Bishop Sports Favourite PE and Play Ideas from 2025 to Save for the New Term

Christmas is a natural pause in the school year. Once the concerts, fairs and parties are over, many teachers use the quieter days to think ahead to the spring term and beyond.

To help, we have pulled together some of our most popular PE and play ideas from 2025. Each one is quick to understand, easy to adapt for your own school and designed to support active, inclusive lessons and positive breaktimes.

You can treat this article as a January planning bookmark. Choose one or two ideas that fit your pupils, then build them into your PE lessons, clubs or playground routines when everyone returns.

1. Sports day planning that starts with pupils, not events

Our sports day content this year focused on planning the day around pupils first. This means considering confidence levels, inclusion and logistics before finalising races or choosing equipment.

Key ideas included

• Mixing traditional races with simple team challenges that keep more pupils active
• Adding non scoring activities so nervous pupils can still take part
• Planning equipment around quick changeovers to reduce waiting time

This approach helps PE leads create an event that feels fair and enjoyable. For pupils, it often results in more participation and more positive memories.

2. Turning the playground into an active zone, not just a space

The playground posts that gained the most attention in 2025 treated the playground as a planned active zone rather than an unstructured space.

Popular suggestions included

• Using basic markings, cones or spots to define zones for games
  Introducing a small rota of structured lunchtime activities
• Choosing equipment such as playground balls, skipping ropes or target games that are easy to explain and manage

These ideas help reduce aimless wandering and repeated low level issues. They also support staff by giving them a reliable set of quick, active breaktime games. Find equipment here!

3. Inclusive and SEND friendly PE adaptations

Content on inclusive PE ideas continued to perform strongly. The most effective tips were small, practical adaptations rather than completely new activities.

Examples included

• Swapping hard balls for foam or larger balls to reduce anxiety
• Lowering nets, reducing distances or adding bounce allowances
• Using clear visual markers and well defined zones to support structure

The message throughout the year was that inclusion does not require separate lessons. Small tweaks can allow more pupils to succeed confidently in the same activity. Find out more here!

4. Making more of small indoor spaces

Indoor activities always matter, especially with the British weather. Articles that helped teachers keep classes moving in halls or classrooms were especially well read.

Popular ideas included

• Using light equipment such as beanbags, soft balls or spots that protect floors and walls
• Setting up short, low travel activities such as target throws, balance challenges or static partner tasks
• Rotating small groups around activity stations to manage limited space and noise

These approaches work well for wet play days or when hall space is limited.

5. Introducing less familiar sports in simple steps

Guides to rounders, goalball, kurling and other less familiar sports proved that schools want to widen their offer but need simple entry points.

Effective guides

• Broke each sport into a short format suitable for a standard PE lesson
• Suggested one or two starter drills or small sided games
• Highlighted links to core PE outcomes such as throwing, catching, teamwork and strategy

This gives teachers confidence to try something new without needing specialist training.

6. Co operative games that focus on connection, not competition

Another strong theme in 2025 was the value of co operative games for wellbeing and social connection. Many schools are looking for activities that reduce competitive pressure and support positive relationships.

Popular ideas included

• Team challenges where the class works together for a shared score
• Relay style activities that reward encouragement and communication
• Games with flexible roles, allowing pupils to join as scorers, helpers or performers

These activities are especially effective at the start of term, after holidays or during transitions. Explore the sports here!

7. Quick wins for PE storage and organisation

One of the most practical content strands in 2025 focused on PE storage. Clear, organised spaces can transform lesson flow and reduce staff workload.

Useful suggestions included

• Grouping equipment by activity type, such as balls, invasion games, or net and wall
• Using clear labels so any member of staff can find and return items easily
• Creating simple routines where pupils help collect and store equipment at the end of lessons

A short storage reset in January can save significant time throughout the term.

In closing…

Whether you are reading this with a coffee over the Christmas break or saving it for the first week back, we hope these ideas help make PE and play easier to plan.

You do not need to change everything at once. One new playground idea, one inclusive adjustment or one new sport can refresh your PE offer for the term ahead.

For more detail on any of these topics, explore our full range of PE and play articles in the news section, or browse our equipment categories for inspiration for your next lesson, club or event.