This is Dodgeball meets Frogger, and if you do not know what Frogger is, I am sorry for you.
Cars
Start off this game you are going to need to divide your space, and create two lines opposite one another, either with pylons or with the side lines on the gym floor.
Next place your group into two teams.
Team 1 lineup on the pylon lines you marked with equal numbers of players on each side across the space from each other, creating what looks to be a gauntlet of players.
Each player on the sidelines gets armed with a dodgeball.
The other team, Team 2 lines up between the two lines of Team 1.
Team 2 has to run in down the gym between the armed Team 1 with the goal to get to the other end of the gym without being hit.
If a player on the Running team is hit, they need to sit down where they were hit and not move, they have become the “Roadkill”.
This repeats with players from Team 2 running back and forth between Team 1 till there are no players left standing on Team 2.
Then the teams switch places, Team 1 has to run the gauntlet of players from Team 2
How to Win
Each time players from running Team gets to the other end of the gym without being hit they get a 1 point.
Team with the most points by the end of 30 mins (or whatever time limit you give) wins the game.
This is an easy, addictive, and low equipment game that has never left a group unhappy. I have no idea where this game came from, but SPUD is something that I find the easiest and the craziest to play. It takes some demonstration, but once you get the hang of it, it is fast paced.
How to Play
Easiest start to the game is have each player say their name to the group. After everyone is familiar with everyone’s name, have each player group together in a circle around the person holding the ball, placing 1 hand inside the circle. One person starts with the ball in the centre of the circle.
At the beginning of each round, the person with the ball (who is in the centre of the circle) throws the ball upwards to the sky while yelling the name of another player in the circle. Once the ball is in the air everyone runs away in all different directions away from the ball except for the person(s) whose name was called. That person whose name was called must catch the ball and then yells “Spud!” as fast as they can. When they yell “SPUD”, everyone in the room must freeze. The person with the ball then is allowed to take three giant steps toward any player. They then throw the ball and try to hit anyone they can. They can also roll the ball if that is going to work better for them.
Players frozen cannot dodge the hit.
If a player is hit the first time, he or she earns the letter “S”, eventually spelling the word S-P-U-D. The person who was hit becomes the new thrower; otherwise, the thrower who missed earns a letter. The next round begins, and play continues. Whoever spells the letter S-P-U-D is out of the game; alternatively, if you do not wish to eliminate players, you can set a time limit and whoever has the least number of letters when time expires is the winner.
The Mods
They are not allowed to move any part of their body when SPUD is called. If they do, they earn a letter.
If the person throwing the ball misses, they collect a letter. The person that collected the letter throws the next ball.
If more than 3 people see a person move, they collect a letter.
Colour Catch:
Instead of using kids’ names use the colour they are wearing, the “it” person must call one of the colours that are in the circle. Anyone wearing that colour can catch the ball and yell Spud. Kids wearing the same colours can team up and work together to get other colours out
The entire point of this game is to get the “Bacon” back to your team’s side without getting tagged.
The “Bacon” can be anything…
Shoe
Dodgeball
Homebase
Pinnie
Goalie glove
Rugby ball
Football
ANYTHING….
How to Play
Create 2 teams and place the “Bacon” in the middle of the space, on each team you need to number the players 1-10 (or however many you have). Line them up across the space from one another and the “Bacon” in a hula-hoop in the dead center.
The leader then calls out a number and a person from each team with that number runs out and tries to get the bacon before the other person. They need to take that “Bacon” back to their team as fast as they can without getting tagged. Once tagged you drop the “Bacon”, and it returns to the middle for the next round.
You cannot touch the other player until one of you has touched the bacon, keep it fair people.
If one player gets the “Bacon” back to their side of the field without getting tagged the team gets a point. First team to 10 points wins. (Or 5 or 20, whatever works for your group), or all the numbers have had a turn.
The Mods
The Leader can call more than one number, in which case several players from each side participate.
In some games, players may tag any player on the opposing team, in others, a player may only tag the player on the other team that they share a number with.
in some games, points are scored by carrying it to the other team’s side or either team’s side
Once tagged the “bacon” must be dropped. Then the other team’s player can pick it up and run, only stopping when they get to the other side or are tagged.
Remove the “Bacon” and use Dodgeballs, the first person to hit the other player/players gets them out. Last person standing wins.
Use this as a hockey drill, sticks, one puck and a net. First player to score a goal, gets the point.
We have all played “Capture the Flag” at some point or another, so let’s have some fun with this version.
Divide the space, into 4 equal zones, add a section of space inside each zone that is going to act as your “Safe Zone” This can be done with a hula-hoop, or a box marked with pylons. Into each “Safe Zone” you need to place 2 of each of the opposing teams coloured items into the “Zone”, so there are 6 per “Safe Zone”. To win you need to be the first team must collect all 6 of their teams coloured items into their “Safe Zone”.
Now divide up the group into 4 equal teams, and if you have pinnies great, if not coloured flagging tape, bandana, ribbon, or something to indicate who belongs where a must is.
How to Play:
Students are only safe in their colour’s quadrant, or in a “Safe Zone”. Anywhere else in the game space they can be tagged. Once tagged the player sits down in the spot they were tagged, and they can only get up if one of their teammates runs up and tags them. Then both teammates take a “free walk” back to their own Zone.
If you get tagged with an item in your hand, you hand it off to your tagger and sit down. That flag is then returned to the “Safe Zone” and the game continues.
The Mods
Once tagged the person must run to the side lines and can only be released if someone tags the person that tagged them.
Sudden Death—Once tagged you are out of the game, till 1 team wins.
If a player gets tagged, they can join their taggers team, till there is no one left and then you close the quadrant, and it becomes a race. To be the last team standing.
Instead of 2 items, increase the number to 3 to make it harder or decrease it to 1 for a quicker game.
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?
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.
Play Beyond Limits 