DPA - Warm Ups

• Primary/Junior Warm-ups
• Intermediate Warm-ups

Primary/Junior Warm-up Activities

1. Activity Leader

• Have students line up in groups of three to five.
• The first student in each group leads their group around the activity area using a variety of movements.
• Change the group leaders every 30 seconds, and have the speed progressively increase (e.g., slow walk, walk, speed walk, jog).
• A teacher or student may lead.

2. At the Beach

• Lead students on an imaginary trip to the beach. Include some of these actions:
• Bike to the beach
• Run into the water and splash around
• Swim front crawl
• Dog paddle
• Breast stroke

3. Body Parts

• Have students march on the spot, slowly increasing the speed.
• Point to one body part at a time, and have students move that body part in a variety of ways.
• If you are not pointing to a body part, the students continue to march in place.

4. On the Move

• Have students walk in a large circle formation and respond to cues such as:
• Walk and roll your shoulders
• Walk and pretend you are swimming
• Jog and shake your hands above your head
• Change directions and gallop.
• March with high knees.
• Scatter and run in a figure eight.
• Leap over lines on the floor

5. Follow the Leader

• Have students line up in groups of 3 - 6
• Students travel throughout the activity area, copying movements of a student leader (e.g., walking, shoulder rolls, knee lifts)
• Every 30 - 45 seconds, change the leader to the next in line
• Students increase the pace slightly with each change of leader

(Warm Up Activities from: Chapter 3, Daily Physical Activity in Schools, Resource Guide, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005)

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Intermediate Warm-up Activities

1. Activity Leader

• Have students line up in groups of three to five.
• The first student in each group leads their group around the activity area using a variety of movements.
• Change the group leaders every 30 seconds, and have the speed progressively increase (e.g., slow walk, walk, speed walk, jog).
• A teacher or student may lead.

2. DPA Moving on the Spot Activities

Side Arm Circles

• March on the spot, raise arms to the side of the body to shoulder height
• Circle arms forward, then backwards 8-10 times each

Jump and Twirl

• Stand with feet slightly apart, begin jumping on the spot
• Circle forearms in small circles in front of the bodythe behind the body
• Continue for 30 - 45 seconds

Marching on the Spot

• Stand tall and march on the spot
• Pump arms back and forth
• Raise knees to waist height while marching
• Add variety by marching in a circle, square or figure eight
• Continue for 3-45 seconds

(Region of Peel, Moving on the Spot, 2006)

3. Imagine

• Have students walk on the spot with a variety of steps (e.g., narrow, wide); pumping their arms back and forth.
• Have students gradually increase speed every 30 seconds. Ask them to imagine that they are doing the following activities and move accordingly:
  • walking through deep sand
  • slowly walking home
  • running a race

4. Follow the Leader

• Have students line up in groups of 3 - 6
• Students travel throughout the activity area, copying movements of a student leader (e.g., walking, shoulder rolls, knee lifts)
• Every 30 - 45 seconds, change the leader to the next in line
• Students increase the pace slightly with each change of leader

(Warm Up Activities from: Chapter 3, Daily Physical Activity in Schools, Resource Guide, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005)

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