This game is called The Atom Game. Children run around the gym in all sorts of directions. The teacher calls out "Atom___" and a number. Which ever number is called, the children have to get into groups of that number. For example, the teacher calls "Atom 6!" and children get into groups of 6. Those left out of a group, are out.

A visitor has added the following suggestion:

I believe this activity could help increase inclusion in the classroom. Instead of looking for your friends, the students must quickly find others to form the group or they will be out. This may help form other friendly relationships in the class. This sounds great to me and could help with forming teams for other activities.

Ian D AJS says...

This is a great activity!

You could introduce rules like... children cannot go with someone who has been in the same group as them, or there has to be at least one boy and girl in each group?

Children who are 'out' could jog on the edge of the playing area - after every round some children, who are jogging sensibly, could come back in which would mean they are still active at all times!

Another visitor explains that...

I haven't used this as an elimination game, but it's great for getting pupils into teams before another activity - if you do it with a few different numbers first.