Beltway Bambinos

The fresh air during this time of social distancing has done wonders to my anxiety- thank goodness it is spring and not winter. We have enjoyed plenty of walks, hikes, runs and bike rides and now it’s time to introduce some good ole fashioned games! Consider this your PE component of homeschool! Take note of the games involving touching/tagging and determine how you will carry that out while distancing yourselves. Perhaps instead of getting close to the person you set a rule that you can say, “found you {insert name}”. Have fun and we hope this brings joy and laughter to your family!

Wall Ball {rules typed by my eight year old}-
You need a ball that can be bounced around and a wall that the ball can be hit against. Everyone starts with 3 lives. First, someone throws the ball against the wall if you catch it the person who threw it is out. If you touch the ball and it hits the ground you have to run to the wall before someone throws the ball against the wall. The last person to be in the game wins.

Steal the Bacon-
Teams are divided evenly and each person is assigned a number. Each team stands on opposite sides with a shoe {or something easy to hold} sitting in the middle. When a number is called, the designated players from each team run for the item in the middle and try to get it back to their side. If they succeed, they get a point.

Red Light, Green Light-
One child is “it” and turns his back to a line of players. When “it” says “Green Light,” the players move forward trying to reach him. When “it” says “Red Light,” he turns around to look at the players. Anyone seen moving has to return to the starting line. The first child to reach “it” wins and takes over that job for the next round.

Hide & Seek-
This can definitely be payed practicing social distancing. Rules do vary so talk it out before beginning. Count to twenty, sometimes ten, sometimes one hundred. Some play with a home base that you can run to and tag, becoming “safe,” sometimes you just wait to be found. The general idea is that one person is “it,” that person closes his or her eyes and counts to a certain number without looking and then he or she tries to find the others. Set ground-rules as to where you can and cannot hide, especially when playing with kids and being outside.

Mother May I-
This game is set up in the same way as Red Light Green Light. One person in the group asks the person in the front, “Mother, may I take steps forward?” The person at the front then says, “Yes, you may.” or “No, you may not.” You can vary your requests by including options such as taking baby steps, spinning steps, leaps or whatever strikes your fancy. Again, the first person to tag the person in the front wins and is the next person in the front. 

Simon Says-
This game can be played anywhere, even in a car or other small space. One person is Simon and starts by saying, “Simon says, ‘[insert action here]’. ” Everyone must then do the action. If Simon makes an action request without saying, “Simon says” to begin the request, anyone who does that action is out. The last person still playing in the end will be Simon for the next round.

Shadow, TV & Flashlight Tag-
Tag each other’s shadow with your feet instead of tagging their body.
A variation of freeze tag where the person unfreezing the frozen player has to call out a TV show title.
Hand all the kids flashlights and start a round of Hide-and-Seek; the first kid caught in a beam of light takes over the role of the seeker. 

Kick the Can-
This game is a combo of tag and hide & seek. One person {or a team of people} are designated as “it” and a can is placed in the middle of the playing area. The other people run off and hide while the “it” covers their eyes and counts to a certain number. “It” then tries to find everyone. If a person is tagged by “it” {or you can just call them by name and not touch}, they go into a holding area aka jail for captured players. A player who has not yet been caught can free the jailed players by kicking the can, either one at a time or all at once, depending on the rules you employ.

Musical Chairs-
In a circle, arrange chairs {separate four-six feet from each other if you prefer} facing outward to total one fewer than the number of players. As a player to be in charge of the music. When the music starts, the players walk around the chairs. When the music stops, players sit down in the nearest chair as soon as they can. The one player who does not have a chair is out. One of the chairs is then removed, and the game continues in this manner. The player that sits in the final chair is the winner.

Monkey in the Middle-
You try to keep the ball away from one person while throwing it back and forth with your partner. If the person does get the ball, whoever threw it is now the monkey in the middle. No points, no winning, just keeping away.

Silent Ball-
A group tosses a ball around. If you drop it, you’re out. If you make a bad pass, you’re out. If you make a noise, you’re out. Last person in wins.

Four Square-
My favorite childhood recess game. The rules are more than the rest so click here.

Four Corners-
Same court as four-square, except runners stand on each of the four big corners while one person stands in the middle. People on corners try to swap before the person in the middle can get to either corner. If the person in the middle reaches a corner, the person they stole it from becomes the person in the middle.

Kickball-
Another classic but sometimes the rules vary, check out these.

Sharks & Minnows-
One player is chosen to be “the shark.” The rest are “minnows.” The minnows try to get from the designated starting point to the designated finishing point without getting tagged by the shark. If you are tagged, you are a shark. Last minnow wins.

Pickle-
Two bases are marked {with chalk, beanbags..}, and each is guarded by a player who throws and catches a baseball, tennis ball or wiffle ball. One or more players try to run back and forth between the bases without being tagged out by the people with the ball.

Red Rover- {admittedly not the best during this time of social distancing but save for better days}
Two groups stand in parallel lines facing each other. Each line must hold hands. One line declares one person they would like sent over, yelling “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Molly over.” The designated person — in this case Molly — makes a run for the line. If the two players who are targeted are unable to maintain their grip and Molly breaks through, she chooses one of the kids that she broke through to take back to her team. If she doesn’t break through, she has to stay with the other team. The game ends when everyone is in one line. *This game is controversial, play at own risk.

Hopscotch-
Use some sidewalk chalk and make a hopscotch grid. Number the squares from one to nine. Since so many people are walking, they can participate in your game on their way.

Some items you may consider purchasing-
Kickball
Obstacle course stones
Jump rope
Sidewalk chalk
Hula hoop
Gardening tools
Parachute

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