NAME OF ACTIVITY: Squirrels in the Trees

GRADE LEVEL: K-6 with adaptations for older students

EQUIPMENT: None, unless adapting to older students (see Soccer squirrel in the trees).

HIGHLIGHTS: Running, safety in large group running.

INSTRUCTIONS: This is a very simple game that can be used as a warm-up activity, or adapted into more difficult versions.  Divide students into groups of 3 or four players.  Have 2 or 3 students join hands to make a tree.  Have the other player inside the circle to represent the squirrels.  Leave a couple squirels without trees, in other words you need a couple less trees than you have squirrels.  Now all squirrels except 1 or 2 have a tree.  On the teachers signal, all squirrels must leave their home and try to find another tree.  The squirrels that do not find a tree are are encouraged to find a home on the next round.  (the version I learned labeled them "Slow Pokes", but personally I feel we can find a more acceptable name.
      You can add more to this game my having the trees and squirrels perform a group exercise upon the squirrels reaching a home.  Then maybe the squirrels that did not find a home could perform a little more difficult task.  Anyway, after a couple of rounds, switch the squirrels with some of the trees.  Continue until all players have gotten to play the squirrels.

VARIATION - To make this game a little more active, I have played the tree in the wind, where the trees will move around the room, making it more difficult for a squirrel to get into the tree.  This keeps everyone a little more active.

HELPFUL HINTS: 

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