Huckle Buckle

This is a great goofy game! If you crave the random and you have a large group then you will have some fun. There is a lot of running and you can change it up as much as you need to tailor to your groups.

The Breakdown

Set up a space where you can have a wide space and a centre line, then get the group into pairs. (Yes, pairs if you need an extra person, guess what, you’re playing!)

Line up the pairs with the partners facing each other on opposite sides of the centre line. then the leader (You) will call out “HUCKLE BUCKLE ___________ ” and you pick a body part they have to touch to their partners, i.e., “HUCKLE BUCKLE KNEES“. The partners must run to the centre line and touch their knees to the knees of their partner as fast as they can. Last pair to connect is out of the game and must go back and sit down.

Once everyone has connected, they run back to their line and the Leader (You) picks another thing for them to touch.

Elbows
Knees
Toes
Heels
Back
Shoulders
Right Hand
Left Foot

The Modifications

Here are some Modifications I use to keep the game going and shake up things.

Instead of having the pairs be eliminated, have them take a step back from the line, make them run a little further the next round.
Make up combos, Elbows to Knees, Foot to Hand, Foot to Knee
Have them run, connect, and run back to their line as fast as possible

Bench Ball

Dodgeball! | Annual Manual (Inlander) 2011 My POS light trig… | Flickr

A classic gym game in recent years, this version has been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years. There are so many different variations, so if you catch one, let me know!

Start it off by dividing the gym into two sections with pylons (if you have lines, I am jealous), place the dodgeballs either in the very centre, or between the pylons. Place one-three benches on either side of the gym of about 3 metres from the back walls.

Divide the group into 2 teams, each team gets a side of the gym. Place all the dodgeballs inside the hula-hoop in the centre of the gym. Players sit on the bench until the you say “Go”. Then they must race to get the dodgeballs and they throw the dodgeballs and try to hit players on the other team. If they hit a player that player then goes and stands on the opposite team’s bench. They can only get off the bench if they catch a ball from their team while being on the bench. Staff can call “Jailbreak” at any time to free the players from the benches.

If any player gets hit in the head with a ball the person that hit them goes to the other team’s bench and must catch a ball to get free.

The game goes until there is a winning team.

Rules/Variations/Challenges

· Kids cannot throw the ball until they tap the ball and their hand on the wall of the gym behind their bench.

· Kids can use balls as shields

· Kids can only hold one ball at a time

· If more than 2 people see a hit with a ball it counts

· If one team sinks a dodgeball into the basketball hoop, they free the whole bench.

· Use a special-coloured ball, and if it is caught by a person on the bench the whole team goes free.

Reverse It!

Another way to start the game is to have all the kids start on the opposite team’s bench and select 2 or 3 kids to start on their actual side tossing dodgeballs to the kids on the bench.

The goal then changes to the first team to free their entire team from the bench.

The if you get hit rule still applies, so if you get hit while you are tossing dodgeballs to free your teammates you must go to the bench. This makes the game more complex and more of a challenge to win.

MADBALL

Yes, this game is called Madball. I can not say as to why, either it’s the wacky rules, the highly competitive nature or you go mad trying to keep up with this style of Dodgeball game.

The best way I have found to play it is to set up as many Gym mats standing up as you can, spread them out so you have hiding places or ducking corners. The mats are up so players can hide, duck and avoid getting hit, making this a fun and sneaky game for everyone. This game goes WICKED fast. Players are out and in rapidly, dodgeballs are zooming through the air like snow in a blizzard. Be prepared to play and get involved, it is an amazingly fun game if you can keep up.

This is Everybody’s It Tag with Dodgeballs.

The Basic Rules:

You can hit anyone you want.
If you hit them they are out and need to sit down.
You can only get back up if the person that hit you with the dodgeball gets hit and sits down.
Or “Jailbreak” is called by the leader of the game.
There are NO teams
You can only hit from the shoulders down.
If you hit someone in the head, YOU ARE DOWN
You can only take 3 steps with the ball in your hand, then you have to throw it.
If you disagree about a hit/tag, you play Rock/Paper/Scissors winner gets their call.

There are no teams, there are no partners, it is everyone for themselves. You will be one of their main targets when you play. Yes, you should play.

I start with everyone on the walls of the room/gym and all the balls in the middle of the room. I go over the rules with the group, then step away from the dodgeballs and RUN! The minute you say GO, it becomes an intense, hilarious, and competitive game all at once.

The Mods

Sudden Death:

This is the hardest version as once the players are hit they are OUT. Like fully out. There is no return. The goal is to get a winner. I normally award the winner with a prize, bragging rights don’t always do it.

***I have allowed players to return if they complete a fitness challenge such as 5 jumping jacks, 5 push-ups, use your discretion taking in the physical ability of your players.

Alliances:

This allows for players to pick teams and work together in small groups. When you use this, try to make the alliances as fair as possible. There can be a lot of grief about this modification if the groupings are not fair. But it does allow for an upwards of 4 team groups playing at once.

Camoflauge

person wearing pink hooded jacket raising her hand in front of green mountain range during daytime

This a great outdoor game to play in a park or hiking with a group of kids.

The Game

1 person starts as the “IT” closes their eyes and counts to 20 holding their arms outstretched and their palms to the sky as everyone playing then hides. The “IT” person then calls out “Food and Water” with their eyes closed they begin counting again down from 20. At which time everyone playing runs from their hiding spots and has to tag the outstretched hands of the “IT”, and then run back into hiding.

Then the “IT” gets to open their eyes and look around, they can not move from their spot, but they can turn in a circle. If they see any of the other players they are to call either their name or the colour of their clothing. These players are now in jail.

Now the “IT” closes their eyes again and starts counting from 19, then the process repeats and then they count from 18, 17, 16… and so on till they either catch everyone, or they get to 0.

For the next round, the first person found gets to be the “IT” and the game can go on.

Modifications for Gyms, Indoors, and COVID friendly:

Instead of tagging the person’s hand have the kids run and tag a place or a wall when Food and Water are called.

Forty/Forty

Yes I did just call a game 40/40. But it is more than just a game. It combines all we love about TAG, Hide and Seek and Relay Races. This game is made for the hiders, the runners and the sneaky loophole seekers.

The Rundown

1 person is “IT” and they pick a spot, say a tree or a certain wall in a gym, and then they go there and count to 40. Everyone else hides as fast as they can. Now the “Seeker” is finished counting, they can look around and see if they can spot anyone. If they see someone they can call “40/40 on Jack” Now Jack as to run from their hiding spot all the wall to the tree or spot and get there before the “Seeker” If the Seeker wins the race, Jack goes to jail.

If Jack wins, they are free and all of the jail is free and the “Seeker” has to start counting all over again.

Here is where the sneaky part comes in, if another player can sneak to the tree or spot without being seen and their name called then they touch the spot and yell “40/40 Free the Bunch” This frees everyone in jail and the “Seeker” has to start counting all over again.

If the Seeker catches everyone, than the first person to be found or the last person to be found is “It” and the game starts again.

Yes the “Seeker” can stand at the spot and call 40/40 on anyone they can see from where they are standing. It is not puppy guarding or cheating, its just the game.

If the players forget to say 40/40 Free the Bunch when they sneak up on the spot it does not count. “Go to Jail”

If the” Hider” goes for the spot and is seen and their name called then it is now a race to keep just them out of jail.

Helpful Suggestions:

As a group set the boundaries of where people can hide, and where they cannot. Keep it clear and simple.

2. Place the jail a good distance from the tagging spot, these kids are going to be running full tilt and you don’t want a crash.

3. Set some clear rules about hiding and about interfering with the game (you might have a little friend that likes to give away all the hiding spots)

Modifications for Outside

Pick a tree or something big and easy to get to as the spot the players need to tag.
Place the jail a bit of a distance away (Trust me)
Be clear about tree climbing or hazards before you start.

Modifications for Gyms and Inside spaces

Pick a wall or a distinctive place in the room that is large and easy to get to for people to tag.
Set up clear boundaries or areas they can and cannot hide
Make sure you give them lots of time to either create hiding spots before the game starts or arrange to use some mats or tables as hiding spots.

Have you played this before? If so what are some of your modifications?

Wombat

Let’s take one of the versions that is my MOST requested game to play when you have a group of people and no equipment.

This game is not mine, a friend of mine taught it to me and I couldn’t help but love it, it takes agility, skill, speed and a big element of sneaky. In this version of Everybody’s It Tag, you are only allowed to tag someone on the Shin/calf area. So that makes all other tag attempts null and void.

Best way I have found to teach this game is have everyone touch their knee, then have them touch their ankle on the same leg. (Yes this means a little goofy balancing act, but visuals help!) If you get tagged between your knee and your ankle, you are down.

The only way to get back into the game is if the person that Tagged you is tagged and sits down, then you can pop back up and start tagging all over again. Or you can use the “Jailbreak” rule

This has led to endless laughter and racing about, in fields and in large gymnasiums, often with no matter how large a crowd of people that play, there is always those few that just have to catch everyone.

I have started this game with as little as 5 kids and soon was playing with a crowd of almost 30.

**Jailbreak Rule: If the leader of the game calls out “JailBreak” than everyone is free to stand and the game play goes on.

The Journey Begins

My name is Carley, and as an educator, childcare leader and parent. I have found through my many years of working with children, there are several things we as adults can do to change things up, push the limits, and adjust our thinking to create truly amazing experiences for children we spend our days with.

This site is for everyone, teachers, parents, daycare workers, preschool teachers, the like. I am merely offering my well tried, true and thoroughly tested activities for each age level, from the littles to the adults.

These games are a just some of my collection of games that I have learned, modified, created and played. With the right enthusiasm and a big smile, I have had some great successes with everything I plan to share. If I can survive 10 years plus of eye rolling kiddos that don’t think a girl like me can show them something new, then you can break out of your shell, forget your comfort zone and go all in on even one of these activities.

Yes I will share my hidden gems of crafts and personally created games, but only if you truly try and have fun too.

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