Participants exercise coordination skills as they play a game of Trouble, using themselves as the pieces and as the Trouble masters.
Materials
- Big Dice (or small dice). Write numbers 1 to 6 on pieces of paper and place them in a bowl (put more 6’s than any other number in the bowl - optional)
- Hoops
- Beanbags
- Pylons (optional)
- Pinnies (optional)
Framing
Divide participants into 4 groups of 4-5 participants. The set up attached is for 4 teams of 5 participants each (4 pieces and 1 Trouble master). However, if there are only 4 participants per team, then take away one of the final beanbags for each team. Place hoops in a large circle. After every 5-6 hoops, have a space before placing the next hoop in the circle. Behind that space will be the home base for one of the teams (could place pylons in a square to designate the home base). In between the space and inside the circle, place 1 beanbag for every participant that is a piece in the game for each team. For example, the red team’s bean bags will be placed in front of their home base and going towards the centre. The first hoop to the left of each team’s home base is their starting hoop/space, and is where all of their pieces start when they leave home base.
Instructions
- Each team will get pinnies to represent their team’s colour. Place a pinnie in the first hoop to the left of each team’s home base to signify that is their starting hoop/space.
- If there are enough of the correct colours, each team’s beanbags can be the same colour as well.
- Each team will designate one participant to start as the Trouble master for their team. The rest of the participants are the pieces (make sure there is one bean bag for each piece).
- The Trouble master for each team will stand in the centre of the game board with the dice (or bowl/hat filled with numbers).
- Trouble masters will play rock, paper, scissors to decide who will go first.
- The first Trouble master will roll the dice. The only way for one of their pieces to get out of home base and on the board is if they roll a ‘6’. To get all participants moving quicker, make
it that any even number can get a participant out of home base.
- Every time a ‘6’ is rolled, the Trouble master gets to roll again (or when a piece leaves home base, they get to roll again).
- When the Trouble master rolls a ‘6’ or any even number, one of their pieces gets out of home base. That piece will leave home base and jump into their team’s first space (the one to the left). Then that team’s master will roll again, and the piece that left home base will move those designated spaces (hoops).
- The next Trouble master will roll the dice and the same process occurs. If the Trouble master rolls an odd number, then nothing happens and the next team goes.
- If the red team has one piece out of home base, and the master rolls a 6 (or any even number), then they can either get another piece out of home base or move the piece already on the board 6
spaces/hoops. The master will say the participant’s name that they wish to move.
- Pieces have to move in a clockwise direction.
- The master decides each turn which piece will move.
The pieces can help the master decide on who should move as well.
- Participants have to jump in each space they move.
- Remind the other pieces to step out of the hoop if a participant has to jump in it.
- Depending on the number rolled, that piece has to do a designated exercise in the hoop until they move again or until they complete the exercises (change these exercises depending on the participants - decide on the exercises with the participants). They will always jump in each hoop.
= Walk on the spot (in the hoop) until they move again.
= Balance on one foot until they move again (they can switch which foot they balance on at any point).
= Jog on the spot until they move again.
= Do 10 squats and then do 10 jumping jacks.
= Do 15 heel raises.
= roll again, so there is no exercise for this number
If a participant doesn’t do the designated exercises, then they go back to home base (be as strict or lenient with this rule as you deem appropriate).
- If a red piece lands directly on a space where a blue piece is located, then the blue piece has to go (run/crab walk/hop) back to their home base. A red piece cannot land in the same space as another red piece. If that is the only option for the red team, then they don’t move any pieces.
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The goal for each piece is to make it all the way around the board and get to their beanbags.
- Only the red team can go to the red beanbags, and only the blue team can go to the blue beanbags and so on.
- In order to win, a team has to have all their pieces on all the beanbags. In order to land on the beanbag, the piece has to land directly on that space. If they are 3 spaces away, and the
master rolls a 2, then that piece cannot move (unless there is a blank space 2 spaces ahead). Pieces can also count up to the last beanbag and then continue counting going back down the
beanbags.
- Participants have to hop on one foot beside each beanbag when they make it to the finish area.
- When all the pieces on one team are at a beanbag, that team wins!
Modify
- After a participant has had 4 turns as the master, they switch with a participant in the game and they become that piece (doing the proper exercise) and that piece becomes the new master and stands in the centre.
- Have a pair represent one piece, and they have to do exercises together and jump together.
- Make the board have more or less spaces.
Safety
- Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the activity area.
- Remind participants to step out of the hoop when there is another participant jumping through the hoop.
Wrap-up
A wrap-up is not necessary for this activity.
Obtained from: http://activeafterschool.ca/activities/life-size-trouble