Ready Squad: Physical distancing

Staying two metres away from other people will help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Learn about physical distancing with two fun activities to help remember how far apart that is, a colouring activity and a zookeeper game.

Activity design goals

  1. Remember important information
  2. Increase safety
  3. Demonstrate new skills

Colouring activity: What does two metres look like?

Do you know how many animals or everyday objects can fit between people who are two metres apart? Draw and colour the different animals or objects on our colouring sheet to learn what two metres looks like. When you're done, try out the Zookeeper game below to practice keeping two metres apart.

  • Step by step instructions

    Print out the colouring activity below.

    Draw/colour the objects between the two characters to make up two metres.

    When you're finished, practice what you learned by playing the Zookeeper game below.

    Download colouring activity

  • Equipment/materials needed

    Printed colouring sheets

    Pencil crayons/markers

  • People and groupings

    Unlimited group size

Zookeeper game

  • Equipment/materials needed

    Objects to measure 2 metres (at least one of the following):

    4 school chairs

    10 markers

    5 basketballs

    1 hockey net

    Measuring tape if none of the above is available

    Pylons or tape to mark the 2 metre separation

  • People and groupings

    For ages 7 - 12 yrs

    Number of participants: 4 - 15+ people (depending on available space)

    Time required: 10 - 20 mins

Game instructions

  1. This activity requires open space, such as a carpet gathering area in a classroom, gymnasium, or in a field or cement play area outside.
  2. When you have chosen your space, have participants form a circle with each separated by 2 metres. Participants should measure out 2 metres using some of the objects used in the colouring activity, such as 5 school chairs, 10 markers, 5 basketballs or 1 hockey net. Once the distance has been measured using objects, mark the distance using pylons, sidewalk chalk or tape.
  3. Once your circle is formed, select one person to stand in the middle of the circle as the “zookeeper."
  4. The zookeeper will close their eyes and tell the players how to move (hop, skip, jump, etc.) while continuing to keeping 2 metres distance.
  5. Before starting, players will have to choose an animal who sounds they will make while moving (i.e. horse, duck, pig, goose, cow etc.).
  6. Zookeeper starts the game by telling players to start moving and making their animal noise.
  7. When the zookeeper is ready, they will yell “freeze” and point at someone with their eyes still closed.
  8. The person who is pointed at will have to make the sound of the animal the player is – the zookeeper will have three chances to guess what the animal is.
  9. If they get it right, they switch places with the zookeeper and if they don’t guess they have to continue playing. *If the zookeeper points between two people have them play "rock paper scissors" to determine who will make the animal sound.

Additional resources

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