Edison
Duck Pond Tag (Pickle variation)
Setup and Equipment:
  • One mat is set up in front of each wall - these are safe bases
  • 4 people are designated as "its" - they may throw (shoulders or below) or tag players.
  • Yarn balls are generally used in this game.
Rules:
  • The four "its" start the game in the center circle of the gym
  • The rest of the players stand on one of the mats to start the game
  • Players run from one mat to another and try not to get tagged
  • Players may rest on a mat for five seconds and then they must go to a new mat.
  • If they are tagged, they go to the Duck Pond and quack like a duck (center circle).
  • Free Walkbacks: Players get out of the Duck pond by one of their classmates holding hands while quacking with them back to one of the safe mat bases.
  • Play continues for 1:30 -2:00 minutes, or sometimes the length of a song. then new "its" are picked.
  • For all tag games, we play a game song for the duration of one turn, for this game the transition music (Oregon Mighty Oregon) is used to remind students to pick "new its" for a game.
  • When this song is played the students who want to be "it" come up to the black line in front of the front wall(teacher wall), then sit cross-legged and raise their hand. The "old its" hand the ball (tagger) to someone waiting patiently for a turn. The transition music is set for about forty seconds.
  • The "new its" go to the center circle to begin a new game.
  • The "old its" go to the opposite wall to begin the next game.
  • This sequence for picking "new its" continues until nearly all of the students are beginning the game on the opposite wall.
  • When the game nears a conclusion the teacher can then adjust the number of people that are "it" so that everyone that wants a turn is able to have one.
  • Note: You can shorten up games and allow more turns by ending one of the "game songs" early and jumping to the transition music.