Fun Games to Play at Recess

Red Light/Green Light

• The red light/green light game involves players trying to touch the player that is the traffic signal. The traffic signal starts the game by standing between 15 and 20 feet away from the other players who are lined up in a horizontal line. The traffic signal faces away from other players and when she says "green light," all the players run toward her. When she says "red light," everyone must stop. Then the traffic signal turns around and any player she catches moving is out of the game. The game continues until all the players are caught moving on red light by the traffic signal, or a player touches the traffic signal. If a player touches the traffic signal, he becomes the traffic signal for the next game.

500

• In 500, players compete trying to catch a football. The quarterback stands 20 feet or more in front of the other players. He throws the ball into the air and announces a point value between 50 and 250 points. If a player catches the ball she adds that many points to her score. If she touches it but misses it, she subtracts that amount of points from her score. The goal of the game is to reach 500 points. The first player to reach 500 points becomes the new quarterback and everyone else&'s scores reset to zero.

Kick the Can

• One player is chosen to be "it" and he counts to 25 while the rest of the players hide. After counting, "it" places a coffee can on the ground and goes looking for the other players. Once "it" spots a player she calls that player&'s name out. The player then must run and try to kick the can over before "it" can tag him. If he kicks the can before being tagged, "it" must count to 25 again giving the player time to hid again. If "it" tags the player first, that player becomes the new "it" and everyone has 25 seconds to hide again.