Exercise

How to Teach Side Sliding in PE: Step-Together Cues

By Dave Joisil (Mr. J) · Certified Health and Physical Education teacher

Updated

Teach lateral side sliding with a clear lane setup, step-together cues, direction-change practice, adaptations, and an original observation card.

Side sliding in PE is a lateral step-together movement: one foot leads sideways and the other follows without crossing it. It is not sliding shoes across a slippery floor. Start with slow side steps, then introduce a light rhythmic slide only when children can control the pattern.

Unlike a forward gallop, the learner travels sideways while keeping the chest generally facing the same wall. Some curricula call this side stepping. State which version you are teaching: a grounded step-together is a useful starting practice, while a developed rhythmic slide may include a brief flight phase.

Set up two boundaries and a return route

Use a nonslip floor and flat markers to show a short sideways lane. Keep enough empty space beyond the final marker for a comfortable stop. Put the return walking path outside the lane, and do not send children toward one another.

Demonstrate where the body faces and where it travels. A wall picture can show the facing direction while an arrow marks the travel direction. Let children check the route safely; a fixed forward gaze should never prevent noticing an obstacle. Remove objects and increase spacing before starting.

Teach step, together, stop

Stand side-on to the route with knees comfortably soft. Step sideways with the foot nearest the destination. Bring the other foot toward it without crossing or stamping the feet together. Repeat once, then stop and reset.

Say “step, together” slowly. Once that is clear, try a gentle continuous rhythm over a short distance. Do not ask children to move as fast as possible or touch their shoes together; leave comfortable room between the feet.

Change direction after a full stop

At the end marker, stop with both feet supported, then slide back with the other foot leading. Keep the chest facing the same general wall. This changes the leading side without turning the activity into a forward run.

Add a mirror game only after the basic route is clear. One child leads slow sideways travel in their own lane; a partner copies in a separate lane without approaching or touching. Stop both before swapping roles.

Copy-and-print: Side-slide lane card

  • Facing picture or wall: ______ Travel arrow: ______.
  • Start here: ______ Stop before: ______ Return by: ______.
  • Cue: STEP sideways — TOGETHER without crossing — STOP with room.
  • Observe: follows lateral route / feet cross / turns into forward travel / needs a slower model.
  • Practice on the other lead side after a full stop: ______.
  • Next adjustment: shorten lane / widen space / slow rhythm / agreed alternative: ______.

Troubleshooting and access

If feet cross, take the rhythm away and practice one step-together at a time. If a child turns and runs, point out the facing picture again and shorten the lane. If they lose balance, return to grounded steps and check the surface. Stop for pain or feeling unwell rather than completing a round.

Offer an individually suitable lateral weight shift or direction-change task for learners who do not perform a slide. Keep mobility-device routes wide enough for safe turning and follow existing support plans. Record the chosen task honestly; access does not depend on copying every foot pattern.

Related movement and sources

There is no dedicated side-sliding video in this library. The galloping lesson is a useful contrast, not a demonstration of lateral sliding. Use the locomotor comparison map to plan a later lesson.

The lateral pattern and progression distinction draw on PDST fundamental movement skill cue posters. The lane card and practice sequence are original suggestions, not a performance test.