Country Stop: Call, Freeze and Guess the Steps

A street game common across Spain and Latin America (in some places it starts with «I declare war on...»): each player is a country, someone throws the ball up calling a country, everyone scatters and freezes on «Stop!». It warms up with starts and stops and trains estimating distances in steps.

How to play

1. Three groups of 9-10 in a circle around a ball. Everyone picks a country and says it out loud (2 min).
2. Basic round: the ball holder throws it high calling a country; that player catches it and shouts «Stop!»; everyone else runs and freezes (4 min).
3. Steps round: the catcher says how many giant steps they need to reach someone; if they're right they score a point, if not, the point goes to the other player (3 min).
4. Movement round: the teacher sets how to run away: two-foot jumps, backpedaling or side shuffles (3 min).

Rules

• Throw the ball straight up, never at anyone.
• On «Stop!», everyone freezes; anyone who moves after takes one step toward the center.
• Steps are counted out loud, without exaggerated lunges: the group judges.
• Switch countries every few rounds so everyone gets called.

Variations

Adaptations

• Hearing impairment: countries are written on cards shown when throwing.
• Limited mobility: a wheelchair user estimates in wheel pushes and the circle is smaller.
• Low confidence: be the fixed thrower for the first rounds, without the pressure of catching.

Learning goals

• Warm up with starts, stops and different movement patterns.
• Estimate distances with your own body.
• Learn a street game shared by several countries.

Equipment for a class of 25

• soft balls: 3

Teacher tip

One big circle gets boring: three circles of ten move much faster. If they use the «I declare war» version, note that it's just the game's traditional phrase and let them pick another one.

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