HOT POTATO TAG: Fun and Easy K-5 Elementary PE Game

Get your elementary PE students moving with this super fun HOT POTATO TAG game that offers plenty of opportunities for your students to work on key physical education skills including throwing (both underhand and overhand), catching, and running.

This extremely easy-to-set-up, high-energy activity is perfect for PE class, recess, field day, or any time you just need to get your K-5 kids active and engaged.

HOT POTATO TAG

FULL LESSON PLAN PDF

READY, SET – LET’S PLAY!

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

To play this Hot Potato Tag game you are going to need just a few pieces of equipment including:

SOFT BALLS (enough for each partner group to have one ball)
MUSIC (You can find my “clean” and upbeat 117 Song Elementary PE Playlist here)
KIDS READY TO HAVE FUN (Students from kindergarten up to fifth grade love this game)

EASY GAME SET-UP

Put students in groups of two and give each partner group a soft medium-sized ball (Gator Skin Balls work great for this game). Then ask students to line up facing one another along the centerline of the gym.

HOW TO PLAY – Hot Potato Tag

The teacher begins the game by starting the music. When the music starts, each partner group begins playing catch with their ball like “hot potato.”

The teacher randomly stops the music. Then, the student who has possession of the ball when the music stops is the tagger. The partner without the ball, turns around and starts running to the baseline or end line behind them.

The “tagger” tries to throw the ball and hit their partner with the ball before they can make it safely to their end line. If the tagger succeeds and hits them with the ball before they reach the baseline, the tagger gets a point. If they miss, their partner gets the point.

After each round/point, have students line up across from each other with their ball on the centerline. The first player to score 5 points wins the game of Hot Potato Tag.

GAME TEACHING TIPS

TIP #1: I love to play the “HOT POTATO” song by the WIGGLES when playing this game. My students think it is so silly but they laugh and giggle and have an absolute blast.
TIP #2: I like to make a safety rule for this game that states that the tagger must hit their partner with the ball SHOULDERS and BELOW. If a students gets hit above the shoulders (neck or head) the student who got hit gets the point.
TIP #3: This came can be played and enjoyed by kindergarten through fifth grade students. Just adjust the distance of the throwing and catching lines to fit whatever grade level you are working with.

Hot Potato tag is a great game for practicing underhand throwing, overhand throwing and catching. Additionally, it’s an ideal activity to play when you’ve finished a throwing or catching unit and need to assess your students on those skills.

So, why not blast some “clean” and upbeat PE music and bring the excitement of HOT POTATO TAG to your gymnasium TODAY!

GREAT NEWS! You can snag your very own PDF of this awesome HOT POTATO TAG Game RIGHT HERE. It’s also a very easy lesson plan to leave for a substitute teacher. Just print off, gather the equipment and you’re good to go. So much FUN!

Thanks for stopping by today. I really appreciate it and I hope that you have a TRULY BLESSED And BEAUTIFUL Day!