Touch That

Name and Purpose

• Touch That is a fast-moving, no-equipment activity that gets players moving and observing their environment.
• Players practise listening, quick movement, and environmental awareness.

a.k.a.

• Colour Dash, Run To It, Touch and Back

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 8-16 | 6-30 players | 5-15 minutes | Any space with varied objects, colours, or textures; works indoors or outdoors

Materials

• Optional: 1-2 cones or a chalk line to mark home base
• No other materials required

Quick-Run Card

1. Players stand at home base.
2. Counsellor calls a target: a colour, texture, natural object, or body part to touch on another player (with their permission).
3. Players run to touch the target and return to base.
4. Counsellor calls the next target right away; keep it moving.
5. No scoring needed. Celebrate the looking, the finding, and the moving.

Setup and Boundaries

• Define a home base with a cone or chalk line
• Set a clear outer boundary (a fence line, a wall, or named landmarks)
• Signal: 1 whistle = pause; 2 whistles = stop and gather
• Scan the area for hazards: traffic, uneven ground, low branches

How to Play

1. Players gather at home base.
2. Counsellor calls a target: “Something blue!”, “A tree!”, “Something rough!”, “Someone’s shoulder (with a tap and a nod)!”
3. Players run to touch the target and return to base.
4. Counsellor calls the next target as soon as most players are heading back; keep the energy moving.
5. Mix it up: combine targets (“Something round AND green”), add challenges (“Touch it twice before coming back”), or slow it down (“Walk to something that feels like velvet”).
6. No elimination. All players participate for the full game. Fastest return is celebrated but not required.

I-OPt Options

• A (Active): Run to every target as fast as possible
• S (Support): Help a younger or slower player spot targets and find them together
• Q (Quiet): Walk to the target and take in the environment; still earns full participation
• O (Observer): Call out target suggestions to the counsellor; join the running when a target appeals to them

Inclusion Adaptations

• All targets can be reached at a walk; no running is ever required
• For players with visual impairments, use tactile targets (something bumpy, something smooth, something warm from the sun) and pair with a sighted buddy

Stewardship Moment

• Use the activity to observe the environment: “What did you notice about the trees here? The colours? The textures?”
• Avoid targets that require picking up or disturbing natural objects (leaves, rocks, insects)

Consent

• Pre-brief: “Some targets might involve touching another person, like tapping someone’s elbow. That will always come with a tap-and-nod check first. No touch happens without a quick yes from both people.”
• Mid-game check: If the pace gets very fast, pause. “Thumbs up, sideways, or down. Good pace? Too fast?”
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can sit out a round at base and rejoin at any time.

Risks and Mitigation

• Collisions between players running to the same target: remind players to approach from different directions and slow down as they get close
• Players running into boundaries or hazards: set a clear outer limit before play and point it out
• Touching another person without consent: pre-brief the tap-and-nod rule clearly before any body-part targets are introduced

Warm-Up Suggestions

• Start with easy environmental targets (something red, a tree) before introducing people-touch targets
• “Slow Scan”: give players 30 seconds to look around the space before play begins

Debrief Questions

• What? “Which target was the hardest to find? Which was easiest?”
• So What? “What did you notice about this space that you hadn’t seen before?”
• Now What? “Where else could you slow down and really notice your surroundings?”

Cleanup and Reset

• Collect cones if used
• No other cleanup required
• Take a moment to observe the space: is it the same as when you found it?