10 No Equipment PE Games You Can Start Instantly
- PE Buddy
- Mar 15
- 4 min read
If you're a PE teacher, you know how it goes...
The weather turns terrible, and you have to change your lesson plans at the last minute.
Or you arrive at the storeroom, and the equipment simply isn't there.
Or you just need something quick and easy to start your PE lesson before your students lose the plot and start climbing the walls.
There is nothing worse than having a lesson planned and not being able to adapt when things suddenly change.
So what’s the secret?
Prepare to be unprepared.
A good PE teacher can make lemonade out of lemons. The best teachers always have a few no-equipment PE games ready to go, no matter the situation.
Every PE teacher should have a small collection of quick PE games with no equipment and no preparation that can be used anywhere.
Don’t let a minor (or major) setback derail your entire lesson.
To help you out, here are 10 of our favourite no-equipment PE games that work with almost any group and can be started in seconds.
Cross the River
Players: Whole class
Space: Open playing area
Cross the River is a simple no-equipment PE game where players attempt to run from one side of the playing area to the other without being tagged.
One or more players stand in the middle as taggers. When the leader calls “Cross the River,” runners must move to the opposite side while avoiding the taggers.
Players who are tagged may become taggers or join the middle depending on the variation.
Blob Tag
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area
Blob Tag is a team-based tag game where the group of taggers grows as the game continues.
One player starts as the tagger. When a runner is tagged, they join hands with the tagger to form a “blob.”
The blob moves together to tag other runners while staying connected.
Daisy Chain
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area
Daisy Chain is a cooperative tag game commonly used in PE lessons.
One player begins as the tagger. When a runner is tagged, they join hands with the tagger to form a chain.
The chain works together to tag other players while remaining connected. As more players are tagged, the chain grows longer.
Rats and Rabbits
Players: Two teams
Space: Rectangular playing area
Rats and Rabbits is a popular reaction and sprinting game used in PE.
Players line up in two teams facing each other: one team called Rats and the other Rabbits.
When the leader calls one team’s name, that team chases the other toward a safe line. Players who are tagged before reaching safety may switch teams or sit out depending on the variation.
Everybody’s It
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area
Everybody’s It is a fast-paced tag game often used in PE warm-ups.
Every player is both a runner and a tagger. Players move around the playing space, attempting to tag others while avoiding being tagged themselves.
When a player is tagged, they complete a quick fitness action before continuing the game.
Tunnel Tag
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area
Tunnel Tag is a simple no-equipment PE activity that encourages teamwork.
One or more players act as taggers. When a player is tagged, they freeze and stand with their legs apart to create a tunnel.
Other players can free them by crawling or running through the tunnel.
Line Tiggy
Players: Whole group
Space: Area with court or playground lines
Line Tiggy is a fun tag game that uses playground or court markings.
Players must move along the lines on the ground while avoiding the tagger. Stepping off the lines is not allowed, which adds an extra challenge and encourages quick decision-making.
Ship, Shore, Shark
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area with two marked sides
Ship Shore Shark is a reaction and running game often used in PE warm-ups.
Two sides of the playing area represent Ship and Shore, while one player stands in the middle as the Shark.
When the leader calls “Ship” or “Shore,” players run to that side while trying to avoid being tagged by the shark.
Reindeer Tag
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area
Reindeer Tag is a freeze-style tag game.
When a player is tagged, they freeze and stand with their arms raised like antlers. Other players can free them by touching them or completing a specific action.
Bull Rush
Players: Whole group
Space: Open area
Bull Rush is a classic warm-up game where all students line up and must run to the other side of the oval/court without being tagged. The taggers begin in the middle and can call out individual students or groups, for example: everyone with white shoes, or simply shout "Bull Rush" and everyone runs.
Want More Ready-to-Use PE Games?
The activities above are some of the easiest no-equipment PE games you can use when you need something quick.
But if you'd like more structured lesson ideas, detailed instructions and printable resources, the PE Buddy Games Bundle includes a much larger collection of activities ready to use in your lessons.
Inside the bundle, you’ll get detailed downloadable PDFs for each activity, including:
step-by-step instructions
lesson overviews
setup guides
clear diagrams
teaching tips
progressions and regressions to adjust difficulty.
Many teachers use these resources to save planning time and run more organised PE lessons.
Want Access to Every PE Buddy Resource?
If you regularly teach PE, you might prefer having everything in one place.
A PE Buddy Membership includes:
al the games featured in this article
40+ additional PE game ideas
hundreds of other PE resources
lesson plans, activities and teaching tools
new resources added over time.
It’s designed for teachers who want a complete PE resource library ready whenever they need it.
Final Thoughts
Simple games with no equipment and no preparation often become the most enjoyable parts of a PE lesson.
Having a small collection of quick PE games ready to go means you can always run an engaging lesson — even when time, space or equipment are limited.
If you'd like more ready-to-teach activities, printable lesson guides and complete PE resources, explore everything available through PE Buddy.
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