Jump Up Seven Up

Skill: Catch, Jump, Throw
Time Required: 10
Activity Type: Physical, Transition
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs
Play area: Classroom (small indoor space), 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: 7 tennis balls
Objective:
For participants to guess who put the tennis ball in their hand.
Set up:
Have all participants sitting down in an area on the grass, or on the floor, or at desks.
Select 7 participants to start as "it", or as the tennis ball distributors. They will stand at the front of the area and will each have a tennis ball.
Step by Step:
1. All of the participants, except the seven that are "it", will be sitting down with their eyes closed, and bury their face in their knees.
2. They will hold one hand out with their palm facing up.
3. The seven will walk around and give their tennis ball to one participant by placing it in their hand. Give participants a minute to select a participant.
4. After a participant gives their tennis ball to a participant sitting down, they will go and stand at the front.
5. When all seven participants are standing at the front, the leader will call "Jump Up Seven Up", and all the participants will jump up into the air. Unless they are at desks, then they will stand up.
6. All participants will march on the spot.
7. Any participant that has a tennis ball will hold it in the air.
8. The leader will call on one participant at a time to guess who gave them the tennis ball.
9. They will say the name and then throw the tennis ball to that person.
10. If they are right, the participant will throw the ball back to them and then do 5 jumping jacks, and then they will switch places.
11. If they are wrong, the participant will keep the ball, and the participant that guessed will do 5 jumping jacks.
12. Once all participants have guessed, have participants put their heads down and close their eyes and go again.
Variations:
Use a beanbag or another ball instead of a tennis ball.
When participants guess wrong, or if they were guessed, they have to run to a certain object (such as a pylon) and back, or do another exercise.
All participants have to jog on the spot when participants are guessing.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.