Jump the Route

Skill: Hop, Jump
Time Required: 20
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Pair, 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.
Equipment: Hoops
Paper or index cards
Pens/Pencils
Objective:
For participants to jump through the hoops in the correct route from home to their destination, that is secretly created by the mapper.
Set up:
Divide the participants into groups of 4-5.
For each group, set up a "map" using hoops. Could have 16 hoops in a 4 by 4 square, or 25 hoops in a 5 by 5 square, or 15 hoops in a 5 by 3 rectangle, or however the participants or the leader chooses.
Give each group paper or index cards and a pen.
Step by Step:
1. Each group will select who will start as the mapper.
2. On the piece of paper or index card, the mapper will draw the set up of the hoops, using circles or dots for each hoop. The leader can draw the hoops and/or route on pieces of paper or index cards before hand.
3. The starting hoop (home) will be the bottom left hoop, and the finish hoop (destination) will be the top right hoop (this can change each round).
4. The mapper will draw their route from the starting hoop to finish hoop, without the rest of their group seeing.
5. The route has to go to hoops that are directly beside, in front or behind the hoop last used, they cannot go diagonally.
6. The lines/route cannot overlap, and a hoop cannot be used more than once.
7. See document attached for an example of a route.
8. The leader can check each mapper's route to be sure it follows the rules.
9. The rest of the participants in the group are standing by "home".
10. The first participant in line will jump in the first hoop. Participants always have to jump in the hoops.
11. Now they have to decide if the route goes to the hoop in front or the hoop to their right.
12. They jump in one of them.
13. If they chose correctly, the mapper will say "Green Light" and the participant will have to choose another hoop to jump into (one that is beside, in front or behind them, but not one that has already been used in the route).
14. If they chose incorrectly, the mapper will say "Dead End", and that participant will leave the map and go to the end of the line.
15. The next participant will jump in the first hoop, and try to remember which hoop to jump into and/or which hoop not to jump into.
16. Whenever a participant reaches a "dead end", they have to go back to their line and the next participants jumps in.
17. The participant to jump through the map from home to the destination without any dead ends, wins that round! They can be the next mapper.
Variations:
Space the hoops further away for older participants, and if they don't jump with both feet landing in the hoop, it's a crash, and they go to the end of the line.
If they're jumping to a hoop to their right, they have to hop over and land only on their right foot, same for a hoop on their left, but with their left foot. When they're jumping to a hoop that is in front or behind them, they land on both feet.
Change the "home" and "destination" hoop, or don't tell participants where the destination hoop is located.
For younger participants, allow them to put a beanbag in a hoop they know is incorrect.
Use more or less hoops.
Have bigger or smaller groups.

Adaptations (Mobility Impairment):
If participants with a mobility limitation are unable or uncomfortable jumping from hoop to hoop, consider allowing them to step, wheel, or move between hoops in whatever fashion is best for them.

Adaptations (Cognitive/Learning Impairment):
Encourage team members to collaborate so that participants with a cognitive disability do not inadvertently jump into a hoop that has already been jumped into.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.
Attachments: Download