Cooperation Games
Dodge 'em Have partners stand side by side and hold hands in a "promenade position" (have the person on the right assume a right-handed guitar player position and the partner on the left assume a left handed guitar player position.) Without letting go of their hands, the partners practicing rotating their bodies 180 degrees by simply switching their hand positions by having one person pushing and the other pulling. Have partners practice this rotation movement. On the go signal, have all paris mover around the gym trying not to run into each other or a wall. If another pair is coming towards them the pair change directions 180 degrees.
Start off in a big space to get used to the switching movement then add a challenge by making the playing area smaller.
Pass and Chase- Have players pair up. Each pair has a ball. Players begin tossing the ball back and forth. When the music begins, its game on. Whoever has the ball when the music starts becomes IT. They chase their partner trying to tag them with the ball. If they tag their partner, they drop the ball and quickly moves away from their partner. The partner now picks up the ball and chases the other partner, trying to tag them. Once the music is off, partners start playing catch again until the music comes on again.
Relay Train- Have players get into groups of three and line up at one end of the gym. The person in the front is numbered 1, the middle person is 2 and the caboose is 3. When the teacher calls a number that person runs down and touches the wall on the other side of the gym and runs back to their group. Once they are back at their group the runner becomes the engine and the groups joins together by putting their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. The group train then moves to the other end and "parks" Once they park they can dance, move around in their space, etc while everyone finishes. Teacher calls out a new number to the teams and the next round starts.
The objective is cardio endurance and teamwork. You want to see teams complete the task, not find a winner.
Star passing- Start with one ball passing in a pattern with the group. Repeat the pattern. Add another ball into the mix when one is mastered. Variation: have group move as they pass.
Change, Switch, and Rotate- Divide class into groups of three and each team will stand in a single file line facing the same direction. There are only three commands to this activity.
Switch- when this command is called, the lead person and the back person will exchange places.
Change- when this command is called the entire group will simply turn and go the opposite direction
Rotate- when this command is called, the lead player will go to the back of the line and the middle person is now the leader.
Start off calling the commands while the team is not moving to get used to it. Work up to walking and possibly jogging.
Mango and Melons Players will partner up and then face each other while standing at the middle of the blacktop.
-one person will be designated as a “melon” and one will be “mango”
-The caller will call out either “mango” or “melon” to start the game. When one is called, the designated person will turn and try to make it back to their edge of the blacktop before their partner (who begins to chase them) can catch them.
- The caller can change the call even while the players are in the process of chasing. This makes for added fun because while one person might be close to tagging their partner , a quick change by the caller can change the whole perspective!
Ex: To start the game, the caller calls out “Melon”. The melon will now chase the mango. (chase in a straight line) Before the mango gets to their edge caller will change the call to melon and the mango will now chase. Do this frequently to maximize the fun.
Variations-
Change the type of movement that must be performed. Have players skip, gallop, slide, grapevine, run, or power walk.
Change callers from time to time so that everyone gets a chance to play
Tag the Ball
Cooperation or Handball and Ultimate lead up
It is essentially a keep away game but instead of trying to intercept the throwing object the person who is “it” tries to tag a thrower while they are in possession of the object.
-groups of 5 or 6
-best spacing is close enough for the tagger(s) to have a chance to tag the person with the ball but far away enough to were it’s not too easy for the tagger.
-underhand and overhand throws are acceptable.
-I will let you all decide how you want to play uncatchable balls or drops. Usually I play uncatchable balls as the person who threw it gets penalized. You can have a drop rule such as if the ball is dropped 3 times during the round, the tagger wins and a new tagger is chosen in the group.
- for groups that can’t catch well, increase the number.
- to keep players from accidentally drifting, you can put hoops down and catchers have to remain in the hoops.
To challenge advanced players, increase “it’s”. For a group of 6 have 2 taggers and 4 catchers for example.
Triangle Tag- (Players will need to get into groups of four for this game). Have three players join hands and make a circle. The fourth person will stand on the outside of the circle. Before the round is started, the outside person will decide who he/she wants to try to tag. Once it is declared who they are chasing the circle says “go”. The outside player will then run around the outside of the circle to try to tag the designated player. The players who make up the circle will be working together by turning in a circle to keep the chaser from tagging the chosen person. The tagger and the circle may change directions. The circle team can only move in a circle. The circle cannot run away. The tagger also cannot reach across the circle to tag. The round is over when the tagger tags the chosen player or gives up. Chose a new tagger and begin the next round.
Tag the Tail-
Race Track
Robot
Meet me in the middle
Steal the veggie
Great Escape- Divide teams into groups of 7. Have 5 people make a circle around the remaining 3. When you start the music, the outer ring of people will start to slide in a circle around the middle three (mice). When you stop the music the cats will join hands quickly trying to stop the mice from leaving the middle of the circle and getting out.
Have the music play for 10-15 seconds, then stop it. Try to give everyone in the group a chance to be a cat and mouse.
Shadow- Pair up and line up one behind the other. When the music begins the person in front begins to move. The partner in the back follows where the leader goes. The object of the game is when the music stops for the person in the back to be able to reach out and touch the leader.
22 Skeedo- Equipment: Long pool noodles (2-3); cones to mark off play area (jail/safety lines)
Organization: 2-3 taggers stand in guard area, 5 players start in jail, all others scatter around perimeter behind
safety line
How to Play: to rescue players from jail a rescuer must cross the guard area and shake hands 22 times. The
player in jail is responsible for keeping his or her own handshake count. If a player has 20 shakes, they must
stay in jail until a rescuer shakes their hand 2 more times. If a rescuer is tagged in the legs by one of the
guards, they must go to jail. If a rescuer steps in jail, they are stuck there! Stop every 3-4 minutes to switch
guards. Rescuers may shake two jailed players at a time.
Star Run RelayFox and Geese- 4 or 5 players are the geese. They form a line by placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Another 4 or 5 players for the fox line in the same manner. Each group faces each other. The fox has to catch the last member of the line of geese while the geee have to dodge to stop this from happening
Start off in a big space to get used to the switching movement then add a challenge by making the playing area smaller.
Pass and Chase- Have players pair up. Each pair has a ball. Players begin tossing the ball back and forth. When the music begins, its game on. Whoever has the ball when the music starts becomes IT. They chase their partner trying to tag them with the ball. If they tag their partner, they drop the ball and quickly moves away from their partner. The partner now picks up the ball and chases the other partner, trying to tag them. Once the music is off, partners start playing catch again until the music comes on again.
Relay Train- Have players get into groups of three and line up at one end of the gym. The person in the front is numbered 1, the middle person is 2 and the caboose is 3. When the teacher calls a number that person runs down and touches the wall on the other side of the gym and runs back to their group. Once they are back at their group the runner becomes the engine and the groups joins together by putting their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. The group train then moves to the other end and "parks" Once they park they can dance, move around in their space, etc while everyone finishes. Teacher calls out a new number to the teams and the next round starts.
The objective is cardio endurance and teamwork. You want to see teams complete the task, not find a winner.
Star passing- Start with one ball passing in a pattern with the group. Repeat the pattern. Add another ball into the mix when one is mastered. Variation: have group move as they pass.
Change, Switch, and Rotate- Divide class into groups of three and each team will stand in a single file line facing the same direction. There are only three commands to this activity.
Switch- when this command is called, the lead person and the back person will exchange places.
Change- when this command is called the entire group will simply turn and go the opposite direction
Rotate- when this command is called, the lead player will go to the back of the line and the middle person is now the leader.
Start off calling the commands while the team is not moving to get used to it. Work up to walking and possibly jogging.
Mango and Melons Players will partner up and then face each other while standing at the middle of the blacktop.
-one person will be designated as a “melon” and one will be “mango”
-The caller will call out either “mango” or “melon” to start the game. When one is called, the designated person will turn and try to make it back to their edge of the blacktop before their partner (who begins to chase them) can catch them.
- The caller can change the call even while the players are in the process of chasing. This makes for added fun because while one person might be close to tagging their partner , a quick change by the caller can change the whole perspective!
Ex: To start the game, the caller calls out “Melon”. The melon will now chase the mango. (chase in a straight line) Before the mango gets to their edge caller will change the call to melon and the mango will now chase. Do this frequently to maximize the fun.
Variations-
Change the type of movement that must be performed. Have players skip, gallop, slide, grapevine, run, or power walk.
Change callers from time to time so that everyone gets a chance to play
Tag the Ball
Cooperation or Handball and Ultimate lead up
It is essentially a keep away game but instead of trying to intercept the throwing object the person who is “it” tries to tag a thrower while they are in possession of the object.
-groups of 5 or 6
-best spacing is close enough for the tagger(s) to have a chance to tag the person with the ball but far away enough to were it’s not too easy for the tagger.
-underhand and overhand throws are acceptable.
-I will let you all decide how you want to play uncatchable balls or drops. Usually I play uncatchable balls as the person who threw it gets penalized. You can have a drop rule such as if the ball is dropped 3 times during the round, the tagger wins and a new tagger is chosen in the group.
- for groups that can’t catch well, increase the number.
- to keep players from accidentally drifting, you can put hoops down and catchers have to remain in the hoops.
To challenge advanced players, increase “it’s”. For a group of 6 have 2 taggers and 4 catchers for example.
Triangle Tag- (Players will need to get into groups of four for this game). Have three players join hands and make a circle. The fourth person will stand on the outside of the circle. Before the round is started, the outside person will decide who he/she wants to try to tag. Once it is declared who they are chasing the circle says “go”. The outside player will then run around the outside of the circle to try to tag the designated player. The players who make up the circle will be working together by turning in a circle to keep the chaser from tagging the chosen person. The tagger and the circle may change directions. The circle team can only move in a circle. The circle cannot run away. The tagger also cannot reach across the circle to tag. The round is over when the tagger tags the chosen player or gives up. Chose a new tagger and begin the next round.
Tag the Tail-
Race Track
Robot
Meet me in the middle
Steal the veggie
Great Escape- Divide teams into groups of 7. Have 5 people make a circle around the remaining 3. When you start the music, the outer ring of people will start to slide in a circle around the middle three (mice). When you stop the music the cats will join hands quickly trying to stop the mice from leaving the middle of the circle and getting out.
Have the music play for 10-15 seconds, then stop it. Try to give everyone in the group a chance to be a cat and mouse.
Shadow- Pair up and line up one behind the other. When the music begins the person in front begins to move. The partner in the back follows where the leader goes. The object of the game is when the music stops for the person in the back to be able to reach out and touch the leader.
22 Skeedo- Equipment: Long pool noodles (2-3); cones to mark off play area (jail/safety lines)
Organization: 2-3 taggers stand in guard area, 5 players start in jail, all others scatter around perimeter behind
safety line
How to Play: to rescue players from jail a rescuer must cross the guard area and shake hands 22 times. The
player in jail is responsible for keeping his or her own handshake count. If a player has 20 shakes, they must
stay in jail until a rescuer shakes their hand 2 more times. If a rescuer is tagged in the legs by one of the
guards, they must go to jail. If a rescuer steps in jail, they are stuck there! Stop every 3-4 minutes to switch
guards. Rescuers may shake two jailed players at a time.
Star Run RelayFox and Geese- 4 or 5 players are the geese. They form a line by placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Another 4 or 5 players for the fox line in the same manner. Each group faces each other. The fox has to catch the last member of the line of geese while the geee have to dodge to stop this from happening