Freeze Tag with a High-Five and Squat Rescue

A freeze tag game where tagged students hold an isometric half squat with hands up. To free them, a teammate must stand in front, do three synchronized squats with them and high-five, which adds strength work and forces players to take risks to cooperate.

How to play

1. Jogging and dynamic hip, ankle and shoulder mobility (2 min).
2. Mark a field of about 65 x 65 feet; four taggers in pinnies (1 min).
3. Play: a tagged student holds a half squat with hands up; a free player stands in front, they do three squats together, high-five and both are free. They cannot be tagged during the rescue (2 min).
4. Switch taggers for a second round in which the rescue takes five squats (2 min).
5. Count how many players are frozen at the end of each round and compare tagger groups (1 min).

Rules

• Tag gently on the shoulder or back.
• The squat is half depth, with knees in line with the feet.
• Anyone frozen for more than 20 seconds frees themselves, so nobody stands still too long.
• Run facing forward and always inside the boundaries.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: plays in a wheelchair; when tagged they hold their arms up and the rescue is three double high-fives.
• Overweight: the freeze pose and rescue use a very shallow squat, or leaning on the field wall if it is nearby.
• Knee injury: freeze pose standing with arms out and a rescue of three claps.

Learning goals

• Raise heart rate with a dynamic tag game.
• Activate the lower body with squats in a playful setting.
• Cooperate by taking the risk of rescuing a teammate.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pinnies: 4
• cones: 4

Teacher tip

Switch taggers every 2 minutes: it is a very intense activity and everyone should try both roles.

More activities like this

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