Visual | All/any characters

Good for Year 2 upwards. Mildly physical. Improves concentration and teaches names.

An odd number of participants are needed – teachers can always join in! Put chairs in a circle. Ask participants to get into pairs. One person sits on a chair and their partner stands behind them. One person will be left standing behind an empty chair. Discard all chairs not being used. Those sitting down are the *prisoners* those left standing are the *guards*. Any guard with an empty prison (i.e. no prisoner in front of them) must try to fill it by calling the names of one of the prisoners seated. That prisoner then tries to escape to the new prison by making a mad dash for the empty chair in front of the guard who has just called his or her name. The guard standing behind the prisoner trying to escape must try and stop this by tapping the prisoner lightly on the shoulder or back. If the guard manages to tap his or her prisoner before they escape, then the prisoner remains. If the guard misses, then the prisoner is free to go to the new prison. There will now be a new guard with an empty prison and he or she must call out the name of a prisoner sitting down – it can be the same one, but preferably someone new – to try and fill the empty prison in front of them. Guards must stand at all times a little way behind their prisons with their hands behind their backs. Prisoners must sit firmly on their chairs and not perch on the edge!

The game should continue until it builds up a bit of speed and everyone has had a turn. Then swap the children over, to give new guards and prisoners a go.