Germ Tag with Doctors

The germs try to infect the class, and a tagged student freezes with one hand raised until a doctor gives them the vaccine, a foam ball. It warms up the whole body and shows that helping classmates keeps the game going.

How to play

1. Mark an area about 65 × 65 ft. Pick 3 germs in red pinnies and 2 doctors with one foam ball each; everyone else spreads out.
2. First, 1 minute of easy jogging, changing direction on every clap.
3. On the whistle, the germs chase. A tagged student freezes, raises one hand, and calls out Doctor!
4. The doctor runs over and touches their shoulder with the ball: the student is cured and runs again. Doctors can't be tagged.
5. Every 90 seconds, switch roles: germs and doctors hand their pinnies and balls to other students.
6. Play 4 rounds. If more than 8 students are frozen at once, stop, cure everyone, and restart.

Rules

• Germs tag with a gentle touch on the back or arm.
• The foam ball is never thrown: doctors cure by touching with the ball in hand.
• Germs may not wait next to a frozen player to tag them as soon as they are cured.
• Run looking ahead and give others space.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a student using a wheelchair plays doctor with the ball on their lap, or germ with a pool noodle.
• Hearing impairment: frozen players raise their hand high, and doctors wear a pinnie of a different color.
• Fitness level: a student who needs a slower pace can be a doctor, who covers less ground.

Learning goals

• Warm up the body with continuous running and changes of direction.
• Help frozen classmates quickly.
• Accept and play different roles in the game.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pinnies: 5
• foam balls: 2

Teacher tip

If germs crowd around the doctors, remind them that doctors can't be tagged and they need to chase others. Use two very different pinnie colors so roles are easy to see.

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