Mr Crocodile

Make a large rectangle on the ground, lime, drag your foot, in the summer if it is really dry I sometimes use water, whatever.  Size depends on number of kids but think of it in terms of fence tag.  This is the "river."  One student will go in the river.  He is Mr. Crocodile.  All the other students line up on one river bank.  They ask.  "Please Mr. Crocodile can we cross the river?"  The Croc will reply "Only if you are wearing _____."  For example we will use glasses.  "Only if you are wearing glasses."  All students with glasses can walk across the river unharmed by the crocodile.  Any students who lack the chosen item must then try to run across the river without the crocodile catching them.  Any person who is caught becomes a crocodile and joins the original Crocodile in the river.  Repeat.  The first croc still chooses the item needed to cross but all crocodiles say the sentence "Only if you are wearing ____."

I usually explain the rules and class with lot of emphasis on tag.  I usually show them the video of Leonard Marshall blindsiding Joe Montana as an example of what I don't want to see.  Lastly I have a rule that if the croc says he tagged, he tagged but if he grabs and holds on, pulls the person down etc,  the person escapes. 

It can be fun but you have to run a tight ship.

Edit, I usually make the last man standing the next crocodile. 

I have a couple of games I used to play when I was in school myself--and used for my summer camps.

1. Red Rover

A. Split the students into 2 teams, holding hands.
B. Have those from Team 1 call out "Red Rover, Red Rover, let (Team 2 student's name) come over."
C. The named student from Team 2 must run across the field and through a pair of hands.
C 1. If the hands let go, Team 2 student can take one member from Team 1 to his side.
C 2. If the hands hold on and don't let go, that Team 2 student is now part of Team 1.
D. The game continues until there's either 1 or none left from one of the two teams--or whenever you see fit to stop it.



2. Octopus

A.  Make 2 lines across a field (like a large rectangle from Panic's "Mr. Crocodile" game) and have 1 student in the big center space.
B. All the other students are behind one of the lines. They must chant, "Octopus, Octopus, can we cross your waters?"
C. The "Octopus" must answer: "Yes, if you (action)." Then all the students must cross exactly as the octopus says. I try to encourage them to use their creativity. Say "walk like a North Korean soldier", "dance like Psy", "crab-walk", "walk backwards", "skip", "spin in circles", etc.
D. "Octopus" runs and tags those crossing. If a student is tagged, he becomes "seaweed" and helps the octopus catch more people, but he cannot leave the spot he was tagged. He can only stretch out his arms.
E. Repeat until one remains. That one will be the next "Octopus" for the next game. (I've also played where the 1st person tagged automatically becomes the next octopus)

Hope these help!