This is one of our favourite games for lots of reasons and it comes from Module 8: Nature Awareness Games!
It reinforces where the boundaries are and then gives lots of different ways to run around, whilst learning. We often refer to this approach as 'invisible learning' - which refers to the unconscious competence that occurs during this way of learning.
You can vary what you want to teach. For example, if you want a group to get to know more about plant identification – you tell the children, ‘You are only safe if you are touching an oak tree’. If you want to increase awareness of shapes or mathematical ideas, or develop language, you may say, ‘You are only safe if you are touching something that is round….or spikey, or brown etc’.
Many of the early years children won’t have all the vocabulary but they can begin to recognise the world around them by playing repetitive games.