Splat! Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grade 3 and up Instructions:
Have everyone stand in a circle except one person who will be in the middle.
The person in the middle will turn around the circle, make eye contact with one person and say their name. That person will have to duck. The people on either will have to turn to each other with their hand in a stop position and say 'splat'. The first person to say splat will win, the other person will be out of the game. If your name is called and you do not duck, you are also out.
When there is only two people left in the circle they go back to back. There will be a secret word announced, like cake for example. Someone will tell a story while the two finalist walk away from each other. When they hear the secret word in the story they can turn around and say splat. The first person to do so will win the game.
Hand Tap! Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grades 2 and up Instructions:
Have everyone form a circle, it is best to have small groups at first and to lie down.
Have everyone put their two hands in front of them. Next have everyone lift up their left hand. They must place their left hand on the other side of the person beside them (this should mean that there are two other hands in between your own two hands).
Go around in a circle taping one hand at a time- go slow at first and then speed up once students start to understand where their hands are and the order.
Once you think students are ready you can introduce the quick double tap that will reverse the order the hand tapping is going.
You get out by tapping your hand at the wrong time, not tapping your hand or tapping it too slow, or taping your hand when someone reversed the direction. The last two players are the champions.
Electricity Resources: Soft Ball Appropriate Age: Grades 3 and up Instructions:
Split the group up in two groups and have them sit down in a line facing each other.
As a teacher, sit in a chair in between the two groups. Have everyone hold hands and bow their heads. The two people sitting beside you in the two lines must take your hand.
You will squeeze those two peoples hands, once they receive the squeeze they can squeeze the next persons hand and so forth until it gets to the end of the line.
When the last person in the line gets squeezed they can try and grab the soft ball first. Therefore it is a race as to which group can concrete and react the quickest.
After the round, the last two people in the lines who were racing for the ball join the beginning of the line (holding your hand) so that there are a new two people racing.
From sitting in the chair you will be able to see the progression of the squeezes and can see any jumping that may occur.
Count to 20 Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grades 3 and up Instructions:
Sit or stand in a circle. The idea is for the group to count to twenty, one person saying one number at a time. Anybody can start the count.
Then a different person says the next number – but if two or more people happen to speak at the same time, counting must start again from the beginning. It is possible to get to twenty if everybody really concentrates.
Other variations: Try doing it with and without eye contact, members of the group facing outwards and closing their eyes (difficult!) or counting back from twenty to one.
Zip Zap Zop Resources: None Appropriate Age: grades 1 and up Instructions:
Stand in a circle. One person starts by jumping clapping and then pointing to someone and they say "zip".
The person they point to jumps, claps and points and says "zap".
The person they point to jumps, claps and points and says "zop."
The person they point to jumps, claps and points and says "zip" and it continues around.
If you do not say the right word you are out, the order is always zip zap zop
If it is not clear you you pointed to, you are also out, so be sure to point to someone and make eye contact with them!