Twister

Education Category: Sports
Ages: 0-4, 4-8, 8-12, 12-16, 16+

Donated by Tim

What do you need?

• Twister package (maybe)
• Music for some nice atmosphere

How does it work?

• 1) Spread out the twister mat on a flat surface. It's best used indoors, but if it's going to be used outside, spread it out on the grass and make sure there are no sticks, rocks or other hard objects underneath it. Weight down the corners with a shoe to keep the wind from interfering.
• 2) Remove your shoes. Everyone should be barefoot, either with their socks on or off. Keeping your socks on adds a slippery challenge!
• 3) Pick a spinner. This person will spin the spinner and act as referee when two people reach for the same circle.
• 4) Position yourselves on the mat. For a 2-player game, opponents face each other on opposite ends of the mat (lengthwise) and place one foot on the closest yellow circle and one foot on the closest blue. For a 3-player game, players line up the same as a 2-player game, but the third stands on the side lined with the red circles and places each foot on the center red circles. For a 4-player game, set up two teams of two players each that will stand on opposite ends of the mat and place each foot on any colored circle closest to them.
• 5) Start spinning! The referee makes the first spin and then calls out the color and body part that has to be moved. All players must move at the same time and they must go for an empty circle. If two players go for the same circle, the referee must decide who was there first. If all six circles are occupied, the referee re-spins. If the body part called out is already on the color that is called out, the player must move to another circle of that color. In a 4-player game, circles can be occupied by more than one body part.
• 6) Keep all hands and feet on the mat. The only time a player may lift a hand or foot is to allow another player's body part to pass through. In this case, the player must announce beforehand that they are lifting their hand or foot off the mat, and they must replace it as soon as the other player has passed through. Failure to announce they are moving results in elimination.
• 7) Eliminate any players who fall down, touch the mat with any body part other than a hand or foot that is in play or give up. Keep playing until only one player is left. In a 4-player game, once a player falls or touches the mat, both team members are eliminated.

What else do I need to know?
Make sure the children don't get injured by playing the game roughly.

What is the purpose of the game? 
This game is good for the flexibility of the body and kids learn to be innovative, creative and flexible.