Egg and Spoon Race: Free Printable Game for Reception

Egg and Spoon Race is a free printable game for Reception (reception | ages 4 to 5), in Early Years Foundation Stage. Rules and ways to play. It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, a growing library of free printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795.

It is two A4 pages. Page 1 is the activity for children. Page 2 is for the grown-up: it has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea. Print it at home or in the classroom. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

This game includes cards to cut out and use.

A look at what children will meet:

• Walk slowly
• Walk fast
• Walk backwards
• Hop
• Use the other hand
• Go round a cushion

Who this is for

Reception (reception | ages 4 to 5) in Early Years Foundation Stage.

The Early Years Foundation Stage runs from birth to the end of Reception, up to age 5. Children learn best through play, talk and hands-on activity, so this sheet is designed to be shared with a grown-up. Use it at home, in class, on a rainy afternoon or at a family gathering.

What children practise

• Balance
• Moving
• Taking turns

Practise balance, careful walking and taking turns.

Learning focus and curriculum link

Subject: PE. Key stage: Early Years Foundation Stage. It supports the subject at this level through short, focused practice.

This sheet is a practice and play activity. It supports classroom learning and is not a replacement for it.

How to use it

1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
2. Players: 2 or more. Play time: about 10 minutes. Use a soft ball or bean bag, not a real egg. Play in a clear space.
3. Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice.
4. Check against the notes on page 2.
5. Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

If it feels too hard

Use a bigger spoon or a bigger soft ball to make it easier.

To stretch confident children

Race a timer instead of each other, then try to beat your time.

Make it a game

Pick a card to choose how to walk each time.

Tips for parents and teachers

• Read the rules out loud together before you start, so everyone plays the same game.
• Take turns being the person who reads or checks. It builds listening as well as knowledge.
• Keep rounds short. Two quick games beat one long one.

A screen-free pe activity for Reception

Children spend a lot of time on screens. This is a screen-free pe activity that needs only paper and a pencil. It works as quiet time after school, a rainy day activity, a holiday boredom buster or a calm moment before bed. Screen-free learning gives eyes a rest and gets children talking, thinking and writing by hand.

Free pe resources for teachers

Teachers can use this game as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, a supply teacher resource, a homework task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. The learning focus and skills are listed above so you can match it to your planning, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.

PE ideas for parents at home

You do not need to be a teacher to use this. Read the sheet through, sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Short bursts of ten to fifteen minutes work better than long sessions. If you are looking for free pe worksheets for Reception, or simple home learning for the weekend or school holidays, this is a good place to start.

Home education and tutoring

Home educators and tutors can print this as part of a wider pe plan. It pairs well with books, outdoor play and everyday talk. Because the sheet is free and printable, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.

Why it helps children learn

Hands-on, paper based activities slow learning down in a good way. Children read carefully, think before they answer and see their own progress on the page. Games and challenges add a reason to keep going. That mix of play and practice is why printable activities like this are popular with parents, teachers and home educators.

Curriculum links for teachers

This sheet supports the areas below. It is matched to the published England frameworks. Please check it against your own school plan.

What children will be able to do

• I can walk carefully while keeping my egg on the spoon.
• I can wait for my turn.
• I can tell a friend how to keep the egg safe.

Check it worked

Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.

1. What helped you keep the egg on the spoon?
2. What happens if you walk too fast?
3. How did you feel when you waited for your turn?

More like this

• Balance and Stretch Yoga Cards
• Christmas Yoga Cards
• Dressing Up Sequence Cards
• Brushing Teeth Reward Chart

Same subject, one year up: Water Play Games | Same subject, one year down: Simon Says Cards

Why an egg and spoon race matters

An egg and spoon race looks like a simple game. Our own view: it also asks a child to balance, walk, steer and keep going after a drop. This card turns it into a set of walking actions: walk slowly, walk fast, walk backwards, hop, use the other hand and go round a cushion. It uses a soft ball or bean bag, not a real egg, for two or more players.

The statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS), published on gov.uk, says physical activity is vital in children's all-round development. It says that by creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. It also says gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being.

What the research says children find hard

We did not find a study of egg and spoon races. What we can quote comes from the Ofsted research review of physical education, which is about school PE in England in general.

• Movement skills are learned. The review defines fundamental movement skills as a set of basic, learned motor patterns that do not occur naturally. It says moving from inefficient to more proficient patterns requires high-quality instruction, practise and feedback.
• One English sample. The review reports that Duncan and others found pupils aged between 6 and 9 years old in England were not competent in basic fundamental movement skills. Less than a quarter of pupils in their sample had achieved mastery in the run, jump, throw or catch skills. That is one sample of older children. It says nothing direct about Reception children.
• The review argues the early years are a key time. The review says it can be argued that fundamental movement skills are best developed between 3 and 8 years old. It says this makes careful progression through Reception and primary school vitally important.
• Lower skill may mean less taking part. The review says a child with lower levels of motor competence may be less inclined to participate in physical activity or sport.
• Children can misjudge themselves. It says younger children can have unrealistic perceptions of their movement competence.

What Reception children are expected to learn

The EYFS framework sets an early learning goal called Gross Motor Skills. It says children at the expected level of development will:

• "Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others."
• "Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing."
• "Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing."

The Fine Motor Skills goal includes "Use a range of small tools, including scissors, paint brushes and cutlery." A spoon is a kind of cutlery, and the cards need cutting out.

What the activity guidelines say

The UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines give figures by age. They say pre-schoolers (3 to 4 years) should spend at least 180 minutes (3 hours) per day in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day, including active and outdoor play. They say children and young people (5 to 18 years) should engage in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day across the week. The 5 to 18 guideline says this can include play.

A Reception child is 4 or 5, so check which group applies. One card game will not fill the day. It is a small part of it.

Why a game can help

We did not find a trial of an egg and spoon race, so we will not claim a result. Here is the reasoning, based on what the sources say.

• The Ofsted review lists stability skills (for example twisting and balancing) and manipulation skills (such as throwing and catching), as well as locomotor skills (for example running and jumping). Our reading: carrying an object on a spoon uses balance while moving.
• The review quotes researchers who say initial skill-learning should focus on walking, running and hopping before more complex actions such as skipping and galloping. Our reading: the cards use walking and hopping.
• The EYFS framework says adults can create games to build balance and co-ordination.

The card is practice. It does not replace PE lessons or a teacher.

How to get the most out of the Egg and Spoon Race Rules Card

Our own advice, not from a study:

1. Clear the space. Move toys and loose rugs. Use a clear area, indoors or out.
2. Read the rules aloud. The page suggests this so everyone plays the same game.
3. Try one round slowly. Let your child learn to hold the spoon steady.
4. Pick a card each time. The card decides how you walk.
5. Watch the hopping and the backward walking. Stay close to your child for these.
6. Count together. Count how many steps before the bean bag falls, and try to beat it.
7. Stop while it is fun. About 10 minutes is the time the page suggests.

Making it easier or harder, our own advice: for an easier start, use a large bean bag on a wide spoon and only the walk slowly card. For a harder task, add the cushion, then the other hand, then a short course. Always add one change at a time, and let your child say when they are ready for the next one.

Common mistakes, and what to say

These are our own suggestions, not research findings.

• Racing too fast. Say: "Can you go slowly and keep it still?"
• Watching the floor, not the spoon. Say: "Look at the bean bag."
• Squeezing the spoon in a fist. Say: "Hold it like a pencil, with your fingers."
• Giving up after a drop. Say: "Dropping is part of the game. Pick it up and go again."
• Turning it into a contest. With two or more players, say: "Let us see who can keep going, not who is first."
• Walking backwards without looking. Say: "Check behind you first." Stay close.

Safety, our own advice: use a soft bean bag or ball, not a real egg. Keep the floor clear. Check that socks or shoes will not slip. An adult should be present for the whole game.

Why teachers matter to us

We are a games company, and we have been making games for families since 1795. A printable does not replace a teacher. A 2011 interim report for the Sutton Trust looked at how much teachers affect pupil achievement. It found that in one year with a very effective maths teacher, pupils gain 40% more learning than with a poorly performing maths teacher. That is a finding about maths teachers, not PE teachers. The report also said that for poor pupils the difference between a good and a bad teacher is a whole year's learning.

It said gender, race, teaching experience, university attended, advanced degrees, teacher certification and tenure together explain less than 8% of teacher quality. A University of Bristol working paper, CMPO 09/212, found considerable variability in teacher effectiveness. The Ofsted PE review says schools are well placed to provide high-quality instruction, practise and feedback. Our own view: a good teacher gives feedback on how a child moves, which a card cannot do.

A caution on the Sutton Trust figures: the report draws on US studies as well as English ones. The 40% compares a very effective teacher (at the 84th percentile) with a poorly performing one (at the 16th percentile). The figure that paper credentials explain less than 8% of teacher quality comes from US research. We use them as pointers, not as a promise about any one child.

Why education matters to us

Learning to move well is part of growing up. Our hope is that a child who enjoys moving will keep doing it. Jaques of London has been making things for children to play with for generations. The Mini Minds Hub carries that on with free, screen-free sheets you can use at home or in a classroom.

Egg and Spoon Race Rules Card: 20 questions and answers

1. What are stability skills?

The Ofsted PE review lists them as one of three sets of fundamental movement skills, with twisting and balancing as examples.

2. What are locomotor skills?

The same review gives running and jumping as examples. Walking and hopping on the cards are in this group, in our reading.

3. What are manipulation skills?

The review gives throwing and catching as examples.

4. Why a bean bag and not an egg?

The page says to use a soft ball or bean bag, not a real egg. Our reason: it will not break or make a mess.

5. What spoon should we use?

Our suggestion: a large, light spoon, such as a wooden or plastic one. Avoid anything sharp or heavy.

6. How should my child hold the spoon?

The EYFS Fine Motor goal includes using cutlery. Our suggestion: hold the handle with the fingers, not in a fist.

7. How do we walk backwards safely?

Our advice: clear the floor, keep steps short, and stay near. Stop if your child seems unsteady.

8. What if my child cannot hop yet?

Ofsted quotes researchers who say early skill-learning should focus on walking, running and hopping before skipping and galloping. Our suggestion: swap the hop card for another walk.

9. What does "go round a cushion" practise?

The EYFS goal says children should "Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others".

10. Why "use the other hand"?

Our suggestion: it makes the child think about balance again. The EYFS goal includes "Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing".

11. How do players take turns?

The page says two or more players. Our suggestion: one player walks while the other picks the next card.

12. What if my child cries after a drop?

Our suggestion: pause, show them how to pick it up and start again. Make the next round easier.

13. How do I tell if my child is improving?

Ofsted says younger children can have unrealistic perceptions of their movement competence. Our suggestion: count steps before the drop and compare, rather than asking "are you good at this?".

14. Does this count towards daily activity?

The guidelines for children aged 5 to 18 say activity can include play. Our note: a slow walking game may not reach moderate-to-vigorous intensity, and we have no data on that.

15. How much activity do the guidelines recommend?

The guidelines say 3 to 4 year olds should spend at least 180 minutes a day in a variety of physical activities, including active and outdoor play. For 5 to 18 year olds they say moderate-to-vigorous activity for an average of at least 60 minutes a day.

16. Should we play indoors or outdoors?

The EYFS framework mentions play both indoors and outdoors. Our suggestion: outdoors on grass if it is dry, or a clear room.

17. What does Ofsted say about the early years?

It says pupils need to develop adequate levels of fundamental movement skills in the early years.

18. Does a child who struggles with movement stop trying?

The review says a child with lower levels of motor competence may be less inclined to take part. Our suggestion: keep the game friendly and short.

19. Does the English study of 6 to 9 year olds apply to my child?

Not directly. It is one sample of older children. It is a reason to practise basic movements, not a measure of your child.

20. Can my child cut out the cards?

The EYFS Fine Motor goal includes using scissors. Our suggestion: have an adult nearby, and cut the cards out first if your child is not ready.

Sources

1. Department for Education, Early years foundation stage statutory framework for group and school-based providers: gov.uk.
2. Ofsted, Research review series: physical education (2022): gov.uk.
3. Department of Health and Social Care, UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines: gov.uk.
4. Sutton Trust, Improving the impact of teachers on pupil achievement in the UK, interim findings (2011): dera.ioe.ac.uk.
5. Slater, Davies and Burgess, University of Bristol CMPO Working Paper 09/212 (2009): bristol.ac.uk.

Frequently asked questions

What age is Egg and Spoon Race for?

It is written for Reception (reception | ages 4 to 5), in Early Years Foundation Stage.

What will children practise?

Practise balance, careful walking and taking turns.

How do I use it?

Players: 2 or more. Play time: about 10 minutes. Use a soft ball or bean bag, not a real egg. Play in a clear space.

What if it feels too hard?

Use a bigger spoon or a bigger soft ball to make it easier.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use.

Is Egg and Spoon Race suitable for teachers to use in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing.

Is this a screen-free activity?

Yes. It is a screen-free printable that needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.

Can I use it for home education?

Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider plan. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision.

How long does it take?

Most children finish page 1 in 10 to 20 minutes. The notes on page 2 suggest ways to make it shorter or longer.

Do I need to print in colour?

No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.

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