Marathon Vol XI • Nr. 2 • 2019 123 ACTIVE PLAY - TEACHING METHOD IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION Victor Marian ZAMFIR Abstract Once puberty is completed, the adolescent becomes a young man who, both in terms of morpho functional development and effort capacity and mental characteristics, is getting closer to adulthood. Students get into the first year of college, at least theoretically, with 12 years of physical education experience. It is assumed that the basic elements of the school of running, jumping, catching and passing the ball are known and strengthened. However, it has been observed numerous times that they have difficulties performing exercises in the running school. Another type of student is the one protected by parents, with medical exemptions during high school for physical education. In their case, the teaching objective is to integrate them and motivate them to participate actively in the lessons and physical activities. Keywords: JEL classification: DOI: 10.24818/mrt.20.11.02.06 Introduction The game is a great way to get students to actively participate in the learning process. The children always played. In groups or alone, with or without toys or objects, they invented games, sang, ran, laughed, cried and took it all over again. They got tired, they got angry, they got reconciled and they wanted to play a little. Childhood without story and game does not exist. Nowadays times have changed: video games and socializing on the smartphone have appeared, friendships are virtual, and life happens on the screen. Relationships between children are now happening at distances of thousands of kilometers, through online games. Strategies are built, alliances are created, communicated via chat or Skype. Today's children play differently than their parents did. That's why I found it useful for the physical education specialists to present preparatory games for sports games.