Jingle Tag

OBJECT - Catch the jingler.

GAME TYPE - Tag game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. You'll need four to ten people for this game.

WHAT YOU NEED - For variation one, jingle bells for everyone and one blindfold. For variation two, blindfolds for everyone and one set of jingle bells. For both groups, have an area with clearly defined borders.

HOW TO PLAY (Variation One):

1. Choose one person to be IT and blindfold them.
2. Give everyone else a set of jingle bells.
3. At the word "GO", IT tries to find someone else by listening for their jingle bells.
4. The jinglers must jingle their bells if they are moving. They also may not leave the defined area.
5. Adults can scatter around the area to help IT stay inside the borders.
6. When IT tags someone, they become the new IT.

HOW TO PLAY (Variation Two):

1. Choose one person to be IT, and blindfold everyone else.
2. Give IT a set of jingle bells.
3. At the word "GO", everyone tries to find IT by listening for the jingle bells.
4. IT must jingle the bells when moving. IT may not leave the defined area.
5. Adults can scatter around the area to help the blindfolded people stay in the area.
6. When someone catches IT, they become the new IT.

Watch out for the safety of anyone who is blindfolded. They shouldn't move too fast, and be sure the area is cleared of anything they might trip on.

THIS WORKS ON - Sensory (using ears instead of eyes), competition (trying to tag/not be tagged).

Marco Polo

OBJECT - Don't get tagged.

GAME TYPE - Tag games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Two. You need at least four people for this game, and probably no more than ten.

WHAT YOU NEED - Normally, you need a pool for this game. However, in this dry version, you'll need a large clearly defined space and a blindfold. You may want to have some musical instruments as well.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. First, set up your area. A roped off section will work, or a chalk marking with adults on the outside making sure no one leaves.
2. Select one player as IT. IT gets blindfolded.
3. All other players must avoid being caught by IT. However, since IT cannot see, he/she tries to find the other players by shouting "MARCO!"
4. When the other players hear "MARCO!", they must respond by shouting "POLO!" Failure to do so will result in being taken out of the game.
5. IT listens for the "POLO!" and moves towards the sound. The other players must sneak away as best they can.
6. No player may leave the marked off area. If IT does (accidentally), they get redirected back to the area. If another player leaves, they are out of the game.
7. If IT catches another player and tags them, they become the new IT.

It is possible within your setting that some of the children will be non-verbal. If this is the case, use musical instruments instead of the words "MARCO POLO". For example, IT may shake a tambourine in place of "MARCO", and all other players shake maracas in place of "POLO".

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (trying not to be tagged), following directions (saying the appropriate thing at the appropriate time, not leaving the area), sensory (using sense of sound rather than sight)