Deck of Cards Run Around

Skill: Balance, Hop, Jump, Run, Skip
Time Required: 25
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Ensure there are no safety hazards or obstacles in the play area.
Make sure the exercises are age and skill appropriate.
Equipment: Deck of playing cards
Chart of fitness challenges (or if there is a board available, that can be used).
Objective:
Participants to perform the appropriate exercise determined by the card drawn.
Other Skills: (depends on activities selected)
Endurance
Agility
Set up:
The leader, or the group, will determine what each card means and write it on a chart paper or on a board.
Divide the group into two groups (groups should ideally have 5-6 participants)
Have the groups get into a straight line facing the other team and with a deck of cards in the middle.
The deck of cards is to be split in half and face down on a bench, chair, or on the ground.
Step by Step:
The two groups should be lined up on their side, and the deck of cards split in half in the middle.
When the leader says "Go", the first participant in each line will run to the deck of cards and draw the top card of their half of the deck.
The participant with the higher card, runs back to their group and they jog on the spot.
The participant with the lower card returns to their group and they do the designated activity determined by the card they drew as a group.
If the cards they drew are the same, they both run back to their groups and the next participant in each line runs to the middle to draw the next card.
Continue until there are no more cards, or play for a designated period of time.
Examples of cards could be: 6= 10 Jumping Jacks, 10= 5 burpees, 3= 10 squats, 5= 15 hops on one foot, heart= 20 high knees, king= 5 push ups etc...
Variations:
Could use only numbered cards (no face cards).
Increase the number of exercises participants have to do for each card.
Can include equipment into the exercises.
Increase or decrease the number of participants per group.
Could create 3 groups, and the two highest cards, go back and jog on the spot.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network