Sleeping Giant

Set up

• Place rugby balls in a loose pile around and near the Sleeping Giant in the middle.
• Coach begins as the Giant.
• Children start behind a safe home line marked with cones.
• For big groups, set two ball piles with space between them.

How to play

1. The Giant pretends to sleep.
2. Children creep forward quietly and try to collect a rugby ball.
3. The Giant suddenly wakes.
4. Children react — use PAWS/READY as the cue.
5. Children return safely home with the ball.
6. Reset the balls and play again.

Coach cues

• “Quiet paws!”
• “Can you collect the treasure?”
• “Eyes up!”
• “Back home!”

Early Years 3–5

The coach wakes dramatically but moves slowly. Children simply return home.

KS1 5–7

The Giant can add gentle tagging or call a direction the children must return to.

Safety

• No diving onto the balls.
• Avoid collisions around the Giant.
• Children collect one ball each and turn away before running.