Break Into the Prison

Skill: Dodge, Run

Time Required: 15

Activity Type: Physical

Group Size: Large Group, Medium 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 the tag is a gentle tap, not a push.

Equipment: Pylons, rope or hoops for the two prisons.
Pylons or rope for boundaries, if needed.

Objective:

For each team to run into the other team's prison when there are no prisoners in there to win the game!

Set up:

If indoors, use the outside lines of the gym as boundaries and divide the area in half. Set up a small prison on the opposite corners using pylons, rope or hoop. One side has their prison on the left side, and the other side has theirs on the right side.
If outdoors, use pylons or rope to create the outside boundaries as well as the prisons.
Divide the participants into two equal teams.
Have each team stand on one half of the area, no one is in the prison yet!

Step by Step:

1. In order to win, a participant has to run into the other team's prison when there are no prisoners inside and without getting tagged.
2. However, as soon as a participant steps on the other team's side, they can be tagged by the other team.
3. If they are tagged, they have to go to the prison.
4. In order to free prisoners, participants have to run to the prison (without getting tagged), and give their teammate a high five.
5. Those two then get a free walk back to their side.
6. Participants can only free one prisoner at a time.
7. Play for a set amount of time, and if no team has managed to run into the prison when there were no prisoners inside, then the team with the most prisoners in their prison at the end, wins!
8. If a participant steps out of bounds, they automatically go to prison.

Variations:

When a participant runs to the prison without getting tagged, they free all the prisoners inside.
Divide the area into 4 equal parts and divide the participants into 4 teams. If a participant from another team manages to run into another team's prison when there are no prisoners (from any team), then they score a point and that team loses a point. Play for a certain amount of time, and the team with the most points at the end, wins.

Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.