PE Word Wall – Movement and Game Words on Cards to Print

All 48 words

Ways to move 12

balance Balance: hold still and steady. No tipping, no falling.
dodge Dodge: change direction fast to get out of the way.
hop Hop: take off on one foot and land on that same foot.
jump Jump: bend your knees, push off both feet and land on both.
leap Leap: take off on one foot and land on the other.
march March: lift your knees and step in time. Left, right, left.
pivot Pivot: keep one foot planted and turn on it.
run Run: quick strides. For a moment both feet are off the floor.
skip Skip: step and hop on one foot, then step and hop on the other.
stretch Stretch: reach as long as you can and hold still.
tiptoe Tiptoe: walk on your toes, light and quiet.
walk Walk: step, step, step. One foot is always on the floor.

Show all 48 words (36 more)

Ball skills 12

aim Aim: look at your target and point the ball toward it.
bounce Bounce: push the ball down so it hits the floor and springs back up.
catch Catch: eyes on the ball, reach out and pull it in.
dribble Dribble: move the ball along with small bounces of the hand or taps of the foot.
kick Kick: swing your leg and hit the ball with your foot.
pass Pass: send the ball to a teammate who is ready for it.
serve Serve: the first hit, the one that puts the ball in play.
strike Strike: hit the ball with your hand, a paddle or a bat.
throw Throw: look at your target, step toward it and let the ball go.
toss Toss: a light, easy throw to a partner close by.
trap Trap: stop a moving ball with your foot or leg, not your hands, and keep it close.
volley Volley: hit the ball in the air, before it touches the ground.

In a game 12

cool-down Cool-down: slow, easy movement at the end, before we line up.
defense Defense: your side is trying to stop the other side from scoring.
goal Goal: the net, line or target you send the ball into to score.
offense Offense: your side has the ball and is trying to score.
opponent Opponent: a player on the other side. Shake hands after the game.
rally Rally: keep the ball going back and forth over the net without a miss.
relay Relay: a team race. Each runner goes one part, then the next takes over.
score Score: the number of points each side has made so far.
tag Tag: a chasing game. The one who is It tries to touch another player.
teammate Teammate: a player on your own team. Pass to a teammate.
tie Tie: both sides finish with the same score.
warm-up Warm-up: easy movement at the start, to get ready to play.

Playing fair and safe 12

boundary Boundary: the line at the edge of the play area. Stay inside it.
cooperate Cooperate: work with your partner or group to get the task done.
encourage Encourage: cheer a classmate on. Say, you can do it!
fair play Fair play: follow the rules and take no unfair advantage.
personal space Personal space: stretch out your arms and turn. That room is yours.
referee Referee: the official who watches the game and makes the calls.
respect Respect: treat classmates, the gear and the rules with care.
signal Signal: a sound or sign, such as a clap, that tells you to start or stop.
sportsmanship Sportsmanship: play fair and be kind, whether you win or lose.
take turns Take turns: one person goes, then the next. Everyone gets a go.
teamwork Teamwork: everyone on the team works together toward one goal.
whistle Whistle: when you hear it, stop, look and listen.

How this list was compiled: Own work: our own choice of 48 words for physical education, sorted into four sets of twelve, with a meaning and a spoken cue written for each. Each meaning was compared on 2026-09-30 with the entry in the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q= plus the word) (run: both feet off the ground in each stride; skip: hopping on one foot and then the other; dribble, volley, serve, rally, trap, pivot, offense, defense, tag, relay, referee, sportsmanship, fair play, teamwork). Cool-down, take turns and hop were read in the Cambridge Dictionary, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/ plus the word. Jump (two feet to two feet), hop (one foot to the same foot) and leap (one foot to the other) follow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping ; walk (one foot always on the ground) follows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking ; personal space follows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxemics . Licence: own work

How it works

This PE word wall has 48 words in four sets: ways to move, ball skills, in a game, and playing fair and safe. Behind each word is a short meaning and a cue to say aloud.

Read the full guide

A physical education word wall in four sets

Ways to move opens first: walk, run, jump, hop, leap, skip and six more. Ball skills runs from throw and catch to volley and trap. In a game holds offense, defense, relay and rally. Playing fair and safe holds teamwork, boundary and personal space.

Print the set for today's lesson

Pick the set under Show only and press Print 12 labels: one sheet, twelve words, each a 60 mm square. Clip them to a ring or tape them to cones. Print 12 cards adds the cues on a second sheet, for the backs.

Jump, hop and leap differ in the feet: two feet to two, one foot to the same foot, one foot to the other.
Call a word and have the class do it: skip, then pivot, then balance.
A volley is one hit before the ball lands; a rally is many hits back and forth.

Questions and answers

What words go on a PE word wall?

Movement words first: walk, run, jump, hop, leap, skip. Then the skills with a ball, such as throw, catch, dribble and volley, and the words of fair play, such as teamwork, boundary and take turns.

What is the difference between a hop and a leap?

A hop takes off from one foot and lands on the same foot. A leap takes off from one foot and lands on the other. A jump uses two feet for both.

How do I use a word wall in PE?

Show the word, say the cue, then do the move. Print the set for the lesson, clip the cards to a ring and flip to the next word between stations.

PE Word Wall: Movement and Game Words on Printable Cards