Kid Games
For Children of All Ages
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (passive)
Group sits in a circle and chants Ali baba and the 40 thieves, while
doing an action. The group leader on the next beat changes the action and
then on the next beat the person beside him/her does that action. The
action follows its way around the circle and the whole time the group is
repeating the phrase. The group leader must change the action after every
beat, so that every person in the circle eventually ends up doing a
different action. (This may be compared to singing a song in a round).
All on One Side (cooperative)
Your whole team starts on one side of a volleyball net with no one on
the other side. The object is to get your team to the other side of the net
and back as many times as possible. Using a balloon for a ball, each player
player volleys the balloon to another player and then scoots under the net
to the other side. The last player to touch the balloon taps it over the
net and scoots under. The receiving players try to keep the balloon in
play and repeat the process.
The Ambush Game (coop)
The group splits up into two sub-groups which we will call A and B.
Group A leaves 5 to 10 minutes before group B and must leave clues behind
(footprints, marks, arrows, codes, pieces of paper, etc....). They must
then camouflage and set up an ambush for group B. Group B leaves and
follows the footprints and clues left by group A and tries to discover the
ambush site. During the ambush the groups face each other in mock combat
(stealing of scarves, indian wrestling, etc...). The meeting of the two
groups could also result in the yelling of, "AMBUSH" and a race back to
home base again.
Auto Trip (circle/passive)
Players sit in a circle and are assigned the names of auto parts.
(ie. hood, wheel, door, etc.) The storyteller tells a story of an auto
trip. As the player tells the story, the parts mentioned get up and follow
him/her. When the storyteller yells "Blowout" each player scramblers for a
seat. The one left out becomes the next storyteller.
A What? (passive/circle) Equipment: 2 objects
The leader of the game starts by passing the first object to the person
on their right and saying, "This is a whit." The reply is, "A What?" The
leader would then clarify, "A whit." This question sequence continues around
the circle, but the question "A what?" is passed all the way back to the
beginning and back again. This game can be confused by adding an additional
object called a Watt in the opposite direction.
Back to Back (active/back pocket game)
Players stand about by pairs, except one player who is it. When it
calls, "Back to back!" the players must back up to a partner. When it
calls "Face to Face!" these partners must face each other and shake hands.
On the next call "Back to back!" and each time here after, all players must
change partners. It tries to get a partner during the change. The player
left out becomes it.
Backlash (cooperative/active) Equipment: 4 round balloons
Divide the group into two teams, then divide each team intopairs. This
is a relay race, and the racecourse can extend across a large field or around
a building. Mark a start and finish line. Teams of pairs space themselves
equally from one end of the racecourse to the other. Pairs stand back to back
with elbows linked. Blow up 4 large balloons and give two each to the first
pair from each team. One balloon is held in each hand of each player. When
the leader says "Go", the first twopairs make their way to the next pair of
linked players. The first pair transfers its balloons to the next pair. The
first team to cross the finish line wins.
Balloon Battle (active) Equipment: Balloons, string
Give an inflated balloon and a piece of string to each team member.
Have two teams - tie the balloon to the ankle. Teams try to burst the
others first. Team with the last balloons wins. As your balloon is burst
you withdraw from the game.
Balloon Buns (circle/passive) Equipment: Balloon with message inside
The players sit in a circle. A balloon is passed around the circle.
Each player has to sit on the balloon with all their weight for 3 seconds. If
someone breaks the balloon, they must do what it says on the message. (ex.
sing a song, bark like a dog, dance, etc.) Make several balloons with a
message inside to continue game.
Banana (circle/passive) Equipment: A rag, sock, or a real banana
Form a circle with all players sitting on the floor. It is important
for the players to sit close together with their knees up and their hands
tucked under their legs. The person in the middle has to figure out where
the banana is as the people in the circle are passing the "banana" under
their legs secretly.
Bandit (circle/passive)
"It" stands in the middle of the circle. When he points at one of the
players in the circle and says "Bandit!", that person must put both hands
over his ears. The person to the bandit's right must put the hand nearest
to the bandit over his own left ear, while the person on the bandit's left
puts his nearest hand over his own right ear. If any one of the three make
a mistake by covering the wrong ear, or by using two hands when only one is
to be used, or failing to react at all before the person who is "IT" counts
to ten, he becomes "IT".
Barnyard (cooperative/active)
Each child is given the name of an animal with three children having
the same name. No one is allowed to tell another which animal he is. At
the signal each child makes the noise of the animal that he has been given.
The first group of three animals to find each other and sit down are the
winners.
Baseball (petrified) (active)
Divide into two teams. The rules are similar to regular baseball
except that the fielding team may not move their feet. The hitting team
hits the volleyball with their hand, and crawls around the bases. To score
a point, the batter must crawl all around the bases back to home before the
fielding team gets the ball to the catcher at home. If the fielding team
gets the ball ahead of the batter, he is out. After three people are out,
the teams trade places.
Basket-Soccer Ball (active/cooperative)
Equipment: balls Two teams are needed. The object of the game is to get
both teams up and down the court as many times as possible in 15 minutes.
Eg. Team 'A' and Team 'B' when at one end of the court, work together to
pass the ball around pylons, then kick or lift the ball up into the hands
of one of the team members, who then shoots at the basket. If the ball
goes in, they can then go to the other end of the court and shoot for that
hoop. Note: Only Team "A" can shoot at "A" basket and "B" shoots at "B"
basket.
Beat the Bunny (circle/passive) Equipment: Two balls of different size
The bunny (small ball) is started first and is passed from child to child
around the circle. When the bunny is about half way around, the farmer (large
ball) is started in the same direction. Note: The farmer can change directions
to try and catch the bunny, but the bunny can only go one way.
Big Wind Blows (circle/passive)
The group forms a large circle sitting at an arm's length apart. One
person is chosen to be the "wind", and stands in the centre of the circle.
The game begins when the person in the middle acts like the wind ( by
turning in a circle and waving their arms) and says "THE BIG WIND BLOWS" At
this point they must specifically state what the wind blows, a statement
which must be true about themselves. ie "The Big Wind Blows everyone who
has blue eyes." All of the kids who have blue eyes including the wind must
stand up and run through the circle to a position that is now empty on the
other side. Upon reaching this spot, they sit down. One person will be
left over, they are now the wind and the game continues. There is no
winner or loser, just a lot of fun.
Birds Have Feathers (moderate)
One player is leader. He and all the others flap their arms like
birds. He calls out names of something with feathers. If a player flaps
his wings on a calling that doesn't have feathers he's out. The leader
flaps his wings on almost all things to confuse the group and calls as
rapidly as possible. "Birds have feathers, bats have feathers, babies have
feathers, etc."
Blanket Stand (cooperative) Equipment: Blanket
Spread out blanket; whole group must get on it so that no appendages
are touching the ground off the blanket. If the group completes the stand,
have them get off and fold blanket in half. Repeat the above process for as
long as possible.
Blanket Toss (active/cooperative) Equipment: Blanket and water balloon
All players should be standing around the blanket holding an edge. The
leader of the game will launch (by catapult or throwing) waterballoons into
the air. The object of the game is to catch the waterballoons in the blanket.
Blind Beach Volley-ball (active) Equipment: Blanket and beach ball
A blanket should be draped over a volley-ball net. The game goes as
usual except you can not see when the ball is coming. Scary!!
Blind Cow (circle) Equipment: A bell and blindfolds
All players sit in a circle facing the centre. One person is blindfolded
and is the "Blind Cow." The "blind cow" should be spun around and then brought
to the centre of the circle. The bell should then be passed around the circle
and rung. The "blind cow" will then follow the sound of the bell. The game
leader points at the person who should stop the bell. The "blind cow" now has
to guess who is holding the bell (by pointing). If the person is right, the
chosen person becomes the cow in the next round. If they are wrong, he has to
go again (until he guesses right).
Blindman's Bluff (active) Equipment: Blindfold
Blindfold one player and spin them around 3 times. The blindfolded player
tries to tag one of the other players, who may crouch low, sneak up behind the
"blindman" and yell "Boo", or stand still and keep very quiet. Eventually
though, someone will get careless and be tagged. That player is then blind-
folded for the nest game.
Body Surfing (cooperative)
All the players lie face down, side by side, spaced about a body's
width apart to form a long human breaker. A player kneels at one end of
the line of bodies and launches himself onto the surface, belly down with
his/her arms outstretched. The wave action now begins. Those at the
beginning of the line start rolling over continuously in the same
direction. As the surfer moves onto new players, they roll as well. When
the surfer reaches the beach at the other end of the line he lies down and
becomes part of the wave and the person at the head of the line gets to try
her surfing skills.
Boiler Burst (active)
The goal is a line thirty feet long. The players form a semi-circle
forty feet from the goal with their backs to it and facing in. IT stands
at the centre of the circle and begins to tell a story, either making it up
or an old familiar one. At any point he chooses, the storyteller says "and
the boiler burst" upon which all the players run for the goal. IT runs
after them attempting to touch one. The runners are safe when they reach
the goal; the first player tagged before reaching safety is IT.
Bola (active)
To make a Bola, stuff a rubber softball into a long sock and tie a
knot in the sock just above the ball. Now tie a rope to the sock. Lie
down on your back and start spinning the Bola, slowly letting out the rope.
When you've got it rotating at a full radius, everyone can begin jumping
into the circle. You may increase the speed, or have two people join
hands, and jump in partners. If you're nicked by the Bola, you may
continue or sit out.
Bombardment Pins (active)
At either end of the playing space, set up in a row as many tenpins,
or popbottles as there are players. Make a dividing line across the centre
of the playing space. Divide players into two teams. Each team takes one
side of the field and must not step over into the other side. One team
starts the game by throwing a volleyball or playball, trying to knock down
the pins on the other side. The opponents protect their pins by catching
or blocking the ball with their hands and bodies. If the ball hits outside
the field and knocks a pin down on the rebound it still counts. Play for
fifteen minutes with the ball shooting back and forth rapidly. With a
large number two balls can be used. The winner is the team that knocks
down all the other teams pins.
Bop Bop (active/circle)
The players start sitting in a circle. The leader stands up and
"bops" or dances around the inside of the circle. The players can help out
by making their own music. The leader then taps selected people on the
head and says, "start bopping right now." These tapped people will join the
leader in the middle. These boppers keep dancing and tapping until they
hear, "Bop Bop Over!" The players will then stop dancing and run back to
their spots. The last one there is the new leader.
Box the Leader (active)
The group should be split into 4 groups. Each group should form one
side of the box that should be surrounding the game leader. Each side has
a name. These are: - NORTH ("North is Aaaaa Oooookay!!!) - SOUTH ("South,
Wooh!) - EAST ("East is the beast to beat") - WEST ("West is the best") The
object of the game is to be the first team to be in the appropriate order
in a straight line in the right relation to the leader. Once your whole
team has arrived, you should yell your team's chant (they are listed above)
British Bulldog (active)
The players are at the ends of the field, with 3 bulldogs standing in
the middle. Whenever they are ready they will call: "British Bulldog".
The players must then run to the opposite side of the field without being
touched.
Bump and Scoot (active/cooperative) Equipment: Bolleyball net, ball
Using a volleyball net, have the girls on one side and the boys on the
other. Whenever a boy or girl hits the ball over the net, they "scoot" to
the other side. the idea of the game is to completely switch the teams to
the other side, but they all must work to together to succeed.
Bumpety Bump Bump (circle/active)
All players stand in a circle with someone in the centre. The person
in the centre will choose someone in the circle to point at and will say,
"Right, Bumpety Bump Bump Bump" or "Left, Bumptey Bump Bump Bump." The
person who is pointed at has to say the name of the person to their right
or left (depending upon what is asked by the person in the centre) before
the phrase is finished. If they fail to do this, they are out. The centre
person is trying to eliminate all players.
Buzz (circle/passive/backpocket)
The players start counting substituting buzz for the number seven and
multiples of seven. If a player makes a mistake he must drop out or the
whole group must start again.
Cat and Mouse (active/circle)
The players should stand in a circle. Two people are chosen, one to
be the cat and the other to be the mouse. The object of the game is for
the mouse to catch the cat on the inside of the circle. This can achieved
because when the mouse runs in between two people, they will join hands and
the cat can not pass through. This game can be repeated with a new cat and
mouse.
Catching the Dragon's Tail (active/cooperative)
A dragon is formed by grouping the players into a long line each with
their hands on the shoulders of the one in front of him. The first in the
row is the dragon's head. The last in the row is the dragon's tail, eager
to lash to the right and left in order to escape the head. Until the
signal GO is given, the dragon must be a straight line. Someone in the
group counts "One, two, three, go!" On the signal GO the head runs around
toward the tail and tries to catch it. The whole body must move with the
head and remain unbroken. If the head succeeds in touching the tail, they
may continue to be the head. If the body breaks before he catches the tail
the head becomes the tail and the next in line is the head and so on until
each has a chance to be the head and the tail.
Capture the Flag (active)
See "Stealing Sticks"
Catch Don't Catch (circle/active)
This is similar to "flinch". The players should be standing in a
circle with their arms crossed. The person in the centre will throw the
ball to someone in the circle. They will either say, "Catch" or "Don't
Catch". If they say "Catch", the player should not catch the ball and
cannot flinch (move their arms). If they say "Don't Catch" , the player
should catch the ball. If a player does the wrong thing or misses the
ball, they are out. Caterpillar (active) The players must lie face down,
side by side and very close to each other. Alternate small players and
older players. Player at one end must get to the other end by rolling on
this corduroy road. When this player reaches the other end, the rest
player starts rolling on the carpet.
Chicken Picks (passive) Equipment: rubber chicken
Players sit in a circle and one player goes into the middle. A topic
is chosen and the rubber chicken starts at one person and is passed around
the circle. The person in the middle must list as many things as they can
from the topic, but they only have however long that the chicken makes it
around the circle once. When the chicken gets back to the starting point,
the person must stop talking. A designated counter should be in the group
to count how many objects they are able to list. The person that is able
to list the most objects is the winner. Topic example: Chocolate Bars (ie)
hershey, crispy crunch, aero etc. etc. etc.
Circle Run (circle/active)
The players should start sitting in a circle numbered 1-4 (this can be
adjusted depending upon the size of the group). The game leader will call
out a number and all players with that number will stand up and run
clockwise around the circle. After one warm-up lap, the race begins. A
runner is out if another runner passes them on the outside. The run
continues until one person is left. The leader then continues to call
numbers. A winners round might be a good way to end the game.
Circle Stride Ball (circle/moderate) Equipment: Volley ball
A circle is formed, feet apart and touching neighbours. The player
inside the circle with the ball tries to throw the ball out the circle
between the players legs. Players try to stop it by using their hands. If
the ball goes through, then that person goes in the centre.
Crab Grab (active)
The players are split into 2 teams and the classic crab position is
assumed. This position is maintained supported by at least 3 extremities,
while each player tries to make the team members of the opposite team touch
their rear to the ground, at which point they win.
Crab Walk Soccer (active)
Two teams sit on lines a short distance apart. Team members are
numbered. Soccer ball sits in the centre. Official calls number. The
member of that number from each team crab walk and attempts to get the ball
over the opponents goal line. When a point is scored, the ball is returned
to the centre and another number is called. Team members may help but not
score.
Crows and Cranes (active)
Divide the children into two equal teams. Name one of the teams crows
and the other cranes. Line the two teams up four or five feet apart facing
each other. Flip a coin, and if it comes up heads call crows. Upon
calling crows, the crows must turn in flight with the cranes after them.
If any of the cranes makes it to the safety zone he is free. If he is
touched he switches teams.
Dancing Bear (active) Equipment: Rope
Tie the rope to a tree. One person should be chosen to be the bear.
They should hold the rope in one hand. The rest of the players need to run
around in touching distance. With their free hand, the bear tries to touch
the other players. If touched, the player would hold hands with the bear
and help catch people.
Dancing Statues (active) Equipment: Yogurt cups (or other object)
Each player is given an empty yogurt cup and they put it on their head.
All of the players must start dancing. Whoever keeps the cup on their head
the longest, wins
Dho-Dho-Dho (active)
You need a soft area that is divided into 2 equal parts with a centre
line. The players should be in two teams on either side of the centre line
leaving a no-mans land in between them. One team chooses a player to go
across the line, tag one or more players on the other side, and return
safely home. Clearly that could require agility-but breath control?
That's where the "dho-dho-dho" comes in. Before crossing the centre line,
the player who is IT takes a deep breath. Not only must he complete his
mission in one breath, but he must use that breath to repeat aloud in a
steady flow, "Dho-Dho-Dho-Dho-Dho...." If members of the opposite team can
catch and hold him in their territory until they run out of breath, they've
acquired a new team member. If he makes it back across the line with any
part of their body , even a fingertip, all those he has tagged join their
team.
Dice Count (circle/moderate)
Equipment: 1 die, a pair of oven mits, a chocolate bar or other wrapped
up treat, and a hat.
A chocolate bar is wrapped up in 5-6 layers of paper and placed in
front of one of the players who are sitting in a circle. The person
directly to the left of the person who has the chocolate bar starts rolling
the die while the person with the chocolate bar starts to put on the hat
and oven mits. Once the oven mits and hat are on the player starts to
unwrap the chocolate bar. The unwrapping continues until the roller rolls
a 6. When that happens, everything is passed to the left, and a new person
starts to roll the die, and the old roller starts to put on the mits and
hat. The game continues until the chocolate bar is eaten.
Dodge Ball (active/circle)
Divide the group evenly into two teams. Team A forms a circle around
team B. Team A is given a large rubber ball. At signal team A players
throw ball at team B, attempting to hit them below the waist. Team B
players may avoid being hit by moving or running aside or ducking. A
player must leave the circle when hit OR a player who is hit may join team
A. Leader may time the eliminating process to determine which team
eliminated its opponents fastest
Donkey Dodgeball (circle/active) Equipment: Ball
This game is played with the same objectives as in all dodgeball games.
In this game a circle is formed and 4 people are chosen to go into the middle.
The 4 people hold on to each other at the waist, forming a chain. The front
and middle protect the back of the donkey by using their bodies as a block.
The players who form the circle try to hit the back end of the donkey, below
the waist with the ball. If someone does hit the last person of the donkey,
then the thrower will join the front of the donkey and the person who was hit,
joins the circle.
Dracula (active)
One player is chosen (secretly) by the leader to be dracula. When the
game starts, everyone starts to mingle with their eyes closed. (Make sure
that their are people watching to make sure no one gets hurt.) Dracula
keeps their eyes open. Dracula picks their victim, goes up to them and
screams. This caught person, opens their eyes and becomes a Dracula as
well. The game continues and the Draculas move around together. The game
is over when all of the Draculas surround the last human. Watch the ears!
Duck Duck Goose or Drip Drip Drop (active/circle)
The children form a small circle and all sit down. One person is it and he
walks around the outside of the circle, touching the other children's heads
saying "duck, duck, duck," and when he comes to the person whom he wants to
chase him, he calls "goose". The goose chases the it around the circle and
the one who reaches the space first sits down and the other one is it.
Ducks that Fly (active)
When the leader says, "Ducks fly", and flaps his/her arms, all the
players must flap their arms. The leader goes on to say, "Cats Meow", with
appropriate sounds or gestures, which must be imitated as above. He/she
may continue, "hens cluck", "horses trot", and so on with appropriate
gestures and sounds. When he/she chooses, he/she may substitute a false
statement and motion, such as, "cows bark", "elephants fly", and so on. If
the player imitates the false motion, he/she is penalized. If any player
makes a false motion or sound at any time, he/she's out (can be given three
chances).
Drop the Handkerchief (active/circle)
The players form a circle. One player is chosen to be IT. He walks
around outside the circle with a handkerchief in his hand. He drops it
quietly behind one player and keeps walking trying to get around the circle
before the player discovers the handkerchief. If IT gets all the way
around the player becomes a dead fish and stands in the middle of the
circle. If the player discovers it he chases IT and catches him, they are
not IT. If he doesn't catch IT, he becomes IT. A dead fish can rescue
himself in two ways. He may snatch the handkerchief from behind some other
player before that player sees it, or a player behind whom the handkerchief
has been dropped may toss it into the circle behind a dead fish. The dead
fish then picks up the handkerchief and chases IT.
Eco-Ball (active)
Participants split up into as many teams as you want or feel are
necessary. The entire tournament site (including play, rest, food, and
sanitation areas) is divided into a like number of parts. The boundaries
should be clearly described but not marked. Each team is given one portion
of the field.
The Electric Fence (cooperative)
Equipment: Sturdy 8' pole, "wire"
Object: To transport a group over an "electrified" wire or fence using
only themselves and a conductive beam.
Rules: If a participant touches the fence (rope) he is "dead" and must
attempt the crossing again. Any person touching the individual as he
touches the wire must also return for another crossing. If the conductive
beam touches the wire all those in contact with that beam are dead and must
attempt another crossing. An electric field extends from the wire to the
ground and cannot be penetrated. The trees or other supports which hold up
the "wire" cannot be safely touched and so cannot be of assistance in the
problem.
Caution: Be careful not to let the more enthusiastic people literally
throw other participants 7'- 8' in the air over the rope.
Electricity (circle/passive)
The group sits in a circle holding hands while someone sits in the
center. The game commences with one person proclaiming that they are going
to send a charge to the person beside them and proceeds to squeeze the hand
of their neighbour. The person in the middle tries to figure out where the
current is. If successful, he exchanges places with the immediate sender
of the charge. Elephant ball (moderate/circle)
All the players are in a circle with their legs spread apart and their
feet touching the next person's feet. The ball must be punched around the
circle until it goes through someone's legs. That person is then out.
This continues until there is one person left, who would be the winner.
Elephant, Giraffe, Palm Tree (active/circle)
Form a circle with one person in the middle. The middle person will
point to an individual and the person pointed to along with the persons on
each side will have to form what was called out. ELEPHANT- Middle person
(one pointed to) will form an elephant trunk by putting arms straight in
front of you crossed at the wrists. Persons on each side will form the
ears of the elephant by bending toward middle person, cupping around the
mouth with hands as if whispering to the middle person. GIRAFFE- Person
pointed to raise arms above head, arms extended fingers closed. Side
people will grab middle ones waist bending over. PALM TREE- Middle person
raise arms above head in "Y" formation, fingers open. Side people do the
same but lean toward outside, away from the middle person. The object of
the game is to try to keep changing all the time. The game has to be
played quickly. As soon as an object is formed, the person in the middle
of the circle has to point to someone else.
Elves, Giants, Wizards (active)
This game is based on the same concept as rock, paper, scissors. In
this game; Elves beat Wizards (they can run through their legs) Giants beat
Elves (they stomp on their heads) Wizards beat Giants (because they are
smarter) The group needs to be split into 2 groups. Each group needs to
choose one of these signs. The two teams come face to face in parallel
lines about 2 meters apart. Both groups will yell, "Elves, Giants,
Wizards,.........."(chosen sign goes here). The side that won chases the
other team back to their home and tries to tag them. The players that are
touched must join the other team. The object is to get everyone on your
team. The actions are; ELVES- swat low to the ground and put one finger to
either side of your head like little pointed ears. GIANTS- stand up on
your tip toes and stretch your arms high over your head WIZARDS- turn body
90o to the left. Stretch right arm out in front and put left hand by left
shoulder. Wiggle your fingers like you are casting a spell. If both teams
do the same sign, it is a tie. (go pick again!)
Escape From the Planet Of "What" (active)
The game begins by giving each team a clue that will lead them to
their spaceship. These can be anywhere. Once at their spaceship, the team
finds a message for them either in a tape recorder or on a piece of paper
explaining that their spaceship has malfunctioned and they have crashed on
the Planet of "What". They have 40 minutes to follow the clues that will
lead them to a new spaceship so that they will only be able to say "who",
"what" and "where". Clues lead them from station to station where they
have to perform a task (such as making up a national anthem for the planet,
or crawling through a laser field). The final task is to build a spaceship
out of any equipment available.
Escape From the Monsters (circle/active)
Equipment: bean bags, blindfolds, ropes and keys
Four monsters are chosen and they are blindfolded and sat in the
middle of a circle that is formed by the rest of the players. In front of
these Monsters sits their treasure(keys). They have bean bags for ammunition.
The leaders chose one person to go through the circle and get the treasure.
This person gets 3 monster deactivators (ropes tied into a circle). These
will deactivate the monster if it is put over their head. The monster can
stop trespasser by hitting them with a bean bag. The players in the circle
can help the
monsters by telling them where the trespasser is.
Farmer and the Crow (active)
Equipment: six objects such as paper plates, beanbags, small boxes Divide
the children into teams of equal number, each team behind a starting line,
facing a wall or finish line about twenty feet away. The first player on
each team is a farmer, the second player is a crow, the third a farmer, the
fourth a crow, and so on. At a signal, the first farmer on each team takes
the seeds (six beanbags) and places them at equal intervals from the
starting line to the finish line. He runs back and touches the second
player, a crow. The crow must hop over each of the beanbags, touch the
finish line, change to the other foot, hop back, pick up each seed as he
comes to it. He hands them to player number 3, a farmer, who goes out to
plant them again, and so on. The team finishing first wins. Play again
letting each crow be a farmer.
Feeding Time (active)
Equipment: small pieces of paper, peanuts or candies. The group needs to
be split into small groups of at least 4 people. Each group needs to be a
different animal and decide on the sound they will make. A leader needs to
be chosen for every group. The object of the game is for each group to try
and collect the most food. On the word "go", the players can start looking
around the playing area for food. The only people that can actually pick
up the food are the group leaders but they can not pick up any food they
want. The rest of the team members look for the food and when they find
it, they stand on it or beside it and make their animal noise until their
leader comes. Once the food is taken by the leader, the player would go
and look for food again. The team that collects the most wins.
Fight for My Attention (drama/passive)
Two people are challenged to come up to the front of the room and the
audience then chooses a topic. The two people must talk about that topic
for one minute in front of the crowd, BUT they are both talking about the
topic AT THE SAME TIME! The audience must then vote on which person held
their attention for longer.
Fire (cooperative/active)
"Victims" must remain motionless and not aid the rescuers until the
victims are healthy again. Rescuers cannot look at signs until victims are
removed to safe area. All the group except 3 people are unconscious in
that burning building. The rescuers know that the building will explode in
4 minutes. Save as many people as you can. Go!!
Fish In A Pond
Divide children into groups of two. Give each group a name of a fish.
Then have one member of each pair form a circle (Pond) at one end of the
playing area by holding hands, while the other partners do the same at the
opposite end. Select one person to stand in the space between the circles.
This person calls the name of the fish and the two people who represent
this fish rush to their partner's circle to switch places. The person in
the space attempts to catch one of the partners. If caught this "fish"
calls a different name and their position is taken by the person originally
in that space. Position are marked by gaps in holding hands.
Flinch (circle/active)
Equipment: ball The players stand in a circle with their arms crossed. One
person should be in the centre. The person in the centre is trying to get
everyone in the centre out. The person in the centre will throw the ball
at the people in the circle. If they miss the ball, they are out. The
person in the centre can also pretend to throw the ball. If the people in
the circle "flinch" (move their arms from the crossed position), they are
out.
Flipper Flopper (moderate)
Equipment: One penny per pair of campers, rubber chicken Players form a
circle and stand beside their partners. The rubber chicken is in the
middle of the circle. One player is the flipper (with the penny) and the
other is the flopper. When the leader says go, the flipper must flip the
penny on the ground. If it is heads then the flopper takes two steps
forward and if it is tails then the flopper takes one step backward. The
first flopper to reach the chicken wins!!
Flying Duchman (circle/active)
The players stand in a circle with their hands joined. The player who
is it runs around the outside of the circle and slaps any two joining
hands, the owners of which become flying dutchmen. They run in opposite
directions around the outside of the circle . The player who was it steps
into the circle. The last player back to the place in the circle is it.
Foghorn Leghorn (active)
Equipment: rubber chicken Groups are divided in half (no, not each of
them in case you were wondering!). One group lines up in a line with the
rubber chicken at the front of the line. The other group forms a tight
bunch, as close in as possible, and elects a runner. The leader says "Go
Foghorn!" The group in the line then passes the rubber chicken Under-Over
style down the whole line. While this is going on, the runner runs around
the bunch and keeps track of the number of times they make it around. When
the rubber chicken makes it to the end of the line then the last person
throws it as far as possible and shouts "Go". The group that was in the
bunch then runs to where the chicken landed and lines up behind it. They
then do the Under-Over thing. The other group forms a bunch and counts how
many times the runner makes it around. This keeps on going and the count
of runs is a cumulative count, so at the end of an allotted time period the
group with the most runs around is the winner.
Footloose (active/cooperative) ** For older campers
The object of this game is to transport everyone from one end of the
playground to the other. To heighten the challenge and make the game more
fun, suggest that players are fleeing a dreaded disease and can only escape
if they are carried by other players. The players may be carried by as
many players as necessary. When the carried player is delivered to the
other side of the playground the others must go back and carry each other.
This continues until the last player is carried by a single person. The
last player, who was not carried gets carried back triumphantly on the
shoulders of the entire group.
Fool Your Family (active/icebreaker)
Equipment: One slip of paper for every player.
Papers should be in groups of five, and each group represents a
family, for example, the Smiths. So the first Smith paper would be Mr.
Smith, the second Mrs. Smith,the third Brother Smith and so on. Each
family should have a different last name but the same characters (ie) one
mom and one dad. Each player is given one slip of paper and they must walk
around trading papers with everyone else on the room. They should try to
make as many exchanges as possible, and they should not be looking at which
papers they are receiving. The leader then calls out "Find your family".
The players must find the other members in their family. When they have
found them, they must sit in order from dad to baby in a line on the floor.
The last family to sit down may be eliminated if you choose to do so. The
leader may also give out specific instructions, for example "Find your family
without talking".
Frozen Beanbag (Help Your Friend) (active/cooperative)
Equipment: bean bags
Players should be balancing beanbags on their heads. On a signal,
players move around the area at their own pace. To change the pace or
action, the leader can ask the campers to hop or skip. If the bean bag
falls off a camper's head, that child is frozen. If the bean bag falls
off a camper's head, that child is frozen. Another camper (the friend)
must pick up the beanbag and replace it on the first person's head without
losing his or her own bean bag. When the game is over, ask the players how
many times they helped their friends, or how many times their friends
helped them.
Fruits and Vegetables (active/circle)
Divide the children into two large groups. One group will take the
names of vegetables, the other fruit. In each large group, two or three
children take the same name of a fruit or vegetable. The children mix
themselves up and form a seated circle. It, the leader to start, sits in
the centre. It call out "Peas and apples change places". While they are
doing so, it tries to get to one of the vacant seats. If he succeeds the
ousted one becomes it.
Flying Fish (active) Equipment: Construction paper cut outs of fish
Each team is given a folded magazine or newspaper. Players line up in
a straight line. A plate is placed on the finish line. At the word "go"
each player places their fish on the ground and fans it with the newspaper
towards the plate. As soon as they have done this, they would race back to
their team and hands the newspaper to the next player in the line.
Fox and the Rabbit (active)
The players are divided into groups of threes and are scattered into
groups around the playground. Two of the three form a 'home' by facing
each other and joining hands. The third one will be the rabbit and will
simply stand in this house. In addition the these groups of three, there
should be two extra players, a homeless rabbit and a fox. The fox starts
the game by chasing the homeless rabbit around and around in and out of the
groups. When the rabbit has grown tired, he may go into one of the homes
and at once the rabbit who was already there must leave, and this rabbit is
chased by the fox. When the fox catches the rabbit the two change places.
Gates, Bridges and Tunnels (active/circle) Equipment: Rubber chicken
Players get into groups of three and form a circle so that they are
standing beside the people in their group. One person is the gate person,
one is the bridge person and one person is the tunnel person. The leader
should be standing in the middle holding the rubber chicken. When Gates
is called, the gate people leave their spot in the circle and run around
the outside of the circle. The two people from the group then form a gate
by putting their arms together. When the gates person gets all the way
around they then run through their gate into the middle of the circle and
try to grab the rubber chicken. The same thing happens for the tunnel and
the bridge people except their partners form tunnels and bridges. The
first person to grab the rubber chicken is the winner. (name your chicken,
it is Fun, Fun, Fun!!!)
Ghost (passive)
Three or four players are chosen to be the ghosts. The rest of the
group needs to scatter across the playing space and choose a spot to stand
in. All players need to close their eyes. The ghosts will roam about the
playing space. They will try to kill the people by standing close behind
the players for 10 seconds without them knowing. If this happens, the
ghost will tap them on their head and they will sit down quietly. If a
person suspects a person behind them, they would ask, "Is there a ghost
behind me?" If they are right then they become a ghost. If they are wrong
they are out and should sit down. This is a great game is you want to
quiet your camp down.
Good Morning Captain (passive)
The captain sits slightly apart from the group and is blindfolded.
The leader indicates a player who says "Good Morning Captain!" The captain
tries to name the speaker. If he responds "I said good morning captain!"
If the captain correctly identifies the speaker he retains his position.
If not the player becomes the new captain. Players should try to disguise
their voices.
Go Tag (active)
Everyone squats in a line, alternate players facing opposite
directions. The person at one end of the line will be the first runner.
They may run around the line in either direction. The person at the other
end will be the first chaser. They may start running either clockwise or
counter-clockwise, but they may not switch directions once they start. The
object of the game is for the chaser to tag the runner. The chased person
may change place with anyone in line. The chaser can only push out a new
runner who is facing the appropriate direction. When the chaser catches
the chased, the person who tagged them becomes the starting chaser for the
next game
Guard the Pin (active) Equipment: ball and pin
Everyone stands in the circle facing in. A pin is placed in the
centre of the circle. A guard is chosen. The guard stands in the centre
of the circle and guards the pin. The object of the game is for the
players in the circle to try and knock down the pin with the ball. All
throws should be thrown underhand. The person who knocks down the pin gets
to be the new guard.
Guess Who (moderate/icebreaker)
Equipment: pieces of paper with names on them, tape
Each player needs a name taped to their back. The object of the game
is to figure out who you are. Everyone goes around and asks the other
players questions. The players can only answer yes or no. This game is
great when a theme is incorporated. (ex. cartoon characters, book characters)
Ha Ha Ha (passive/cooperative)
This is a contagious laughing game. Player #1 lies on their back and
places their head on the belly of player #2 . Player #2 then places Their
head on the belly of player #3, and so on. Players should end up lying in
a zig zag formation. Now the first person shouts "ha!" and the next person
answers with "ha ha!".... etc. Soon everyone loses control and starts
laughing hysterically.
Hand Wave (circle/moderate)
Everyone starts in a circle, on their stomachs, with their heads
towards the centre and their arms forward. The players should have their
right hand over their neighbour to the right's hand and their left hand
under the hand of their neighbour to the left. Arms should cross at the
wrist. The object of the game is to pass the slap. The person who starts
slaps the ground and the next hand slaps (not the next person). Once you
have the hang of it, add the option of a double slap. This skips the next
hand. When a hand is turned on it's side, start slapping the opposite way.
Hazoo (passive)
Choose someone to be it and divide the group into 2 parallel lines.
The person who is it has to walk down the column without laughing or
smiling. The rest of the people, try to make the person laugh without
touching them. This game can also be done in a circle and the person in
the centre can be put in the hot seat. Specific questions can be asked and
if successful they become the Grand Pooba.
Hodge Podge (circle/cooperative/moderate)
See "Knots".
Horse and Rider Ball (moderate) Equipment: ball
Half of the children are horses and half are riders. The riders
mount and they are given a ball to pass between them. If they miss,
either of the following are done: 1) The rider that missed the ball runs
and gets the ball and when he gets it he hollers stop which means that
horses who have displaced their riders and have been running come to a
stand, and if the rider throws and hits one of the horsed, the riders ride
again, and if he misses the horses become riders. 2) Every time the rider
missed a ball, all the riders immediately become horses and the horses
riders, and every time the ball is missed all change.
Hot and Cold (passive)
One person is it and leaves the group. The rest choose an object in
the room and when "it" returns they help him find the object by singing a
song and increasing the volume as he nears the object and decreasing when
he becomes colder.
Hot Potato (circle/passive) Equipment: Ball or something to pass
The potato is passed from person to person until the leader gives a
signal. The person left holding the potato is eliminated.
How do you Do? (active/circle)
Players form a circle. The hostess walks around the outside of the
circle and taps one player on the shoulder. She shakes her hand and asks:
"How do you do?" the reply is: "Very well thank you". Repeat three times.
On the third "Very well thank you" hostess and player leave in opposite
directions. The player who is last to reach an available space becomes the
hostess.
How do you Feel? (circle/passive)
Fill a few bags with varying items. (ie. chunk of bread, a piece of
soap, a candle, a stick of gum, a sock, kleenex, wet paper....). Be sure
to have things that are difficult to distinguish. Then, sit the group in a
circle. Give the bags out and ask the person to pick out an object without
looking in the bag. If they pick out the wrong objects they must put it
back. Then the bags are passed on to let someone else have a turn.
How many Thumbs??? (circle/passive)
Group should be divided so that they are in small groups of about five
or six people. The group lies on their stomach and puts hands in the
middle of the circle with fists closed. On the count of three, everyone
either sticks one thumb up or two or none, while at the same time they are
saying a number. The object of the game is to predict how many thumbs are
up!
Human Pinball (circle) Equipment: Ball
All players except one stand in a circle, facing outwards. Spread
your legs as wide as comfortable until your feet are touching your
neighbors on either side. Everyone bend down and swing your arms between
your legs. (flippers) The one person left over enters the circle as the
moveable target. The flippers try to hit him by knocking a ball back and
forth across the circle. If the target is hit, the person who hit him goes
in the circle and becomes the new target.
Human Tramp (cooperative)
Two parallel lines are formed and told to face each other. Each
person joins hands with those of the person opposite him. One person dives
onto the arms of the two rows, and is passed down the line by being thrown
up in the air. It's a good idea to have a safety spotter at the opposite
end of the line.
Humming Game (passive)
You make a task for a person who has been asked to leave the room.
When the person returns everyone hums. When the person returns everyone
hums, when the person gets closer to the area where the task is to be
accomplished the humming becomes more intense and if she goes away humming
becomes quieter.
I Am The Captain (circle/moderate) Equipment: ball
The players are numbered in a circle with the captain standing
in the centre. The captain says, "I am the Captain and I have lost
my hat, and I think that number ? has it." The captain then throws the
ball to that person. As soon as the ball has been caught, they must say,
"who sir/maam, not me sir/maam", before the Captain says, "Back to the
end of the line." If the player does not say their line, then the player
must go to the end of the number order and everyone gets bumped up a
number. If the player does say "Who sir/maam, not me sir/maam" , before
the captain can say their line, then the captain will continue the
conversation saying, "yes, you sir/maam." The player replies, "Oh not I
sir/maam." The captain asks, " If not you sir/maam then who maam?" The
player answers, "Number ? sir/maam" and throws the ball to that player.
This game could be simplified by using names instead of numbers.
Indy 500 (circle/active)
The group should be sitting in a circle and numbered 1-4. Give each
number a name of a car. (ex. 1's are Porches, 2's are Ferrari's... etc)
The game leader calls a car name and those cars have to get up and run
around the circle. The first person back to their spot wins. There is a
twist to this game. The cars can have things wrong with them as the leader
chooses. Some ideas are; FLAT TIRE (Hop around on one foot), RUN OUT OF
GAS (Crab Walk), TURBO BOOST (run around), NO MUFFLER (noisy!)...etc.
Islands (active) Equipment: hoops or small designated areas
Several "islands" are placed on the ground. When the music stops or
the leader stops singing, everyone must be standing on a island without
touching anyone else in the group. As the game continues, remove islands
until only one is left.
I Spy (backpocket)
One person says " I spy with my little eye, something that is
....(colour)". Then others try to guess what the object is and the one who
guesses it takes the next turn.
In the River, On the Shore (active)
All of the players should be standing on side of a line on the ground.
The leader will call out, "on the shore" and "in the river". The players
follow the commands by jumping on the side of the line that applies. The
players get out if they are not listening. The leader could call out, "in
the shore" and "on the river". The players move, they are out.
Jamaquack (active/circle)
Jamaquacks are rare birds from Australia. Being from down under, they
always stand bent over, with their hands grasping their calves or ankles
and shuffle along backward. They are nocturnal by preference, and when
they are out in daylight, they always try to wander off somewhere, only a
third of the players can be jamaquacks at a time. The rest must form a
jamaquack pen by holding hands in a circle facing the center. Two players
create a hole in the pen by dropping their hands. The jamaquacks gather in
the middle of the pen, heads together and begin quacking and moving
backward with their eyes closed, trying to find the way out. While the
birds are trying to escape, those forming the circle do their best to jam
the quacks back inside the pen by GENTLY knee-bumping them. Once outside
the circle the jamaquacks can finally stand upright and open their eyes but
they should keep quacking to let their species mated locate the hole.
Jelly Roll (icebreaker)
This game is ideal for groups that either don't feel completely
comfortable with one another, or are difficult to assemble quickly.
Divide the large group into smaller groups by means of colour of clothing,
birthdays or counting to group them together. Have them get into these
groups, hold hands in one long line and then roll from one end to the other
into a "jelly roll" and sit down.
This can be used when you need to explain something , break them into
groups quickly etc. All you need to do is yell "jelly roll".
Jeepers Creepers (active) Equipment: Three rolls of crepe paper.
Divide the group into teams of three. Each team receives a roll of
crepe paper. Mark two parallel boundary lines about 10 yards apart.
Each team lines up behind on of the boundaries. When the leader says
"Go" , two player on each team get down on their hands and knees, one
behind the other. The rear player places his or her hands on the ankles
of the front player. The third team member becomes the connector and
connects the two players by wrapping the crepe paper around the wrists
and ankles of the players. After the players have been connected, they
begin to creep toward the opposite boundary. If the crepe paper tears,
the two crawlers must stop while the third player repairs the connection.
Once the two crawlers reach the boundary they switch so that everyone
gets a chance to be the connector. The first team to cross the boundary
line after all three team members have been crawlers and connectors is
the winner.
Jon Cam Pon (active)
See "Rock Paper Scissors"
Juggling (Group) (cooperative/circle/moderate)
Players stand in a circle, hands in the air. The leader throws the
ball to a player on the other side of the circle. The player throws the
ball to a third and so on. When a player has caught the ball once, he puts
his arms down. The last player to catch the ball throws it back to the
leader and the game starts over again only faster. A 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
ball is added.
Keep it up (cooperative/circle/moderate)
See "Juggling (group) Kick it Up (cooperative/circle)
Equipment: ball Players start in a circle with their feet towards the
middle. A ball is put in the canter and the players have to keep the ball
up in the air with their feet. If the ball is dropped, it is a point
against themselves.
Kitty Wanna Cracker (moderate)
Campers sit in a circle with one person in the middle of the
circle. The person in the middle goes up to different people and says
"Kitty Wanna Cracker?". The players in the circle say "No, thankyou".
While this is going on, the people who the kitty has her/his back to try to
catch each other's eye and change places. The kitty tries to steal the
empty spots. If you are left without a spot then you become the kitty.
Knights, Horses and Cavaliers (active/circle)
This game is similar to musical chairs in that when the rhythm stops
an action must be performed. In this game 2 equal circles are formed, with
one inside the other. The people of the inside circle will pair up with
someone on the outside circle and remain with that partner for the rest of
the game. the inside circle will walk clockwise clapping their hands and
the outside circle, also clapping, will walk in the opposite direction.
When the leader calls out Horses, the individuals stop clapping and run to
find their partner. Once together, one partner will go on all fours, like
a horse, and the other partner will straddle their back. The last partner
group to form that position will be asked to act out a simple situation of
their choice that makes use of a rider and a horse. Once this game
continues in the same fashion as before. If Knights is called, one partner
will sit on the other partner's knee. The partner therefore has one knee
up to be sat on and the other on the ground for support. If Cavaliers is
called, then one of the partners will lift their partner up into their
arms. However, one leg lifted by their partner is allowed.
Knights of the Round Table (active/circle)
Equipment: hoola hoop and sword
The players should be in a circle with one knight in the canter with
the sword. The knight tries to touch a person in the circle with the sword,
run to the middle, put the sword on the table (hoola hoop) and get to their
spot in the circle without being touched by the sword. The person touched
has to chase the knight, get the sword from the table and touch them with
it before they get to the spot or they are the new knight. If for some
reason the sword does not land on the table,
the rest of the players must yell, "THE SWORD IS NOT ON THE TABLE!" This
means the play is cancelled and the knight must try again.
Knots (moderate/circle/cooperative)
Groups of eight stand in a circle facing into the canter. Shake hands
with person directly across from you, then join left hands with a different
person in the group. Must untangle the human knot without letting go of
hands.
Ladders (active)
Two lines are formed, facing each other. Sit down, legs straight out,
feet just touching. Each pair is numbered or given a name. When a name or
number is called, the two jump up, run over the legs of the other pairs in
one direction, then run outside until they get to the opposite end of the
line and then continue to run over the legs of the other pairs until they
get back to their original place in line. The first person back to their
original position gets a point for their team.
Last Detail (passive)
Choose a partner and sit in front of them. Take 3 minutes to study
how your partner is dressed. Turn around. Now your partner will change 5
things on his clothes. Again the partners face each other and the first
partner tries to determine what is different.
Lap Sit (cooperative/circle)
Form a circle, shoulders close to people beside you. Everyone turn 90
degrees to the left. Put hands on person's hips. Everyone sits down on
knees of person behind them. Try to sit, stand up, turn around and sit
down again. Then try to walk while in lap sit.
Leader (circle)
The children all sit in a large circle. A person is picked to be it.
He leaves the room or sits with his back to the circle. The group then
decides on a leader who is to start a motion in which all the children
copy. The motion can be anything at all, and the person who is it, comes
in to find the leader of the motion. The leader changes the motion from
time to time and the person who is it has three guesses to determine who
the leader is. If 'it' guesses correctly then the leader becomes 'it'. If
'it' does not guess correctly a new games is started by choosing a new 'it'.
Lemonade (active/drama)
The group is divided into two teams. Team A: Actors, Team B:
Guessers. Actors decide on a geographical location and a related
occupation. Dialogue between A and B:
A: Here we come. B: Where from? A: From New Airlines. B: What's your
name? A: Lemonade. B: What's your trade? A: Goes like this.
At this point group A acts out their occupation. Group B is given 3
tries to guess. If the guess is correct, group A must run to a safety line
without being touched by a group B player. If all 3 guesses are wrong
group B must run to a safety line without being touched. Any player
touched must switch teams.
Lions and Tigers (circle/passive)
Players sit in a circle. Two children on the opposite sides of the
circle, hold small objects, (stone ball etc.). One is called a lion, and
the other a tiger. On a signal the players pass the objects to the right
as quickly as they can. The fun is in trying to get one animal to overtake
the other. (see Beat the Bunny)
Lip and Card Relay (cooperative/active) Equipment: Card
The group is divided into 2 lines, boy-girl-boy-girl if possible.
A card is then given to the first person in the line. He puts the card
between his lip and his nose and passes it down the line. The first line
to pass the card down first wins.
Loose Caboose (active)
Select a player to be the Loose Caboose. Divide the rest of the group
into trains of three. Each player is in a train car and holds the waist of
the person in front. The first player in a train is the engine. The
object is for the loose caboose the try to attach to a train. When all are
aboard, the trains chug around the train yard (sound effects should be
encouraged) Trying to dodge and turn to keep away form the Caboose. When
the Caboose attaches to a train, the engine of that train becomes the new
loose caboose.
Lumberjack (active)
Two lumberjacks per team, - the rest are trees (people). The
lumberjack must fill the trees transport them to the lumber yard (carry the
people on his team), stack the lumber (pile the people on top of their
team) and replant new trees ( carry the same people back and leave them
standing upright).
Machines (cooperative/drama)
Groups of 6-10 must create a moving machine by miming it all together,
(each person is a part of the machine). Others must try to guess what the
machine is. No talking or noises are allowed.
Match my Feet (circle/moderate)
Form a circle of players. You stand in the middle. Start the group
off with a slow clapping rhythm, such as 2 slow claps followed by 3 quick
claps. Repeat this over and over. Walk around the inside of the circle to
the clapping rhythm and stop in front of someone. Do a simple step with
your feet in time to the beat. the person you're standing in front of must
try to repeat your step. If he doesn't, move around the circle and stop in
front of someone else. If he does, you take his place in the circle, and
he becomes the leader. He may change the rhythm and try to "outstep"
another player.
Minefield (active/cooperative)
Split the group into 3 (not each of them). One group will be the
mines. They will be stationary in the playing area. One group will be the
rowers trying to get across the playing field. The trick is, they will
have their eyes closed. The third group will be the assistants. They will
be located on the other side of the playing field and will direct the
rowers safely across. If a rower bumps into a mine, they blow up. The
groups should rotate so everyone gets to be everything.
Missing Child (passive)
One player stands blindfolded in the centre of the room. Have the
other children stand in a circle or a line. Have the children switch
places in the circle and take one person out of the room. Then unblindfold
the child in the centre, and give him one minute to name the missing
player. Let the person who was removed now be blindfolded.
Monkey Ball (active) Equipment: ball
Two teams should be standing in lines side to side, arms linked and
numbered 1 and up. The ball will be placed in the centre of the playing
space. The game leader will call out one number. The player from each
team that has that number will run to the centre to get the ball. The rest
of the team will act as the moving goalie. The players in the middle
attempt to hit the ball with their hand on the ground past the opposing
team's goalie line. The goalie lines can only move side to side and must
stay attached. The play is over if the ball goes out of bounds and when a
shot is made.
Mount / Dismount (active)
The players should be split into 2 groups. One group will form a
circle and be the horses,. The second group will be the runners or the
riders. There should be more riders than horses. The horses run around
the outside of the circle until the game leader calls out "Mount!". The
riders then need to find a horse to mount. If a rider is horseless, they
are out. When the leader calls out, "Dismount" the riders jump off their
horse go under their legs and run around the circle again ready to remount.
Both teams should get a chance to be the riders.
Mouse Trap (circle/active)
The group needs to be split into 2 groups. One group is the trap and
the other are mice. The trap stands in a circle holding hands in the air.
The leader should not be facing the group. The mice have to run through
the trap. When the leader yells, "MOUSE TRAP", the trap lowers their arms.
Whoever is inside the trap at this point is caught and becomes a part of
the trap. The last mouse left is the winner. At this point the 2 groups
should switch roles.
Mr. Greenjean (passive) **for older campers
This game starts with a leader and a camper in one room or area of the
playground and another leader with the rest of the campers in another room
or area. Every camper is given a name ie. mama greenjean, baby greenjean,
tall greenjean, short greenjean, green greenjean etc... One camper at a
time comes into the room that originally had only a leader and one camper
and introduces himself. Everyone who is in the room repeats all of the
actions of the new person for a few seconds up to a few minutes. The
amount of time is very dependent on how the camper responds to this type of
attention. Some campers will do the funniest things when they know
everyone is going to repeat it.
Murder Wink (circle/passive)
Killer winks at his victim. The victim waits 5 seconds and then
falls. The victim chooses his own way of falling. If a player thinks he
can identify the killer, he points and says "I accuse you. If he is wrong,
both players are dead.
Musical Roper/Hoops Equipment: music
This game is similar to musical chairs, but does not eliminate anybody.
Scatter a number of hoops and ropes around the area in which you are playing
the game. The number of ropes or hoops will vary with the number of people
playing. Play music loud enough for everyone to hear and instruct them to
move around (hop, skip, backwards, run etc.) When the music is stopped, the
group must be holding onto one of the ropes or hoops. Each time the music
stops you remove one hoop or rope until everyone is holding onto or standing
inside one.
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.
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.
Black Magic (circle / passive)
The leader needs a helper who understands how the trick works. The helper
leaves the circle. While they are gone, the group decides on an object.
The helper then comes back to the group, their task is to guess what the
object is. The leader asks questions like, "Is it the swings?" or "Is it
the bench". The helper replies no. The trick is that the object will be
the first one after a black object.
Magic Sticks (circle / passive)
The leader starts with 2 sticks. They hold the sticks crossed or uncrossed
and says "These sticks are crossed" or "these sticks are uncrossed". The
leader then passes the sticks around and each camper tries to figure it
out. The trick is that the sticks are crossed if their legs are crossed
and if they aren't crossed either are the sticks.
Numbers (circle / passive)
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.
Peaches (circle / passive)
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.
Silly Sally (passive)
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
No See Em's (icebreaker)
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.
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.
Objectification (drama)
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.
Octopus (active)
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
Oh Deer (active/nature)
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.
Old Mother Witch (active)
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.
Ooh-Ahh (circle/passive)
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.
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.
People to People (moderate)
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!
Pina (circle/passive)
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.
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
Poison (moderate)
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.
Poor Kitty (circle/passive)
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.
Pop Goes the Weasel (active)
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.
Port and Starboard (active)
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.
Prisoner's Base (active)
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.
Pruie (moderate)
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!
Psychic Shake (moderate)
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.
Punch Ball (moderate/circle)
See "Elephant Ball"
Punctured Drum (cooperative)
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.
Quack (icebreaker)
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.
Quack Quack (moderate)
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.
Queenie (moderate)
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.
Rabid Nuggets (active)
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.
Racoon Dinner Time (active) 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.
Races (very active)
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.
Red Handed (passive/circle)
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.)
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.
Red Light (active)
Players stand in a straight line about 50 ft. from IT. IT turns his
back and says "green light", counts to ten, and says "red light" and then
turns around. Meanwhile the players have moved as far forward as possible.
Whomever he sees moving must return to the starting place. The first
person to pass IT wins.
Red Lion (active)
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.
Red Rover (active)
There are two teams both of which form lines and grasp hands together.
One team starts by saying "Red Rover, Red Rover, will come over". The name
called can be anyone from the opposite team.. That person called runs over
and tries to break through the line. If he does get through, then he can
take someone back over to his own team with him. If he doesn't break
through he stays with the opposite team. Then the other team takes a turn
at calling someone over.
** N.B. EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE TAKEN TO PREVENT INJURY WITH THIS GAME.
Relays
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!
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.
Rocket Race to Mars (passive)
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.
Romeo and Juliet (active)
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.
Roundabout (active)
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.
Row Ball (active) 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.
Run Sheep Run (active)
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.
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.
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...)
Sardines (active)
***Note: need 100% supervision to play
One player hides, all the rest of the players count to 100. Then they
set out to find the hidden player. When one of the players finds the
hidden player he secretly joins him, hiding from the rest of the group.
This continues until al the players are hidden like a pack of little
sardines. When the last hunter discovers the spot the game is over.
Sculpture (passive)
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.
Scavenger Hunt 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)
Spilt 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.
Shadow Tracks (passive)
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.
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.
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.
Shoes (active)
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 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!
Siamese Soccer (active/coop)
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 ...
Simon Says (moderate)
Players form a line facing the leader, who performs any action saying
Simon says do this. If He doesn't say " Simon says" before an action then
anyone who imitates the action is out of the game. Continue until one
person is left.
Skin the Snake (cooperative)
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.
Smugglers (active)
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.
Snake in the Grass (active)
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.
Snowblind (active)
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*
Spirals (circle)
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.
Spokes (active)
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.
Spud (active) Equipment: Ball
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.
Stand in a line (moderate)
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.
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.
Stealing Sticks (active) 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.
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.
Stomp the Snake (active) 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.
Stormy Sea (active)
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.
Streets and Alleys (active)
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.
Squirrel Tails (active)
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.
Swat (active/circle) 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".
Taffy Pull (active)
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.
TAG (active)
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.
Color Tag Scatter -- Leader calls a color. If you are wearing that
color 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"
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!"
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.
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.
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.
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.
Piggyback Tag -- Play is same as simple tag but players are in pairs
with one mounted on the other's back.
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.
Tent Erection (cooperative) 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!!
The Thicket Game (active)
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.
Things (passive/backpocket)
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.
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.
Thumper (circle/passive)
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.
Toe Fencing (active)
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.
Toeies (cooperative)
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.
Togeth-air Ball (cooperative)
See " group Juggling"
Toma Hawk Snatch (active)
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.
True and False (active)
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.
Trust Fall (cooperative)
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.
Tunnel Race (active/circle)
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 off the ground.
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.
Ultimate Foxtail (active)
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.
Uncle Sam (active)
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.
Vampire (active)
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.
Viking (circle/passive)
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.
Wacky Walkers (active)
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.
What's Missing? (passive)
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)
The children line up at one end with Mr. Wolf at the opposite end of
the playing area with his back to the rest of the group. The children
advance together asking " What time is it Mr. Wolf?". The wolf responds
with any time (for each hour the children take one step forward. ie. 2
O'clock is 2 steps forward) but when he calls "Dinnertime", the children
must run back to the starting line without getting caught by the wolf. If
the wolf catches someone then that person also becomes a wolf. The last
person left wins.
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.
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.
Wink (passive)
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.
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.
Ying Yang Yoo (passive)
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.
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