Find a Place | Playworks

To develop active listening.

Skills Practiced: Cooperation, running, reflexes, gross muscle control, balance, following directions, observation, body and spatial awareness.

Set up a clearly designated play area (marked with cones if you are in a large open space).

Have everyone find a place in the room (this will be their first place).
Explain to the players they need to memorize where their first place in the room is.
Players must be at least an arm’s length away from the closest person to them.
Tell everyone to find a second place in the room; this will be their second place. Remind them again to remember the first and second places they stood.
For the younger players two places would be just fine. Older players can play this game with up to about 4 or 5 places.
Have everyone stand at their first place.
On a signal, have players transition to their second place by: jumping, walking, fire feet, hopping on one foot, karate kid style, walk like giants crushing buildings, penguin walk, skipping, jumping like a frog, walking backwards, etc.
You may count down from ten or five seconds depending on what transition style you choose and what age group you are working with (the one foot hop, and the penguin walk may take longer than just walking or fire feet).