Fiesta Fitness

Fiesta de Fitness

I originally wrote this routine for some games I had when I had a fiesta at my house.  They are for any age level or ability level.  Just say Ole and you are ready to begin!

Chocolonga

(cho-co-LONG-a)

Materials: blindfold

A circle is marked on the blackboard or on a piece of paper  is attached to the wall. One player is selected to be it and stands at arms length in front of the circle.  He or she is  blindfolded and told to touch as near as possible the center of the circle. Before it tries to touch the circle, he or she is turned around three times.. "Chocolonga" is cuban for "to put into."

Carpenters, Coal Miners , and Cardinals

One player is chosen as leader. The other players form two parallel lines about 3 feet apart and facing each other. One team is the carpenters; the other is the coal miners. Play begins as the leader gives the calls. If he or she calls "Carpenters!" that team turns and runs to alien about 30 feet away. The  coal miners try to tag them before they cross the line. The players who retagged are out of the game. If  coal miners are called, they run to a line on their side, trying to reach it before the carpenters tag them. If cardinals are called, neither team should move. If a player should move even a foot, he or she is eliminated from the game. The leader may add excitement to the game by pausing on the first syllable CAR so that the players do not know what to expect. The team with the most players at the end of playing time wins.

La Caching

(La Ca-CHAN-gad)

Materials: Shoe

The term la caching is Spanish for a sandal made of cotton. The sole of the shoe is flat and the shoes held on by a strap. The players are in a close circle, kneeling on one knee, the other is at right angles. A shoe  is passed quickly under the knee of each player. One player on the outside of the circle moves around the group in the direction in which the shoe is sent and tries to locate the shoe. The circle players say together repeatedly,

Queue corral la cachanga, the sandal that runs. .If the outside player locates the shoe, he or she taps the shoulder of the player holding it and then exchanges places with that player.

Rayuela

How to Play Rayuela
There can be any number of players and a stone is the only object you need to play it. If you are the first player, you draw a figure on the floor with a piece of chalk.

Then you throw the stone inside square one. After that, you have to hop into each square, starting with square 1 and ending in square eight. If there are two squares together, you jump landing with one foot in each square; but if there is only one square, you must hop on one foot. When you reach squares 7 and 8, you have to turn back jumping again until square 1. Then you continue playing the next level. This time you begin by throwing the stone into square number 2. In the next level, you throw it into square number 3. You continue until level 8. The first player who does all the levels is the winner. The most important thing is that the player has to skip the square where the stone is.

Hit the Coin

Materials: Stick coin or bottle cap ( Chair)

Place a 12- to 18-inch bamboo stick (or use a dowel) into the ground (you could make a stand or use a Christmas tree stand indoors). Draw a circle about five inches in diameter around the pole. Place a coin or bottle cap on top of the stick. The players stand about four feet away from the stick and try to knock the object off the stick by throwing a coin at it. The object is to knock the coin off the stick to the outside of the 5 inch circle.

Peteca

Materials: Shuttlecock, net, and basket

Peteca is best described as badminton without the racquets. The players use their hands to hit the special shuttlecock over a net. Your game could use a traditional Peteca, but the player tries to land it in a target, such as a basket.

Uno, does, tres

 Materials: beanbags and string

Stretch a string between two objects and mark a line a yard away.  Children stand behind the line and take turns throwing bean bags at the string.  Any child who hits hit it scores a point.

Socorro!

A chaser runs after the children and tries to catch them.  When a child is in danger of being caught, she shouts, “Socorro!” If a player comes and hold her hand, they are both safe from being caught. Once the danger is past, they continue to run individually.

Luta de Galo

Materials: handkerchiefs

Players pair up, tuck handkerchiefs in their belts, place their right arm across their chest, and hop around on their right foot. The free left arm is used to reach for the opponent's handkerchief. A player whose left foot touches the ground or whose right arm unbends is disqualified. The player who succeeds in getting the opponent's handkerchief is the winner. Luta de Galo means a "fight of roosters."

A.K.A. Alto Ahi!

Materials: Ball

Initially, one player takes the ball. In that moment, the rest begin running away from the one who has the ball. When the one who has the ball says, "Stop there, John" (naming one of the participants), the one named must look for the ball. Once he has the ball, he says "Stop there," and everyone must stop. The one who has the ball can give three steps to get nearer to his closest partner and throws him or her ball.

Cascudinho (Little Bee)

Materials:  Ball

This uses only one goal (with or without a goalkeeper) and both teams compete for goals. The goalkeeper does not belong to any team; his role is keeping the goal. When one team attacks, the other one plays defensively, trying to stop the ball from reaching the goal. When the other team succeeds in stealing the ball, it tries to kick it into the goal and the other team plays defensively in turn.

References:

Carnival Games from Around the World

http://www.schoolcarnivals.com/Games/By_Theme/themecultural.htm

Fit 4 Fun International Games

http://www.worknotes.com/IL/Chicago/Fit4FunKidsFitness/hf1.stm

Games from Around the World

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/4h/4h05500.pdf

Rayuela

http://www.topics-mag.com/edition11/games-section. htm