Capture the Flag games and lead ups
Dumping Ground- This is a lead up/warm up to introducing Capture the Flag to younger students. Divide group into two teams. Place a hoop on each side of the playing area. Place beanbags in each hoops. On the signal, each team will take a beanbag from their hoop and take it to their opponents beanbag. Players run back and forth continuing to empty beanbags into the opponents circle. The object is to have the least amount of beanbags in your team's hoop when the round is over.
CTF Lead up- split group up into two teams. Within each team have one group be the grabbers and they can go get the flags and have one group be the defenders who will stay on their side and try to tag the other grabbers who come onto their territory. Have lots of flags for the grabbers to try to get. When the grabber gets a flag, allow for a free walk back to their side and place the flag with the other flags. After a few minutes stop the game and have the grabbers and taggers from each team switch jobs and begin again. This lead up helps reinforce the idea of offense and defense in CTF. When introducing CTF to grades K-2 many times both sides go all at once to the flags and their is no one protecting the flags.
Protect this house- The object of the game is to build your “house” with four bricks and keep others from stealing your bricks.
Start:
Have half of the class get four foam bricks (or pins) and either a small cone or beanbag. Each person will make a square with their bricks. Make sure there is five or more feet between each cone. Place the beanbag or small cone in the middle of the square (that is the mailbox). When the game starts, the defender will stand in the middle of the square trying to defend his bricks. If someone comes near the defender may tag that person. If a thief is tagged, have them perform a choice exercise at a designated location and then get back in the game.
Once a brick is stolen have them place it in the half court circle and start a pile. When the defender is down to their last brick to defend the rules change to where the thief only has to knock the brick down, they do not have to grab it. When the defender is out of bricks to defend they pick up their cone or beanbag and put it in the middle of the court along with the other bricks. Anyone can become a defender by picking up four bricks and a “mailbox” out of the middle and go “build” your house.
3 v 1 circles -(variation on Protect this house, can be used as station game as well)
Students are in groups of 4. Set up a circle for the group. Inside of the circle, a player guards an object (foam brick, small cone, etc). The other three players team up outside of the circle. The object of the game is for the outside players to work together to touch/steal/knock over the object the inside player is defending. If an outside player attempts to make a touch and gets tagged, the player must return to the outside of the circle (teacher or student may decide on re-entry policy). If the outside team is successful in making a touch, start a new round with new defender. At no time can there be more than two outside players inside the circle at one time.
*Variations
-Develop a scoring system that rewards the player who makes the touch.
-To encourage team play and a collaborative effort, develop a scoring system that rewards the every player on the outside team if a teammate is successful in making a touch.
-If defender tags a thief, the thief assumes a push up position. Other thieves in the game can tag their teammate to get them back in. If all thieves are in push up position, e
Capture and Rescue- Set up a large playing area. On both ends place a tub/container of beanbags and beside that container place another empty container. Place a dividing line in the middle. The object of the game is to collect beanbags from the opponents tub and return it back to your empty container on your side. While on the opponents side you may have your flag pulled. If you get your flag pulled, get it back, remain where you are and begin to do an exercise in place. To get back into the game a teammate must come over to you, take your hand and lead you back to your side.
Beanbag Grab- Have students pair up. Once they have their pairs let them pick or assign them to an end line. Both players should be together. Make sure you have pairs on both end lines. On the middle dividing line (halfcourt line in most cases) spread an odd amount of hoops along the line, extending the line out if necessary for room. Inside each hoop place beanbags, small noodle pieces, anything that will fit in large quantities inside a hoop.
To start, select pairs of students to come out to the middle and defend the hoops. Since you have an odd number of hoops, and students are in pairs, there will be one hoop that will not have someone defending it. This brings strategy into play. Defenders will spread out to defend against players who will be coming from both sides of the gym.
On the signal, one person from each pair will run up to a hoop in hopes of grabbing an object and bringing it back to their team’s spot without getting tagged. If a player is tagged by a defender, they must immediately go back to their spot and tag their partner and then the partner will try. If a player is tagged after they have grabbed an object, they must return the object to a hoop and go back and tag their partner.
Play until all objects in the hoops are gone.
*Scoring-at the end of each round, have partners count up their objects and then return them to hoops. The object for each team is to try for a higher score than the previous round. This keeps pairs focused on collaborative improvement rather than winning and losing.
Scoring Variation- use skip counting when tallying up your score.
This game is a relay, encourage the partner who is at their team’s spot to perform any movement, dance or exercise while they are waiting to maximize movement opportunities.
Keep in mind safety aspects of the game: no sliding to avoid tags and gentle tags need to be applied by defenders
*Variations:
-if the thieves have too great of an advantage over the defenders, provide noodles for the taggers. If the defenders have too great of an advantage over the taggers, have all players wear flag belts and require the defenders to pull the flag of a thief.
-time each round to see how long it takes before all the objects in the hoop are gone. Record the times. See which groups of defenders can defend the hoops the longest.
Invasion- Have players get into groups of three. Each group will get a hoop and a certain number of beanbags to place inside the hoop. When the game begins, each team will to simultaneously defend their own beanbags while trying to steal beanbags from the other teams.
Players can strategize about how they want to proceed in terms of attacking and defending. Defenders must stay on the outside of the hoop. If a defender tags an attacker, the attacker can either be frozen where they are and to get back into the game a teammate must lead them back to their hoop OR the tagged player needs to go off to a designated area to do an exercise and then rejoin he/her hoop to get back into the game.
Goal of the game is to capture as many beanbags in your hoop (one at a time) when the time is up. Try to improve your team's score in the next round.
Other side- Split the group in two and make a dividing line down the middle of the playing area. At each end create a safe zone. The object of the game is for players from one team to make their way over to their opponents safe zones without getting tagged. When a player crosses over the midline into their opponents area they can be tagged. If a player is tagged they stop where they are (they can either be frozen, stuck in the mud or do an exercise in that spot). You can only be freed if your teammate grabs your arm and brings you back to your teams side. A player who is trying to rescue a teammate can be tagged while trying to help. If that happens both players are now frozen. If you reach your safe zone, you may come back to save a teammate but you must return them to your side, you cannot lead them to the safe zone. After a certain amount of time stop the game and see how many people you have in your safe zone. Try to improve your team's score during the next round.
Capture the Flag-Classic game. Object is to steal the flag of the other team and bring it back to your team’s side. For larger groups, assign each team more flags. If a player gets tagged on the other team’s side, assign a “holding” place where they must go. Players may attempt to rescue teammates in the holding area by crossing over into the other team’s side and tagging them. When this occurs, the player may go back to their side and then enter the game again.
To add a challenge, have players wear flag belts to be pulled rather than tagging.
Puppy guarding the flags is discouraged.
*Variations
-3v3 CTF- same rules as the classic game but with small sided teams to encourage maximum participation. Players set up their own playing areas.
-Timed CTF- same rules although the rounds are timed and the object is to capture as many flags as possible before time runs out. If a team captures a flag and successfully returns it to their side, the other team can steal it back.
Capture the Ball- -Equipment
*Cones to separate 2 sides
*Pinnies for each student
*4 soccer balls for each side (each teams’ ball must be distinguishable from the other, either by color or style)
-Setup
*Separate playing field/area with a line of cones in the middle
*Back Boundary Line with 4 soccer balls beyond the line on each side
-Objective
*Each team is trying to be the first to collect all 4 of the other team’s soccer balls and dribble or pass them across the midline without having them stolen back
-Rules
*Standard CTF rules apply (no falling/sliding, belt pulled; go to jail/fitness)
* Students can be tagged in opponent’s territory unless they are controlling a soccer ball
*Once a student makes it beyond the Back Boundary line on the other side, they are safe
* If the student has a soccer ball, the guards try to steal it away instead of tagging
* Students may pass to teammates, but no long kicks through the air
* If the defense gets control of the ball, or the ball goes airborne, it must be returned
* Teams may steal their own ball back to prevent the opponent from winning
* Safety first- defense must stay on their feet and use light touches to knock the ball away
Extensions:
*Require at least 1 successful pass before the ball is brought across
*Have the student shoot the ball into a goal once they bring it to their home side
Invade and Conquer
-Equipment
*Standard CTF setup but no puppy guard line
*Objects for each team (flags, animals, balls, etc.)
-Setup
*Set up a normal CTF field without the puppy guard line
*Give each team the designated objects for each team
-Game Objective
*to be the team that has placed the most objects into their opponents hoops at the end of the designated time
-Game Rules
*Students are safe in their territory
*Offensive students try to run an object through their opponent’s territory and place it their hoop without
having their belt pulled
*If student has their belt pulled and they have an object they must: (pick one of these to play)
-Take the object back to their side
-Try to throw it back to their side or to a teammate (defense is allowed)
-Give to the defender
*The team that has the most objects in their opponent’s territory at the end of the time limit, wins!
Vortex-
- Equipment
* Lots of cones
* Flags and/or pinnies for each student (need 4 colors for 4 teams)
* 4 throwing objects (footballs, gator balls, tennis balls, rubber animals, etc.)
* 1 large bucket
- Setup
* Divide playing field into 4 sections with cones
* Make 8-10 foot coned circles in the back of each section (bases)
* Put 1 object in each base
* Put the large buck in the middle of the field where the 4 corners meet surrounded by an 8-10 foot coned circle around it, the bucket is the “vortex”.
- Game objective
* To be the last team with an object in your base.
* Eliminate all other objects into the “vortex.”
- Game rules
* Each team is safe in their own territory, but not in the other 3 territories.
* If a player’s flag is pulled in another team’s territory, they must take their flag and go back to their own territory. Once the flag is put back on, the student can keep playing.
* If a player is able to get into another team's base (circle of cones in the back) they are safe and can pick up the object. Once they leave the circle they must try to get back to their base or to the vortex without getting their flag pulled.
* A student can only put the object back in their base if they do not have an object, otherwise the student must try to eliminate the object by tossing it into the vortex.
* Students are not allowed to go inside the circle of cones surrounding the “vortex,” he/she must throw or toss the object into the bucket. If the object does not make it into the bucket, the object is placed back into the base it was taken from.
* Any student holding an object is not safe, not even in his or her own territory.
* Objects can be thrown to teammates if the ball is caught, if the object touches the ground it is placed back into the base it came from.
* Only 1 object can be in a base at a time. Extra objects must be eliminated into the “vortex.”
* Base Guards - teams can have players guard their base but no guards are allowed to stand inside.
* Safety Concerns - if played in the gym, no sliding on knees; no grabbing of shirts to pull flag of a player.
- Game extensions
* Throwing of objects can be prohibited
* If throwing into the bucket is too difficult, the bucket can be taken away and the circled area can act as the “vortex.”
Pirates treasure- Set up the gym or field in quarters. In each corner have eight objects in a hoop with there being two of each object in the hoop. Ex: two balls, two beanbags, two frisbees, two noodles.
Each team will have a colored pinnie on and wearing flag belt. The teacher will assign each team with collecting all of a certain object. The object of the game is to collect all of one object. Ex: the blue team will be in charge of collecting all the frisbees.
As players cross into other teams zones or “oceans” to get the object they are assigned to get they can have their flag pulled by anyone. Ex:If a blue player goes into the red ocean people on the red, green or yellow team can pull their flag. If they have their flag pulled they get their flag back and go to their “ocean” for a designated exercise or movement, then get back into the game. When a team has collected all of the assigned object they quickly report it to the teacher and the teacher yell stop! Go over to the team that claims they won and count up what they have. If they have collected everything, reset the game.
*guarding the hoop is not allowed. We put up a cone line in from of the hoops and tell the students they are not allowed to go past that line to pull someone’s flag. Once the player gets back into the game, its game on!
You can throw the object to a teammate to avoid being tagged and having to return it to your hoop. If it hits the ground, it gets returned to the where it came from and the player must do some sort of exercise.
CTF Lead up- split group up into two teams. Within each team have one group be the grabbers and they can go get the flags and have one group be the defenders who will stay on their side and try to tag the other grabbers who come onto their territory. Have lots of flags for the grabbers to try to get. When the grabber gets a flag, allow for a free walk back to their side and place the flag with the other flags. After a few minutes stop the game and have the grabbers and taggers from each team switch jobs and begin again. This lead up helps reinforce the idea of offense and defense in CTF. When introducing CTF to grades K-2 many times both sides go all at once to the flags and their is no one protecting the flags.
Protect this house- The object of the game is to build your “house” with four bricks and keep others from stealing your bricks.
Start:
Have half of the class get four foam bricks (or pins) and either a small cone or beanbag. Each person will make a square with their bricks. Make sure there is five or more feet between each cone. Place the beanbag or small cone in the middle of the square (that is the mailbox). When the game starts, the defender will stand in the middle of the square trying to defend his bricks. If someone comes near the defender may tag that person. If a thief is tagged, have them perform a choice exercise at a designated location and then get back in the game.
Once a brick is stolen have them place it in the half court circle and start a pile. When the defender is down to their last brick to defend the rules change to where the thief only has to knock the brick down, they do not have to grab it. When the defender is out of bricks to defend they pick up their cone or beanbag and put it in the middle of the court along with the other bricks. Anyone can become a defender by picking up four bricks and a “mailbox” out of the middle and go “build” your house.
3 v 1 circles -(variation on Protect this house, can be used as station game as well)
Students are in groups of 4. Set up a circle for the group. Inside of the circle, a player guards an object (foam brick, small cone, etc). The other three players team up outside of the circle. The object of the game is for the outside players to work together to touch/steal/knock over the object the inside player is defending. If an outside player attempts to make a touch and gets tagged, the player must return to the outside of the circle (teacher or student may decide on re-entry policy). If the outside team is successful in making a touch, start a new round with new defender. At no time can there be more than two outside players inside the circle at one time.
*Variations
-Develop a scoring system that rewards the player who makes the touch.
-To encourage team play and a collaborative effort, develop a scoring system that rewards the every player on the outside team if a teammate is successful in making a touch.
-If defender tags a thief, the thief assumes a push up position. Other thieves in the game can tag their teammate to get them back in. If all thieves are in push up position, e
Capture and Rescue- Set up a large playing area. On both ends place a tub/container of beanbags and beside that container place another empty container. Place a dividing line in the middle. The object of the game is to collect beanbags from the opponents tub and return it back to your empty container on your side. While on the opponents side you may have your flag pulled. If you get your flag pulled, get it back, remain where you are and begin to do an exercise in place. To get back into the game a teammate must come over to you, take your hand and lead you back to your side.
Beanbag Grab- Have students pair up. Once they have their pairs let them pick or assign them to an end line. Both players should be together. Make sure you have pairs on both end lines. On the middle dividing line (halfcourt line in most cases) spread an odd amount of hoops along the line, extending the line out if necessary for room. Inside each hoop place beanbags, small noodle pieces, anything that will fit in large quantities inside a hoop.
To start, select pairs of students to come out to the middle and defend the hoops. Since you have an odd number of hoops, and students are in pairs, there will be one hoop that will not have someone defending it. This brings strategy into play. Defenders will spread out to defend against players who will be coming from both sides of the gym.
On the signal, one person from each pair will run up to a hoop in hopes of grabbing an object and bringing it back to their team’s spot without getting tagged. If a player is tagged by a defender, they must immediately go back to their spot and tag their partner and then the partner will try. If a player is tagged after they have grabbed an object, they must return the object to a hoop and go back and tag their partner.
Play until all objects in the hoops are gone.
*Scoring-at the end of each round, have partners count up their objects and then return them to hoops. The object for each team is to try for a higher score than the previous round. This keeps pairs focused on collaborative improvement rather than winning and losing.
Scoring Variation- use skip counting when tallying up your score.
This game is a relay, encourage the partner who is at their team’s spot to perform any movement, dance or exercise while they are waiting to maximize movement opportunities.
Keep in mind safety aspects of the game: no sliding to avoid tags and gentle tags need to be applied by defenders
*Variations:
-if the thieves have too great of an advantage over the defenders, provide noodles for the taggers. If the defenders have too great of an advantage over the taggers, have all players wear flag belts and require the defenders to pull the flag of a thief.
-time each round to see how long it takes before all the objects in the hoop are gone. Record the times. See which groups of defenders can defend the hoops the longest.
Invasion- Have players get into groups of three. Each group will get a hoop and a certain number of beanbags to place inside the hoop. When the game begins, each team will to simultaneously defend their own beanbags while trying to steal beanbags from the other teams.
Players can strategize about how they want to proceed in terms of attacking and defending. Defenders must stay on the outside of the hoop. If a defender tags an attacker, the attacker can either be frozen where they are and to get back into the game a teammate must lead them back to their hoop OR the tagged player needs to go off to a designated area to do an exercise and then rejoin he/her hoop to get back into the game.
Goal of the game is to capture as many beanbags in your hoop (one at a time) when the time is up. Try to improve your team's score in the next round.
Other side- Split the group in two and make a dividing line down the middle of the playing area. At each end create a safe zone. The object of the game is for players from one team to make their way over to their opponents safe zones without getting tagged. When a player crosses over the midline into their opponents area they can be tagged. If a player is tagged they stop where they are (they can either be frozen, stuck in the mud or do an exercise in that spot). You can only be freed if your teammate grabs your arm and brings you back to your teams side. A player who is trying to rescue a teammate can be tagged while trying to help. If that happens both players are now frozen. If you reach your safe zone, you may come back to save a teammate but you must return them to your side, you cannot lead them to the safe zone. After a certain amount of time stop the game and see how many people you have in your safe zone. Try to improve your team's score during the next round.
Capture the Flag-Classic game. Object is to steal the flag of the other team and bring it back to your team’s side. For larger groups, assign each team more flags. If a player gets tagged on the other team’s side, assign a “holding” place where they must go. Players may attempt to rescue teammates in the holding area by crossing over into the other team’s side and tagging them. When this occurs, the player may go back to their side and then enter the game again.
To add a challenge, have players wear flag belts to be pulled rather than tagging.
Puppy guarding the flags is discouraged.
*Variations
-3v3 CTF- same rules as the classic game but with small sided teams to encourage maximum participation. Players set up their own playing areas.
-Timed CTF- same rules although the rounds are timed and the object is to capture as many flags as possible before time runs out. If a team captures a flag and successfully returns it to their side, the other team can steal it back.
Capture the Ball- -Equipment
*Cones to separate 2 sides
*Pinnies for each student
*4 soccer balls for each side (each teams’ ball must be distinguishable from the other, either by color or style)
-Setup
*Separate playing field/area with a line of cones in the middle
*Back Boundary Line with 4 soccer balls beyond the line on each side
-Objective
*Each team is trying to be the first to collect all 4 of the other team’s soccer balls and dribble or pass them across the midline without having them stolen back
-Rules
*Standard CTF rules apply (no falling/sliding, belt pulled; go to jail/fitness)
* Students can be tagged in opponent’s territory unless they are controlling a soccer ball
*Once a student makes it beyond the Back Boundary line on the other side, they are safe
* If the student has a soccer ball, the guards try to steal it away instead of tagging
* Students may pass to teammates, but no long kicks through the air
* If the defense gets control of the ball, or the ball goes airborne, it must be returned
* Teams may steal their own ball back to prevent the opponent from winning
* Safety first- defense must stay on their feet and use light touches to knock the ball away
Extensions:
*Require at least 1 successful pass before the ball is brought across
*Have the student shoot the ball into a goal once they bring it to their home side
Invade and Conquer
-Equipment
*Standard CTF setup but no puppy guard line
*Objects for each team (flags, animals, balls, etc.)
-Setup
*Set up a normal CTF field without the puppy guard line
*Give each team the designated objects for each team
-Game Objective
*to be the team that has placed the most objects into their opponents hoops at the end of the designated time
-Game Rules
*Students are safe in their territory
*Offensive students try to run an object through their opponent’s territory and place it their hoop without
having their belt pulled
*If student has their belt pulled and they have an object they must: (pick one of these to play)
-Take the object back to their side
-Try to throw it back to their side or to a teammate (defense is allowed)
-Give to the defender
*The team that has the most objects in their opponent’s territory at the end of the time limit, wins!
Vortex-
- Equipment
* Lots of cones
* Flags and/or pinnies for each student (need 4 colors for 4 teams)
* 4 throwing objects (footballs, gator balls, tennis balls, rubber animals, etc.)
* 1 large bucket
- Setup
* Divide playing field into 4 sections with cones
* Make 8-10 foot coned circles in the back of each section (bases)
* Put 1 object in each base
* Put the large buck in the middle of the field where the 4 corners meet surrounded by an 8-10 foot coned circle around it, the bucket is the “vortex”.
- Game objective
* To be the last team with an object in your base.
* Eliminate all other objects into the “vortex.”
- Game rules
* Each team is safe in their own territory, but not in the other 3 territories.
* If a player’s flag is pulled in another team’s territory, they must take their flag and go back to their own territory. Once the flag is put back on, the student can keep playing.
* If a player is able to get into another team's base (circle of cones in the back) they are safe and can pick up the object. Once they leave the circle they must try to get back to their base or to the vortex without getting their flag pulled.
* A student can only put the object back in their base if they do not have an object, otherwise the student must try to eliminate the object by tossing it into the vortex.
* Students are not allowed to go inside the circle of cones surrounding the “vortex,” he/she must throw or toss the object into the bucket. If the object does not make it into the bucket, the object is placed back into the base it was taken from.
* Any student holding an object is not safe, not even in his or her own territory.
* Objects can be thrown to teammates if the ball is caught, if the object touches the ground it is placed back into the base it came from.
* Only 1 object can be in a base at a time. Extra objects must be eliminated into the “vortex.”
* Base Guards - teams can have players guard their base but no guards are allowed to stand inside.
* Safety Concerns - if played in the gym, no sliding on knees; no grabbing of shirts to pull flag of a player.
- Game extensions
* Throwing of objects can be prohibited
* If throwing into the bucket is too difficult, the bucket can be taken away and the circled area can act as the “vortex.”
Pirates treasure- Set up the gym or field in quarters. In each corner have eight objects in a hoop with there being two of each object in the hoop. Ex: two balls, two beanbags, two frisbees, two noodles.
Each team will have a colored pinnie on and wearing flag belt. The teacher will assign each team with collecting all of a certain object. The object of the game is to collect all of one object. Ex: the blue team will be in charge of collecting all the frisbees.
As players cross into other teams zones or “oceans” to get the object they are assigned to get they can have their flag pulled by anyone. Ex:If a blue player goes into the red ocean people on the red, green or yellow team can pull their flag. If they have their flag pulled they get their flag back and go to their “ocean” for a designated exercise or movement, then get back into the game. When a team has collected all of the assigned object they quickly report it to the teacher and the teacher yell stop! Go over to the team that claims they won and count up what they have. If they have collected everything, reset the game.
*guarding the hoop is not allowed. We put up a cone line in from of the hoops and tell the students they are not allowed to go past that line to pull someone’s flag. Once the player gets back into the game, its game on!
You can throw the object to a teammate to avoid being tagged and having to return it to your hoop. If it hits the ground, it gets returned to the where it came from and the player must do some sort of exercise.