What is the Snapshot Rule?

Take a picture of any activity while it is in progress – a snapshot. How many players are actively engaged? In many activities the answer is maybe a handful of them out of a group of 40 or more players. Sometimes only two or three players are actually doing something. The correct answer should always be “all of them!”

Take a look at Dodge-Ball or Duck-Duck-Goose. How many players are active? Hmmmm. In Dodge-Ball you’ve got the player trying not to get hit, and the thrower. In the traditional version of the game, most of the people in the outside circle never even touch the ball. The aggressive players jump in front of everyone else and snag the ball before anyone else has a chance. And who gets out first? The slower, less agile kids. Who needs the exercise and throwing practice the most? Who needs to build their confidence rather than destroy it? What good is it really doing to get the awkward kids out first, to reward the aggressive kids, and boost the esteem of the already confident? This is not what quality PE is about.

How about Duck-Duck-Goose? The one who is walking around the circle is moving, and now and then, the “goose” gets to get up and run around the circle. The slower kid gets to go to the center of the circle and be in the mush-pot. Again, to what avail? What is the benefit of the game? To embarrass the slower runners? To have the less fit kids rewarded with humiliation and embarrassment? How terrible is that?

Try the version of Duck-Duck-Goose as modified by Tandalay. You can find this and more games that follow the snapshot rule at www.tandalay.com.

• Partner up. Designate a center line, across which partners will “face-off.”
• Designate “safety lines” about 5 yards behind each player to which they will attempt to flee to safety.
• Players stand close enough to tap each other gently on the shoulder. Player one taps his/her opponent and says “duck.” The partner responds by gently tapping back and saying “duck.”
• Whenever a player feels brave enough to issue the challenge, he/she taps the opposing player, says “goose,” and turns tail and runs as fast as possible to the safety line.
• If the fleeing player makes it without getting tagged, he/she scores a point. If the chasing player tags him/her before he/she reaches the line, then the chaser scores the point.
• Face off, and play again. Rotate partners as desired.

Evaluate the games you play. Take a snapshot while the game is going on. How many players are moving? What can you do to tweak the rules so that everyone is actively engaged? Please share your games and ideas!!! Thanks for playing!!