The School of Play Curriculum
Special Education
This bonus activity section is packed with 24 game-based learning ideas designed to help educators transform everyday lessons into experiences that students genuinely look forward to. Drawing inspiration from board games, sports, and video games, each activity introduces simple yet powerful mechanics that turn learning into an active, engaging, and energetic experience. These are not just one-off ideas; they’re tried-and-tested approaches that bring subjects to life, encourage participation, and create an environment where students feel excited to be involved.
What makes this collection especially powerful is its flexibility. Alongside each structured activity are blank versions, allowing educators to adapt the core idea to any topic, age group, or learning goal. This opens the door for creativity, allowing teachers to experiment, take risks, and design lessons that truly connect with their students. At its heart, this section is about empowering educators to amplify both learning and well-being, creating classrooms where joy, curiosity, and meaningful engagement are at the centre of every experience.
Weekly Lessons
Shark Tank
Shark Tank (Classroom Edition) is a creative, team-based challenge inspired by the popular TV show where students design and pitch their own ideas to a panel of “shark” judges. Working in small groups, students are given a topic or problem and must develop a game, lesson, or concept within a set time frame. They then present their idea in a short, high-energy pitch, aiming to impress the judges with both creativity and delivery.
The game focuses on innovation, communication, and teamwork, encouraging students to think outside the box while solving real or imagined problems. There are no fixed right or wrong answers, which allows for a wide range of ideas from wellbeing activities to subject-based games. The competitive element of pitching to judges adds excitement, while the reward of having the winning idea implemented in the next lesson gives students ownership and motivation to fully engage.
Snakes & Ladders (Classroom Edition)
Snakes & Ladders (Classroom Edition) is a fast-paced, movement-based twist on the classic board game where students race to reach the finish while completing exercises or challenges along the way. Played in small teams, participants roll the dice, move across the board, and complete a designated activity tied to the number they land on. If they hit a snake or ladder, they follow the traditional rules, moving up or down and completing the new square’s task before continuing.
The game combines luck, movement, and learning, as every turn requires both physical effort and teamwork before progressing. It’s highly adaptable, allowing teachers to swap in literacy, numeracy, or subject-based questions instead of exercises. With quick rounds and simple setup, it works as an effective energiser or revision tool, keeping students active, engaged, and collaborating while reinforcing key concepts.
Stock Market Trader
Stock Market Trader is a fast-paced movement game where students build a “stock portfolio” by completing physical exercises within a set time frame. Working individually or in teams, players aim to complete as many reps as possible from a list of exercises, with each completed set earning them a corresponding stock. Teams can choose to focus on one exercise or diversify their portfolio, adding a layer of strategy to how they approach the game.
At the end of the round, the value of each stock is determined by a roll of the dice, meaning success comes down to both effort and luck. Teams calculate their total portfolio value based on these results, reinforcing basic numeracy and teamwork. The game is easily adaptable, allowing teachers to swap exercises for academic questions, making it a flexible option for both movement breaks and curriculum-based learning.
UNO Classroom
UNO Classroom takes the classic card game and turns it into a versatile, high-energy learning tool with multiple game variations. Using a standard deck, students can rotate through activities like fitness challenges, geography questions, icebreaker tasks, and literacy exercises, all driven by the colour and number of the card they draw. Whether they’re moving, writing, guessing, or collaborating, each version keeps engagement high through quick, simple gameplay.
What makes this powerful is its flexibility. Teachers can choose a specific version, like Literacy or Fitness, or mix elements together depending on the lesson goal. There’s also a blank template that allows full customisation for any subject, giving students the chance to even create their own questions. It’s an easy way to blend movement, teamwork, and learning into one adaptable classroom activity.
.avif)
