Cats & Mice 2.0
Objective:
Mice: collect as many "cheese" cones as you can and carry them back to a hula hoop safe zone without getting tagged.
Cats: tag the mice. A tagged mouse goes back to the start.
Set-up:
Playing area: large open space with clearly marked boundaries.
Safe zones: hula hoops spread around the area.
Cheese: cones scattered across the area.
Roles: a few players are cats, everyone else is a mouse.
How to Play:
Start. All players line up at a starting point just outside the playing area.
Collect the cheese. On "go," the mice run in and pick up cones — one cone per trip. Then make individual piles of cones on the outside of the area. Each cone collected earns one point.
The chase. Cats move through the area trying to tag mice. A tagged mouse drops the cone on the spot where they were tagged and jogs back to the start (can do an exercise or action before returning) before trying again.
Safe zones. A mouse standing inside a hula hoop can't be tagged, but they can only stay for a set count (e.g. 5 seconds) before they have to move.
Finish. The game ends when time runs out (1-2 mins) or all the cones are gone. The mouse with the most cheese wins — or reward every player based on what they collected.
Progressions:
Teams: mice work in pairs or small teams to collect cheese and screen each other from the cats.
Split the group into half mice and half cats. Let them have 1 minute each at both roles and see which team got the most cheese.
Different movements: give cats and mice different ways to move (cats run, mice crawl or side-shuffle).
Fewer safe zones: take hoops away to make it harder for the mice.
Mice can throw a foam balls at the cats (ball of yarn that is irresistible to them) if hit they freeze for 3 seconds.
Additional Notes:
Safety First: Ensure gentle tagging and a clear playing area.
Fairness: Rotate roles so everyone can be a cat and a mouse.
Learning & Fun: This game combines physical activity with counting, strategy, and teamwork.
The Game Encourages
Agility
Coordination
Spatial Awareness
Equipment
5+ students
Hula Hoops for safe zones
Cones & Domes / You could also use bean bags as cheese.
Foam Balls