Frogs, Insects, and Flowers

Description

Divide the group into three circles, one inside the next. The people in the outer circle are flowers, and remain stationary. The players in the inner circle are insects, and begin the game with one knee to the ground. The players in the middle circle are frogs -they begin the game standing.

When the whistle sounds the insects have ten seconds to run and tag a flower. They may avoid capture (being tagged by a frog) by flying (touching one knee to the ground). Frogs chase the insects and can "follow" an insect by turning 360° pivot during which the insect can dash off .

After each round, the results are noted. A successful animal remains as that animal for the next game. A captured animal becomes the same animal as his captor. An unsuccessful but uncaptured animal dies and becomes a flower .

Each round creates changes in populations and inter-relationships can be easily observed. A balanced game can go on indefinitely, but if frogs become too efficient, the insects are wiped out whereupon the frogs ultimately die. If the frogs are inefficient they may be wiped out and large uncontrolled fluctuations can result in the insect population.