Make-believe Dodging and Chasing

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate dodging and evasion skills in a safe play area.

Improve agility through quick starts, stops, and direction changes.

Use imagination while moving as different characters/animals.

Understand safe chasing rules (no pushing, tagging lightly).

Description Of Activity

Mark a play area using cones.

Students spread out inside the area.

The teacher announces a make-believe role, such as:

You are birds trying to escape a cat!

You are superheroes dodging falling meteors!

You are fish escaping a shark!

One or two students become the chasers (e.g., the cat, shark, meteor, monster).

All other students try to dodge, weave, jump, and change direction to avoid being tagged.

When someone is tagged, they become a new chaser or perform a fun action (5 jumps, 3 star jumps) before re-entering.

The game continues with different make-believe themes every 12 minutes.

Variations

Superhero Mode: Students dodge “villains” using different superhero movements.

Animal Kingdom: Each round uses a new animal (rabbit hops, crab walk, frog jumps).

Freeze Tag Version: When tagged, students freeze until another player unfreezes them.

Safe Zones: Add cones where students can rest for 3 seconds.

Color Change: Teacher shows color cards — each color means a new chaser or movement.

Coaching Tips

Keep knees slightly bent and stay light on your feet.

Look around while moving (spatial awareness).

Use quick side-steps and changes of pace.

Tag safely — light touch only.

No pushing, grabbing, or running into others.

Equipment/Material Required

Cones to mark the area

Optional: scarves/bibs for chasers

Optional props for themed rounds (pictures, cards)