Turtles & Snakes
Grade Level: K-6
Skills Developed: Locomotor and non-locomotor skills (running, hopping, skipping, jumping, balancing), spatial awareness, cardiovascular endurance, and agility.
Equipment Needed: 5-10 hula hoops, 5-10 skipping ropes, pinnies
How to Play:
Designate a playing area with clear boundaries. Scatter playing area with "turtles" (hula hoops) and "snakes" (skipping ropes).
Variations:
Skills Developed: Locomotor and non-locomotor skills (running, hopping, skipping, jumping, balancing), spatial awareness, cardiovascular endurance, and agility.
Equipment Needed: 5-10 hula hoops, 5-10 skipping ropes, pinnies
How to Play:
Designate a playing area with clear boundaries. Scatter playing area with "turtles" (hula hoops) and "snakes" (skipping ropes).
- Choose 1 student to be "it". This person's job is to chase all the other player and try to tag everyone.
- Have all the other players scatter themselves around the playing area and on a signal (whistle), the game begins.
- Players start by running around the playing area trying to avoid being tagged.
- When players come across a "turtle" (hula hoop) they must hop (2-foot hop) into the hoop and then hop out again and continue running. When players encounter a "snake" (skipping rope) they must do a one-foot (left/right foot - must leave and land on same foot) over it.
- When a player gets tagged they must get a pinny from the side and return to the game. However, these players have a new objective. Their job is to try and keep the tagger from getting (tagging) the other players. To do this they must get in the taggers' way without enclosing, touching, or knocking him/her down (you may want to demonstrate how to do this properly).
- Once everyone is tagged a new round is started.
Variations:
- Allow players to use the "turtles" (hula hoops) as a safe zone. Players can remain in the safe zone for up to 15 seconds and there can only be one student in each hoop at any given time. Limit the number of times players can go into a safe zone (e.g. 3 times) during a game. The person that is "it" is not allowed to guard the safe zones.
- Instead of having players run around the player area get players to skip. Alternate between skipping and running.