Giants, Wizards, Elves

  1. Readiness Games
  2. Tag Games

  • Any Size

  • Ages 6-10

  • None

  • 10 Minutes

What do the phrases, “Fee fi fo fum”, “Alakazam,” and “I like Candy” have in common? They are all part of the delightful and always hilarious game Giants, Wizards, Elves. Split the group in half and see which side can conquer the other with a funny phrase and butterfly fingers.

Development Goal

To develop cooperation and group decision-making capacity

Before You Start

  • Demonstrate movement and sound for each main character in the game:
    • The giant stands up very tall with hands raised over the head and makes the sound, Aaargh!
    • The wizard stands with one foot in front of the other, arms extended toward the front with the fingers wiggling and makes the sound, Hissssss!
    • The elves squat down and move from side to side with their arms waving about and make the sound that comes when you blow air out of your lips.
  • Have the whole group practice each of the movements and sounds.
  • Explain which character wins over which: giant over wizard, wizard over elf, and elf over giant.
  • Demonstrate safe tagging.
    • Light touch, like butterfly wings, on the back or shoulder.
    • Unsafe tags: hard contact that might cause the person being tagged to fall.
  • Make two random teams (such as numbering by 1€™s and 2€™s) and put each team on opposite sides of the middle line.

 

Set Up

Define the playing field, such as a basketball court, with enough room for everyone to line up shoulder to shoulder.

How to Play

  • Each team huddles up on their side of the play area and chooses a first and second character to be.
  • Each team moves to the middle line, play begins when the leader yells, One, two, three, what’s it gong to be?€ Each team flashes their first choice. Whichever team has the dominant character chases the other team back to their rear boundary line.
  • Anyone who is tagged before getting to that rear line becomes part of the opposite team.
  • Explain also that if both teams choose the same first choice, the leader calls out a pre-defined signal and the teams change to their second choice.  If they choose the same second choice, the teams regroup and pick two more.

Variations

Use three different objects, movements and sounds.  Possible options include: baseball/football/basketball with the sounds, €˜steerike€™, €˜huthuthuthut€™ and €˜swooooooooosh€™ or Lions, Tigers and Bears with roars, growls and snuffles.