WARM-UP
Have children sit in a semi-circle facing instructor. Make sure that the children aren't setting with the sun facing into their eyes or having a distracting activity as a back drop to the instructor. The instructor will use this time to set the tone for the activity. This is a good time to use Eyes and Ears.

The instructor will place a set of cones/markers at random around an area sufficient for his/her group. One cone/marker for each child. The children will line up on a cone/marker. The instructor can use a few FUN warm-up drills such as: Simon Says, Hockey Pokey, Sharks and Minnows, or many other movement activities.

SHARKS AND MINNOWS is a very active game that is played crossways on a football field or similar size field; designate one child as the shark, the others are minnows. Arrange the minnows in a straight line on one side of the field, all facing the opposite side. The shark calls out, "Minnows run to me!".

All the minnows try to run to the other side of the field.

The shark attempts to tag as many minnows as possible. If they get to the other side of the field without being tagged they are safe.

Once tagged one becomes a shark. When all untagged minnows are on the other side of the field, play starts again. A shark calls out, "Minnows run to me!"

Continue running back and forth until all minnows have been converted to sharks.

TOUCHE TURTLE may be used as a warm-up or cool-down. It has children getting on the ground and provides a different type of movement activity. Touche has a friend who is a dog, and his name is Dum Dum. In the game, Touche and Dum Dum will try to tag as many of you as possible. You must stay within this area and dodge them, if possible.

When you can not keep from being tagged by dodging, there is a way for you to be 'safe'- you lie flat on your back and raise all fours. And you must say, "Dead turtle".

When Touche and Dum Dum go away to chase others, you may get up and join the game. The coach will need to show the kids how to get down quickly without hurting themselves. A modification could be to teach Fire Safety with this game. The names could be Fire and Sparky and you roll to put the flame out or crawl if it is smoke. The objective of games should be that all children can remain active. You do not want games that when tagged, a child must sit down or become inactive.
KidsRunning.Com thanks Mark Springer, Director of Grass Roots Programs & Planning, USA Track & Field, usatf.org for sharing this information with KR. In 2000, 150 National PAL clubs throughout the country received TIB programs to help them create track and field events for the youth in their community. Each Track-in-A-Box contained the following items: stopwatch, measuring tape, relay batons, shot put, discus, softballs, Frisbees, marker cones, whistle along with the TIB Manual written by USATF's Manager of Development Programs, Cathy Sellers. Each box also contained a packet with contact information for USATF's 57 local Associations; individual and club membership applications and USATF logo decals.

You may email Andy Martin at andy.martin@usatf.org.

Do you have any questions about a child's running program? Feel free to email the kid's editor at carolgoodrow@verizon.net.