Here, There, Everywhere, Nowehere (Gymnastics)

teacher on all fours with children copying

A fast-paced movement game where students respond to commands by moving or holding different gymnastics positions. It builds agility, listening skills and body control through fun, position-based challenges.

Set up

Mark out a designated playing space (with cones or existing lines), approximately 15m by 15m (depending on the space available). 

How to play
Step 1: 

Start by introducing and demonstrating a range of different gymnastics skills and positions that the children will need to remember for the game, such as: 

  • Front support
  • Side support
  • Rear support
  • Angry cat (hands and knees, arched back)
  • Happy cat (hands and knees, rounded back)
  • Frog squat (squat down as low as you can without letting your feet come off the ground)
  • Straddle sit (legs straight and wide apart) 
  • Disco cat (wiggling hips from side-to-side)
  • Superhuman (lie on your front with arms and legs stretched out, arching back like you're 'flying')
  • Dish (lie on your back with legs and arms extended squeezing ears, creating a dish shape)
  • L-Sit (sit tall, arms and legs straight, and turn your body into an L shape)
  • V-Sit (turn your body into an V shape)
  • Tuck sit (turn your body into a tight rock position) 
  • Rock & Roll (rocking and rolling back and forth in a tuck sit position)
Step 2:

Educator calls out different commands: 

  • "HERE!": children run towards you quickly.
  • "THERE!": children run away from you.
  • "EVERYWHERE": children move around in any direction (inside the designated playing area). 
Step 3: 
  • When the educator calls out "NOWHERE!", they also call out a gymnastics position or movement which the children must stop and perform on the spot. 
  • The game continues, with the educator increasing the speed of their calls and the difficulty of the gymnastics movements as the children progress. 
Variations
Make it easier
  • Reduce the number of gymnastics skills and positions for the game.
Make it harder
  • Increase the speed of the calls.
  • Ask the children to move around using different locomotor movements, such as skipping, galloping, hopping or jumping.
Activity information
Age: Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4
Participants: 5 +
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Front Support Side Support Rear Support
Skill teaching

Front Support

  • Shoulders directly above your hands.
  • Arms straight and strong.
  • Tighten your core “tummy muscles”. 
  • Lift your hips and make sure your back is flat.
  • Legs straight and feet together.
  • Keep your head in line with your back.

Side Support

  • One hand under the shoulder, feet stacked.
  • Lift hips to form a straight line from head to toes.
  • Tighten your core and keep your body straight.
  • Keep your head aligned with your body.

Rear Support

  • Lift your hips high: Imagine you’re trying to make a straight line from your head to your toes.
  • Hands under shoulders, flat on the floor. 
  • Stretch your legs out straight and point your toes. 
  • Keep your body straight. 'Stay tall and strong like a bridge, with no bending'. 
Physical literacy tips
  • Have a 'free choice' call where children can choose or create their own gymnastics position or movement.