Time to do some lateral thinking and to put those spatial awareness skills to the test!
First of all, even if your main sports areas are a smaller than ideal, it doesn’t mean that lessons need to be any less fun or challenging than those in the most spacious facilities. Fortunately, sports and PE teachers are creative creatures – being well-used to adapting to different spaces and provision at the last minute – so restricted size is a nuisance not a hindrance.
Games such as ‘Riverbank’, ‘All my Neighbours’, ‘Popcorn’, ‘Up, Down, Stomp, Clap’ and ‘Spark’ are popular choices for limited space. They might not involve racing around or covering long distances but they demand teamwork, strategy, coordination and core fitness.
Or how about some Seated Volleyball, Fitness Bingo, Twister, 9 Square in the Air, or make your own maze from mat, balance bench or tape arrangements, or with clever outdoor markings.
Thinking laterally (literally!), that strong but blank, unused, concrete playground wall could transform into an inspiration for future mountaineers. Don’t panic! Yes, of course, special surfacing, design and installation would be required if the pupils/students were to go up…but what if they go along instead? Setting up grips on the wall which require users to travel horizontally keep them at a safe height but can be just as challenging for anticipation, coordination and strength.
Similarly, simple but effective installations such as a Trim Trail are ideal for those narrow spaces or when requiring an activity to keep multiple pupils active and engaged simultaneously.
Equally, using a Teq table means that your teams and players need much less space than a Volleyball court or Football pitch, without losing any of the teamwork or technical skills.
All of the above can help you to adapt to making the best use of your already established activity areas. What about those extra spaces lurking totally unused?
Not every fitness activity needs to be in a full suite or as part of a whole class session. The use of treadmill, cardio and strength equipment in a bespoke setting is, obviously, essential for the safety of students but it’s worth being flexible about the location of other more basic or independent gym skills.
For example, with careful initial assessment and preparation, resistance bands, mats, exercise bicycles and studio step can adapt to use in an empty classroom or storeroom. With a bit of careful scheduling and space planning, Yoga sessions and dance can move from the sports hall to the dining room.
