120 games manual 10.2009Document Transcript 1. 120 GamesEvery Recreation Leader Should Know THE LEADERS BAG OF TRICKS 120 GAMES 1985-2011 Created & Collected By: Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi, Written & Edited by Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi David Justin Ibarra: 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS 2-3 2 3. Philosophy and suggestion for conducting games 4 -5A few ways to create a positive win-win atmosphere 5-6When and How to Change Games 7Suggestions for leading fun activities 78Simple rules to remember when working with children 8Recognizing children with special needs 9Characteristics of age groups 10 - 11Ten easy steps for any verbal exchange 11Things to remember as a game referee 12Program ideas-family/intergenerational play ideas 13 14 TAG GAMES 15Line Tag/Uncle Sam 16Elbow tag/Hug tag 17Dragons Tail/Blob Tag 18Steal the Bacon 19Chill out/hospital tag 20Midnight/ball tag 21Rock, Paper Scissors Tag/ Dry, Dry, Wet 22Fox Tails/ditchem 23Flashlight Tag/ red light, green light 24Everybodys It/block tag 25Dice game/ bumper car tag 26 PARACHUTE GAMES 27 Jaws/ Mushroom 28 Popcorn/Hot air Balloon 29 Cat and Mouse/Pass Thru 30 Wave/Volcano 31 Rainbow/Lifeguard 32 ACTIVE GAMES 33Dodge Ball 34Double Dodge 35Socco 36Rocks 37Kick the Can/Soft War-British Bulldog 38Pony Express 39Jedi Master 40Exploding Enchiladas 41Knock the Blocks/Snow Fight 42Jail Break 43Peg ball/SDP ball 44Capture the Flag 45Rabbit Hunter 46Octopus/Monarch 47Rock, Paper Scissors, under legs/Gladiator assault 48Quidditch/ Hidden leader 49 3 4. Jedi Jousting/GA-GA-GA 50DEDUCTION GAMES 51Pass the Penny/Spook Ball 52Dream Master/Hidden winker 53Run, Shout, Knock Yourself out 54Four Corners 55Aah, Sa, Go! /Balloon Stomp 56Cowboys and Indians/Spud 57Run, Rabbit, Run/run until you drop 58BUS GAMES 59Famous/Out of State License Plate 60Flashlight Game 61Alphabet/I spy 62SPORTS GAMES 63Football Golf/Sumo wrestling 64Turkey Bowling/Ice Block Bowling 65Alaskan Baseball/Frisbee 300 66Ultimate Frisbee 67Slip-N-slide kickball/NO BASE BASEBALL 68Boom BalL/Clothes Pinning 69Kick Ball-Basket Ball 70TEAMBUILDING GAMES 71Swamp Relay/ Magic Carpet 72Hit and Run/ Human Knot 73Group Juggling Quick Line Up 74Lanyard Hunt/Get This, Get That 75Mind Field/ Hula Hoop Pass 76Stand off 77Coin Football 78Pass Attack 79ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND EDITOR 80-83 PHILOSOPHY AND SUGGESTIONS FOR CONDUCTING GAMES 4 5. Games are part of the fun and relaxation needed by everyone - adults and children. When a game program is tobe conducted, the games should be planned and varied in type, formation, and grouping of the players, activeand quiet. Games that satisfy the needs of some do not always satisfy the needs of others in the same age group,just as games and activities for one age do not satisfy another age group. Therefore, it is good for each leader tobuild up a repertoire of games that they can recall when some of the games scheduled are not working with thegroup.PURPOSEThere might be many reasons for playing games and these reasons, in turn, will determine the games to beplayed. For instance, if the group has been sitting a long time or has been doing something boring, it is good tobring in a game that can revitalize the group and give it a renewed interest in the planned meeting. Again, theremight be a need, if the group has too much energy, to give an active vigorous game that will re-channel thatenergy. Maybe, if the game is to terminate the meeting, the game planned should be one that is quick toorganize and is always fun, so that the group leaves in a positive mood. Or, the purpose might be to have ameeting or party made up of only games and, maybe, refreshments.AIMSThe leaders responsibility, first of all, is to know exactly what they wish to accomplish, what are the hoped foreffects resulting from their choice of games. Games might be chosen, in addition to their fun quality, to developgood sportsmanship, to improve physical or mental abilities, alertness, and/or social abilities. I have included anew game list to help you remember all of the games we played today and help you with your leadership skills.GAME SELECTIONConducting games is an important responsibility of a Recreation Leader. It is very important that you payattention to these factors. Games selected should be equal to the abilities of the group. If there is a widevariation of ages, it is better to choose games equal to or slightly below the average age level rather than above.Games familiar to the group should be included, but it is always well to introduce some new games. The leaderneeds to be prepared to use more games than he/she will be able to play. Games that appeal at one time are notalways equally appealing to the same group at another time.The list of activities to be played should include games, puzzles, stunts or contests to be done by the earlycomers requiring little direction or supervision by the leader. The organized period itself should begin withmixers or icebreakers to get the group acquainted or, if already acquainted, to get them relaxed and in a moodfor fun. The program following should have games contrasting in formation (individual, team, circle, relay,couple, line), equipment (bean bags, variety of balls, ropes, something unusual, no equipment), active or quiet.Quiet games are those that need little movement, usually sitting or standing, or a small amount of walking orrunning.The Leader must first determine their goals. Does he/she wish to accomplish something in addition to planningthat the group has fun?The leader must be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm brings about enthusiasm. If playing the game isnt fun, the purposeof the session has been defeated.The leader must know the rules and not have to refer to a book or file card. It is helpful to the Leader, whenteaching a new game, if they have had an opportunity to previously try it out on a small group. 5 6. A very vital responsibility is to choose the game location, one that is safe and has few danger factors. On theoutside area look for holes, irregularities of the ground, concrete edges, posts and poles, overhanging branches,building corners, fences, and/or traffic patterns. Inside areas are examined for doors, windows, posts, furniture,protruding cupboards, and polished or slippery surfaces. After the Leader has determined what the hazards are,choose games that minimize the risks.Whether the play period is long or short, the playing space should be prepared: starting, turning, and stoppinglines should be laid out with tape, chalk, masking tape, or anchored paper plates; team lines should be indicated.Rather than use a fence or wall for a goal or turning point, select or place a marker about six feet before thefence or wall is reachedThe Leader should be prepared to start the games on time, keep the activities moving, and finish on time. CONDUCTING GAMESTry to tie the games to the theme or the time of year. Sometimes, only a name change is needed. Change thename of the game to fit the occasion and coordinating the name of the equipment or action with the name of thegame.Insist that the group be quiet when giving directions. Everyone should listen. Sometimes a handclap, whistle, orarm signal is used, but usually with older groups, just standing quietly until the talking subsides is sufficient.The Leader should stand where everyone can see and hear, usually on one side of a circle or in front of thegroup. If explanation or demonstration will be long, the group can sit or squat instead of stand.In teaching new games, get the groups playing as soon as possible. If it is a game needing much instruction,pick a small group to demonstrate, while the rest watch; have the group ask questions before beginning play. Ifminimal instruction will be sufficient, give the few directions needed, get the game going, and makesuggestions as it is being played.Encourage the timid and less skilled player. The more capable a person is, the more he will enjoy the activity.It is usually better to award points to the other team or have the player perform a forfeit or penalty action ratherthan be eliminated.Beware of using any nicknames or making comments that can wound the feelings of a sensitive child or adult.Have the equipment needed for the games that are planned quickly accessible for the Leader, but out of sight orreach of the players.It cannot be stressed too much that the Leader must be organized and prepared so they can have a good time andbe enthusiastic with the group. Their enthusiasm will bring up the groups enthusiasm.When a stunt or game is being played by a few and watched by the rest of the group, be sure that it is as muchfun to watch as it is to play or do. Relax and have fun. 6 7. A FEW OTHER WAYS TO CREATE A POSITIVE WIN-WIN ATMOSPHEREIdeas for Creating Teams1. Birthdays2. Nails3. Stand on one foot4. Ducks and cows5. Cards6. Psychic shake7. Count off by 4s (or fruits, animals, etc.)8. Find a partner/say goodbye9. Folding arms10. Letters of alphabet11. Vowels12. Mingle (be in groups this big)13. Data processing14. Others?Purpose: Quickly/Arbitrarily/Fairly and no one is picked last. 7 8. WHEN AND HOW TO CHANGE GAMES1. Tag (more it helpers)2. Handicapping (i.e., only tag with one arm; change the way folks move; shrink boundaries; add more balls, etc.)3. In guessing games, teach creative hint giving; changing the position of the guessers, make movements more obvious, etc.a. May have more than one It.b. May use more than one ball or beanbag (consider if an element of danger has been introduced).c. Have a circle within a circle.d. Have several small circles rather than one large one.e. Change a relay to a shuttle relay, if there are too many players or to an individual competition, if there are too few.f. Have a team in line formation competing against another team in line formation, rather than one individual competing against another individual. SUGGESTIONS FOR LEADING FUN ACTIVITIES1. Be Well Prepared:a. The game leader should know the material well enough so that all of his attention can be devoted to the spirit and fun of the game.b. Use terms of explanation that are as simple and concise as possible.c. Use small reference cards, held in the hand (almost out of sight), for giving instructions and rules until you are sure of them.2. Like People and Fun:a. Leaders should always be friendly and understanding, remembering everyones basic need for recognition.b. Never force people to anticipate. Be careful of the shy ones.c. The Leader should identify himself with the group, referring to the group and himself as we. 8 9. d. Directions and instructions should be given in a kind, tactful manner.e. Show an interest in people, praising attempts as well as success.f. Forget yourself. Remember that the important thing is to get your ideas across.g. The games should not be serious. Keep in mind that fun, laughter and sociability are the goals. SIMPLE RULES TO REMEMBER WHEN WORKING WITH CHILDRENMinors are not to be left unattended at any time. Appropriate judgment must be used while supervising minorparticipants. We are responsible for participants entrusted to our care!If a minor participant is ill while attending an activity, the parent/guardian should be contacted immediately andappropriate action taken. If the participant is an adult, appropriate judgment should be used. The health andwelfare of the larger group is of prime importance.Staff should arrive no less than fifteen minutes prior to the beginning of the program and be prepared to stayafterwards for evaluative purposes.Upon arrival to an area, the site must be inspected for safety purposes. Any hazard must be corrected, removedif possible, or reported directly to the Supervisor.If you arrive to an area and it has been broken into, there is vandalism or theft, call your supervisorimmediately.Staff is expected to dress appropriately. Uniforms must always be worn.Activities should be age-appropriate and normalizing in nature.Monthly calendars are to be planned by all staff assigned to a given program. Participant input should beconsidered. The calendars are due to the Supervisor the second to the last week of each month. Calendars forthe coming month are to be distributed the last week of each month.Staff must be prepared for all scheduled activities. It is the duty of each staff member to know what is expectedand to follow through accordingly. Participants should be involved with the cleanup process for each activity. 9 10. RECOGNIZING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDSSeveral million children suffer from a little-understood problem called learning disabilities. It is estimated thatfrom 3% to 15% of the nations school aged children are affected. Boys outnumber girls by five to one. InCalifornia, they are referred to as educationally handicapped or learning disabled. The children have beencalled laxly, undisciplined, underachievers, daydreamers and even falsely labeled as mentally retarded oremotionally disturbed.Ted, nearly seven years old, memorized whole stories by hearing others read them, yet Could not recognize any words from seeing them Confused letters that looked alike Had difficulty describing people and surroundings Had no concept of left and rightMargaret, a lively outgoing seven year old, was a whiz at doing puzzles and copying drawings, but Had difficulty saying what she meant Could not repeat a series of three numbers accurately Called a manner pammel and a teapot keetot Had trouble recalling what she was toldCarl, ten years old, read well but had not learned to subtract because he couldnt grasp the concept that onenumber was more or less than another. Mike, eight years old and obviously bright, had the vocabulary of aneleven-year-old and could tell very imaginative stories, yet Downed around, became unruly and disrupted the class by pushing and punching everyone Everything distracted him; his attention was short Seemed unable to do any schoolwork Thought he was stupid or dumb because he couldnt achieve what his parents and teachers expected of himA LEARNING DISABILITY IS A MYSTIFYING HANDICAP. While the childrens intellectual potential isusually near average, average or above average, they function at a lower level. The children are from alleconomic levels and racial backgrounds. Their hearing and sight are usually normal and, although somefrequently display inappropriate behavior, they are not primarily emotionally disturbed. They are oftenattractive children with no obvious physical handicap.Causes of learning disabilities are not known and there are many theories: genetic patterns, maturational ordevelopmental lag chemical imbalance, metabolic malfunction, poor nutrition, birth injury, high fevers,accident, neurological irregularities, and allergies. Whatever the cause, parents should not blame themselves. Inmost cases the causes will not be discovered but the children can be helped. With skilled handling by allprofessionals and understanding parents, most of these children can become well-adjusted, self-sufficient,productive adults.Compiled by Diane Frost (Revised: 1980)Copyright 1975 CANHC, Contra Costa West Chapter 10 11. CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE GROUPSThe following information was taken from a book called Recreation Leaders Guide by Myrtle Edwards andbriefly describes some of the most distinct characteristics of children.Three to Five Age Group:During the early stages of this preschool period, most are self-centered individualists and only gradually acceptthe ideas of group participation. Their attention span is short and their coordination is limited. It is difficult forthem to share their attention and toys. They grab, attack each other, boss, wriggle around, show off, seek praise,tell fanciful tales, cry easily, sulk, have temper tantrums, and destroy what belongs to others. They may refuseto do what is expected of them. They frequently fail to finish what they start. As they progress toward the end ofthe preschool period, however, they develop a greater sense of balance, both physical and emotional. They thenadjust to group activities more easily and attain better motor control. They are able to manipulate scissors, largecrayons, and large paint brushes. They like to imitate and dramatize.Five through Seven Age Group:During this stage, children usually enjoy group activities. They are imitative, eager for attention and able tofinish what they start if it is within their scope of ability. They like to show off and hold the center of the stage.They may be jealous and bossy, but are usually eager to help. They like active games and can follow simpledirections. They seek praise and show their displeasure by temper tantrums, pushing and hitting.Eight through Twelve Age Group:During this stage, children have a desire to excel, and this desire can be utilized to teach them to appreciate theefforts of others. They are very active physically, mentally, and creatively, and their desire for adventure iskeen. They enjoy dramatic games, formal and informal play, and pantomime. Story telling and story readinghold their interest. They are eager to prove their superiority and are not reluctant to argue, push, and fight.Sports, competitive games, and tournaments are excellent deterrents, but fair play and rules of good conductmust be strictly enforced. This is also the hero worship stage when children admire leaders and role models.Thirteen and Over Age Group:During the early teens, both boys and girls are very gang or team conscious. It is most important to them to beaccepted by the crowd. Their manner of dress, hairstyle, and even their vocabulary must follow the pattern setby the group. Boys usually prefer the company of other boys, but the girls are interested in boys and will readilyaccept boys activities. However, a boy will shy away from anything he considers sissy.While the girls growth is almost completed at age 13, the boys development is still undergoing rapid change.Patience and understanding are needed on the part of the leader, since this is also the period of developmentduring which the boys feel a great need to show off. It is most important to set consistent standards of behaviorfor this age group, develop good leadership traits and insist on respect for the rights of others. Discipline,however, must be carefully handled, since these young people must never lose face with the crowd. Co-recreational activities - ones not of the roughhouse variety - should be introduced as well as competitiveactivities that afford opportunity for group participation.The older teens are much more individualistic in their conduct and choice of activities. Their span of interestmakes it possible to include all types of personal skill games and team sports, dancing, social activities, music, 11 12. and drama. The boys like a body building program, while the girls like the charm school variety of activity.Almost any co-recreational program is well received. At this age most young people are quite sure they knowall the answers. Thus, the leader must use tact and be considerate of their personal interests. They like to feelimportant, and when given responsibilities of leadership and planning, they can become valuable assets to theprogram. 10 EASY STEPS FOR ANY VERBAL EXCHANGE1. Dont get angry; express your feelings.2. Surface hidden hostility by talking about and attempting to understand causes.3. Avoid the silent treatment; stay engaged.4. Avoid bringing up past misbehaviors and negatives that have nothing to do with the current situation.5. Deal with behavior, not personality.6. Strive for a win-win situation.7. Encourage and make positive statements.8. Listen and restate in your own words what you perceive the other person is saying.9. Accept honest feedback.10. Speak clearly and distinctly, calling the person in conflict by their name. 12 13. THINGS TO REMEMBER AS A GAME REFEREE1. All referees support each other, equality among referees, respect each other.2. Notice participants needs3. Referees should have a good time, too!4. You are an active, participating referee.5. If you have a good attitude, it makes people want to play.6. Be aware of equipment-if it is distracting or dominates the game, keep it out of sight.7. Be aware of your population-what games can everyone play as equals8. Be sure to focus on safety.9. Make sure everyone cares about everyone elses safety.10. Remember the 3 basics-safety, teamwork, enthusiasm11. Keep high energy under control.Punishment as a consequence The concept of punishment as a consequence gets bad press, but anyone who denies its existence or occasional necessity is simply out of touch with reality. Punishment is usually successful in curbing undesired behavior, but very effective in producing desired behavior. Adults need to clarify for themselves the purpose of the punishment. Punishing consequences should always happen in a contact of love with training that follows.For Creative Consequences for Kids: Convince kids that their behavior is unbelievable and teach them how to do it better. Revelation of self-by saturation of inappropriate behavior Do the unexpected-write notes, mirror behaviors, elicit groups to help others Peer counseling-kids who have been successful in solving problems assist those who Experience the same problems. ALL PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR WORK FOR INDIVIDUALS OR WORK AGAINST THEM. ALL BEHAVIOR, GOOD OR BAD, IS MAINTAINED BY ITS CONSEQUENCES. 13 14. PROGRAM IDEAS-FAMILY/INTERGENERATIONAL PLAY IDEAS: By Bill Michaelis, S.F.S.U.1. Great American Fun Campaign-Family Coupons i.e. 2 hours of undivided attention, an Afternoon of baking, 1 VCR movie and popcorn2. Family Activity of the Month i.e. Flying Trash Bags3. Family and Small Group Games(YMCA/ Michaelis Workshop)4. Family Leisure Education i.e. Barriers, Kids Values Pix, Cheap and Free Places to Go.5. Y-Family Fun Days and Nights i.e. edible Vegetable Sculptures, Family Swim.6. Y-Kids of Single Parents Support Group7. Stroller Derby and Little Peoples Walk and Fair8. Boys-Girls Club Mixed Media and Family Fun and Food Night9. S.P.A.R.C. of Life Adapted Family Leisure Education Process10. Family Play share11. Pleasant Hill: Leisure-Its A Family Affair; Trips, Sports Card Expo, Breakfast With Santa, Mini Indy Traffic Town, Silly Frilly Family Olympics, Father and Kids Dinner and Magic Show, Career Day, and Paper Boat Races, etc.12. Intergenerational Service and Education Groups i.e. T.L.C., New Age, Grand Teens Letters to Santa13. Some more Intergenerational Ideas(cleaning seniors yards/houses, tutoring kids, Concerts for the seniors, the immigrant experience, Tale Spinners, working at elderly Homes, Growing Together: a Multi-age Multimedia Arts Program, Lunch Bunch Roundtable for seniors and teens, Modified street games of yesteryear like stickball, box ball, stoopball14. Picture It (Photography for Teens and Older Adults15. Leisure State (Older adults and preschoolers)16. Family Sports Programs like bowling, tennis, walking, swimming, etc17. Family Tournament Nights18. Spring Fitness Festival19. Do Something Different i.e. Giant Bowling with Earth balls, Couch Potato Olympics20. Outdoor/Indoor Family Adventure Risks21. Dont Worry, Be Happy(Bobby McFerrin Creativity Playshop)22. T.V. Alternatives and Games23. End of Summer Family Nights on the Playground24. Family Hikes and Bikes25. Parent/Child Participation26. Family Carnivals27. Family Field Trips, Snow Trips28. Family Treasure Hunt29. Ice Cream/Pizza Taste-off or Dessert Potluck30. Frisbee Tournament31. Board Games and Popcorn night32. Indoor Picnic and Indoor Croquet33. Solstice Teepee Campfire, Songs, Skits, Stories34. Clay Day; Can You Dig It, make it, fire it, etc.35. Host a Murder36. Have a Family St. Stupids Parade on April Fools Day 14 15. 37. Family Sunday With Themes or Various Offerings like kitefests, birds of the world38. Winter Wonderland (crushed or blown ice on a hillside for sledding and family picnics)39. Parent Child Tea40. Family Day Camp B.B.Q. and Show41. Stuffed Animal Exchange42. Family Balloon Night43. Building an intergenerational playground44. Back Yard Camping45. Block Parties with Mobile Equipment Vans or Picnic Races46. Car Rallies, Bike Rallies, and Maintenance47. YMCA(Green Sheet) Sharing Family Culture and Customs, Holiday Celebrations48. Winnepeg Program-Orienteering, Fishing Clinic, Pets Are Family Too, Beginning Birding49. Pot Luck Earth Day50. Low income access to nature programs and the zoo (ticket distribution and subsidy)51. Etc.-Backwards Walk, Dog for a day, Adult Tricycle Races, Can Flattening contest52. YMCA Family Huddle Program 15 16. TAGGAMES 16 17. Line TagNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Basketball CourtHow to play: Pick one person to be IT and one person to be the doctor. Whenthe game begins, everyone must be standing on a line on the court which is the onlyway to move around in this game. The player who is it will try to tag everyone; ifyou are tagged, you are now a road block and must put your hand out to your side.As a road block, no one can pass you. The only way you can be freed from being aroad block is if the doctor tags you. This game continues until everybody istagged as well as the doctor.Note: This game can go on for a long time so add its when needed.Uncle SamNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary linesHow to play: Line up all players on one side of the field and then choose oneperson to become Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam must stand in the middle of the field andstand facing the players; the players Sing Uncle Sam, may we cross your riverdam? Uncle Sam responds by saying Only if you are wearing red. Thoseplayers who have red on must run to the goal line without getting tagged. If taggedbefore reaching the goal line, the player tagged must now help Uncle Sam tagplayers who try to run by. After all have run across to the other side, the gamecontinues and all those that have been tagged are now helpers to Uncle Sam. Thegame continues until all players are tagged and the last person tagged becomes thenew Uncle Sam for the next game. 17 18. ELBOW TAGNumber of players: 12 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary linesHow to play: Everyone pairs up and joins elbows. One pair will decide to be thechaser and the chasee. The chaser runs after the chasee and tries to tag him/her. Tobe safe, the chasee joins elbows with one of the pairs and since there can only betwo to a pair, the person on the other side of the pair becomes the chasee. If thechaser tags the chasee, then the chasee becomes the chaser and vice versa.Variation: Choo-Choo: 3Three people stand together, one behind the other and, to get safe, you hook on theback and say Choo-Choo to let the first person know to run.HUG TAGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for a boundary linesHow to play: This is played like elbow tag except that the way to be safe is to hugsomeone. In other words, someone is it and he runs around trying to tag others.It can only tag people who are not hugging; however players may only hug forfive seconds at a time. Then players must find a new person and continue. Ifsomeone gets tagged, he/she is now it and runs after the rest of the group.Variations: Have the hug group be three or more people or have more than oneperson be it. 18 19. DRAGON TAILNumber of players: 12 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and two flagsHow to play: Divide the group into two groups and have each group line up andlink hands; hang a flag out of the pants of the person at the end to be a tail. (Theother end of the line is the dragons head.) Now, have the two dragons chase eachother and try to get the tail of the other dragon. The dragon must stay intact at alltimes. As soon as one dragons tail is caught, the tail becomes the head of the otherdragon and the game continues.BLOB TAGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary linesHow to play: One person is it and everyone else avoids him/her so they dontget tagged. This is like any other tag game except that when someone is tagged, he/she joins hands with the person that is it and becomes part of the blob. This blobgoes around with the ends being the only part of the blob being able to tag someone.The last person starts the new blob. 19 20. STEAL THE BACONNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Rubber pig or any soft item available. Cones for boundary linesHow to play: Divide players into two teams. The organizer is the caller. Eachplayer on the team is given a number. When the caller yells out a number, playerson both teams with the corresponding number run to the middle and try to steal thebacon, pig, fish, chicken, etc. That player must run back to their side without gettingtagged. If the player successfully steals the bacon without getting tagged, that teamgets a point. However, if he gets tagged, the opposing team gets the point. Note:The caller is able to call more than one number to add excitement to the game. See diagram #19 20 21. CHILL OUT TAGNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Large open space.How to play: Two people are it and everyone else is on their own. Theparticipants who are it try to tag the participants and, if successful, the participantmust sit down. In order to get freed, two people that are not it must stand over thetagged individual, slap both hands in a high 10 manner and say chill out. Thenthe player is free and can run away or help other frozen players. The last twopeople that have not been tagged are the new taggers or they choose the new peoplewho are it.HOSPITAL TAGNumber Of Players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for a boundary linesHow to play: This is an every man for himself game in which the players try totag everybody. Players have two arms, two legs, body and head in that order. Oncea body part is tagged, it is now dead and not in use. If both hands are tagged, theplayer must tag each other by using his feet or if one leg is tagged, the player musthop. If both legs are tagged, then the players must use arms or what ever they haveleft. The player must sit down and try to touch someone next to him. The lastperson with a body part is the winner.Variation: You can have a doctor with a healing touch if you choose but they mustcrawl. 21 22. MIDNIGHTNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary linesHow to play: Line up all players on one side of the field and then choose oneperson to become Mr. Clock. Mr. Clock must stand in the middle of the field facingthe players. The group then sings Mr. Clock, Mr. Clock what time is it? ThenMr. Clock can say one - eleven oclock; players then move forward the number ofsteps Mr. Clock said. If the clock says, Midnight or twelve oclock, everyonemust run to the goal line without getting tagged. If tagged, those players join theclock being it. The last person tagged becomes the new clock for the next game.BALL TAGNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines. BallsHow to play: Two or more people can be it for this game. Each person that isit gets 1-2 balls to use as taggers. The it players then count to 10 from adesignated safe spot to allow the other players to run and hide. The object of thegame is to get to the base without being tagged by a ball. If one gets tagged by aball, you are now it and must help the taggers get the rest of the players before theyget to the designated safe spot. 22 23. ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS TAGNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary linesHow to play: Two groups line up facing each other on the opposite sides of thefield after they have chosen whether they want to be a rock, paper or scissors as ateam. The two groups stand facing each other; they say Rock, paper, scissors! asa team and they flash a sign - using the fist as a rock, the flat hand as paper, and twofingers as scissors. If they have the same sign, they do it over but if they havedifferent signs, the winner runs after the loser and tags as many as he can to join hisside. Rock wins over scissors, scissors win over paper and paper wins over rock.Variation: Man, tiger, gun (taser) and giant, trolls, fairiesDry, Dry, WetNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Bucket and waterHow to play: This game is just like Duck, Duck, Goose. Players sit in a circle.One player is chosen to go around the group saying Dry, Dry Wet! When hesays Wet! he pours the bucket of water on that person sitting in the circle. Theperson who gets wet must stand up and tag the person who got them wet; beforethat he can run and sit in wet persons spot. Note: This is a great summer game. 23 24. FOXS TAILNumber of players: 12 or moreEquipment: Cones, for boundary lines. FlagHow to play: Pick one person to become the fox; the fox will have a flag in theirshorts. Then line up the rest of the group on one side of the field. The organizerwill blow the whistle once and the fox runs; on the second whistle, the rest of thegroup runs and tries to take the tail from the fox. Once the flag is taken, the gamestops and the person who took the flag is the new fox. Then continue the patternagain. The person who is the fox after five minutes is the winner.DITCHEMNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines.How to play: It stands at the designated goal and counts to 25 while the otherplayers run and hide. It then calls out that he is coming and goes out to look foreveryone. The first found becomes it for the next game. He then continues tosearch until all the players are found. As an additional element, a hider may savehimself by reaching and tagging the goal before it does. In this case, the first onefound and caught becomes the new it.NoteUse a whistle or similar signal to call players in who would not have been found ifthe game begins to drag. Know your play area so that you will be able to clearlyexplain and forbid the use of undesirable hiding places. 24 25. FLASHLIGHT TAGNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and a flashlightHow to play: This game of tag is played in the dark. The person who is it has aflashlight. He/she who is it must tag the next person by shining the flashlighton them. Once someone is caught with the light, that player becomes it and theflashlight is passed onto him/her until he/she shines the flashlight on another player,and so on.RED LIGHT,GREEN LIGHTNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines.How to play: Line up all players on one side of the field and then choose oneperson to become the traffic light. The traffic light must stand in the middle of thefield and stands facing the players. When the traffic light is standing facing theparticipants, everybody must remain frozen, when the traffic light in facing theother way, the group will walk, run etc, and try to tag the traffic light. The trafficlight may move slow or move fast; anyone spotted moving when the traffic light isfacing the group must go back 10 feet. The person who tags the traffic light withoutgetting tagged wins. 25 26. EVERYBODYS ITNumber of players: Six or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines.How to play: This is a warm up game. Every player on the field is it and whenthe game begins, each player tries to tag any other player. It is a game to get theplayers warmed up and ready for the rest of the games for the day. Typically thisgame is played with younger children because it does not involve a lot of rules orequipment.BLOCK TAGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and one block colored with two colors.How to play: Divide the group into two equal teams, red team and green team.Bring the group together so they are facing each other. The leader of the group willthrow a block into the air. When the block lands, a color will show; if red shows,the green team must run to the other side of the field to be safe. If green shows, thered team must run to the other side of the field to be safe. When the teams colorshows, that team is to tag as many people possible, while the other team runs tosafety. Anyone tagged by the opposite team must now switch teams. Gamecontinues until one team is left standing. 26 27. DICE GAMENumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines, one block colored with two colors.How to play: Four cones are placed, one in each corner of a rectangular base.Split players into two teams: one will be odds and the other will be evens. The twoteams will face each other in the middle of the rectangular field. One team will rollthe two dice. If the roll is even, the even team will try to tag the odd team before theodd team runs through the cones on their (the odd teams) side; and vice versa: ifthe roll is odd, then the odd team will try to tag the even team before the even teamruns through the cones on their (the even teams) side. If the roll is even and theeven team tags members of the odd team before the odd team runs through theircones, then those on the odd team that were tagged become members of the eventeam and vice versa (ie: the roll is even. The even team runs after the odd team andtwo are tagged before they reach their cones. Then those two odd team memberswho were tagged become members of the even team.) Then both teams withpossible new members meet in the middle again and roll. The objective is to haveall players on your side.BUMPER CAR TAGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: On the field or in a basketball court, have all of the players spreadout away from each other. Now have the players close their eyes and fold their armsacross their chest. Their arms should act as a bumper. On a leaders count, theplayers begin to WALK around the play area and try not to run into each other.The players may make car sounds or honking noises to try to avoid a collision withanother player. If two players bump into each other, then they both sit down and actas traffic cones tagging the other players as they walk by but all players must havetheir eyes closed for the entire game. Last car standing wins. 27 28. PARACHUTE GAMES 28 29. JAWS Number of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and makes waves. They thenstart chanting the theme from jaws - Dun ta, Dun ta, etc. Then someonebecomes jaws and moves under the parachute like a shark. If the shark grabs you,you scream and become part of the jaw.MUSHROOMNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Start out like balloon, but when the parachute is up, everyone stepforward and, pulling the parachute behind them, sit down on a piece of it. Everyoneis now sitting inside the parachute. 29 30. POPCORNNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One Parachute and five ballsHow to play: Have the group sit in a circle around the parachute and lift it up anddown to make waves. Have someone toss a couple of balls on the parachute - thisbecomes popcorn. The object is to keep the popcorn (balls) on the parachute, sowhen one flies towards your side, you lift up the parachute to push the ball back tothe other side.HOT AIRBALLOONNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and lifts it up and takes itdown in unison. When they lift up the parachute, they all move in towards themiddle; this looks like a balloon. 30 31. CAT & MOUSENumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Everyone is standing around the parachute making waves. Oneperson goes under the parachute to be the mouse and one person crawls on top ofthe parachute to be the cat. You have to hold the parachute low enough for the catto be on top, but high enough to give the mouse room. The cat crawls around thetop of the parachute in search of the mouse who is crawling around underneathtrying not to be caught. The people holding the parachute work to protect themouse by hiding it with waves. Once the cat catches the mouse by grabbing hold ofit when he/she finds it, new people can play.PASS THRUNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and lifts it up and down inunison. When the parachute is up, the caller calls out something like Everyonewearing white may pass thru. These people run to the other side before theparachute is brought all the way down. Make sure people dont bring the parachutedown too hard. Also, if a lot of people are playing, you can have them hop on onefoot to the other side so they dont go so fast. 31 32. WAVENumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Having everyone holding on to the parachute at a low level, start bylifting the parachute up one by one in a circular fashion. This should create a wave.Make sure that everyone picks up and then pulls down the parachute quickly to geta current of air under the chute. As you lift your section up, the person next to youstarts lifting it up and then on down the row. To create more excitement, you canput the ball on the parachute and try to keep it going in a circle by being pushed bythe wave.VOLCANONumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachute and one gator ballHow to play: The group leader places a ball in the middle of the parachute. Therest of the group grabs the parachute and keeps it on the ground. The group leaderwill then ask the group to pick up the parachute in unison; when the parachute is upover everybodys head, the group leader will shout NOW; then the group mustsnap the parachute down to the ground. Then the ball will launch in the air like avolcano. 32 33. RAINBOWNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and lifts it up and takes itdown in unison then puts the parachute behind them and sits on it. The groupleader will then yell out colors. If a participant is sitting on that color, they mustrun to another side and sit on the same color; this continues several times. If thegroup leader calls out rainbow, the whole group must race to find another coloracross from their original spot.LIFEGUARDNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: One parachuteHow to play: Two people are chosen as lifeguards and one person is a shark.Everyone sits in the round with the parachute on their lap. The shark goes under theparachute. The shark will begin to pull people under the parachute. The peoplemust first call for a lifeguards help. The lifeguard then goes to save the personfrom going under the parachute and becoming another shark.Note: this game must be played on a soft surface like grass. 33 34. ACTIVEGAMES 34 35. DODGE BALLNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines; 10-15 gator ballsHow to play: Form a large circle and divide players into two even teams, placingone inside the circle and the other outside. The object of the game is for the outsideplayers to hit the inside players with the ball. The center players may dodge theballs by jumping, ducking or anything else as long as they dont leave the circle.Any player hit on any part of his body must join the outside players. The last playerto remain in the center is considered the winner. The original groups then switchplaces and start over. 35 36. DOUBLE DODGENumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and 10-15 gator ballsHow to play: Split the participants into two equal teams and designate their sides.The object is to hit the players below the waist or shoulders in order to send them tothe designated out area. There must be a designated out area just outside theboundaries for people who are hit below the waist. Once in the out area, each teamforms a line to get back in. In order to get one player back in, their team must catchthe ball in the air. Once ALL the players on one team are out, the game is over.Hints: If a participant tries to catch the ball in the air and fails, they are out; if theball hits them after it bounces, they are safe. You can make a special ball if needed.to make more people come in after they get out. Example, yellow ball is worth 3people in, instead of one person. 36 37. SOCCO (Nation Ball)Number of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and three gator ballsHow to play: (Similar to Double Dodge) Split the participants into two equalteams and designate their sides. The object is to hit the players below the waist orshoulders in order to send them to the designated out area. There must be adesignated out area just outside the boundaries for people who are hit below thewaist. When a player is out, they must go to the opposite side of the team they areplaying against. Now the game is like picklethe players that are out and theplayer that is still in the game can now double team. Once a player is out, they maynot go back into the game. Once ALL the players on one team are out, the game isover. Hints: If a participant tries to catch the ball in the air and fails, they are out;if the ball hits them after it bounces, they are safe. You can make a special ball ifneeded to make more people come in after they get out. Example, yellow ball isworth three people in, instead of one person. See diagram #34 37 38. ROCKSNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and 12 FrisbeesHow to play: Split the participants into two equal teams and designate their sides.The object is to cross the center line, get into the hula hoop located at the end of theopponents side and bring back all Frisbees or possessions to your side withoutgetting tagged and you win. Hints: You are safe on your side; if you are taggedon the opponents side you must sit down and ** if tagged with a possession, youmust return it and sit down where you were tagged. In order to get free, a teammatemust cross the boundaries and tag you free (once tagged, both players get a freewalk back which means they cannot be tagged until they start running again); andyou can have one foot over the center line and still be safe. 38 39. KICK THE CANNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines and one metal bucket and one hula hoop.How to play: Create a circle 10 feet wide in diameter. The hula hoop is placed inthe middle of the circle. One person is chosen to protect the can. The can is placedin the middle of the hula hoop; the person who is protecting it may not step into thehula hoop or touch the can whatsoever. Everybody else must spread out on theoutside of the circle. Their job is to throw a ball and knock the can down, stayingbehind the line. If the can is knocked over, the person who threw the ball is nowthe guardian of the can. This game has time limits; i.e. after seven minutes, theperson guarding the can wins.SOFT WAR BRITISH BULL DOGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines, one coffee can and one hula hoop.How to play: About 1/10 of the players go the center of the field and the others tothe two end zones. When the people in the middle call out British Bulldog1-2-3, the other players try to run past them to the opposite ends of the fieldwithout getting caught. The catch is that the people in the middle have to lift therunners off the ground and hold them up long enough to shout out the victory cry -British Bulldog 1-2-3! Anyone who is hoisted joins the players in the middle as acatcher. The catchers need to work carefully together so as not to hurt anyone.Remember, the runner they catch becomes their teammate. The game ends whentheres no one left to catch. 39 40. PONYEXPRESSNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Whistle, scratch paper, a pen and participant flags.How to play: This game is best with an open field area, forest space, or park ingeneral. Formation can vary depending upon space availability; most idealsituation is an entire park space. Prior to the game the leader(s) must write outseveral different pieces of paper that have various different items and on them, suchas: gold - $100; rare coins - $75; a new horse - $50, etc. To start the game theleader(s) separate the participants into two teams - the banditos or the ponyexpress. The banditos are sent off into the playing area which is out of site whilethe pony express are given the pieces of paper, or mail that are to be delivered tothe postmaster at the post office. The post office is an unknown place that is run bythe postmaster (whoever is chosen) and it is located in a place that is unknown toboth teams. The pony express distributes the mail amongst themselves andconceals it in their hands. The object is to deliver all of the mail to the postmasterwithout being held up, or getting their flag pulled by the banditos. If the banditospull the flag(s)/hold up of the pony express, they must turn over all mail, but onlyIF the participant held up has any mail. If mail is turned over the banditos mustalso deliver the mail to the postmaster who will take possession of it immediately.Once all of the mail is delivered to the postmaster, or if the pony express are allheld up, the postmaster brings both sides together and counts up the mail todetermine who has won that round.Once the score is tallied, the teams switch roles and the next round is played. At theend of the switch, everything is totaled and a winner is determined. Hints: Ponyexpress can hand off the mail to other teammates if they are being chased and runout of energy; be sure that a majority of the pony express receive mail, but it is notnecessary that everyone have mail. 40 41. JEDI MASTERNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Large open field, 10-15 gator balls and 2 hula hoopsHow to play: Split the participants into two equal teams and designate their sides.Then choose a Jedi master for each team. The Jedi master person must stand in thein the hula hoop. When the game begins, the Jedi master is safe as long as they arestanding in the hula hoop. The object is for the players to throw balls at theopposing team below the waist or shoulders in order to get them out. If a playergets hit, the Jedi Master is the only person that may free his team by tagging themone by one. The team must try to protect the Jedi because when they get hit theycan no longer free their teammates. The game continues until the entire team andJedi are out. If players catch a ball, nothing happens; all other dodge ball rulesapply to the game.EXPLODING 41 42. EXPLODINGENCHILADASNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines, 10-15 gator ballsHow to play: Every person for themselves game children must stay within theboundaries and avoid getting hit with a ball. The leader throws all balls into the air.Once a player catches the ball, they may take three steps and throw the ball at theother players. If the ball hits a player below the waist or shoulder WITHOUTbouncing, the player must sit down. Once the player is down, they can crawlaround on their knees to try to tag the active players. If the person tags someone,they stand and the tagged player goes down to crawl. The last player standing is thewinner. Hints: If the ball is caught in the air at anytime, the person who threw itmust sit down, but if it is caught by someone sitting, they can stand up again; ballsmust be thrown within 10 seconds of catching; each player gets three steps whenholding a ball; if a player runs out of bounds, they must sit down. 42 43. KNOCK THEBLOCKSNumber of players: 12 or moreEquipment: 7 wood blocks and 1 ball, Cones for a boundary linesHow to play: Divide the players into two equal teams. One team plays on thefield while the other plays near the circle. The team on the field lines up and rolls aball at the stacked blocks in the hula hoop, one at a time. If a player misses theblocks, another player tries until one or all of the blocks are knocked down. Oncethe block(s) are knocked down, the team must scatter and try to stack up the blockswithout getting hit by a ball thrown by the other team. The players in the field tryto tag those players from the opposite team when they are trying to stack up theblocks. However, players must stand outside the hula hoop when trying to tagplayers with the ball. Teams rotate playing the field and near the circle. The teamthat successfully stacks all of the blocks up without getting tagged earns a point.The team with the most points wins the game.SNOW FIGHTNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Newspaper, cones for boundary lines.How to play: All players split into two teams. Each team builds a fort with thesurrounding materials available to them. Each team hides behind their respectedforts. They take newspaper and crumple it up into several paper balls (snow balls).When the game begins, each team throws the paper balls at the other team. Theonly rule is that players cannot strike another player in the face with a paper ball. 43 44. JAIL BREAKNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Volleyball court with net, volleyball (any soft ball will do)How to play: The players split into two teams, Team A and Team B, one on eachside of the net. When the game begins, a player on Team A will say the name of aplayer on Team B, then Team As player will throw the ball onto Team Bs side ofthe net. If Team B does not catch the ball, then the player whose name was shoutedwill be out. If Team B catches the ball, then the player whose name was calledstays in the game. Then a player on Team B yells the name of a player on Team Aand then throws the ball to Team As side. The same rule applies. If Team A doesnot catch the ball, the player is out and if it is caught, then the player is safe. If theplayer throws the ball out of bounds, then the player is out.After a few players from one team, say Team A, are out, a player on Team A canyell Jail Break instead of a name and throw the ball to Team Bs side. If Team Bdoes not catch the ball, then all players on Team A that are out, can come back intothe game. If Team B catches the ball, then the player on Team A who shouted JailBreak is out. The object of the game is to eliminate all players on the other team. 44 45. PEG BALLNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: 10-15 yarn balls, four material cones for boundary lines,How to play: All players split into two teams. Each team builds a fort with thesurrounding materials available to them. Each team hides behind their respectedforts. When the game begins, each team throws yarn balls at the other team. Theonly rule is that players cannot strike another player in the face with a yarn ball.SDP BALL(SAND DUNE PARK BALL)Number of players: 6 or moreEquipment: Gator balls, 1 for each personHow to play: Everyone for themselves Dodegball. When a player gets hit orsomeone catches a players ball, the player must sit until that same person who gotyou out is out.Variation: Exploding Enchiladas (see page 41) 45 46. CAPTURETHE FLAGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines, 2 hula hoops and 2 flagsHow to play: Split the participants into two equal teams and designate their sides.The object is to cross the center line, get into the hula hoop located at the remoteedge of the opponents side and bring back the flag from the opposing team withoutgetting tagged; and you win.Hints: You are safe on your side; if you are tagged on the opponents side, youmust sit down and ** if tagged with a possession, you must return it and sit downwhere you were tagged. In order to get free, a teammate must cross the boundariesand tag you free (once tagged both players get a free walk back which means theycannot be tagged until they start running again); and you can have one foot over thecenter line and still be safe. Note: you can also use a jail for players who gettagged. 46 47. RABBIT HUNTERNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines, 6 gator balls, 2 hula hoops.How to play: The participants or rabbits line up on the end line while the 2hunters stand in the hula hoops with the 3 balls. On command hunting season isopen, rabbits try to run through the field to the other side without being hit by aball. If a rabbit is hit below the waist, they must sit down and act as huntershelpers who try to tag the other rabbits as they run by. The rabbits that cross thefield safely to the other end line will be commanded to participate in huntingseason again until there are only two rabbits left. 47 48. OCTOPUSNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Have the group line up on the outside of the boundary line.Someone is chosen to be the octopus and stands in the middle with a ball. Theplayers on the outside will be called fish. The octopus then calls Go fish go!The players run to the opposite side of the boundary. Whoever is hit by the ballthrown by the octopus becomes a tentacle, stops where he/she is hit and kneelsdown. The next time the octopus yells Go fish go!, the tentacle can try to tagthem, without moving. Anyone either hit by the ball or tagged by a tentacle alsobecomes a tentacle. This continues until only one person is left standing and theybecome the new octopus.MONARCHNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: One or more ballsHow to play: This game starts out like octopus - everyone lines up outside theboundary line and when the person in the middle yells GO!, they run to the otherside. But, in this game the person in the middle is a monarch and so is anyone hitwith the ball that the monarch throws. The monarch cant move, so to get someonefar away from him, the monarch with the ball throws it to another monarch closer tothe target. This continues until everyone but one is hit with the monarchs ball andbecomes a monarch. The last person is then the first monarch. You can also playwith more than one monarch having a ball. 48 49. ROCK, PAPER,SCISSORS, UNDER LEGSNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Pair up the participants in groups of two. Have them link up liketrains. Then have pairs battle one another as they play rock, paper, scissors. Thelosing pair or team must now crawl under the winners legs and link up with themnow. This continues until all players are on one train and one team is declared thewinner.GLADIATORASSAULTNumber of players: 3 or moreEquipment: Tennis ball machine, 6 tables, 1 chair, 1 helmet and water balloons.How to Play: Six tables are set up as shields with two water balloons behind eachtable. There is one recreation leader, leader A, operating the tennis ball machine infront of the tables and another recreation leader, leader B, sitting in a chair besideleader A. A player, wearing a helmet, runs from table to table using each as ashield as leader A tries to hit the player with a tennis ball. Behind each table thereare two water balloons. The player has two chances at each table to try and hitleader B with a water balloon before leader A hits them with a tennis ball. If theplayer hits leader B with a water balloon without getting hit with a tennis ball, theplayer wins. If they get hit with a tennis ball before they hit leader B with a waterballoon, the player loses. If the player does not get hit with a tennis ball after all sixtables and does not hit the leader B with a water balloon, then there is a tie. 49 50. QUIDDITCHNumber of players: 12 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundary lines, 2 hula hoops for goals or more as needed.How to Play: Make two even teams, then put them both on a different side of thefield just like soccer. But in this game you have to pick up the ball like its afootball and you are supposed to run down the field; however, you may only takethree steps at a time and then you must pass it to a teammate who can take threesteps at a time. The object of the game is to continue passing the ball betweenteammates only taking three steps at a time down the field and then to roll itthrough the opposing teams goal. If the ball touches the ground at any time duringpassing it between teammates, the ball automatically goes to the other team. Theball may only touch the ground if it is rolled into the other teams goal. Once a teamscores a goal, they go back on defense and its the other teams turn to try to maketheir way down the field taking three steps at a time to score a goal. You can playtwo 15 minute halves and the team with the most goals in the end wins.HIDDEN LEADERNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Gather children into a big circle; choose one person to go outside ofthe circle to become the guesser. While that person steps out of the circle, designateanother person to be the leader. When the game starts, the group copies the motionof the group leader, the object of the game is to stump the guesser. The guesser gets3 tries to find the leader. The leader must be as creative as possible. The groupmust also copy the leader with out staring at the leader directly. When the guesserruns out of guesses, the leader wins and then that person goes outside of the circleand the guesser chooses a new leader. 50 51. JEDI JOUSTINGNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: Foam noodles cut in halfHow to play: Each Jedi gets a half of a noodle which is now known as a lightsaber. The Jedi has five body parts that can get cut off, two arms, two legs and ahead. The Jedis loses these body parts whenever they are hit by another Jedis lightsaber. However, the head is to be the last part cut off once the Jedi has lost therest of his body parts.GA-GA-GANumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: 8 or more tables, 1 dodgeballHow to play: Set the tables up in a circle. Take the tables and now flip them ontheir side and have each table touching another tables edge, creating an enclosuremade by the tables so the ball cannot get out of the circle. Make one opening in thetables to let the players into the ring. A referee will hold onto the dodgeball and getready to start the game. To start the game, each player must have one hand touchingthe edge of a table. Now the referee tosses the ball into the ring but the playerscannot move until the ball bounces three times. Each time the ball bounces, theplayers say Ga-Ga-Ga and then the game begins. If a players hand leaves thetable before the last Ga, they are out. Players must swat the ball at each otherusing only one hand and aiming for the other players below the knees. If the ballhits another player below the knees, they are out. If it hits them higher than theknee, they are in. If the ball goes out of the ring, the last player who touched the ballis now out. Players may use the table to their advantage because they are onlyallowed one touch on the ball unless it hits a player or the table; if a player hits theball twice, they are out. The winner is the last player standing in the ring. 51 52. DEDUCTION GAMES 52 53. PASS THE PENNYNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: 2 or more pennies as neededHow to play: Have the players form a small circle. Have 1 player exit the circle.The group leader will then pass out 1, 2, 3 or more pennies to participants. Theplayers in the circle pass it around without letting the person in the middle find thepenny; the players in the circle can fake that theyre passing the penny. When thepennies are being passed, the player on the outside comes back in. The player inthe middle is trying to guess which players have the penny. The guesser only getsthree chances to guess.SPOOK BALLNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: 1 or more soft ballsHow to play: Gather participants into a circle; they must be arms length away withtheir hands behind their backs. The group leader will stand in the middle of thecircle and become the spooker. The spookers job is to make the participants flinch;this is done by the spooker pretending to throw a ball or by throwing the ball. If thespooker throws a ball at a player, that player must catch the ball and not drop it. Ifthe spooker pretends to throw the ball, the player may not flinch. If the playerflinches, they are out and must sit down. Game continues until the spooker getseveryone out and the last person in the game is the new spooker. 53 54. DREAM MASTERNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Have the participants line up shoulder to shoulder with their eyesclosed; the group leader will go behind the group and touch somebody on the back.Once the group leader says begin, everybody begins to shake hands. The object ofthe game is for the Dream master (person who was touched on the back) to shakehands with the entire group. As the game goes on, they must gently scratch aparticipants hand; as participants get scratched, they must count to 5 in their headand go to sleep. If a participant thinks they know who the Dream master is, theysay stop! then say it out loud. If they are right, the game is over and they pick thenew Dream master; if they are wrong, they instantly go to sleep and the gamecontinues.HIDDEN WINKERNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Players need to form a circle around the leader. Have them sit downand send one person out of the circle. The leader assigns one player to be thewinker. The winker will wink at players, which will knock them out. The winkermust not let the player in the middle see them winking at players. The player in themiddle has 3 chances to guess who the winker is. If the player is correct, then thewinker goes out and becomes the guesser and the player who is the guesser picksthe new winker. 54 55. RUN, SHOUT, KNOCKYOURSELF OUTNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Line up the entire group of participants on one side of a large field.The object of the game is for all of the participants to take one deep breath and thenrun across the field. They will run and scream until they are out of breath. Theparticipant who runs the furthest wins. Note: this is a great game to get a lot ofenergy out of participants before a quiet activity. 55 56. 4 CORNERSNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: 4 cones/basesHow to play: Put out 4 cones or bases and number them 1, 2, 3, 4. The groupleader will start the game. They will sit in a chair in the middle of the playing area.The object of the game is for the participants to run base to base without gettingspotted. When the game begins, the person in the middle must shut their eyes andsay GO as the participants are running base to base. The group leader must thensay Pick a corner! Then the participants must pick a base and stay there. Theleader then calls out a number and whoever is on that base is eliminated and thegame begins again, until 1 person is left standing; then they are the new leader. 56 57. AAH SA GONumber of players: 4 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Have players sit in a circle and use three hand gestures as AAH, SA,GO. For AAH the player uses their hands as pointers, pointing to the player ontheir right or left, across their abdomen or chest. The player picked after AAH isnow SA. SA also uses their hands as pointers, either right or left, over theirhead again pointing to a different player. The player picked after SA is nowGO. GO has the freedom to point at anyone in the circle making them AAH.This rhythm continues until one player uses the incorrect gestures and/or phrases ortakes too long to figure out which is next. This gets them placed outside of thecircle but not out of the game. The players outside of the circle are allowed to shoutout AAH, SA, GO in order to confuse the other players that are still in.BALLOON STOMPNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: Balloons and string (yarn)How to play: Blow the balloons up and tie one balloon to an ankle of each player.The players then begin moving around trying to protect their balloon from otherplayers. The object of this game is to pop every other players balloon but save yourown. Once your balloon is popped, you are out of the game. The player with the lastballoon standing wins. 57 58. COWBOYS &INDIANSNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Cones for boundaries, Flag football belts with minimum of twoflagsHow to play: Hand a set of flags to each player to put around their waist. Split theplayers into two teams, the red team (Indians) and the yellow team (Cowboys). Linethe teams up at opposite ends of the boundary lines shoulder to shoulder. The leaderthen gives a command which sends the players running towards each other trying tosteal the opposing teams flags. Players may only run forward and side to side,NOT backwards (any player caught moving backwards will lose one flag). Once aplayer loses their flags, they are out for the rest of that game. Play until one team isleft standing.SPUDNumber of players: 5 or moreEquipment: 1 ballHow to play: One person must be the organizer/leader); the ball is thrown in theair and before it hits the ground, the leader calls out a participants name. Thechosen person whose name was called must run to the ball, pick it up and yellFREEZE! All other players must freeze and remain frozen. The player with theball may take 3 steps in any direction in order to tag someone with the ball. If aplayer get hit by the ball, that person gets a letter of S-for (SPUD); if the playermoves while the ball is in motion, that person automatically gets a letter. If theperson misses and does not hit anyone, the person who threw the ball gets a letter.This game continues until a player(s) gets out by spelling out S-P-U-D. Note: youcan spell dog, cat, monkey or anything you want to make the game go quick orlong. 58 59. RUN RABBIT RUNNumber of players: 8 or moreEquipment: Baseball BasesHow to Play: One player must stand on each base and the remaining 4+ playersmust stand inbetween each base (i.e. at least one between first and second, at leastone between second and third, etc.) When the game begins, all players run in acounter-clockwise direction around the bases. Each player must tag the person infront of them (i.e. the person on first is trying to tag the person between first andsecond, the person between first and second is trying to tag the person on second,etc). Once a person is tagged, he/she is out of the game. Once the tagged player isout, the game continues in the same fashion (i.e. if the player who was on secondbase gets tagged, he/she is out of the game. The person between first and secondnow must tag the person between second and third.) The tagging continues untilone player remains. This player will have never been tagged and will be thewinner.RUNUNTILYOU DROPNumber of players: UnlimitedEquipment: NoneHow to play: Open field area in which participants can move and run freely.Children are instructed to run freely in the grass area until there is only one personleft running; that person is declared the winner. Hints: Be sure that children dontoverdo it; those who stop running should keep walking; this is a great game to playbefore a movie, indoor activity, etc. 59 60. BUS GAMES 60 61. FAMOUS GAMENumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: The first player says the name of a famous person. The next playermust say another famous persons name that starts with the last letter of the firstfamous persons last name. (Ex: The first player says, Brad Pitt, then the nextplayer would name a famous person whose first name started with T. He/Shewould say, Tom Hanks. Then the next player says, Sandra Bullock because hername starts with an S.) Famous people can include movie stars, musicians, athletes,historical figures, etc. A name cannot be repeated. Game continues until a name isrepeated or a person is stumped.LICENSE PLATEGAMENumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: Find the most out-of-state license plates in an allotted time. Once oneplayer spots an out-of-state license plate, that plate is off limits to the other players. 61 62. FLASHLIGHT GAMENumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: One player asks questions to another player. He/she asks, If_________ is a flashlight and _________ is a flashlight, then is _________ aflashlight? Each ________ is an object the player can point to (i.e. seat, backpack,a person, a persons arm, a steering wheel, a window, etc.). If the questioner asksthe other player, Are you listening? before asking whether something is aflashlight or not, the answer is Yes. If the questioner just asks if something is aflashlight without asking if the player is listening, then the answer is No. Thefollowing is an example,Questioner: If the chair is a flashlight and the backpack is a flashlight then are you aflashlight? The answer would be No.Questioner: Are you listening?Player: YesQuestioner: Okay, if your sweatshirt is a flashlight and that shoe is a flashlight thenis the steering wheel a flashlight?In this case, the answer would be yes, because the questioner asked the player if he/she was listening.This questioning continues, with the questioner asking whether the player islistening before some flashlight questions and not before others. Again, if thequestioner asks if the player is listening before asking the flashlight question, thenthe answer is Yes. If not, then the answer is No.At the beginning of the game, the player who is being asked has no idea whensomething is a flashlight and when it is not. The object is to get the player to realizehow to tell whether something is a flashlight or not. 62 63. ALPHABET GAMENumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: The game starts with the letter A. Each player then tries to findsomething in his/her surroundings which starts with an A. These include words ona billboard, type of car, animal, etc. Each player must have a different objectstarting with A. Once a player finds a distinct object starting with A, then he/shecan move onto the letter B and the same rules apply (ex: One player says Acuraand the other says Advil (from a billboard). Then they both move onto B and theyboth say bus. It doesnt count because they both said it, so they must come upwith two other B objects.) The object of the game is to be the first player that goesthrough the entire alphabet without having the same object as another player.I SPYNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: The group leader picks a player as the spy. The spy now says, Ispy with my little eye and then the other players must raise their hands in orderto guess what the spy is spying on. The spy picks the players one at a time to letthem guess; if they are wrong, the spy picks another player to guess until one gets itright. The person who guesses right is now the new spy and the game goes on. 63 64. SPORTS GAMES 64 65. FOOTBALL GOLFNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: 1 football per playerHow to Play: This is a modification of the regular game of golf. Each player, i.e.player A and player B, has his/her own football. Together the players choose theirtarget (at least 20 ft away). Targets include: trash cans, trees, poles, etc. Afterchoosing a target, the game begins. Player A throws his/her football towards thetarget. Then player B throws his/her football towards the target. Then both playerswalk to where their footballs landed and proceed to throw again towards the target.This continues until both players hit the target with the football. The player who hitthe target using the least amount of throws wins. This game can continue by thenchoosing another target and starting the game again.SUMO WRESTLINGNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: 2 inner-tubes, rope (for wrestling ring)How to Play: Use rope to construct a wrestling ring. Two players wrestle at atime. Each player wears an inner tube. The objective is to either bump youropponent to the ground or out-of-bounds. The players may only use their inner tubeto do this. The match is judged best out of three. The winner of the match is theplayer who wins best out of three (ex: knocks down their opponent twice, pusheshim/her out of bounds twice, etc.) The winner of that match goes onto the nextmatch playing a new opponent. 65 66. TURKEY BOWLINGNumber of players: UnlimitedEquipment: Frozen turkey, trash bags, gloves, duct tape, Ten 2-liter bottles filledwith waterHow to Play: Tape the trash bags to the ground, creating a makeshift bowling lane.Place the bottles in a triangle formation at one end of the trash bags as these will beyour pins. Hand out gloves to each bowler before handling the turkey. One at a timebowlers will slide the turkey down the lane trying to knock over as many pinsas possible.ICE BLOCKBOWLINGNumber of players: UnlimitedEquipment: Blocks of ice, Towels/Rags, Inflatable life size pins, Grass downhillslopeHow to Play: Blow the pins up and set them in a triangle formation at the bottom ofthe slope. Take the blocks of ice to the top of the hill and have the participant lineup behind the starting point. Place a towel or rag on top of the block and have abowler sit on the ice. Now send them on their way down the slope and into the pins.Bring the block back up to the starting line and do it all over again. Note: One kidper block at a time. 66 67. ALASKAN BASEBALLNumber of players: 2 - 100Equipment: 100 tennis ballsHow to play: This game needs to be played on a baseball or softball field. Youneed to have two teams and one team is spread out in the field like they are playingbaseball and the other team stands around home plate with two balls for each personon the team. When the leader tells them, the team that is around home plate throwsall of the balls that they have any where in fair territory on the field. The playersthat just threw the balls all run around the bases as many times as they can until theteam in the field collects all the balls and put them into the box that is located on thepitchers mound. The team that throws, scores as many times as they can get aroundthe bases. Once the balls are all in the box, all runners must stop and the inning isover. The team that was in the field now becomes the throwing team and the teamthat just threw is now on the field. The score is kept for nine innings and the teamwith the most runs at the end of those nine innings is the winner.FRISBEE 300Number of players: 5-100Equipment: Frisbees, Open fieldHow to Play: The leader begins by throwing the Frisbee to the others whoscramble and position themselves in order to catch the Frisbee(s). Points forretrieval of the Frisbee goes as follows: 100 points caught on the fly - 75 if caughton a skip or off the hands of another participant - 50 if picked up while rolling -25 if it is at a dead stop. The first person to score 300 points becomes the newthrower and all participants begin at 0. Hints: Thrower may throw several Frisbeesto make things more exciting; thrower should try to throw to participants with fewor no points. 67 68. ULTIMATE FRISBEENumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Frisbee, either cones for a goal line or an object for a goal i.e.: hulahoopHow to Play: Split the players up into two teams. The object is to pass the Frisbeebetween teammates to score either through a hula hoop or in an end zone. After aplayer catches the Frisbee, they may only take three steps in any direction beforethey must pass it to another teammate. Opposing players may not touch each otherbut may attempt to block the pass by standing in front of them (make a 1 to 2 footcushion between passer and blockers). 68 69. SLIP-N-SLIDEKICK BALLNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Kick ball, baseball field, four slip-n-slidesHow to Play: A slip-n-slide is placed between home plate and first, first andsecond, second and third, and third and home plate. The same rules for regular kickball apply. The only difference is that instead of running to each base, the playermust slide on a slip-n-slide to each base. Even if the player kicks a homerun, theplay must slide to first, then stand up and slide to second, etc, until the player getsto home plate. NO BASE BASEBALLNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: 1 ballHow to Play: Split the players up into two teams. One team is up to bat and theother team is in the outfield. The team up to bat will get into a tight circle, as tightas possible. They will then pick one person to bat. The batter then throws the ballsomewhere into the outfield and proceeds to run around the circle, scoring a pointeach time they hit their original position from throwing the ball. The outfielders tryto catch the ball and then form a straight line and the person who caught or grabbedthe ball gets to the front of the line and passes it over their head to the next person;the next person proceeds to pass it through their legs to the person behind them.This over-under pattern goes until the last person in line receives the ball then runsto the front of the line and screams OUT. Once out is yelled, the runner fromthe other team stops the running and ends the score count. Now the person with theball throws it at the other team and the game goes on until the leaders say stop. 69 70. BOOM BALLNumber of players: 14 or moreEquipment: Baseball bat, large ball i.e.: volleyball, bases, or 5 gallon jugHow to Play: Split players into two teams; similar to baseball but the pitcher maybounce or roll the ball towards the batter. The three strike rule applies. The onlyother way to get a player out is if a fly ball is caught or if the runner is hit by theball while moving between bases, even if it is not thrown at them. Think of it asdodgeball baseball. Or use 5 gallon jug as bat.CLOTHES PINNINGNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: Large bucket of clothes pinsHow to Play: Each player starts off with five clothes pins and the remaining pinsare in a community bucket in the middle of the playing field. When the game starts,each player runs around trying to pin any and every player he/she can. If theplayer runs out of pins, he/she can run to the community bucket and grab as manypins as possible. When the time is up (say approximately 3 minutes), the playerswith the most clothes pins attached to them are eliminated. All pins are placed backinto the community bucket and the game restarts with the players who were noteliminated. The game continues for another 3 minutes and then players areeliminated in the same fashion. The object of the game is to be the last playerremaining. 70 71. KICKBALLBASKETBALLNumber of players: 14 or moreEquipment: Kickball/Soccer ball, 4 bases, basketball hoopHow to Play: Divide players into two teams. This game is a combination ofkickball and basketball. It has the same rules as kickball but there are only twoways of getting a kicker out, either a caught fly ball or shooting the ball through adesignated basketball hoop before the kicker makes it around the bases to home;also, the three strike rule applies. The kicker runs around the bases scoring eachtime they hit home until they are declared out. After the entire team has kicked, theteams switches from kickers to outfielders and vice versa. 71 72. TEAMBUILDING GAMES 72 73. SWAMP RELAYNumber of players: 3 or moreEquipment: 5 or more foam padsHow to Play: All players are on one side of a room and have five pads. Whilecrossing to the other side, each player must be standing on a foam pad. If a playertouches the ground, that team must start over. The foam pads must be touched by atleast one player at all times. If a foam pad is dropped or loses contact with a player,that pad is taken away from the team. The object of the game is to be the first teamto cross a designated area using the foam pads without touching the ground.MAGIC CARPETNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: TarpHow to play: Pick a tarp depending on the size of the group. All players stand onthe tarp and imagine it is a magic carpet. The object is to flip the tarp over withoutany player stepping off of the tarp. If a player steps off the tarp, then the gamerestarts. 73 74. HIT AND RUNNumber of players: 6 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Everyone pairs up with one person being the car and the other beingthe driver. The driver stands behind his car with a hand on each shoulder; the carhas his eyes closed. The driver then leads the car around without bumping him intoanything. You can have races or have cars running in opposite directions of eachother, trying to get through without crashing. Then have everyone reverse rules.Note: arms should be crossed over chest to protect players.HUMAN KNOTNumber of players: 5 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: The group forms a circle and then everyone moves in close enoughthat everyone can join hands; but the rule is that each person must grab twodifferent hands and it can not be a hand that is of a person that is next to you. Whenall hands are grabbed, it should look like a large knot that is made out of humans.Now the point of the game is to get untangled as a group but the catch is that at notime can any of the members of the group let go of any of the other members of thegroups hands. 74 75. GROUP JUGGLINGNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: BallsHow to play: Form a circle. There should be a Leader who has several balls nearhim. He takes one of the balls and throws it to someone else in the circle, whothrows it to someone else. This continues until everyone has received the ball once.QUICK LINE UPNumber Of Players: 12 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: All players split into four equal teams, Team A, Team B, Team C, andTeam D. There is one person, not on a team, who is the main leader. The leader standsin the middle of the room. Each team has a specific position dependent on the leader.Team A faces the front of the leader, Team B faces the right side of the leader, Team Cfaces the left side of the leader, and Team D faces the back side of the leader. Each teammust line up left to right, shortest to tallest, shoulder to shoulder (ex: all players on TeamA line up facing the front of the leader, shortest to tallest with the shortest person on theleft and the tallest person on the right.) This creates a square around the leader. When the game begins, the leader quickly changes his/her position, facingwhichever way he/she wants. When the leader changes his/her direction, he/she yellsQuick Line-up and each team must line up facing the side of the leader they were in thebeginning and line-up left to right, shortest to tallest, shoulder to shoulder. This meansall players on Team A must be facing the front of the leader, Team B facing the right ofthe leader, Team C facing the left of the leader, and Team D facing the back of the leader.The team that lines up correctly the fastest gets a point. The object of the game is to bethe team with the most points at the end of the game. 75 76. LANYARD HUNTNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: 20 ft lanyard string (2+ colors)How to Play: Players are split into 2+ teams. Each team has a specific color whichcorrelates to a color of lanyard string. Each 20 foot lanyard string is cut into several2-5 inch pieces. Then all pieces, of different colors are thrown over a small area.When the game begins, each team gathers all of the pieces of lanyard string of theircolor and then proceeds to tie all the pieces of their color together into one longpiece. When time is up (approx 5 minutes), the team who has the longest tiedtogether string wins.GET THIS, GET THATNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: Use what players are wearingHow to play: The groups are divided into two teams. A player from each groupcomes up to the middle of the field where the leader is. The leader will tell eachplayer what they must bring back or make the team do. The first team to completethe complete task gets a point. 76 77. MINE FIELDNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: 4 cones, random objects, blind-foldHow to Play: The four cones are used to mark off the boundaries of the minefield. All players randomly scatter objects within the mine field (objectsinclude: footballs, tennis balls, pillows, cushions, rubber animals, etc.) to serve asmines. One player is blind-folded and the other is his/her leader. The leader usingonly his/her voice without touching his/her partner must guide him/her through themine field without touching any of the objects on the floor. The blind-foldedplayer starts at one end of the field and must travel to the other side listening to thedirections of his/her partner. Examples of vocal directions: left step, large stepforward, small step with right foot, etc. If the blind-folded player touches a mine,that team must start over. If the team is successful, the partners switch and repeat.HULA HOOP PASSNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: 1 or more hula hoopsHow to Play: All participants stand in a circle holding each others hands. Oneplayer breaks the circle in order to put a hula hoop around their arm and thenreconnects the circle. You pass the hula hoop around the circle without releasinghands. The hula hoop should travel all the way around to its original start point.Putting more hula hoops makes it more challenging and making more than onecircle is a good competition. 77 78. STAND OFFNumber of players: 2 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to Play: Two players, player A and player B, stand approximately six inchesaway from each other (six inches from toe to toe.) Each player takes a turn intrying to push the other players hands. Player A tries to push player Bs hands.Player B can either move his/her hands or try to take the push and keep his/herbalance. If player A pushes player Bs hand and player B loses his/her balance andsteps forwards or backwards, then player A gets a point. If player A attempts topush player B and for some reason loses his/her balance, then player B gets a point.The turns alternate. The first player to get 5 points wins.TELEPHONENumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: NoneHow to play: Get all of the players to sit down in a line. The person in the front ofthe line makes up a sentence and whispers it to the second person in line. The secondperson now relays the message to the third person and so on until it gets to the lastperson. The last person then says the message that they received out loud to see if itmatches the original sentence by the first person. 78 79. COIN FOOTBALLNumber of players: 10 or moreEquipment: 1 quarter, flags, 4 conesHow to Play: The 4 cones are placed in the four corners of a rectangular base. Allplayers split up into two teams, Team A and Team B (each team is wearing flagscolored respectively). T