Play Phase session: treasure island

This session will help players:    

• develop fundamental football movement skills 
• practice agility, balance and coordination 
• increase their awareness when navigating space.

If you like this idea, download the session plan and give it a go. And don't forget to share your experience on the England Football Community. We'd love to know how you got on.

Organisation

“Treasure island” is a variation of a tag game where someone tries to tag someone else as they move around an area. The ‘tagger’ could be one player, perhaps even a team. It could even be everyone. Usually, tagging is done by touch. It could also be by stealing a ribbon or tackling away their football.

It's easy to set up. You only need a group of players, cones, spots, bibs and footballs.

How to play

Mark out a big circle (the sea) with cones and fill it with smaller circles (islands). Put out some flat spots around the rest of the area, which will be boats.

The children start on the islands where they can't get tagged. Around the sea, some children will be sharks wearing blue bibs and turtles wearing green bibs.

Game one

The children score one treasure point for every island they get to. If a shark or turtle tags them, they must go to one of the boats and hold a balance for their age. This could be, for example, four seconds for a four-year-old. Encourage the children to travel in different ways, such as hopping, skipping or jumping.

Game two

On the islands, set up some balls on top of cones, which will be coconuts. The children have one piece of 'gold treasure' each to throw at the coconut. The 'gold treasure' could be a beanbag or a smaller ball. They can throw the treasure to knock over a coconut when travelling to the islands. The sharks and turtles are trying to steal the treasure. If they do, a balance must be completed to win it back.