Play Area
The teacher sets up a play area six buckets (chimneys) scattered throughout it. The class is then divided into 3-6 teams, with each team being assigned a colour. Each student is given a hula hoop of that colour and teams are then asked to get into line formations (sleigh) with each player standing inside their hoop. Finally, each team is given six beanbags (toys) of their team’s colour.
Goal
The goal of the game is to work with your team to move your sleigh around the neighbourhood and be the first team to deliver a toy to each chimney in town.
Play
On the teacher’s signal, teams begin to move their sleighs. To do so, the last player in line steps into the hoop of the player in front of them, picks up their empty hoop, and passes the hoop towards the front (each player must touch it). Once the hoop gets to the front of the line, the first player in line puts it down and steps into it. Each subsequent player then moves forward one move, moving the sleigh one hoop’s distance forward.
Teams continue to move like this as they work together to travel throughout the playing area and deliver one toy into each chimney. Only one toy from each team is allowed in each chimney (e.g. teams can’t place more than one of their toys in a chimney).
Teams have to beat the clock (set by the teacher) and deliver all of their toys on time!
Safety
Although players may place the front hoop so that there is a gap in between the first and second hoop, all players on a team must be able to step into the front hoop safely without needing to jump.
Build One: Sleigh Runs
Santa’s elves are getting ready for the big night! Can you and your team work together to move your sleigh as fast as you can?
Set up the play area, divide the class into teams, and distribute the hoops.
Have each team form their sleigh line behind one of the end lines.
One the teacher’s signal, teams must work together to move their sleigh across the playing area towards the opposite end line.
The first team to get their entire sleigh (i.e. every hoop) across the opposite end line wins the race!
Repeat this build a few times so that different students get to experience being the first/last player on the sleigh.
Build Two: Toy Cleanup
Oh no! Santa hit some turbulence and the toys fell out of his bag! Can the elves gather them all up in time?
Scatter beanbags throughout the playing area. There should be an equal amount of beanbags per team (use the team colours)
Have each team form their sleigh line behind one of the end lines.
One the teacher’s signal, teams must work together to move their sleigh across the playing area towards a dropped toy.
Once at the toy, the first player in line may pick it up as long as they do not step outside their sleigh.
The goal of this round is to gather all of the toys of your team’s colour before the end of the round (the teacher sets the timer).
If a player steps outside of their sleigh, they lose one of the toys they gathered (the teacher places it in a new open spot).
Build Three: Toy Delivery
The elves have gathered all of the scattered toys. Can they deliver them to each house in time?
Scatter buckets (chimneys) throughout the playing area. The number of buckets you use should be equal to the number of beanbags per team you used in the previous build.
Have each team form their sleigh line behind one of the end lines, with their toys in hand.
One the teacher’s signal, teams must work together to move their sleigh across the playing area and visit a chimney.
Once at the chimney, teams may place a toy inside it. Teams may only place one of their toys in each chimney they visit.
The goal of the game is to be the first team to deliver their toys to each chimney in town.
If a team drops a toy or steps outside of their hoop, the teacher will take the toy and place it in an open space. That team will need to go gather the toy before it can be delivered.
Make sure that the distance between the hoops is never so great that students need to jump from one hoop to the other (landing on a hoop can cause it to slide).
