Choose one or two children to be crocodiles. The other children each have a ball and must try to cross the river by running across with the ball at their feet. Try to discourage big kicks.
This is a gang up game. If the crocodile gets the child’s ball, they too must become a crocodile. Pause the game each time the children run across to organise the crocodiles again. Move them back to allow children space to run into.
Variations: Introduce goals on each side that the crocodile must score into to get the children out. Encourage the children to try to win their ball back from the crocodile and get across.
Introduce Lilly pads (Poly dots) as safe spots. Encourage children to keep running across and not just wait at a Lilly pad. Maybe tell them they touch 4 before getting across.