Pool Freeze Tag

Skill: Swim

Time Required: 15

Activity Type: Physical

Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group

Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs

Play area: Classroom (small indoor space)

Safety Considerations: Ensure all the leaders are watching the participants at all times.
If participants are only allowed in the shallow end, be sure that they remain in the shallow end.
Participants have to wear floatation devices if needed.
Remind participants that a tag is light tap.
Remind participants to always look where they are going and to be aware of other participants and the walls of the pool.

Equipment: A pool filled with water!
Flotation devices, if required.
Pool noodles (optional).

Objective:

This activity is to be done in a pool.
One or two participants will start as the octopi, and they have to try and tag the other participants, who are the fish.
Other Skills:
Coordination
Speed

Set up:

Have participants starting in the shallow end of the pool.
Select one or more participants to start as it (the octopi).

Step by Step:

1. The octopi will swim and try to tag the other participants, who are the fish.
2. When a fish is tagged, they have to freeze where they are and hold their arms out so they are on top of the water.
3. In order to be unfrozen, another fish has to either swim under one of their arms or through their legs (if the participants are skilled enough swimmers).
4. A participant cannot be tagged when they are swimming under a participant's arm or through their legs.
5. Play for a couple minutes, then select one or more different participants to be the octopi.
6. Optional for the octopi to have pool noodles and they have to tag the fish with the pool noodles.

Variations:

When a participant is tagged, they have to swim to the deep end any way they wish or swim doing a front crawl, back crawl, breast stroke or another way determined by the leader, and back to the play area.
When a participant is tagged, they join the team of octopi and try to tag the other fish.
When a fish is tagged with a pool noodle, they become the octopus and take the pool noodle and the participant that was the octopus becomes a fish.

Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.