Moving Day Mat Game

A team ground-wrestling game: the kneeling 'movers' have one minute to get the 'furniture' off the mat while the furniture resists by sticking to the floor. Students build strength, cooperate to move an opponent, and practice body control and safety.

How to play

1. Set up three 4 x 4 yd mat areas away from walls. Each one holds two teams of 4 of similar weight; the extra student is timekeeper (3 min).
2. Review off-limits areas and the stop signal. Everyone always plays on their knees or lying down, never standing.
3. The furniture team sets up inside the mat area, sitting or lying down. The movers wait on their knees at the edge.
4. On the whistle, movers have 60 seconds to get the furniture off by pushing, rolling, or dragging by the trunk, arms, or legs. Once half the body is off, that player sits outside.
5. When the minute ends, count the furniture removed and switch roles; the team that removes more wins.
6. Play 3 back-and-forth matchups with 1 minute between them to plan, for example two against one.

Rules

• No grabbing the head, neck, hair, or clothes, and no twisting joints.
• No one stands up or jumps on anyone.
• Furniture may hold the mat, not the opponents.
• On the stop signal or whistle, everyone lets go.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: be an edge referee or furniture against a mover using one hand.
• Discomfort with contact or autism: start as a mover, who chooses when to make contact.
• Strength: no more than two movers on the same player.

Learning goals

• Cooperate to move a resisting opponent.
• Control force and respect off-limits areas.
• Accept rule-based contact and the stop signal.

Equipment for a class of 25

• mats: 18
• stopwatches: 3

Teacher tip

Teams usually all go after the same player and leave the rest free; discuss it during the break. If there is a big size difference, regroup before the next turn.

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