Walk and Balance the Line

Skill: Balance, Jump, Run, Skip, Walk
Time Required: 10
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space)
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the activity area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Equipment: Lines on a gymnasium floor.
Optional to add lines with tape.
Beanbags (4 different colours).
Objective:
Participants follow the lines on the floor to collect their beanbag and bring it back to their home.
Set up:
Divide participants into 4 equal groups.
Have each group start at a corner of the gym.
Step by Step:
1. The leader will place 4 beanbags (1 colour for each group) in the centre of the gym, or on any line. Be sure that each group's beanbag is the same distance away.
2. When the activity begins, the first participant in each group will start to walk/run to their beanbag.
3. One participant from each group will go at a time.
4. They can only walk/run on the lines of the floor. If a participant steps off a line or doesn't go across a line, they have to go back to the start.
5. When they get to their beanbag, they will pick it up and place it on their head.
6. They will have to walk back to their group using the lines on the floor while balancing the beanbag on their head.
7. If the beanbag falls off their head at anytime, the participant will have to do 5 jumping jacks before picking it up and putting it back on their head and continuing.
8. If two participants end up on the same line and walking towards each other, they will both have to turn around and choose another route.
9. Last team to bring back their beanbag have to do a set exercise/activity, such as 10 push ups, a lap around the activity space, 10 burpees and so on.
10. The leader will place another 4 beanbags around the activity space and on lines.
11. OR the leader will place one beanbag for each participant. If there are four participants on each team, then the leader will place four of the same coloured beanbags for each team.
12. When one participant returns with one beanbag, the next participant goes to get another beanbag.
Variations:
Participants have to skip, do a bear walk, walk backwards or another movement while getting the beanbag.
Participants have to walk back with the beanbag under their chin, balancing the beanbag on their outstretched hand, or another balancing activity.
For every step participants take they have to throw their beanbag in the air and catch it. If they drop it, they have to do 5 jumping jacks before continuing.
Divide participants into two teams and participants leave from one corner, get their beanbag and then have to go to the corner diagonal to them.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.