Outdoor Safety Object Tag

Skill: Dodge, Hop, Jump, Run, Skip

Time Required: 10

Activity Type: Physical

Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group

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

Play area: 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.
Place a rope or another object in front of the objects so participants don't run into them.
Remind participants that are "it", that a tag is a light tap.

Equipment: Tress, rocks, benches, bushes and other objects and things outdoors can be used as the safety objects.
However, could add balls, bags, buckets, a chair, hoops and so on to the circle of safety objects.
Put a rope in front of each object to mark off where the "safety" object begins; this is so participants don't run into the objects.

Objective:

For participants to get to the "safety object" before getting tagged by "It".
Other Skills:
Speed
Agility

Set up:

The idea is to use the objects outdoors as the "safety objects". Objects include: a tree, a rock, a bench, a bush and so on. Ideally all these objects will form a shape that resembles a circle, and participants can stand in the centre of that circle.
Of course, asking the objects that don't move to form a circle may be a little difficult, so add other objects to create a circle. These other objects could be: balls, buckets, bags, a chair, hoops and so on.
Place a rope in front of each object. Participants will have to cross this line in order to be safe.

Step by Step:

1. Have all participants standing in the centre of all the safety objects.
2. Select one participant to start as "It".
3. They will stand in the centre and close their eyes.
4. When the leader says "Go", all the other participants are going to run to any safety object they choose. The leader can count to 10, or the participant that is "It" can count to 10.
5. When they get to 10, all participants should be at an object.
6. Then the participant that is "It" will name one of the safety objects. Let's say "it" says "Rock".
7. Then the rock is the object that all participants have to run to in order to be safe.
8. The participants that are already at the rock, are safe.
9. As soon as "it" says the safety object, they open their eyes and chase the participants running to that object.
10. Any participant that they tag are now "it" with them.
11. When the participants pass the rope in front of the object, they are safe and cannot be tagged.
12. All participants go back to the centre of the objects.
13. All participants that are now "it" close their eyes.
14. The leader will say "Go", and the participants go to an object while the participants that are "it" count to 10.
15. When they get to 10, the original "It" will name an object.
16. Continue until all participants are caught.

Variations:

Instead of joining "it" in the centre when participants are tagged, they will select an object to guard each round. They will stand a couple feet in front of the object (or rope), frozen and only able to move their arms. The original "It", will not know which objects the other "it" participants are guarding. They help tag the participants running to the safety object (if they chose the correct one).
If participants are at the safety object when it is called, they have to do 10 jumping jacks.
Participants have to hop/jump/skip to their original safety object.
Start with two participants that are "it".
Have more or less safety objects.
If playing indoors, just place objects around the room.

Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.