Dragon's Egg
Shield your egg in your cave while dragons fly between caves trying to touch it.
Every child guards the egg in their own hoop cave; the dragons in bibs fly between caves trying to touch an egg.
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 or 3 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 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
- Dragons hop.
- Make caves bigger (two hoops).
Make it harder
- Dragons may team up on one cave.
- The egg must keep moving.
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
- 3 child dragons.
- 2016 to 2017
- See Swap Shop or Bravery Bank.
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.