NAME OF ACTIVITY: Balloon Tag

GRADE LEVEL:  K-12

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:  Balloons for about 1/2 the class

HIGHLIGHTS: Eye-Hand Coordination, Running, Fleeing, Chasing, Dodging any exercise you choose.

INSTRUCTIONS: Divide the class into two teams.  One team will start with an inflated balloon on one side of the playing area.  The team without the balloons will start on the opposite side of the playing area.  On the start signal, the players with the balloons will will attempt to tag players from the opposing team, with their balloon.  Once an opponent is tagged, he/she must exit the play area and perform the designated exercise(s) ex. jogging the perimeter of the playing area, until the round is over.  At the end of a given time limit (2-3 minutes), count the number of players who have been eliminated and are in the exercise area.  
     Switch roles and have the opposing team become the taggers.  Play the same time limit as before and add the eliminated players at the end of the round.  The team with the most eliminations is declared the winner.
    You may also want to play more than one round.  You can keep a tally of the scores over several rounds if you choose.
     Taggers may not hold a balloon while moving.  To move they must bat their balloon in the direction they are trying to go.  
     Taggers may throw their balloons at the opposition, as long as they are not moving while holding a balloon.

VARIATION: One variation of this game is to give each balloon holder 1/2 of a swim noodle.  Players will then try to tag the opposition (below the shoulders) with the swim noodle, while keeping their balloon aloft.

HELPFUL HINTS:

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