FUNdational Games
BALANCE, STABILITY and
LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
Teaching Games for Understanding
Robert Matheson, Russ Minnis, and Kirstin Schwass
.com
Promoting fun, active participation for all
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E
SECTION 1
BALANCE & STABILITY
SECTION 1A
ONE-LEGGED BALANCE
ISLANDS TAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SKUNK TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
PAPARAZZI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
STATIC BALANCE RELAYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
PARTNER BALANCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 1B
BALANCED WALKS
SPOON RELAY RACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
PIRATE’S TREASURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
RIDING THE RAILS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
RAGING RIVER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
LINE TAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SECTION 1C
LOG ROLLS
BODY BOWLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
TREASURE HUNTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
LOG RACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
LUMBER BARONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
ROLLING ALONG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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TABLE of CONTENTS continued...
SECTION 1D
DYNAMIC BALANCES
KNEE SLAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
JUMP THROUGH IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
JUMP ASIDE!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SPOT ON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
JUMP AND HOLD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
SECTION 2
LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
SECTION 2A
RUN
CIRCLE RELAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
WHAT TIME IS IT, MR. WOLF?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
SHOE SCRAMBLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
44
RPS NOODLE TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
ODD AND EVEN TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
GRUMPY TROLL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
SPOKES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
FAST CARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
GATES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
LEADER OF THE PACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
H
A CIRA Ontario Resource – FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
SECTION 2B
DODGE
CIRCLE TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
OCTOPUS TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
TRIANGLE TAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
DOG CATCHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
JUNKYARD DOG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
WATCH YOUR BACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
SLAM DUNK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
TAKE THE CAKE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
THREE’S A CROWD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
THINK FAST!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
SECTION 2C
SKIP AND GALLOP
MUSICAL HOOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
SNOW MISER AND HEAT MISER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
COLOURED CORNERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
AFRICAN SAVANNAH SKIP TAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
POISON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
SURVIVE SHARK SEA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
STUCK IN THE MUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
CALL OF THE WILD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
TEAM TRIATHLON RELAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS – A CIRA Ontario Resource
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TABLE of CONTENTS continued...
SECTION 2D
JUMP AND LEAP
HIGH TIDES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
STONES IN THE CREEK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
HOP SPOT SCOTCH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
RABBITS IN THE BURROWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
BORDER CROSSING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
KANGABALL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
JUMPING ZOO JAMBOREE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
JACK BE NIMBLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
JUMPING JOJO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
FROGGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
SECTION 2E
HOP
HOPSCOTCH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
GROUP HOP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
LET’S GO TO THE HOOP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
HOP AROUND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
HOPALONG CASSIDY RIDES AGAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
AMAZON ADVENTURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
HOOP HOPPING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
ALPHABET SOUP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
HOP POTATO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
HOPPIN’ TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
SECTION 2F
ALL LOCOMOTOR
MIX IT UP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
GRAND PRIX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
HAND-IN-HAND RELAYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
THE BLUENOSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
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A CIRA Ontario Resource – FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
SKUNK TAG
Game Objective
For the taggers to change free players into
skunks.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Static balances: stork stand and onelegged balance
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Look ahead at a spot on the wall.
✚✚ Hold arms out to the side like an
airplane.
Equipment
❍❍ Pool noodles or foam balls
and pinnies
Set Up
❑❑ Appoint one tagger
for every five to eight
players.
❑❑ Taggers can wear pinnies for identification.
Instructions
☛☛ Instead of using their hands, taggers can use pool noodles or foam balls for tagging.
☛☛ Tagged players are transformed into skunks and must balance on one foot while holding their noses.
☛☛ Tagged players must continue to balance until a free player sets them free by standing in front of them
and pretending to spray them with sweet smelling perfume.
☛☛ Change the taggers often.
Questions for Understanding
?? When tagged, which balance did you choose to perform? Why?
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A CIRA Ontario Resource – FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
RIDING THE RAILS
Game Objective
This is a non-competitive team-building game where cooperation and communication is key.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Balance walks (heel-to-toe or toe-to-heel)
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Communicate with team members to ensure success.
✚✚ Maintain balance while walking in a group.
Equipment
❍❍ None
Set Up
❑❑ Start with groups of four to six working together.
❑❑ Players need to know that working together is essential.
❑❑ Choose an area (gym) with lots of lines for the trains to follow.
Instructions
☛☛ Each group chooses a player to be the engine.
☛☛ The other players will be freight and passenger cars and must wait to join on one at a time.
☛☛ All players will balance walk along the lines (“the rails”), heel-to-toe to go forward and toe-to-heel to
go backwards.
☛☛ The engine walks along the lines and prepares to pick up the rest of the train.
☛☛ The cars will couple by the engine player putting one hand behind his back so that the player behind
him can hold onto it.
☛☛ Once together, the train must move along “the rails,” going only forwards or backwards using balance
walks. It may be helpful for the engine to shout out movement commands to help everyone move in
unison.
☛☛ If two trains meet, they will both have to reverse course and change lines.
Variations
❉❉ Have the engine go around the gym, picking up the other cars in his group as he goes.
❉❉ The leader can shout out instructions to have the trains reverse course.
❉❉ Once the trains have travelled in small groups for a bit, they can see if they can connect a couple of
them together.
FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS – A CIRA Ontario Resource
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RIDING THE RAILS continued...
Questions for Understanding
?? How did you make sure you could all move together without stepping on each other or losing your
balance?
?? Is it better to go fast or slow?
?? Is it easier to go backwards or forwards?
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A CIRA Ontario Resource – FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
LOG RACES
Game Objective
To roll along mats or the grass in as straight a line as
possible.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Log roll
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Have arms stretched out overhead.
✚✚ Try to roll in as straight a line as possible.
✚✚ Make sure all body parts are moving
together while rolling.
Equipment
❍❍ Floor mats or large, grass-covered space
Set Up
❑❑ Put out several mats from one side
of the gym to the other. Velcro them
together if possible.
❑❑ Divide the players into equal teams.
Instructions
☛☛ The first player on each team gets ready to roll on the mat(s) to the other end, starting on the signal
from the leader.
☛☛ When the first player reaches the end of the mat, she runs back to the beginning to tag the next player,
who then rolls across the mats.
☛☛ If a player rolls off the mat, he has to stop and reposition himself.
☛☛ The first team to have everyone roll three times wins the race.
Variation
❉❉ If a player rolls off the mat, he must go to the beginning and start rolling again.
Questions for Understanding
?? How did you make sure that you stayed on the mat?
?? How did you keep from running into other players?
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A CIRA Ontario Resource – FUNdational GAMES: BALANCE, STABILITY and LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
WHAT TIME IS IT, MR. WOLF?
Game Objective
To sneak as close to Mr. Wolf as possible without being caught.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Run
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Run fast enough to avoid
being caught by the wolf.
Equipment
❍❍ None
Set Up
❑❑ All players begin behind the end line.
❑❑ Mr. Wolf is at the other end of the
activity area, facing away from the
group.
Instructions
☛☛ The players ask together, “What time is it
Mr. Wolf?”
☛☛ Mr. Wolf answers, “It is ___ o’clock!” (e.g., “It is 5 o’clock!”).
☛☛ Players move forward one giant step for each hour and stop in place (e.g., 5 o’clock = five giant steps).
☛☛ Players ask again, “What time is it Mr. Wolf?” Mr. Wolf answers with another time.
☛☛ The game continues until the players are close to Mr. Wolf.
☛☛ At this point, Mr. Wolf answers, “It is lunch time... and I am... hungry!”
☛☛ When the players hear the word “hungry,” they must turn and run back to their safety zone without
being tagged (“eaten by Mr. Wolf”).
☛☛ If a player gets all the way to Mr. Wolf without being caught, the game ends and that child becomes the
new Mr. Wolf.
Variations
❉❉
❉❉
❉❉
❉❉
If a player gets caught, he must do a fitness challenge (e.g., ten jumping jacks) to get back in the game.
Instead of giant steps, players can jump with two feet; take heel-toe steps, etc.
Players count out their steps, reinforcing numeracy.
Use a clock or cards or have the wolf hold up fingers to add a visual reinforcement.
Questions for Understanding
?? What did you do to avoid being tagged by the wolf?
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FAST CARS
Game Objective
To beat opponents back to the starting
spots.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Run, corner quickly, and pass other
runners
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Quick acceleration.
✚✚ Pass.
Equipment
❍❍ None
Set Up
❑❑ All of the players sit in a large circle.
❑❑ The leader assigns each player the make of a type of car and a number
(e.g., Ferrari 1, Camaro 1, Mustang 1, Porsche 1, and Ferrari 2).
Instructions
☛☛ Players sit facing inside the circle. This is considered being parked in “the garage.”
☛☛ The leader calls out the make of a car or a number, and all players that fit the category called get up,
run clockwise around the circle, and park back in their garages.
☛☛ For example, if the leader calls out, “Ferrari,” then all of the players who are “Ferraris” would race.
☛☛ If the leader calls out a number, all of the players assigned that number race regardless of the make of
their car.
☛☛ The winner could be the first car to finish first three times.
Variations
❉❉ Have the players start from a standing position.
❉❉ Change the descriptors used depending on something being studied in class (e.g., fruits, vegetables,
days, or months).
Questions for Understanding
?? How do you prepare for the race when you are sitting and waiting?
?? Who was the fastest car? Why do you think this car was the fastest?
?? What makes a fast runner?
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DOG CATCHER
Game Objective
Players try not to get caught by the dog
catchers.
Skills and Concepts
Dodge
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Change direction quickly.
✚✚ Remember to bend low when
changing directions.
Equipment
❍❍ Five hoops and three pool noodles
Set Up
Scatter hoops randomly throughout the playing area.
Three players are the “dog catchers” and are given pool noodles.
All of the other players are the dogs that are on the loose.
Instructions
☛☛ On the signal, the dog catchers try to tag loose dogs with the pool noodles.
☛☛ If a dog is touched, he must go into one of the five cages (hoops).
☛☛ The touched dog must stay in the cage until a loose dog opens the cage by lifting the hoop so any
caged dog in that hoop is let loose again.
☛☛ If the catcher touches a dog opening a cage, the cage must close and the touched dog goes inside with
the others.
☛☛ If the catchers can cage all the loose dogs, they win and the game starts over with new catchers.
Variations
❉❉ Encourage players to work as a team of catchers or loose dogs.
❉❉ Allow only one player to set the dogs free. This “Animal Activist” cannot be caught by the dog catchers.
Questions for Understanding
?? How do you avoid being caught?
?? Why is it important to be able to change directions quickly?
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AFRICAN SAVANNAH SKIP TAG
Game Objective
To avoid being tagged by a lion.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Skip or gallop
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Avoid being tagged by dodging and running
away.
✚✚ Use proper skipping or galloping technique of
high knees with arm upswing when skipping,
and be aware of overextending the back leg when
galloping.
Equipment
❍❍ Foam balls and hula hoops
Set Up
❑❑ Scatter hula hoops around the playing area.
❑❑ Explain the balance of life in the Savannah between predator and prey.
❑❑ Choose three players to start as the predators (lions) and give each a ball for tagging others.
Instructions
☛☛ Players scatter around the playing area and represent the various prey that the lions hunt in the Savannah.
☛☛ The prey must move around the playing area by either skipping or galloping. This might make them
slower than the predators, but that accurately reflects the reality of the Savannah.
☛☛ The hoops represent safe havens (e.g., caves or trees) where the prey can temporarily escape the lions.
☛☛ When a player that is being chased skips into a hoop, the lion must focus her attention on one of the
other prey.
☛☛ The players can stay in the hoops for no more than three seconds and only one animal can be in a hoop
at a time.
☛☛ Any prey that gets caught is eliminated from the game and must perform the desired locomotor skill
(skip or gallop) around the perimeter of the playing area.
☛☛ After a certain time period, stop the game, count how many prey were caught. Then switch for new
predators and play again.
Variation
❉❉ Instead of skipping around the outside, any prey that gets caught must switch roles with the lion.
Questions for Understanding
?? How do you avoid being tagged?
?? How hard is it to escape when the person chasing you can run faster than you can gallop or skip?
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HIGH TIDES
Game Objective
To practice jumping, hopping, and leaping.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Jump, leap, and hop
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Have the players decide which
movement is the safest to cross the
rope.
✚✚ Bend ankles, knees, and hips in
preparation for take-off from one or
two feet.
Equipment
❍❍ Skipping ropes
Set Up
❑❑ Create groups of six to eight.
❑❑ Two players in each group hold opposite ends of the skipping rope.
❑❑ The other players create a line and take turns jumping over the rope before returning to the end of the line.
Instructions
☛☛ The leader lets the players know how to cross over the rope (jump, hop, or leap).
☛☛ The leader calls out the following, and the players hold the rope accordingly:
– “It is low tide!”: The rope is held low to the ground; players may jump, hop or leap.
– “It is high tide!”: The rope is held high; players will jump or leap.
– “The waves are choppy!”: The rope is moved gently from side-to-side; players will need to
leap or time their hop or jump properly.
– “Waves are crashing!”: The rope is held at a high-low angle; players choose where to jump
over it.
– “The seas are too rough!”: The rope is held too high; players stop and the next two in line
take over the job of holding the rope.
Questions for Understanding
?? How did you decide which skill to perform over the rope?
?? Which did you find the most difficult and the easiest?
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STONES IN THE CREEK
Game Objective
To practice jumping, leaping, and hopping skills.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Hop, jump, and leap
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Bend ankles, knees, and hips in
preparation for take-off from one or two
feet.
✚✚ Push off ground with the balls of the foot/
feet.
✚✚ Explode with leg(s) and swing arms forward.
✚✚ Land on the balls of the foot/feet and flex
ankles and knees to land softly.
Equipment
❍❍ Skipping ropes, hoops, or poly spots
Set Up
❑❑ Use a series of pairs of ropes to represent creeks, streams, and rivers.
❑❑ Create some that are narrow and some that are wide, others can have narrow and wide parts.
Instructions
☛☛ Players will make their way from one end of the area to the other, jumping and leaping over the various
bodies of water.
☛☛ Spots or hoops can be used in a large river as “stones” that players must jump across to get to the
other side.
☛☛ If a player “falls in the water,” she must return home and pretend to change her socks and shoes or
completely change her clothes depending on how “wet” she got.
Variations
❉❉ Similar to “Treasure Hunter,” there can be a goal or task at the end of the process. Players are trying
to rescue animals (the game is called “To the Rescue”) that are stranded at the other end (use stuffed
animals) and return them to safety.
❉❉ Add a giant or troll who is trying to prevent the rescuers from saving the animals by throwing rocks
(small foam balls) at them. If the giant hits a rescuer, the animal must be returned.
Questions for Understanding
?? What do you have to concentrate on doing to successfully cross the water?
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LET’S GO TO THE HOOP
Game Objective
Move around until a signal, then hop to the hoop and form
a group.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Hop
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Bend the knees to absorb the landing impact.
✚✚ Balance on one leg with the other leg bent at
the knee.
Equipment
❍❍ Hoops, sound system, and music for an oldfashioned “Hop” dance
Set Up
Spread ten hoops randomly around the designated area.
Instructions
☛☛ The players run (or use another locomotor skill) around the area avoiding the hoops while the music is
playing.
☛☛ When the leader calls out a number and turns off the music, all of the players hop to the hoops and
form groups of the size called out by the leader.
☛☛ For example, if the leader says, “three” then players need to make groups of three.
☛☛ Players that don’t get into a group must do a fitness activity (e.g., five jumping jacks) before rejoining
the game.
Variation
❉❉ Have players hop around the playing area, and then run to the hoops to form the groups.
Questions for Understanding
?? How do you decide which hoop to hop to?
?? What do you do if the group at the hoop is already full?
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HAND-IN-HAND RELAYS
Game Objective
To be the first team to finish the relay.
Skills and Concepts
✜✜ Locomotor movements (e.g., jumping, hopping,
leaping, and skipping)
Strategies and Tactics
✚✚ Work together as a team to complete different
locomotor movement tasks.
✚✚ Choose a different locomotor movement
each time.
Equipment
❍❍ Pylons and relay batons or rubber
animals
Set Up
❑❑ Create equal teams of at least five players.
❑❑ Use pylons to create a starting and finishing line or a pylon that players go around and return to the
starting line.
Instructions
☛☛ Players line up in their teams, one behind the other.
☛☛ On a signal, the first player on each team runs to the finish line and back, and then he grabs the second
player and they run hand-in-hand to the finish line.
☛☛ The first player then stays behind the finish line, and the second player runs back to the starting line to
grab the third person to lead them hand-in-hand to the finish line.
☛☛ Of course, the second person stays behind the finish line and the third person goes to pick up the fourth
person, and so on, until all of the players have been escorted hand-in-hand across the finish line.
☛☛ The team must perform a different locomotor skill each time.
☛☛ The first team to have all of its members complete the course and sit down wins, as long as all of the
members have travelled in different ways.
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Variations
❉❉ To observe players perform a specific skill, assign the locomotor activity to specific players.
❉❉ Run several different relays in succession. For example, have all the players skip in the first relay race
and hop in the second instead of a variety of different skills in the same race. Observe fundamental
locomotor skills in action.
Questions for Understanding
?? Which locomotor movement do you find the most challenging and the easiest?
?? Is it harder to perform the movement with a partner? Which movement is probably the hardest to do
that way?
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