Physical Education in schools concerns the involvement of children in fitness activities, sports, Health and Drug Education, gymnastics and some aspects of dance. All are designed to encourage a healthier, more enjoyable lifestyle. Such involvement is particularly important at present with the extent of obesity and other illnesses, many of which reflect a lack of exercise and healthy living.

This page looks at the fitness activities, minor games, aerobics, sources of information and assistance, lesson plans and Australian Physical Education bodies.

A related page on Health & Drug Education can be accessed by this link or the one above.

Another page providing assistance for individual Sports can be accessed by this link or the one above.

Additional Physical Education Resources can be found on this page, while information on Nutrition, as part of Health Education, can be found here.

This is a work in progress, with further additions planned as soon as time permits. These will include specific curriculum information.

Aerobics

Aerobic exercise provides real benefits. The following may be helpful for providing inclusions within a PE program.

• The Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
  Information about what makes up an aerobic activity and how these benefit you physically and mentally.
• Workouts that Work
  Provides the essentials of the process.
• Turnstep
  Created for people who run aerobic classes. It provides routines and a dictionary so you know what terms mean.

Agencies & Associations

• ACHPER
  Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. A world of resources and advice for Physical Education, Health, Dance, etc.. See Physical Education Resources for more detail.
• AUSPORT
  Information and assistance with sports and activities for young people. Links to the Sports Commission, Active Australia, Institute of Sport.

Games

• Game Central Station
  350+ games, each with details, organisation, equipment, rules, information about related sports.
• Jump Into a Healthy Life
  Thinkquest. It covers fun and healthy activities. Well worth a visit.
• KiwiDex - Games
  PDF file. Download these minor games.
• Minor Games
  A collection of links by Beenleigh State School, Queensland. Covers general and age specific groupings. Links are briefly annotated.
• P.E. - Warm-up and Cool-down Ideas
  Extensive listing of annotated links to activities. Access other PE areas from the top menu.

Playground Games

• Best Games in a Small World
  By an Australian Capital Territory school. Lists their favourite games and provides basic rules. Large collection.
• Increasing Physical Activity in Schools
  Through The Use Of Playground Games. Common sense article which includes a number of games/activities that are fully detailed.
• Kid’s Games
  Detailed description of children’s games that were commonly played in school playgrounds. It covers skipping, ball strength, circle games, more.
• Street Play
  Look for games people used to play in the street. Rule, equipment are listed.

• PlaySport
  ‘Awesome website with great activities designed to teach kids games by playing games ! PlaySport allows you to search for activities based on equipment you have, skills you want to teach, complexity of the game, space you have available.’
• Water Games [Pool]
  ‘Find water games and games for the swimming pool to entertain children for hours using our activity finder’. Select from the list or refine by age. Covers early childhood to primary level.

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Fitness

• Fitness
  Sections include What is Fitness ?, Stamina, Flexibility, Suppleness.
• Free Online Health
  Use the left menu to find Free exercises, exercise programs, weight loss exercises, more.
• Getfit Exercise Library
  Exercises grouped around specific parts of the body.
• Getting Fit
  Getting fit using the 5BX fitness program.
• Online Fitness Programs and Exercise Workouts
  ‘For men and women of all ages and fitness goals. An online fitness program, articles, tips, exercise instruction information’.
• Smart Moves
  ‘Ensures all Queensland state school students engage in physical activity each day within curriculum time.’ Ministerial Report and Program in downloadable documents.
• Virtual Fitness Trainer
  Multiple sections. The most valuable will probably be the Free mini-courses and Free articles.

Journals & Magazines

• Physical Education Digest
  Archived issues, downloadable sections, links to sites for PE and sports, articles on different topics.
• Strategies …
  A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators. ‘Peer-reviewed professional magazine that offers practical how-to articles for sport and physical education professionals at all levels.’ A related journal from the same group is the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Resource Links

• Body Image
  ‘The information [provided] is a snapshot of the work being done around the country and a starting point for educators’. Australian Education Union. Includes strategies, units of work, programs, more. If you are looking for visual material related to this topic visit the Australian Screen, Body Image page for a selection of appropriate material.
• Body Image - Links
  30+ links to sites about Body Image. HealthInsite Australia.
• HPE Sourcebook Modules
  ‘Sourcebook modules provide teachers with a range of learning and teaching ideas. Teachers are encouraged to modify modules to meet the specific needs and interests of particular groups of students and individual students, their own needs and the learning environment.’ Queensland Studies Authority.
• PE Links4U
  Amazing site for those interested in PE. Check menus at the top for everything from Adapted PE to Technology in PE, use Click To See More Resources for an option list. Articles give further information.
• PhysEdSource
  ‘PhysEd Source is an online directory that aims to provide useful web links and other helpful resources for professionals in the field of physical education’. Major areas include Individual, Dance, Gymnastics, Outdoors, Sports/Games and Health.
• Physical Education
  Extensive selection of annotated links for Physical Education.
• Physical Education Central
  Links to all aspects of Physical Education. Major sections include the following.

• PEC Dance Web Sites
• PEC Fitness Web Sites
• PEC Top Sport-related Web Sites

• Physical Education K to 7
  British Columbia, Canada. Information, curriculum for Grades K through 7 broken into relevant areas, appendices such as a glossary, assessment & evaluation, resources, learning outcomes, more.
• Physical Education Lesson Plan Page
  ‘This page is dedicated to providing a space for Physical Educators to share lesson ideas’ 150+ at time of entry, listed under specific headings.
• Physical Education Online
  Alberta Education, Canada. K-12 planning and resources for PE. Go to Teacher Resources/Guide to Implementation for PDF documents.
• Physical Education Resources - Sports Media
  Lesson plans, coaching links, world PE Associations, ask an expert, other resources. Collected by Physical Education teachers.
• Physical Education Site Resources
  Includes ‘Physical Education Unit/Lesson Plan Resources, Sport Specific Web Sites, Resources for Teaching Children with Special Needs, Health-Related Physical Fitness, Technology Resources for Physical Educators’, more.
• Physical Educator’s Web Ring
  Physical Education sites listed and annotated for you to choose from. Sites from several schools demonstrating what they are doing and how. Game Central Station is one of the other sites.
• TeachPE
  ‘Your free resource for Physical Education and Sports Coaching’. Annotated links for both general and sport specific assistance.

Running

• Why Exercise is Cool
  Article about children’s exercise, particularly running, links to related articles, resources.
• Kids Running
  US-based. Several sections are relevant to Australia including coaching help, School resources, links to related resources, other advice.

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