Rubbert Chicken's Route Home

Skill: Balance, Catch, Hop, Jump, Kick, Run, Throw
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: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Make sure the other activities are not too close to the route, but ensure that all participants are being supervised at all times. If there are not enough leaders, then have participants watch each team do the route.
Equipment: 6-8 rubber chickens (or can use balls or other equipment instead of some chickens).
8 or more pylons.
Stopwatch (optional).
Objective:
For participants to complete the different chicken stations with their group.
Other Skills:
Coordination
Set up:
Set up each pylon (check point) to create the route, use the attached document as an example of the set up (1 pylon + home for the number of participants on a team). Of course, feel free to set up the path from pylon to pylon however works best for the space and participants.
Put 4-5 chickens at the starting pylon.
Create a square using pylons at the end for the destination (home).
Divide the participants into groups of 5-6.
If there is enough space, create two routes and have two teams go at once. If not, have an area near the route for participants to do different activities.
Step by Step:
1. Go through the route with all participants before starting this activity.
2. Select one team to start in the route, and they have to get Rubbert home!
3. The other teams will be in the open space and will do some other activities with chickens while waiting their turn. Examples of activities are listed at the end of this section.
4. One participant from the "route" team will stand at each pylon, and one in Rubbert's "home".
5. The participant at the first pylon will start with the chicken.
6. Please see the attached document and below for examples of exercises/actions/movements to do from one pylon to the other.
7. When the leader says "Take Rubbert Home" (or Go), the time can start (if you wish to time each team).
8. The first participant will put the Rubbert between their knees, and jump from their pylon to the second pylon.
9. When they get to the second pylon, they will give Rubbert to the second participant. That participant will hold Rubbert in one hand above their head, and hop on one foot to the next pylon.
10. The third participant will take Rubbert, and place him between their elbows. They will then skip to the next pylon where the fourth participant is waiting.
11. The fourth participant will take Rubbert, and place him under his chin and then crab walk over to the fifth participant. If you don't wish to the crab walks, then the participant can put Rubbert under their chin and lunge to the next participant.
12. The fifth participant takes Rubbert, and takes 3 running steps back and then tosses Rubbert to the sixth participant who will be standing in the home.
13. He made it home! The sixth participant will catch Rubbert, drop him in the home, and run around to the starting pylon.
14. Each participant will move up a pylon.
15. Rubbert will start another trip home, and the participants will do the designated activity for each pylon.
16. Continue until all participants have done each pylon/check point, or until all the chickens are home.
17. Have a leader helping them remember which activities to do at which check point.
18. Other activities for the other teams:
- Chicken Pass: Teams stand in a circle, and throw the chicken to each other. They create an order, and always have to throw in that order.
- Chicken Aim: Set up pylons in an area, and the teams will throw their chicken trying to knock over all the pylons.
Variations:
Make each station a competition. For the "chicken pass", count how many times each team can throw and catch the chicken in the same order in 45 seconds. For "chicken aim", see how many pylons each team can knock down in 1 minute.
Don't have enough chickens, use a foam ball instead for the "chicken pass" and/or "chicken aim". Use only one chicken for the route, and the last participant will run back to the start with the same chicken.
Use more or less pylons (check points) and change the activities.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.
Attachments: Download