Draw a line down the middle of the hall or pitch being used and divide the group into two teams, the ‘Rabbits’ and the ‘Rats’. Players from each team partner up against a player from the other team and face them across the centre line, but standing in their respective halves. One foot of each player should be touching their opponent’s at the centre line.
Explain that behind each team is a home base which if they reach they are safe from capture. If the leader calls out ‘rabbits’ this team becomes the chasing team and each rabbit has to catch their respective ‘rat’ partner before he/she reaches their home. If however, the leader calls out ‘rats’ then the opposite happens and rats have to catch the rabbits. Each time a person is caught that team scores a point. The game ends when you like and the winning team is the team with the most points.
Variations:
Crows and Cranes
Play as in Rabbits – Rats but in Crows and Cranes those captured change teams.
Heads or Tails?
Play as Rabbits – Rats, but teams are called ‘Heads’ or ‘Tails’ and the decision as to which team runs relies on the toss of a coin (useful where teams feel the person calling out is biased!)
