Name Train (moderate/circle/icebreaker)
The players form one circle. The leader begins to meet people by shuffling like a train across the circle, stopping when he or she comes face to face with a player. The leader will say to the player for example, "Hi, my name is Al". The person facing the leader returns with, "Hi Al, my name is John." The leader raises one arm and then the other saying "John,...John,...John, John, John, John, John." The leader turns and John now holds on to the back of Al and both shuffle out across the circle. Keep repeating until everyone has joined the circle.
Make a list of things to find in nature such as a pine cone, bug, leaf etc. Duplicate the list for as many players you have or one for every two people if you want to send out teams. Set a time limit and the winner is the first team back with all the objects or the team with the most objects at the end of time limit.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Never Can Tell Club (passive) Bang Bang (circle / passive)
Get the campers in a circle. The leader shoots (not really - pretend) the campers around the circle. They then ask "who did I shoot?" The first person that talks is the one that was shot.
Equipment: tarp and blanket Group is divided in half (no, not each of them!). Leaders hold up a tarp so that the two groups are unable to see each other (hence the name no see em's). One person from each group crawls up to the tarp and puts their nose up to it. The leaders drop the tarp and the two people must shout out the other person's name. The person who says the correct name first takes the other person to their team.
The leader has a bunch of sticks. The leader then throws down the sticks and asks, "How many sticks are there?" This number depends on the number of fingers the leader shows not the number of sticks.
Numbers Change (moderate/circle)
The players are numbered 1,2,3,4 etc. The leader calls out two numbers. These players must change seats quickly, while the leader tries to secure a seat. He continues until he succeeds. The one left out becomes the leader.
Give them the names of objects that they must act out. Each person in the group must be a part of the object and they cannot act as a person. So for example, if the object was a lawn mower. 2 people might work together to be the mower and those left over could be the grass. No one would be a person pushing the lawn mower. The groups then present them and the other groups must guess what the objects are.
Players (fish) are at one end of the hall, inside defined limits. The octopus lives in the ocean inside the limits. The octopus tells the fish that the can cross the ocean by saying "Fish , fish come swim in the ocean". At this signal the fish try to cross over to the other side. Players who try to cross over to the other limit. Player who are touched by the octopus must stop moving and become tentacles of the octopus
A game where a herd of deer seeks food, water and shelter to survive. The group should be spilt into 2 even groups and they should be at either end of the playing space facing opposite directions. One group will be the environment and the other will be the deer. The environment and the deer will pick one of three signs; WATER (hand over mouth), FOOD (hands on stomach) or SHELTER (hands in a peak over head). On the go signal from the leader, both groups will turn around and make their symbol. The deer will run towards the environment that is the same as their sign. If they get an environment, both players become deer. If the deer can not find the appropriate symbol, they will die and become part of the environment. Fluctuations in the deer population due to different causes can be shown in different rounds.
For this game, each guest brings a picture of him or herself as a baby or young child. When all the pictures have been assembled, they are numbered and displayed. Then the players write down their guesses as to which baby face belongs to whom. A prize could be given to the person who correctly identifies the largest number of photos.
This game is really fun to make a movie of and watch later. Especially if your projector or VCR allows you to run the movie backwards. Divide players into two equal teams. For each team have a suitcase or box containing a large shirt, shorts, boots and hat. In turn each player must put on old clothes and run to a certain point where they take the old clothes off and put them back in box, then run back to start where the next player repeats the process etc. until one team finishes and wins.
found this game at Fun with Kids
One child chosen as the witch walks along in front of the other players who poke, pull, and tease her in every way possible. As they follow after her they call, "Old mother witch, fell in the ditch, picked up a penny, and thought she was rich!" The witch turns around and yells, "Whose children are you?" any name may be given and the witch carries on, but when they say " yours " the witch chases them. The first child caught takes her place.
One Two Buckle My Shoe (Ages 3-5)
Ask all children to remove shoes and place in an old pillow case. Have them stand in a cirle holding hands. Together recite the "one two buckle my shoe" nursury rhyme. When finished dump all the shoes into the center of the circle and say "one two three Go". All children race to the center to find their shoes. The first one to get them completely on wins.
Start with everyone in a circle holding hands. Now one of you gives a quick squeeze to the hand of the person on the right. This gets passed along to the next person and around the circle. Once the squeeze is being passed smoothly, speed up and add sound. Say "Ooh" while going to the right and "Aah" when going to the left. A player gets zapped when they squeeze the wrong hand. Both sounds can travel in opposite directions and you can play tag.
Order out of Chaos (cooperative)
The group is blindfolded. Each member is assigned a number. Once the members are distributed in a defined area, the members must line up in a proper numerical order without verbal communication. Another task would be to assign each member the name of an animal. Nonverbally, the members arrange themselves in order of size, form largest to smallest.
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Label paper bags with each letter of the birthday child's name and put objects that start with the corresponding letter in the bag. For instance, for AMY you could have a bag labeled "A" with an apple in it, a bag labeled "M" with a mug in it, and a bag labeled "Y" with a Yo Yo in it. Players guess what's in each bag by feeling the outside of the bag.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Ask all your friends to form a circle. Explain that you have been granted a special power. This power places other people under your spell. Whenever you move, everyone in the circle must also move. They are "forced" to do whatever you do. (i.e. jump up and down on 1 foot, clap your hands while spinning in a circle, pretend to dribble a basketball or jump rope, do a monkey imitation) After about 1/2 a minute, you tap the person on your left. He/she has received the "power". It is now up to this person to begin a movement which everyone must follow. After about 1/2 a minute, this person taps the person on his/her left. The game continues until everyone has had a turn possessing the power.
Pass the Ring! (circle/passive)
Players lie in a circle with their hands in the middle. One person is out of the circle. Players in the circle must pass the ring around the circle without the person guessing where it is.
The leader begins by saying, "repeat after me". Then the leader clears their throat and says: "peaches, peaches very fine peaches, the very best peaches in town." The leader tries to get the campers to repeat. The poem is not correct until the throat is cleared. Phantom (circle / passive) The leader begins by walking around a circle of campers saying "The phantom walks and walks and walks and walks..... The leader then stops behind a camper and says "Where's the Phantom?" The campers will guess whoever the leader is standing behind. This is the incorrect guess. Tell the campers who the Phantom really is. Repeat the above process. The correct location of the Phantom is behind the camper who speaks first. Keep the trick a secret. If the campers figure out, don't tell or change the secret.
Collect a variety of big souvenir plastic drink glasses. Collect the big fat straws used for milkshakes at Burger King and McDonalds. Lay the cups on their side, in a triangular pattern, five on the botton row, three in middle row, one on top and duct tape them together. Mark point levels in the bottom of each cup. Give each player a fat straw, a small cup of dried split peas or unpopped popcorn kernals, and have each player shoot the peas, through their mouth and the straws, into the cups. High scorer wins.
Game's by Ian
This takes advance planning to do it as the Peep Eat. At Easter, buy some extra marshamallow peeps and save them for the party. Tie a string around the middle of each peep, and string them, about a foot apart, from something high. Have players on waiting at the opposite end of the yeard. On go, each player runs to eat his peep, using his mouth only. NO HANDS! Fastest eater wins. You can use this with plain marshmallows, if you didn't plan ahead at Easter, but then you will have to change the name.
Messy Game's by Ian
This is a good way to divide campers into groups in an interesting way. The campers should mingle while snapping and saying, "people to people". The leader will call out commands like, "back to back" or "knee to knee". The leader can also throw in group commands like, "a group that uses the same toothpaste" or "same colour eyes". Be creative!
We used to pick who would be it by making fists and turning them sideways. You would then say the rhyme and hit the other persons fist as well as yours using your chin as the substitute for the fist that you were using. Each fist would be hit once you would say the word and hit the fist at the same time. One word for each fist. At the end the person whose fist was hit last is out. They're totally out when both fists are hit. Some of the rhymes were:
engine,engine,number.nine gong down chicago line if the train falls off the track do you want your money back {you would pick yes or no and the word would be spelled out. no would be n-o spells no you don't get your money back or y-e-s-spells yes and you shall have you money back}
or
my mother and your mother were at the store your mother punched my mother in the nose. what color was the blood {name any color and spell it out then say the color} was the color of the blood.
or two horses in one stable and one jumped out.
or
scout scout you're out.
Contributed by Martha Wiltsie
OR
When we wanted to pick who was going to be "it" in a tag game, everyone put one foot in a circle and one person pointed and repeated the following rhyme: Blue shoe, blue shoe, How old are you? (The person told his or her age, and the one saying the rhyme counted ahead that many shoes, and the ending one was out. The rhyme continued until one person was chosen.)
We would put both fists out in front of us, and he would hit each fist, one at a time while saying the following rhyme. The fist he would hit would be out, but you had another fist left, so you could still win. The winner was the one who had the only fist left up. One potato, two potato, three potato, four. Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more. (Then the person would remove the fist on the word "more" and the game would begin again.)
Contributed by Nicki Platt
OR
Everyone usually put one foot in and touched it to everyone else. Then someone would begin counting by singing the tune.
Tunes were:
You would count each foot by each syllable you said of a word. Like after you say bubblegum you should have tapped 3 feet.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Bub-ble-gum bub-ble-gum in a dish how man-y piec-es do you wish. (Whoever you landed on here got to pick a #) You should have tapped about 17 feet or gone around the circle to touch 17 feet at the end of this part)
Then you went around the circle counting each foot to the number the person said
Then after you get to the number they picked you keep going and say
"and you are not it you dir-ty dir-ty dish rag you" "Not be-cause your dir-ty not be-cause your clean, just be-cause you kissed a boy be-hind a mag-a zine.
Whoever you landed on when you said "zine" could either be "it" or if you wanted to keep going that person would just be out and you would keep doing the same tune until one person was left then they would be "it" (Obviously that takes longer)
or
"skunk in the barn-yard pwe-wee who could of done it not me"
You can stop here or add "my mama' or "dirty dishrag" Everyone always varied these to there own liking anyway.
Contributed by Julianne Brewer
You can buy this game or make your own. To make your own, purchase 2 inexpensive, identical children's picture books. Try to find a book with lots of small pictures like a picture dictionary or book on birds or animals. For each child you need a sheet of construction paper on which you will glue 6 pictures. Glue the identical set of 6 pictures on little individual squares of paper. So, for 6 children you would need 2 sets of 36 different pictures. To play the game draw one of the individual pictures and give to the child who has the matching picture on his paper. The first child to cover all 6 pictures wins. Continue playing for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. until all children match all their pictures.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Buy one or two packs of the cheapest paper plates that are small saucer sized. Purchase generic (or cheapest) whipped topping, similar to Cool Whip, one container per two partiers.
Place a small scoop of whipped topping on each plate and place trays of plates strategically about the yard. On GO! let the kids go crazy throwing pies at each other. Disqualification for excessive force. Everyone wins! Make sure lots of pictures are taken!
On this game, it is more important to have lots of plates, rather than lots of cream on each plate. Kids must clean up all plates before progressing to the last game.
Messy Game's by Ian
This game takes a little preparation but the kids love it. You will need a different color sheet of construction paper for each child. For a large group divide into groups and have elimination races. Out of each sheet cut 9 small squares and 1 large pig. Mark off an 8 step race track using pencils, napkins or whatever.Line the children up shoulder to shoulder behind the first step.
Give each child a colored pig. Shuffle your little colored squares and draw them out one at a time. Whoever has the matching color pig takes a step when his color is drawn. The first one to complete all 8 steps wins.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Everyone is in a circle. One person takes a deep breath and begins walking around the circle tapping everyone on the head and saying "Pina." The idea is to get back to your place before taking another breath. Your success in this game will depend as much on the size of the circle as it does on the size of the circle as it does on the size of your lungs.
This game is adaptable to any holiday or occasion. You'll need a ping pong ball and a cardboard box lid - a shirt box is fine. Cut a hole in the center and tape a paper cup under the hole - this will be the target for the ball. Other holes that the ball could drop through should be cut as hazards. Decorate according to holiday with crayons, markers, construction paper, etc. For instance, on Halloween make it a jack-o-lantern. Cut out holes for eyes and mouth large enough for the ball to fall through. To play, drop the ping pong ball into corner of box and have child maneuver box lid trying to get ball in paper cup without letting it fall through any of the other holes.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Pip, Squeek and Wilbur (active)
Equipment: bean bags
Arrange the children in groups of three. One person in each group is Pip, one Wilbur, and one Squeek. These groups are arranged in one big circle. The leader calls out one of the three names; this person runs around the outside of this big circle until he gets back to his group. Then he runs under the arch that the other two have made and into the centre of the circle and tries to grab one of the bean bags in the middle and return to his group. There should be two less bean bags than there is groups. If the runner gets a bean bag, his group scores a point. The group with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Pirate's Treasure (circle/moderate-passive)
see SMAUG's JEWELS
A pot or kettle is placed on the ground. Five or more players join hands, forming a circle around the pot. One player is the leader. He tries to push or pull the other players so that one of them knocks his foot against the pot. As soon as any player touches the pot, he is 'poison' and all the other players run away from him. The player who is poison chases them until he catches someone. The that player becomes the leader. And another game is started.
** N.B. EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE TAKEN WITH THIS GAME.
Pompadour (cooperative/icebreaker)
Equipment: Name tags Players must find another player with at least four letters in their name that are the same. Join hands. Idea is for the entire group to be joined at the end of the game.
A square or rectangular playing area is chosen and boundaries are set.
All players except the person who is "it" begin behind one of the boundaries. "It" goes to the middle of the playing area.
____________ x | | x | | x | X | x |____________|
When everyone appears ready, "it" calls, "Pom pom!" That is the cue for everyone to leave their safety area behind the boundary and to run across the playing area to the other boundary. "It" tries to tag as many people as possible. If a player is tagged, s/he joins "it" in the middle to help. The game ends when all players have been tagged. The last player to get tagged becomes "it" for the next round.
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
You need a parachute - no strings - with a hole in the middle, and 20 or more bouncing balls (the plastic kind in Toys-R-US)- one for each player. Number the balls and assign one to each player. Every player places his/her ball on the parachute and eveyone grabs and lifts the parachute with two hands. Then everyone starts (usually after the gym teacher says "GO!") pumping the chute up and down to remove the balls. The player with their ball on the chute last, wins.
Contributed by Bryan Aupperle
The children are arranged in a circle, sitting down. The one child is the "poor kitty" and he goes up to another child purring and meowing. The person approached must pat the kitty on the head and say, "Poor Poor kitty". If the child laughs, then he must become the kitty and try to make others laugh.
Choose one child to be the weasel. Have the rest of the children divided into even groups. In each group number the children off 1,2,3, and so on The weasel stands in the centre as the groups dance around him in their own circles singing "pop goes the weasel". When a number is called all the children of that number and the weasel join in a circle in the middle dancing and singing "pop goes the weasel" while the other children remain in their own group's circle around the outside. When 'pop goes the weasel' is reached all those children run to find an empty circle, the other groups have formed on the outside. The remaining child is the weasel.
The children imagine themselves on a ship. The Captain gives out orders to his mates on board. The mates respond with physical actions as follows:
1. Captain's coming - salute 2. Stand at ease - hands behind back 3. All hands on deck - kneeling position 4. Hit the deck - lying flat on the floor 5. Submarine - lying on back one leg up in the air. 6. Port - run to the left side 7. Starboard - run to the right side
These are only a few examples of movements. Feel free to add your own. Children are eliminated from the game after each order given by the Captain. The last to obey are counted as out.
There are 2 teams, each with its own home base. Also mark out a prison - both teams will use it. The members of each team links hands, stretching out from their home bases. The last person in the chain (the one farthest from the base) breaks away and runs into the field. Then the last link on the opposite team's chain breaks away and chases them. While that chase goes on., the players continue to break from their team's chain and pair off with a member of the opposite team. In this way, each chaser has a particular player they must tag. When a player is tagged, they go to prison and their captor stands on guard. The prisoner can be released only if a member of their own team runs through the prison and tags any would-be rescuer. If several players of the same team are in prison, they may call out "ELECTRICITY!" and join hands, stretching a chain out and away from the prison boundaries. A teammate may touch the last person in the chain and release all the prisoners. The game is finished when all the members of the first team are captured.
OR
Each game began with one person, usually the youngest and smallest player from each
team, being a prisoner. The object was for each team to free its captured
members. There were three lines drawn across the vacant lot: a centre line and
each team's end line. The "prisons" were on opposite corners of the
lot. Team A's prison line was in the south east corner of the lot; Team B's prison
line was in the north west corner of the lot. The prisoner had to have one foot on
the opposing team's endline. He/she would stand at right angles to the captor's
prison line with his/her legs spread apart and arm extended. As the team members ran
across the centre line to touch their team member's hand to free their captured team
member, the opposing team would try to catch them. The centre line was the safety
line. You were safe only if you were on your side of the vacant lot. If a
player was tagged by a member of the opposite team while he/she was across the centre
line, he/she also became a prisoner and was taken to the corner of the lot and put in
prison. The most recently captured team member had to go to the back of the prisoner
line with his/her foot on the captors' end line and the previously captured prisoners
would move up closer to the centre line. A player could only free one prisoner at a
time. After a prisoner was freed, the liberator and the freed prisoner had to run
all the way to the other end of the vacant lot, without being re-captured, and cross the
end line before they could go and free a new prisoner.
Contributed by Fred Reekie
Everyone walks around with their eyes closed in a small space. When you bump into someone say "pruie?" If they say "pruie?" back to you then they are not the person you are looking for and you continue looking amongst the crowd. The referee has whispered to one person, telling him that he is the "Pruie". The pruie does not have to close their eyes and if someone bumps into them and asks "pruie?" they do not respond. This is your clue to join onto their hand and open your eyes. The fun comes when there is only one person left to find the Pruie!
Each player chooses a number (1,2,or 3). Each player seeks out fellow players by shaking hands right and left. The hand is squeezed the number of times which corresponds to the number the player has chosen. It is a secret code; all must be done in silence. The "spirits" should see to it that the group divides into three separate groups.
Equipment: bucket with holes, water, pot Object: The group must attempt to fill the drum to overflowing. Rules: Only portions of the participants' anatomies may be used to plug holes. Considerations: The number of holes must necessarily vary with the size of the group. Puncture 120 holes (large nail size) in the bucket which duplicates the number of fingers in a 12 man group.
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This game is played in the same formation as jamaquacks. The group forms a circle and about six players are chosen to go into the middle of the circle, where they bend over and grab their ankles, and walk around backwards. If they bump another player then they must introduce themselves by sticking their head between their legs and shaking the other player's hand.
One player is blind folded and is given a cane or stick. The other players march around him in a circle. As soon as he taps his cane loudly, everyone stops. The blindfolded player points his cane at someone and that person must say "quack quack" . The blindfolded player tries to guess who it is. If he guesses correctly the first time, he trades places with that player. If the child does not guess correctly he just continues until he does guess right.
Quaker Meeting (circle/passive)
Nobody can keep a straight face in this game! Players sit in a circle, fairly close together. the leader solemnly taps the knee of the person to his right, and each player in turn does the same. When that action gets back around to the leader, he then taps the cheek of the player to his right. And so on, with the nose, ear, eye, mouth, or until a player dissolves into laughter.
Equipment: ball One player is chosen to be queenie and he stands with his back towards the other players. Queenie throws the ball over his head and one of the players catches it. Then the players stand with their hands behind their backs and Queenie turns around. The players say "Queenie, queenie, who's hot the ball?" Then queenie has three guesses to decide who's got the ball. If he guesses incorrectly the player with the ball becomes queenie. Otherwise he remains.
Quick Frozen Critters (active/nature)
Equipment: tails, food, hoola-hoops The players will be split into 2 teams. One team are rabbits and the other team are foxes. The object of the game is for the rabbits to cross the open playing field retrieve food and bring it back to their home. The rabbits can not be killed when they are frozen. The foxes are trying to take the rabbit's tail when they are moving. If this happens, the rabbit is dead. Both teams should get a change to be both animals.
What will I take, oh, what will I pick?
Guess it, then catch me, Quickity-Quick.
The children all sit in a circle, one child is chosen to be Quickity-Quick. The leader shows all of the children three small objects. She then places the three objects behind three different children who are seated in the circle.
Quickity-Quick recites the verse above while walking behind the children. He pretends to take the different objects to fool the children, who must not look behing them. While he is pretending, he does actually take one object. Whenever one of the three children think their object has been taken, they immediately try to catch Quickity-Quick before he reaches a safety goal which has been previously established. If Quickity-Quick is caught with the obbject that was behind the child who chased him, they exchange places.
The game is then repeated with the new Quickity-Quick. However, if the child
catches Quickity-Quick with an object that was not his object, he is disqualified.
Quickity-Quick may try again. Also, if Quickity-Quick is not caught at all, he has
another turn until he is caught.
Contributed by Colleen Murphy
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Equipment: One crate of tennis balls (approximately 30) An enclosed area ( difficult to play on the grass)
Tennis balls are strewn around the room on the ground. The leader yells "RAPID NUGGETS" and the object of the game is to keep the tennis balls moving. They may only use their feet. If the leader spots a tennis ball lying still, she/he shouts "DEAD NUGGET...3,2......",. If a player has not made the ball moving by the time that the leader says 1, the group has one strike against them. The leader may time how long the group keeps the nuggets moving before they get three strikes against them.
Equipment: clams, crayfish and paper
This is a game for a small group. The leader designates a stream area, then scatters clams and crayfish in the stream. The leader stay at the far end. The leader is a fox. The rest of the group are raccoons. When the fox calls "raccoons', the raccoons move up the stream slowly and pick up the food as they go. When the fox calls "dinnertime" the raccoons must freeze. If the fox calls "paws in the air" the raccoons must put up their paws (hands) up in the air and they are not allowed to use their thumbs. The game ends when the raccoons reach the fox but the winner is the racoon with the most clams and / or crayfish. That person then becomes the fox.
Cartwheel races - self explanatory
Consecutive Jumps - everyone jumps in predetermined fashion.
Newspaper Race - Two newspaper sheets required per player. Each player must race to the turning point and back, stepping only on his newspapers. He steps on one, lays the other in front of him steps on it, moves the first forward, and steps on it and so on.
No hand get up - Players run to turning point, stop, lie down on their backs, fold hands across chest and get up without moving their arms, and run back to finish line.
Skip and Through - Children stand in partners i a double circle. The partners skip around the circle. On signal, inside person stops, folds arms and puts legs apart. The outside person runs around the circle, goes through partner's tunnel and sits cross-legged on the inside of the circle.
Spider Race - Team formation, Players #1 stand facing the goal. Player #2 stands beside him, with his back to the goal. The two players link elbows and on the signal, the pair run to the goal and back. One person runs backward each time. The rest of the players repeat the same action until every person has a turn.
Toe and heel (circle) - Runner advances by placing one foot in front of the other so that the heel of the advancing foot touches the toes of the hind foot. Great for small places
Wheel Barrow Race - Partners assume the Wheel barrow and pusher position and on the signal advance to the turning point where they change positions and return to the starting line.
Rainmakers (circle/passive/coop)
All of the participants need to sit in a circle. This activity will create a rain storm at your camp without actual rain. Each action that is to be done will start with the leader. As the action comes to each player, they will join in. You can not start the action until it is your turn. The action sequence is; - Rubbing hands together - Snapping - Clapping - Slap thighs - Stomp feet Then reverse the whole process. This will sound like a rain storm starting and then slowing down again.
Rattlers (active/cooperative/circle)
Everyone forms a circle around two players. They are both blindfolded and given a rattle. One is trying to tag the other. The rattlers enter the snake pit, and the game begins. To get a fix on each others positions, either rattler may shake his rattle at anytime and the other must immediately respond by shaking hers. However, the pursuer is allowed to initiate only 5 shakes to locate his quarry while the pursued can rattle away as much as she dares. The rest of the people in the circle move around, changing the size and shape of the snake pit. Once the person has got the snake or the person has used 5 shakes, switch snakes
Rattlesnake
First you find lots of kids. Then everyone hold hands one person on one end stands
and holds onto something like a wall. The person on the other end will start the
game by singing the song and going under the arm of the person that's on the wall after
everyone is under the person should have their arms crossed. Then keep singing the
song and repeat the motion going under the second persons arm. Keep doing this until
everyone is twisted. Then the people at the ends hold hands finally everyone is joined and
they jump up and down singing the song one more time.
Song: r-a-t-t-t-l-e-e-s-and--a-k- spell rattlesnake limbo(repeat 'till
over)
Contributed by B.J. Funnybunny
This game works best when played around a house or building. Players all begin in front of the house. Red Devil is the player who is "it." The Red Devil faces the other players and declares, "I'm thinking of a type of (shoe, car, candy bar, etc.)." The other players then try to guess what the Red Devil is thinking of (for example, Nike, Adidas, or Keds) The Red Devil calls out the name of the player who eventually guesses the correct item. Then, the Red Devil and the player who guessed correctly take off running around the house in opposite directions. The first person to make it back to the starting line becomes the Red Devil. (After players get tired, the rules can change to: the first person to get back to the starting line is NOT the Red Devil.)
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
Everyone forms a circle and one person is chosen as IT stands in the centre of the circle. While IT closes their eyes, the other players pass a small object (like a marble or a stone) from person to person. The sneakiest method of passing is to hold the marble in one fist, palm down, and drop in into the palm-up hand of the next person. Then they pass it from one fist to the other and on. With a little practice, you'll be able to accomplish a quick and sneaky pass without even looking. IT signals and opens their eyes. Who among all these innocent looking people has the marble? If they detect a suspicious look on someone's face, she walks up and taps one of his fists. If they are empty handed, she moves on. Meanwhile everyone has been passing the marble around, virtually under IT's nose. (Fake passes, as decoys, by people who don't have the marble are an integral part of the game.)
Red Light/Green Light (active)
In this game, one person plays the "stop light" and the rest try to touch him/her. At the start, all the children form a line about 15 feet away from the stop light. The stop light faces away from the line of kids and says "green light". At this point the kids are allowed to move towards the stoplight. At any point, the stop light may say "red light!" and turn around. If any of the kids are caught moving after this has occurred, they are out. Play resumes when the stop light turns back around and says "green light". The stop light wins if all the kids are out before anyone is able to touch him/her. Otherwise, the first player to touch the stop light wins the game and earns the right to be "stop light" for the next game.
One lion and one gate keeper need to be chosen at the beginning of this game. The lion should stand in a small marked off area. The lion keeper should have their arm out, keeping the lion inside the den. The rest of the players should be standing as close to the lion as possible and should chant, "RED LION, RED LION, COME OUT OF YOUR DEN...WHOEVER YOU CATCH WILL BE ONE OF YOUR MEN....." The players should continue to chant until the lion keeper lets the lion go. Anyone who is caught, becomes a lion. The game continues until everyone is caught.
In this game, the kids form two opposing lines and attempt to "break through" the opposing team's line. At first, two teams are chosen of equal size, and they form two lines, facing each other and holding hands. One side starts by picking a person on the opposing team and saying "Red Rover, Red Rover, send <Jason> right over" Jason then lets go of his teammates and begins a headlong rush for the other line. His goal is to break through the line by overpowering the kid's hold on eachother. If Jason breaks through, he chooses one person for the opposing team to join his team, and they both go back and join in their line. If he fails to break through, Jason becomes part of the other team. Each team alternates calling people over until one team has all the people and is declared the winner. Note that since all the players are on the winning team at the end, there really are no losers in this game.
Animal Relay - The players form two lines with equal numbers on each team. The first animal on each team is an animal, the second a different animal. On the word"go", the first person acts like the animal they represent, run, hop or crawl to a given place and back. The next person then acts like their animals and so on until one team is finished and sitting down. Use animals such as kangaroos, bunnies, dogs, cats etc...
Bean Bag Relays - Walk/run/hop with bag on head/between knees/between feet.
Ball of String Relay- The players should be in two teams standing in two circles with a ball of string. The captain holds one end, while the ball is passed rapidly from hand to hand until it is unwound. It is then passed back and rewound.
Car Relay - Have teams line up and each person in the team has a certain action to do ie. First person in each group is a flat tire and hops on one foot. Second person is a broken steering wheel and runs zig-zag. The third person is a rusty transmission and takes three steps forward and two backwards. Fourth person is stuck in reverse and runs backwards. Fifth and sixth people are a car with a trailer one runs behind the other grabbing on.
Corner Spry Relay - Teams arrange themselves in lines at the four corners of the playing space. Each team has a captain. The four captains stand in the centre, facing their teams. Each team has one beanbag, ball, or even an apple. The Captain throws the bean bag to each player on is team in turn. The players toss it back. As the captain throws to the last he calls "corner spry" and runs to the head of the line. The last player in the line rushes to the centre and begins to throw the bean bag. This continues until the captain is back in the centre with the bean bag.
Jumpball Relay - Teams line up with team members behind their team captains in file formation. At a distance of about 10 yards are placed play balls. One for each one on another straight line. On the word GO, the first member of each team runs to his team's ball and places it between his ankles. The next person then runs back to the far line, places the ball between his feet and hops back. If the ball is dropped, the player must return to the line and start over. the first team finished and sitting down is the winner.
Leap Frog - Well...... You know.
Obstacle Relay - Players run the course from the head of the team to the turning point and back to the head of the tam performing along the course of the run three or more stunts, with or without apparatus. The use of hoops, skipping ropes, Indian clubs, mats, low vaulting boxes, basketball hoops, or what-have-you offer an almost endless selection of obstacles.
Over and Under - Team assumes astride position and all bend over and place their hands on their knees. The rear man of the team is runner No. 1. He must leap frog the first man in front of him, crawl under the legs of the second, leap the third and so on the front of the team.
Paul Revere Relay - Divide children into teams of 6 -12. Place teams in column 20 feet or more apart, the back man being the latest and the most active on the team. On the work "go" he dashes forward and jumps pick-a-back on number 2, who dashes forward to #3 and the transfer of the light rider must be made. The rider must not touch the ground. First team to have their rider reach the beginning of the line wins.
Stunt Relay - In stunt relays, the runners advance to the turning point, stop, perform a stunt and return to tag the next runner on their team. There is hardly and end to the number of stunts which can be performed.
Tunnel Relay - All members in the team stand astride. Runners must first crawl under the legs of all players in the team, run forward to the turning point and return to tag the next man of the team who does the same.
Wiggle Worm Relay- Form relay lines. Everyone in each line puts their left hand between their legs and the person behind, then signals to grab them from behind with their right hand. Then they run at a given signal to the other end of the playing area and back. The first team to return 'intact' wins!
"It" leaves the room while the players choose a secret word. This word must be one that rhymes with a lot of other words. (Be prepared to have words ready if need be). When "It" returns, he/she chooses a player to act out a word that rhymes with the secret word. "It" then may have one guess to figure out the word. (Example: If the secret word is "bed", players could act out head, dead, red, etc.).
If "It" guesses incorrectly, another player is chosen to act out another rhyming word. This goes on for three turns before "It" must give up.
This just your standard classic ring toss game which can be purchased at a toy store, or if creative, make your own. To make it harder, have each player repeat his tosses further steps behind in each round, or give extra points for patterns.
Game's by Ian
Rock Paper Scissors (moderate-active depending on how it is adapted)
Two equal groups. Paper covers rock, scissors cut paper, rock breaks scissors. Groups that throws winning figure runs to tag other group before they get behind their safe line.
Same principal as pin the tail on the donkey. Instead of a donkey, you make a map. All you need is a large piece of plain paper about a metre square. A double page from a newspaper will do in a pinch. Attach the paper to a tree with tape or lay it on the ground. The paper represents a space map of the universe. The with a heavy red crayon draw a solid colour disc about 3" in diameter on the space map. This red ball will be Mars. Next draw on several other planets. Each player gets to make a spaceship. Blindfold each player, spin him around and see if he can land his ship on mars. Make sure each ship has the child's name on it so you can tell who is the closest.
First, everyone chooses a partner, If someone is left over he or she can be your partner. One member goes to an inside circle and the other stands beside that person on the outside circle. The circles rotate in opposite directions. The leader yells out either "Romeo and Juliet", "Wheelbarrow" or "Siamese Twins". The last couple to perform the action is out. The game continues until there is one remaining couple. The partners remain with the same partner throughout the entire game.
Romeo and Juliet - One partner sits on the other's knee Wheelbarrow - One holds the other's legs upright Siamese Twins - Back to Back and bent over, hands held between their legs.
Players stand in a circle facing each other front to back. When the leader says "Go" everyone begins running around the circle. Always passing on the outside, each player tries to pass the person ahead. Players try and tag players as they pass. Tagged players are out. When the leader calls "Switch", the players must reverse direction. This turns the tables on the fast runner who is just about to overtake another player.
Equipment: ball The players should be split into 2 groups. Each team should sit with their legs extended in a row. The teams should be facing opposite directions and should be about a meter apart. The object of the game is to hit the ball out the end of the row in the direction that your team is facing. The players can only use their inside arm and the ball should be on the ground at all times.
Group is divided in half (no not each of them). One group is the sheep and the other group is the foxes. The sheep are the hiding group and the foxes are the hunting group. A home base and boundaries must be designated before the game begins. The sheep elect a group leader. The whole group then goes and hides, as a group, they must stay together. The foxes may not look while the sheep are hiding. The group leader from the sheep goes back to the foxes and tells them that the group is ready. The foxes then hunt for the sheep, as a group, they must stay together. The group leader from the sheep stays with the foxes and when the foxes are not near the sheep OR the home base, the leader shouts out "Run sheep Run!!" The object of the game is for the sheep to make it back to the home base before the foxes do. If they succeed then they get to be the sheep again.
There are two "bases" which could be anything including just two squares on
the sidewalk. Three people minimum, probably 5 max but there could be more than one
game going on at once....basically two people had mits and are basemen they throw the ball
back and forth and the "runner" runs back and forth daring the catchers to tag
them out. This went on indefinitely until the runner got tagged out three times and
had to become a thrower. The person who tagged the third time became the runner.
Contributed by Kristel
Rutabaga Rutabaga! (circle/passive)
Each player is given the name of a veggie. The main rule of this game is that you are not allowed to show your teeth at all. Your gums must always be covering them. You then must say the name of your vegetable and the name of another person's vegetable. That person then must say the same thing. If you make a mistake or show your teeth in any way at all then you are out.
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Samurai Warrior (active/circle)
Equipment: Sword Warriors are in a circle with Samurai in the middle. Samurai salutes in his own way. Samurai then goes around inside the circle. If the Samurai passes the sword over the heads of the warriors they must duck if he passes the sword near the ground they must jump. Any sounds made by the players should be encouraged. (ie. war scream for warrior etc...)
The whole group hides their eyes and counts outloud together to 50, while one person goes and hides. Then everyone begins to look for the sardine. When you spot the sardine, you don't tell anyone, then when no one is looking, you slip in and hide with the sardine. Eventually everyone starts to disappear, and the one left notices he's all alone, and rather embarrassed to be the last one left. The first one to find the sardine, gets to hide as the sardine in the next round. Imagine 5 or 10 kids all huddled together in a tight spot trying to keep from laughing and being seen. Great fun!
Equipment: Blindfolds. Three people are required with one person blindfolded and another person takes some shape and stays like that. The person who is blindfolded must feel the person who is a shape, and must sculpture the third person into that shape.
Equipment: pencils, lists, paper bags
This is a great activity. Make sure to send campers in groups. You might want them holding onto a rope to ensure that they stay together and everyone is participating. Make your hunt challenging. Ask for a mouthful of water, something fuzzy - BE CREATIVE !!!
Sensory Overload (passive/circle)
Split campers into 2 circles. Laying on their backs and heads toward the centre. An object will be passed in one direction and then the other in both circles. No more than 3 objects but other instructions can be called, ie: calling names out in order or clapping hands. Neutral game leader calls instructions for 2-5 minutes. Each drop or mistake costs the circle a point. Circle with the least amount of points wins.
Equipment: A box of chalk and a clock. Players must become private eyes as they follow the mysterious movements of the "Shadow." The shadow has been accused of slowly travelling up and down the sides of the buildings and creeping across playgrounds and yards. Collection substantial evidence requires an all-day stakeout and should be planned as a supplement to other investigations. For this project you will need the sun, a shadow to trace - such as that of a tree, flagpole, or building- and a paved surface on which to draw with chalk. Give each play a piece of chalk. Start the investigation first thing in the morning. At first, shadows will be stretched out and long. Have players trace whatever shadow is cast on the pavement. Allegedly, shadows get shorter because the sun gets higher in the sky. Private eyes will have to check this out every hour by tracing the shadow and checking the sun's position. As detectives keep tabs on the sun's route, they might notice the shadows shrinking to almost nothing by midday and the reversing their position to grow again.
It was usually played in the pool, a person would get out of the pool and stand on the side with his/her back facing the other players(usually 2 or more players were needed)the players would all be lined up on one side of the pool, like a race.A category was then picked, like kinds of dogs, colors, kinds of trees, etc. Each player would pick a kind of dog, or whatever the category was. When everyone was ready the person outside of the pool would start saying different kinds of trees, or dogs, or whatever. Like if the category was colors I'd start saying orange, red, green, etc. When the color that the player picked was said, he/she would go to the other side of the pool as quietly as they could (more than one person would pick the same color sometimes). If the person outside of the pool would hear the player(s) swimming he/she would dive or jump into the pool and try to tag(touch) the person before he/she got to the other side. If the player was not tagged the original person outside of the pool would go back out and continue saying colors. If the player was tagged, he/she would then take the original person's place and start the game over or continue saying different colors. Once all the players got to the other side, the game would start over. Another way to play is by having the person be in the middle of the pool, facing the players, with his/her eyes closed.
Contributed by Ana
Ship Captain This game is similar to Port & Starboard.
One player is chosen as the captain. S/he calls out orders to the rest of the players who are the crew. If a player does not follow an order correctly, s/he is out. (This decision is made by the captain who is always right.)
Orders: To the ship: run to the captain's right To the island: run to the captain's left Hit the deck: lay down on your stomach (or if players don't want to get dirty, they can crouch down) Attention on deck: salute and yell, "Aye, aye captain!" -- players may not move now until the captain gives the order of, "At ease!" (ie even if the captain gives a different order such as "to the ship" the crew must continue to remain at attention until told "at ease") Three men in a boat: the crew must form groups of three and sing "Row, row, row your boat" Anybody who is not in a group of three is out. The love boat: crew members grab a partner and dance. Anybody without a partner is out. Clear the deck: everyone must have their feet up off the floor Scrub the deck: everyone on their knees scrubbing Captain's Quarters: everyone ran towards the captain. Man-over-board: Players must find a partner as quickly as possible. One partner must lay on their stomach while the other places their foot on their partner's back. Children without a partner or pairs that are too slow are eliminated. A Parascope: Every player falls on their back and sticks one leg in the air. The last ones are eliminated. SHARK!!!!: Everyone must run to a designated base (multiple bases can be used). The last player to the base is eliminated. Crow's nest: All players must find a partner. The lightest player rides on their partner's back. Those without partners or who assemble the crow's nest too slowly are eliminated. Three maids in a row: Children form groups of three and sit in a vertical row. The players who are the odd-man-out are eliminated. Sick turtle: Everyone falls onto their backs and waves hands and feet in the air. Bow: Run to the front of the boat Stern: Run to the back Port: Run to the right side of the boat Starboard: Run to the left side of the boat. Row the Boat: Each player finds a partner, sits face to face, holds hands, and pretends to row a boat. Players who can't find partners or who are too slow are eliminated.
Alternative rules: If playing in a pool, all of the orders stay the same except for "hit the deck" which becomes "walk the plank." This means that crew members must bob underwater.
To make the game less competitive, player do not get "out." Instead, if the captain notices that they do not follow an order, they must stand out for a count of 20.
Contributed by Sarah Buhmann Additional orders contributed by J. Pelley and Melissa Jo Johnston
The group is split up into four teams and each tam lines up behind a mat. On a signal one member from each team runs to get one shoe and put it on his mat at which the text team member may go to get another shoe. The object is to get 3 shoes on the team mat. Shoes may be taken from other team mats and those teams may not resist. When a team has 3 shoes they yell "SHOES!"
Shoe Twister (cooperative/circle/moderate)
Everyone takes off one shoe and puts it in the centre of the circle. Everyone joins hands. On "Go", everyone gets a shoe from centre and finds the person who owns it, and puts it back on that person without letting go of hands of people beside them.
Shoe Wrestling (active/circle)
The players should be sitting in a circle. The leader should choose 2 players to shoe wrestle. These players should be of similar age and size. The object of the game is to take off the shoes of your opponent. The first one to do so is the winner. Players should stay on the ground, NO STANDING. Be careful!
Set up for a regular game of soccer. The only modification is that two people are tied together by the ankles. For more variety add two balls so everyone is active.
Sign Your Name if You Can (passive)
Fasten a sheet of paper to a wall. Players take turns. With a pencil in hand, standing in front of the paper, he starts to swing his left leg in a circle. Doing this, he tries to write his name on the paper. And tries and tries ...
Silent Statue
A group of ten or more boys/girls starts by running of to an arranged point to see who
will be the silent statue.The rest will form a tight corridor on which the silent statue
is supposed to pass. When the statue goes in he must say out loud:
I am the silent statue and I'm coming in...
I don't want any teeth, I don't want any moves.
Everybody must keep as quiet and still as possible and never show their teeth, but when
the statue is not looking they can hit them in the shoulders or the back.
The game ends when the statue finds out that someone is smiling or has moved...
Contributed by Lums Espada (from Portugal)
Have the campers in a circle. The leader explains that Silly Sally has a really cool club. The only way that the campers can join is if they can figure out what Sally likes and doesn't like. Sally only likes things that have double letters in them. Sally likes soccer but she doesn't like golf. Sally likes bananas but she doesn't like beans. etc
One peron is chosen to be "Simon" the others stand in a strait line. The simon then calls out an action for the children to follow. It can be anthing like.... touch your toes jump 10 times on 1 foot...... The simon when giving an action can simply state the action by it self..."touch your ears" and whoever does it is out and has to sit down. Or the simon can say "Simon says, touch your ears" and them everyone must follow the instruction. You can vary the actions according to the age group of children you are playing with. The last person who is standing can then be "Simon"!
Contributed by Libby Howd
The group is in a straight line. Each player puts their right hand forward as if they were shaking a person's hand. Put left hand through own legs behind to shake hands with person behind you. Last person in the line lies down, everyone else backs up to be able to lie down also. When whole group is lying down, first person stands up, and walks forward over all the other people until "Snake" has skinned itself.
Smaug's Jewels (passive/circle)
One person is chosen as Smaug stands guard over their jewel's (a beanbag, handkerchief etc). Everyone else forms a circle around him and tries to steal the treasure without being tagged. If you are touched by the Smaug, you are instantly frozen in place until the end of the game. The snatcher becomes the Smaug.
The players should be split into 2 teams. One team is the "ins" and the other is the "outs". The Ins have a den while the Outs plan their strategy in the field. One member of the Outs has the "jewel" (stone etc). The identity of the player who carries the jewel must remain a closely guarded secret among teammates. The Ins count to 50 while the Outs move farther and farther away. After the count is finished, the Ins yell, "SMUGGLERS!" , and the chase is on. As each member of the Out team is tagged, he must open his hands to show whether or not he has the jewel. Of course, the jewel should be passed around among teammates as quickly and as inconspicuously as possible. There are lots of opportunities for playing the decoy in this game. When the holder of the jewel is tagged, the game is over and the sides change.
One person is the snake, who lies on the ground on his stomach. Everyone else gathers fearlessly around to touch him. When the referee shouts "snake-in-the- grass" everyone runs, staying within the bounds of the snake area, while the snake, moving on his belly, tries to tag as many as he can. Those touched become snakes. The last person caught is the snake starter in the next game. Make the safe area fairly small.
Equipment: boffer Establish boundaries and choose one person as the snowman. He arms himself with a boffer and must keep his eyes closed. The rest of the players crouch on the ground, eyes open, and wait for the snowman to start the action by chanting: "Snowman, snowman, all in white, blinding everyone in sight!" While they chant, the other players run around in the predetermined boundaries; but must return to a stationary crouching position by the time the chant ends. Now the snowman moves around while the other players remain in their positions. Still snowblind, the snowman tries to tag one of the players with the bopper. When he succeeds, the tagged player becomes snowblind, too, and he/she must join forces with the snowman, who gives the bopper to her/him and stands behind her/him with their hands on his/her hips. They both close their eyes and say the chant while the rest run for safety again. The game continues until the last person is tagged.
Sounds Good To Me (passive/circle)
The person who is "it" sits in the middle of the circle and is blindfolded. When the leader points to someone in the circle, that person makes a noise. If "it" guesses right, the person who made the noise is now it. *Keep all noises different*
Materials: Several pieces of paper, marker & tape.
To play you will need 2 sets of 15 cards (enough for each guest you invited). Print on each card one each of the letters below:
A B C D E F G H I L N O R S T U
Divide your friends into 2 teams. Give each team a set of letters and have each person tape a letter onto his/her shirt. Write a list of words containing 3 to 6 of the above letters only. (If you make words with letters NOT listed you need cards with those letters)
When the teams are ready, call out one of the words. The players who are wearing a letter in that word must stand up and form a line so that their cards spell the word. One point is given to the team which does this first. The winning team is the one who scores 10 points first. Sample words are:
stone, grab, rust, dig
Everyone joins hands in a circle. Then one person releases the hand of their neighbour and pulling the giant human rope behind, begins to walk around the outside of the circle. The other people who broke hands remains in position on the end person. The chain of people spirals around and around the stationary person, drawing people tighter and tighter in a coil until all the people - still holding hands are wrapped around each other. The best way to unfold the spiral is from the centre. Still holding hands, the person in the middle ducks down, and the rope of people follows.
The group needs to divide into at least 4 equal groups. Each group needs to sit in a single file facing the centre of the circle. (The lines should look like spokes on a wheel) The leader can start by walking on the outside of the spokes. The leader will touch the head of the last person in that line. That whole line would have to get up and run around. The last person to sit down is "it" and then must walk around and pick a new group.
You get a group of kids, (minimum 3, no max)and a ball (playground-type, red, or if you play with mean kids, a hard kickball-type). Determine who is "it" by yelling "not it" until the last person is obviously "it". "It" then counts to a predetermined number, usually 10. out loud. As he counts, the rest of the players scatter. When he reaches 10, they all freeze in their spot. Then "it" takes 4 giant steps towards the closest person (S-P-U-D) and throws the ball, trying to hit him or her. If "it" hits the person, the person gets a letter "S", if "it" misses, then "it" gets a letter. That person then becomes "it". The game continues until one person is SPUD (gets hit or misses 4 times). Eventually the game comes down to two people.
Contributed by Beth Skove
OR
All players form a circle and count off (they must remember their number.) One player is chosen to be "it" and is given a playground ball. S/he throws the ball high up into the air and calls out another player's number. Everybody runs away except for the player with that number. S/he must run to the ball. When s/he gets the ball, s/he calls, "Spud!" very loudly. Everybody must freeze when they hear, "Spud!" Then, the player with the ball can take two big steps towards any player and throw the ball at him/her. If that player is hit by the ball, s/he becomes "it." If not, the player who called "Spud!" is "it."
Or
Throw the ball up in the air and call a number. Ask number 1 is called, if he catches the ball he calls another number. (Each player has been given his own number.) If he doesn't catch the ball he calls "FREEZE" and takes three giant steps and tries to hit a person with the ball below the waist. If he hits the person then they get a point against them and get to call a new number. If the player misses the person he is trying to hit then he gets a point against him and has to throw the ball up.
Contributed By Sarah Buhman
Players are divided into teams. They close their eyes or cannot speak. They form lines according to height, dates of birth, or alphabetically according to their first names.
Suggested materials: (8) playing platforms (8) bottles (2) sticks with strings and rings on the end. You can vary the number of bottles you want to use. Try to pick bottles that are plastic or place in a safe area in case they should break. Make sure your poles are the same length for each team and ensure the rings will go around the bottles top.
Stand up the bottle using the ring on the end of the pole. Make two teams with your guests and have the first person from each team stand up as many bottles as they can then pass the stick on to the next person and they go to the end of the line. Have an impartial judge keep track of the number of bottles stood up on each team. Team with the most wins.
Can vary this game any way you wish.
There must be at least four players though it's more with seven or more. It's best played at night with the lights off and a flashlight. One player is a tour guide and another is a tourist. The rest of the players are all statues.
The tour guide and the tourist turn the lights of and leave the room. The tour guide then counts loudly and slowly to 20. While the tour guide is counting the statues get into the posistion that they want to be in. When the tour guide stops counting they stay still.
The tour guide and the tourist then come back into the room. The tour guide brings the tourist around the room using the flashlight. If you are the tour guide or the tourist the object of the game is to make the statues laugh or to catch them moving or making any noise. To do this the tour guide and the tourist may say anything they want about the statue especially if they can make funny comments about their position. The tour guide can also give the statue a silly name or try to bother them with the flashlight. Another way to get a statue out is to make them talk. A way to do this is to say something like, "Andrea, I heard you moving!" Naturally "Andrea" will either say, "I wasn't moving," or "Fine I'm out." Once a statue is out they become a tourist. The last statue remaining wins.
If you are a statue the object of the game is not to be heard and to move without being caught. This is where playing at night with the lights turned off adds fun. You can completely change position while the tour guide has his/her back turned, but be careful not to make too much noise and watch out for a wary tour guide who might suddenly turn and shine the light in all directions to make sure they don't miss a single movement. A good idea is to move aroud the room, but don't bump into anything.
Contributed by Erika Salomon
Statue
You need at least four players for this imaginative game.
One player is the storekeeper, one is the buyer, and the rest are statues. These positions can be rotated after each round of the game.
The storekeeper spins the people who are going to be statues around and around and then lets go. (pepper is fast spins; salt is slow spins) The players who are statues must remain how they've fallen or landed and must think up a statue for that position. For example, if I land with my feet shoulder width apart and my arms flung out, I may decided to be a tennis player statue.
Then the storekeeper goes around to the different statues, and they tell him/her what kind they are.
Next enters a buyer. The storekeeper explains each statue and demonstrates them by touching their nose. This is their "on" button and makes them move. (Be careful, if you have a statue who is a runner, s/he may run around and turn on all the other statues.)
In the end, the buyer decides which statue s/he wishes to buy.
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
"Statue"
The leader makes sure that there is plenty of space and spins the first person. When he/she lets go the person freezes into whatever position he/she happens to be in. Soon he/she hardens into a statue. The other guests try to imagine what the "statue" could be doing. Prizes could be awarded for the funniest, the most frightening, the most difficult position, etc.
Alernatives:
The leader directs the guests to move about the room. He/she tells them that they suddenly become stuck in the mud. They can no longer lift their legs or move their arms. Slowly, each foot becomes free, then each knee, each leg, etc. Once again, they can move around the room. However, something strange happened when they were stuck in the mud. Whenever they hear a bell, (or whenever the lights are flicked on and off, etc.), they freeze into position. After the leader rings the bell (or flicks the lights, etc), he/she shouts the name of an emotion or activity (i.e. surprise, anger, eating, sleeping, etc). After the guests freeze, the leader selects the best position. This person becomes the new leader.
Musical Statues (Ages 5-8)
Children dance around as a record is playing. When the record stops, all children are to freeze and become statues. If a child fails to freeze they are eliminated. Any child that fails to maintain their position is eliminated. The last one left holding their pose is the winner.
Stay Sober (moderate) Children form 2 teams and stand facing each other. The children on the first team are given one minute to make anyone on the other team laugh. They make faces, gestures, funny or teasing remarks, but they cannot touch the other players. Then the action is reversed, and members of the second team try to make the other team laugh. Any child that does laugh must leave the line. The team with the most remaining players after several times is the winner.
Equipment: sticks: could be paint brushes.
The field is divided into two parts by a well defined line. At the centre end of each side, five or more sticks are placed in a pile. A prison is marked off about 4 feet square in one corner. The players are in two teams, each scattered over its own side. The object of the game is to steal the opponents sticks without being caught. As soon as the player crosses the centre line he may be caught and put in prison. A player may be release from prison if one of his teammates can touch his hand. He may then come back to his own side without being tagged. The team that gets all the opponent's sticks and has all its members safely out of prison wins the game.
The object of Steal the Bacon is take the "bacon" back to your own side without being caught.
In this game, two teams are chosen, and one umpire is selected. One object is required to the bacon. (a glove is a common choice)
The members of each team are numbered. They form two opposing lines and place the bacon in the exact center between them.
The umpire then calls out a number. The players on each side who are assigned that number are the players for that round. No other team members leave their side of the field.
Neither player may touch the other until someone touches the bacon. Once a player touches the bacon however, the other player may tag him/her.
If a player is able to grab the bacon and carry it back over to his/her own side, that team scores a point. (VARIATION: in some games, points are scored by carrying it to the other teams side or either team's side)
If a player is tagged after touching the bacon and before he/she returns their own side, the team that tagged him/her scores a point.
Note that the sequence of play usually involves the two kids running out and hovering over the bacon, waiting for a slight advantage to grab it and run back before the other player can react.
The game is over when a predetermined number of points are scored, or when all numbers have been called.
VARIATION: The umpire can call more than one number, in which case several players from each side participate. In some games, players may tag any player on the opposing team, in others, a player may only tag the player on the other team that they share a number with.
Stickup also known as Sticky Fingers (active)
Select one player to be Sticky fingers. Start the game by saying " This is a stick up!" as players scatter around the playground. When Sticky fingers tags a player, the tagged player must place a hand on the place touched while still continuing to run. As more and more players become stuck on themselves, sticky fingers has a better chance to totally immobilize one player. Usually when both hands of a player are stuck, the third touch stick him or her with being the next Sticky Fingers.
Sticky Popcorn (active) The children begin by " popping " around the gym as pieces of sticky popcorn, searching for other pieces of popcorn. When two pieces of popcorn meet, they stick together. Once stuck together, they continue to pop around together, sticking to even more pieces, until they end up in a big popcorn ball.
Equipment: ropes Four people should be chosen to be snakes ( this can be adjusted according to the size of the group). These snakes will get a piece of rope. When the leader says "go", the snakes will run holding the rope with 2 fingers behind them as they run. The rest of the players try to stomp on the snake by jumping on the piece of rope. If someone gets the rope from the snake, they are the new snake and get to run.
Players get into groups of 2 and are given names of fish (eg. perch, cat, salmon) One team is called the "whales". The whales run around the "safe area". The whales yell the names of the fish at random. When a team's name is called, they run after the whales. When the whales yell "stormy sea" the teams must dash for the "safe area". The team left out becomes the whales.
This game is played with a lot of children. One child is the mouse and one is the cat. The rest of the group line up in rows with arms joined and all facing the same way.. The cat chases the mouse up and down the streets until the leader yells alleys. Then all the streets change direction. When the cat catches the mouse the game is over, or pick a new mouse and cat.
Equipment: tails Players are divided into 2 or more teams. Each player has a strip of cloth tucked in his belt. When the signal is given, all players rush to a central point where there is a treasure (eg. peanuts). Players try to get some the treasure and return to their home base. A player may be killed by another by treasure and return to their home base. A player may be killed by another by having their tail pulled off. This puts the player out of the game and voids any treasure they have captured on that particular raid. At the end of the game, each peanut counts as 1 point and each tail counts as 5 points. The team with the most points wins.
Great for birthday parties where you want to give each guest a favor. For each child you will need a small block of wood wrapped with a very long (several yards) piece of yarn. Make sure each child has a different color yarn. Just before the party unwrap the yarn by winding it back and forth, over and under and through the furniture in party room. At the end of each piece of yarn tie a favor. As the guests arrive give them their block and let them wind up the yarn as they follow the string to the favor.
found this game at Fun with Kids
Equipment: frisbee, sword. Players form a circle. In the centre of the circle a sword is placed on top of a frisbee. Player A grabs the sword and swats a player from the circle. "A" replaces the sword on top of the frisbee. "B" runs behind "A" to pick up the sword after it has been placed upon the frisbee. He tries to hit "A" before he goes back to his own place in the circle. If he doesn't make it he (B) becomes the new "hitter".
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The players are divided evenly into 2 teams, the taffy team and the taffy pulling machine team. The taffy's all sit down and link hands, arms and legs in a tangled mass of sweet humanity. They might want to decide what flavour they are and chant an appropriate confectionary cheer, like "Butterscotch, Butterscotch..." The taffy pulling machine team tries to pull the taffy mass into human sized bits. Firmly (but gently) tug at the pieces until they come lose. Be VERY careful with this game. If you have violent campers, do not play this game.
Arch Tag The children are in a circle. One couple forms an arch. Circle rotates through the arch. On signal, circle stops and arch traps someone. The person trapped goes in centre and waits for another person to be caught. Then they form a second arch. The last person caught is the winner.
Ball Tag Equipment: Ball Like simple tag, but you run with ball, and must throw it at the person and hit them below the waist to tag them. If a person is hit then he becomes IT.
Catch one Catch all One player is chosen as IT. When IT tags another player that other player also becomes IT. ITS must keep an arm raised overhead so that they may be identified.
Colour Tag Scatter - Leader calls a colour. If you are wearing that colour you are It and proceed to tag other children. If a child is tagged he must walk in a crab walk until a new colour is called.
Elbow Tag (circle) Partners stand scattered over play area, inside arms linked, outside hand on hip. Runner reaches safety by hooking on to an arm, thus securing a partner. The other partner must drop off to be chased. If caught before reaching safety, then the runner becomes IT. If the runner is constantly evading the chaser, the supervisor can call "Switch!" which means that now the runner is the chaser.
This game can also be played in a more confined circular area with a very large group. The IT is in the middle of the circle along with the person being chased. In order for the person to avoid being caught he may link elbows with someone forming the circle. The runner is now on the other side of the person with whom the old runner linked elbows. Epidemic Tag See "Sticky Fingers"
Flashlight Tag: Played at night, this game mixes the popular games, hide and seek with tag. The person who is "it" waits at the "jail" counting to a high number while everyone else hides. Then, armed with a flashlight, this person searches for the others who may be switching hiding spots. The flashlight must remain on at all times and may not be covered. When "it " spots someone, s/he must use the flashlight to get a close enough look at the person to identify him/er and call out his/er name.
What happens when a person gets caught, gives rise to variations of this exciting game. One variaton is to pass the flashlight to the caught person, so s/he becomes "it." Another version is to send each caught person to "jail" to wait until everyone is caught. The first person caught then becomes "it." Another variation is to have more than one person (or a team) be "it." With this configuration, people who are not "it" can tag other people (or team members) free from "jail." One of the "its" may stay near to guard the "jail."
Players will find new and interesting ways to improve their play. One such strategy is to watch where "it(s)" have already searched, and then switch to that hiding spot. One might also find success by following "it(s)." For added challenge, players may camoflouge themselves with dark clothing and face paint. This game is excellent for developing great strategies of guerilla warfare in young minds. This game will also encourage paranoia in parents and entire neighborhoods.
Contributed by Lori Donnahue
Follow Tag Ask all players to find a partner. One person in each pair is the "leader" and the other is the "follower". The follower must follow as closely as possible (without touching) the leader. The instructor may control the form of locomotion by asking them to skip, walk, run, hop, etc. or the leader may be given the option of choosing or changing the form of locomotion as he chooses with the follower being obligated to do the same as the leader. The leader tries to make it difficult for the follower to follow. And it's always fun to stop abruptly.
Frozen Tag Children scatter in a designated area of the park. Two children are IT. When the others are touched by IT, they freeze. A frozen person may become unfrozen by one of the other children crawling through his legs. The object is to try to unfreeze people as fast as they are frozen. If you are frozen 3 times then you also become an IT.
Follow Tag Ask all players to find a partner. One person in each pair is the "leader" and the other is the "follower". The follower must follow as closely as possible (without Touching) the leader. The instructor may control the form of locomotion by asking them to skip, walk, run, hop, etc. or the leader may be given the option of choosing or changing the form of locomotion he chooses with the follower being obligated to do the same as the leader. The leader tries to make it difficult for the follower to follow. And its always fun to stop abruptly!
Hip One player is IT. Any player that IT tags becomes IT's helper. The Helpers must try to catch those not yet caught and hold them until IT can come to tag them. They signal to IT that they are holding someone by calling "HIP! HIP!"
Hospital Tag: The basic rules are the same as tag. One person is "Mr. Yuck" and the others run. When you get tagged you may cover your "wound" with one of your hands. When you get tagged a second time, you may cover your "wound with your other hand. The third time you get tagged, you are out.
Contributed by Sarah Buhman
Hug Tag A player is safe from being tagged only when they are hugging another player. For more hugging, propose that only three children hugging are safe, then four, then five.....
Imitation Tag Simple tag but with the manner of locomotion set by the chaser. The chaser may change his manner of running to hopping, skipping, crawling, crab walking etc. and all players must imitate his style.
Immunity Tag There is a number of variations of this game, however the general structure is as follows: Play is the same as simple tag except that those that are being chased can make themselves immune by doing some predetermined activity which gives them immunity. Beginner gymnasts for example may be able to make themselves immune by balancing on one foot. For more advanced gymnasts it may be doing a handstand. IT is not permitted to guard the immune person , for example waiting until the person comes down from the handstand. NB. you can only be immune 3 times then you are IT.
Jump The Shot One person in the centre swings a long rope in a circle while holding it low, this person may vary the speed he swings it. Everyone must jump over it to stay in the game. When touched by the rope that person must drop out of the circle.
Jungle Gym Tag: Three to ten players (depending on how big the jungle gym is) JG Tag is Simple Tag confined to a Jungle Gym (ours had three slides, monkey bars/rings, tire and rope nets, and several bridges, etc.). The last person to get on the equipment is IT; the ground is off limits; if you walk/jump on the ground then you become IT - older kids could give 1 to 2 second leeway to smaller kids. IT may not walk on the ground to get to another player easier; a 5 second penalty shall be enforced in such situations. There are no tag-backs for 5 seconds. Play continues until your mom comes and tells you that you're grounded for a week, or someone breaks an arm attempting to jump from the slide to the monkey bars.
Contributed by Bryan Aupperle
Line Tag This is played on a gym floor or similar area on which lines are marked. The game continues as simple tag with the restriction that chaser and chased must run on the lines. To go off the line means you become an IT.
Mount Tag: A man to be safe must be mounted on the back of another player. Then both horse and rider are safe.
Partner Tag: Divide the group into pairs. Partners decide who will be it and who will be the runner. When the leader says "Go", partners begin to run around, then its trying to tag the runners. When a partner tags the other, they switch roles.
Piggyback Tag: Play is same as simple tag but players are in pairs with one mounted on the other's back.
Serpent Tag: Four players link their arms together forming a chain, these people are the serpent. The serpent runs around and tries to catch as many players at one time as it can by forming a circle around them. As soon as one or more of the players is circled by the serpent, they must link arms with the others in the serpent and help capture the remaining players.
Shadow Tag: One player is chosen to be it. The object of the game is for the person who is it to try and tag another player by stepping on his or her shadow. Define boundaries. When the person who is it steps on someone's shadow, he or she shouts "Sun Tag!". The player whose shadow was tagged becomes the next person to be IT, but that player must stand still for three counts before chasing the shadows.
Simple Tag: Players are free to run anywhere they wish. One player (or more if desired) chases the other players. If he succeeds in tagging a player the tagged player becomes the chaser and the game continues without interruption. Rhythm Tag While the music plays (or the leader sings), campers walk around the area. When the music stops, the players should stop moving. Without taking a step, the players must try to tag another player. Two people can not tag each other, therefore the first tag counts. All the players that were tagged must make another movement when the music starts again. (hopping, crawling etc) Each time the music stops, those previously tagged try to tag those who have not been tagged. Walkers may also try to tag each other. The winner is the last walker remaining untagged.
Spoke Tag: A bicycle wheel picture is drawn or taped to the floor, the players are not allowed to move off of the spokes, and the IT must also move on the spokes. When a player is tagged, they become IT. There is also a ball that may be thrown around amongst the players, when a player has the ball, they are safe from IT. Triangle Tag The group needs to be split into groups of four. Three people hold hands. One player in the triangle is chosen to be chased. The person who is not in the circle is "it" and chases the person. The other two people are the chased person's shield. Keep changing roles.
Tiggy Off Ground: [This variation comes from England. I guess 'tag' is referred to as 'tig' in the Old Country] Explains itself really. You can only tig someone if they are on the ground. You are not aloud to tig your 'butcher' (the person who makes you 'it'). And you can only stay off ground for, well anything between 10-15 seconds (decided before the game).
Contributed by Hannah Skelton
Toilet or Turtle Tag: Like normal tag, except that if you squat down like a toilet then it is a base, and you are safe from becoming "it". You can also play turtle tag. It is like normal tag, except when you get on your back like a stuck turtle you are safe.
Contributed by Katie Hale
TV Tag: In this variation, when the person who is "it" tags someone, they are frozen in place. To be unfrozen, someone must touch them and must yell out the name of a TV show ("The Simpsons!"). A TV show name can only be used once.
Play continues until all are frozen. The last person to be tagged is "it" for the next game.
Warewolf: Same concept as tag, but while the warewolf is looking for hiders, someone can scream "Warewolf" if they see him/her then everyone can run to "base", thus starting the counting and hiding process over again. If you are in a good hiding spot, however, you don't have to leave it and run to base when warewolf is screamed. This game is best played at night with a full moon!
Contributed by: Laura J. Rhinehart.
Equipment: tents, blindfolds Object: To erect a tent within a given time period to house all members of the group. Rules: All members but two are blindfolded. Seeing people may not move, nor may they call people by their proper names. Considerations: Tent must be large enough to house all members of the group. Different types of tents within the same bag makes for added confusion and laughs. Setting: "A new type of bomb has been dropped blinding all the people in the world except for 2 - you and you - unfortunately these 2 people are paralyzed. You can all regain your sight and movement by getting into these super special tents within a short time. Once inside don't touch the walls! Time is short and of essence! Go!!
This game needs two players and a pole (approx 10') with a volleyball attached to the top by a string about 8' long.
One player serves by throwing the ball in one direction. The other player, standing on the other side of the pole, tries to hit back the other direction. They then continue knocking it back and forth, each trying to keep it going their direction.
Someone wins when the ball goes their way so far that the ball hit the pole and stops spinning.
You obviously need a thicket or a forest for this game. Blindfold one person to be the predator. The predator counts to 15 slowly while the others hide. The hiding players must be able to see the predator at all times. The predator can not move location but can swat and turn. The object of the game is for the players to try and get as close to the predator as possible without being seen.
Decide on 4 letters of the alphabet, then divide the group into 4 groups and they must write down, all the objects in the room starting with that letter.
Things Aren't What They Seem (passive)
Equipment: Several household articles - cutlery, hair pins, plastic jewellery etc. Each child must choose an object, study and make up a story about it. The story must not be typical of the object, but must be a new and different use for it. Example, (Hairbrush) this may look like a hairbrush but what it really is a toothbrush for a giant. Since there are no giants left in the world and haven't been for some time, there are very few of these toothbrushes remaining.
With two kids standing side by side, tie center ankles together and race across the yard, competing with another tied together twosome. Disqualification is for eager runners who do not stop to help a downed partner and proceeds to drag them to the finish line. Have winners of each single race complete against other winners for final placement.
Game's by Ian
Thrill of a Lifetime (cooperative/passive)
This is a fantasy game that makes the whole group work together to achieve a common role. Each person is asked to write down their "thrill of a lifetime" on a piece of paper and place it in a bowl or a hat. Draw one or more of these papers (depending on time) and challenge the group to create this "thrill of a lifetime" within a certain time limit. This activity also uses the creative time limit.
Best played while alone and unsupervised at home (a clear lesson in the need for child supervision)!
This is much like follow the leader. The object of the game is for those playing - it is much more fun if not played alone - to work their way through every room of the house WITHOUT ever touching the floor. In the advanced version, rugs are considered to be part of the floor and untouchable. Our mom was always curious what hand and foot prints were doing in such high places!
Contributed by O.C. Hope
The players sit in a circle. The leader instructs everyone to select a different Indian sign. Examples: - Rain in the face (hand held above brow, fingers twiddling) - Bow and arrow ( arms extended as if holding bow and shooting arrow) - Drums (hands tapping on an imaginary drum) -How! (hand upheld, palm forward) - Teepee ( formed with hands, fingertips touching) - Feathers (two fingers held up behind head) - Swimming ( swimming motion) etc..... One player starts by telling what he is and suits the action to the words. For instance, "I'm drums" and pretends to beat. Going around the circle each player tells what he is. Then all start clapping hands on knees in a rhythmic beat. Leader (in rhythm): What's the name of the game? Players: Thumper! Leader: How do you play it? Players: You thump! The leader gives his own signal and follows it with someone else's sign. Each successive person does his own and then another one action.
Tiddly - Button Golf (moderate)
Equipment: 9 small cat food/tuna fish cans. Take the label off the can and put a number on it from one to nine. Large button and a small button for each player. Buttons must be flat. Set out the cans like the 9 holes of a golf course. Keep 2 or 3 feet between the cans. Try to shoot the small button into the cans by pressing on the edge of it with the larger button. Start from the tee off spot and shoot for can number one. After you get the button in this can, take it out, put it next to the can and try for can number two. Count one point for each shot it takes to get the button in a can. The player with the lowest score wins.
Players are divided into pairs. Players face their opponent holding hands. They then try to tap the tops of each other's toes with their own. When one player scores three hits, it's time to switch to a new partner.
Partners lie stretched out on the floor, feet to feet, or big toe to big toe, and try to roll across the floor with their toes touching all the time.
See " group Juggling"
The children form two straight lines, six feet apart, with a bean bag, or tomahawk, etc. in the middle. Number the children from opposite ends so that the highest number of one team is opposite the lowest number of the other team. Leader calls a number and the who players of that number run forward, try to snatch the tomahawk and return to their place without being touched by their opponent. If he succeeds he scores a point. If the opponent tags him, then that team gets a point.
Touch Blue (cooperative/circle)
The game begins with everyone in a circle. The leader will call out, "Touch Blue" and everyone must touch something that is blue. (someone's shorts, piece of a shirt) Colours can be added on and different body parts can be specified.
The player are divided into 2 equal teams standing on either side of a centre line. One of these is the "True" team and the other is the "False" team. Each team has a goal on either side of the centre line. When the leader gives a true statement, such as "Grass is Green", the true players run for their goal, chased by the false team. If tagged, the members of the true team become members of the false team run for their goal. The team that has the most players at the end of the playing time is the winner.
Group forms tight circle around person who stands straight and stiff as a log. The group gently moves that stiff person around taking care to be gentle. The Purpose is for the individual to gain trust. Once comfortable, the person in the centre closes their eyes. Everyone in the group should try this. The next step is to have 3 people of the same relative size match up. Two people stand behind the other and act as catchers. The 'Faller' is to remain stiff as a log and fall backwards. The catchers first stop the fall after a drop of a foot or so and then straighten the individual up. The faller falls again and the catcher let him fall a little further than before. Continue several times and rotate positions.
Two circles of equal numbers of players are formed, and one circle stands outside the other. Inside circle turns around so that they are facing the outside circle and each member of the circles takes the person opposite them as their partner. Each pair in the circle has formed into a tunnel, IT walks through the tunnel and tags any pair, then sits in their position. The pair runs through the tunnel in opposite directions until they return to their home position. The last person to return home is IT for the next game.
Twelve feet off the Ground (cooperative)
Object is to get the whole group 12 feet off the ground. Timed event, easy solution is to lift 12 feet of the ground.
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Ultimate Frisbee (active) This game is a modification of football. There are two teams and instead of a football a frisbee is used. The object of the game is to get the frisbee across the end zone. Players may not run with the frisbee. The only way to get a turnover is to drop the frisbee or to intercept. This is a non contact game.
The same as ultimate frisbee but a foxtail is used. You can easily make a foxtail by putting a tennis ball inside a nylon. For older campers, make sure you use the rule that you may only catch the foxtail by its tail and not the ball. Younger campers may catch it by the ball.
The person who is IT is situated in the middle of the playground and the others are lined up in a long line at the side. The object of the game is to get across to the other side of the playground without being caught. The children at the side call out "Uncle Sam, Uncle Sam, may we cross your river dam?" The leader answers "Yes you may, yes you may, if you're wearing green today!" Those who are in green attempt to cross to the other side without being caught. If you are caught you must help catch the others when new colours are called.
To start, everyone closes their eyes ( vampires roam only at night) and begins to mill around. You can trust the referee to keep you from colliding with anything but warm living flesh. However, you can't trust them to protect you from the consequences, for he is going to surreptitiously notify one of you that you are the vampire. Like everyone else, the vampire keeps their eyes closed, but when they bump into someone else, there's a difference. She snatches him and lets out a blood- curdling scream. He, no doubt, does the same. If you are a victim of the vampire you are a victim of the vampire, you become a vampire as well. When two vampires feast on each other, they transform themselves back into mortals.
All of the players sit in a circle. One person starts as the viking by putting their fingers at their side of their head like horns on their hat. This viking passes the role of being a viking by pointing their horns at someone. If you are pointed at, you become a viking (horns and all) and the person on the right has to start paddling to the right and the person on the left has to start paddling on the left. The last person of the threesome to assume their position is out. The rest of the players slap their legs during the game in a constant rhythm.
Equipment: A frisbee or a paper plate for each pair of players. Divide group into pairs. Give each pair a frisbee or a paper plate. Mark a start and finish line. Pairs line up at the start line. Partners hold their plate or frisbee between them. The object of the game is to race to the finish line as fast as possible while steeping over the frisbee or paper plate, one foot at a time, without letting go of it. When the leader says "Go", partners twist and turn each taking a turn to step. Although this is not difficult to do, it can be confusing so players should start off slowly. Players that let go of their frisbee must go back to the line and start again.
Washers (Outdoor) From Washers.org
Washers is an outdoor game of skill, played by two or more contestants. The game field consists of two washer pits, each containing one recessed cup of 4 inches in diameter (101.6 mm) positioned a specific distance apart, toward which players throw washers to score points. The official distance, from cup centers, is 25 feet (7.62 meters). Shorter or greater distances are occasionally used but are not certified for official competition. (A variation is played indoors and has a dedicated following, but is not considered as sophisticated or challenging as the outdoor game described here.)
Each
player throws two washers toward the opposite cup with starting order
determined by a diddle.
Subsequent throwing order is based on who scored last with the scorer
throwing first. In games with a standard pit, players may stand anywhere
inside the pit when throwing. In games without a framed pit area,
players are allowed to stand no closer than one normal step in front of
the cup. (Exceptions may be made here, particularly with regard to young
players.) The starting contestant throws both washers, one at a
time, followed by the second player's throws. Only one player may
score per round,
with scoring determined by proximity to the cup. A washer inside
the cup scores 5 points. A washer not inside the cup, but closest
to the cup, scores 1 point. Washers completely outside the pit are
ineligible for scoring. Scoring is done after all contestants have
thrown. Should player #2 hit player #1's washer, for example, and nudge
it closer to the cup than his own, player #1 thanks player #2 and
benefits from the good fortune.
Should
player #1 land a washer inside the cup and player #2 also land a washer
inside the cup, player #2's throw negates the cupper
and no points are awarded for the cupper. In this example, points would
then be awarded based on the remaining washers and their distance from
the cup. (Distance from the cup is generally determined by visual
observation but may require a measurement. In the rare event that the
two closest washers are equidistant from the cup, no points are awarded
and the players throw again with the previous throwing order.) Should
player #1 score two cuppers and player #2 cap
only one of them, then 5 points would be awarded player #1.
In the
instance of three or more players, a second capper negates the first,
leaving the cup available for a scoring cupper. For example:
player #1 lands a washer in the cup. Player #2 caps the cupper, negating
player #1. Player #3 also lands a washer in the cup. Player #3 scores 5
points for the cupper.
A winning
game is determined in several ways. Should one player or team reach 11
points before the opponent scores a single point, the game is called a skunk
and the player or team with zero points is out of the competition. With
two players or teams, and one reaching 11 points before the other
scores, the game is finished. With 3 or more players, for example, it is
possible to skunk individual players, but not all players. In this
example, the game continues with players that have not been skunked.
Should
one player or team score 17 points while the opponent has scored only 1
point, the game is called a whitewash
and the player or team with only 1 point is out of the competition. In
competition with 2 or more players or teams, it is possible to whitewash
some but not all contestants.
When
one player or team reaches 21 or more points before the opponent
reaches 20 points, the game has gone full-term
and the team or player with 21 or more points is declared the winner.
When a player or team reaches 20 points before the competition, they
have achieved my
add or their add and reverts to last in the throwing order.
Games that go to add must be won by at least 2 points.
Diagrams Throw
Grip Stance
see related horseshoes
(This is a kid safe site, copying the rules here is not malicious intent but to protect kids surfing the net - full credit is always given to owners when known)
Prior to the party, fill laundry baskets full of water-filled water balloons. Experiment with types of balloons from your local stores. Sometimes the cheap ones are impossible to fill or remain filled, so don't automatically go for the cheap balloons. Filling the ballons is a long process, so it should be done the morning of the party and filled baskets should be stored out of the sun (they may break prematurely) and in an area where, if they break, it won't matter. The bathroom is a good choice.
For the Fight, drag the baskets of balloons through the yard to strategic locations. Players are told to throw balloons at the feet, only! NOT at faces! They can also be squeezed in your hands. Excessive force disqualifies! At GO, let the kids go nuts. Everyone wins here.
At the end of the game, all kids must clean up remaining balloon scraps, as they pose a danger to birds and pets. The water balloons will have cleaned up some of the worm dig and pie fight food messes. To clean up the remaining messes, run kids through a sprinkler, shower or hose (clothes and all), and then change into their extra set of clothes.
Messy Game's by Ian
Have a tray with a number of different objects (ie. pens, crayons, scissors etc...). Have the children study it for 30 seconds, then cover it up and remove one article. Rearrange the objects, and show it to the children again. The first child to guess what is missing gets to organize the tray for the next time.
What Time is it Mr. Wolf (active)
One player is the wolf and he/she will stand with his/her back turned to the others about 5 meters from the others. The others call out, "Whats the time Mr. Wolf" and the wolf turns to face the others and shouts out a time. Eg: 10 o'clock. The others would then take 10 steps toward the wolf. The group will take the same amount of steps toward the wolf as the amount of hours in the wolfs time. eg, 2 o'clock = 2 steps, 6 o'clock = 6 steps etc. etc. The wolf will then turn his back to the group again for them to yell "whats the time...." (He looks at the group only when he shouts the time at the group". When the group gets close to the wolf the next time the group yells "whats the time Mr. Wolf" the wolf will say 'DINNER TIME" and run after the group who are running back to the start line, and hopefully catch one of the group who will then be the wolf. It sounds messy, but when played is an enjoyable game.
Thanks to Lynne Hawksworth (of Australia)
Who am I? (moderate/icebreaker)
Each person has pinned on his back a picture or name of a famous person. By asking questions to the other people that can be only answered "yes" or "no", he must figure out who is on his back.
Materials: several pieces of paper, pencils & tape.
When your guests arrive, have them write the name of a character on a piece of paper. This character can be a real person, cartoon character, or someone in a nursery rhyme or a book. Tell them to be careful that no one else see his/her paper. Ask them to then tape this paper onto another guests's back.
The players will now try to discover who they are. They may wander around and ask each other questions such as; "Am I a girl or a boy"? or "Am I on T.V."? or "Am I an animal or a person"?
When they think they know who they are, they may ask someone if they are right. If so, they may sit down and watch the fun as their confused friends try to figure out their own identity.
Variation
As each guest arrives, a tag is placed on his or her back containing the name of a person, object, place, animal, event, etc. In order to find out what the tag says, the person must ask other guests questions which can only be answered with "yes" or "no" (only two questions may be asked of any one guest). The person who correcly guesses what's on his or her tag after the fewest number of questions is the winner. This game is especially good for use at a party with a theme. For example, at a fifties party, the tags might have names of movie stars or pop songs from the era. A sports-oriented party could use names of teams or athletes. An over-the-hill might feature events, people, or places that were important in the birthday persons life.
Or
Each person chooses someone to be and the other guests have to figure out who he/she is suppose to be. Use your imagination with this game. It can be played while the party progressess on its own.
Will You Buy My Donkey? (circle/passive)
The players should be sitting in a circle. One donkey and one donkey seller should be in the centre of the circle. The donkey seller will try to sell their donkey to those in the circle. The donkey seller will choose one person and ask them, "Will you buy my donkey?" The players in the circle have to answer "no thank you" with a straight face. Then the seller will say,"My monkey can do cool things like..." The donkey has to try and do the things that it's seller says it can do. (ex. tap dance, do a somersault, sing a song...etc.) The players in the circle have to say "no thank you" without laughing. If the person laughs, they become the donkey, the donkey becomes the seller and the seller gets to join the circle.
Players are arranged in partners, one squatting and one kneeling behind the circle. One person is it. He winks as unobtrusively as possible at one of the seated persons who try to get to it before his partner can prevent it by placing his hands on the person's shoulders. Guards must keep their hands by their sides except when they wink at their partners.
You need a witch, a mother, a babysitter and at least two children. The mother says to
the babysitter:
"I'm going downtown to smoke my pipe, and I won't be back until Saturday night.
And don't let that witch take any of my children!"
Then as she walks around the ouside of the house (or yard) the witch comes to the door to
"borrow" a cup of sugar. While the babysitter is getting it, the witch
"bribes" a child to come with her and they leave for the witch's house.
The mother comes home and gets mad at the babysitter, but this doesn't stop her from going
out again. Repeat the same game until all children have been
"kidnapped". The babysitter follows the witch with the last child but also
gets kidnapped. The witch then gives each child a new name which will be a category
(IE colours, fruits, cereal, etc). The mother comes to the witch's house and has to
guess the new names of her children before they can go home!
Contributed by Barb Enright
Grown-ups prepare plates or bowls of chocloate pudding blobs, with a gummy worm hidded inside. Crushed oreos can be sprinkled on top of the blob.
With hands behind their backs, each player digs face first into the blob to find the gummy worm with his teeth. First one wins! But all players can win by eating the pudding and worm. This is a good time for a grown up to snap pictures of each worm digger with the pudding all over the face and a pudding covered worm hanging out of their face.
Messy Game's by Ian
Yankee Doodle Cracker (passive)
This is a game for two teams of at least four players on each team, and a referee. The referee gives everyone a cracker. As soon as he blows a whistle, or, "calls on your mark, get set go!" the first person on each team eats his cracker and tries to whistle "Yankee Doodle Went to Town". As soon as he has succeeded the next person does the same. The first team to finish wins.
This game should only be played by older campers. Each word has a separate action. Ying:hand on top of head, pointing in one (either left or right) direction. Yang: hand under chin pointing in one direction. Yoo: Regular pointing action. These three words may only be spoken in the correct order, it always must be Ying Yang Yoo. The first person starts and says Ying, doing the motion. If they point to the left then the person to the left must respond Yang, also doing the motion. The person that was pointed at must say Yoo and point to anyone in the circle. That person then starts again by saying Ying.
Zip Zap (passive) It points to a person in the circle repeating the word "zip" or "zap" and counting to five. If they say "zip" the person must reply with the name of the person on his right, "zap" he must reply with the name on his left. If he is wrong then he goes into the centre of the circle.
Zoom Schwartz Pifigliano (passive) ***for older campers
Players sit in a circle on the ground. The first person starts by looking at someone and saying Zoom. That person may then look at someone else and say Zoom. Whenever you say Zoom, you look at the person who you are Zooming. If you want to send the Zoom back to the same person , you must say Schwartz, but you may not look at the person. That person then has the option of Zooming it to a new player. However, if the player wants to get the same person back again then they must say Pifigliano. It is a pure concentration game and a lot of fun, but do not expect campers to get it the first time they play it.
Many of the games cotributed by Darren Gerson (the ones with activity levels)
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