Yule Games For Kides |
1. Mother Goddess, Mother Goddess
If you have ever played red rover, red rover you know the basic premise of this game. Have all the participating females (adults can play too) form a line, standing side-by-side and holding hands. One at a time a male will say "Mother Goddess, Mother Goddess, let me come through." He then tries to run between any two of the females. The game continues until one of the males breaks through and becomes the Sun King.
* Right before the game it would be good to tell the tale of the Lord and Lady, and of his re-birth on Yule.
2. Telephone Presents
If presents are to be exchanged, perhaps adding a game of telephone? Sit everyone in a loose half-moon formation, with the person who will be receiving their gift on one end. Go to the other end of the formation and whisper What the gift is in the other person's ear. This "phrase" should be repeated from one person to the next until it get's to the person who has their gift in from of them. More often than not the "phrase" you started at one end will be hopelessly mixed up by the time it reaches the other end, and should provide many laughs for the children.
3. Hunter/Huntress
Choose a few players as Hunters/Huntresses. Give each of them a ball. The rest of the players are animals of the forest (around Yule they can be termed/called deer, stags, or any other horned animal). The hunters goal is to throw the balls at the animals to "catch" them. Any animal hit by a ball is out of the game. However, if the animal catches the ball in their hands they have the chance to throw it back at the hunter, but they can only aim for the hunter that threw it at them. If the animal scores, that hunter is out of the game. The game continues until there are no more hunter, or no more animals left to play.
4. Labyrinth
On the playground of 7x12 m put different obstacles (stools, skittles,
maces, etc) as on chess board. In the yard you may use trees for obstacles.
Draw a line between the obstacles. (If is "a labyrinth") The player
steps on a line and tries to remember the rout. After that he/she is blindfolded.
He/she must walk along the drawn way and go out the labyrinth without
stumbling on the obstacles. The players go through the labyrinth in turn.
* This is a good one to show how our returning sun king must come through the darkness to bring back the light/Sun.
5. Four Elements
This is a good general pagan game for children. The players get into a circle. The leader is in the center. He/she throws the ball to one of the players. On throwing the ball, he/she says either "Earth", "Water", "Air" or "Fire". The player must catch the ball, throw it back to the leader and name any animal- if the leader said "Earth", any bird- if the leader said "Air", any fish- if the leader said "Water" If the leader said "Fire" the player must raise the hands over the head and turn around. The player who makes mistakes pays forfeit (fulfills the leader's task) and becomes the leader.
6. Sardines in a Can
This is just a fun game for kids, and wears them out quickly. One person is chosen to go hide, while the rest close their eyes. An adult then counts to 25. The children then get up and try to find the hiding person. As the first child finds the hiding person, they join them in their hiding spot. The second person to find them, joins as well. The goes on until there is one person not hiding with the rest of the children. That one person will be the hider for the next game.
