Power Up!

Materials: A playground ball

How to Play: Designate a number to each player and instruct them to remember their number. If you have more than 12 children, you can have more than one person per number. To begin, choose one person to hold the ball and stand in the center. Everyone should gather in a bunch together near the person with the ball.  

Each round, the person with the ball should yell “Power Up!” and throw the ball upwards to the sky while shouting a number. At the same time, all the other players should run in different directions away from the bunch except for the person(s) whose number was called. A person whose number was called catches the ball and then yells “Power Down” signaling everyone to freeze. The person with the ball then is allowed to take three giant steps toward any player before throwing the ball to hit someone (no hits above the chest).

The person who was hit becomes the new thrower. Play for several rounds or as long as the students remain engaged.