Physical education teaches kids important fitness skills and promotes healthy habits, but it also teaches important social-emotional skills like doing your best, cooperating with others, being a good sport, and following directions. But all PE teachers know that things can occasionally get a little crazy in the gym, especially without clear expectations and some well-established gym rules.
That’s why we’re excited to share our free set of printable gym rules posters to help establish a positive learning environment for your students so they can have fun, develop skills, and build community.
How To Use Your Gym Rules Posters
Use them at the beginning of the year/semester to establish a positive learning environment.
Use them when introducing a new activity to emphasize expectations.
Display them all together on a bulletin board as a daily reminder.
Place individual posters at centers that call for a particular focus.
Revisit them with students to reteach skills that need reinforcement.
Take a peek at the posters:
We Are Teachers
Play fair. Play safe. Have fun!
PE is more than just fun and games—it’s about teaching students skills that go far beyond the gym. Encouraging fair play helps them develop honesty and integrity. Practicing safety teaches responsibility and awareness. And when kids have fun, it builds confidence and a positive mindset.
We Are Teachers
Respect the game, the equipment, and each other.
Learning in a large group is much more accessible when respect is part of the formula. Following the rules, treating gear and equipment carefully, and being kind to one another instills in students a sense of stewardship for their learning experience.
We Are Teachers
Follow directions the first time.
Nothing is worse than having to stop an activity because someone is not following the rules. It interrupts the flow, frustrates classmates, and just makes things less fun. Reminding students to listen carefully and follow the directions from the get-go sets everyone up for a more enjoyable experience.
We Are Teachers
Give 100%—even when no one is watching.
This rule reminds students that individual effort is always the most important measure of success. Encouraging students to always do their best (even when they’re not being observed or praised) instills a sense of pride and helps build integrity, self-discipline, and character.
