Skill Practice through Movement & Play

Everybody’s It, a Playworks game

Age Group: All (PK-5)

 

# of Students: Min- 6, Max- the more the merrier!

 

Overview
Students will practice working on their initiative as they play this tag game with the choice of tagging of freeing, or both

 

Materials
Open space, best in a gym or outside

 

Duration: 10-15 minutes (or longer if they’re having fun!)

 

Instructions
1. Gather students in an open space and have them spread out within boundaries.
2. Explain the game, Instructor: “We are going to play a tag game called ‘everybody’s it.’ When I say ‘go,’ we will start. Everybody has the option to tag anyone else. Once tagged, you must freeze and raise a hand. Anyone who is not frozen can ‘unfreeze’ you by giving you a high five. It is the player’s choice to take initiative and decide whether to tag players, unfreeze players, or both. If everyone is frozen by the end, except one
player, that player will be the winner.”
3. Instructor will do an example of the game with a few students.
4. Questions?
5. Begin game
6. *Variations*- choice of instructor- once tagged, instead of being frozen, the player who was tagged must perform 10 jumping jacks to start to tag again.
7. *Variations*- Each player can count the number of players they have tagged, and
instead of anyone being frozen or performing jumping jacks, once tagged, the player must deduct one point from his/her tally. (Example- I tagged 10 people, but I got tagged two times, therefore, my score is 8). Whoever ends up with the most points wins.

 

Reflection Questions:
1. How did you feel when you were frozen, but no one would unfreeze you?
2. Which did you decide to do more: tag, unfreeze, or both? Why?
3. If you could add a rule to the game, what would it be? Why?

Switch, a Playworks Game

Age Group: All (PK-5)


# of Students: Min- 5, Max- the more the merrier!


Overview
Students will practice initiative in this fun game where they battle for a spot


Materials
Open space, 5 cones


Duration
15-20 minutes (or longer if they’re having fun!)


Instructions
1. Set up a four-square court or four cones forming a square and one additional cone in the middle.
2. Gather students in an open space and place 4 students at the 4 corners and one student in the middle. The rest of the students will form a line leading up to the squares.
3. Explain the game, Instructor: “We are going to play switch. The will be five players at a time. Each player occupies a corner or the middle. Play begins when the person in the middle says “Switch”. All players must find a new corner/cone to occupy. No player can go to the center cone. If two players arrive at the corner at the same time a quick rock-paper-scissors is played, winner stays. The next person in line, becomes the person in the middle and begins the next round.
4. Play a practice round with 5 students.
5. Questions?
6. Begin game

 

Reflection Questions:
1. How did you decide which cone to try and go to next? As a player or as the person yelling switch?
2. What were you feeling when someone beat you to a cone?
3. If you could add one challenge to the game what would it be? Why?

The Secret Jewels

Age Group: PK-2


# of Students: Min- 8, Max- the more the merrier!


Overview
Students will practice their initiative skills to try and outsmart the dragon and catch the jewels without being tagged!

 

Materials
Open space, an object to represent the jewels (scarf, ball, cone, etc- you want something small)

 

Duration
10-15 minutes (or longer if they’re having fun!)


Instructions
1. Gather students in an open space and have them form a circle standing.
2. Choose one student to be ‘the dragon’ and have them stand in the center of the circle. Place the prop of the secret jewels at their feet. The students in the circle will be the villagers.
3. Explain the game, Instructor: “We are going to play ‘secret jewels.’ It is the goal of the villagers to catch the secret jewels. But the dragon is very greedy and tricky. Whenever the villagers want to try and grab the jewels, they are allowed to come into the center of the circle and try to take them. But the dragon will try and stop you by tagging you. If you are tagged, you must exit the circle and perform a task at the instructor’s discretion (20 jumping jacks, run a lap around the gym or outside, frog hops, wait 1 min, etc) and then they can join back into the circle. If the villagers can work together to outsmart the dragon and catch the jewels without being tagged, then the dragon loses and becomes a villager the next round. Whoever caught the jewels gets to be the next dragon. But
watch out, if the dragon tags everyone and all villagers leave the circle to perform a task and the dragon is left alone for a second, then the dragon wins and ‘demolishes’ the whole town by fire. A new game must start.”
4. Instructor will do an example of the game with a few students.
5. Questions?
6. Begin game

 

Reflection Questions:
1. After getting tagged, what did you change to make sure that didn’t happen again?
2. How did you guys work together as a team to defeat the dragon?
3. As the dragon, how did you make sure that the villagers wouldn’t be able to take the
jewels?