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Chase the Tail
Get the whole family moving with this fun chasing game. This game of “Chase the Tail” will encourage your child to move their entire body, think about reacting quickly, and move quickly with their feet.
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Any type of short piece of fabric to act as a tail (sock, streamer, bandana, ribbon, scarf, etc).
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1. Prepare open space around your home, ensuring floors are free of any tripping hazards or take this game outdoors.
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2. Each person participating will tuck their tail into the back of their pants.
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3. Each person will attempt to grab each other’s tail while making sure their tail is not captured by others.
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4. If a person's tail is captured, they must perform a pre-agreed fitness activity (e.g., 1 jumping jack, 2 arm rolls or 4 frog jumps) to receive their tail back and re-join the game.
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5. To end the game, you can agree on a specified time period or when everyone’s tails have been captured.
The purpose of this activity is to be engaged in a flow of movement that supports building your child’s fundamental movement skills (FMS). FMS’s are a specific set of gross motor skills that involve different body parts. In the early years, physical activity should always be fun and a part of daily activity. This activities FMS is locomotion, which is the ability to move from one place to another.
Begin your activity by providing your child with a tail. Explain to your child that the objective of this game is to catch each other’s tails and to make sure nobody catches their tail. For younger children, you can simplify this game to chasing and catching each other's tails. For older children, take the time to agree on a set of physical activity to complete once the tail is captured to regain their tail. Ideas of physical activity could consist of jumping jacks, frog jumps, donkey kicks, bunny hops or elephant stomps. Keep it simple and have fun!
Tip: For older children, take some time at the end of the game to discuss and reflect on your experience by asking open-ended questions such as “What did you like most out of that game?”, “What did you find was the most difficult part?”, “Do you have any ideas to add to this game for next time?” and “Why is it important for us to move our body?”.
EarlyON