This game needs a couple of kids and a ball (both a football or a baseball are common).
One person is the thrower, and everyone else clusters about throwing distance away from the thrower. The thrower toss the ball in the air towards everyone else and annouces a number between 50 and 500, like so: "I've got 200 up for grabs". If a kid catches it they get as many points as the thrower yelled. If someone drops it though, they lose the same number of points (negative score are possible).
The first person to get 500 points wins and become the thrower for the next game.
OR
The baseball was batted and there was a set number of points for each type of hit. A "grounder" was 25, a line drive on the fly was 50 and anything of the order of a pop fly was 100.
Contributed by Chuck Miller
OR
One person is the thrower, and everyone else clusters about throwing distance away from the thrower. The ball is then thrown (or kicked) towards the group. If caught on the fly, it is worth 100 points; after the first bounce: 75, second bounce: 50, and after the third bounce: 25.
First person to 500 becomes the thrower (or kicker) for the next round.
Contributed by Brian McClendon
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (passive)
Group sits in a circle and chants Ali baba and the 40 thieves, while doing an action. The group leader on the next beat changes the action and then on the next beat the person beside him/her does that action. The action follows its way around the circle and the whole time the group is repeating the phrase. The group leader must change the action after every beat, so that every person in the circle eventually ends up doing a different action. (This may be compared to singing a song in a round).
Your whole team starts on one side of a volleyball net with no one on the other side. The object is to get your team to the other side of the net and back as many times as possible. Using a balloon for a ball, each player volleys the balloon to another player and then scoots under the net to the other side. The last player to touch the balloon taps it over the net and scoots under. The receiving players try to keep the balloon in play and repeat the process.
Alphabet Tower (younger guests)
Ask all children to sit down in a circle. You will need alphabet blocks. Set one block in the center of the circle. Go around the circle each child stacking one block on top of the previous until the blocks fall. This game can be played several times until children grow tired of it.
The group splits up into two sub-groups which we will call A and B. Group A leaves 5 to 10 minutes before group B and must leave clues behind ( footprints, marks, arrows, codes, pieces of paper, etc....). They must then camouflage and set up an ambush for group B. Group B leaves and follows the footprints and clues left by group A and tries to discover the ambush site. During the ambush the groups face each other in mock combat (stealing of scarves, indian wrestling, etc...). The meeting of the two groups could also result in the yelling of, "AMBUSH" and a race back to home base again.
It is played over a lower building that you can throw a ball over and be able to run all the way around it. You call out Annie-Annie Over and throw the ball over the building to the kids on the other side. If they catch the ball they can sneak around the building and throw the ball at you or catch you and tag you. You have to keep an eye open for them coming and beat them to the other side of the building. If you make it then that is your side but if you are tagged then you are on their side. There can be an even number of kids on each side to start with. When there are three-four kids on a side they can split up and some go each way and then you don't know who has the ball. If the ball is not caught then they can wait a moment to try and fool you and then holler out Annie-Annie Over and throw the ball back. If the ball doesn't go over the building, the throwers can yell 'Pigtail!', and then try to throw it again. The ball must be caught in order to run around the building after you. When the last kid on a team is tagged then that team wins.
Contributed by Helen Lorentson
Purchase small apples. Fill a large washtub with water, float about 8 apples, and have no more than 4 kids per tub. On GO!, they all clasp their hands around their back and try to bite an apple, using their mouth only. First one wins!
Messy Game's by Ian
Players sit in a circle and are assigned the names of auto parts. (ie. hood, wheel, door, etc.) The storyteller tells a story of an auto trip. As the player tells the story, the parts mentioned get up and follow him/her. When the storyteller yells "Blowout" each player scramblers for a seat. The one left out becomes the next storyteller.
Equipment: 2 objects The leader of the game starts by passing the first object to the person on their right and saying, "This is a whit." The reply is, "A What?" The leader would then clarify, "A whit." This question sequence continues around the circle but the question "A what?" is passed all the way back to the beginning and back again. This game can be confused by adding an additional object called a Watt in the opposite direction.
VARIATION:
In this version, you have a circle of however many people, and the same number of
monosyllabic items. One person, the leader, starts by choosing one oblect, let's say
it is a spoon. He/she hands this object to the person on his right, and says:
This is a spoon. The person replies:
"A What?"
Leader: "A Spoon."
Person: "Oh, A spoon!"
the person then takes the spoon and hands it to the person on their right, now becoming the leader. At the same time, the original leader has picked up a new object, and has passed it on. The second person now must carry on two conversations at the same time, looking from one to the other. I have included a diagram of what I mean:
Leader: Person #1 Person#2 Person #3
This is a spoon.
<A What?
A Spoon
<A What?
A Spoon
<Oh! A Spoon
This is a knife This is a spoon>
<A What? <A
What?
A knife! A Spoon>
<A What? <A
What?
A Knife! A Spoon!>
<Oh, a knife! <Oh, a spoon!
This is a Fork This is a knife> This is a spoon>
<A What? <A
What? <A What?
A Fork! A
Knife> A spoon!
<A What? <A
What? <A What?
A Fork! A
knife! A spoon!
<Oh, a fork! <Oh, a
knife! <Oh, a spoon!
This game is really fun, and it tends to get louder and louder as the more people play
the game. we did this with a group of about 35 once, and it is so much fun. It
can be really frustrating to learn, but it really is a blast!
Contributed by Mark Stephens
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Back to Back (active/back pocket game)
Players stand about by pairs, except one player who is it. When it calls, "Back to back!" the players must back up to a partner. When it calls "Face to Face!" these partners must face each other and shake hands. On the next call "Back to back!" and each time here after, all players must change partners. It tries to get a partner during the change. The player left out becomes it.
Equipment: 4 round balloons Divide the group into two teams, then divide each team into pairs. This is a relay race, and the racecourse can extend across a large field or around a building. Mark a start and finish line. Teams of pairs space themselves equally from one end of the racecourse to the other. Pairs stand back to back with elbows linked. Blow up 4 large balloons and give two each to the first pair from each team. One balloon is held in each hand of each player. When the leader says "Go", the first two pairs make their way to the next pair of linked players. The first pair transfers its balloons to the next pair. The first team to cross the finish line wins.
Equipment: Balloons, string Inflated balloons and string for each team member. Have two teams - tie balloons to ankle and teams try to burst the others first. Team with the last balloons wins. As your balloon is burst you withdraw from the game.
Equipment: balloon with message inside The players sit in a circle. A balloon is passed around the circle. Each player has to sit on the balloon with all their weight for 3 seconds. If someone breaks the balloon, they must do what it says on the message. (ex, sing a song, bark like a dog, dance)
Equipment: A rag or sock or a real banana Form a circle with all players sitting on the floor. It is important for the players to sit close together with their knees up and their hands tucked under their legs. The person in the middle has to figure out where the banana is as the people in the circle are passing the "banana" under their legs secretly. Bandit (circle/passive)
"It" stands in the middle of the circle. When he points at one of the players in the circle and says "Bandit!", that person must put both hands over his ears. The person to the bandit's right must put the hand nearest to the bandit over his own left ear, while the person on the bandit's left puts his nearest hand over his own right ear. If any one of the three make a mistake by covering the wrong ear, or by using two hands when only one is to be used, or failing to react at all before the person who is "IT" counts to ten, he becomes "IT".
Each child is given the name of an animal with three children having the same name. No one is allowed to tell another which animal he is. At the signal each child makes the noise of the animal that he has been given. The first group of three animals to find each other and sit down are the winners.
Divide into two teams. The rules are similar to regular baseball except that the fielding team may not move their feet. The hitting team hits the volleyball with their hand, and crawls around the bases. To score a point, the batter must crawl all around the bases back to home before the fielding team gets the ball to the catcher at home. If the fielding team gets the ball ahead of the batter, he is out. After three people are out, the teams trade places.
Basket-Soccer Ball (active/cooperative)
Equipment: balls Two teams are needed. The object of the game is to get both teams up and down the court as many times as possible in 15 minutes. Eg. Team 'A' and Team 'B' when at one end of the court, work together to pass the ball around pylons, then kick or lift the ball up into the hands of one of the team members, who then shoots at the basket. If the ball goes in, they can then go to the other end of the court and shoot for that hoop. Note: Only Team "A" can shoot at "A" basket and "B" shoots at "B" basket.
Beat the Bunny (circle/passive)
Equipment: Two balls of different size. The bunny (small ball) is started first and is passed from child to child around the circle. When the bunny is about half way around, the farmer (large ball) is started in the same direction. Note: The farmer can change directions to try and catch the bunny, but the bunny can only go one way.
Big Wind Blows (circle/passive)
The group forms a large circle sitting at an arm's length apart. One person is chosen to be the "wind", and stands in the centre of the circle. The game begins when the person in the middle acts like the wind ( by turning in a circle and waving their arms) and says "THE BIG WIND BLOWS" At this point they must specifically state what the wind blows, a statement which must be true about themselves. ie "The Big Wind Blows everyone who has blue eyes." All of the kids who have blue eyes including the wind must stand up and run through the circle to a position that is now empty on the other side. Upon reaching this spot, they sit down. One person will be left over, they are now the wind and the game continues. There is no winner or loser, just a lot of fun.
Birds Have Feathers (moderate)
One player is leader. He and all the others flap their arms like birds. He calls out names of something with feathers. If a player flaps his wings on a calling that doesn't have feathers he's out. The leader flaps his wings on almost all things to confuse the group and calls as rapidly as possible. "Birds have feathers, bats have feathers, babies have feathers, etc."
Black Magic (circle / passive)
The leader needs a helper who understands how the trick works. The helper leaves the circle. While they are gone, the group decides on an object. The helper then comes back to the group, their task is to guess what the object is. The leader asks questions like, "Is it the swings?" or "Is it the bench". The helper replies no. The trick is that the object will be the first one after a black object.
Equipment: Blanket Spread out blanket; whole group must get on it so that no appendages are touching the ground off the blanket. If the group completes the stand, have them get off and fold blanket in half. Repeat the above process for as long as possible.
Blanket Toss (active/cooperative)
Equipment: Blanket and waterballoon All players should be standing around the blanket holding an edge. The leader of the game will launch (by catapult or throwing) waterballoons into the air. The object of the game is to catch the waterballoons in the blanket.
Blind Beach Volley-ball (active)
Equipment: Blanket and beach ball A blanket should be draped over a volley-ball net. The game goes as usual except you can not see when the ball is coming. Scary!!
Equipment: bell and blindfolds All players sit in a circle facing the centre. One person is blindfolded and is the "Blind Cow." The "blind cow" should be spun around and then brought to the centre of the circle. The bell should then be passed around the circle and rung. The "blind cow" will then follow the sound of the bell. The game leader points at the person who should stop the bell. The "blind cow" now has to guess who is holding the bell (by pointing). If the person is right, the chosen person becomes the cow in the next round. If they are wrong, he has to go again (until he guesses right).
Use a junior sized basketball hoop and a junior sized basketball, like the plastic portable kinds. Blindfold each player and give them five chances to make a basket. High scorers win.
Game's by Ian
Equipment: blindfold Blindfold one player and spin them around 3 times. The blindfolded player tries to tag one of the other players, who may crouch low, sneak up behind the "blindman" and yell "Boo", or stand still and keep very quiet. Eventually though, someone will get careless and be tagged. That player is then blindfolded for the nest game.
Materials: 2 different colored balloons & tape.
Divide your friends into two teams. (If you have a large group you may want 3 or 4 teams). Have these teams line up behind a tape marking on the floor. The first person in each line is given one balloon. Each gets down on the his/her knees and blow the balloon across the room to a goal line (without touching the balloon). He/she then blows the balloons back to the start and every other member of the team does the same thing. The first team to finish wins.
Variations
You can have each team split in half and blow the balloons to the other half of the team and goes to the end of the line. The first person in line blows the balloon back to the start and goes to the end of the line. The race ends when the first person is at the beginning of the line.
All the players lie face down, side by side, spaced about a body's width apart to form a long human breaker. A player kneels at one end of the line of bodies and launches himself onto the surface, belly down with his/her arms outstretched. The wave action now begins. Those at the beginning of the line start rolling over continuously in the same direction. As the surfer moves onto new players, they roll as well. When the surfer reaches the beach at the other end of the line he lies down and becomes part of the wave and the person at the head of the line gets to try her surfing skills.
The goal is a line thirty feet long. The players form a semi-circle forty feet from the goal with their backs to it and facing in. IT stands at the centre of the circle and begins to tell a story, either making it up or an old familiar one. At any point he chooses, the storyteller says "and the boiler burst" upon which all the players run for the goal. IT runs after them attempting to touch one. The runners are safe when they reach the goal; the first player tagged before reaching safety is IT.
To make a Bola, stuff a rubber softball into a long sock and tie a knot in the sock just above the ball. Now tie a rope to the sock. Lie down on your back and start spinning the Bola, slowly letting out the rope. When you've got it rotating at a full radius, everyone can begin jumping into the circle. You may increase the speed, or have two people join hands, and jump in partners. If you're nicked by the Bola, you may continue or sit out.
At either end of the playing space, set up in a row as many tenpins, or popbottles as there are players. Make a dividing line across the centre of the playing space. Divide players into two teams. Each team takes one side of the field and must not step over into the other side. One team starts the game by throwing a volleyball or playball, trying to knock down the pins on the other side. The opponents protect their pins by catching or blocking the ball with their hands and bodies. If the ball hits outside the field and knocks a pin down on the rebound it still counts. Play for fifteen minutes with the ball shooting back and forth rapidly. With a large number two balls can be used. The winner is the team that knocks down all the other teams pins.
The players start sitting in a circle. The leader stands up and "bops" or dances around the inside of the circle. The players can help out by making their own music. The leader then taps selected people on the head and says, "start bopping right now." These tapped people will join the leader in the middle. These boppers keep dancing and tapping until they hear, "Bop Bop Over!" The players will then stop dancing and run back to their spots. The last one there is the new leader.
The group should be split into 4 groups. Each group should form one side of the box that should be surrounding the game leader. Each side has a name. These are: - NORTH ("North is Aaaaa Oooookay!!!) - SOUTH ("South, Wooh!) - EAST ("East is the beast to beat") - WEST ("West is the best") The object of the game is to be the first team to be in the appropriate order in a straight line in the right relation to the leader. Once your whole team has arrived, you should yell your team's chant (they are listed above)
The players are at the ends of the field, with 3 bulldogs standing in the middle. Whenever they are ready they will call: "British Bulldog". The players must then run to the opposite side of the field without being touched.
You had to have at least three people to play but an unlimited number could join in.
Everyone would gather in a tight circle and make a fist with both hands and hold their fists out in the center of the circle. I cant remember exactly how we chose who would be the counter (I think it was whoever was the bossiest at the moment!) But anyway, the counter would take one of her fists and tap everyones fists (including her own) as she said this rhyme: Bubble gum, Bubble gum, in a dish. How many pieces do you wish?
Who ever she taps last would give a number between 1 and 20. Then the counter would again tap everyones fists as he/she counted to the specified number. Who ever she landed on had to take that fist out of the circle and place their hand behind their back. Then the counter would start all over again with the Bubble gum, Bubble gum....and repeat the process. Once both of your fists were tapped, you were out. And this went on until it narrowed it down to one-the winner. Now, alot of times we used this to help us decide on certain issues-kinda like a fair way of voting on who would be leader for the day or something silly like that. Other times we just played it over and over again to see who won the most and was declared the champion of the day. It was fun and very simple to learn.
Contributed by Glenda Honeycutt
Teams only could play this game. At least 3/4 players on a side. One guy would be the post, (standing up straight) while the others would all bend over in a line against the post. The opposing team would then (one at a time) leap as far as they could toward the post and when all were on, the lead guy would put up one hand with 1, 2, or 3 fingers showing and yell, BUCK BUCK YA LOUSY MUCK, HOW MANY FINGERS HAVE I GOT UP 1,2,3,OR NONE. If the team that was down guessed correctly, they had a chance to jump, if not, they continue as they were.
Contributed by Jim Peters
OR
[Johnny Ride A Pony]
Two Teams consisting of 3- 5 persons
One person would stand with their back to a wall. Other members of the team would bend down and hold onto one leg of the person in front of them. Like a line attached to a pole.
One player at a time from the opposite team must run and leap upon the first team. Each member of the opposition does the same in turn. Object is to force the team being jumped on to collapse. Each team takes turns and the team with the most wins, wins.
Contributed by Gary Scher
OR
The group of kids divides into two groups. In this game strong kids and heavy kids are a premium. One team lines up in the following way: the first kid bends over and wraps his/her arms around a tree or similar object. The next kid bends over and hugs the first kid around the waist. the remaining kids on the team do the same one after the other to form a "horse". The other team takes turns shouting "buck buck number 1(2, 3,...) coming!" then with a running start, jumping onto the back of the "horse". Each kid stays on the horse while subsequent jumpers accumulate. The object is to see how many kids it takes to "break" the horse up. THE winning team is the one who held up the most kids. There is some strategy involved both in forming the horse (deciding where your weaker players go in the line) and in the order in which kids jump onto the horse.
Contributed by Anna Tschursin
Bump and Scoot (active/cooperative)
Equipment: Volleyball net, ball Using a volleyball net, have the girls on one side and the boys on the other. Whenever a boy or girl hits the ball over the net, they "scoot" to the other side. the idea of the game is to completely switch the teams to the other side, but they all must work to together to succeed.
Bumpety Bump Bump (circle/active)
All players stand in a circle with someone in the centre. The person in the centre will choose someone in the circle to point at and will say, "Right, Bumpety Bump Bump Bump" or "Left, Bumptey Bump Bump Bump." The person who is pointed at has to say the name of the person to their right or left (depending upon what is asked by the person in the centre) before the phrase is finished. If they fail to do this, they are out. The centre person is trying to eliminate all players.
Teams can be of 1 or more players. Each team has a pitcher and possibly one or more fielders. The playing field is composed of a wall and the area in front of it. A strike zone based on a baseball/softball strike zone is drawn on a wall. The pitcher pitches a tennis ball from a set distance depending on the age of the players. If the batter swings and misses it is a strike. If the ball hits the wall within the box, it is a strike. Three strikes is an out; four balls is a walk. A fair or foul area is defined at the beginning of the game. A ball must travel a minimum distance in the air to be declared a fair ball. Increasing distances of carry in the air are used to decide whether a hit is a single, double, triple or home run. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins.
Contributed by Keith Savoline
Materials: paper cups, thread, buttons, scissors, needles.
Give each team a button catcher that you make by threading the needle and pulling it through the button. Instruct them to put the needle through the bottom of the cup and knot the thread.
The object of the game is to swing the button and catch it in the cup. As each guest does this, he passes the cup to the next guest. The first team to finish wins.
Buzz (circle/passive/backpocket)
The players start counting substituting buzz for the number seven and multiples of seven. If a player makes a mistake he must drop out or the whole group must start again.
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You need atleast two people who already know how to play the game. Play begins by one person saying "I'M GOING ON A CAMPING TRIP AND I'M GOING TO BRING...(at this point the person talking picks anything s/he would like to bring on the trip. Let's use a sleeping bag as an example) A SLEEPING BAG". The next person says "I'M GOING ON A CAMPING TRIP AND I'M GOING TO BRING...(at this point the person talking picks anything s/he would like to bring on the trip, but it must begin with the letter "G", since the last letter of the first person 'camping accessory' was a "G". For example let's say the second person wanted to bring a "GUARDIAN" they can bring that so everyone says "OKAY YOU CAN BRING THAT ON OUR CAMPING TRIP". Say the third
person hasn't caught on to the game yet and says, "I'M GOING ON A CAMPING TRIP AND I'M GOING TO BRING HOT DOGS". Everyone should say, "NO, YOU CAN'T BRING HOT DOGS" and play continues to the next player until everyone has caught onto the game.
Contributed by Janet
VARIATION: Also can be played with a different 'rule' each time. One player makes up a rule, and then says something like: "I would take apples but not potatoes" The other players then try to figure out the rule. It will take several different clues: "I would take a Corvette but not a Camaro" "I would take beer but not Coke" etc.
Once a player thinks they have figured out a rule, they ask the first player whether or not they would take a certain item to verify their idea: "You would take Fruit Loops but not Corn Flakes, right?" "Right"
Play continues until everyone gets the rule figured out. Then someone else picks a rule and a new game begins. The rules can be anything, and are only limited by the creativity of the players.
[P.S. the rule in this example was double letters]
The ABC Game- Object to complete the alphabet first. As you see the letters on billboards & liscense plates you shout out your letter and point. Once a letter has been claimed other players cannot use the same letter. Make it harder by limiting to only liscense plates or billboard signs.
The Theme Song Game- Just silly & fun. One person hums the tune to a favorite TV show (here you can tell i grew up in the 70's) ex: Hawaii Five-0, Gilligans island, Flipper, Brady Bunch, etc... the one who guesses does the next song.
Guess what I am- One person states they are either a person, place or thing and the others then ask questions (are you blue, can you speak, do you bark, can you be eaten, etc) until they guess what the person is, then they are next.
Contributed by Vicki Shaw
Alphabet Signs: [A variation of the ABC game above]
One person chose the right side of the road and the other person had the left. The object of the game was to cite all of the letters of the alphabet ,in order, from a to z. You could only use a sign for one letter. The person on the left side usually had to sit sideways and read signs as they receded. The first person to z won.
Animals/Cities/Geography:
We also played a game we took turns naming animals (for example). Each person would have to name another animal (no repeating) that started with the last letter of the last animal named. This game could be played with cities (as we got older) or geographical regions (as we got older still). We even have an 'expert' version where all the geographical regions must start and end with an 'a'. (AsiA, Aegean SeA, AmericA, AtlantA, etc.)
Contributed by Brian Litteral
The players should stand in a circle. Two people are chosen, one to be the cat and the other to be the mouse. The object of the game is for the mouse to catch the cat on the inside of the circle. This can achieved because when the mouse runs in between two people, they will join hands and the cat can not pass through. This game can be repeated with a new cat and mouse.
Catching the Dragon's Tail (active/cooperative)
A dragon is formed by grouping the players into a long line each with their hands on the shoulders of the one in front of him. The first in the row is the dragon's head. The last in the row is the dragon's tail, eager to lash to the right and left in order to escape the head. Until the signal GO is given, the dragon must be a straight line. Someone in the group counts "One, two, three, go!" On the signal GO the head runs around toward the tail and tries to catch it. The whole body must move with the head and remain unbroken. If the head succeeds in touching the tail, they may continue to be the head. If the body breaks before he catches the tail the head becomes the tail and the next in line is the head and so on until each has a chance to be the head and the tail.
See "Stealing Sticks"
Catch Don't Catch (circle/active)
This is similar to "flinch". The players should be standing in a circle with their arms crossed. The person in the centre will throw the ball to someone in the circle. They will either say, "Catch" or "Don't Catch". If they say "Catch", the player should not catch the ball and cannot flinch (move their arms). If they say "Don't Catch" , the player should catch the ball. If a player does the wrong thing or misses the ball, they are out. Caterpillar (active) The players must lie face down, side by side and very close to each other. Alternate small players and older players. Player at one end must get to the other end by rolling on this corduroy road. When this player reaches the other end, the rest player starts rolling on the carpet.
CHERRY (also called "Hit the Bat" or "Stick Ball")
"CHERRY" (I have no idea why) and the rules are quite simple. The game is played with a baseball bat and ball (usually a tennis ball so we didn't break any windows). There are no teams, just one person up to bat and everyone else in the outfield. The person with the bat tosses the ball up and hits it. He/she then places the bat on the ground in front of him/her. The person who gets the ball rolls it at the bat from the place where the ball was picked up. When and if the ball hits the bat it pops up into the air. If the batter does not catch the ball, the person who rolled it is then up to bat. If someone in the field catches a hit before it touches the ground, they are automatically up to bat.
Contributed by: Laura J. Clark
Equipment: rubber chicken
Players sit in a circle and one player goes into the middle. A topic is chosen and the rubber chicken starts at one person and is passed around the circle. The person in the middle must list as many things as they can from the topic, but they only have however long that the chicken makes it around the circle once. When the chicken gets back to the starting point, the person must stop talking. A designated counter should be in the group to count how many objects they are able to list. The person that is able to list the most objects is the winner. Topic example: Chocolate Bars (ie) hershey, crispy crunch, aero etc. etc. etc.
The players should start sitting in a circle numbered 1-4 (this can be adjusted depending upon the size of the group). The game leader will call out a number and all players with that number will stand up and run clockwise around the circle. After one warm-up lap, the race begins. A runner is out if another runner passes them on the outside. The run continues until one person is left. The leader then continues to call numbers. A winners round might be a good way to end the game.
Circle Stride Ball (circle/moderate)
Equipment: Volley ball A circle is formed, feet apart and touching neighbours. The player inside the circle with the ball tries to throw the ball out the circle between the players legs. Players try to stop it by using their hands. If the ball goes through, then that person goes in the centre.
Collective-Score Blanket/Towel Ball (cooperative)
Equipment: Ball, blanket or towels or both. This game is basically group juggling with blankets and towels.
One player is chosen to be the Fox. One player is chosen to be the Hen. All the
rest of the players are the colored eggs. The fox must stand far enough away from
the hen and her eggs that he can't hear them. The hen assigns a color to each egg by
whispering the color in their ear. The eggs line up facing the hen. The fox
comes up behind the hen and acts like he is knocking on a door. The hen responds,
"Who is it?" The fox replys, "It's the fox." The hen says, "What
do you want?" The fox says, "Colored eggs." The hen says, "I
haven't got any." At this point all the players who are eggs laugh loudly. The fox
says, "I hear them laughing." "O.K." says the hen. "What color do
you want." The fox begins to guess colors. When he guesses a color that
is assigned to an egg the egg begins to run. If the fox catches the egg a new fox
and a new hen are picked. If the fox doesn't catch the egg before it gets back to the hen
he must guess another color and try to catch the next egg. However,before the fox can make
his/her guess the fox must knock on the door each time and the conversation between fox
and hen must be repeated each time.
Contributed by Bizzie Vunderink
Chose a colour. You must stop someone and touch part of their clothing which is of the chosen colour.
The players are split into 2 teams and the classic crab position is assumed. This position is maintained supported by at least 3 extremities, while each player tries to make the team members of the opposite team touch their rear to the ground, at which point they win.
Two teams sit on lines a short distance apart. Team members are numbered. Soccer ball sits in the centre. Official calls number. The member of that number from each team crab walk and attempts to get the ball over the opponents goal line. When a point is scored, the ball is returned to the centre and another number is called. Team members may help but not score.
The kids usually played this at recess and should be prepared to get dirty.
You need at least probably 6 people for the game to be effective but the more the better. You all hold hands like you would for Red Rover. Someone is picked to be the leader and someone as the caboose. The leader just starts running around like crazy and everyone else follows, being sure not to let go of hands. Eventually after everyone has been running with full speed and making sharp turns the caboose and/or people next to him get sent flying because of the force of everyone running and turning. This is a lot of fun but be prepared to get dirty if your on the end. Also the leader and caboose can use two hands to hold on to the one person the are connected to. The cabbose tries as hard as she/he can not to let go. (Holding on and flying around was usually funner then letting go and rolling to a stop :)
Contributed by Julianne Brewer
Divide the children into two equal teams. Name one of the teams crows and the other cranes. Line the two teams up four or five feet apart facing each other. Flip a coin, and if it comes up heads call crows. Upon calling crows, the crows must turn in flight with the cranes after them. If any of the cranes makes it to the safety zone he is free. If he is touched he switches teams.
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Equipment: rope Tie the rope to a tree. One person should be chosen to be the bear. They should hold the rope in one hand. The rest of the players need to run around in touching distance. With their free hand, the bear tries to touch the other players. If touched, the player would hold hands with the bear and help catch people.
Equipment: Yogurt cups (or something else, be creative) Each player is given an empty yogurt cup and they put it on their head. All of the players must start dancing. Whoever keeps the cup on their head the longest, wins
A medium-sized group of children (around 30 or so) are divided into two equal teams. Older kids and adults can play with younger kids, but the two sides should be divided about equally in terms of their ability to run fast. The game is played across an open field. Each team draws a line at opposite sides of the field. Behind the line is "safe". Between the two lines, in the middle of the field, is a sort of no-man's-land. The trick is, the last one to leave his or her respective safe line can tag the one who came out from the other side sooner. In other words, if I am on the opposite team from you, and I see you leave your line, I can come out from my line and tag you. Meanwhile, however, others can come out from your side and tag me. This is where the "Dare" comes in. If I am a fast runner, I may come out from behind my safe line, and edge closer and closer to your safe line, to see if I can dare someone on your team into chasing me back toward my own side of the field. If I can run fast enough, people from my own team can come from my line and save me by tagging you when you get close enough, since they would come out from their line after you came out from yours. Once a person gets tagged, the person who tagged that person is safe until he returns to his own safe line and comes back out. What happens when a person gets caught gives rise to two different versions of this game. In one version, each side has a "jail", consisting of people strung out into the middle of the field from the safe line. As more and more people from the opposite side get caught, the "jail" line gets longer and longer, and it becomes easier and easier for someone to "rescue" the member of their team at the end of the jail line by tagging them before getting caught. In the other version, people who get caught simply join the other side. This makes the game finish faster, since everyone eventually winds up on one side. This game can give rise to all sorts of interesting mayhem. It is fairly common for two kids to both run back toward their home lines when they get close to each other in the middle of the field, since neither child is sure if he came from his line last. It is also common for two kids from opposite sides to run directly together in the middle, both convinced they came from their respective sides last, and both claiming the other person should be tagged. Another common scenario is for a fast runner to draw two or three people off of the opposite line, who then chase him pel-mel toward his own side, but cannot catch him in time to avoid being caught themselves. This game has simple rules, but is great fun.
Contributed by: Randy Oxentenko
You need a soft area that is divided into 2 equal parts with a centre line. The players should be in two teams on either side of the centre line leaving a no-mans land in between them. One team chooses a player to go across the line, tag one or more players on the other side, and return safely home. Clearly that could require agility-but breath control? That's where the "dho-dho-dho" comes in. Before crossing the centre line, the player who is IT takes a deep breath. Not only must he complete his mission in one breath, but he must use that breath to repeat aloud in a steady flow, "Dho-Dho-Dho-Dho-Dho...." If members of the opposite team can catch and hold him in their territory until they run out of breath, they've acquired a new team member. If he makes it back across the line with any part of their body , even a fingertip, all those he has tagged join their team.
Equipment: 1 die, a pair of oven mits, a chocolate bar or other wrapped up treat, and a hat.
A chocolate bar is wrapped up in 5-6 layers of paper and placed in front of one of the players who are sitting in a circle. The person directly to the left of the person who has the chocolate bar starts rolling the die while the person with the chocolate bar starts to put on the hat and oven mits. Once the oven mits and hat are on the player starts to unwrap the chocolate bar. The unwrapping continues until the roller rolls a 6. When that happens, everything is passed to the left, and a new person starts to roll the die, and the old roller starts to put on the mits and hat. The game continues until the chocolate bar is eaten.
This requires a long wall or side of a house and a big rubber or kick ball. Everyone lines up and one person throws the ball at the wall in an attempt to hit a part of someones body. If they do, then that person is it and must now throw the ball. The object is not to throw the ball hard, but accurately in order to catch someone trying to dodge the ball.
Contributed by: Laura J. Rhinehart
OR
Kids would form two teams. One team would form two lines facing each other. They had playground balls for ammunition (two balls was the norm.) The other team would scatter about between the lines of the first team. The first team would then throw balls at team two. If a member of team two was hit below the shoulders, s/he was out and had to stand aside. If a player on team two caught the ball in the air (not after a bounce), s/he received a free "life" (ie-if s/he is hit again, s/he has used up a "life" and is not out.) A player may not receive more than three "lives." The fourth, fifth, etc. time a player catches the ball, s/he may bring players who were out, back into the game by calling a name. If and when all players of team two are out, the teams switch places. VARIATION: If a player on the opposite team catches a ball you threw before it bounced, the thrower is 'out'
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
OR
We played Dodgeball in a circle (the circles were actually painted onto the blacktop on the playground). However many kids wanted to play, were divided up into 2 teams. One team was inside the circle and the other half spread out around the outside. We used a red rubber playground ball (about 14 inches in diameter) and threw it at the players inside the circle. The kids inside were allowed to run around where ever they wanted, but could not go out. We could only throw the ball to hit the kids inside below the waist. If a ball was thrown and hit someone above the waist, the thrower had to stop playing. If a kid in the center was hit, they became one of the players outside the circle. The game was over when only one person was left inside the circle.
Contributed by Cherie Robinson
OR
An indoor variation on the dodgeball theme.
You form a circle and choose a person to start. That person tosses a ball (preferably a soft one, like Nerf) to someone across the room. If you catch it, you toss it to someone else. If you drop it, you sit down. Last person standing is the winner. It's a good rainy day game and nobody gets hurt, and hopefully nothing gets broken. :)
Contributed By Jennifer Smith
OR
Variation 1: Setup: You need a large open space and at least enough soft-mediem hard balls to have one team have enough balls to have one per player. You can have a lot more, or a lot less. You divide into equell teams. Playing area: Mark a large rectangle with a line through the middle. Rules: You throw the ball tring to hit one of the members of the other team. If they catch the ball, the person is out. If the ball hits a person in the head, the person is out who threw it. That all happens before the ball bounces. If the team with a person out hits a member of the other team, all their members are in again. If it bounces, the ball does not follow any of the above rules.
Variation 2: The only change of rules is that the team with the person out must hit the player of the other team to get the team member in.
Contributed by Tom Bowersox
OR
You divide up in two teams. Drag a garden hose or other similar divider between the yard. The teams each go to their own side, and may not cross the divider. Gather as many balls as possible and split them up between the two teams to start. You throw a ball at the other team, if you hit them below the head, they are out. If they catch the ball, you are out. The last person in is the winner.
Contributed by Kari Busch
Doggy, Doggy, where's your bone?
We played this game when it was raining. It is an inside game. A student played the part of the dog. He or she sat in a chair with their back to the class. An eraser or another object was put under the chair. That was the bone. While the dog was turned around with his or her eyes closed someone would sneak up and steal the bone and hide it somewhere on his person. Then everyone would sing: Doggy, Doggy, where's your bone? Somebody's stole it from your home. Guess who it might be you. Then the dog has three chances to guess who took it. Sometimes it was left under his or her chair. If the dog guessed right then he got to do it again. If he guessed wrong than the person who had the bone got a turn as the dog.
Contributed by Pam Lanier
Donkey Dodgeball (circle/active)
Equipment: ball This game is played with the same objectives as in all dodgeball games. In this game a circle is formed and 4 people are chosen to go into the middle. The 4 people hold on to each other at the waist, forming a chain. The front and middle protect the back of the donkey by using their bodies as a block. The players who form the circle try to hit the back end of the donkey, below the waist with the ball. If someone does hit the last person of the donkey, then the thrower will join the front of the donkey and the person who was hit, joins the circle.
Materials: 2 empty bottles/jars (clear plastic of equal size/shape) 2 mirrors, 2 spoons, 2 large bowls (equal size if possible), popcorn (no butter or salt), a table. ( You can substitute popcorn for beans, rice, etc. make it really interesting and use water :-)
Divide your guests into two teams. Ask each team to form a line and place a dish of popcorn, a spoon, and a mirror a few yards in front of each line.
To begin the game, give the first player on each team a bottle and ask him/her to hold the bottle on his/her head and spoon as much popcorn into the bottle as he/she can, filling the spoon only three times. To help out, the second player in the line holds the mirror so that the initial player can see his/her reflection.
After the player has had the chance to fill the spoon three times, he/she takes the jar off his/her head and hands it to the next in line and goes to the end of the line. The player who was holding the mirror becomes the next one to add three spoonfuls to the bottle while the thrid player holds the mirror.
The game continues in this manner until everyone on one team has had a chance. The team that finishes first receives 5 points and the team that fills up more of the bottle receives 10 points. The game is played again until one team reaches 25 points. That team becomes the winner.
see simon says
This game comes to us from Australia.
You start off with a tennis ball and throw the ball continuously back and forth until somebody drops the ball when someone drops the ball you say "Down on one knee" then say the same person drops it a second time then you say "Down on two knees" then if the same person drops the ball again you say "Down on one elbow"and again you say "down on two elbows" and then chin and then you're out but remember you have to stay in the position you're in to catch the ball and throw the ball.
Contributed by Jenny Treleaven
One player is chosen (secretly) by the leader to be dracula. When the game starts, everyone starts to mingle with their eyes closed. (Make sure that their are people watching to make sure no one gets hurt.) Dracula keeps their eyes open. Dracula picks their victim, goes up to them and screams. This caught person, opens their eyes and becomes a Dracula as well. The game continues and the Draculas move around together. The game is over when all of the Draculas surround the last human. Watch the ears!
"Drapeau" (French) "Flag" (English)
[See also "capture the flag". This appears to be a French-Canadian variation, but different enough to warrant it's own listing]
This is a group game, i.e. there should be at least 30 kids for maximum fun since you need to be divided into two groups. Although it is still playable with less people. It is not difficult to play, great for 9-13 year old.
Description of the game: A rectangle is decided for the limits or the playing area - say like a tennis court size. At one end of the playing area, a wood base is placed with a somewhat shorten broomstick fitted in a drilled hole.
Defense Offense +---------------------------------+ | x | | x | | x | | x | | x | police | x | |x [f]-- x | x| | x | | x | | x| | x | |x | |x | +---------------------------------+
/ <<<<< The direction of the flag. A yard long. __________________ / /| / () / | /_________________/ / <<< This is the box to hold the flag. | | / about 2' x 1' 1/2 |_________________|/
The broom stick is inserted in an angle pointing towards the offensive team.
The object of the game: The offensive team has to take the flag home. The defense has to stop them from stealing the flag. The offense team place one police officer in the center zone.
Playing: The offense team is safe from being killed (touched by an opponent) when standing in the offense zone since they can be killed by any defensor.
The defense can be killed only by the "offence police officer" in the center zone.
The offense team CAN go into the defence zone. But the defence team CANNOT go into the offense zone.
Scoring: If the flag is taken by an offense player WITHOUT going into the defense zone, his/her team gets 2 points.
If the flag is taken by GOING into the defense zone, then, only 1 point is scored.
NOTE: In order for the scoring to take effect, the player must not move(up & down, wabbling...) the broom stick while running towards his/her safe zone. The stick must be held straight in front of him and high(the hand is at the chin level or about).
Ending the game: The game ends after both teams have played an equal amount of rounds as the offense team...and the winner is the team that has reached the highest score- usually decided in advance, e.g. 10.
This game is worth trying ... Enjoy!
Contributed by Annie & Naomi Garneau
In this game, kids sit down in a circle facing each other. One person is "it" and walks around the circle. As they walk around, they tap people's heads and say whether they are a "duck" or a "goose". Once someone is the "goose" they get up and try to chase "it" around the circle. The goal is to tap that person before they are able sit down in the "goose's" spot. If the goose is not able to do this, they become "it" for the next round and play continues. If they do tap the "it" person, the person tagged has to sit in the center of the circle. Then the goose become it for the next round. The person in the middle can't leave until another person is tagged and they are replaced.
When the leader says, "Ducks fly", and flaps his/her arms, all the players must flap their arms. The leader goes on to say, "Cats Meow", with appropriate sounds or gestures, which must be imitated as above. He/she may continue, "hens cluck", "horses trot", and so on with appropriate gestures and sounds. When he/she chooses, he/she may substitute a false statement and motion, such as, "cows bark", "elephants fly", and so on. If the player imitates the false motion, he/she is penalized. If any player makes a false motion or sound at any time, he/she's out (can be given three chances).
Drop the Handkerchief (active/circle)
The players form a circle. One player is chosen to be IT. He walks around outside the circle with a handkerchief in his hand. He drops it quietly behind one player and keeps walking trying to get around the circle before the player discovers the handkerchief. If IT gets all the way around the player becomes a dead fish and stands in the middle of the circle. If the player discovers it he chases IT and catches him, they are not IT. If he doesn't catch IT, he becomes IT. A dead fish can rescue himself in two ways. He may snatch the handkerchief from behind some other player before that player sees it, or a player behind whom the handkerchief has been dropped may toss it into the circle behind a dead fish. The dead fish then picks up the handkerchief and chases IT.
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Participants split up into as many teams as you want or feel are necessary. The entire tournament site (including play, rest, food, and sanitation areas) is divided into a like number of parts. The boundaries should be clearly described but not marked. Each team is given one portion of the field.
Form two lines of players opposite each other, about four feet away from each other. Toss raw eggs gently back and forth. Then one line takes one giant step back, and all repeat the loss. Broken eggs disqualify. Winners are the couple with the remaining unbroken egg. At the game end, players pick up egg shells and put them in the trash.
Messy Game's by Ian
The Electric Fence (cooperative)
Equipment: Sturdy 8' pole, "wire"
Object: To transport a group over an "electrified" wire or fence using only themselves and a conductive beam.
Rules: If a participant touches the fence (rope) he is "dead" and must attempt the crossing again. Any person touching the individual as he touches the wire must also return for another crossing. If the conductive beam touches the wire all those in contact with that beam are dead and must attempt another crossing. An electric field extends from the wire to the ground and cannot be penetrated. The trees or other supports which hold up the "wire" cannot be safely touched and so cannot be of assistance in the problem.
Caution: Be careful not to let the more enthusiastic people literally throw other participants 7'- 8' in the air over the rope.
The group sits in a circle holding hands while someone sits in the center. The game commences with one person proclaiming that they are going to send a charge to the person beside them and proceeds to squeeze the hand of their neighbour. The person in the middle tries to figure out where the current is. If successful, he exchanges places with the immediate sender of the charge. Elephant ball (moderate/circle)
All the players are in a circle with their legs spread apart and their feet touching the next person's feet. The ball must be punched around the circle until it goes through someone's legs. That person is then out. This continues until there is one person left, who would be the winner.
Elephant, Giraffe, Palm Tree (active/circle)
Form a circle with one person in the middle. The middle person will point to an individual and the person pointed to along with the persons on each side will have to form what was called out. ELEPHANT- Middle person (one pointed to) will form an elephant trunk by putting arms straight in front of you crossed at the wrists. Persons on each side will form the ears of the elephant by bending toward middle person, cupping around the mouth with hands as if whispering to the middle person. GIRAFFE- Person pointed to raise arms above head, arms extended fingers closed. Side people will grab middle ones waist bending over. PALM TREE- Middle person raise arms above head in "Y" formation, fingers open. Side people do the same but lean toward outside, away from the middle person. The object of the game is to try to keep changing all the time. The game has to be played quickly. As soon as an object is formed, the person in the middle of the circle has to point to someone else.
Elves, Giants, Wizards (active)
This game is based on the same concept as rock, paper, scissors. In this game; Elves beat Wizards (they can run through their legs) Giants beat Elves (they stomp on their heads) Wizards beat Giants (because they are smarter) The group needs to be split into 2 groups. Each group needs to choose one of these signs. The two teams come face to face in parallel lines about 2 meters apart. Both groups will yell, "Elves, Giants, Wizards,.........."(chosen sign goes here). The side that won chases the other team back to their home and tries to tag them. The players that are touched must join the other team. The object is to get everyone on your team. The actions are; ELVES- swat low to the ground and put one finger to either side of your head like the pointed ears. GIANTS- stand up on your tip toes and stretch your arms high over your head WIZARDS- turn body 90o to the left. Stretch right arm out in front and put left hand by left shoulder. Wiggle your fingers like you are casting a spell. If both teams do the same sign, it is a tie. (go pick again!)
Escape From the Planet Of "What" (active)
The game begins by giving each team a clue that will lead them to their spaceship. These can be anywhere. Once at their spaceship, the team finds a message for them either in a tape recorder or on a piece of paper explaining that their spaceship has malfunctioned and they have crashed on the Planet of "What". They have 40 minutes to follow the clues that will lead them to a new spaceship so that they will only be able to say "who", "what" and "where". Clues lead them from station to station where they have to perform a task (such as making up a national anthem for the planet, or crawling through a laser field). The final task is to build a spaceship out of any equipment available.
Escape From the Monsters (circle/active)
Equipment: bean bags, blindfolds, ropes and keys Four monsters are chosen and they are blindfolded and sat in the middle of a circle that is formed by the rest of the players. In front of these Monsters sits their treasure(keys). They have bean bags for ammunition. The leaders chose one person to go through the circle and get the treasure. This person gets 3 monster de- activators.(ropes tied into a circle) These will de-activate the monster if it is put over their head. The monster can stop trespasser by hitting them with a bean bag. The players in the circle can help the monsters by telling them where the trespasser is.
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In this fun and noisy game, every player has a balloon tied to his or her ankle (or to both ankles). The object is to stomp on and break other people's balloons without letting your own get stomped. The person whose balloon is last to be broken is the winner.
Equipment: six objects such as paper plates, beanbags, small boxes Divide the children into teams of equal number, each team behind a starting line, facing a wall or finish line about twenty feet away. The first player on each team is a farmer, the second player is a crow, the third a farmer, the fourth a crow, and so on. At a signal, the first farmer on each team takes the seeds (six beanbags) and places them at equal intervals from the starting line to the finish line. He runs back and touches the second player, a crow. The crow must hop over each of the beanbags, touch the finish line, change to the other foot, hop back, pick up each seed as he comes to it. He hands them to player number 3, a farmer, who goes out to plant them again, and so on. The team finishing first wins. Play again letting each crow be a farmer.
Equipment: small pieces of paper, peanuts or candies. The group needs to be split into small groups of at least 4 people. Each group needs to be a different animal and decide on the sound they will make. A leader needs to be chosen for every group. The object of the game is for each group to try and collect the most food. On the word "go", the players can start looking around the playing area for food. The only people that can actually pick up the food are the group leaders but they can not pick up any food they want. The rest of the team members look for the food and when they find it, they stand on it or beside it and make their animal noise until their leader comes. Once the food is taken by the leader, the player would go and look for food again. The team that collects the most wins.
Fight for My Attention (drama/passive)
Two people are challenged to come up to the front of the room and the audience then chooses a topic. The two people must talk about that topic for one minute in front of the crowd, BUT they are both talking about the topic AT THE SAME TIME! The audience must then vote on which person held their attention for longer.
'Victims' must remain motionless and not aid the rescuers until the victims are healthy again. Rescuers cannot look at signs until victims are removed to safe area. All the group except 3 people are unconscious in that burning building. The rescuers know that the building will explode in 4 minutes. Save as many people as you can. Go!!
Divide children into groups of two. Give each group a name of a fish. Then have one member of each pair form a circle (Pond) at one end of the playing area by holding hands, while the other partners do the same at the opposite end. Select one person to stand in the space between the circles. This person calls the name of the fish and the two people who represent this fish rush to their partner's circle to switch places. The person in the space attempts to catch one of the partners. If caught this "fish" calls a different name and their position is taken by the person originally in that space. Position are marked by gaps in holding hands.
Great for birthday parties. Make your own fish pond by covering a very large cardboard carton with a sheet and decorate by pinning cut-out paper fish to the sheet. You can usually obtain a large appliance or furniture box, which would be ideal for this purpose, at a furniture store. If you can't get a box just hang a decorated sheet over a doorway.
Use a fishing rod or a stick or yardstick with a string tied to it would do. Tie a clothes pin on the end of the string. Have a helper sitting in the fish pond (cut out top and back of box to allow him to sit in it to attach favors to the clothes pin when each child goes fishing. Use leftover scraps of giftwrap to wrap the little surprises. Children love to unwrap prizes!
found this game at Fun with Kids
Equipment: ball The players stand in a circle with their arms crossed. One person should be in the centre. The person in the centre is trying to get everyone in the centre out. The person in the centre will throw the ball at the people in the circle. If they miss the ball, they are out. The person in the centre can also pretend to throw the ball. If the people in the circle "flinch" (move their arms from the crossed position), they are out.
Equipment: One penny per pair of campers, rubber chicken Players form a circle and stand beside their partners. The rubber chicken is in the middle of the circle. One player is the flipper (with the penny) and the other is the flopper. When the leader says go, the flipper must flip the penny on the ground. If it is heads then the flopper takes two steps forward and if it is tails then the flopper takes one step backward. The first flopper to reach the chicken wins!!
Flying Duchman (circle/active)
The players stand in a circle with their hands joined. The player who is it runs around the outside of the circle and slaps any two joining hands, the owners of which become flying dutchmen. They run in opposite directions around the outside of the circle . The player who was it steps into the circle. The last player back to the place in the circle is it.
Equipment: rubber chicken Groups are divided in half (no, not each of them in case you were wondering!). One group lines up in a line with the rubber chicken at the front of the line. The other group forms a tight bunch, as close in as possible, and elects a runner. The leader says "Go Foghorn!" The group in the line then passes the rubber chicken Under-Over style down the whole line. While this is going on, the runner runs around the bunch and keeps track of the number of times they make it around. When the rubber chicken makes it to the end of the line then the last person throws it as far as possible and shouts "Go". The group that was in the bunch then runs to where the chicken landed and lines up behind it. They then do the Under-Over thing. The other group forms a bunch and counts how many times the runner makes it around. This keeps on going and the count of runs is a cumulative count, so at the end of an allotted time period the group with the most runs around is the winner.
Footloose (active/cooperative) ** For older campers
The object of this game is to transport everyone from one end of the playground to the other. To heighten the challenge and make the game more fun, suggest that players are fleeing a dreaded disease and can only escape if they are carried by other players. The players may be carried by as many players as necessary. When the carried player is delivered to the other side of the playground the others must go back and carry each other. This continues until the last player is carried by a single person. The last player, who was not carried gets carried back triumphantly on the shoulders of the entire group.
Fool Your Family (active/icebreaker)
Equipment: One slip of paper for every player. Papers should be in groups of five, and each group represents a family, for example, the Smiths. So the first Smith paper would be Mr. Smith, the second Mrs. Smith, the third Brother Smith and so on. Each family should have a different last name but the same characters (ie) one mom and one dad. Each player is given one slip of paper and they must walk around trading papers with everyone else on the room. They should try to make as many exchanges as possible, and they should not be looking at which papers they are receiving. The leader then calls out "Find your family". The players must find the other members in their family. When they have found them, they must sit in order from dad to baby in a line on the floor. The last family to sit down may be eliminated if you choose to do so. The leader may also give out specific instructions, for example "Find your family without talking".
One person is "it" and closes their eyes. The rest of the class goes to one of the 4 corners (or 4 designated spots) of the room. "It" calls a number and children in that corner sit down. If they don't sit down, they are 'out'. Continue until there are 6 or 8 left, then you tell them there must be only 2 in each corner or when 4 left - one in each corner. The last person left - gets to be "it".
Contributed by N. Simmpanda
Four Square [Also called Kings Corner]
I spent many many hours playing this game in a little school called Roeper; except that it had six squares instead of four. It was not merely a game, it was an art form.
In the standard game, there are four squares painted on the ground, all touching each other, making one, larger square. Each small square is roughly 8' x 8', but that's not a hard and fast rule. The ball used is the standard red 'kickball'
Each player occupies one of the squares. The squares each have a rank order. The square with the highest rank is called the 'King' [Sometimes the 'Ace']. The other squares sometimes have names, and sometime don't. The #2 square may be called the 'Prime Minister', or the other three may be called the 'Queen', 'Prince', and 'Princess'.
The start the game, the King serves the ball by bouncing it in his square once and then hitting it towards one of the other squares. The receiving player then hits the ball to any other player, and play continues until one of the following things occur:
1) A player hits the ball (or is hit BY the ball) before it bounces once in their square.
2) A player does not hit the ball before it bounces twice
3) A player hits the ball out of bounds (it must land in someone's square first)
Once a player is 'dead', they move back to the lowest ranking square. The other players then move up to fill the vacancies. If there are more players than squares, that person goes to the back of the line, and the person at the front of the line gets to move onto the lowest square and play. Playing off of walls, poles, etc was not only legal but encouraged.
Contributed by Geof Nieboer and Jerry Waugh
Materials: green paper (card stock best), scissors.
Before starting the game, cut the green paper into the shape of a lily pad. (i.e. lima bean shape, kidney shape). After this is done, choose a leader. The leader places the lily pads in a twisting line on the floor. Place in various distances from each other (1-4 feet apart).
Divide the guests into two teams. The first players on each team line up at a starting line. To start the race, the players must leap from pad to pad, always landing on the next pad. If they miss one, they must go back and start over again. When a frog reaches the last lily pad, the next players in that teams line may begin.
The winning team is the first team that lines up all of its frogs at the opposite end.
Frozen Beanbag (Help Your Friend) (active/cooperative)
Equipment: bean bags Players should be balancing beanbags on their heads. On a signal, players move around the area at their own pace. To change the pace or action, the leader can ask the campers to hop or skip. If the bean bag falls off a camper's head, that child is frozen. If the bean bag falls off a camper's head, that child is frozen. Another camper (the friend) must pick up the beanbag and replace it on the first person's head without losing his or her own bean bag. When the game is over, ask the players how many times they helped their friends, or how many times their friends helped them.
Fruitbowl
You have a minimum of 5 players one person sits in the middle of a circle then each person
picks a fruit name(short ones work best, Kiwi, pear, etc.) You then pick one person to
start the game(excluding the middle player) s/he then calls their fruit name and someone
elses, the person in the middle then tries to tag the second person before they call out
their name and someone elses. For example if I was Kiwi and it was my turn I might say
"Kiwi Grape" - the person who was Grape would need to say "Grape ---"
Before the middle person tagged that Grape person. You go like that until someone on the
outside gets tagged by the middle person, then they switch places. You do this until you
get bored of it. I hope you use and like this game.
Contributed by Keri
Fruits and Vegetables (active/circle)
Divide the children into two large groups. One group will take the names of vegetables, the other fruit. In each large group, two or three children take the same name of a fruit or vegetable. The children mix themselves up and form a seated circle. It, the leader to start, sits in the centre. It call out "Peas and apples change places". While they are doing so, it tries to get to one of the vacant seats. If he succeeds the ousted one becomes it.
Equipment: Construction paper cut outs of fish
Each team is given a folded magazine or newspaper. Players line up in a straight line. A plate is placed on the finish line. At the word "go" each player places their fish on the ground and fans it with the newspaper towards the plate. As soon as they have done this, they would race back to their team and hands the newspaper to the next player in the line.
The players are divided into groups of threes and are scattered into groups around the playground. Two of the three form a 'home' by facing each other and joining hands. The third one will be the rabbit and will simply stand in this house. In addition the these groups of three, there should be two extra players, a homeless rabbit and a fox. The fox starts the game by chasing the homeless rabbit around and around in and out of the groups. When the rabbit has grown tired, he may go into one of the homes and at once the rabbit who was already there must leave, and this rabbit is chased by the fox. When the fox catches the rabbit the two change places.
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Gates, Bridges and Tunnels (active/circle)
Equipment: Rubber chicken Players get into groups of three and form a circle so that they are standing beside the people in their group. One person is the gate person, one is the bridge person and one person is the tunnel person. The leader should be standing in the middle holding the rubber chicken. When Gates is called, the gate people leave their spot in the circle and run around the outside of the circle. The two people from the group then form a gate by putting their arms together. When the gates person gets all the way around they then run through their gate into the middle of the circle and try to grab the rubber chicken. The same thing happens for the tunnel and the bridge people except their partners form tunnels and bridges. The first person to grab the rubber chicken is the winner. (name your chicken, it is Fun, Fun, Fun!!!)
"George" can entertain groups for a while. To play this game everyone sits in a circle. Every one goes around the group and says their name. This allows everyone to learn everyones name, in case they didn't already know. After the names are said the name stays with that seat/spot. George is "it". He can starts it by saying a name of one person. Amy do you want to leave? Amy answers: no. George says, then who? Amy will take over and repeat it with another or the same name. Scott do you want to leave? Scott says: no. Amy says: then who? It continues until someone messes up. When some one messes up the person to the right of George gets up and the one who messed up goes in his place (the last postion) and everyone rotates up to where the person who messed up was sitting. Remember when everyone moves there name stays at that seat. It can get confusing to remember whose name goes with what seat.
Contributed by Amy Roberts
Three or four players are chosen to be the ghosts. The rest of the group needs to scatter across the playing space and choose a spot to stand in. All players need to close their eyes. The ghosts will roam about the playing space. They will try to kill the people by standing close behind the players for 10 seconds without them knowing. If this happens, the ghost will tap them on their head and they will sit down quietly. If a person suspects a person behind them, they would ask, "Is there a ghost behind me?" If they are right then they become a ghost. If they are wrong they are out and should sit down. This is a great game is you want to quiet your camp down.
First you gather up at least 3 or more people. Then you find a base. Next you choose 1 person to be it. That person will stand on the base and 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and keeps doing that until you get to 12:00. On 12:00 yell out 'Midnight'. Then all the hiders try to run to the base before the person that is it catches you. Then if a person gets found then they are it.
Contributed by Lauren Wengerd
Good Morning Captain (passive)
The captain sits slightly apart from the group and is blindfolded. The leader indicates a player who says "Good Morning Captain!" The captain tries to name the speaker. If he responds "I said good morning captain!" If the captain correctly identifies the speaker he retains his position. If not the player becomes the new captain. Players should try to disguise their voices.
This is a good party game that guests can play as they are arriving. Fill 4 or 5 jars with candy, nuts, raisins - anything edible counting the pieces as you put them in. Then let the children guess how many are in each jar. Whoever guesses closest wins the jar.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Prepare a small box or bag containing ordinary household objects for each guest expected. (Contents should be different for each player).
Have guests sit in a circle, holding their unopened bags. At a given signal, the host/hostess starts a ghost type story using the items in the bag. When all the objects have been used as parts of the story, the next player takes a turn continuing the story using his/her items.
Suggestions for items: spoons, paper clip, thimble, jar lids, envelope thread, toothpick, penny, jellybean (any color), etc.
Everyone squats in a line, alternate players facing opposite directions. The person at one end of the line will be the first runner. They may run around the line in either direction. The person at the other end will be the first chaser. They may start running either clockwise or counter -clockwise, but they may not switch directions once they start. The object of the game is for the chaser to tag the runner. The chased person may change place with anyone in line. The chaser can only push out a new runner who is facing the appropriate direction. When the chaser catches the chased, the person who tagged them becomes the starting chaser for the next game
This game is intended for a large group, kids and adults 15 or more. The more the better. The group sit in a large circle. The kids should be spaced about arms length apart. The way we did it was to hold hands in a circle and gradually spread out until our arms were stretched. Now everyone takes a seat. The "originator", usually the one who organized the game, or the bossiest, starts a message. The originator whispers a short message into the ear of the person sitting to the right of them. The message is whispered once. The new messenger then whispers the message into the ear to the one to their right, and so on and so on. When the message reaches the person sitting to the left of the originator the message is announced out loud. Seldom does the message arrive in its original form. The person to the right gets to be the next originator.
A variation of the game is to start one message to the right then start a message to the left and see what happens. Tongue twister are really fun messages to send.
Contributed by Kenneth Hutchinson
Equipment: ball and pin
Everyone stands in the circle facing in. A pin is placed in the centre of the circle. A guard is chosen. The guard stands in the centre of the circle and guards the pin. The object of the game is for the players in the circle to try and knock down the pin with the ball. All throws should be thrown underhand. The person who knocks down the pin gets to be the new guard.
Guess Who (moderate/icebreaker)
Equipment: pieces of paper with names on them, tape Each player needs a name taped to their back. The object of the game is to figure out who you are. Everyone goes around and asks the other players questions. The players can only answer yes or no. This game is great when a theme is incorporated. (ex. cartoon characters, book characters )
Have races of one against one in gunny sacks, and have winners of each twosome compete again with other winners. You can use king-sized pillow cases, but they are not as durable as burlap gunny sacks.
Game's by Ian
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Ha Ha Ha (passive/cooperative)
This is a contagious laughing game. Player #1 lies on their back and places their head on the belly of player #2 . Player #2 then places Their head on the belly of player #3, and so on. Players should end up lying in a zig zag formation. Now the first person shouts "ha!" and the next person answers with "ha ha!".... etc. Soon everyone loses control and starts laughing hysterically.
Everyone starts in a circle, on their stomachs, with their heads towards the centre and their arms forward. The players should have their right hand over their neighbour to the right's hand and their left hand under the hand of their neighbour to the left. Arms should cross at the wrist. The object of the game is to pass the slap. The person who starts slaps the ground and the next hand slaps (not the next person). Once you have the hang of it, add the option of a double slap. This skips the next hand. When a hand is turned on it's side, start slapping the opposite way.
To play you must have at least two players, one Ref with a stopwatch, and a tennis ball. To play throw the ball in the air and have the Ref see how many seconds it stays in the air and then record how many seconds it stays in the air. Then let the other player have his\her turn, and do the same do this for however long you want to then add up the seconds, the player with the most wins.
Contributed by Marc Brotemarkle
Choose someone to be it and divide the group into 2 parallel lines. The person who is it has to walk down the column without laughing or smiling. The rest of the people, try to make the person laugh without touching them. This game can also be done in a circle and the person in the centre can be put in the hot seat. Specific questions can be asked and if successful they become the Grand Pooba.
Seven students were in front of the class. The class laid their heads on their desk. The seven went out and each touched a person. That person would stick his or her thumb up. Then the seven would say "heads up seven up" and each student got one chance to guess which of the seven touched him If they guessed right than they changed places. If they did not the same person got to stay up.
Contributed by Pam Lanier
First you pick someone to be it (the person to seek) then he/she turns around and counts with their eyes closed at the "base" while the rest of the people hide. Then "It" says "Ready or Not, Here I Come" and rushes to find everyone. Then the people try to get to base without getting tagged or else they are "It". If the person who is "It" doesn't get someone in three tries he gets to pick a man to be it!
Contributed by Brittany Blocker
OR
Jail Break
The children will choose someone to be it. The person who is it counts one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock rock, four o'clock, five o'clock, six o'clock rock, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, nine o'clock rock, ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock rock, midnight! he then tries to find the others who have hidden. When someone is tagged, they go to jail (usually the porch) The children who are not tagged, try to step on jail and this will cause a jailbreak. The others are free. When all the children have been sent to jail, the first one in is now the person who is it.
Contributed by Kari Busch
Hit the Bat (no gloves required)
This is played in the street (quiet and a not so busy street) and
requires having some what of a hill, not much though. One person is picked to be up
(the hitter), stands at the bottom of the hill. The others stand scattered towards
the hill. The person that is up, hits a tennis ball (can be a grounder or fly ball)
somewhere towards the top the hill. Whoever gets to the ball has a chance to run as
close as they can to the hitter, the way the hitter controls how close that person gets,
is by putting the bat down whenever they choose. The person who has the ball then
rolls it towards the bat. The ball ususally bounces up when hits the bat. The
hitter must catch the ball after it hits the bat in order to remain the hitter, if not,
the "catcher" now becomes the hitter. This is usually best played with at
least 5 or more people.
Contributed by Tanya Callen
Hodge Podge (circle/cooperative/moderate)
See "Knots".
Players form a circle with one player in the middle (it). The middle person must approach players in the circle and ask, "Honey, do you love me?" The person being questionned must answer, "Honey, I love you but I just can't smile." If s/he does smile or laugh, s/he becomes "it" and the previous middle person joins the circle. The person who is "it" is not allowed to touch other players but may make as many funny faces as s/he wishes.
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
Horse and Rider Ball (moderate)
Equipment: ball Half of the children are horses and half
are riders. The riders mount and they are given a ball to pass between them.
If they miss, either of the following are done: 1) The rider that missed the
ball runs and gets the ball and when he gets it he hollers stop which means that horses
who have displaced their riders and have been running come to a stand, and if the rider
throws and hits one of the horsed, the riders ride again, and if he misses the horses
become riders. 2) Every time the rider missed a ball, all the riders
immediately become horses and the horses riders, and every time the ball is missed all
change.
Horseshoes (outside) Author: Stephen Strickland Related: Washers
In response to popular request, I've put together a brief description of the game of horseshoes for those interested in playing. Apparently, there are no other resources for the game on the Net and keyword searches return stuff on blacksmithing and horses instead.
The connection is not casual, however, as it is generally accepted that the game of horseshoes was started by blacksmiths and furriers (horse-shoers). Modern gaming horseshoes bear only a passing resemblance to "real" horseshoes, since they have grown bigger and heavier to accommodate pitching by hand.
The rules set forth here are based on the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America's official rules, NHPA. Be aware, the many regional variations exist and, unless you're playing in a tournament, it is customary to adopt local rules.
The Courts
4 ft | | | |
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f | | | | | | | |
t | | | | | | | |
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<-------->|<-------->| | |
3 ft 10 ft
<------------------------ 40 ft ------------------------->
Backboards
The Horseshoe
The Rules
Scoring
NAPA Secretary-Treasurer
Dick Hansen
3085 S. 76th St.
Franksville, WI 53126
(414) 835-9108
One person is it and leaves the group. The rest choose an object in the room and when "it" returns they help him find the object by singing a song and increasing the volume as he nears the object and decreasing when he becomes colder.
Hot Box [This is known by some other name also, but right now I can't recall any]
The rules of the game are pretty simple. You'll need two bases (we used Mom's rugs), a softball and two softball gloves (if you don't have the gloves just use a ball that's not "hard."
Set up the two bases about 20 feet apart. Two kids would be selected to be "it", one at each base. The other kids would divide and go to the bases. The game started by the two kids who were "it" tossing the ball to each other. The object of the game was to time running from one base to the other without being tagged by the ball. If you were tagged then you were "it" and the game continued, usually until all the kids were too tired to run anymore. The fun of the game was getting the person who was "it" to throw a wide pitch or "steal" the base.
Contributed by Karen Ripperda
Equipment: Ball or something to pass The potato is passed from person to person until the leader gives a signal. The person left holding the potato is eliminated.
How do you Do? (active/circle)
Players form a circle. The hostess walks around the outside of the circle and taps one player on the shoulder. She shakes her hand and asks: "How do you do?" the reply is: "Very well thank you". Repeat three times. On the third "Very well thank you" hostess and player leave in opposite directions. The player who is last to reach an available space becomes the hostess.
How do you Feel? (circle/passive)
Fill a few bags with varying items. (ie. chunk of bread, a piece of soap, a candle, a stick of gum, a sock, kleenex, wet paper....). Be sure to have things that are difficult to distinguish. Then, sit the group in a circle. Give the bags out and ask the person to pick out an object without looking in the bag. If they pick out the wrong objects they must put it back. Then the bags are passed on to let someone else have a turn.
How many Thumbs??? (circle/passive)
Group should be divided so that they are in small groups of about five or six people. The group lies on their stomach and puts hands in the middle of the circle with fists closed. On the count of three, everyone either sticks one thumb up or two or none, while at the same time they are saying a number. The object of the game is to predict how many thumbs are up!
Players form a close circle. Then everybody reaches out and holds two other people's hands. Now, they must try to untangle the "knot" without letting go. They may have to climb over arms or crawl under arms. It helps to be limber.
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
OR
Form the same circle, with one player standing outside the circle, facing away. While holding hands the circle people turned and twisted and went under and over other players' hands.
Then the group chanted, "Doctor, Doctor, we need help."
The "doctor" had to untangle the circle without causing anyone to break hands.
Contributed by Debra Williams
Equipment: Ball
All players except one stand in a circle, facing outwards. Spread your legs as wide as comfortable until your feet are touching your neighbours on either side. Everyone bend down and swing your arms between your legs. (flippers) The one person left over enters the circle as the moveable target. The flippers try to hit him by knocking a ball back and forth across the circle. If the target is hit, the person who hit him goes in the circle and becomes the new target.
Two parallel lines are formed and told to face each other. Each person joins hands with those of the person opposite him. One person dives onto the arms of the two rows, and is passed down the line by being thrown up in the air. It's a good idea to have a safety spotter at the opposite end of the line.
You make a task for a person who has been asked to leave the room. When the person returns everyone hums. When the person returns everyone hums, when the person gets closer to the area where the task is to be accomplished the humming becomes more intense and if she goes away humming becomes quieter.
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I Am The Captain (circle/moderate)
Equipment: ball The players are numbered in a circle with the captain standing in the centre. The captain says, "I am the Captain and I have lost my hat, and I think that number ? has it." The captain then throws the ball to that person. As soon as the ball has been caught, they must say, "who sir/maam, not me sir/maam", before the Captain says, "Back to the end of the line." If the player does not say their line, then the player must go to the end of the number order and everyone gets bumped up a number. If the player does say "Who sir/maam, not me sir/maam" , before the captain can say their line, then the captain will continue the conversation saying, "yes, you sir/maam." The player replies, "Oh not I sir/maam." The captain asks, " If not you sir/maam then who maam?" The player answers, "Number ? sir/maam" and throws the ball to that player. This game could be simplified by using names instead of numbers.
The group should be sitting in a circle and numbered 1-4. Give each number a name of a car. (ex. 1's are Porches, 2's are Ferrari's... etc) The game leader calls a car name and those cars have to get up and run around the circle. The first person back to their spot wins. There is a twist to this game. The cars can have things wrong with them as the leader chooses. Some ideas are; FLAT TIRE (Hop around on one foot), RUN OUT OF GAS (Crab Walk), TURBO BOOST (run around), NO MUFFLER (noisy!)...etc.
Equipment: hoops or small designated areas Several "islands" are placed on the ground. When the music stops or the leader stops singing, everyone must be standing on a island without touching anyone else in the group. As the game continues, remove islands until only one is left.
One person says " I spy with my little eye, something that is ....(colour)". Then others try to guess what the object is and the one who guesses it takes the next turn.
In the River, On the Shore (active)
All of the players should be standing on side of a line on the ground. The leader will call out, "on the shore" and "in the river". The players follow the commands by jumping on the side of the line that applies. The players get out if they are not listening. The leader could call out, "in the shore" and "on the river". The players move, they are out.
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I played Jacks as a kid at camp. Serious jacks. Jacks with kids who played jacks for a living, or would have, if you could make a living at jacks
Basic Jacks:
Flip for who goes first. Then work your way up from onsies to tensies and back down to onsies. Begin by throwing the jacks out on the floor. Then, taking a ball (you can use the little ones that come in the sets or we always prefered the "Pinkies" (tennis-ball sized pink rubber balls) you throw the ball into the air, pick up the correct number of jacks and letting the ball bounce once, catch the ball while still holding the jack(s). You can only use one hand. Your turn continues until you miss the ball, miss the jacks, move a jack, or drop a jack you've just picked up. Then you are out and it is the next person's turn.
For instance, on onsies, you'll pick up one jack at a time, until you've collected all ten. (You may put the jacks you've collected into your other hand or on the ground before you try to collect more.) On twosies, you pick them up two at a time.
On threesies, you pick them up three at a time, with one left over. You pick up the leftover(s) by itself. If you pick up the leftover before you've picked up all the evenly grouped jacks, you are putting the horse before the cart and therefore must call "cart" as you take the leftover jack(s). On Foursies, there are, obviously, two groups of four and two jacks in the "cart." Fivesies has no cart. Sixsies has one group of six and four in the "cart." And so on.
If you throw the jacks and two (or more) are touching it is Kissies and you have the option of picking up the kissing jacks and dropping them to spread them out. This is sometimes advantageous; sometimes not.
FLIPPING: By flipping, we mean you take all the jacks in the palms of your two hands held together, throw them into the air as you turn your hands over so that the backs are now upwards with index fingers touching to form a surface onto which you will catch the jacks. Now, throw the jacks into the air again, this time returning your hands to the palms up position at which you started. Catch all the jacks? Good. When flipping for first, the player who drops the least goes first. If none drop, the you take turns flipping until someone drops one, determining who goes first.
You may also decide to flip at the beginning of a game.Flipping is done on your first turn only, and only until you drop a jack. The level at which you drop the jack(s) must be played from those dropped jacks. You continue from there. Thus, if you drop 2 jacks on your third flip (threesies), you would have to pick up the two jacks together (since at threesies you are taking them three at a time) and then continue with foursies. How far you can flip is decided at the outset of a game:flip only to fivsies, flip to tensies, flip all the way, and no flipping.
The Winner: The first player to complete the agreed upon steps. In Basic Jacks, the first player to complete the challenge of going from Onsies to Tensies and back down again to Onsies.
BEYOND BASIC JACKS:
Fancies are specialty jacks rounds. At the start of a game, the players will decided how many and what kinds of fancies will be included. There was a huge collection of fancies that were just common knowledge when I was a kid. Some fancies are short: a simple chant with a certain pattern of activity that composed the whole fancy. Some fancies are long: a certain, trickier way of picking up the jacks that was performed from onsies to tensies.
Thus a game might be agreed upon: "Flip to tensies. Five fancies; two long, three short." meaning players can flip as far as tensies, but must play tensies back to onesies no matter what, then complete two long fancies and three short fancies in order to win.
Contributed by Amee Abel
Jamaquacks are rare birds from Australia. Being from down under, they always stand bent over, with their hands grasping their calves or ankles and shuffle along backward. They are nocturnal by preference, and when they are out in daylight, they always try to wander off somewhere, only a third of the players can be jamaquacks at a time. The rest must form a jamaquack pen by holding hands in a circle facing the center. Two players create a hole in the pen by dropping their hands. The jamaquacks gather in the middle of the pen, heads together and begin quacking and moving backward with their eyes closed, trying to find the way out. While the birds are trying to escape, those forming the circle do their best to jam the quacks back inside the pen by GENTLY knee-bumping them. Once outside the circle the jamaquacks can finally stand upright and open their eyes but they should keep quacking to let their species mated locate the hole.
Assign a point value to each color of jelly bean. The higher value of course will go to the color with the fewest number of beans. Hide the beans in the party room. Actually they should all be in sight but placed on or near an object of like color so that they are camouflaged. Set a time limit at the end of which the player with the most points wins the game.
found this game at Fun with Kids
This game is ideal for groups that either don't feel completely comfortable with one another, or are difficult to assemble quickly.
Divide the large group into smaller groups by means of colour of clothing, birthdays or counting to group them together. Have them get into these groups, hold hands in one long line and then roll from one end to the other into a "jelly roll" and sit down.
This can be used when you need to explain something , break them into groups quickly etc. All you need to do is yell "jelly roll".
Equipment: A roll of crepe paper. Divide the group into teams of three. Each team receives a roll of crepe paper. Mark two parallel boundary lines about 10 yards apart. Each team lines up behind on of the boundaries. When the leader says "Go" , two player on each team get down on their hands and knees, one behind the other. The rear player places his or her hands on the ankles of the front player. The third team member becomes the connector and connects the two players by wrapping the crepe paper around the wrists and ankles of the players. After the players have been connected, they begin to creep toward the opposite boundary. If the crepe paper tears, the two crawlers must stop while the third player repairs the connection. Once the two crawlers reach the boundary they switch so that everyone gets a chance to be the connector. The first team to cross the boundary line after all three team members have been crawlers and connectors is the winner.
See "Rock Paper Scissors"
Juggling (Group) (cooperative/circle/moderate)
Players stand in a circle, hands in the air. The leader throws the ball to a player on the other side of the circle. The player throws the ball to a third and so on. When a player has caught the ball once, he puts his arms down. The last player to catch the ball throws it back to the leader and the game starts over again only faster. A 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ball is added.
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Keep it up (cooperative/circle/moderate)
See "Juggling (group) Kick it Up (cooperative/circle)
Equipment: ball Players start in a circle with their feet towards the middle. A ball is put in the canter and the players have to keep the ball up in the air with their feet. If the ball is dropped, it is a point against themselves.
This is an exciting combination of hide and seek and tag. One person closes their eyes and counts to some high number, while everyone else hides. Then, the person who counted (who has incidentally been guarding "the can") has to run around the neighborhood and find everybody. The tricky part is that once a person is found, they have a race, where the person who has just been found has to try to kick the can over before the counter tags them. When that game gets boring, there seems to always be those kids who will hide in a dumb, easy to discover place, with theintent of sprinting for the can if they're caught... it's a good game forbuilding paranoia into your character. :)
Contributed by: Jessica Dion
Another Variation
You get an old coffee can or corn/peas/greenbean can and put it in the middle of a safe place because this is base, where at any given moment several people will be running toward it. One person is it. The rest of the crowd must go and hide. The object of the game is for the "it" person to SEE you, not necessarily tag you. He/she must call your name and say; "I see John Doe under Mr. Smith tree." At that point, John Doe must come to base. But, if it isn't John Doe, and maybe it is Sally Smith, then Sally Smith does not have to come out of hiding and the "it" person must assume they guessed the name wrong. Now the crowd is not aloud to stay in one spot...they must move around without being caught. The "it" person can venture away from the can as far as he/she wants, but he/she risks someone running to the can and kicking it which frees everyone that the "it" person has captured. But, if the "it" person tags the free-er before they reach the can then they are captured too. The object is to see or tag everyone without a free-er letting all the prisioners go. If someone kicks the can, the "it" person must count to 100 while everyone scatters and hides again. Everyone that is captured and standing around the can waiting to be freed can look for any remaining crowd members and guide him/her on when is a good time to come and free them. They can also make a chain in order for the free-er to reach them faster, but beware, because if the "it" person sees you making a chain, then usually he/she can see you and call out your name, thus ending the game. The first one captured is then "it".
Contributed by: Laura J. Rhinehart
Someone is chosen to be the picker all the other kids line up facing the wall and
should close their eyes.
The picker goes by and taps each of the kids. He taps each of them once but whomever
he picks as the killer he is to tap twice. Once everyone is tapped they all turn
around. (Sometimes the killer is given away here because of
smiling :)
Everyone begins shaking hands with one another one at a time in a normal shaking
manner. If you are the killer when you shake hands with people you bend your index
finger in and sort of poke the palm of the person's hand your shaking. If you feel
this when you shake someone's hand then you go and shake two more hands (normal shake) and
then silently fall to the ground. Eventually the killer gets everyone and then the
games over and a new killer gets picked.
Contributed by Julianne Brewer
[See also "Murder Wink"]
Kitty Corner or "Cats Get Your Corners" (something like this) [almost a dodgeball variation]
You pick someone to be it. If you have a lot of people then you pick more than one "it". There could be 5 or 6. Everyone that is "it" gets a ball (like a standard red kickball) All the cats pick a corner to stand in. You also need someone to be sort of an umpire. When everyone has a corner then the ump yells "cats get a corner" Then everyone takes off running for the corner that is next. Everyone is suppossed to run in the same direction so no one should run into each other. While the cats are running the "its" try to hit them with the ball. If you get hit you stand in the middle by the person who hit you. The "it" at the end with the most cats is the winner. Or the cat that never gets hit wins too.
Now I played this at school in a gymnasium. So the four corners were easy to stand at and the people that are "it" stood in the middle of the gym floor. Our gym teacher was the umpire.
Contributed by Julianne Brewer
Kitty Wanna Cracker (moderate)
Campers sit in a circle with one person in the middle of the circle. The person in the middle goes up to different people and says "Kitty Wanna Cracker?". The players in the circle say "No, thankyou". While this is going on, the people who the kitty has her/his back to try to catch each other's eye and change places. The kitty tries to steal the empty spots. If you are left without a spot then you become the kitty.
Knights, Horses and Cavaliers (active/circle)
This game is similar to musical chairs in that when the rhythm stops an action must be performed. In this game 2 equal circles are formed, with one inside the other. The people of the inside circle will pair up with someone on the outside circle and remain with that partner for the rest of the game. the inside circle will walk clockwise clapping their hands and the outside circle, also clapping, will walk in the opposite direction. When the leader calls out Horses, the individuals stop clapping and run to find their partner. Once together, one partner will go on all fours, like a horse, and the other partner will straddle their back. The last partner group to form that position will be asked to act out a simple situation of their choice that makes use of a rider and a horse. Once this game continues in the same fashion as before. If Knights is called, one partner will sit on the other partner's knee. The partner therefore has one knee up to be sat on and the other on the ground for support. If Cavaliers is called, then one of the partners will lift their partner up into their arms. However, one leg lifted by their partner is allowed.
Knights of the Round Table (active/circle)
Equipment: hoola hoop and sword The players should be in a circle with one knight in the canter with the sword. The knight tries to touch a person in the circle with the sword, run to the middle, put the sword on the table (hoola hoop) and get to their spot in the circle without being touched by the sword. The person touched has to chase the knight, get the sword from the table and touch them with it before they get to the spot or they are the new knight. If for some reason the sword does not land on the table, the rest of the players must yell, "THE SWORD IS NOT ON THE TABLE!" This means the play is cancelled and the knight must try again.
Knots (moderate/circle/cooperative)
Groups of eight stand in a circle facing into the canter. Shake hands with person directly across from you, then join left hands with a different person in the group. Must untangle the human knot without letting go of hands.
Variation
Participants stand in a circle facing the center. Everyone extends his or her right hand into the ring and takes hold of someone else's hand. Make sure it is not the hand of the person standing on either side of you. Then do the same with left hands. Now the the fun begins! See if you can untagle the "knot" by stepping over, ducking under, turning around--whatever you need to do. Just don't let go of hands!
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Two lines are formed, facing each other. Sit down, legs straight out, feet just touching. Each pair is numbered or given a name. When a name or number is called, the two jump up, run over the legs of the other pairs in one direction, then run outside until they get to the opposite end of the line and then continue to run over the legs of the other pairs until they get back to their original place in line. The first person back to their original position gets a point for their team.
Choose a partner and sit in front of them. Take 3 minutes to study how your partner is dressed. Turn around. Now your partner will change 5 things on his clothes. Again the partners face each other and the first partner tries to determine what is different.
Form a circle, shoulders close to people beside you. Everyone turn 90 degrees to the left. Put hands on person's hips. Everyone sits down on knees of person behind them. Try to sit, stand up, turn around and sit down again. Then try to walk while in lap sit.
The children all sit in a large circle. A person is picked to be it. He leaves the room or sits with his back to the circle. The group then decides on a leader who is to start a motion in which all the children copy. The motion can be anything at all, and the person who is it, comes in to find the leader of the motion. The leader changes the motion from time to time and the person who is it has three guesses to determine who the leader is. If 'it' guesses correctly then the leader becomes 'it'. If 'it' does not guess correctly a new games is started by choosing a new 'it'.
The group is divided into two teams. Team A: Actors, Team B: Guessers. Actors decide on a geographical location and a related occupation. Dialogue between A and B:
A: Here we come. B: Where from? A: From New Airlines. B: What's your name? A: Lemonade. B: What's your trade? A: Goes like this.
At this point group A acts out their occupation. Group B is given 3 tries to guess. If the guess is correct, group A must run to a safety line without being touched by a group B player. If all 3 guesses are wrong group B must run to a safety line without being touched. Any player touched must switch teams.
Materials: straws for each guest, 2 different colored feathers (or tissue paper)
Arrange your guests into two teams and have them line up. Hand each player a straw. The first player on each team picks up the feather by inhaling through the straw. The next player must take it away from the first player by the same method. This continues until the feather reaches the last player. This player must then run with the feather to the head of the line and the game continues. The race keeps going until the first player is back in his/her original position.
4 or more players Ages 5 and up
Rules: 1.Select a person to be the Lion. 2.Have the lion sit with their back to the other players at least ten feet away. 3.Put a stuffed animal behind the lion and have the lion pretend it is his cub. 4.Have the other players take turns sneaking up behind the Lion and trying to steal the cub. 5.If the lion hears the person sneaking up it can roar and then turn around. If the lion has caught a player the player takes the lions place and the lion goes back to the other players. If there is no player when the lion roars the player lion remains the lion and the game starts again.
Contributed by Jessica Monks
Lions and Tigers (circle/passive)
Players sit in a circle. Two children on the opposite sides of the circle, hold small objects, (stone ball etc.). One is called a lion, and the other a tiger. On a signal the players pass the objects to the right as quickly as they can. The fun is in trying to get one animal to overtake the other. (see Beat the Bunny)
Lip and Card Relay (cooperative/active)
Equipment: Card The group is divided into 2 lines, boy-girl-boy-girl if possible. A card is then given to the first person in the line. He puts the card between his lip and his nose and passes it down the line. The first line to pass the card down first wins.
A lonely ghost would love some company. He wants to make a ghost friend.
His ghost friend won't be me.
One child is chosen to be the lonely little ghost. He sits on a chair in the
haunted house. Indicate a certain area for that purpose. The other children
speak the verse and sneak into the haunted house. They tease the ghost. Any
child he catches or tags within the boundries of his haunted house becomes a ghost and
joins him to try to catch the remaining children, who return again and again to tease and
try to avoid being caught by the ghosts. The last child caught is the winner and may
be the lonely little ghost the next time the game is played.
Contributed by Colleen Murphy
Select a player to be the Loose Caboose. Divide the rest of the group into trains of three. Each player is in a train car and holds the waist of the person in front. The first player in a train is the engine. The object is for the loose caboose the try to attach to a train. When all are aboard, the trains chug around the train yard (sound effects should be encouraged) Trying to dodge and turn to keep away form the Caboose. When the Caboose attaches to a train, the engine of that train becomes the new loose caboose.
Two lumberjacks per team, - the rest are trees (people). The lumberjack must fill the trees transport them to the lumber yard (carry the people on his team), stack the lumber (pile the people on top of their team) and replant new trees ( carry the same people back and leave them standing upright).
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Groups of 6-10 must create a moving machine by miming it all together, (each person is a part of the machine). Others must try to guess what the machine is. No talking or noises are allowed.
Magic Sticks (circle / passive)
The leader starts with 2 sticks. They hold the sticks crossed or uncrossed and says "These sticks are crossed" or "these sticks are uncrossed". The leader then passes the sticks around and each camper tries to figure it out. The trick is that the sticks are crossed if their legs are crossed and if they aren't crossed either are the sticks.
Match my Feet (circle/moderate)
Form a circle of players. You stand in the middle. Start the group off with a slow clapping rhythm, such as 2 slow claps followed by 3 quick claps. Repeat this over and over. Walk around the inside of the circle to the clapping rhythm and stop in front of someone. Do a simple step with your feet in time to the beat. the person you're standing in front of must try to repeat your step. If he doesn't, move around the circle and stop in front of someone else. If he does, you take his place in the circle, and he becomes the leader. He may change the rhythm and try to "outstep" another player.
I'm afraid I need some help for this one.
Here are the basics that I remember:
A relatively smooth playing field is required, usually on dirt. A small hole is made in the center of the playing area. Each player antes up a marble, and they are randomly scattered around the playing field. Each player uses a large marble (called a shooter) to try to knock the other marbles into the hole (much like pool) Players take turns shooting, and if a player knocks a marble into the hole with his/her shot, they get to keep the marble they knocked in and shoot again.
One variation is called "agate up" in which all the marbles donated must be agates. Agates a rarer and thus more valuable type of marble.
If this doesn't sound familiar, try this variation
Get string and tie the ends together. Lay the string down in a large circle. Players use the Large Marbles (shooters) to shoot the smaller marbles wtihin the string. The object is to shoot the smaller marbles outside the string. The general rule is you get to keep the marbles you win. If this is a party game, award prizes for the most won, ribbons for placement or if you planned ahead let the kids keep the marbles.
Marco Polo Game is to be played in a swimming pool.
Object of the Game: Not to get caught by "Marco" (the person who is "it")
Rules: One person is chosen to be "it" he/she closes his/her eyes and gets on one end of the swimming pool. He/she counts to 10 and shouts "Marco" and all the others in the pool shout "Polo". The one that shouts "Marco" has to try and catch one of the persons who shouts "Polo". It can be shouted as much as possible. Once he/she catches a person, then that person is now "it" and so on.....
Contributed by Kelly
OR
We played with one additional rule to add to your list. Everybody EXCEPT the "marco" (or 'it') was allowed to get out of the pool AS LONG AS they had one body part in the water. For instance, I may have just my big toe in the pool. I still have to answer your "marco" with my "polo" so it pays to keep moving, but I have to keep something in the water. This rule lends itself to alot of jumping in and out of the pool as well as jumping over some heads.
Contributed by Aleaza
Maul-Ball [Also called "Scrag"]
The game is played with a large ball (basketball, football, soccerball, etc.). One person carries the ball toward some randomly chosen goal (a tree, bench, fence, little brother). All other players assault (maul) the ball carrier attempting to sieze control of the ball. Chases, tackles, intimidation, trickery are all fair game. Once the ball has changed hands, the new ball carrier is the target. As far as I know, no goal has ever been attained; the game is played until all are exhausted or someone is injured.
Thanks to Janet Montgomery
This is fun for all ages - just so they are old enough to write. Prepare a tray with about 20 objects on it. Give each child a pencil and paper. Hold the tray up so they can see it for about 30 seconds then remove the tray from sight. See who can name the most objects they saw in a 3-5 minute period depending on the age.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Minefield (active/cooperative)
Split the group into 3 (not each of them). One group will be the mines. They will be stationary in the playing area. One group will be the rowers trying to get across the playing field. The trick is, they will have their eyes closed. The third group will be the assistants. They will be located on the other side of the playing field and will direct the rowers safely across. If a rower bumps into a mine, they blow up. The groups should rotate so everyone gets to be everything.
One player stands blindfolded in the centre of the room. Have the other children stand in a circle or a line. Have the children switch places in the circle and take one person out of the room. Then unblindfold the child in the centre, and give him one minute to name the missing player. Let the person who was removed now be blindfolded.
Equipment: ball
Two teams should be standing in lines side to side, arms linked and numbered 1 and up. The ball will be placed in the centre of the playing space. The game leader will call out one number. The player from each team that has that number will run to the centre to get the ball. The rest of the team will act as the moving goalie. The players in the middle attempt to hit the ball with their hand on the ground past the opposing team's goalie line. The goalie lines can only move side to side and must stay attached. The play is over if the ball goes out of bounds and when a shot is made. Mount / Dismount (active)
The players should be split into 2 groups. One group will form a circle and be the horses,. The second group will be the runners or the riders. There should be more riders than horses. The horses run around the outside of the circle until the game leader calls out "Mount!". The riders then need to find a horse to mount. If a rider is horseless, they are out. When the leader calls out, "Dismount" the riders jump off their horse go under their legs and run around the circle again ready to remount. Both teams should get a chance to be the riders.
Mother May I (Also called "Captain May I")
One game I remember is Mother May I. One person (it could be Mom) stands facing away from a line of kids. She then chooses a child (at random, or in order), and announces a direction. These follow a pattern, such as, "Brian, you may take' x' giant/regular/baby steps forward/backward." The child responds with "Mother may I?" Mom then states "Yes" or "No", depending on her whim, and the child complies. If the child forgets to ask "Mother may I?" he/she goes back to the starting line. First one to touch Mother wins.
Contributed by: Gary Swanson
OR
In one variation I learned, each child takes turns asking, "Mother may I take . . . steps?" And the child who is mother replies yes or no. In addition to baby, regular, and giant steps, we had ballet steps which were kind of like fake ballet turns.
Another way we played the mother would say, "Take __ ____________ steps [always] forward." And each child in turn would reply, "Mother, may I?" Then, Mother tell each child wheather they could or couldn't.
Contributed by Erika Salomon
The group needs to be split into 2 groups. One group is the trap and the other are mice. The trap stands in a circle holding hands in the air. The leader should not be facing the group. The mice have to run through the trap. When the leader yells, "MOUSE TRAP", the trap lowers their arms. Whoever is inside the trap at this point is caught and becomes a part of the trap. The last mouse left is the winner. At this point the 2 groups should switch roles.
Mr. Greenjean (passive) **for older campers
This game starts with a leader and a camper in one room or area of the playground and another leader with the rest of the campers in another room or area. Every camper is given a name ie. mama greenjean, baby greenjean, tall greenjean, short greenjean, green greenjean etc... One camper at a time comes into the room that originally had only a leader and one camper and introduces himself. Everyone who is in the room repeats all of the actions of the new person for a few seconds up to a few minutes. The amount of time is very dependent on how the camper responds to this type of attention. Some campers will do the funniest things when they know everyone is going to repeat it.
Buy a roll of strong toilet paper per two participants. Have teams of two. One of each team gets wrapped with the toilet paper by his teammate. No tape or glue is to be used!
When the wrapping is completed, announce that it is time to "BREAK OUT!" On the count of three, the mummy breaks out while a grown up snaps a picture. Then the broken mummy wraps his partner. Everyone is a winner in this game. All kids must pick up the scattered rolls of toilet paper before the games proceed.
(Do not try to skimp and use the least expensive toilet paper. It is not strong enough to survive the wrap.)
Messy Game's by Ian
Killer winks at his victim. The victim waits 5 seconds
and then falls. The victim chooses his own way of falling. If a player thinks he can
identify the killer, he points and says "I accuse you". If he is wrong, both
players are dead.
[See Also "Killer"]
Equipment: music This game is similar to musical chairs, but does not eliminate anybody. Scatter a number of hoops and ropes around the area in which you are playing the game The number of ropes or hoops will vary with the number of people playing. Play music loud enough for everyone to hear and instruct them to move around (hop, skip, backwards, run etc.) When the music is stopped, the group must be holding onto one of the ropes or hoops. Each time the music stops you remove one hoop or rope until everyone is holding onto or standing inside one.
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