Dragon's Egg
Shield your egg in your cave while dragons fly between caves trying to touch it.
At a glance
- A 15 m square. Each child stands by a hoop (cave) with a ball (egg) in it, and two dragons in bibs have no ball.
- Keep your egg in your cave using your body and the sole of your foot.
- Dragons run between the caves and try to touch an egg with a foot. If they touch yours, swap: you take the bib, they take your cave.
- Rounds last 60 seconds. Pick new dragons by lucky dip each round.
- Progress 1: Add a third dragon.
- Progress 2: The egg must keep moving: no holding it still under your foot.
If it's not working: The dragons hop.
- children
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Everyone at once, four of the caves drawn. A dragon flies at a cave and the child gets their body and the sole of their foot between the dragon and the egg. At another cave a dragon has just touched the egg, so they swap: the dragon keeps that cave and the child takes the bib and flies off as the new dragon.
Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks
Set up
- Cone out a 15 m square.
- Scatter hoops (caves) about 3 m apart.
- Put a ball (egg) in each hoop with a child next to it.
- 2 children wear dragon bibs, with no ball.
8 to 12 children. 15 m by 15 m, with hoops spread about 3 m apart.
How to play
- Keep your egg in or near your cave, using your body and the sole of your foot.
- Dragons fly between caves and try to touch an egg with their foot.
- If a dragon touches your egg, swap straight away: the dragon gives you the bib and keeps the cave, and you become the dragon.
- Play 60-second rounds.
- New dragons are picked by lucky dip each round.
Keeping everyone moving
Swapping is instant, nobody is out, and dragons are always moving.
Make it easier
- The dragons hop.
- Make caves bigger (two hoops).
Make it harder, step by step
- Add a third dragon.
- The egg must keep moving: no holding it still under your foot.
- Two dragons may team up on one cave.
Three things to say
- Side-on, with your body between the dragon and the ball.
- Small sole rolls away from the dragon.
- Keep your eyes on the dragon.
Words that work: "Strong and brave, you kept your egg!", "Great try, dragon!", "Lovely swap, straight back in!"
Colts habit
Stay brave when the dragon comes close.
Both feet
Roll with either sole.
Heads up
Watch where the dragon comes from.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2020 to 2021
- An adult is the only dragon and moves slowly.
- 2018 to 2019
- Child dragons, two to start.
- 2016 to 2017
- Use Bravery Bank or Slow the Train instead.
A young leader can run this one, with an adult coach beside them.
Safety: No arms, pushing or kicking legs. Hoops flat on the ground. Dragons go for the ball, not the child.
Keeping score: How many rounds did I keep my egg the whole time? Beat your own number.