For many children, sports day is a highlight of the school year; a chance to move, play, and cheer each other on in the fresh air. But traditional races like sack races, egg and spoon races and three-legged races can start to feel a bit tired, and not every child thrives in that format. So how do we keep sports day inclusive, exciting, and packed with purpose?
At School Fitness Ireland, we believe in rethinking how we do physical activity. Sports day doesn’t have to be a rigid schedule of who’s fastest or strongest. It can be creative, team-based, and designed so everyone feels part of the action.
In this post, we’re sharing five fresh sports day ideas for primary schools that go beyond the basics, with games and challenges designed to spark engagement, promote teamwork, and develop physical literacy in fun and accessible ways.
Before we dive into the activity ideas, let’s pause for a moment on why sports day is more than just a fun event.
According to the World Health Organisation, children aged 5–17 should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily to support healthy growth and development.1 (Check out our post on the Physical Activity Guidelines for children here!). While regular PE plays a key role in this, sports day offers a unique, high energy opportunity to meet these guidelines in a way that feels like play, not work.
Sports Days also support:
Ultimate frisbee is a non-contact team sport where players pass a frisbee downfield to teammates, aiming to catch it in the opposing team’s end zone to score a point. Players cannot run while holding the disc; they must stop and pass it. If the disc is dropped, intercepted, or goes out of bounds, possession switches to the other team. The game encourages constant movement, teamwork and fair play.
In a standard game of ultimate frisbee, each team typically has 7 players on the field. For school settings or smaller spaces, 5-a-side or smaller teams work well.
Why it works: It’s fast paced, easy to learn, and great for building teamwork. Since players can't move while holding the disc, it encourages passing and communication rather than solo efforts.
Adapt it for primary students: Reduce the pitch size and allow a few extra steps for younger players. If players are struggling with the frisbee, use a soft ball until they get used to the rules!
Bonus learning: Ultimate frisbee is self-refereed at competitive levels, teaching fairness, honesty, and respectful communication in a fun, low pressure environment.
Who says races have to be straight lines and finish flags? An obstacle course adds variety, fun, and a dose of problem solving into the mix.
Set up a series of challenges that students must complete in sequence. For example:
Run it as a timed relay, a class-vs-class challenge, or a continuous course.
Why it works: Obstacle courses are highly adaptable and keep all children engaged, whether they’re fast runners or careful climbers. They challenge multiple movement skills (balance, coordination, agility) and encourage creative thinking.
Top tip: Add silly elements like a hat they must wear or a beanbag to carry on their head for extra fun and laughter! Alternatively, you could have classes design their own obstacle courses.
Capture the Flag is a fast-paced team game that combines movement, strategy, and excitement, and it's a brilliant way to wrap up sports day.
How it works:
To keep it low contact and inclusive:
Why it works: It’s thrilling, strategic, and promotes teamwork, decision-making, and spatial awareness. Every child has a role to play, whether they’re defending, sneaking, or rescuing teammates.
Top tip: Play multiple short rounds with team rotations to keep the pace high and ensure everyone gets a turn in different roles.
Transform your sports day into a themed adventure with physical activity challenges built around a story. For example:
Why it works: It engages imagination alongside movement, making it especially appealing to younger children or those who might not enjoy traditional sports.
Top tip: Encourage classes to dress in theme or make their own team mascots or badges.
Bonus: Pair students in buddy groups to build friendships and confidence.
Not every child thrives on races or competitive games, and that’s where these team-based challenges shine. These stations focus on teamwork, problem solving, and inclusive fun.
Set up a circuit of tasks where small groups rotate through challenges like:
Why it works: Team stations give every child the chance to contribute, no matter their athletic ability. They encourage collaboration, leadership, and creativity in a relaxed, joyful setting.
Top tip: Rotate teams every 5–8 minutes and keep instructions simple. Give teams fun names or scorecards for extra motivation, or just focus on the fun!
By moving away from traditional, individual-focused races and towards more engaging, varied activities, we create a sports day that celebrates all children, not just the fastest and strongest.
Whether it’s through an imaginative fitness challenge or a strategic frisbee game, these activities promote:
At School Fitness Ireland, we deliver high energy, age appropriate multi-activity days in schools across the country, making sports day easy, exciting and memorable.
Our expert coaches can lead sessions in:
All activities are tailored to your school's space, needs, and age groups, and designed to keep children active, engaged, and smiling.
Contact us today to book your end of term multi-activity day and let’s make sports day the best day of the year!
