What's Up October 2015?

It is sometimes the simple things in life that go so far to bring more wholeness to people in this

world. A stranger's smile as you walk quickly down a busy sidewalk. Someone opening the door

for you. Someone patting you on the back for a job well done. Someone.... In intramurals we can

be that "Someone," who smiles with the participants and encourages them to feel joy, who opens

gym doors for eager participants to play spaces and welcoming hearts, who encourages

participants for their engagement and encourages participants to do the same.... Intramurals,

simply done, brings so much wholeness to people.

John Byl

With thanks to our Partner and Champion of Healthy Active Play.

Some Great Game Ideas

THE WIDENING RIVER

Equipment: 2 old fire hoses, rubber chickens, beanbags, balls, and any other odd items to pass and

throw

Objective: Make it to the end of the river without dropping your pollution into the water

Setting up:

• Roll out the fire hoses beside each other with a narrow end and a wide end

• Place all the passing items near the narrow end

• Everyone finds a partner and they stand on opposite ends of the river

How to Play:

• With your partner you must pass an item across the river

• The receiving player must catch the item without stepping into the river

• If the item is not caught, then it must be tossed into the river as pollution

• The players make it up the widening river by taking a step closer to the wide end after

each successful pass

• Once a team has reached the end or has made an unsuccessful pass they return to the

beginning and start again with another item

Variation: Add the element of fish that have to swim upstream by riding a scooter through the river.

The students will learn they are challenged by the pollution and that it has a negative environmental

effect on the fish.

http://www.ciraontario.com/thewideningriver

JUMP AND SPLASH

• Two people turn rope

• Person in the middle jumps with a cup of water in their hand

• Add contests such as: Who can keep the most water in the cup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF6tasHTW-8

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS TRAIN

A teacher shared with me how she uses Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS) to line her students up

when they go to the library, go back to class, or any other time the class needs to line up single

file to go somewhere.

Students each find a partner to play RPS. The winner is the head of the train the loser is the

back of the train. The two person train plays another train. The losing train adds on to the back.

Within a minute there is one long train and you have a line up walk to your next activity.

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.

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?

http://assets.ngin.com/…/docu…/0063/0465/locomotorSAMPLE.pdf

FRISBEE PANCAKE FLIP

Provide each student with a Frisbee and a beanbag. The beanbag should be different colors on

each side; or mark the sides with the letters X and O. Students place the beanbag on the Frisbee.

Then they have one minute to flip the beanbag into the air and catch it in the Frisbee as many

times as possible. (You might give students a few practice flips, so they get the hang of the

activity.) Students earn a point each time the beanbag lands inside the Frisbee on the opposite

side from the side it was on before the toss. Tally the number of points each student earns.

Recognize students with the most points at the award ceremony.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp315-01.shtml

TUBULAR 500

Equipment: A tube per team, 3-4 scooters, and pylons to outline the course

Objective: Successfully drive around the course without falling off your tube

How to play:

• Divide students into teams of 3 at minimum

• Each team has a driver that sits in the tube on the scooter, a driver who pushes the

tube, and the other player acts as a pit crew in case the scooter and tube fall apart

• Teams race around the course as fast as they can and once a lap is completed they

rotate positions

Variations:

• Use a flying disc or mini inner tube as a steering wheel

• Add a points system giving each team a point for each successful lap they complete

without colliding with another tube car

http://www.ciraontario.com/tubular500

4 GOAL INDOOR SOCCER

http://www.ciraontario.com/4goalindoorsoccer

Equipment: 2 gator balls, 4 benches, 4 sets of pinnies, and a number of refs to “spot” the game

and score keep

Objective: To have the least points, not goals against.

Setting up:

• Set up benches diagonally across the corners of the gym as the goals (or handball

goals)

• Walls, ceilings, backboards, etc. are in play

• Divide groups into 4 equal teams

How to play:

• Each team has a goal to defend as well as 3 goals to score on

• Teams try to have the least amount of points against them and they get points for

various things such as:

o A goal against= 1 point

o A hand-ball= 1 point

o An intentional head-ball= 2 points

o Dangerous play = anywhere from 3-10 points

• Play is continuous for as long as you wish

• If a team scores a goal the goalie tosses the ball back in and the play continues

• Spotters report to the scorekeeper to keep track of the score

• The team with the least amount of points against them wins

Variation:

• Have 5 teams- fifth team does not have a goal and their objective is to simply score

on the other teams

• Add a second ball for added chaos

• You can also add in non-athletic ways for teams to get points. For example: the last

team to tidy up at the end of the game, if a team continues to talk after the whistle is

blown, etc.

SWITCH 5 is one of my favourite 4 square playground games.

YouTube has a great video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uc0lYaZAhw

A WHOLE LOT OF Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) game docs

http://www.ciraontario.com/rockpaperscissorsrps

A WHOLE LOT OF Rope skipping games to play with your classes/kids follow this link:

http://www.ciraontario.com/ropeskipping

MOON ROCKS

Equipment: Big Ball, numerous half balls

Objective: Explode all of the moon rocks

Setting up:

• Place half balls in various locations around the gym with the cone up. Rough terrain

could also be added using hoops and noodles

• Divide class into equal teams of 3-7 students

How to play:

• One team at a time rolls the big ball attempting to hit the half balls, exploding

(squishing) the moon rocks

• The fastest team to explode the moon rocks wins

Variation: Non-competing teams create moon movers that can rebuild the moon rocks after they

are squished. The competing teams try to explore all the moon rocks before they can be rebuilt

http://www.ciraontario.com/moonrocks

WHAT’S IN A NAME? 30+ games and ideas for you and your students to learn each other's names.

http://assets.ngin.com/attachmen…/…/0061/3448/Name_Games.pdf

Name Games By: Hannah Braam

1. Have each person come up with an adjective to describe him/herself that begins with the

first letter of their name. For example, happy Hannah, joyful Judith, Mischievous Matt,

Caring Charis ... Then go around the room and each person must say each p

2. erson's description and name before them in order and then add him/herself to the list.

3. Find Someone Who: by Steve Bilba

Is born in the same month as you. _____________

Has a different religious belief than you. _____________

Has about the same size foot as you. _____________

Has the same number of siblings as you. _____________

Speaks a language different than English. _____________

Is the youngest sibling in their family _____________

Same colour hair _____________

Wears glasses _____________

Likes the same TV show as you _____________

Likes to sing _____________

4. Group Line-Up Activities: By: Steve Bilba

Line up according to:

- your height

- how tired you feel

- how much homework you still have to do this weekend

- the number of different countries you've visited

Where Do You Live?

Create a map to show where you live relative to the school and relative to each other by

standing around the compass.

(Use a scale like 1 km = 1 m).

Think and Share your Thoughts

In what ways are you the same as some of the students in the group?

In what ways are you unique?

How can this activity be adapted for children?

5. 5 Name Games

1. Students pass a ball (or wrapped up scrap paper ball) to each other. When passing the

ball they say their name and the name of the person they are passing the ball to.

2. Have five different students lead a different warm up exercise. “My name is John Byl,

and I will lead you in 10 jumping jacks. ”

3. Play any tag game. When a student is tagged they must report to the teacher, tell the

teacher their name, and they are free again to participate in the tag game. For subsequent

tags they need to say their name one thing about themselves.

4. Name memory. Have one person say their name. The next person says the first person

’s name and then adds their own. The third person says the first person ’s name, then the

second person ’s name, then adds their own …..

5. Name recipe. Give each person a recipe card and have them write one word about

themselves which begins with the same letter as their name. For example, “John ”writes

“jovial ”, or “Betty ”writes “basketball. ”Participants sit in a circle and one by one say

their name and their term. Participants toss their recipe card into the middle and 2-4

volunteers place the recipe cards in front of the right people.

Getting to Know Student’s Names By: John Byl

At the beginning of the school year you and the students will need to learn each other’s

names. I know of at least nineteen games that help in the process.

I. Students pass a ball (or wrapped up scrap paper ball) to each other. When passing

the ball they say their name and the name of the person they are passing the ball

to.

Variation: This could also be done with numerous objects going in many different

directions. Rubber chickens work great for enjoyment. A rolled up (clean) sock

works great if you are trying to go faster and faster. This could also be done with

numerous objects going in many different directions. Rubber chickens work great

for enjoyment. A rolled up (clean) sock works great if you are trying to go faster

and faster.

II. Have five different students lead a different warm up exercise. “My name is John

Byl, and I will lead you in 10 jumping jacks. ”

III. Play any tag game. When a student is tagged they must report to the teacher, tell

the teacher their name, and they are free again to participate in the tag game. For

subsequent tags they need to say their name one thing about themselves.

IV. Name memory. Have one person say their name. The next person says the first

person ’s name and then adds their own. The third person says the first person ’s

name, then the second person ’s name, then adds their own …..

V. Name recipe. Give each person a recipe card and have them write one word about

themselves which begins with the same letter as their name. For example, “John

”writes “jovial ”, or “Betty ”writes “basketball. ” Participants sit in a circle and

one by one say their name and their term. Participants toss their recipe card into

the middle and 2-4 volunteers place the recipe cards in front of the right people.

VI. Sitting in a circle they say their name and then introduce the person to their right

and left and you can add one thing the person likes to do. i.e. My name is Nancy

and to my right is Betty and she likes to dance and to my left is Greta and she

likes the band Green Day. You can do this in rows in a class room by introducing

the persons in front behind and to each of their sides.

VII. Students pass a ball (or wrapped up scrap paper ball) to each other. When passing

the ball they say their name and the name of the person they are passing the ball

to.

VIII. I have spent an entire day with the same students trying to get them to learn each

others name. There was a TV show a few years ago called "Dog Eat Dog "and I

structured my day www.ciraontario.com 7 around that game. The game had

contestants(students) that would compete against each other. I would play a round

of a learning name game similar to John's suggestions and then do a "Dog Eat

Dog "round. The students would vote for one person to compete. The two with

the most votes would go head to head in name recognition games for elimination.

Can be played as one large game with everyone in the class or in rounds with

smaller groups of 4-6. After elimination do another learning game then a

recognition game. Continue until you have a winner that "knows everyone in the

class "

IX. Stand facing a chair with hands on the back. (Another student sits on chair for

stability) Go around the room and point at all the students one at a time.

Competing students must name the children you are pointing at (Alternate) If

they make a mistake the chair moves forward one tile. Continue until one falls.

X. Stand on two desks. On a wrong name move the tables out one tile until one

student falls. Don't forget to stabilize.

XI. Spinning tops. On a wrong answer you spin once. Second wrong answer spin

twice... Continue until one topples. Have students stand around them in a circle to

catch and save.

XII. Add last names to any recognition game

XIII. Drop the curtain. Split the class in half and have them sit behind a blanket held

up. Each team brings one person to the blanket and you drop the blanket. First

person to say the name wins. Loser switches teams. A. Variations: Sit backwards

and team helps without saying name.Stick your foot through and ques from

shoes. etc

XIV. Name Tag Switch. Each person gets a name sticker. You must switch with

another person without talking until you all have the right name tags. A.

Variation: Count the number of switches and try to improve. You may only

switch with the person on your tag by your approach or if you are approached by

the person with your tag. I.e You can not seek out your own mane, it must come

to you.

XV. Order Up. Pick five or more names and they need to place them in the same

order. Could pick names from a hat. First person to get it correct wins.

XVI. Seat switch. Have a few students switch seats while players are blindfolded or out

of room. First person to figure them out wins.

XVII. Hangman. Students name students that teacher points to. Wrong answer means

spot on hangman. Continue until one loses.

XVIII. Another name game that we played at AAS-Moscow is Name Chain Tag. Decide

on 3-4 "taggers ". When a person is tagged they must join the chain and introduce

themselves, they then "huddle "as a chain and decide who will be their next

"victim ". The kids LOVED it!

XIX. Have each person come up with an adjective to describe him/herself that begins

with the first letter of their name. For example, happy Hannah, joyful Judith,

Mischievous Matt, Caring Charis... Then go around the room and each person

must say each person's description and name before them in order and then add

him/herself to the list.

Fun & Active Name Memory Game By: John Byl

Players stand in a circle facing each other.

The first person says their name accompanied by some kind of physical movement. I might

slowly exclaim "Jooo-hnn" while I take a big step forward and back. Everyone follows by saying

my name and doing the physical movement.

The next person beside me says my name and does the appropriate action, as does everyone else,

then exclaims their name "Jenn-i-feer" and accompanies that by an action, perhaps a V step with

a hop back (Step forward with the right foot at a 45 degree angle, then the the left foot, then hop

back in starting position). Everyone follows by saying the Jennifer's name and doing the

accompanying physical movement.

The next person repeats, as does everyone else, the previous two people's names and actions, and

then introduces their name with an accompanying action.

Continue till everyone has been introduced.

CIRA ONTARIO WORKSHOPS

Each year we lead over 100 workshops and we love to lead a workshop for your group of schools

at a conference, professional development day, or any other time and place on one of our

resources or other topic of interest. The bottom line is to help all kids enjoy fun active

participation and help teachers simplify this process. To discuss your event please contact Anna

at ciraontario@gmail.com or John at johnbyl50@gmail.com

http://www.ciraontario.com/workshops

Wig at work and play at the recent Ontario Physical Literacy Summit

OASPHE/CIRA Ontario 2016 Conference

Registration is open

One of the first 5 to register for the CIRA conference wins 5 CIRA books.

Go to the following location for more information and to register.

http://www.ciraontario.com/conference