Recess Games & Activities

Recess Games & Activities

Introduction This packet provides games and activities your students can play during recess. They require minimal to no equipment. Because each class is different you may need to modify it to make it appropriate for your class/age group. Thank you for your willingness to help promote physical fitness and active lifestyles in our students. Your positive attitude and modeling will be most beneficial to them. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please talk to your Physical Education teacher(s).

Table of Contents ** Games are included in alphabetical order** INDOOR Back-ups Beanbag Bocci Class Juggling Eraser Chaser Knots Pull-up Challenges OUTDOOR Alaskan Handball-Kickball Alphabet Tag Blob Tag Cars Tag Cooperation Tag Fitness Tag Garden Tag Germ Tag Guard the Cookie Jar Healthy Food Tag Heart Power Tag High Five Curl-ups Hospital Tag Jump Rope Exploration Partner Tag 20 Silent Jump Rope Workout Touchdown Tag True or False Tag OTHER EXCELLENT RESOURCES

INDOOR SPACE Name/Title: Back-ups Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: None Partners sit back to back with their arms linked. By pressing their backs together and slowly backing up, the partners begin to support each other as they stand up. Back-ups can be performed by pairs, triads, or larger groups. Back-ups with large groups are usually done with one line of players back to back with the other line. Variations: Do a back-up without linking arms. Do a back-down without linking arms. How many times can you do a back-up with a partner in two minutes? How large of a group can do a back-up all at once?

Name/Title: Bean Bag Bocci INDOOR SPACE Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: A beanbag for each student, target Players get into groups of four. Each players has his/her own bean bag. A target (a stuffed animal, stone, stick, ANYTHING) is tossed out into the center of the playing space. Players take turns tossing the beanbag to the target, attempting to get as close to the target as possible. At the end of a round, the beanbag closest to the target gets 5 points for their team, the next closest gets 3 points and the third closest gets one point. The team with the lowest total score gets to toss out the target for the next round.

Name/Title: Class Juggling INDOOR SPACE Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: Ball(s) or beanbag(s) or anything else that can be safely tossed between players. Players stand in a circle around the room. All players raise one hand. The leader calls the name of one player and passes him/her the ball (Nerf, tennis ball or even a crushed up paper ball, etc). After catching the ball that player calls the name of another player; gets his/her full attention and tosses the ball to that player. Players are instructed to remember who they sent the ball to. Players must put their hands down after tossing a ball, so players see who is still available to make a catch. The process continues until everyone has received the ball. The ball is then sent back to the first player. The pattern is repeated until everyone is comfortable. Tip: Remind players to make sure they toss underhand, never send the ball too far, and never send the ball unless they are certain the receiver is ready. Variations: Once the pattern has been established, the first player is presented with many balls. The challenge: using the same pattern they have established, the group is to get as many balls as possible to go at once.

INDOOR SPACE Name/Title: Eraser Chaser Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: Two chalkboard erasers or beanbags (or something similar) Players are seated. The leader selects an IT and gives IT two chalkboard erasers. IT places one eraser on his/her head and begins to walk around the room, holding the second eraser. With no warning, IT places the eraser on the desk of another player. The player receiving the second eraser becomes the CHASER. The CHASER quickly places the eraser on his/her head and sets out to tag IT. IT attempts to make one lap of the room and sit down in the chair the CHASER has vacated before being tagged. If IT is tagged, IT takes the erasers and the game begins again. If IT makes it to the vacated chair, the CHASER now becomes the new IT.

INDOOR SPACE Name/Title: Knots Suggested Grade Level: 3-5 Materials Needed: NONE Players form teams of eight or ten. Team members stand in a circle shoulder to shoulder. Players all reach in with their right hands and shake hands with someone. It CANNOT be someone on either side of them. Next players all reach in with their left hands and shake with SOMEONE DIFFERENT (not the same person they are already shaking hands with). Again, it CANNOT be someone on either side of them. Players are to untangle the knot while continuing to hold hands. At first, it may seem impossible. Occasionally it is!! But, most of the time the Human Knot can be untangled if the team members work together to step over and under each others arms. Just be careful not to let go of either hand they are holding. Tip: If there are a number of teams playing at once and one finishes before the others, they can become consultants to advise the teams not yet untangled. Variations: Only allow one person to have their eyes open. The others can close their eyes or have bandanas on.

INDOOR SPACE Name/Title: Pull-up Challenges Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: NONE Players sit in pairs on the floor and pull each other up (to standing) without touching the ground with their hands. Players sit on the ground in groups of four. They pull each other up (to standing) without touching the ground with their hands. How many players can be added to the group and still all stand up at once? How many times can the group stand-up/sit-down in two minutes? How many different ways can the group find to stand up (holding hands, linked arms, arms around the waist)???

Name/Title: Alaskan Handball/Kickball Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: any kind of ball The players form two teams. Striking team forms a straight line. The first striker hits the ball (kicks a ball, throws a comet or some other ball, etc.) After hitting the ball, the striker immediately begins to run laps around his/her teams line. The fielders must ALL touch the ball before yelling STOP! Once the runner hears STOP he/she must freeze. The score is the number of complete laps run. Fielders need to devise a strategy of how to get ALL players to touch the ball fastest. either by tossing it, running to it while one player holds it After each player has had a turn at bat, the other team is up.

Name/Title: Alphabet Tag Suggested Grade Level: 3rd and Up Materials Needed: Cones for boundaries, Fun noodles (cut in half) for tagging Two students will start as our taggers. When you are tagged, please freeze as soon as you can, make a letter with your body and wait until a free runner comes by and stands in front of you. You can run free again after the free runner correctly guesses your letter. You are not allowed to make a letter that has you lay on the floor. Illegal letters are "T", "X", "I", and "L". In a few minutes we will have new taggers and continue playing. Taggers aren't allowed to tag you while you are in the process of guessing and modeling your letter. Let's start off by walking and then move to different locomotor movements (skipping, hopping, jumping, galloping, etc.).

Name/Title: Blob Tag Suggested Grade Level: ALL Materials Needed: None Define a plying area (boundaries). One player is selected as Baby Blob. Everyone else is free. When Baby Blob tags a player, they link elbows, becoming part of a Bigger Blob. The Blob grows up tagging more and more players until only one is left free. When there is only one player left free, that player calls Baby Blob becoming the new Baby Blob. Everyone else breaks apart, free to start the game again.

Name/Title: Cars Tag Suggested Grade Level: K-1 Materials Needed: 4 blue wristbands/bandana, 1 red fun noodles (cut in half), designated impound area. Soundtrack from the Disney movie "Cars" optional. Ask the students if they have seen the Disney movie "Cars." Tell them to pretend that they are cars in Radiator Springs on Route 66. Select 4 Cars or taggers who wear a blue wrist band (Sally, who is the blue Porsche; Flo, who is the owner of the gas station; Doc the Hudson Hornet; and the Sheriff). Select 2 Tow Maters who each carry a red fun noodle. Everybody else is Lightning McQueen, who is the red race car. When tagged by a Car, go directly to the Radiator Springs Impound, which is a designated area. Explain what an impound is. They must stay in the Impound Area (jogging in place to keep motor running) until Mater comes and tags them out of the impound with the red fun noodle. Once Mater frees the impounded Lightning McQueens he/she must drive (jog) a lap around the track (play area) saying "Freedom" as they are jogging. After a lap they can return to the game. Tow Maters can be tagged. Change taggers after 2-3 minutes or if all the Maters get tagged.

Name/Title: Cooperation Tag Purpose of Event: This activity can be used as a warm up and as a lead in for a discussion on cooperation. Prerequisites: Discuss the definition of cooperation (getting along with others and working together). This is the Character Education word that is the current focus. Suggested Grade Level: K-2 Materials Needed: Four wrist bands for taggers. The definition of cooperation is given before the game. Four taggers are chosen. If you are tagged, you stand with your hands on your head. To get back in the game two children must form a "cooperation bubble" around the tagged student. They do this by joining hands around the student that was tagged. They may not be tagged while they are helping someone. After forming a "bubble" they walk around the tagged student while saying: Cooperation is getting along with others and working together. This tagged student is free and says, "Thank you". The two helpers respond, "Your welcome". Assessment Ideas: At closure time, see how many students can tell you what cooperation is and how they used it in the game. Teaching Suggestions: This activity fits well into Character education. We discuss different character traits throughout the year and this is just a quick easy warm-up to reinforce cooperation. Using good manners in this game also reinforces the importance of manners.

Name/Title: Fitness Tag Suggested Grade Level: K-2 Materials Needed: Three different color fun noodles/tagging sticks. Introduce students to the new tag game that incorporates the fitness components they have covered so far for the past couple of weeks. Six students will be taggers, each with three different color noodles (orange, yellow, purple). Each color noodle represents a different exercise (hang a poster visible to students with exercises listed and the color noodle it represents (for example, orange=push-ups, etc.). Students spread out in the playing area skipping, galloping, etc. (choose a different locomotor movement each time taggers are rotated). When a student is tagged, they are to go to the side of the playing area where exercises are posted to perform their exercise and become unfrozen to go back into the game (stress the importance for safety to not do exercises in the playing area). Rotate taggers to allow each student to have a chance to be a tagger.

Name/Title: Garden Tag Prerequisites: Have experience with tag games to understand safe tags and fleeing concept. Suggested Grade Level: 1-2 Materials Needed: Cones with a letter of the alphabet on each, two beanbags (maybe a ladybug or some other bug) or 2 noodles for tagging. Reinforce basic locomotor movements, spatial awareness, and letter recognition. The teacher is the Queen Bee of the Garden and calls out the locomotor movement (walk, jump, gallop, hop, or skip) as a way for students to get around the garden and avoid being caught by a Ladybug (tagger). The only safe place in the garden is by a flower (cone) where the student must make the letter on the cone with their body. They can stay at the flower for only 10 seconds. If they get caught they have to walk to the Queen Bee (teacher) and perform 3 jumping jacks. After that the student is free to roam the garden again. Variations: - Provide students with paper and have them write the letter (how many times??) found on the cones instead of making it with their body - Have student sign the letter in sign language - Have student use only their upper or lower body to complete the letter

Name/Title: Germ Tag Suggested Grade Level: 1-5 Materials Needed: Cones to define playing area, 2 red fun noodles, 2 green fun noodles Have students find a good self space in the activity area. Give 2 students a green fun noodle and give 2 students a red fun noodle. The students with the red noodles are the "germs" and the students with the green noodles are the "doctors". On the teachers signal the students are to move throughout the area according to the teachers locomotor movement choice (i.e., walking, sliding, skipping, etc.) trying to avoid being tagged by the students with the red, "germs" noodle. If the students without the ball get tagged (no throwing the noodle) by a red, "germ" noodle, then they are to get on their back and flail their arms and legs in the air. To get unfrozen they have to be tagged by students with the green, "doctor" noodle. They are free to move in the game again after being cured (i.e., tagged) by a person with the green, "doctor" noodle. Stop the game after a minute or so and have new students carry the doctor and germ noodles. Teaching Suggestions: When explaining the game make sure you tell the students that the noodle has the germs and not the students. Some students/parents may object to students being called "germs." Have students walk before doing other locomotor movements. Remind students to watch out for their friends on the floor that are the germs. They need to keep their eyes up while they are moving. Do not allow throwing of the noodles.

Name/Title: Guard the Cookie Jar Suggested Grade Level: K-5 Materials Needed: Four Poly Spots and Four Bean Bags The four poly spots (cookie jars) are placed on the ground in the field. Four players are chosen to guard the cookie jars by standing over them without touching them. A bean bag (cookie) is placed on each of the cookie jars. All other player spread out behind a sideline set up with cones. On the signal to begin, all other players attempt to grab a cookie from one of the jars. The guard tries to tag the thief. If a player successfully grabs a cookie without being tagged by a guard, then that player becomes the new guard. Players that are tagged while attempting to steal the cookie must go to a cone and do 15 jumping jacks then return to play at one of the other cookie jars. When they are tagged at another cookie jar they must go to the cone again do 15 more jumping jacks and play at another cookie jar. Guards who lose their cookie must also leave and go play at another cookie jar before they may return to steal the cookie they had previously guarded. Tips: Remind the others to watch out for others as they move throughout the play area and as they attempt to take the cookie. Guards are not allowed to touch the cookie or the cookie jar.

Name/Title: Healthy Food Tag Prerequisites: Students must be able to move safely in their own space and tag gently. We also have discussed in class the difference between healthy foods and taste good foods. Suggested Grade Level: K-2 Materials Needed: Boundary cones and something to identify the taggers. Choose 2-3 students to be taggers and have the rest of the class spread out in the clearly marked general space. When a student gets tagged by a tagger they freeze. Another free student must come over to them and ask them, "What is your favorite healthy food"? The frozen student must answer with a healthy food to become unfrozen. The helper decides if it is a healthy food or not. They may come to me if they are not sure. Once they answer with a healthy food they are free to participate in the tagging again. The taggers can not tag someone if they are helping a frozen student. Teaching Suggestions: As in any tag game situation it is best to start off by walking as opposed to running. Students will usually tell me if someone isn't answering with a healthy food and I can talk to that individual. I do question and answer during our discussion to make sure they know they difference.

Name/Title: Heart Power Tag Purpose of Event: This tag game is used to reinforce three important ways to keep your heart healthy. Prerequisites: Teach the American Heart Association's motto for having a healthy heart. You can have a healthy heart, it s as easy as 1,2,3!" "Eat healthy stuff" "Move around enough" "Live tobacco-free" Suggested Grade Level: K-4 Materials Needed: wrist bands, fun noodles to identify taggers Heart Power Tag: The American Heart Association has a motto for having a healthy heart. It is: You can have a healthy heart, it s as easy as 1,2,3! Eat healthy stuff, move around enough, live tobacco-free." This tag game reinforces the three important ways of keeping the heart healthy. The first discussion revolves around eating healthy stuff. The taggers are the unhealthy foods that one wants to stay away from. If tagged, the student jogs in place with his/her hand over the heart. Two persons running around join hands over the tagged person. (i.e. like playing "London Bridge") They say, Eat healthy stuff. and the tagged person is now free. The second round is played focusing on the theme of move around enough. Discussion takes place about how important exercise is for the heart. The taggers represent "Couch Potatoes." During this round the students unfreezing the child jogging in place, join hands and say, Move around enough. In the third round the class discusses living tobacco-free. The taggers represent cigarettes that one should stay away from. The children unfreezing the tagged students say, "Live tobacco free." Assessment Ideas: During the closure see if the students can repeat the three ways to keep a healthy heart.

Name/Title: High-Five Curl-Ups Suggested Grade Level: 3-5 Materials Needed: 1 hoop per every 3 students, Tape/CD player, Music Have the hoops scattered on the floor within the boundaries. When the students enter the gym have them begin to walk/jog within the boundaries between the hoops, without touching them. On the signal, (I play music to start and stop activities) the students stop and get into groups of 3 by placing one foot in the nearest hoop. Once they have a group of 3, they sit down with both their feet inside the hoop. Explain how to perform high-five curl-ups. Demonstrate all three students curling up at the same time. Then they high-five their partners to either side with the hand on that side. Right hand to left hand. Then they curl back down. The group tries to get as many high five curl-ups as they can before the music starts again. Next time the music starts encourage the students to get into a different group with other students instead of the same group they were in before. Variations: Allow the students to select the size of their group, not to exceed, say 4. Change the locomotor skills used. Do push-ups, but have the students alternate hand high fives in the center with the whole group.

Name/Title: Hospital Tag OUTDOOR SPACE Suggested Grade Level: 2-5 Materials Needed: Cones to define the activity area and the Hospital Zone area, cards with physical activities listed on them. For this activity you are going to ask your students to play a normal game of tag. (Please have students move using locomotor movements other than running. Hopping, galloping, skipping is typically a safer and more productive way to complete this tagging activity.) Designate two taggers and the rest will be chasee's. When tagged the students to freeze for 5 seconds, understand they know have a virus that allows them not to move very well, locate you (the teacher/doctor), and then report to you to get the "unfreezing physical activity medication". The teacher should be in the hospital area which is designated by 4/5 cones outside of the tagging and chasing area. When the students get to you--the doctor--you are to give them a physical activity to do that will cure them of the ailment and then after they complete it they can return to the tagging activity. Assign each student who comes a different physical activity and a different number of repetitions. This is a terrific way to make a personal connection with each student. Some suggested activities to give out as medication: 3 times around the hospital using a crab walk Strike a ball with a paddle 5 times in a row to yourself 5 curl or push ups High five your teacher 3-5 times (make it high so they have to jump) Move in a Zig Zag pathway down and back to a cone at the other side of the activity area Use your imagination with these activities and don't just confine yourself to exercises like jumping jacks, etc. Variations: Keep your eyes on the game at the same time you are giving out the medication. If you get too many students then restart the game or change the locomotor movement so it is a slower game. Keep the tasks that you give out short and to the point. When they get to you have 25 cards in a stack in your hands and they take the top one and they have to complete that physical challenge. This may take the pressure off you trying to remember every activity.

Name/Title: Jump Rope Exploration Suggested Grade Level: 2nd and Up OUTDOOR SPACE Materials Needed: Cones for general space, individual jump ropes Before students arrive for class spread out individual jump ropes (of different lengths if you have them) throughout the playing area. As soon as students arrive have them find a jump rope. When the music starts (or on teachers signal) they can jump rope in any fashion that they choose. For example, they could make shapes with the rope on the floor and practice jumping over and in the rope, or they can jump rope in the normal way by turning it over their head. If you want them to jump with a partner that is fine also. This activity can last as long as the teacher wants it to. This is a great time to assess what students have learned about ropeskipping.

Name/Title: Partner Tag 20 Suggested Grade Level: 3-5 Students are asked to find a partner and join hands (preferably not interlocking fingers) or hook elbows. At no time are they to break hands / elbows. Out of the two, only one partner may be the tagger. Partners move (preferably walking to start the game) together and tag other partner groups making a total of 20 tags. When 20 tags are made, the partner group goes to the middle (or the side of the playing area) and they do 20 jumping jacks and give each other a high five and they can rejoin the game. Partner groups may not tag the same partner group they just tagged until they make another tag on a different partner group. Variations: You can also add a noodle to identify the tagging partner or increase the number of tags the partner group must make. Assessment Ideas: Ask what made your team successful, was it as important to dodge as well as make the tags.

Name/Title: Silent Jump Rope Workout Prerequisites: Students know how to safely move around in general space and how to jump with an "invisible" jump rope. Suggested Grade Level: 2-5 Materials Needed: Boombox and CD with the song "Wipe-out" by the Surfaris. First, have students listen to a small portion of the song "Wipe-out". Pay particular attention to when the guitar and drums are being played. Students should jump rope with their invisible jump ropes when only the drums are being played. When the guitar begins, students will move around the space using different locomotor movements (best to stay away from running). Variations: Change the locomotor movements - walk, jog, leap, gallop, slide or skip. Have the students determine their own jumping style or call out special turns like crossovers and double turns or alternating leg swings and running in place jumps. Teaching Suggestions: The activity gives you ample time to observe both students' locomotor skills and jump roping techniques.

Name/Title: Touchdown Tag Suggested Grade Level: 2-5 Materials Needed: A small soft ball/object; four cones The group is divided into equal teams. Any number of players can play, but the larger the group the less opportunity for the players to handle the ball (8-10 players per team is recommended). The cones are set up in a triangle approximately 15 yards by 30 yards. The teams stand at opposite ends of the rectangle, facing each other. One team has the ball (offense). Team A (offense) lines up side by side with shoulders touching and hands behind their backs. One player holds the ball and stands behind the team. The player with the ball places the ball into the hands of one of his/her teammates (to deceive the other team the player with the ball should pretend to place the ball in every player s hands so the other team doesn t know who has it). On the signal to begin, all the players attempt to run across the opposing teams end linw without being tagged. The defensive team stands on their end line until the offensive team starts running towards them. Once they start coming toward them, the defensive team tries to tag as many players as possible, looking for the ball. If the player with the ball makes it across the other team s end line without being tagged, a touchdown is scored. After the turn is over the two teams switch roles. Variations: Play with more than one ball at a time. Tips: Remind offensive players without the ball to run with their hands behind their back to pretend they have it. This helps to deceive the other team and helps their team to score. Remind them about safety running towards each other so there are no collisions. Some defensive teams may want to keep their team on their own goal line, waiting for the defensive team to arrive. You may have to make a rule that this strategy is not allowed.

Name/Title: True or False Tag Suggested Grade Level: 1-5 Materials Needed: Cones for boundaries Divide the team into two teams. The teams stand facing each other (in two parallel lines) approximately one foot apart. Two cones are placed approximately 15 feet behind each team. The cones form an imaginary safety line behind each team. One team is designated as the true team and the other team is designated as the false team. The teacher or leader calls out a true or false statement such as 15 + 9 = 40. If the statement is false the false team turns and runs to the safety line behind them. The true team chases them and tries to tag them before they cross their safety line. A player who makes it across the safety line without being tagged scores a point for their team. If the statement is true such as if you mix the colors red and blue you get purple then the true team turns and runs to their safety line while the false team chases them. The game continues with the teacher calling our random true/false statements. Variations: Instead of using true/false, designate the teams as odd/even. Roll two dice, and after the students have added the two numbers, they run to the even side or the odd side depending on the answer. Tips: Don t place the safety line too far behind each team. The farther away it is, the more likely someone will get knocked down when they get tagged from behind because the runners have generated too much speed. Remind players how to tag safely!! Use this game to review critical facts or information that the players have learned and need to know such as math problems, science facts, spelling or vocabulary words, geography facts, or literature questions.

Other Excellent Resources. Websites: PE Central - http://pecentral.com/lessonideas/pelessonpla ns.html Online Physical Education Network (OPEN) - http://openphysed.org/curriculummodules