Unit Plan 5 (PreK PE): Moving in Space
PreK PE unit helps children build personal space awareness and safe movement skills through playful games, teaching them to travel in shared space without bumping into others.
Focus: Help children build awareness of personal space and safety through playful movement games that teach them how to travel in general space without bumping into others.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Physical Education (Spatial Awareness • Safe Movement • Personal Space)
Total Unit Duration: 2 core sessions + 2 optional sessions (1–2 weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
PreK students continue building movement confidence by learning how to move safely when other children are moving nearby. At this age, children benefit from simple games and repeated visual cues that help them understand the difference between their own space and the larger shared space in the gym. This unit uses walking and jogging around cones placed throughout the gym as a warm-up and then moves into the playful Bubble Space Game, where children imagine they each have an invisible bubble around their body that should not pop by bumping into someone else. The goal is to help children recognize personal space, move safely in general space, and build confidence with controlled movement.
Essential Questions
- How can I move safely in PE?
- What is my own personal space?
- How can I move around others without bumping into them?
- Why is safe space important during games?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Move safely in general space during PE activities.
- Recognize and maintain personal space while moving near others.
- Practice walking and jogging with growing awareness and control.
- Participate actively in safe-space movement games with confidence.
Standards Alignment — PreK (SHAPE America-based custom)
- PE:S2.PKa Move safely in general space and recognize personal space while participating in activities.
- Example: Children move around the gym without bumping into others.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can move in my own bubble space.
- I can look where I am going.
- I can walk and jog safely in the gym.
- I can keep my body from bumping into others.