Sport-Related Activities (Part 2)
CHANGE CHASE (Decision making/Dodging/Running/Agility/Balance/Reaction time/ Speed)
- One bib per 6 to 10 participants
- Cones
- Balls (if playing a game variation)
Cone out your working area. Choose some participants to be chasers; the rest are runners. There should be one chaser for every 6 to 10 participants, and each of them should be given a bib (pinnie). Younger participants should hold bibs in their hands rather than put them on. However, they should fold the bib over in their hand so they do not trip over it when they are running. Older participants can put the bibs on.
When the game begins, the chasers run around trying to tag the runners. When tagged, the participants swap roles, so that the chaser becomes a runner and the runner becomes a chaser. The chaser hands her bib to the runner. The new chaser is not allowed to tag the participant who tagged her. Have the participants play for a set time; any participant who is a chaser at the end of the set time has to perform a challenge. The challenge should be something fun - for example, saying something funny or performing an animal impression.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Warn chasers not to tag too hard.
- Chasers should fold their bibs over when they are holding them so they do not trip over them when they are running.
- Chasers should not hide their bibs; all the participants they are chasing should be able to see it.
- Remind participants that when they become chasers they cannot tag the person who tagged them.
- Chasers should hand their bibs to the runners when they tag them. They should not throw the bibs at them or drop them on the floor.
- The challenges that the chaser perform at the end of the set time should not be seen as punishment. Make sure that no challenge is too strenous or severe.
VARIATIONS:
- Game variation: Chasers wear their bibs and continue in this role throughout the game. Any runner who is tagged puts on a bib and becomes a chaser. Have participants continue until there is only one runner not tagged; this participant is the winner.
- Game variation: Runners have a few balls that they can pass (throw) among themselves. They should aim to hit the runners holding balls.
- Harder: Instead of tagging, chasers throw spongeballs underarm and try to hit the runners. They should aim to hit the runners on the legs.
- Sport-specific: This game can be adapted to soccer. Have one chaser to every 3 to 4 runners. Chasers run around dribbling a soccer ball and try to hit the runners below the knees with the ball to tag them.
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CROSSOVER (Decision Making/Running/Agility/Balance/Reaction Time/Speed)
- Four cones per group
Arrange the participants into groups of five. For each group, use cones to set up an area of 10 by 10 metres. Within each group, four participants stand on each of the corner cones. These participants are runners. The remaining participant stands in the centre of the area and is the chaser. The runners work together against the chaser. The idea is for two of the runners to swap positions. Each time two runners swap positions, a point is scored against the chaser. The chaser tries to become a runner. To do this, he tries to get to one of the corner cones before a runner does, when two runners are attempting to switch. If the chaser gets to the corner cone before the runner, they swap roles, and the runner becomes the chaser.
The runners count loudly the number of points they score against the chaser. Each time a new participant becomes a chaser, the runners count up from zero again. Have participants play for a set time, such as 3 minutes. At the end of this time, the participants are ranked based on the greatest number of points that were scored against them on a single occasion while they were the chaser. for example, if the greatest number of points that were scored against one of the participants when he/she was a chaser was 5, and all of the other participants had more than that, then the participant with 5 points scored against him wins.
- Ensure participants have completed a thorough warm-up before carrying out this activity because it involves ballistic movements.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Participants should stay on their feet and not slide to get to a cone first.
- Leave suitable gaps between groups.
- Try to match the participants in each group according to speed or quickness.
- If runners have not switched for approximately 10 seconds, the chaser can count down from 5 to 0. If at the end of the count the runners still haven't swapped places, then the chaser can choose one of the runners to switch with.
- Make sure runners call loudly when they score points.
- Ask participants to remember the greatest number of points scored against them when they are the chaser.
VARIATIONS:
- Game variation: Each participant takes a turn to be a chaser. Runners score a point each time they swap positions. If two runners try to swap and the chaser gets to a cone first, then the chaser gets 3 points off the total. The chaser continues to chase and does not switch with a runner. Again, participants are ranked according to how many points were scored against them when they were the chaser.
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EMPTY IT (Decision making/Running/Agility/Balance/Reaction time/Speed)
- Four hoops per group
- Twelve beanbags per group (cones, balls, shuttles or other similar objects could be used as an alternative to beanbags)
Arrange the participants into groups of four. Place the hoops on the floor in a square formation, with three beanbags in each. The square should be approximately 10 by 10 metres. Each participant should stand beside a hoop.
When the game begins, the participants try to empty their hoop of beanbags. Participants pick up one of the beanbags, run with it and place it in an opponent's hoop. Participants must place the beanbag in the hoop rather than throw it. They then return to their hoop and take another beanbag so they can once again place it in another participant's hoop.
The game continues until one of the participants has emptied her hoop of beanbags. If a participant empties her hoop of beanbags, she returns to her hoop, stands inside of it before putting her hand in the air and shouts 'empty'. If a participant does this, then she wins the game. If none of the participants have won after a set time, shout 'stop' to halt the game; then count how many beanbags each participant has in her hoop. The participant with the fewest beanbags in her hoop is the winner. Return the beanbags to the hoops, have participants rest and after they have rested, start the fun again.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Warn participants about the tendency to crash heads with others when they are picking up or placing beanbags in the hoops so they can avoid doing this.
- This game is very intense so do not let the participants play for too long, and give them rest periods between games.
- Hoops can slip on some surfaces, so warn the participants not to step on the hoops.
- Participants may take only one beanbag at a time.
- Participants should keep looking at opponents' hoops in case one of them is close to emptying it.
- Participants should place the beanbags into the hoops and not throw them. They must place the beanbags so that they can stay in the hoops.
- Watch for participants moving beanbags after you have shouted 'stop'.
- Choose groups by ability so the game is challenging for all participants.
VARIATIONS:
- Game variation: Place the hoops a few metres further apart. Use cones to form a circle around each hoop with the hoop in the centre. The diametre of the coned circle should be approximately 6 to 8 metres. Participants must throw a beanbag into an opponent's hoop from outside the coned circle. If they miss with a throw, they pick up the beanbag, move back outside the cones, continuing to do this until the beanbag has landed in the hoop. They can then return to their own hoop to get another beanbag or to win the game if there are no beanbags left to collect.
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EXERCISE DETECTIVE (Decision making/And other skills are dependent on the action chosen by the participants)
Arrange the participants into groups of 10 to 20. Ask the participants to stand in a circle 1 to 2 metres apart. Choose one participant to be a detective and ask him to stand in the centre of the circle. When you have explained the rules of the game, ask the detective to cover his eyes. Now choose one of the other participants to be a criminal by pointing at him, making sure all of the other participants in the circle know who the criminal is. Make sure the detective does not peek so he does not know who the criminal is.
Have the criminal start performing an exercise, such as star jumps,, punching the air above his head, jumping from side to side, running on the spot or any other physical exercise that can be done in one place. Once the criminal starts the exercise, the remaining participants copy his action. Every 10 to 20 seconds the criminal must change the exercise, and again, the rest of the participants must copy the new action.
Once the group has started copying the criminal's exercise, the detective can open his eyes. He has to remain in the centre of the circle, but he can turn in any direction. The detective must try to look around to discover who the criminal is and then reveal him. The detective has a set amount of time to make three guesses to discover who the criminal is. If the detective does not identify the criminal within three guesses or by the end of the set time, the criminal becomes the detective for the next round. If the detective correctly identifies the criminal, choose a new detective and criminal for the next round.
- Space the participants in the circle so they do not bump into each other or hit or kick each other when they are performing the exercises.
- Some exercises may be too vigorous for some participants to carry out for longer than a few seconds. Inform these participants that they can rest or perform the exercise at lower intensity it they need to. Participants should try their best to complete each activity.
- It helps if the participants know a number of physical exercises prior to starting the game, so try to show them approximately 8 to 12 exercises before starting. Ask them to be imaginative if they are the criminal and try to change the exercise regularly.
- If the criminals are getting caught too easily, tell participants to make sure the detective is turned away from them before changing to a new exercise. It also helps if you tell the other group members not to constantly stare at the criminal because a good detective can see where they are looking.
- If the detective is struggling to work out who the criminal is, suggest that he listen carefully for changes in noise when a new activity is chosen.
GAME VARIATION:
- Game variation: Instead of having the participants play in a circle, have them move around inside a coned area. The detective must again stay in the centre of the area, but the other participants can move anywhere they like. The criminal must choose moving exercises - for example, jogging, skipping, running backwards, sidestepping or hopping.
- Game variation: Each of the participants takes a turn being the detective and tries to work out the criminal in the fewest guesses. The participant who works out the criminal in the fewest guesses is the winner.
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HIDE FROM THE GIANT (Dodging/Running/Agility/Balance/Reaction time/Speed)
- One bib per participant
- One cone per participant
This is a game that younger children really enjoy playing. Scatter the cones in the playing area, these are rocks. There should be one cone per participant. Explain how to play the game then choose one participant to be the chaser, or the sleeping giant. The giant should put a bib on. The remaining participants are runners. The giant lies down on her side at the edge of the area, facing away from the cones, and pretends to go to sleep. To add effect, the giant can pretend to snore loudly. The runners move close to the giant and try to wake her up by gently tapping her back with their hands on or shaking her softly. The runners can also try to wake up the giant by saying: "Wake up, Giant" or something similar.
After a few moments, the sleeping giant jumps up from the ground and tries to tag the runners. The runners run away and stand by one of the cones to hide behind a rock from the giant. There can be only one runner hiding behind each of the cones, or rocks. If the giant tags one of the other runners, that participant puts a bib on and becomes a giant for the next round of the game. Once all of the remaining runners are hiding behind the rocks, the giant and any of the participants she tagged return to the location where they were sleeping, lie down and once again pretend to go to sleep. The runners again try to wake the giants, and when the original giant wakes up, the new ones will also awaken. Any of the giants can tag the runners. When the runners are trying to wake the giants, remove some of the cones. You should remove one cone for each participant who has become a giant. Continue the game until there is one participant who has not been tagged, this will be the winner. The winner becomes the giant for the game.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Participants should not tag too hard.
- Participants should be careful when they are trying to stand by a rock (if another participant is trying to stand by it too. They should be careful not to bump into each other or to step on the other participants/ feet or toes.
- Participants should stay on their feet and not slide to get to a cone first.
- If the ground is too wet or hard to lie on when the sleeping giants are pretending to be snoozing, then the sleeping giants can crouch down instead of lying down.
- To speed up the game, have fewer cones than the number of runners.
- All runners should go close to the giant to wake her up. They cannot be hiding by the rocks while the other participants wake up the giants.
- Runners should not be too rough or too loud when they try to wake the giants.
VARIATIONS:
- Easier/Harder: Make the game more difficult for the giants by adding more cones for the runners to hide behind. Taking more cones away makes it easier for the giants.
- Game variation: Children may have more fun if you are the giant to begin with. They certainly will if you pretend to be the giant and make 'giant noises' when you are chasing them.
- Game variation: Choose a number of participants to be giants. When a participant is a giant and she tags another participant, then the two of them switch roles for the next round.
- Sport-specific: This game can be adapted to sports that involve dribbling, such as soccer or hockey. The giants do not have a ball, but the other participants do, and they must dribble to a cone when the giant wakes up. Instead of tagging the participants, the giant tries to steal their ball from them. If she manages to do this, the runner becomes a giant.
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HURDLES (Running/Jumping/Agility/Balance/Reaction time/Speed)
- Mini hurdles
- Four cones for every 12 participants
Arrange the participants into groups of 12, then separate each group into two teams of six. Participants line up in their team, with each of them facing an opponent. The teams line up with a distance of approximately 5 metres between them. Teammates stand approximately 4 metres apart. Participants sit on the floor facing an opponent with their legs flat on the ground. Place a cone on the ground 2 metres away from each of the participants, at the end of the rows. Starting at the same end, number the participants in each team 1 to 6. Place a mini hurdle by the feet of each participant. This means there should be two hurdles between each participant and the opponent they are facing. The hurdles should be placed at least 1 metre from the participants and there should be a gap of at least 1 metre between the hurdles.
Call out one of the numbder - for example, 'number 2'. The participants numbered 2 in each team stand up and run through the gap between the participants, jumping over each of their team's hurdles. Once they get over the end hurdle, they run around the cone at the top of their line, run behind their teammates to the other end of their team's line. They then run around the cone at the other end of the line and down the middle of the teams, jumping over the remaining hurdles until they get back to their starting positions, where they site back down. The participant who gets back to her start position first, wins a point for her team.
Call out another number to repeat the process. Have them play for a set time with the team scoring the most points at the end of a set time winning. Alternatively, play until one team has won a set number of points. Change participants in one team so they are sitting in a different place and compete against different opponent and start the fun again.
- Most mini-hurdles are made to fall over when struck. However, this occurs only if the person is jumping over it the correct direction. Ensure that the hurdles are set up facing the same way and that the participants jump over them in the correct direction.
- Participants sitting on the floor should not have their hands on the floor behind them because the runners may step on them as they run past.
- Try to match the participants by ability so all races are competitive.
- Ensure that participants are all seated in the correct position before you call out a number.
- Do not call out the same number too many times in a row to ensure that participants have a rest between sprints.
GAME VARIATION:
- Game variation: Participants run a relay starting with one of the end participants. When she has completed her run, the next person in line runs. The relay continues until all participants have run, and the team finishing first is the winner.
- Game variation: Have participants weave in and out of the hurdles, instead of jumping over them.
- Game variation: This game can be modified for use with sports that involve dribbling (e.g., basketball and soccer). Remove the hurdles and give each participant a ball. Participants have to dribble their balls between the two teams, around the back of their team and back down the middle to their start position when their number has been called out.
Activities taken from the book, More Fun and Games
