The sweetest word for any person to hear is their own name. I’m not sure who told me that, but I can see the truth in it. Knowing the names of the kids you are working with is SO IMPORTANT (and honestly worth an entire blog post itself). In helping to facilitate friendships at gymnastics, it’s important we also help the kids learn each other’s names as well.
Here is one of my favourite games, more suited for age 6+. The only equipment you need is a parachute (or sheet, or tarp).
PEEK-A-WHO
(also known as Parachute Drop)
- Divide your group into 2 teams and review everyone’s names.
- Between the two teams, raise a parachute (tie it to something, or have a partner help you). All players should be sitting on their respective sides so that the other team cannot see them.
- To start the game, each team will send one player up to the parachute where they will stand up facing the other team’s selected player (kneeling works too if your parachute is small).
- The coach then will count to 3 and drop the parachute!
- As fast as they can, the selected players must yell the name of the person standing across from them!
- The first one to name their opponent wins.
You can play for points, or your can “win your opponent” over to your team.
Several variations of this game exist. You’ll see a couple differences in this video from the Ultimate Camp Resource YouTube channel.
(And as a little plug for one of my side projects…)
For this game and many more games like it, check out the Little Backpocket Book of Games (for gymnastics coaches)!
