Side Shuffle and Tag

Skill: Dodge, Run
Time Required: 10
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Remind participants that a tag is a light tap.
Equipment: 3 pylons per participant (or can use beanbags or pinnies or another marker).
Objective:
For participants to do the set amount of side shuffles, and then try to tag their opponent before they get tagged.
Other Skills:
Side Shuffle
Coordination
Speed
Set up:
Divide participants into pairs.
Each pair will get 6 pylons. Each participant will set two of their pylons around 10 feet across from each other and the third pylon around 15-20 feet behind the two. Their opponent will mirror this set up, and have their two pylons 1-2 feet in front of their opponent's two pylons.
Step by Step:
1. The goal is for the participants to do the set amount of side shuffles, and then tag their opponent and run and touch their pylon before they get tagged.
2. The participants will stand facing their opponent and at opposite sides of their two pylons.
3. The leader will say a number of side shuffles before each round.
4. A side shuffle is side shuffling from one pylon to their other.
5. If the leader said 5 side shuffles, then when the leader says "Go!", each participant will side shuffle from one pylon to the other 5 times.
6. After they've done their fifth side shuffle they yell "Done", and can now tag their opponent.
7. If they're both done their side shuffles, then they can both try to tag each other.
8. If participant A manages to tag participant B first, then participant A starts to run to their pylon that is behind them. If they get to their pylon before getting tagged by participant B, they win that round.
9. If participant B tagged participant A before they got to their pylon, then participant B starts to run to their pylon.
10. Continue until a participant makes it to their pylon.
11. If one participant finishes their side shuffles before their opponent, then they can go tag the participant and that participant cannot get out of the way. However, as soon as they're tagged, they can chase their opponent.
12. Play until one participant gets a certain amount of points, or spells a word (one letter for each round won).
13. Switch partners. Could have the loser to face another loser and a winner to face another winner.
Variations:
Have participants get into pairs. Have the same set up, but have one participant stand behind their partner and in front of the third pylon. As soon as participants are done their side shuffles, they run to the other team's third pylon. They have to try and get past the defender and knock over the pylon. If the defender tags them, then they run and take the place of the defender and the defender runs to the other pylon.
Have them skip, do lunges, run and so on from pylon to pylon.
Participants have to wait until their opponent has done the designated activity before they can be tagged.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.