Jumping Jack Soccer

Skill: Dribble, Kick, Run, Trap
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.
Remind participants that their ball should stay on the ground when kicking.
Equipment: Soccer balls
Cones (optional to create boundaries)
Objective:
For participants who are "it", to kick the soccer ball through other participants legs when they are frozen.
Other Skills: Coordination
Set up:
If playing indoors, the boundaries can be the outside lines of the gym. If playing outdoors or indoors where there are no lines, set up boundaries using pylons to create a playing space.
Designate two participants to start as "it", and give them each a soccer ball.
Have a bag of soccer ball on the outside of the play area.
Step by Step:
1. On the word "go", all participants will start to run around the play area.
2. "Its" will run around while dribbling their soccer ball.
3. When the leader yells "Jumping Jack Freeze!", all participants have to freeze where the are.
4. Participants that are not "it", have to freeze like they are doing a jumping jack, so they will have their legs spread apart and their arms in the air.
5. Participants that are "it", will freeze where they are with their ball.
6. Participants that are "it", have 15 seconds to kick their ball and try to get it through a participant's legs.
7. If they get it through a participant's legs, then that participant is now also "it".
8. When all "its" have kicked their ball, all participants are unfrozen and running around.
9. Any participant who are now "it", go get a soccer ball from the side.
10. Continue until there is one participant left that is not "it" or for a set amount of time.
Variations:
Could use dodgeballs and they have to roll or throw the ball through the legs of participants.
Start with more participants as "It". When they kick the ball through another participant's legs, then that participant takes their place as being "It" and the previous "It" is now a runner.
Doesn't have to go through legs, just has to hit a participant's foot.

Adaptations (General):
Consider allowing participants with a disability who are "it" additional time (up to 30 seconds) to kick the ball through the legs of another participant.

Adaptations (Blindness/Visual Impairment):
Have another participant guide those who are blind or visually impaired.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.