Freeze Spell in the Yard
A traditional Mexican chasing game: the spell-casters, holding a scarf, tag classmates and leave them "encantados" (frozen like statues), and any other child can free them by crawling under their arms. It builds running with changes of direction and helping classmates.
How to play
- The teacher explains the game: spell-casters carry a scarf; anyone they tag is "encantado" (under a spell) and freezes with legs apart and arms out like a statue (2 min).
- Practice how to break the spell: another child crawls under the frozen child's legs or ducks under an arm, and the frozen child is free again (2 min).
- Play with two or three spell-casters. Everyone runs around the marked area; when the teacher claps, the spell-casters hand their scarves to other children and roles switch (5 min).
- Change how we move: bunny hops, duck walks or tiptoes, and frozen children hold a different animal pose (2 min).
- Finish: the teacher is the great spell-breaker and frees everyone with a shower of claps; we walk slowly and breathe (1 min).
Rules
- Spell-casters tag gently with a hand, no pushing.
- If you're frozen, stay still until someone frees you.
- Freeing a friend is the most important part of the game.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher and another adult are the spell-casters, play in a small space, and a high five frees a frozen child.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, two or three child spell-casters who switch at every clap; free friends by ducking under an arm.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, four spell-casters, and children are freed by crawling under spread legs; frozen kids count out loud how many times they've been freed.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair can be a spell-caster using a pool noodle to tag, or be freed by a hand touch instead of someone crawling under.
- Hearing impairment: along with clapping, the teacher holds up a scarf to signal the switch.
- Autism: mark a rest area the child can go to if the noise or chasing feels like too much.
Learning goals
- Run while dodging and changing direction.
- Help classmates by freeing them.
- Learn a traditional Mexican playground game.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Scarves: 4
Teacher tip
"Los encantados" is one of the most widespread playground games in Mexico; switch spell-casters often so nobody spends the whole game chasing or frozen. Mark the area clearly with cones or lines, because in a huge yard nobody ever gets tagged and kids lose interest.
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