Pep rallies are all about engaging students and staff, bringing everyone together to have fun! Include traditional activities like having a Cheer-o-Meter, plus quick Minute To Win It activities and ongoing competitions to increase participation. Here are our favorite pep rally games, activities, and ideas for your next whole-school spirit event.
Jump to:
- How to Plan a Successful Pep Rally
- Pep Rally Traditions & School Spirit Activities
- Minute-To-Win-It Pep Rally Games
- Pep Rally Relay Race Games
- Team Pep Rally Games
- Teachers vs. Students Games
- Pep Rally Finale Ideas
- Pep Rally Themes & More Ideas
How to Plan a Pep Rally
If you’re new to planning pep rallies, these tips will help make yours a rousing success!
Keep activities quick
The best way to keep energy high is to make sure everything moves along quickly. Games, activities, or presentations shouldn’t take more than a few minutes each—five minutes tops.
Mix up the events
Be sure to include a selection of both active and passive activities. Active ideas could include games, cheer-offs, or sing-alongs. Alternate these with more passive sections like watching cheerleaders perform a routine, listening to a speech, or watching a skit.
Time it right
Most schools hold spirit rallies at the end of the day, so students don’t take all that excess energy back to the classroom. But if you’re using your event as a kickoff to something like testing week or a school-wide kindness event, you might prefer to hold the rally first thing in the morning. Just give your timing some careful thought before you schedule it.
Make it inclusive
Plan a pep rally that meets everyone’s needs. Think about all the various ways kids engage in your school, and consider passing out headphones at the door for noise cancelling, dimming the lights for kids who might get overstimulated, and having interpreters for multiple languages if you have MLL students. Be sure all your games or competitions provide opportunities for students of all abilities to participate.
Go out with a bang
The end should be just as exciting as the beginning! Play students out the door and encourage them to keep dancing, singing, and cheering all the way. See our list of pep rally finale ideas below.
Pep Rally Traditions & School Spirit Activities
Some activities are so beloved, you’ll want to repeat them year after year! Try these activities and ideas for building school spirit at every pep rally.
Cheer-o-Meter
To create a Cheer-o-Meter, divide students into sections and assign point values to different levels of cheering. Encourage each section to cheer as loudly as they can. Have one teacher record who cheered the loudest, or if you have it, use a decibel reader to get the official numbers. Start the Cheer-o-Meter at the beginning of the year and incorporate it into every pep rally.
Photo Booth
Have your school mascot stand in a photo booth or in front of a school flag, ready for selfies. Have each class stop and take their photo as they enter the pep rally, or leave the photo area up for the day.
Entrance Decorations
Have grades or classrooms take turns decorating the entrance to your gym or stadium before each pep rally. They’ll have fun trying to outdo each other, and kids will get pumped up as they walk through the door!
Class Floats
Kick off the year or season with a float from each class. As students enter the gym or pep rally space, they can bring their float along. Challenge students to create floats that align with the school values, mascot, or another theme.
Choose Your Entrance
As students enter the pep rally, have them choose how they present themselves when they enter. They can dance their way in, have everyone dress alike, or choose a cheer to chant on their way through the door!
Foam Noodles Tunnel
Teachers hold pool noodles above their heads so students can run through a tunnel of foam noodles. Classmates cheer on each arriving class. Make sure you have upbeat music playing!
Bobbleheads
Create bobbleheads of your school leadership team by printing super-enlarged photos of their heads. Cut them out, glue them onto foam core board, and attach a stick. Once you have your bobblehead admin, you can use them in dance competitions and games.
School Mascot Skit
Involve your school mascot at every opportunity, including having them perform a skit.
Department or Grade Banners
Bring in different school departments or grade levels by having students design banners that celebrate the school cafeteria staff, the English department, sports, clubs, grade levels, and more.
Minute-To-Win-It Pep Rally Games
These timed challenges are just so fun and a great way to include lots of students as they represent their classroom, grade level, or other group. Here’s a tip: Start each pep rally with one of these games, and keep track of the winners. At the end of the year, celebrate your school’s Minute-to-Win-It champion!
Looking for more? Check out our huge roundup of Minute-to-Win-It Games here!
Human Ring Toss
Use two sets of blown-up inner tubes, Hula-Hoops, or pool noodles turned into rings. One student stands still while the others throw the rings over them. The group that can get all the rings on their student wins.
Balloon Pop
Put letters that spell out your school’s cheer or song into balloons. Students have a minute to pop the balloons and use the letters to spell out the phrase. Students can work individually or in teams.
Indestructible Balloon
Students get a balloon that is blown up so that it’s difficult to pop. Then, see who can pop it, but they only have one minute to do it.
Stack the Cups … Blindfolded
Provide each student or team with the same number of plastic cups. Students stack cups in a pyramid, and then unstack them into a tower. The fastest team wins. For an extra team-building challenge, blindfold one student on each team while playing.
Head, Shoulders, Knees, Cup
Perform the command called out by touching the appropriate body part, but be ready to grab the cup before your opponent when “Cup!” is yelled.
Tic-Tac-Tweezer
Each player has two bins in front of them. One bin is filled with Tic Tac candies (or something else that’s small) and the other bin is empty. Using tweezers, the student that moves the most Tic Tacs from the full bin to the empty one in 60 seconds wins.
Toilet Paper Mummy
This game works especially well around Halloween, but it can be played anytime (make it a winter game by adding a carrot and top hat and the mummy becomes a snowman). Students work as a team to mummify a classmate with TP. You can include the audience during this activity by having them vote on the best mummy.
Make a Snake
Have students form single lines while reaching their right hand through their legs for the person behind them to grab. Then, the front student walks backward, and the other students follow, creating a snake effect. The students then go the other way, and the team with all members standing the fastest wins.
Cover Them in Positivity
Print positive phrases on Post-its, then see how many Post-its a team can cover someone with in one minute. They’ll literally be covered in positivity.
Learn more: Print on Post-its
Free Printable Encouragement Sticky Notes
Grab a free set of encouragement messages, and learn how to print them on your own sticky notes!
Elephant March
Put a tennis ball in the leg of a pair of pantyhose. Students put the pantyhose over their head and have to use the tennis ball to knock down a water bottle or a line of water bottles in a minute or less.
Musical Chairs
Musical chairs isn’t just for little kids’ birthday parties, so why not give it a go at your next pep rally? We especially love the idea of playing with both staff and students.
Sweep the Potato
Students use a broom to sweep a potato from one side of the gym to the other. The student who gets the potato the farthest wins. It’s harder than it sounds!
Pep Rally Relay Games
These pep rally games give even more students the chance to participate, since you’ll need multiple representatives from each grade, classroom, or department.
Get more ideas: Check out our big roundup of relay races for schools and classrooms here!
Dizzy Bat Race
Students take turns spinning around a baseball bat and running to and from a cone in this traditional relay race. Make sure you have someone at the start to count the number of times each participant runs around the bat so it’s fair.
Sack Race
Sack races are a classic for a reason since they are both fun and hilarious. Break students into teams and see which team can get all their teammates down and back the fastest. But be careful not to wipe out!
Toilet Plunger Relay Race
Who knew toilet plungers could be so entertaining? Students use two plungers and a scooter to make it to the finish line in this relay-style game.
Balloon Relay
In this pep rally game, students run with a balloon between their knees. If the balloon pops, they have to go back to the start.
Relay Race Limbo
Limbo isn’t just for parties! Create teams of students from a grade or class, and have them compete in a relay and limbo. The team that goes the lowest wins. (Note: Let students know about this activity ahead of time so they can dress in limbo-appropriate clothing.)
Knock Down the Cones
Set up rows of safety cones across the gym, one per team. Players take turns running along the line, knocking down each cone. When they get to the end of the line, they have to run back and set up the cones again for the next player. First team to get all their players down and back, with the cones fully set back up again, wins the game!
Hands and Feet Hopscotch
This awesome take on hopscotch is reminiscent of Twister. You can create your own board pieces and rearrange the tiles for a fun and engaging pep rally game. Have students go through the hopscotch one at a time. If they fall, they start over. The first team to move everyone through wins.
Hula-Hoop Pass
Students stand in a line holding hands. The first student passes a Hula-Hoop to the next student without breaking the chain of hands. The first team to pass the Hula-Hoop from the first to last person is the winner.
Team Pep Rally Games
Get even more students in on the fun! The best team pep rally games are high-excitement and allow plenty of people to join in.
Get more ideas: Explore our big roundup of team-building games here!
Human Hungry Hungry Hippos
This is the life-size version of the popular game Hungry Hungry Hippos. See who can scoop up the most balls in their laundry basket while acting as a hippo!
Team Sport Swap
Have the teams of various sports come onto the court or field and then have them swap sports with another team. For example, have the football players try cheerleading, the wrestling team try soccer, etc. If you have a pool, have the synchronized swimmers switch with the water polo team.
Keep the Balloon Up
Simple but fun, students keep the balloon in the air without using their hands. Students work in teams to avoid dropping the balloon.
Four-Team Tug-of-War
A new take on the classic pep rally game, this tug-of-war game features four teams. After the timer goes off, whichever team is farthest from the middle wins. More players + more directions = more fun!
Seated Basketball Game
This game requires participants to play a version of basketball while sitting in chairs around the room. The “hoops” are two laundry baskets held by students. Watch as the chaos unfolds!
Jump-Rope Marathon
Take older students back to their elementary school days with a jump-rope marathon. Students start to jump at the same time, and continue until there’s one student left.
Human Foosball
All you need for this game is some PVC pipe and a ball. Participants act as the players in a game of foosball and try to score points for their team.
Team Scavenger Hunt
Pep rally activities that get everyone involved while having different grades and faculty compete against each other are some of the best! Have a representative from each grade and faculty department come to the center of the gym or field, and then yell out something they have to go and find (example: a piece of homemade jewelry). The crowd will have fun being included because they just might be in possession of the treasured item!
Free Printable Scavenger Hunts
Get free, easy scavenger hunts for pep rallies, team building, or classrooms of every age!
Human Battleship
Play Battleship with people instead of ships. Divide the gym into two grids with numbered squares. Have students stand or lay down on each grid, covering one or multiple squares. Blindfold a few students and have them take turns calling out spaces, and see who can sink the other team’s ship first!
Javelin Throw
Create a javelin toss by taping pool noodles into circles and taping the circles together. Hang the pool noodle targets. Then, students stand back and heave a pool noodle javelin through the rings.
Speed Bowling
Create bowling “pins” from 2-liter soda bottles (try painting them in your school’s colors). Set up “lanes” for each team and give each team a kickball. Now, set a timer for five minutes and let the balls roll! Each player rolls the ball, then races down the lane to set the pins back up for the next player. Appoint scorekeepers to keep track of each team’s total pins knocked down.
Blindfolded Connect 4
Students will love this new take on a childhood favorite. Have one student guide the blindfolded participants to complete a game of Connect 4. This works even better if you have an oversized version of the game. You can also tape off a big grid and play life-sized Connect Four, with human checkers!
Name That Tune
Play a short snippet of popular songs and have students guess the titles. Students can earn points for their grade level or class. You can even customize this activity by theme with holiday songs or songs about friendship.
Learn more: 100 Fantastic Songs About Friendship
Teachers vs. Students Competitions
A little friendly competition between students and staff is sure to get everyone up out of the seats! Many pep rally games work well for these competitions, but these are some of the best.
Obstacle Course
Set up an obstacle course relay race for students from each grade to participate in. The crowd will undoubtedly be cheering their friends on!
Tricycle Races
Set up a tricycle obstacle course with cones and painter’s tape. Then, have teachers and school leaders compete to complete the obstacle course on tricycles. Decorate the tricycles ahead of time with streamers and banners for more school spirit.
Lip Sync Battle
Have different grades compete against teachers in a lip sync battle. This is one of those pep rally games that’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Themed Dance-Off
Choose a theme (Disney songs, 1950s music, rock and roll) and have students and faculty participate in a dance-off. The dancers with the loudest cheers (see Cheer-o-Meter, above) win!
Paper Airplane Toss
Have students and teachers create paper airplanes with their names on them and then try to toss them into trash cans in the center of the gym. You can also challenge them to see who can create a plane that flies the farthest.
“Pie Your Teacher” Raffle
Students can earn the opportunity to pie a teacher. It’s all in good fun and a great incentive to build excitement in advance of the rally.
Teachers vs. Students Trivia
It’s time for a battle of the wits! Have each grade level or class send representatives—one student and one teacher. This is a great pep rally activity because you can adjust it for the time of year or theme.
Learn more: 130 Trivia Questions for Kids in All Grade Levels
Free Trivia Questions Slideshow
With 150 trivia questions for all ages, this free set of slides makes a contest easy!
Dodgeball Game
Students and teachers face off in an epic dodgeball battle. It’s crazy chaos, and your students are gonna love it!
Three-Legged Race
There are a couple of ways to try this classic race as a pep rally game. You can create pairs of students, and have them face off against pairs of teachers. Or, pair one teacher from each grade or class with a student from the same group. Either way, they’ll have to work together to beat the rest!
Basketball Shootout
Teachers line up at one hoop, and students at the other end. Set the scoreboard timer (3 to 5 minutes is ideal), and give each team a few basketballs. When the game begins, each team takes turns shooting free throws. Assign someone to keep score for each team, then see who can rack up the most points when the buzzer goes.
Pep Rally Finale Ideas
Don’t let all the spirit you’ve built up die off at the end! Try these ideas to bring your spirit assembly to a close in a meaningful and memorable way.
School Song Sing-Along
Finish up with your school’s alma mater, with everyone singing and swaying along. Put the words up on a screen so everyone (even new students) can participate, and play a slideshow of amazing school moments and scenes alongside them.
Confetti Toss
Scatter students throughout the crowd with hidden bags of confetti. As students are dismissed, those students toss confetti and cheer as everyone leaves!
Spirit Stick Presentation
If your school has a spirit stick presentation, award it at the end of the pep rally, and let that class exit first. They can cheer and celebrate on their way out the door.
Exit Cheer
Teach everyone a cheer to shout together as they leave the pep rally. Encourage them to keep it going until the whole crowd has left.
Fight Song Dance Out
Play your school’s fight song and invite students to dance along as they leave. Cheerleaders and teachers can mingle with the crowd, urging everyone to show off their best moves.
Spirit Tunnel
Team up cheerleaders, teachers, student council members, or other school leaders to create a spirit tunnel students exit through. Shake pom poms, throw confetti, toss candy—whatever leaves students feeling pumped up and excited!
Pep Rally Themes & More Ideas
A theme can make planning easier, and give students something to get excited about!
Test Prep Pep Rally
Testing season can feel a bit stressful, so help students build up confidence before they begin. Check out the We Are Teachers Premium Test Prep Pep Rally Bundle to make planning a snap!
Day of Service
Participating in a school-wide day of service before the pep rally can be an awesome way to raise school spirit while doing some good at the same time. Students can start a painting project, clean up around the school, or even help teachers clean out their classrooms.
Glow Party
Set up a black light and tons of glow-in-the-dark items for a fun and glowy pep rally. You can even have students wear different-colored neon shirts to enhance the glow effect.
Holiday-Themed Rally
Especially if you have a pep rally each quarter or semester, work in a holiday theme, like this Halloween-themed rally.
Kindness Rally
Traditionally, schools hold pep rallies before sporting events, but that’s not the only reason to build school spirit! Theme your assembly around celebrating kindness and creating a culture of camaraderie instead.
Learn more: Inspirational Coloring Pages
School-Wide Bingo
Bingo is such a crowd-pleaser, and you can create boards with fun themes such as school spirit or an upcoming holiday. Students will be engaged and excited to win prizes!
Yearbook Reveal
When it’s time to reveal the school yearbook, or any anticipated school product, reveal it during the pep rally with an unboxing, or have the band play while the yearbook is paraded around on a velvet pillow for all to admire.
Check out these resources for even more school spirit ideas!
- 120+ Sensational School Spirit Week Ideas, Activities, and Themes
- 50 Exciting School Assembly Ideas Your Students Will Love
- 101 Unique Student Council Ideas To Build Community and Spirit
- 76 PE Games Your Students Will Love
- 60+ Best Field Day Games and Activities for All Ages and Abilities
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