Chicken's First Word

Skill: Jump, Run, Throw
Time Required: 25
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), 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 when running into the hoops.
Equipment: 2 rubber chickens
26 hoops (one for each letter of the alphabet)
Pylon or rope for participants to stand behind
Pieces of paper with each letter placed in the hoops, or taped on a beanbag and placed in each hoop
List of different word rules (see bottom of the step by step section for examples of rules)
Objective:
For participants to think of a word that follows all the rules that were outlined by the leader, before the other participant does.
Set up:
Set up the 26 hoops in the centre of the gym or area in any arrangement, but make sure there are no gaps between the hoops.
Place one piece of paper/beanbags with the letters randomly in each hoop.
Have one pylon or rope on opposite ends of the lettered hoops. Make sure they are the same distance from the hoops and are close enough that participants can throw a rubber chicken to the hoops.
Divide the participants into two equal teams.
Give each team a rubber chicken.
Step by Step:
1. The first participant in each team will stand at the pylon (or rope), holding their rubber chicken. The rest of the participants will stand in a line to the side of them.
2. The leader will say what rule(s) the participants have to follow for this round.
3. Rules are about the words participants can say. They can be about how many letters, what letter they begin with, a category they have to fall under and so on. At the end of this section are examples of rules.
4. Let's say the rule for this round is "A 4 letter word that starts with the letter your chicken lands in".
5. The leader will tell all the participants this rule.
6. Then, when the leader says "Fly Chicken", "Go", "Word Up", blows a whistle or however they decide on starting each round, the two participants throw their chicken into the lettered hoops.
7. As soon as their chicken lands in a hoop, that participant runs to their chicken, stands in the hoop and tries to think of a 4 letter word that starts with the letter their chicken landed in before the other participant does.
8. If it landed in "D", then the participant can say "deer", "doom", "digs" , "dove", "dent", "damp" and so on.
9. If they say their word before the other participant, then their team gets a point. Could have beanbags or another object to be used as points for each team.
10. Losing team has to do 5 jumping jacks (or squats, lunges, sit ups etc...)
11. Both participants run back to their team and give the rubber chicken to the next participant in line, and waits for a new rule (if there is one) or for the leader to say "Go".
12. If after 30 seconds (or so), neither participant has thought of a word, then the next participant in line for both teams will run to their teammate and help them out, or the leader can change the rule.
13. Continue until a team has a certain amount of points, for a set amount of time or until all participants have had a turn.
14. Change the rules as often as you wish. Make sure they are challenging, yet possible for participants to think up words.
15. Example of rules:
A (insert number) letter word that starts with/ends with/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
A (insert number) syllable word that starts with/ends with/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
Any word that starts with/ends with/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
A food that starts with/ends with/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
A food that has (insert number) letters in it that starts/ends/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
An animal that starts/ends/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
A sport related word that starts/ends/contains the letter your chicken lands in.
Variations:
Could have 4 teams, or make it an individual game.
Use a foam ball or another object to throw instead of a rubber chicken.
Create different rules.
In each hoop have two letters, and participants have to think of a word that uses both letters.
The participant that won will take the hoop and letter and put it on their side. Play until there are no hoops left.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.