Hobbies And Interests
Everybody's It
Tag is a game that has been around for years that kids love to play over and over again. Playing Tag, however, can become boring for adolescents. A lot of times you will see the kids just standing around not really participating in the game. Take that old game of Tag, and turn it into a crazy game of tag called Everybody Is It.
Everybody Is It is simple. Instead of having just one person trying to tag everybody, everybody is trying to tag each other. When someone is tagged, that person must sit down. If the person who tagged them is tagged, then the person who was originally tagged can stand back up. If two people tag each other at the same time, then both of them must sit down for 30 seconds. After the 30 seconds are up, they may get up and resume play. The object of the game is to tag everyone else so that only one person is left standing. If it appears that nobody can accomplish this task or time is beginning to run out, have everybody stand back up and announce that now if you get tagged, you are out. If two people tag each other at the same time, they are out. This will help the game to come to an end.
To add a twist to Everybody Is It, split everyone into teams. If there is a large group, make three or more teams, but with a group of about 16 or less, two teams is just fine. The only rule change would be if a team member tags another team member, he would not have to sit down.
When setting up this game, make sure you set clear boundaries for the kids. Otherwise, they will go to all limits to avoid being tagged. Also, check the field of play to make sure that it is a safe area for them to play and point out any obstacles for them to avoid.
Marshmallow Dodgeball
Regular dodgeball can be dangerous at this age group depending on the varying size and coordination of the kids. Instead of playing regular dodgedall, play Marshmallow Dodgedall. Winning the game is still the same. Be the team with the last person standing. Using marshmallows adds a whole new level of craziness and excitement to dodgeball; it appeals to the mischievous nature of kids without breaking any rules or getting anybody hurt.
When playing Marshmallow Dodgeball, you may need to adjust the size of the field of play due to the unpredictability of how well the kids can throw the marshmallows. Feel free to use any variations of dodgeball. Adding a twist after the kids have been playing for a little while presents a new challenge and keeps them interested. One such variation is Dr. Dodgeball, which allows each team to have a "doctor" on their side. If anyone gets hit, the doctor can heal them by tagging them, which allows anyone the doctor tags to stand back up and resume play. If the doctor gets hit, then he is out, and the team will have lost the ability to be healed.