Act-ive Out

Skill: Balance, Hop, Jump, Run, Skip
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 when moving around.
Equipment: No equipment necessary.
Objective:
For participants to act out the movement and scenario given by the leader.
Set up:
Participants can be scattered in a gym, outdoors or in a smaller room.
Be sure to adjust activities based on the environment and size of space.
Step by Step:
1. Leader will have a list of sentences to read to the participants that have an action/movement (such as jump) and how they are to jump (as if trying to pick an apple on a high branch).
2. Participants will act out those actions for 15-20 seconds and then the leader will read another sentence.
3. Be sure that if you are in a small space to keep the actions more stationary.
4. Example of sentences:
a) Run (on the spot) as if you're running from a Sasquatch.
b) Swim as if you're swimming in a pool of pudding.
c) Jump as if you're a frog
d) Walk as if you're on a tight rope.
e) Hop from one foot to the other as if you're on hot coals.
f) Shake your body as if there are spiders crawling all over you.
g) Jump as if you're trying to give a giant a high five.
h) Run as if you're avoiding banana peels that are all over the ground.
i) Rock out as if you're playing the air guitar.
j) Hop as if you're the Easter bunny hiding eggs.
k) Skip as if you're Dorothy/Tin Man/Cowardly Lion/Scarecrow on the Yellow Brick Road.
l) Walk/Run as if you're a scarecrow.
m) Dance as if you're a robot.
n) Walk as if you're made of jello.
o) Move as if you're a chipmunk sneakily stealing food from a picnic.
Variations:
Choose sentences/activities that are appropriate for the participants.
Have participants come up with sentences.
Give participants more time to do certain activities if you have the space for them to move around.

Adaptations (General):
Try to develop a series of actions which correspond with the abilities and strengths of all participants.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.