Find the Buried Jewels

Skill: Jump, Run
Time Required: 15
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs
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.
Equipment: A lot of cones/pylons.
Half as many beanbags (jewels) as cones/pylons.
Timer (optional)
Objective:
For teams to find the most hidden jewels that are under the cones.
Other Skills:
Speed
Set up:
Scatter cones/pylons around a large area.
Place a beanbag under half (or so) of the pylons, so that they are hidden (be sure to remember how many are hidden).
Divide participants into teams of 3-4 participants, or if there aren't that many participants have them get into pairs.
Use a line in the gym or use pylons to set up a starting line that is about 10-15 meters away from the pylons.
Each participant will line up with their team behind the starting line.
Step by Step:
1. The first participant in line for each team will start the hunt for the buried jewels (aka beanbags).
2. When the leader says "Search", the search will begin.
3. Participants have 15-20 seconds (or so) to run to a pylon and lift it up and see if there is a jewel hidden underneath.
4. If there is, they pick it up and run to their team and place it next to their line (or in a hoop).
5. If there isn't a jewel, then they have to run back to their team, and they all have to do 5 jumping jacks.
6. This timing rule is optional. If a participant is not past the starting line in the 15-20 seconds time limit, then they lose the jewel if they found one, or if they didn't find a jewel, then the next round no one from their team can go on the hunt. This is just to be sure that the participants are running there and back.
7. Whether they found a jewel or not, the participants will leave the cone exactly where it was.
8. Those participants go to the end of their line, and when the leader says "Search", the next participant in each line will hunt for a jewel.
9. Game is over when all the jewels are found.
10. The team with the most jewels at the end wins.
Variations:
Don't have a time limit, just be sure that the participants are running (or doing another form of movement: skipping, hopping, walking backwards etc.) to the cones.
Have different objects hidden under the pylons, and assign a different point value to each one. Beanbags are worth 1 jewel, a tennis ball is worth 2 jewels, a badminton birdie is worth 3 jewels, and have 1 coin that is worth 5 jewels.

Adaptations (General):
Consider allowing additional time for participants with a disability to "search" for the jewels (up to 30 seconds if necessary).
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.