For some children, PE is the highlight of the school week. They can't wait to get outside, pick up a ball and start playing.
For others, it's a very different experience.
They may feel uncomfortable taking part, worry about making mistakes, dislike competition or simply haven't found a sport or activity that they enjoy yet.
And that's important to recognise.
Not every child will naturally see themselves as "sporty" — but every child should have the opportunity to enjoy being active.
So, how can schools and coaches help children who don't particularly enjoy PE become more engaged?
1. Move Away From the "Sporty or Not Sporty" Mindset
One of the biggest barriers to participation can be the idea that some children are simply "good at sport" while others aren't.
Children quickly notice who runs the fastest, who scores the most goals or who seems to pick up a new skill immediately.
A child who struggles with these things may start to believe that sport simply isn't for them.
But PE isn't about identifying who is naturally athletic.
It is an opportunity for children to learn, practise, move and develop.
A child doesn't have to be the fastest runner or the best footballer to benefit from PE.
Creating a culture where improvement and participation are valued can help children feel that they have a place in physical activity.
2. Give Children Opportunities to Succeed
If an activity feels too difficult, children can quickly become frustrated or disengaged.
This is particularly true for children who already lack confidence in PE.
One way to encourage participation is to provide activities with different levels of challenge.
For example, instead of asking every child to complete exactly the same catching activity, a coach might adjust:
The distance between players.
The size or type of equipment.
The speed of the activity.
The size of the playing area.
The number of challenges involved.
This doesn't mean making activities easier for everyone.
It means providing an appropriate challenge for each child.
When children experience success, they are more likely to think, "I can do this," rather than "I'm not good at sport."
3. Make Participation More Important Than Winning
Competition can be exciting for some children, but intimidating for others.
If every PE activity is focused on winning, scoring or being the best, children who lack confidence may become reluctant to participate.
Competitive activities certainly have a place in PE, but they don't have to be the only way children experience sport.
Coaches can also use:
Team challenges.
Personal bests.
Skill-based games.
Cooperative activities.
Partner challenges.
Small-sided games.
These give children opportunities to experience achievement without always comparing their performance against someone else's.
A child might not win the game, but they might successfully complete a skill they couldn't do last week.
That's progress too.
4. Give Children Variety
Sometimes a child doesn't dislike PE — they simply haven't found an activity they enjoy yet.
Football might not appeal to one child, while badminton, dodgeball, dance, athletics or multi-skills could be completely different.
Providing a variety of activities gives children more opportunities to discover what they enjoy.
Different sports also develop different physical skills.
For example, one activity might focus heavily on coordination, another on agility and movement, while another encourages teamwork and decision-making.
Variety can therefore help children develop a broader range of physical skills while also making PE more interesting.
5. Focus on Confidence Before Performance
A child who feels nervous or embarrassed during PE may need to develop confidence before they can fully engage with the activity.
This is where the role of the teacher or coach is particularly important.
Positive encouragement can make a significant difference.
Instead of focusing solely on whether a child performed a skill correctly, coaches can recognise:
Effort.
Improvement.
Willingness to try.
Good decision-making.
Teamwork.
Perseverance.
A child who is encouraged to keep trying is more likely to develop the confidence to attempt something challenging.
Over time, those small positive experiences can change how they feel about PE.
6. Keep Children Moving and Involved
Long periods of waiting can make PE less enjoyable, particularly for children who are already reluctant to participate.
If a group of children is waiting for their turn, they have fewer opportunities to practise and may become distracted.
Good session planning can help minimise this.
Activities can be structured so that children spend more time:
moving → practising → thinking → playing
rather than standing around waiting.
This could involve using smaller groups, multiple activity stations or small-sided games so that more children are actively involved at the same time.
The more opportunities children have to participate, the more opportunities they have to experience success.
7. Let Children Learn Through Games
For some children, being told to repeatedly practise a skill can feel like work.
Games can make the same learning experience much more enjoyable.
For example, rather than simply practising throwing and catching repeatedly, a coach could introduce a game where children need to use those skills to complete a challenge.
The skill is still being developed — but there is an additional purpose and sense of enjoyment.
Game-based activities can also encourage children to make decisions, solve problems and work with others.
When children are having fun, they may not even realise how much they are learning.
8. Create an Environment Where Mistakes Are OK
Nobody gets every skill right first time.
But for a child who already lacks confidence, making a mistake in front of their classmates can feel significant.
Creating an environment where mistakes are treated as part of learning can help reduce this pressure.
Coaches can model positive reactions to mistakes and encourage children to try again rather than focusing on what went wrong.
The message should be:
You don't have to get it right straight away.
You just have to be willing to have a go.
This can help children develop resilience as well as physical skills.
9. Help Children Notice Their Own Progress
Progress isn't always obvious.
A child may not suddenly become the fastest runner or most skilful player in the group, but they might be making important improvements.
Perhaps they are:
Joining in more willingly.
Trying activities they previously avoided.
Improving their coordination.
Working more confidently with others.
Attempting more challenging skills.
Making better decisions during games.
Becoming more comfortable being active.
These are all meaningful signs of development.
Helping children recognise these smaller achievements can give them a reason to feel proud of their progress.
PE Should Be for Every Child
The most important thing is that children shouldn't feel that they need to be naturally sporty to enjoy PE.
A positive PE environment should give every child the opportunity to participate, develop their skills and discover ways of being active that they enjoy.
That might mean adapting an activity for one child, introducing another child to a completely new sport or simply giving someone the encouragement they need to have another go.
The goal isn't to make every child love every sport.
It's to help children discover that movement and physical activity can be enjoyable, achievable and something they can take part in throughout their lives.
Creating More Positive Experiences Through PE
At Supreme Sport, we believe that children's PE should be engaging, inclusive and purposeful.
Our approach focuses on creating positive experiences where children can develop skills, build confidence and enjoy being active, regardless of their previous sporting experience.
We know that children are individuals, and what motivates one child may not motivate another. That's why providing variety, appropriate challenges and supportive coaching is so important.
Whether it's a curriculum PE lesson, lunchtime club or after-school activity, every session is an opportunity to help children become more confident and comfortable being active.
Supporting Your School
If you're looking for ways to make PE more engaging and inclusive for your pupils, visit the 'For Schools' section of the Supreme Sport website to explore our curricular PE, extracurricular clubs and wider school provision.
Because PE should be about more than finding the children who are already good at sport.
It's about helping every child discover what they can do.