Listing of Games 1 Why? Because... 14 Musical Squares 2 Make 11 15 Scoot and Spell 3 Mnemonic Names 16 Oh, Deer! 4 What Are You Doing? 17 Two (2) Person Kickball 5 Three Syllable Game 18 Rotation Baseball 6 Human Spring 19 Monarch 7 One Behind 20 Catch 22 8 Crows and Cranes 21 Island Hop 9 I have a Friend Who... 22 Serve it Up 10 In the Manner of the Adverb 23 Clothespin Tag 11 Snowball 24 Hot Potato Tag 12 Half the Feet 25 Hyperspace These games take minimal equipment and can be played with a wide number of players. All games are suitable for school aged children. Games that can be modified for ages 3-5 are 4, 6, 7, 8, 14, 21, 22, 23, 26. Game 11 and 16 may also suitable for ages 4-5. Low Activity Games (1 6) can be played in smaller areas or classroom setting. Moderate Activity Games (7-16) are usually played in open areas or gym. High Activity Games (17-26) are outdoor fields and/or gym. 13 Frisbee Volleyball 26 Borrow It 2-35 Players Space Need: Classroom or other small area Paper Pencil 1. Why? Because (Low Activity) Everyone needs a sheet of paper and pencil. Tear paper in 2 pieces. On one sheet, write a question you would like answered that begins with Why. It can be serious, ridiculous, whatever you can think of (with the possible exception of Why are we doing this? ) On the other piece of paper, write an answer, though not necessarily to your question. Just an answer that starts with Because... Collect all the questions and answers, keeping them separate. Mix up the questions and pass them out. Do the same for answers. If someone gets actual answer to the question, have her exchange. Then have each person in turn read his or her question and answer. 3-50+ Players in groups of 3 area 2. Make 11 (Low Activity) Groups of three face each other and at the count of 3, put out one hand with a number of fingers extended, from one to five, trying to reach a total of 11. They try till the get it. Then, using both hands, they repeat, trying to total 21. Or...? Page 1 Dr. John s Training 512-963-0139 Training for Schools, Child Care Centers, After School & Pre-K Programs committed to teaching children to be healthy for a lifetime.
3. Mnemonic Names (Low Activity) 3-30+ Players area (also, Doctor Memory, I'm Going On A Picnic) Get into a circle. One person says a descriptive word about him or her self that starts with the same letter as his or her name or rhymes with their name, and then says his or her name, such as "Peppy Pat". The next person says the first person's name then his or her own name with a descriptive word. i.e. "Peppy Pat, Happy Helen". This continues around the circle with each person saying all those before then their own, i.e. "Peppy Pat, Happy Helen, Fearless Fred, Neon Leon" and so on around the circle. Try to make it around the circle. Encourage people to choose something positive to describe them self. This game is really good for learning names. Others can give hints, if a person gets stuck and asks for help. 5-30 Players area 4. What are you Doing? (Low Activity) One person starts in the middle miming some activity. After a few seconds, someone asks, What are you doing? The person in the middle answers with anything except what they are doing. The person who asked then does what the previous person has said, but when asked says something completely different. Process then repeats. 5-35+ Players area 5. Three Syllable Game (Low Activity) A few players who are chosen to be Guessers go out of earshot. The rest of the players pick a 3-syllable word; divide the group into 3, each taking a syllable. The Guessers return, and then the Guessers count to 3 and the 3 groups say their syllable once, all at the same time. The Guessers see if they can get the word. If not, the 3 groups repeat their syllable and Guessers try again. After the first time, Guessers can get closer to one group or another to isolate the syllable. Repeat till solved. 2-50+ Players area Page 2 6. Human Spring (Moderate Activity) Each player picks a partner. It s best to pick someone about the same height and weight, but it will still work, regardless. Partners stand facing each other one arm s length apart with their own feet together. Partners hold up hands, fall together to catch each other with their hands, and push each other back up so as each will not lose her or his balance. When done, try stepping a little step back a bit and trying it again. Keep moving back until partners reach their limit. There is no need to go too far and hurt themselves - they can quit when they no longer feel safe.
5-35 Players area 7. One Behind (Moderate Activity) The leader starts a movement and the group does nothing. The leader changes the movement. The group does the first movement, and as the leader changes movements, the group stays one movement behind the leader. If a person isn t sure what to do, look at someone other than the leader! After a while, change leaders. The movements must be something the group can do. 5-35 Players Space Need: Area that is about 60 feet across 8. Crows and Cranes (Moderate Activity) Have all players in two straight lines facing each other. The game leader stands at one end of the lines and shouts either the name of one of the lines, crows or cranes. Or not. The leader might shout words that sound like crows or cranes, in which case the teams do nothing. The team called chases the other line, trying to tag them before they reach their safety line, about 30 feet or so from the middle line. Anyone caught joins the other team. Then they repeat the process. 5-60 Players Space Need: Area based on the # students Chairs or Poly spots 9. I Have a Friend Who (Mod. Activity) This is a circle game. Have one less chair (or place marker) than the number of people. One person standing in the middle of the circle says "I have a friend who [(wears tennis shoes) - for example]. People wearing tennis shoes get up and switch chairs with each other. (You can't sit in the same chair you just sat in). The person left standing (who has no chair) is the next leader to tell us about their friend(s). Other examples: I have a friend who: plays basketball, or has a brother, or who has a birthday in July, or who was born outside of Wisconsin. 5-50 Players area 10. In the Manner of the Adverb (Mod. Activity) Several players who are the guessers go out of earshot while the group chooses an adverb, (a word describing a verb, like He ran dizzily. ). The guessers return and give the group a verb that they must do in the manner of the adverb that the group has chosen. Based on what they see, guessers try to guess the adverb. If wrong, guessers give another verb and try again. Page 3
6-40 Players Rope or line to divide room Paper for each player & pen/pencil 11. Snowball (Moderate Activity) The room/area is divided into two equal parts with a line/rope down the middle. Players from one team cannot cross over to the other teams side. Each player writes his/her name on a piece of paper and wads it into a ball. Then everyone in the group has a brief paper ball (or snowball) "fight" for about a minute, until the leader gives instructions for everyone to pick up a paper ball, open it up and read the name. All players are then to find the person named on their paper and greet them. The game can be done with a bit of competition, to see who has the least snowballs on their side at the end. This of course means a team cannot save up snowballs till the end and then throw them, but must continue throw them throughout the game. 8-50 Players 2 Ropes or lines to divide room 12. Half The Feet (Moderate Activity) Divide the group into teams of four or so players. Set two parallel lines about 30 to 50 feet apart. Teams start on one line and proceed to the other line, using only half of the team s total feet. Each team needs to come up with a new way of crossing each time, and each team needs to cross in a different way than any other group at the same time. 10 30 Players Space Need: Standard volleyball court with net Frisbee 13. Frisbee Volleyball (Mod. Activity) There are two teams are on a volleyball court with a net. The same rules as volleyball apply, except that the Frisbee replaces the volleyball and must be passed twice to two different teammates before it goes over the net. Game is adapted as needed for each player - for instance, if a player can t serve a Frisbee from the back line, they can move to a place where they can get it over the net. Squares or objects such as large poly spots, hula hoops Music (optional) 14. Musical Squares (Moderate Activity) Place the squares or objects around the play area. Have the group mill about to the sound of music. (It s fun to hum, whistle, or sing rather than use recorded music.) When the music stops, everyone must find a square. More than one person can be touching a square. When the music starts again, the leader removes one or more of the squares, and repeats the process until only one square is left. The group has to use imagination to find a way to have everyone touch the square. Page 4
Cards with letters of the alphabet on written on the cards 15. Scoot and Spell (Moderate Activity) Divide the group into teams of three players, spread them an equal distance from a middle area where letters of the alphabet are written on cards which are face down. At a given signal, one person from each team runs in, takes a card/letter and runs back to their team. Then another team member then goes and gets a letter, and then the final team member goes. They repeat this process until they can spell a word that has four or more letters. (Note: have several alphabets on the cards, with multiples of vowels, for each group of 10 players.) 16. Oh! Deer (Moderate Activity) Divide group in two, a group of resources and a group of deer. Both line up facing each other, and then turn away from each other. The resource line chooses to be shelter (hands over head forming a roof), water (hands on mouth), or food (hands on stomach). Deer choose what they need in the same manner. At a given signal, both groups turn to face each other, then deer run over to the resource that matches the one they have chosen/need. If a deer doesn t find what it needs, it becomes a resource. To add excitement, add a third element, mountain lions, off to one side that try to eat (tag) the deer on their way to get resources. If a deer is tagged, it becomes a lion. If a lion does not catch a deer, they become a resource. Lions face away from the middle to begin the game. 2-50 Players Polyspots or bases 1 Playground ball for each set of partners 17. Two(2) Person Kickball (High Activity) Partners get two bases, for the pitcher and kicker, about 30 feet apart. If there isn t enough equipment, the group can be put in 2 lines, one of pitchers and the other, kickers. When the kicker kicks the ball, the pitcher must get it wherever it goes, as long as it is forward, and return it to the kickers base only using their feet. The kicker, meanwhile, does jumping jacks or some other exercise to see how many they can do before the pitcher returns to the ball to the base. They switch places and see who does the most exercises. Page 5
5-50 Players Space Need: Gym or large open field Polyspots or bases Baseball equipment (bats, balls, gloves) 18. Rotation Baseball (High Activity) Four or five players take on four roles: catcher, batter, pitcher, and fielder(s). The pitcher is on a base and tosses the ball to the batter at home plate until the batter is able to hit a pitch, then the batter runs back and forth between the pitchers base and his own home base counting each time she/he touches a base before being tagged out. Whoever gets the batted ball must throw it to the other fielder, who throws it to the catcher. The catcher tags home plate, and the batter is out. After that, everyone immediately rotates positions in a fixed order (e.g., batter becomes catcher, catcher becomes fielder, fielder becomes pitcher, and pitcher becomes batter) and do the same thing again. The group sees who can make the most runs, though there is no pressure to win. Everyone gets to play all positions and everyone is active on every play. 5-50 Players Space Need: Large area with boundaries Foam Ball 19. Monarch (High Activity) Play this game in a fairly large area with boundaries. One player, the monarch, starts with a foam ball (which is essential for preventing pain) and can run with the ball. Anyone he hits (below the waist) joins the monarchy. After one person is hit, the person with the ball cannot run with it, though those without the ball who are part of the monarchy can run to get next to those they are trying to catch. People in the monarchy must use teamwork and pass the ball to catch those who haven t yet been hit by the ball. If a monarch with the ball doesn t know who is in the monarchy, she/he can yell out Monarch! and all those in the Monarchy can raise their arm and shout back Monarch! so the person with the ball knows who to throw to. 10-30+ Players Space Need: Field area size of basketball court Field markers or cones Frisbees, balls other objects 1 for every 5 players Page 6 20. Catch 22 (High Activity) Two teams are on a field about the size of a basketball court, which is divided into three-square parts. The teams are in the two opposite outside squares, with at least 30 feet separating them in the square in between. Each team starts with an equal number of Frisbees, balls, or other objects - about 1 for every 5 players. At a given signal, players from each team try to throw the objects into the other team s square. If the object goes 1) in the other teams square and is caught, it s a point for the catching team, 2) outside the square - it s also a point for the catching team, 3) in the other teams square and is not caught or is dropped, no points are scored. When a point is scored, the player making the catch or noticing an object going outside the boundaries runs to the referee, who is stationed midway between the teams on the side of the court, slaps the ref s hand to record the score. The first team to reach 22 wins.
10-30+ Players Rope to designate Island Hula Hoop or rope Various PE Objects (ball, Frisbees, scarves, etc) Clothes Pins 21. Island Hop (High Activity) A grump lives on an island - a circle created by a rope or other means (indoors, a basketball center circle works nicely). The rest of the group line up 30 feet or more away and when the grump yells go, the group runs, trying to touch a hand, foot, or any part of their body inside the circle without getting tagged by the grump. If they are not tagged, they proceed to the other side of the field/gym/room. If they ARE tagged, they join the grump inside the circle. The grumps may only go outside the circle when they are part of a chain of grumps, and the tail of the grump, that is one end of the chain, must keep both feet in the circle. If the chain breaks, those who have become disconnected must go to the sideline for a turn. 22. Serve it Up (High Activity) At a given signal, the leader starts to throw objects out of a designated area such as a hula-hoop. The group returns the objects, each person bringing one at a time, placing the object in the hoop. If the person throws it and it bounces out, it does not count. This goes on for about one minute. Have someone counting how many objects the group can return. When played again, the group can see if it can beat its previous record. 23. Clothes Pin Tag (High Activity) Everyone takes 3 clothespins (pegs) and attaches them to their shirt bottom near their hips. At a given signal, everyone tries to get as many clothespins as they can from others, taking only one at time. When a player gets one, they get three seconds to attach it, and they count out loud while they do it. No one can take a clothespin from that player during this time. A person is not allowed to guard their clothespins. Game goes on for about a minute. Keep the game safe with no running rule, only fast walking. 24. Hot Potato Tag (High Activity) Ball Everyone gets a partner and then a ball. The partners play catch until the leader says go, at which point the person with the ball becomes it and tries to tag their partner. If the it catches their partner, the partner is given the ball and then they are it. When tagged, the partner must count to three to give their partner, the former it, a chance to get away. About 30 seconds or less after the leader has yelled, go, she/he yells stop. Each pair stops running and resumes a game of catch. Basically, this is two-person tag with interludes of playing catch. Page 7
Space Need: Field size of basketball court Rope or cones to mark center line Cones to mark field corners 25. Hyperspace (High Activity) Two teams are on a field about the size of a basketball court (though outside, it could be larger) divided by a centerline, with one team on each side. While team members are on their own side, they are safe, but once they cross the mid line, a member of the opposite team can tag them. Once tagged, a player goes off the field, does an exercise (e.g., three jumping jacks), goes back to a corner where their own back line is and re-enters the game. The goal for each team is to be the first to get all their players safely across the other teams territory and over their back line. Hula Hoops PE Objects (Frisbees, balls, stuffed animals, etc) 26. Borrow It (High Activity) Arrange the group into teams of equal numbers, between three to five players. Give each group a hula-hoop and five objects (Frisbees, balls, stuffed animals, etc.). Place hoops on the ground in a circle and objects in the hoop. Make sure that the hoops are at least 10 feet apart from each other. The goal of the game is to get the most objects in your team s hoop in one minute. A player can take only one object at a time and must place it in their hula-hoop. They must do this themselves - they are not allowed to throw it to a teammate. Also, there is no guarding your objects. To start, have everyone put a foot in his or her hoop and say, Go! The game lasts about a minute - longer, if your players have the energy. It's pretty tiring! Page 8