Field Day 2016

Our parish's elementary school graciously invited the parish homeschoolers to join them for their end-of-year Field Day. We thank them!

We wore our Mater Dei Catholic School tee-shirts that Chris had specially made last year. Go team!

Mater Dei Catholic School: Teacher and students 2016-2017

A great time was had by all. I was inspired that I now have enough kids (and especially when some friends come over) to play a number of these field games, so I'd like to purchase some of the outdoor supplies I saw being used. These games would be a great recess game or motivation for finishing school work.  I've written descriptions of some of the games below for my own future reference.

Parachute

We played numerous games under the parachute. Variations: Call out a color and whomever is touching that color runs underneath and switches to the other side. Bounce a ball on top. Sit down underneath.

Potato sack race

It is so difficult to keep homeschooled children--and particularly my children--wearing shoes! Mine kept taking off their shoes today and I'd remind them to put them back on. I'm all about going barefoot at home and in our back yard, but not at a public school with hundreds of children.

Caught barefoot

Riding on scooters while using a plunger as an 'oar'

Egg in spoon relay race

Variations: Walk forward, walk backward, walk with eyes closed

Bean bag toss

Spraying game

Blindfold one partner who is in control of the spray gun and is guided by the sighted partner. This was crazy fun!

Joseph was quite confused by it all so we told him to spray a tree, which he did with excitement.

Toss the sponge

Sponges floating in a bucket of water were tossed like hot potato.This was when the kids got soaking wet.

A very kind adult helper paired up with Joseph to toss the sponge with him.

Mary got the most wet of all!

Fill the bottle relay race

Relay race in which one kid sits with a bottle over his head, another kid squeezes a sponge into it, then the squeezing kid sits in place with the bottle and the next kid in line runs over to fill it. Each kid ends up sitting with a bottle and each kid ends up squeezing a sponge. Goal is that the team with the most water in the bottle wins.

Swing the tennis ball relay race

A tennis ball in the end of a soak sitting in a bucket of water, running in a relay race, swinging the tennis ball, sprays water everywhere.

Relay race while holding a ball

Variations: ball between knees, ball in elbow, ball wherever one can grip it

Relay race while pretending to be a waiter

Relay races while carrying bean bags in Frisbee like a waiter. Variations: walk forward, walk backward, walk with eyes closed, walk with Frisbee on head.

Chop stick chicken relay race

Two drum sticks act as chopsticks and are used to carry the rubber chickens to the frying pan.

Basketball

Baskets are strapped onto belts and the children in pairs toss balls into each other's baskets.

Carry the beach ball without using your hands

Variations: use any body parts or weird walking positions

Our homeschool team mascot Thomas fell asleep by the end. It was an exhausting morning.