COOPERATIVE GAMES
Presented by: Dave Pagniello, Colleen Reel, Nelli Domingues, Lindsay LaMorre, Megan
Ryan, Enrica Della Mea, Dan Koenig, Gord MacLean , Adrian Olsthoorn
WHAT ARE COOPERATIVE GAMES?
Cooperative games emphasize participation, challenge, and fun rather than defeating
someone. Cooperative games emphasize play rather than competition. Cooperative
Games are not new. Some of the classic games we participated in as children are classic
because of the play emphasis. There may be competition involved, but the outcome of the
competition is not losing and sitting out the rest of the game. Instead, it may involve
switching teams so that everyone ends up on the winning team. All games (and life for that
matter) have rules, so do cooperative games. These make the games fair and safe for all.
SAFETY IS THE KEY
It must be recognized that all physical activity involves an element of risk. There is an
obligation on the part of all participants to minimize that risk. While most of these
activities are designed to be used in limited spaces such as the classroom, teachers must use
professional judgment and discretion when selecting activities. Safety awareness based on
up-to-date information, common sense observation, action and foresight is the key to safe
programming.
Activities should provide opportunities that enhance self-confidence and provide a safe
environment in which children are physically active participants. Safety is a shared
responsibility and students of all ages need to take responsibility for their own safety.
(OPHEA Curriculum Binders, p. 16)
For comprehensive safety guidelines refer to: www.tcdsb.org\physicaleducation , or, see
copies of the Ontario Safety Guidelines and Physical Education Elementary Curricular and
Intramural Guidelines located in all schools.
Variation of European Handball
Equipment: 2 nets, ball
Class is divided into 2 teams by numbering students A,B,A,B,……. or use your teams from
your regular gym class. Depending on size of your gym, allow each team to have 5 or 6
players plus a goalie. The rules are relatively simple. The object of the game is to score in
the opponents net. A player may hold the ball for either 3 seconds OR 3 steps, whichever
comes first or a combination of 3 seconds AND 3 steps. Before a team is allowed to score
on the opposing net, they must pass the ball to everyone on their team at least once. If the
ball changes possession and then back to the original team again, the ball does not have to
be passed around to all the players again before trying to score.
Noodle Ball
Teams: 10-12 per team
Area: Gym/Outdoors depending on style used
Equipment: Pool noodles (cut in smaller sections if indoors), ball of sorts (beach ball,
elephant skin ball…), nets or goal scoring area, pinnies, scooter board (if indoors)
Skills: cooperation
Description: Teams are divided up and then the game begins
 A face-off starts play
 Teams can have more than one lines depending on numbers
 Players attempt to score by propelling ball using noodles
 Goalies can be permitted which allows for inclusion of students who may have a
handicap of sorts
 If outdoors, no scooter boards are used
 All players can participate at one time if the area allows and there are enough
pool noodles
 Snow shoes can also be used if they are available and if they are allowed
Rock, Paper Scissors Baseball
Teams: individuals accumulating points for their respective team
Area: Gymnasium, classroom, library school yard
Equipment: clothes pins, popsicle sticks
Description:
 Players all begin in an area designated as first base
 Players challenge a player from the other team to a game of rock, paper, scissors
 The player that wins the mini game advances to the next base and challenges
another player or waits until an opponent arrives
 If she/he wins the advance of bases continues until they arrive at home plate
 At that point, players challenge the umpire (coordinator) to a game
 If they win then a clothes pin is given to them and they start again
 If a player loses, that person must retreat to the previous base and continue to do so
until they win
Rock, Paper Scissors Football
Teams: even number of teams and players per team
Area: Various
Equipment: one football per game
Description:
 Teams line up facing each other with a football at the mid way point between teams
 A player from each team advances forward to the ball
 Players behind the first player space themselves out accordingly
 The first two players engage in rock paper scissors
 The winner picks up the ball while the loser retreats to the end of their line (off the
field of play)
 The player with the ball then advances to take on the next player in line
 If they win, then the same as previous happens
 If they lose, the ball changes possession and then the new ball carrier advances
forward to the next awaiting player from the other team


Once a player advances to and defeats the last remaining player then a touchdown is
scored
At that point, everything repeats
Speed Ball
Teams: 2
Area: gymnasium preferred
Equipment: soccer ball/football/pinnies
Description:
 The game involves two teams with 6 players from each team on the court at one
time
 Start with a jump ball
 Play uses European Handball rules until the ball is fumbled to the floor/ground
 Players are permitted three steps and then must pass or shoot
 If the ball is being held by hand, then handball rules apply
 If the ball is being played with feet, then soccer rules apply
 If a player wants to get back to handball, then a player from that team must lift the
ball (using a foot) into the air to allow a teammate to catch it
 Goals can be scored using soccer if the ball is down or using an underhand throwing
motion if the ball is being held
 Players from each team who are not on the court are active on the sideline using the
same rules except that they cannot score.
Speedball/Football
Area: gymnasium/field
Equipment: football/pinnies
Description:
 Two teams with 5-6 players on the court (sideline players can be used)
 Start with a jump ball
 Team gains possession from the tip
 The person with the ball is to be given a metre freedom from pressure
 The object of the game is to advance the ball to a point where the team in
possession can throw it at the rim
 If it hits the backboard, it scores a point
 If it hits the rim it scores 2
 If it goes through the rim without touching the rim it scores 3 points
 Possession changes with each score or when the team in possession drops the ball
 The defending team then picks it up and tries to score too.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Area: gymnasium
Equipment: sponges or bean bags, dodge balls/objects that are to be dodged, pinnies
Description:
 three teams are formed
 designate one team as the treasure pursuers while the other two teams
protect/defend the riches
 one team lines up on one side of the temple area while the other lines up opposite
 designate a safe zone where the dodging team can remain safe
 time limit can be set at 1 minute
 one player from the dodging team attempts to get safely across the playing area to
the spot where the jewels (bean bags/sponges) are being kept
 if they make it without being hit, then they can try to take a bean bag back to their
safe area also without being hit
 then the next person goes
 if hit, that player must return to their safe area and go to the end of the line
 if hit while bringing a bean bag back to their area, then the bag must be dropped
right where they were hit and they go to the end
 the next player can pick up the bag in the middle of the temple area if it is available
 when time runs out, teams rotate positions
 score is cumulative.
Paintball Dodgeball
Area: Gymnasium/large gathering area/schoolyard
Equipment: barrier objects (i.e. Gym mats), small foam type dodging objects, flags, pinnies
Description:
 designate two teams
 team members are then given a set of mats or barriers to use to set up safe areas
 give teams time to set up the mats in strategic positions on their half of the playing
area
 once complete, allow students to load up with objects that will be used to hit
opponents
 a flag is then to be hidden by each team on their half of the playing area
 on the signal, team members try to advance into the opponents area in order to
retrieve/capture their flag without being hit by an opponent
 if the flag is captured and brought back across the half way line to a designated area,
that team wins that particular round
 if there are large numbers of students on each team, have a system where if hit, team
members are then to exchange places with their partner and vice versa
 it resembles the professional paintball game in some respects with twists designed
by the instructor
Noodle Waddle Relay
Area: gathering area (i.e. Gymnasium)
Equipment: giant noodle per team, one pylon per team
Description:
 4-6 players per team
 one large noodle is provided to each team as well as one marker (pylon) for turning
point
 establish a starting line
 set up a pylon or each team approximately 10 paces away
 teams line up behind starting line
 the first player in line has noodle between their knees
 at the start signal, the first person waddles down to their respective pylon, goes
around it then heads back to their team
 when the first person returns, the second person joins on and the race is repeated
 this continues until all players on the team have finished and have joined onto the
noodle
Variation: individuals can complete the course and hand off the noodle
Noodle Roll
Area: gym/hallway/large gathering area
Equipment: several long noodles per group
Description:
 designate a starting and finishing line for each group (about 10 paces)
 behind the starting line, one player on each team (the log) lies on her/his back across
the bed of noodles with their head near the starting line
 at the signal to start, one player begins to push the feet along the log (who is to
remain rigid)
 the other players on the team remove noodles from under the feet to the front so the
log’s bed of noodles never ends
 the first team to roll over the finish line wins
Variation: all players must be rolled over the start/end line in order to win
Knotle
Area: various
Equipment: several noodles per group
Description:
 one noodle per group member
 player groups stand in a tight circle each holding one end of a noodle with one hand
 players extend the end of their noodle anywhere else in the circle and another player
grabs the end
 each player is now holding two different noodles and the group is entangled in a
maze or knot
 the group must then untangle themselves forming a new circle without anyone
letting go of the noodle at any time
Noodle Triangle Tag
Area: various
Equipment: three (or four) pool noodles
Description:
 three players form a triangle by holding pool noodles between them
 one of the players is designated as a target
 one player outside of the triangle is designated as it
 the “it” must remain outside the triangle and attempt to hit/tag the target with their
pool noodle or their hand
 the other two players try to protect the target by moving the triangle so that it is
more difficult for the “it” to hit the target
 once the “it” hits the target or a specified time passes, someone else has a turn
outside the triangle
Human Triangle Tag
Equipment: 4 participants
Three students join hands and one person is outside of the triangle. The person outside is
“it”. The other three people designate one person in the triangle to be chased by “it”. As
the “it” tries to tag that person, the other two people in the triangle try to protect him/her.
The group can move in any way to protect the player. They must not break the triangle and
‘it’ can not tag through the triangle.
Chuck the Chicken
Equipment: one rubber chicken
Two teams consisting of 5 or more participants
Team A (the initial batting team) begins in a line formation.
Team B (the initial fielding team) is scattered in the field.
The first person on Team A yells “CHUCK THE CHICKEN” and then chucks the chicken
anywhere in the open area and runs around his/her team. The rest of the team is also
jogging on the spot. The runner attempts to run around his/her team at least 6 times
(depending on how many people are playing, the larger the teams, the less number of times
around) (Hint: Team A can move into any formation to make it easier for their team mate to
run around them).
Team B collects the chicken, lines up as quickly as possible and performs an “over the
head, under the legs”. When the last person in the line gets the chicken he/she yells
“STOP”. Team A’s runner stops at the command. Now Team B chucks the chicken and
the roles reverse.
Hoop Pass
Equipment: -1 hula hoop
-Several eager participants
Students/teachers create a large circle and look towards the centre;
Each person in the circle must be close enough to join hands with the person next to
her/him. On the signal, all participants are to join hands. A hula hoop is placed on the
linked arms of the two people selected as the starters of the activity. When the leader says
go, the participants are to pass the hoop around the circle until it arrives back at the starting
position.
*Of Note…hands must remain attached at all times during the duration of this activity;
(The secret is to step through the hoop when it comes to you)
Variation: To make this more challenging, you can time the passage of the hop until it
arrives back at its original position. Try adding more than one hoop.
Car Rally
Equipment: - 1 gymnasium mat per group
- 3-4 scooter boards per group
- Several pylons for marking out the course
Students/teachers are to form groups of four to five. Each group is to get a mat and 3-4
scooter boards. The object of the activity is to turn the mat and the scooter boards into a car
which will be moved around the facility by foot/hand…
The key is to have each person in the group involved in getting the car around the path set
out. Initially, each person in the group will be asked to use their feet to propel the vehicle
while their back side is on the mat. The design of the car is up to the group itself.
Variation(s): Have the groups move the mat using one foot each/two hands each/one hand
each/one person pushing the mat while the other members are seated on the mat…
If you want to make it more interesting, have each group timed for speed or alter the course
so that it is more like a slalom course
Shark at the Beach
Equipment: a parachute
 Assign two or three students to act as sharks
 These students are to swim around under the parachute
 Select two or three more students to act as life guards (they are to walk around the
outer edge of the parachute)
 All other students sit with legs under parachute while holding the edge of the chute
with both hands
 Students then begin to ruffle the parachute as if to make waves
 Sharks then try to pull students under parachute
 Victims scream help at which point life guards attempt to rescue them by pulling
them away from the sharks
 After a few minutes, allow for a change of roles for students.
Alphabet Game
Equipment: one set of alphabet cards per team
Description of activity:
 divide class into 2-4 teams
 each team has a set of alphabet cards/foam letter pieces (or reasonable facsimile)
 each team has one large (or small) die to roll
 spread cards/pieces out on the floor at one end of the playing area
 teams gather at a starting point away from the cards
 teacher then asks team to spell out a word/movie title…
 students in each team take turns rolling die and completing a task that number of
times before going down to the letters and retrieving a letter they think is in the
word
 when all letters are gathered, teams must spell out the word (correctly)
 if done, restart
* There are 5 (or so) wild cards in each set of letters. If there is more than one of a
specific letter in the word, then wild cards can be used to assist with completing the
spelling of the words.
Variation(s): use foam tiles as cards and have students connect the letters together
Or each team member (up to 6) is assigned a number…roll die…if their number
comes up they are to retrieve a letter…if consecutive numbers are rolled, have team
roll again
Or vary the mode of transportation to the letters (i.e. Hop, skip…)
Clothes Pin Tag
Equipment: several clothes pins
Hand out 3 clothes pins to each participant who pin then to the back of their shirts.
Upon a signal, participants try to steal a clothes pin from the backs of others. Stolen
clothespins are pinned to the front of the shirt and can not be stolen from there. After a
certain time period the game is stopped. Modifications: Make the object of the game not to
lose any of the 3 clothes pins on your back as opposed to seeing how many clothes pins you
can steal.
King/Queens Court
Equipment: several pylons, 3-4 elephant skin balls
Divide the class into two teams. Make two adjoining squares with pylons or use lines in the
gym. Put 3-4 balls in play. The object of the game is to eliminate all the players from their
square by throwing the ball and hitting opponents from the waist and below (without the
ball bouncing). Players can run/walk with the ball in their hands and pass it to their team
mates. When players are hit they move to the perimeter of their opponents square where
they have a chance to get back into their own square by picking up a loose ball or receiving
a pass from a team mate and them hitting one opponent from the waist and below.
Perimeter players can’t step into their opponents square; and players in their own square
can’t step out of it. Lot’s of fast action and team work!
Aerobic Math
 Teacher calls out ‘Go’ and students move randomly about the area without touching
each other
 Teacher can also specify the type of movement required
 Teacher calls out a number
 Students quickly form groups of that number
 Any student not in a group of that size when the teacher calls ‘Stop’ must perform a
task (ie. Touch 4 lines that are green if that is the number called)
Ultimate Chicken
Teams: 2
Area: gymnasium
Equipment: scooter boards, rubber chicken, 2 nets
Description:
 The game involves two teams with 6-8 players from each team on the court, sitting
on scooter boards, at one time
 Start by throwing the chicken into play
 Players pick up the chicken and pass it to team mates or move with it while
remaining seated on the board
 A Player must drop the chicken if they fall off their board and not allowed to posses
it until fully back on the board
 A team scores if they successfully complete 3 passes then throw it into the net
 Switch shifts every two minutes if you have 2 more teams sitting off
Atom
Equipment: None
Leader calls out the number 2, 3, 4 or 5. If the number 2 is called out, participants have to
find a partner and make a “chair”. If the number 3 is called out, participants have to find a
group of 3 and form a “triangle”. If the number 4 is called out, participants have to find a
group of four and form a “house”. If the number 5 is called out, participants have to find a
group of five and form a “car”.
Capture the Chicken
Teams: Two (can be 20-30 people) plays well for 30 minutes. (50 people require larger
field 150m by 60 m wide or more)
Area: Large field or soccer field sized park is best.
Equipment: 6 hoolahoops, 20 small pylons*, 2 large pylons, 8-10 chickens*, Pinnies
The Field: See the diagram below. At the midpoint of the field mark a few pylons to show
the two teams’ sides. One side is for invading while the other is for defending. Place pylons
near where the goal line of the field would be (about 50m away) and make a circle shaped
boundary for 4-5 chickens to be stored. (sometimes soccer goal posts are there) it would be
a 10m diameter circle. At about the 30 yard line or about where the penalty zone is in
soccer, place a hoola hoop as an “Island of Safety” make it to the side of the field of play
then add another “Island” (I) elsewhere on the field. Finally close to the 35 yard line
(about 20 m from the midpoint) mark a pylon with a hula-hoop as a “Jail” (J).
I
I
Chickens
Chickens
J
a
i
J
I
I
Object of the game: Like Capture the Flag game two teams on a field try to capture the
other teams’ chickens (one at a time) and successfully bring them back to their “roost”
without being tagged on the opposing teams’ side.
Rules of the game:
 players can only be tagged while on the opposing teams’ side. If tagged, caught
player goes to “jail” (J) and keeps a foot in the hula-hoop. (any chickens carried go
back to the defending teams’ roost (large circle).
 Players are safe while in the “roost” or “Islands of Safety” (I) and may be guarded
but not tagged while in the circles.
 Defending players may not enter the circles (where the chickens are or jail/islands
of safety)
 Attacking players may only carry ONE chicken and never throw it or pass it.
 Jailed players may be freed if tagged by one of their own team but that player and
the freer of the captives must first return to their own side before again attacking.
(they may get a free pass to their “home” side or, could be re-caught at the teacher’s
discretion).
 Game ends when all chickens are stolen from one team’s side and returned to the
others. It could end and be scored by “period”. After a 10 minute period see who is
winning.
*Modifications: The game can be changed to capture baseball bases, tennis racquets, or
other objects. Pylons can be small markers (even backpacks or coats/shirts) can delineate
the half way boundary or other lines. Special needs and certain children can be given a role
to play as guards, attackers or, rescuers only if needed to balance the teams.
Chicken Challenge: Group Skipping Game 15-25 minutes
Area: gym or paved yard
Equipment: long skipping rope, 10m or so is best, one chicken
Purpose: To get students to work together to accomplish a task, being ready, and
communicate/coordinate their efforts properly.
Start: This is like the “A-B-C” alphabet song kids used to play. Challenge students to try
and pass through the skipping rope one at a time, jumping once and leaving, with the next
person never missing a beat. (easier modification: everyone goes through, jumps once,
miss a beat, then the next person comes)
See how many people can get through as a class or team. (more is always better).
Second Challenge: Students hold hands with a partner and repeat the first challenge as a
class or team. Then try a group of three, four, five or even more.
Third Challenge: See if the group can start in the middle (15 are good with a ten metre
rope) and then with the rope going over them they all jump once and get out.
Chicken Challenge: A group of three jump in to the middle and continue jumping; the
teacher then tosses the chicken into the middle person of the jumping trio. He/she catches
it and passes it left, then gets it back, passes it right, then back to the middle. The player
then tosses the chicken back out to the teacher who catches it and the group leaves…All
while never missing a beat jumping.
Amoeba Tag
Area: Gymnasium
Equipment: none
Purpose: to try and get people to move together, communicate and cooperate effectively
safety elements: no body checking, slower runners in large groups should always face
forwards, people running, must always hold hands.
Rules:
 Everyone pairs up facing a partner and holding hands these people are the
Amoeba’s food (bacteria for example)
 One fast pair is designated as “it” and they must try and touch another pair of
people.
 If touched the other couple join together and make a foursome. Although more
challenging to make decisions, they are bigger and can maybe attack better. A
sixsome can be formed, but at eight, the Amoeba may optionally divide and form
two foursomes to go around consuming other “bacteria”, or stay as a large creature.
The action is not unlike how a White Blood Cell works. Phagocytises with a
pseudopod is what real Amoeba’s do when hunting. The act of splitting is likened
to reproduction (binary fission) from Mitosis.
Parachute Games
This is a shortened version of the various games from K-6. They are somewhat in order
from easy to more difficult and are found in the OPHEA Binders.
Resting position – standing with hands holding the parachute below the waist.
Ripples- shake vigorously
Waves- shake up and down slowly with full range of motion
Umbrella and Colour Call- divide class into colours. Raise parachute and call out colour
and students run underneath from one side of parachute to the other.
Popcorn Machine- 10 to 20 balls in the centre and shake balls off with ripples
How High- use ripples to bounce one ball as high as possible
Hot Air Balloon- raise parachute and keep walking to the middle, it creates a
mushroom/balloon and parachute will collapse on everyone eventually
Make a Tent- lift parachute over head and put behind you (sit on it) it’s like being in a tent
(tell a joke)
Bedtime- students under the parachute with body stretched out holding up to the chin (feet
toward the middle)
Tick Tock- hold in ready position and then say Tick and students go in clockwise position
and then say Tock and they switch to left hand and go counter clockwise.
Around the Rim- keep ball going around the rim without falling off.
Flying Mushroom- raise parachute from ready position and step forward two steps and let
go of flying mushroom at the same time.