Top 20 Gesture-Based Warm-Up Games for Elementary School Students to Spark Interest in Class

How to play: Players stand in long rows, vertically, horizontally

Game Master (loudly): “Where are your hands?” (twice) - Players (loudly): “Here are my hands” (twice)Game master starts singing: “We’re long and slender, hiding every day in the hay. In the twilight, we fly out aiming for the eyes, stinging people.” – and players follow the action by poking the eye of the person on their right. The game master then raises a finger to mimic a mosquito – players also raise their fingers and together with the game master, they make buzzing sounds “Buzz … Buzz” and the game master loudly says “bite the cheek” and the player follows by loudly saying “slap” and the next person 'slaps' hard on the mosquito. Players must follow the game master's words, not actions.

Example: if the game master says to bite the mouth but actually bites the ear, players should not follow suit – if done incorrectly, they will be penalized.

Game master leads group to practice the following greetings:

• Greet older brother: with formal Scout-style salute.
• Greet teacher: cross both hands in front of chest.
• Greet elder: similar to greeting teacher but with a bow.
• Greet younger sibling: extend hand forward in inviting gesture.
  
  

How to play:

• Game master calls out greetings and performs actions. Players respond loudly and follow along.
• Game master may call out one greeting and perform another.
  

Rules:

• Anyone performing differently from the game master's call is wrong.
• Unclear actions are considered incorrect.
  
  

Note:

• Speed of calling can be adjusted depending on the players.
• One or two more greetings can be added to increase the game's difficulty.

How to play:

Game master calls out: “Lotus bud” – players place their palms together to form a lotus bud shape. Game master calls out: “Lotus flower” – players spread their palms apart to resemble a blooming lotus flower. Game master calls out: “Lotus leaf” – players extend their palms straight to create a lotus leaf. Game master calls out “Lotus fruit” – players bring their palms together to form a fruit...

Once everyone understands the gameplay and gets familiar with the gestures, the game master sets the rule: “Follow my words, not my actions” – then the game proceeds under the guidance of the game master (opposite actions to the commands).

Note: the game master keenly observes and penalizes those who perform incorrect actions to create an engaging and captivating atmosphere. Similarly, it can be transformed into a flower blossom, dipping, opening fist...

Game master teaches the group the following postures:

• Stand: Right hand clenched, raised straight above the head.
• Sit: Right hand clenched, both arms at right angles, hand raised horizontally in front of the face.
• Lie down: Right hand clenched, arms extended straight forward.
• Sleep: Right hand clenched, pressed against the cheek while saying: shhh.

How to play:

• Game master calls out postures, actions according to the specified rules.
• Game master can call out correctly or incorrectly (call out one thing, do another).
• Players must perform correctly according to the callouts and actions specified by the game master.
  
  

Penalties:
- The following cases will be penalized:
+ Performing the wrong action according to the game master's callout.
+ Not looking at the game master.
+ Slow execution, unclear actions.

Note:
- Speed can be adjusted depending on the players.
- Game master can use different words to 'trick' players, such as advance, retreat, shhh... to create atmosphere.

How to play: The game master raises one finger, then players start singing based on the number of fingers the game master raises.
Example: The game master raises one finger.
Players sing: “One finger wiggling here (2 times)
One finger wiggling, wiggling, that's enough to make us happy”
The game master raises two fingers:
Players: “Two little lizards biting each other's tails…”
The game master continues to raise fingers sequentially, and if any group fails to start singing, they will be penalized.

Purpose: Develop concentration, team spirit, and quick reflexes for children.How to play: The game master designates one group to pretend to be chicks, another group to pretend to be hens, and another group to pretend to be roosters. When their name is called along with the hand signal from the game master, the group must immediately make the sound of their designated animal. Example: Chicks chirp chirp... Hens cluck cluck... Roosters crow cock-a-doodle-doo... The game master points to a group, and if that group fails to respond correctly, responds slowly, or responds incorrectly, they are penalized.Note: To test which group has the best reflexes, the game master may point to one group but call out another, causing confusion. Those who make mistakes will be penalized.

How to play: The game master assigns roles: Imagine yourselves as trees. Everyone stands with arms outstretched to create a row of trees. When the wind blows to a side, lean in that direction.

• Game Master: (Calls out) The wind blows, the wind blows.
• Everyone: Where to, where to?
• Game Master: To the left, to the left.
• Everyone: Leans to the left.
• Game Master: The wind blows, the wind blows.
  Everyone: Where to, where to?
• Game Master: To the right, to the right.
• Everyone: Leans to the right.
• Game Master continues with other positions: front, back.

Note: The game master repeats the positions to practice multiple times and increases the speaking speed to train students' reflexes.

Requirement: Students stand in place in the classroom.How to play: The conductor calls out: Mother's hand - everyone spreads their hands forward.The conductor calls out: Cradle the baby to sleep - everyone extends their arms forward and rocks as if cradling a baby.The conductor calls out: Mother's hand - everyone spreads their hands forward.The conductor calls out: Care for the baby every day - everyone places their hands on their cheeks and tilts their heads.The conductor calls out: Mother's hand - everyone spreads their hands forward.The conductor calls out: Warm up the winter - everyone crosses their arms over their chest and gently sways their body.The conductor calls out: Mother's hand - everyone spreads their hands forward.The conductor calls out: Be the cool summer breeze - everyone fans themselves.The conductor calls out: Mother's hand - everyone spreads their hands forward.The conductor calls out: Be the magical hands - everyone raises both arms high and shouts 'magical hands' loudly.

How to play: The conductor calls out: It's raining, it's raining. The class responds: Cover the umbrella, wear the hat (hands circle up above the head). The conductor says: Light rain. The class responds: Pitter-patter, pitter-patter (lightly clap hands together). The conductor says: Rain turns into a downpour. The class responds: Plop-plop, plop-plop (clap hands louder). The conductor says: Thunder strikes. The class responds: Boom-boom, boom-boom (clench right hand, raise it high twice).The conductor: It's 9 o'clock at night. The class responds: Go to sleep, go to sleep (hands clasped together, bring them up close to the cheek, tilt head). The conductor says: The sky is brightening. The class responds: The rooster crows cock-a-doodle-doo (imitate a rooster crowing). The conductor says: Let's go to school together. The class responds: Sit down right away (sit down, place hands on the table)

How to play: The conductor will sing along to the tune of the Alibaba song with accompanying actions, requiring everyone in the class to follow along and sing out 'Alibaba', for example:Long ago in the city of Baghdad, there was a charming young man named AlibabaAlibaba asks us to stand up straight - AlibabaAlibaba asks us to raise our right hand - AlibabaAlibaba asks us to raise our left hand - AlibabaAlibaba asks us to clap our hands loudly - AlibabaAlibaba asks us to clap our hands up high - AlibabaAlibaba asks us to clap our hands and shake our hips quickly - AlibabaAlibaba asks us to study diligently - Alibaba

Preparation: No preparation requiredThe rules are very simple:

• The conductor only needs to call out bobbing and everyone in the class must follow the conductor's instructions
• Start with slow calls to allow everyone to get accustomed, then gradually increase the speed
• Anyone who makes a mistake will be penalized

How to Play: The conductor instructs players with actions

• When the conductor says 'Bunny,' players raise their right hand up high.
• When the conductor says 'Bunny eating grass,' players bring their right hand down, fingers together, towards the left palm.
• When the conductor says 'Bunny drinking water,' players raise their right hand up, fingers together, close to the mouth, and tilt their head slightly backward.
• When the conductor says 'Bunny going into the burrow,' players raise their right hand up, fingers together, and place them close to the ear.
• When the conductor says 'Bunny going to sleep,' players raise their right hand up, fingers together, and bring them close to the eyes.

Note: The conductor can say one action while demonstrating another to deceive the players. Anyone who performs the wrong action is penalized.

Description: Players follow the conductor's instructions only when the conductor uses the phrase 'please.' For example:

• The conductor says 'please raise your left hand'
• Players raise their left hand
• The conductor puts their hand down
• Without the word 'please,' putting down the hand is considered a violation
• Keep the game lively by having the conductor speak quickly and players respond promptly

All students remain silent. The conductor approaches someone in the class and performs 3 amusing gestures or says a witty remark to make the person laugh. The person facing the conductor must not laugh; laughing constitutes a violation, resulting in either becoming the conductor or facing a penalty.

How to play: The conductor instructs players with actions:

• When the conductor says 'Stand,' players 'Sit' down.
• When the conductor says 'Sit,' players 'Clap hands.'
• When the conductor says 'Clap hands,' players 'Stand.'

Note: The conductor may say one action but perform another to deceive players. Anyone not performing the correct action as instructed is in violation.

How to play: The conductor introduces a game involving 3 actions: clap hands, stand up, sit down. When the conductor says 'clap hands,' everyone claps and follows with a clap... The same applies to standing up and sitting down... After a trial round, the conductor complicates the game: when the conductor says 'clap hands,' everyone claps but performs the action of standing up – when the conductor says 'stand up,' everyone says 'stand up' but sits down – when the conductor says 'sit down,' everyone sits down but stands up... The game continues like this – anyone making a mistake will be called out and subjected to a penalty decided by the conductor.

How to play: Students stand in place in the classroom, while the conductor stands on the podium. The conductor commands 'birds flying,' simultaneously spreading both arms like a bird in flight. At the same time, everyone must mimic the action and chant along with the conductor. If the conductor commands non-flying objects like 'flying house' or 'flying table,' and anyone mimics the action of flying along with the conductor or objects that can fly but fails to perform the flying action, they will be penalized. To make it more engaging, variations like 'diving fish' or 'diving boat, diving duck' can be added to complement the 'Flying Bird, Flying Stork' game.

Content:

• Correctly identify and describe the functions of body parts.
• The conductor guides the group to play and correctly identifies the following body parts:
  
  

Eyes: See
Ears: Hear
Nose: Smell
Mouth: Eat

How to play:

• The conductor announces the functions of body parts, and players must correctly identify and name the body parts.
• The conductor may announce incorrect functions, and players must correctly identify and correct them.
  
  

Example: The conductor announces 'see' and points to the ear, players say 'see' and point to the eyes...
Violation:

Incorrect identification of functions.

Slower performance than prescribed, indecisive actions.

Failure to look at the conductor.

Note:

Additional body parts may be added such as: feet: walk; hands: work... to increase the difficulty level of the game.

Speak at a pace appropriate to the players.

How to play: Right hand holds the nose, left hand holds the left ear (for everyone). The conductor shouts 'Ear Here - Nose There', then everyone changes hands simultaneously – left hand holds the nose – right hand holds the left ear.

Note: To make the game more challenging, the conductor may add that after releasing the hands, everyone must clap once loudly. The conductor must be quick.

Location: Inside the classroom

Duration: 5 minutes

How to play: Players form a circle
The conductor says: “Everyone, laugh out loud”
Players must do the opposite: “Cry softly”
The conductor says: “Everyone, jump up”
Players must do the opposite: “Sit down on the floor”
The conductor will point to someone in the circle and say an action, and the player must do the opposite. The conductor may demonstrate without speaking, and if the player fails to do the opposite, they will be penalized.