How to plan a perfect sports day

How to plan a perfect sports day 

With sports day fast approaching, it is important to prepare for the day. This ensures that the day runs smoothly and stress-free for you and your school.  

For SBMs, sports day needs to be planned and prepared as early as possible. There are a lot of factors that must be considered so that your school's sports day runs well and is safe for all children, staff, and parents/carers.  

Prepare for the day 

There are many ways SBMs can have the school prepared for sports day. We have collected essential steps that all SBMs must undertake so the day is fully prepped and planned. These steps will help lead your school to a successful and enjoyable sports day. 

Have staff meetings  

A vital part of the planning process for sports day is to have regular meetings with your staff. These meetings are opportunities to discuss what will happen on the day.  

The first step is to decide who will oversee each part of the day, making sure each person knows their job. Next, you need to decide how many people you will need to help with each sports day game. Don’t forget that some activities may need more than one person, so you must take this into account when planning the number of helpers, you will need. 

Once you have decided who will do what, it is important to agree on the timetable for each activity. This means deciding when the activity will start and finish and how long they should take.  

There are lots of things that need to be done to make sure your school sports day is as successful as possible, so it’s important that all your staff know what they’re doing. 

Weather permitting 

In the UK the weather is not always guaranteed and therefore it is important to make sure you check the weather is suitable for the day of your school sports event. Did you know even if the weather isn’t suitable for the day, you can continue with your school sports day by having an indoor plan? This way you can continue with your sports day event where staff and children won't get wet. One good way to do this is by creating two sets of activities where everyone can adapt to different weather conditions. These can be activities that can be played indoors such as a hula hoop race and 100-metre race. 

Find the right space 

Find the right space It's important to consider an appropriate space to host your sports day event. You can start by conducting a space for your sports event by choosing the right date, finding a nearby field, school playground or even a local sports centre. Did you know finding the right space for your school sports day event will determine the overall success of the event? Make sure there is enough space for the event which includes a space for spectators, participants, judges, equipment and facilities. Make sure the participant’s play area is suitable for the age group.  

Consider health and safety 

Think about any safety precautions that are needed for each sports day game and let everyone know about them before beginning work on the day itself. Playing sports is great for teachers, business managers, students and other members of the school organisation. However, playing sports increases the risk of individuals getting injured. That is why it’s vital to ensure health and safety is put in place to reduce the risk of injuries. Start by carrying a health and safety checklist, first aid kit and instant ice packs to help treat injured participants. This way you will reinforce the best practice of health and safety in school.  

Once you have done this, provide a hydration area on the day of the event. Did you know that providing a hydration facility allows individuals to perform better and longer during their game? It’s important that staff members and other individuals receive drinks before, during and after each game as this will increase the performance and will help individuals to last longer.  

Make everyone feel included  

Sports day can be very challenging for people and become very competitive. It is important to ensure that everyone feels included throughout the sports activity.  

Ensure that there is a space for individuals to participate in competitive and non-competitive sports as this will make sure no one feels left out or disappointed. One solution to this would be including a range of sports which includes non-competitive and competitive activities. Including competitions after a non-competitive activity will encourage individuals to work towards their personal goals.  

Make a list of supplies you’ll need 

To ensure your school has a successful sports day, make sure to stock up on your school sports supplies. Start by making a list of sports supplies you will need to hold your school sports day from foam flyers, medals, prizes, water bottles and personal protective equipment. This way you will be able to give out prizes for the winners and personal protective equipment for those that need it.  

Download our sports day certificate 

Prepare your school sports day event by downloading our certificate. Give certificates to individuals that win a game like the 100 metre race or a skipping race. This will motivate participants that are involved in the sport and make them feel proud.

Lastly, once you have everything organised, sports day is great fun for teachers, students and other members of the school to showcase their hard work. Planning and organising takes preparation and by putting in care, it makes a huge difference.