Taking Advantage of the Weather

Good Afternoon friends,

Another day at OSC, the cold wintery days have decided to leave us and the warm spring weathers are beginning to make its appearance. Last week, the weather was clear and sunny. On Tuesday, Brianna had organized an exciting game of Capture the Flags in the beautiful weather that is showing itself once again. Unlike any of the traditional Capture the Flags game one may have played, this version allowed the kids to enable their creativity, thinking outside the box and problem solving skills. The children had to think outside the box to find a place to keep their noodle-shaped flags. The most creative spot was one that was placed at the top of the swing set.

How to play Capture the Flags(simplified):

1.    Choose playing field: field, playgrounds, gym

2.    List of Materials(can be improvised): flags, pinnies, cones, hula hoops

3.    Number of Players: recommended 15-20+

4.    Divide the players into two balanced co-ed teams

5.    Introduce the rules: the boundaries, flag zones/placements, how to successfully capture the flag, tagging opponents, what happens after being tagged

6.    Assigning teams a side of the playing field

7.    Let the games begin!

The children had an enjoyable afternoon roaming around in the outdoor environment. Not only did they enjoy themselves, their competitiveness created an intense atmosphere making the game rather interesting to watch.

During the game, one of the most nail-biting moment was when both teams were tied at a stalemate; with one flag left each to capture; the team by the far playground had Andrew, Alarii and Aidan on the offence and the team on the small playground by the swing set that had Emily, Macy and Anette on defence. Neither team had made a move, as each player on their team was waiting for the right moment to make that superb play to save the day. As time got closer to the end of the game; Andrew, who was sitting on the swing, made a bold dash for the last flag and within seconds, he had the flag in his hand and had set himself apart from the players on the other team. Glancing into the field, all that could be seen was this image with six or seven other children behind him. As he crossed that boundary on his teams’ side; the game had officially ended. What a game!

Capture the Flag, was an activity that encouraged the kids to stay active and fit in a world that is heavily dependant on modern day technology. There are many lessons that could be learned that afternoon however, the most important message to walk away with was that with the mentality of endless pursuit, one can accomplish anything in life.

Until Next Time,

Kevin W

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