Storytelling in PE: How to Use Stories to Transform Your Lessons

By Jarrod Robinson · September 27, 2026 · 3 min read

What happens when PE lessons become adventures? Storytelling turns routine activities into immersive experiences that boost engagement, creativity, and movement quality. Here's how to do it — with practical examples from Andy McNeilly's framework.

"Everyone, we're going on a jungle expedition. We need to cross the crocodile river (balance beams), climb the mountain (climbing wall), crawl through the cave (tunnel), and sprint to base camp before the storm hits."

Same activity stations as last week. Same equipment. Same skills. But suddenly, every student is engaged. They're not just walking across a balance beam — they're escaping crocodiles. They're not doing a fitness circuit — they're surviving an adventure.

That's the power of storytelling in PE. It transforms what students do into why they're doing it — and the difference in engagement, creativity, and movement quality is remarkable.

Andy McNeilly, a PE specialist and storytelling advocate, has developed a practical approach to story-based PE that any teacher can implement — no drama degree required.

Why Stories Work in PE

Stories aren't a gimmick. There's genuine science behind why narrative-based activities produce better outcomes:

• Intrinsic motivation. Students move because they want to, not because they're told to. The story provides a reason for movement that feels meaningful — even though the physical demands are identical.
• Sustained engagement. Stories create curiosity: what happens next? Students stay on task because they want to see the narrative through. Compare this to "do 3 laps" where motivation drops after lap 1.
• Creative movement. When students are told to "move like a robot" or "slither like a snake," they explore movement patterns they'd never try in a standard drill. Stories unlock creative, expressive movement.
• Inclusive by default. In a story, there's no "right" way to cross the crocodile river. Every student can participate at their level because the success criteria is engagement with the narrative, not performance of a specific technique.
• Cross-curricular connections. PE stories can reinforce learning from other subjects: a maths quest that requires solving problems between physical challenges, a science expedition that explores force and motion through movement.

Three Types of PE Stories

1. Adventure Stories

The class embarks on a journey — jungle expedition, space mission, treasure hunt, mountain rescue. Each station or activity represents a challenge in the story. These work best with younger students (ages 5–10) and for movement exploration or fitness circuits.

Example: "We're astronauts training for a Mars mission. Station 1: Gravity training (jumping exercises). Station 2: Spacewalk balance (balance beam). Station 3: Asteroid dodge (agility). Station 4: Rocket launch prep (strength). Complete all stations to earn your mission badge."

2. Character Stories

Students become characters with specific movement qualities. They don't just run — they run like their character would. These work across all ages and are especially powerful for dance, gymnastics, and creative movement.

Example: "You're a robot that's just been activated. Move stiffly, mechanically. Now your batteries are running low — your movements get slower, lower. Someone plugs you in — you're back to full power! Now you're upgrading — you can move smoothly, fluidly, like a human."

3. Challenge Stories

The class faces a collective challenge with a narrative arc: setup, escalation, climax, resolution. These work best for older students (ages 10–14) who might resist overt fantasy but respond to a sense of mission.

Example: "Your village has been cut off by a flood. Your team needs to transport 'supplies' (equipment) across the 'river' (gym) using only 'stepping stones' (hoops) that you place yourselves. If anyone touches the water, they go back to the start. You have 15 minutes before the supply helicopter leaves."

3 Ready-to-Use Story Lessons

Lesson 1: The Jungle Expedition (Ages 5–8, 30 min)

• Story: "Explorers have discovered a lost temple deep in the jungle. We need to navigate through the jungle, cross dangerous terrain, and reach the temple before sunset."
• Warm-up (5 min): "Jungle jog" — students move around the space. Teacher calls out terrain changes: "Quicksand! (high knees) Fallen tree! (jump over) Low branches! (duck and weave) Snake! (freeze)"
• Main (20 min): 5 station circuit, each a jungle challenge. Rotate every 3 minutes with a "trail run" (jog) between stations.
• Cool-down (5 min): "We made it to the temple. Let's rest and listen to the jungle." Guided breathing, lying on the floor, listening to nature sounds on a speaker.

Lesson 2: Robot Factory (Ages 7–11, 40 min)

• Story: "You're robots being built in a factory. First, you'll get your basic movements. Then, you'll be tested. Finally, you'll compete in the Robot Olympics."
• Phase 1 — Assembly (10 min): Teacher calls body parts and students practise moving them mechanically: "Activate right arm. Activate left leg. Activate core rotation." Build a full-body movement sequence.
• Phase 2 — Testing (15 min): Pairs: one student is the robot, the other is the controller (gives movement instructions). Switch. Emphasise: clear communication, precise movement, controlled speed.
• Phase 3 — Robot Olympics (15 min): Teams compete in Robot Relay, Robot Obstacle Course, and Robot Dance-off. Movements must stay "robotic" — controlled, mechanical, deliberate.

Lesson 3: The Flood Rescue (Ages 10–14, 45 min)

• Story: "A flood has hit our town. Teams need to complete rescue missions: transport supplies, evacuate residents (cones), and build a bridge across the floodwater."
• Mission 1 (10 min): Supply transport relay — carry equipment across the gym using only teamwork (no throwing, items must be handed off). Time limit adds urgency.
• Mission 2 (10 min): Evacuation — teams must move 10 cones from one side to the other. Catch: only 2 team members can move at a time, the rest must do exercises (planks, squats) to "power the rescue boat."
• Mission 3 (15 min): Bridge building — using mats, hoops, and benches, teams build a path across the gym that every team member must cross without touching the floor. Problem-solving meets physical challenge.
• Debrief (10 min): "What made your team effective? What would you do differently? How did communication change during the missions?"

Tips for Teachers Who "Aren't Storytellers"

• You don't need to be dramatic. A simple framing is enough: "Pretend the floor is lava" is storytelling. You don't need voices or costumes.
• Use themes, not scripts. You don't need to write a novel. "Today we're explorers" is a theme. Everything else follows naturally.
• Let students co-create. "What should we name our expedition?" "What challenge should we face next?" Student input increases ownership and engagement.
• Steal from books, movies, and games. Adapt stories students already know. A Minecraft-themed PE lesson writes itself if you think in terms of mining (digging exercises), building (stacking), and surviving (dodging).
• Start with the cool-down. If a full story lesson feels overwhelming, just add a narrative cool-down: "We've completed our mission. Let's rest by the campfire." Once you're comfortable, expand the story into the main activity.

Learn From Andy McNeilly on ConnectedPE

Andy McNeilly's full course — Using Stories in the PE Classroom — is available on ConnectedPE. It includes video demonstrations, ready-to-use story templates, and age-specific adaptations for primary and secondary PE.

Plus, ConnectedPE's AI Lesson Planner can generate story-themed PE lessons based on your age group, space, and focus area. Try: "Create a 40-minute adventure-themed PE lesson for Year 3 focused on locomotor skills."

Create a free account and explore the Storytelling course alongside 150+ other PD courses for PE teachers.

Every Lesson Has a Story

You're already telling stories in PE — you're just calling them "instructions." The shift from "do 3 laps" to "escape the volcano" is smaller than you think, and the impact on engagement is bigger than you expect.

Try one story lesson this week. Watch what happens to the energy in the room. Then try another.

Your students don't need more drills. They need more adventures.

Tags: Storytelling in PE, Creative PE, Physical Education, PE Activities, Teaching Strategies, Engagement