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Circle Dodgeball

This is an easy game that does not require a lot of set up, all you need is a few gym mats if you want to include safe zones, and a circle in the middle of the gym.

Circle Dodgeball is a highly popular game that can be as fast or as slow a pace as you and the players need. It does not require much work or effort, just a clear circle in the middle of the space (gym center circle or a circle of pylons.) In center of the circle, you will choose between 3-5 people to start with all the dodge balls.

While most of the group travel along the perimeter lines of the gym in one direction. They can stop on the mats and take breaks as the mats act as safe zones on the ends to catch their breath. A for a good size group you can start with two mats as safe zones. While players are on the mats they cannot be tagged by the ball, though they can only stay for a few seconds.

When the game begins, the people in the middle will throw the dodgeballs and try to hit those along the edge of the gym. Once a person is hit, they join the middle of the circle, and they can start throwing dodgeballs to hit others on the edge of the gym. Once they run out of dodgeballs, they can leave the circle to collect them, but can only throw them from the center of the gym.

Last few standings win the game!

The Mods

The people on the edge are only allowed to walk along the edge, no running, this means you do not need safe zones
Make it a running game, the people must run the edge of the gym and can take breaks on the safe zones.

Roadkill

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.

SPUD

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

Featured

Steal the Bacon

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.

Capture the Flag x 4

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.

Circle Dodgeball

Got a few kiddos that love to gang up and say, “Us vs Everyone Else” Oh I have heard this chant so many times in sports and it tends to make things competitive and leave little room for inclusion. Here is a game to switch it up and give everyone a little something. It’s called Circle Dodgeball.

This is a very fast version of dodgeball where no one is out. In this game, the goal is to get all the players in the centre of the gym as fast as you can.

When I set this game up, I create a good size circle in the middle of the space, with cones or using the lines in the gym. Then I select 2-3 people to start in the middle with all the dodgeballs I can find, their goal is to get everyone in the circle with them by hitting the other kids with the ball. I have everyone else run in the same direction along the walls of the gym. Leaving only 2 mats as “Safe Zones”. These Safe Zones are only active for each person for a set amount of time. You can have the group decide the time limit on the mats or you can choose. I tend to say 20-30 seconds.

Game Play

Create a Circle in the centre of the space with pylons
Set up the 2 gym mats or pylon boxes as “Safe Zones” on either side of the space with a time limit. (20-30 Seconds)
Select 2-3 kids to start in the middle of your circle with all the dodgeballs
Have the rest of the kids run along the walls of the gym in the same direction, trying to avoid getting hit with a dodgeball.
Kids in the middle throw the balls at the runners trying to hit them. If they hit them below the shoulders the runner now joins the middle and starts throwing the ball at the other runners.
Kids throwing are only allowed out of the circle to get a ball, they cannot throw that ball until they are standing inside the circle.
If there is a headshot, the kid that was hit switches places with the kid that hit them.
Last kiddos standing win and are in the middle for the next round

The Mods

Remove 1 or all the “Safe Zones”.
Teachers’ vs students (this is a love it or hate it option)
If a Runner catches the ball in their hands, the person throwing it becomes a runner.

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?