What Matters
Explore that external factors such as court size, team size, equipment and rules have on our enjoyment and willingness to participate and stay involved.
Kazoodle Noodle: Here's a game that can be used to show all sorts of things. It is well worth while booking a hangout or skype chat to get some ideas about how to make the most of it.
A good warm-up game for the whole class.
Two circles need to be marked out with cones. The inner circle roughly 4-5 meters in diameter and the outer circle roughly around 10-12 meters in diameter.
The inner circle is jail. On the outside of the large circle is the safe zone and the space in between is where the two boffer taggers live.
Four to five people need to start in jail, two taggers need to be chosen and the rest of the group remains on the outside of the large circle. The aim of the game is to try and free those classmates in jail. This is achieved by running through the danger zone at the outside of the inner circle and giving someone in jail ten high tens (double high five) without getting struck (below the hips) by a tagger! If you manage to do this then the person in jail gets a free walk but you have to run back to the outside of the large circle without getting tagged again.
If you get tagged by a boffer you must then go to jail.
You may also give the person in jail any number of high tens if you are short of time and needing to make a hasty retreat to the safety of the outside of the circle. The person in jail can tick off these high tens until they have accumulated ten in total and then are free to walk.
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Another important note is that the two taggers are not allowed to run through the inner circle (jail) or tag anyone safely standing outside the large circle.
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Once everyone is free from jail start a new game and change the taggers and those who started in jail the first time around.
Rob the Nest - We all know this simple game but here's a few ideas about how to use it to bring about some deeper reflection about external factors that impact on participation.
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Octopus
A familar game used to explore hazards, court size, equipment, the talk of play, behaviour and tone createdAlso lets you consider needs and wants and take responsibility for making changes to the game that enhance wellbeing and everyones sense of hauora.
Round 1 - normal octopus or seaweed
Round 2- shrink the court until a perfect size is found
Round 3 - include a "second chance rule" eg. first tag you must continue with your hand on the tagged place, second tag you are stuck
Round 4 - give the taggers noodles and do not allow them to run
Round 5 Play with two teams of runners. Teams alternate to cross the court one travelling top to bottom, the other left to right.
If tagged runners must face the direction they were running
Complete a cause and effect chart or similar (remember to think about fun, behaviour/tone created by each version, ease to officiate, safety)
It is also interesting to think about which version would suit a specific purpose eg. parent/student picnic, class challenge, lunchtime unsupervised play
Risk - a striking a fielding game used explore the impact of rules and game set up on a players experience.
Pass n Sting Focus on the impact of competition and co-operation
Partners move around the area passing a bean bag to each other. When the teacher calls "change" the player with the beanbag may aim the beanbag at their partner.
If successful the partner can try to hit them back. When the teacher calls "change" again the partners go back to being friendly.
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