Adapted Ampe (West African Hopping, Decision Making Game)
Stage of Activity | All |
Equipment | None |
Time | 5-10 minutes |
Number of People | 2+ |
How it Works | Children form pairs and stand facing each other. Game begins with players jumping in place 6 times. On the sixth jump, both players randomly stick one foot forward when they land. If the feet match on the same side, the “same” player wins, if the feet are on opposite sides, the “different” payer wins. Game continues with the players jumping 6 times again. *In another traditional version, the children clap, then jump one time, putting one foot out when they land (as above). |
Applications | Strength, endurance, problem solving, opponent-awareness, cooperation, speed of movement, reaction time |
Modifications | Athletes can jump right or left on the sixth jump to train lateral movement and “reading” the intended motion of an opponent. Athletes keep eyes closed during the jumping to increase chance component. Athletes switch roles (i.e. from “same” to “different”) |