Sport Activity Ideas

Rowing Challenge

Challenge your pupils to row the Olympic rowing distance of 2000 m, on rowing machines, as quickly as possible. Hold a competition to see which pupil in each year group can row the distance in the fastest time. Award gold, silver or bronze medals to the top three fastest pupils in each year group.

Beat A Sporting Hero!

Choose an Olympic athlete from the past and set a group challenge for your pupils to attempt to beat the time/distance achieved by the athlete in winning Olympic gold.

For example British athlete Kelly Holmes secured a place in Olympic history by winning two gold medals in the 800m and the 1500m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. She was the first Briton to achieve the Olympic middle distance double in 84 years. She set a new British record for the 1500m with a time of 3 minutes and 57.90 seconds.

Task

Set the pupils a team challenge! In groups of four or five, ask your pupils to attempt to beat Kelly's time of 3 minutes 57.90 seconds, by running 15 shuttles of 100m. Each group must:

• divide the distance between them;
• organise the running order; and
• time their attempt.

You could base this activity on the records of the athletes featured in the Heroes classroom activities.

Badminton/Table Tennis Tournaments

Organise the whole school, key stage, year groups or tutor group to take part in badminton or table tennis tournaments. Award gold, silver or bronze medals to the winners.

Olympic Team Challenges

Name groups of pupils after a variety of participating Olympic or Paralympic teams. Organise competitions where the countries play one another. Encourage your pupils to make mascots and flags to represent their team.

Taster Sessions: Try Something New

Organise taster sessions of a variety of Olympic and Paralympic sports, for example archery, handball, canoeing, water polo, boccia or synchronised swimming. Invite representatives from local sports clubs, Active Communities and/or Disability Sports NI to demonstrate these sports to your pupils. This is an opportunity for your pupils to play sports that are strongly associated with particular communities in Northern Ireland, for example cricket, hurling, camogie, rugby or hockey.