# Switch Players occupy corners of a square while one player stands in the center and calls 'Switch.' Everyone sprints to find an open corner, resolving ties with rock-paper-scissors while waiting players rotate in. **Time:** 10 minutes. Source indicates less than 10 minutes; 10 minutes allows setup, demonstration, and multiple rotation rounds. **People:** 5 to 20. Court groups of 5 active players with a waiting line of 0 to 5 rotating players ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Energize a group and practice quick spatial awareness and reaction time through rapid position swapping. **Use it when:** Use during an outdoor or gym session when participants need an active, fast physical warm-up or recess game. **Skip it when:** Skip when space is confined, flooring is slick, or participants cannot safely engage in fast physical running. ## Materials and tools - 5 marker cones or floor spots per court (4 for corners, 1 for center) - Chalk or gym tape if marking lines on pavement or court ## Before participants arrive 1. Set up one square court (roughly 15 to 20 feet on each side) for every 5 to 10 players. 2. Place 4 cones at the square corners and 1 cone in the exact center. 3. Ensure the floor surface is clear of trip hazards and bags. ## Say this to open We are going to play Switch. Five people start on the court: one on each corner cone and one on the center cone. The center player calls out 'Switch!' As soon as you hear it, all four corner players must sprint to a different corner cone. Nobody can go to the center. If two people reach a corner at the exact same moment, play a single round of rock-paper-scissors; the winner stays. The person left without a corner moves out, and the next person in line steps into the center cone to start the next round. ## How to run it ### 1. Demonstrate the rules and tiebreaker (2 minutes) Explain the rules using the opening script. Form the first court of 5 players and a waiting line. Walk through one slow practice round showing how the center caller yells 'Switch', everyone moves to a corner, and nobody takes the center cone. Demonstrate a fast rock-paper-scissors tiebreaker if two players reach a spot together. ### 2. Play first rotation round (3 minutes) Begin full-speed play. The center caller calls 'Switch' and immediately tries to claim an open corner along with the 4 corner players. The player left without a corner goes to the end of the waiting line (or becomes the new center caller if playing without a queue). The next person in line walks onto the center cone. ### 3. Rotate courts and keep pace (3 minutes) Continue rapid rounds. If group size is between 10 and 20, run two parallel courts side by side so the queue is no longer than 5 people per court. Encourage quick calls without long pauses between rounds. ### 4. Cool down and debrief (2 minutes) Call time. Bring players together to catch their breath. Ask one or two debrief questions about awareness and quick decision-making. ## Debrief questions - What cues did you look for before deciding which corner to target? - How did you resolve ties quickly without stalling the game? **Finished output:** Completion of multiple active rotation rounds with all players cycling through court positions. ## Remote This physical game cannot be played online in its active court form. An online alternative for rapid verbal switching is Category Switch: a host names a category, calls on a participant, and whenever the host calls 'Switch!', the speaker must name a new item in a completely different chosen category within 3 seconds or pass. ## Hybrid Hybrid play is not practical for this physical game. Keep remote attendees in a video breakout playing a verbal reflex game while in-person participants run the physical court. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may choose power-walking instead of running, or serve as line referee and caller. - Any participant can pass on entering the court and step out of line at any point without explanation. ## If the session gets stuck **Players collide when rushing for the same corner cone.** Remind players to aim their bodies toward the cone base, keep heads up, and play one quick rock-paper-scissors round if both arrive within a step of each other rather than pushing. **Waiting line gets too long and people lose focus.** Split the group into two independent courts if you have 10 or more players so wait times stay under 60 seconds. ## Terms used here - Ro-Sham-Bo: Another name for rock-paper-scissors, used as an instant tiebreaker. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Playworks game library under 'Switch'. Retained the exact Playworks court setup (4 corners, 1 center cone, 5 active players, rock-paper-scissors tiebreaker, and line rotation). Discarded unrelated metadata conflations from improv theatre ('mimicking mannerisms') and generic reflection methods found in messy search indices. Added clear group scaling (splitting into parallel courts above 9 players), structured timing, safety guidelines, and accessibility roles. [Playworks](https://www.playworks.org/game-library/switch/) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/switch/