Post by missy dunlap on Jun 13, 2010 10:01:28 GMT -6
SUMMER OLYMPICS GAMES
WATER RELAY RACE Transport water from point A to point B holding water can above head. Water can has small nail holes in bottom edge resulting in a shower effect on the carrier. Team that has the most water average per den wins.
________________________________________
OBSTACLE COURSE Standard obstacle type course described in Ideas book, with the addition of slip N slide water slide, and Rope swing over small swimming pool. Best den average through course wins.
________________________________________
ELECTRIC ISOTOPE Combined teamwork to remove coffee can from centre of circle using ropes tied to a small inner-tube or bungie cord. Boys cannot cross rope circle. Best time wins.
________________________________________
WATER BALLOON SLING SHOT CATCH Using a large slingshot made from surgical tubing and a inner tube cup, three boys will launch the water balloons toward the objective. The objective is three boys holding a small plastic swimming pool, who will try and catch the water balloons. The team with the most catches wins.
________________________________________
4X4 RACES Using two 4x4"s (6 ft lengths) with ropes tied every 12 inches, six boys standing on the 4x4 will attempt to lift and walk a short distance. Requires teamwork and co-operative effort. Fastest time wins.
WINTER GAMES
THE SNOW SNAKE GAME Native American winter game, reached highest levels of sophistication among the nations and tribes near the Great Lakes. Seneca tribe of the Iroquois Nation called it Gawasa, I believe. (Also the name of the oldest winter training program in the BSA I believe, now well over 50. In the Land of the Oneidas council upstate New York) On a long, 1/4 mile or more , level surface, build a long pile of snow, 2 feet high, 2 feet wide. This will occupy a winter camporee of about 100 scouts for an hour or so. Make a V shaped trough in the pile, smooth and ice it thoroughly. All contestants have previously carved a snow snake. It should be 5 to 7 feet long, about 1 1/2 inches high at the 2 to 4 inch long head. The eyes of the snake are where it is weighted. The snake should never be wider than 3/4 inch and is usually only a 1/2 inch high, behind the head. The bottom is rounded, the top, behind the head is flat. The underside of the head should curve up like a ski. Decorations and carvings should be done on the non-sliding surfaces. The snow snake is held in the throwing hand with the index finger at the end of the snake, like a sling. The snake is supported with the non throwing hand during a running head start. The arm movement is a crass between a baseball side-arm pitch and a bowling delivery. Using these directions, at the defunct Iroquois Council's 1973 Gawasa, a 14 year old scout threw a snow snake more than 1/4 mile down the trough. I have seen the Huron Nation build troughs on Lake Michigan over 3 miles long, and one year saw a television report of a Huron throwing a snow snake over 2 miles down a trough (about 1978). The younger scouts get really impressed when they see what they are capable of.
MORE WINTER GAMES I have seen all sorts of things done at winter camps, and while I have no specific suggestions as to games, there are variations you can use on other sports/games, such as: Golf (use tennis balls coffee cans and expect to lose a few balls), volleyball (careful, the ball gets quite hard, but playing this game knee or waist deep in powder is not to be missed.), campfire building and so on. As I type this I remember building kitchen areas with tables and seats by digging into the snow. Wide games are a lot of fun in the snow (see other thread) and I imagine "stalker" would be trickier on snowshoes... One winter camp here in BC (Rovent for you BC'ers who have seen a lot of this before) also features a gateway contest and snow-sculpture contest. In general I think that you can do a lot of things at a winter camp that you can do in the summer, you just have to remember to stay dry. One final note, Hot Chocolate tastes GREAT at -20 C!!! Enjoy!
RELAY GAMES
SEED PLANTING RELAY Following a line, or rope on the ground, and by walking heel to toe, each team member must stop (about every 3 feet and drop a seed in a small mouthed jar set near the line. When he reaches the end, he runs back and taps the next boy on the team.
________________________________________
POTATO RACE Two teams. Give each starting player a fork and a potato. He tosses the potato into the air and catches it on the fork, takes it off and hands them to the next player. First team through wins.
________________________________________
CONE RACE String paper cones on cords stretched between chairs, or posts. Each team member blows cone to the end of the cord, brings it back; next boy does the same. First team finished wins.
________________________________________
DRIVING THE PIG Two teams; each team has a 3" long stick and a 1/2 gallon milk bottle (add a little water to the bottles). The players use the stick to push the bottle (pig) to the fair.
________________________________________
TOWEL ROLL ROLL Using a broomstick and a paper towel cardboard tube, each team member uses the stick to roll the tube to one end of the room and them back. He then hands the broomstick to the next boy. (I have seen this one done -- it's harder than it sounds!)
________________________________________
TURKEY FEATHER RELAY Divide into relay teams. First player holds a long turkey feather. At the word "Go" each throws his feather, javelin style, toward the finish line. As soon as it comes to earth, he picks it up and throws it again, and continues until across the finish line. He then picks it up and runs back to his team to give the feather to the next player.
________________________________________
CANDLE AND STRAW RELAY RACE You will need: •1 candle and a box of matches per team and 1 drinking •straw per team member. Each team member is given a straw. They have to race to the opposite end of the hall where their candle and box of matches is located. They must light the candle and then blow it out by blowing the flame through the straw. This can also be played in subdued lighting.
________________________________________
CHECKER RELAY You will need: •6 wooden checkers playing pieces per patrol •We often get these given to us at rummage sales. Scouts race up and down the hall in relay fashion, with a pile of 6 checkers balanced on the back of one hand. They are not allowed to steady the pile with the other hand. The only time they can touch the checkers with the other hand, is either when they have dropped them and are picking them up, or when they are transferring the checkers to another scout in their team.
________________________________________
CUBS ACROSS THE RIVER You will need: •4 card or carpet tile stepping stones •three awkward pieces of equipment such as a rucksack, a football and a hoop, for each six Line up sixes with their equipment and draw two lines to represent the river. Lay the stepping stones across the river. Cub 1 carries cub 2 on his back across the river using the stepping stones. Cub 2 comes back and picks up cub 3 plus a piece of equipment. Cub 3 comes back and picks up cub 4 plus a piece of equipment and so on until all the cubs have crossed the river. Those cubs on the bank should be encouraged to cheer their team on.
________________________________________
DRIBBLE BALL You will need: •1 ball and several skittles per team or den. Standing in teams, each person in turn dribbles the ball down the line of skittles slalom fashion, either using their foot, a stick or a washing up liquid bottle and then straight back to the next man in their team. If a skittle is knocked over, the player has to return to the start and begin again.
________________________________________
STACKING THE CANS You will need: •6 tin cans or drinking chocolate tins with lids per team. Patrols or dens stand in lines. They have to run to the end of the hall in relay fashion and each one add a can to the stack. The winning team is the first one back with a completed stack and all their team standing to attention. You could add a variation to the game by playing two teams at a time and have the other teams at the sides throwing bean bags or dusters at the piles of cans. If you played this variation then you would play against the clock to see which was the fastest team.
________________________________________
TUNNEL BALL You will need: •A ball or balloon for each team. The teams stand at attention in lines, the front player in each team has the ball. On the command 'GO' they spring their legs apart. The player at the front passes the ball between their legs. The ball must go between each players legs until it is picked up by the player at the back. The back player then runs to the front and continues the process until the original font player is back at the front. The winning team is the one with all players standing at attention with the ball at the front. If a ball breaks out from the line it must start its journey through the tunnel again from the front. As an alternative pass the ball from the back player through the tunnel to the front.
________________________________________
WHEELBARROW RACE Teams stand in lines at one end of the hall. On the command 'GO', the front player gets down on his hands. The second player stands between his legs and lifts his legs up to waist level. They now have to go as fast as possible to the other end of the hall with the front player walking with his hands and the rear player holding him up like a wheelbarrow. When they reach the end of the hall the front player stands up and the rear player runs back to the front of his team and then becomes the front man of the new wheelbarrow. This process is continued until the whole team are at the far end of the hall.
________________________________________
HIGHWAYMAN You will need: •A short length of lashing rope and a chair for each team. Teams stand in lines at one end of the hall. There is a wooden chair with a bar back at the other end of the hall opposite each team. The front player of each team has a length of rope in one hand. On the command 'GO' the second player jumps onto the back of the front player and they race piggy back style to the chair at the other end of the hall. The player riding jumps down and ties one end of the rope around the top bar of the chair using the highwayman's hitch. He then jumps back on the other players back, pulls the end of the rope to free it and they then race back to their team. The player who was the horse goes to the back of the team and the player who was the rider now becomes the horse or front player.
________________________________________
FIREMAN, SAVE MY CHILD You will need: •A drinking straw for each player •simple paper cut-out of a child, this should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches tall. The arms and legs should be about 1/2 an inch wide on the figure. The game goes like this: The players are divided into two teams and are formed into two lines. Each team has a pile of the cut-out children on a table and a drinking straw for each player. Approximately 15-20 feet away from the start, place a small pail for each team on another table, chair, stool, or whatever. At the call of "Fireman, save my child", the first player on each team must pick up a child by sucking up the figure against their straw. While holding the figure this way, they then run to their respective pail and deposit their figure in the pail. If they drop the figure en route, they must stop and pick up their child again, by getting down on the floor and sucking it up with their straw. After putting their child in the pail, they run back to the starting line, and the next player picks up his child and repeats the process. The first team to save all their children is the winner. Have enough figures so each player gets at least two turns.
________________________________________
LAYERED CLOTHES Gather a pile of assorted clothing, including socks, shoes, hats, etc. Divide the clothing "evenly" into piles (i.e. pair of pants in each pile, mittens in each pile, etc.). Make sure the clothes are large enough that the outer layers can fit over the other layers. Divide the group into teams. Divide the teams in half and place one half near the pile of clothes, the other about 50 feet away. At a signal, the first member of each team "dresses" in the clothing of the pile and gallops the 50 feet to the other side, "undresses" and another team member puts on the clothes. As long as there are no rocks in the way, this game can be really fun to play (and watch!).
STRATEGY GAMES
MOUSE TRAP ATTACK You will need: •4 spring loaded mouse traps per team •an endless supply of rolled up paper balls. We will suppose that there are four teams or patrols of six boys. They are spaced at equal distances down the length of the hall. Each team or patrol has it's mouse traps cocked at one side of the hall on the floor. At the other side of the hall opposite each group of mouse traps are three attacking boys from each of the other patrols. These attacking boys are armed with rolled up balls of paper. Each patrol is allowed up to three defenders for their mouse traps. These defenders must sit on the floor half way between their mouse traps and the defenders. The attackers must lob the paper balls over the heads of the defenders and set off the mouse traps. The winning patrol is the one that has the last loaded mouse trap.
________________________________________
MOUSE TRAP FISHING GAME You will need: •1 spring loaded mouse trap •3 bamboo canes •3 lengths of string •some objects such as plastic bottles to be picked up, for each team. You will have to bore a hole or fit a screw eye in one end of each mouse trap so that it can be attached to a length of string. Each team stands at one side of the hall and the objects they have to collect such as plastic bottles are on the other side of the river (hall). The only way that they can get the objects, is to lash the three bamboo poles together to form a fishing pole and attach the string with the mouse trap attached to the end. You will have to show the scouts how to set the mouse traps safely or you may have to do some first aid on bruised fingers.
________________________________________
SUBMARINES AND MINEFIELDS You will need: •Blindfolds for each member of the minefield. You split into two teams teams, one forms a line across the playing field. They are blindfolded and standing close enough together to touch hands. Each hand is a mine that will 'destroy' a ship (a member of the other team.) that team quietly tries to sneak along the line weaving in and out of the mines, (i.e. between their feet, or between two scouts). we once had someone go fetch a utility ladder and climb over the minefield. After a minefield team member uses one hand and hits a ship, that hand is out of play for the round. Thus later ships may go through an unprotected area. Smaller scouts usually win this one. When the whole team has gone through or not as the case may be, change over. At the end of the game, the winning team is the one that managed to get the most ships through the minefield.
________________________________________
TRADER You will need: •4 counters for each boy, red, blue green and yellow one of each colour. When the game starts the boys are given a set time 5 to 10 minutes in which they are allowed to trade. They trade in the following manner. A boy approaches another boy with a counter in his left fist , he does not show the other boy what colour he is holding. If they agree to trade then they give each other a counter taking care that they do not show the colour they are swapping. Any boys who do not wish to trade simply cross their arms, this indicates that they are not open for trading. After the trading period is ended you show the lads the stock market chart shown below and get the lads to add up their scores.
Print out the following table and make copies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Red counters 100 points 4 Blue counters 80 points
4 Green counters 60 points 4 Yellow counters 50 points
3 of any colour 40 points 2 of any colour 15
Single Red 1 point Single Blue 2 points,
Single Green 4 points Single yellow 5 points.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
After they have added up their scores and you have found out which scouts have the highest scores, collect the counters in and hand out one of each colour again to the scouts. Now play it again with the scouts knowing the values and see the difference in tactics. From time to time you could introduce jokers these are White counters. You place some of these on the table and the boys are told they can take them if they wish. The value of these is unknown until they add up the scores. You then tell them that they either get 10 extra points for each White counter they have or minus 10 for each White counter they hold, much like Bulls and Bears in the stock market. You can decide if it is going to be a plus or a minus by either tossing a coin or rolling a dice.
________________________________________
THE TRADER GAME You will need: •4 chips for each boy, all of different colours (red, green, blue, yellow) •1 chip for each adult - white (I made my chips by cutting 1 inch squares from coloured cardboard) The boys are given a chip of each colour. the adults each have one white chip. The boys get 7 to 10 minutes to 'trade' chips with each other or an adult. To trade, each boy holds a chip HIDDEN in one hand. When they agree on the trade, the chips are exchanged. ALL TRADES ARE FINAL! Boys who do not wish to trade should fold their arms to signal that they don't wish to trade. All trades are 1 chip at a time. Boys can also trade with adults if they want to. After the trading is over, show the boys the stock market list below and have them add up their scores. Now that they know the value of the chips, let the boys play the game again. Collect and redistribute the chips, and see how trading tactics change. After the second trading period is over, add up the scores again and see how the boys did this time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
STOCK MARKET CHART - TRADING CHIP VALUES
4 RED - 90 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) BLUE - 40 POINTS
4 GREEN - 80 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) YELLOW - 30 POINTS
4 YELLOW - 60 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) GREEN - 30 POINTS
4 BLUE - 50 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) RED - 20 POINTS
2 WHITE - 50 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) WHITE - 20 POINTS
3 OF ANY COLOUR - 40 POINTS 2 OF ANY COLOUR - 20 POINTS
________________________________________
TRADING POST You will need: •Two price lists, one of things that you are selling and one of things that you are prepared to buy back. •Various things for the teams to buy •You will also need some form of currency such as coloured cards, paper or even beads. At the start of the game, each team is given the same amount of currency. They then have to decide what they are going to buy from you in order to make something to sell back to you for a profit. Most things that you buy back should result in a profit, but you should put in some items that produce no profit or even a loss. As an example of the sort of things on your to buy list would be a cup of hot tea for the scout leaders. To do this they will have to purchase from you matches, tea bags, milk and sugar, a cooking stove, fuel for the cooking stove, water pot and water.
________________________________________
LIGHTHOUSE This game comes from a Games book published by the Bharat Scouts and Guides (India). It is attributed to the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland. You will need: •enough blindfolds for half your group. •a reasonably large room. The Leader is the lighthouse. Half the troop (pack, company) are ships, and put on the blindfolds at one end of the room. The other half are rocks, and distribute themselves on the floor between the ships and the lighthouse. Please ask the rocks to keep their hands and feet in to minimize tripping. The rocks also should not clump up. The lighthouse goes "woo woo" to guide the ships. The rocks go "swish, swish" quietly to warn the ships of their presence. On go, the ships navigate between the rocks to the lighthouse. If they touch a rock, they are sunk and must sit on the floor (and go "swish, swish" also). When all the ships have made it to the lighthouse (or have been sunk), the rocks and ships switch places.
THEMED GAMES
SPACE ARCHERY .In space, everything floats. As a construction mechanic, the only way to keep your space station parts from floating away is to rope them together. Your problem is that YOU are anchored to the main space station, while the new parts are slowly drifting away. So how do you get a rope on those parts? Why with your trusty bow and arrow. Each new part comes with its own target. Each mechanic gets 10 arrows. Hit the target with the arrow that has a string attached, and double your total points.
ROBOT ARM You're the operator of the space shuttle's robot arm. The arm will do everything you tell it, but it can't see or think for itself. Your job, pick up the three space disks and return them to your position. Use voice commands like 'forward, left, right, and down' to direct the robot arm. Keep the tether rope tight to prevent the robot arm from overshooting the targets. This is a timed event.
SPACE CONSTRUCTION Your team of construction mechanics are on the moon. You need to build the tallest radio tower you can, using the standard space-blocks. The structure must be free-standing and self-supporting. DO NOT DAMAGE THE BUILDING MATERIALS while constructing your tower!
SPACE EXPLORATION Space explorers need to be highly trained observers. In this training exercise, you need to scour the marked-off section of rough terrain, and discover the interesting samples. There will be bonus points for discovering samples whose color is different from your assigned color.
SHUTTLE FLIGHT-CHECK All shuttle crews need to check out their craft before take-off. Every crew has memorized the list of instructions. Lets see how good your crew is at remembering instructions. You will get two minutes to study and discuss the list of instructions and their order. Then, without looking, your team must write them down in the correct order. If you're quick, you will have time to play this one twice.
player name .................................................arch ...arm ...const ...explo ...check
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________________|_____|_____|______|______|______|
___________________________________|_____|_____|
___________________________________|_____|_____|______|______|______|
___________________________________|_____|_____| (den scores here)
___________________________________|_____|_____|
___________________________________|_____|_____| circle the best den
___________________________________|_____|_____| score for each game
___________________________________|_____|_____|_____________________
put the best den score here -> | | | | | |
GAME LEADER INSTRUCTIONS Bring spray paint (white) to draw lines on the grass. Also packing tape and duct tape. If games are held indoors, use masking tape for your lines. Make sure all game leaders understand that the rules may need to be modified, but if they are, ALL GROUPS must have the same chances. The most important thing is to make sure that all rules are applied consistently for every group participating. All games were designed to be played outdoors, but most could easily be done indoors if the activity room was large. At the end of the competition, all score sheets will be collected from Den leaders. Compare the single 'best' score for each game and den. Award 1st thru 5th place (we have 5 dens) in each event. The den with the LOWEST total score for the 5 events will get 1st place.
SPACE ARCHERY GAME PARTS - 3 targets with stands, 30+ arrows, 3 bows, ball of string, 3 stakes. Set up targets, with 3 shooting stations about 20 feet (7 meters) away. Put 10 arrows at each station. Measure 30 feet (10 meters) of string for each station. Tie one end of string to a stake at the station, and tie/tape the other end to one of the arrows. This should be the last arrow shot by each Cub, and can double their target score. Score target rings at 1 (target), 2, 3, 5 (bulls eye on our targets). Be very alert to safety. Make sure ALL ARCHERS understand that arrows are not to be nocked while anyone is 'even close' to the shooting range area!
ROBOT ARM GAME PARTS - Long rope, 3 Frisbees, blindfold, 2 paper grocery bags. Draw a ring for the 'operator' to stand in. Paint 3 spots at different points outside the ring, ranging from 15 to 30 feet (5 to 10 meters). The spots mark the pick-up spots for the 3 Frisbees. Tie rope around waist of the cub acting as 'robot hand' (use a bowline!). Blindfold the 'hand', then place grocery bag over his head - the 'hand' should be unable to see. The operator now steps into the ring, and takes hold of the rope. At "GO", the 'hand' walks out to get the Frisbees. The operator lets out the rope until the 'hand' is out far enough, and uses voice commands (left, right, down, out) to direct the 'hand' to each frisbee. Make sure the operator knows that he should keep tension on the rope - this is one of his main methods of guidance and control. After the 'hand' has all 3 frisbees, the operator has to reel him back into the operator's circle. MAKE SURE THE 'HAND' IS UNABLE TO SEE! This is a timed event - the boys may run thru this as often as they want in the allotted time. Keep the best time.
SPACE CONSTRUCTION GAME PARTS - 16 cardboard boxes all the same size, 6 large coffee cans, 3 thin strips of plywood, 2 poles with nails thru the ends, several smaller dowells, tape measure. The object is to build as tall a tower as possible with the material supplied. The tower must be free-standing and self-supporting, and stay up for at least 1 minute. DO NOT LET THE CREW DAMAGE OR MODIFY THE SUPPLIED MATERIALS! Measure the tower to the nearest inch. The crew can try several different configurations.
***WARNING! Wind and uneven terrain can dramatically affect this game. Try to locate it in a sheltered area with fairly even ground. It could also be done inside if the room has a tall ceiling.
SPACE EXPLORATION GAMES PARTS - individually wrapped candy in different colours, coloured tape or marker cones to mark off the search area. Game leader will hide 10 candies of the same colour in search area, plus 1 of a different colour. Cubs need to search the area to find all 'samples'. After they are turned in and counted, they may each have 1 to keep. The coloured candy counts as 3 points, all others are 1 point. Be alert to 'missed' candies from previous groups.
SHUTTLE FLIGHT-CHECK GAME PARTS - 20 cards with different flight-check instructions, table, large cloth. Lay out 2 cards (in random order) for every Cub in the den. The Cubs will have 2 minutes to study, discuss, and memorize the cards. Then cover cards with cloth. They now have 5 minutes to write down all the flight-check instructions in order. Award 1 point for every instruction in the correct position relative to the previous and next instruction. Award 2 points for every instruction that is written EXACTLY correct - give 1 point if the instruction is mostly correct. There should be time to play this game twice. This is a version of 'Kim's Game'.
*** My cards were all very short phases, including things like 'CHECK FUEL GAUGE', 'CHECK OXYGEN GAUGE', 'INSPECT SHUTTLE BAY', 'TEST SHUTTLE BAY LIGHTS', 'EXAMINE AIRLOCK' and so on. I used 3" x 5" index cards and a black magic marker to make them.
***WARNING! This is another game that can be affected by wind. Using a large thick cloth, and taping one edge of it to the table can create an effective windbreak that the Cubs can 'peek under' during their 2 minutes of observation.
________________________________________
Desert Survival game removed due to copy write.
________________________________________
GAMES FOR PIRATE THEME BIRTHDAY PARTY •Walk the Plank. Works best if you have a swimming pool. Are brave prisoners or groveling prisoners more fun? Vote afterwards. •Buried Treasure Hunt. Bury some loot, make a map, hand out shovels, and stand back. Best if held on a beach, but if you're sick of your garden, what the heck. •Loot the Town. The kids burst into the house and cart away anything they find. Best if held at someone else's house. With teenagers, you can add the twist, "Make Them Tell Where They Hid the Silver." •Boarding Action. Split the kids into two teams and have them try to capture each other's "ships," which can be buildings or minivans. Kids over ten need to be searched for zip guns beforehand. Victory conditions are variable. Possible outcomes are: last "ship" operational, amount of loot removed from "ship," last pirate conscious. Best played just before leaving the country.
________________________________________
BOP STICKS Another game the scouts like a lot, which is not a game from the BSA, is "Bop Sticks." This game requires quite a bit of preparation, however. You will need: •2 lengths of PVC pipe, 7' X 1" •Lots of foam padding •Even more duct tape •Two old tennis balls •Two football helmets (or other helmet with a face guard) Cut the tennis balls in half and tape each half securely to the ends of the PVC pipe. Wrap every square inch of the pipe in foam, and secure with tape. When finished, you should only be able to see tape. The balls and foam should be covered in tape. The scouts wear the helmets and attack each other with the stick they are wielding. A hit to a limb results in the loss of the limb. A hit to the neck results in decapitation - you're dead. Two hits to either the body, the head, or both result in death. Loss of a limb results in just that. Naturally, if both legs are gone, you can't run away, and if both arms are gone, you can't wield a stick. It's fun to watch the scouts hopping around on one leg in their big, bulky helmets while swinging a rather awkward "sword" with one hand. You can have tournaments. Kind of SCAish, but not really.
WATER RELAY RACE Transport water from point A to point B holding water can above head. Water can has small nail holes in bottom edge resulting in a shower effect on the carrier. Team that has the most water average per den wins.
________________________________________
OBSTACLE COURSE Standard obstacle type course described in Ideas book, with the addition of slip N slide water slide, and Rope swing over small swimming pool. Best den average through course wins.
________________________________________
ELECTRIC ISOTOPE Combined teamwork to remove coffee can from centre of circle using ropes tied to a small inner-tube or bungie cord. Boys cannot cross rope circle. Best time wins.
________________________________________
WATER BALLOON SLING SHOT CATCH Using a large slingshot made from surgical tubing and a inner tube cup, three boys will launch the water balloons toward the objective. The objective is three boys holding a small plastic swimming pool, who will try and catch the water balloons. The team with the most catches wins.
________________________________________
4X4 RACES Using two 4x4"s (6 ft lengths) with ropes tied every 12 inches, six boys standing on the 4x4 will attempt to lift and walk a short distance. Requires teamwork and co-operative effort. Fastest time wins.
WINTER GAMES
THE SNOW SNAKE GAME Native American winter game, reached highest levels of sophistication among the nations and tribes near the Great Lakes. Seneca tribe of the Iroquois Nation called it Gawasa, I believe. (Also the name of the oldest winter training program in the BSA I believe, now well over 50. In the Land of the Oneidas council upstate New York) On a long, 1/4 mile or more , level surface, build a long pile of snow, 2 feet high, 2 feet wide. This will occupy a winter camporee of about 100 scouts for an hour or so. Make a V shaped trough in the pile, smooth and ice it thoroughly. All contestants have previously carved a snow snake. It should be 5 to 7 feet long, about 1 1/2 inches high at the 2 to 4 inch long head. The eyes of the snake are where it is weighted. The snake should never be wider than 3/4 inch and is usually only a 1/2 inch high, behind the head. The bottom is rounded, the top, behind the head is flat. The underside of the head should curve up like a ski. Decorations and carvings should be done on the non-sliding surfaces. The snow snake is held in the throwing hand with the index finger at the end of the snake, like a sling. The snake is supported with the non throwing hand during a running head start. The arm movement is a crass between a baseball side-arm pitch and a bowling delivery. Using these directions, at the defunct Iroquois Council's 1973 Gawasa, a 14 year old scout threw a snow snake more than 1/4 mile down the trough. I have seen the Huron Nation build troughs on Lake Michigan over 3 miles long, and one year saw a television report of a Huron throwing a snow snake over 2 miles down a trough (about 1978). The younger scouts get really impressed when they see what they are capable of.
MORE WINTER GAMES I have seen all sorts of things done at winter camps, and while I have no specific suggestions as to games, there are variations you can use on other sports/games, such as: Golf (use tennis balls coffee cans and expect to lose a few balls), volleyball (careful, the ball gets quite hard, but playing this game knee or waist deep in powder is not to be missed.), campfire building and so on. As I type this I remember building kitchen areas with tables and seats by digging into the snow. Wide games are a lot of fun in the snow (see other thread) and I imagine "stalker" would be trickier on snowshoes... One winter camp here in BC (Rovent for you BC'ers who have seen a lot of this before) also features a gateway contest and snow-sculpture contest. In general I think that you can do a lot of things at a winter camp that you can do in the summer, you just have to remember to stay dry. One final note, Hot Chocolate tastes GREAT at -20 C!!! Enjoy!
RELAY GAMES
SEED PLANTING RELAY Following a line, or rope on the ground, and by walking heel to toe, each team member must stop (about every 3 feet and drop a seed in a small mouthed jar set near the line. When he reaches the end, he runs back and taps the next boy on the team.
________________________________________
POTATO RACE Two teams. Give each starting player a fork and a potato. He tosses the potato into the air and catches it on the fork, takes it off and hands them to the next player. First team through wins.
________________________________________
CONE RACE String paper cones on cords stretched between chairs, or posts. Each team member blows cone to the end of the cord, brings it back; next boy does the same. First team finished wins.
________________________________________
DRIVING THE PIG Two teams; each team has a 3" long stick and a 1/2 gallon milk bottle (add a little water to the bottles). The players use the stick to push the bottle (pig) to the fair.
________________________________________
TOWEL ROLL ROLL Using a broomstick and a paper towel cardboard tube, each team member uses the stick to roll the tube to one end of the room and them back. He then hands the broomstick to the next boy. (I have seen this one done -- it's harder than it sounds!)
________________________________________
TURKEY FEATHER RELAY Divide into relay teams. First player holds a long turkey feather. At the word "Go" each throws his feather, javelin style, toward the finish line. As soon as it comes to earth, he picks it up and throws it again, and continues until across the finish line. He then picks it up and runs back to his team to give the feather to the next player.
________________________________________
CANDLE AND STRAW RELAY RACE You will need: •1 candle and a box of matches per team and 1 drinking •straw per team member. Each team member is given a straw. They have to race to the opposite end of the hall where their candle and box of matches is located. They must light the candle and then blow it out by blowing the flame through the straw. This can also be played in subdued lighting.
________________________________________
CHECKER RELAY You will need: •6 wooden checkers playing pieces per patrol •We often get these given to us at rummage sales. Scouts race up and down the hall in relay fashion, with a pile of 6 checkers balanced on the back of one hand. They are not allowed to steady the pile with the other hand. The only time they can touch the checkers with the other hand, is either when they have dropped them and are picking them up, or when they are transferring the checkers to another scout in their team.
________________________________________
CUBS ACROSS THE RIVER You will need: •4 card or carpet tile stepping stones •three awkward pieces of equipment such as a rucksack, a football and a hoop, for each six Line up sixes with their equipment and draw two lines to represent the river. Lay the stepping stones across the river. Cub 1 carries cub 2 on his back across the river using the stepping stones. Cub 2 comes back and picks up cub 3 plus a piece of equipment. Cub 3 comes back and picks up cub 4 plus a piece of equipment and so on until all the cubs have crossed the river. Those cubs on the bank should be encouraged to cheer their team on.
________________________________________
DRIBBLE BALL You will need: •1 ball and several skittles per team or den. Standing in teams, each person in turn dribbles the ball down the line of skittles slalom fashion, either using their foot, a stick or a washing up liquid bottle and then straight back to the next man in their team. If a skittle is knocked over, the player has to return to the start and begin again.
________________________________________
STACKING THE CANS You will need: •6 tin cans or drinking chocolate tins with lids per team. Patrols or dens stand in lines. They have to run to the end of the hall in relay fashion and each one add a can to the stack. The winning team is the first one back with a completed stack and all their team standing to attention. You could add a variation to the game by playing two teams at a time and have the other teams at the sides throwing bean bags or dusters at the piles of cans. If you played this variation then you would play against the clock to see which was the fastest team.
________________________________________
TUNNEL BALL You will need: •A ball or balloon for each team. The teams stand at attention in lines, the front player in each team has the ball. On the command 'GO' they spring their legs apart. The player at the front passes the ball between their legs. The ball must go between each players legs until it is picked up by the player at the back. The back player then runs to the front and continues the process until the original font player is back at the front. The winning team is the one with all players standing at attention with the ball at the front. If a ball breaks out from the line it must start its journey through the tunnel again from the front. As an alternative pass the ball from the back player through the tunnel to the front.
________________________________________
WHEELBARROW RACE Teams stand in lines at one end of the hall. On the command 'GO', the front player gets down on his hands. The second player stands between his legs and lifts his legs up to waist level. They now have to go as fast as possible to the other end of the hall with the front player walking with his hands and the rear player holding him up like a wheelbarrow. When they reach the end of the hall the front player stands up and the rear player runs back to the front of his team and then becomes the front man of the new wheelbarrow. This process is continued until the whole team are at the far end of the hall.
________________________________________
HIGHWAYMAN You will need: •A short length of lashing rope and a chair for each team. Teams stand in lines at one end of the hall. There is a wooden chair with a bar back at the other end of the hall opposite each team. The front player of each team has a length of rope in one hand. On the command 'GO' the second player jumps onto the back of the front player and they race piggy back style to the chair at the other end of the hall. The player riding jumps down and ties one end of the rope around the top bar of the chair using the highwayman's hitch. He then jumps back on the other players back, pulls the end of the rope to free it and they then race back to their team. The player who was the horse goes to the back of the team and the player who was the rider now becomes the horse or front player.
________________________________________
FIREMAN, SAVE MY CHILD You will need: •A drinking straw for each player •simple paper cut-out of a child, this should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches tall. The arms and legs should be about 1/2 an inch wide on the figure. The game goes like this: The players are divided into two teams and are formed into two lines. Each team has a pile of the cut-out children on a table and a drinking straw for each player. Approximately 15-20 feet away from the start, place a small pail for each team on another table, chair, stool, or whatever. At the call of "Fireman, save my child", the first player on each team must pick up a child by sucking up the figure against their straw. While holding the figure this way, they then run to their respective pail and deposit their figure in the pail. If they drop the figure en route, they must stop and pick up their child again, by getting down on the floor and sucking it up with their straw. After putting their child in the pail, they run back to the starting line, and the next player picks up his child and repeats the process. The first team to save all their children is the winner. Have enough figures so each player gets at least two turns.
________________________________________
LAYERED CLOTHES Gather a pile of assorted clothing, including socks, shoes, hats, etc. Divide the clothing "evenly" into piles (i.e. pair of pants in each pile, mittens in each pile, etc.). Make sure the clothes are large enough that the outer layers can fit over the other layers. Divide the group into teams. Divide the teams in half and place one half near the pile of clothes, the other about 50 feet away. At a signal, the first member of each team "dresses" in the clothing of the pile and gallops the 50 feet to the other side, "undresses" and another team member puts on the clothes. As long as there are no rocks in the way, this game can be really fun to play (and watch!).
STRATEGY GAMES
MOUSE TRAP ATTACK You will need: •4 spring loaded mouse traps per team •an endless supply of rolled up paper balls. We will suppose that there are four teams or patrols of six boys. They are spaced at equal distances down the length of the hall. Each team or patrol has it's mouse traps cocked at one side of the hall on the floor. At the other side of the hall opposite each group of mouse traps are three attacking boys from each of the other patrols. These attacking boys are armed with rolled up balls of paper. Each patrol is allowed up to three defenders for their mouse traps. These defenders must sit on the floor half way between their mouse traps and the defenders. The attackers must lob the paper balls over the heads of the defenders and set off the mouse traps. The winning patrol is the one that has the last loaded mouse trap.
________________________________________
MOUSE TRAP FISHING GAME You will need: •1 spring loaded mouse trap •3 bamboo canes •3 lengths of string •some objects such as plastic bottles to be picked up, for each team. You will have to bore a hole or fit a screw eye in one end of each mouse trap so that it can be attached to a length of string. Each team stands at one side of the hall and the objects they have to collect such as plastic bottles are on the other side of the river (hall). The only way that they can get the objects, is to lash the three bamboo poles together to form a fishing pole and attach the string with the mouse trap attached to the end. You will have to show the scouts how to set the mouse traps safely or you may have to do some first aid on bruised fingers.
________________________________________
SUBMARINES AND MINEFIELDS You will need: •Blindfolds for each member of the minefield. You split into two teams teams, one forms a line across the playing field. They are blindfolded and standing close enough together to touch hands. Each hand is a mine that will 'destroy' a ship (a member of the other team.) that team quietly tries to sneak along the line weaving in and out of the mines, (i.e. between their feet, or between two scouts). we once had someone go fetch a utility ladder and climb over the minefield. After a minefield team member uses one hand and hits a ship, that hand is out of play for the round. Thus later ships may go through an unprotected area. Smaller scouts usually win this one. When the whole team has gone through or not as the case may be, change over. At the end of the game, the winning team is the one that managed to get the most ships through the minefield.
________________________________________
TRADER You will need: •4 counters for each boy, red, blue green and yellow one of each colour. When the game starts the boys are given a set time 5 to 10 minutes in which they are allowed to trade. They trade in the following manner. A boy approaches another boy with a counter in his left fist , he does not show the other boy what colour he is holding. If they agree to trade then they give each other a counter taking care that they do not show the colour they are swapping. Any boys who do not wish to trade simply cross their arms, this indicates that they are not open for trading. After the trading period is ended you show the lads the stock market chart shown below and get the lads to add up their scores.
Print out the following table and make copies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Red counters 100 points 4 Blue counters 80 points
4 Green counters 60 points 4 Yellow counters 50 points
3 of any colour 40 points 2 of any colour 15
Single Red 1 point Single Blue 2 points,
Single Green 4 points Single yellow 5 points.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
After they have added up their scores and you have found out which scouts have the highest scores, collect the counters in and hand out one of each colour again to the scouts. Now play it again with the scouts knowing the values and see the difference in tactics. From time to time you could introduce jokers these are White counters. You place some of these on the table and the boys are told they can take them if they wish. The value of these is unknown until they add up the scores. You then tell them that they either get 10 extra points for each White counter they have or minus 10 for each White counter they hold, much like Bulls and Bears in the stock market. You can decide if it is going to be a plus or a minus by either tossing a coin or rolling a dice.
________________________________________
THE TRADER GAME You will need: •4 chips for each boy, all of different colours (red, green, blue, yellow) •1 chip for each adult - white (I made my chips by cutting 1 inch squares from coloured cardboard) The boys are given a chip of each colour. the adults each have one white chip. The boys get 7 to 10 minutes to 'trade' chips with each other or an adult. To trade, each boy holds a chip HIDDEN in one hand. When they agree on the trade, the chips are exchanged. ALL TRADES ARE FINAL! Boys who do not wish to trade should fold their arms to signal that they don't wish to trade. All trades are 1 chip at a time. Boys can also trade with adults if they want to. After the trading is over, show the boys the stock market list below and have them add up their scores. Now that they know the value of the chips, let the boys play the game again. Collect and redistribute the chips, and see how trading tactics change. After the second trading period is over, add up the scores again and see how the boys did this time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
STOCK MARKET CHART - TRADING CHIP VALUES
4 RED - 90 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) BLUE - 40 POINTS
4 GREEN - 80 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) YELLOW - 30 POINTS
4 YELLOW - 60 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) GREEN - 30 POINTS
4 BLUE - 50 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) RED - 20 POINTS
2 WHITE - 50 POINTS 1 (SINGLE) WHITE - 20 POINTS
3 OF ANY COLOUR - 40 POINTS 2 OF ANY COLOUR - 20 POINTS
________________________________________
TRADING POST You will need: •Two price lists, one of things that you are selling and one of things that you are prepared to buy back. •Various things for the teams to buy •You will also need some form of currency such as coloured cards, paper or even beads. At the start of the game, each team is given the same amount of currency. They then have to decide what they are going to buy from you in order to make something to sell back to you for a profit. Most things that you buy back should result in a profit, but you should put in some items that produce no profit or even a loss. As an example of the sort of things on your to buy list would be a cup of hot tea for the scout leaders. To do this they will have to purchase from you matches, tea bags, milk and sugar, a cooking stove, fuel for the cooking stove, water pot and water.
________________________________________
LIGHTHOUSE This game comes from a Games book published by the Bharat Scouts and Guides (India). It is attributed to the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland. You will need: •enough blindfolds for half your group. •a reasonably large room. The Leader is the lighthouse. Half the troop (pack, company) are ships, and put on the blindfolds at one end of the room. The other half are rocks, and distribute themselves on the floor between the ships and the lighthouse. Please ask the rocks to keep their hands and feet in to minimize tripping. The rocks also should not clump up. The lighthouse goes "woo woo" to guide the ships. The rocks go "swish, swish" quietly to warn the ships of their presence. On go, the ships navigate between the rocks to the lighthouse. If they touch a rock, they are sunk and must sit on the floor (and go "swish, swish" also). When all the ships have made it to the lighthouse (or have been sunk), the rocks and ships switch places.
THEMED GAMES
SPACE ARCHERY .In space, everything floats. As a construction mechanic, the only way to keep your space station parts from floating away is to rope them together. Your problem is that YOU are anchored to the main space station, while the new parts are slowly drifting away. So how do you get a rope on those parts? Why with your trusty bow and arrow. Each new part comes with its own target. Each mechanic gets 10 arrows. Hit the target with the arrow that has a string attached, and double your total points.
ROBOT ARM You're the operator of the space shuttle's robot arm. The arm will do everything you tell it, but it can't see or think for itself. Your job, pick up the three space disks and return them to your position. Use voice commands like 'forward, left, right, and down' to direct the robot arm. Keep the tether rope tight to prevent the robot arm from overshooting the targets. This is a timed event.
SPACE CONSTRUCTION Your team of construction mechanics are on the moon. You need to build the tallest radio tower you can, using the standard space-blocks. The structure must be free-standing and self-supporting. DO NOT DAMAGE THE BUILDING MATERIALS while constructing your tower!
SPACE EXPLORATION Space explorers need to be highly trained observers. In this training exercise, you need to scour the marked-off section of rough terrain, and discover the interesting samples. There will be bonus points for discovering samples whose color is different from your assigned color.
SHUTTLE FLIGHT-CHECK All shuttle crews need to check out their craft before take-off. Every crew has memorized the list of instructions. Lets see how good your crew is at remembering instructions. You will get two minutes to study and discuss the list of instructions and their order. Then, without looking, your team must write them down in the correct order. If you're quick, you will have time to play this one twice.
player name .................................................arch ...arm ...const ...explo ...check
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________________|_____|_____|______|______|______|
___________________________________|_____|_____|
___________________________________|_____|_____|______|______|______|
___________________________________|_____|_____| (den scores here)
___________________________________|_____|_____|
___________________________________|_____|_____| circle the best den
___________________________________|_____|_____| score for each game
___________________________________|_____|_____|_____________________
put the best den score here -> | | | | | |
GAME LEADER INSTRUCTIONS Bring spray paint (white) to draw lines on the grass. Also packing tape and duct tape. If games are held indoors, use masking tape for your lines. Make sure all game leaders understand that the rules may need to be modified, but if they are, ALL GROUPS must have the same chances. The most important thing is to make sure that all rules are applied consistently for every group participating. All games were designed to be played outdoors, but most could easily be done indoors if the activity room was large. At the end of the competition, all score sheets will be collected from Den leaders. Compare the single 'best' score for each game and den. Award 1st thru 5th place (we have 5 dens) in each event. The den with the LOWEST total score for the 5 events will get 1st place.
SPACE ARCHERY GAME PARTS - 3 targets with stands, 30+ arrows, 3 bows, ball of string, 3 stakes. Set up targets, with 3 shooting stations about 20 feet (7 meters) away. Put 10 arrows at each station. Measure 30 feet (10 meters) of string for each station. Tie one end of string to a stake at the station, and tie/tape the other end to one of the arrows. This should be the last arrow shot by each Cub, and can double their target score. Score target rings at 1 (target), 2, 3, 5 (bulls eye on our targets). Be very alert to safety. Make sure ALL ARCHERS understand that arrows are not to be nocked while anyone is 'even close' to the shooting range area!
ROBOT ARM GAME PARTS - Long rope, 3 Frisbees, blindfold, 2 paper grocery bags. Draw a ring for the 'operator' to stand in. Paint 3 spots at different points outside the ring, ranging from 15 to 30 feet (5 to 10 meters). The spots mark the pick-up spots for the 3 Frisbees. Tie rope around waist of the cub acting as 'robot hand' (use a bowline!). Blindfold the 'hand', then place grocery bag over his head - the 'hand' should be unable to see. The operator now steps into the ring, and takes hold of the rope. At "GO", the 'hand' walks out to get the Frisbees. The operator lets out the rope until the 'hand' is out far enough, and uses voice commands (left, right, down, out) to direct the 'hand' to each frisbee. Make sure the operator knows that he should keep tension on the rope - this is one of his main methods of guidance and control. After the 'hand' has all 3 frisbees, the operator has to reel him back into the operator's circle. MAKE SURE THE 'HAND' IS UNABLE TO SEE! This is a timed event - the boys may run thru this as often as they want in the allotted time. Keep the best time.
SPACE CONSTRUCTION GAME PARTS - 16 cardboard boxes all the same size, 6 large coffee cans, 3 thin strips of plywood, 2 poles with nails thru the ends, several smaller dowells, tape measure. The object is to build as tall a tower as possible with the material supplied. The tower must be free-standing and self-supporting, and stay up for at least 1 minute. DO NOT LET THE CREW DAMAGE OR MODIFY THE SUPPLIED MATERIALS! Measure the tower to the nearest inch. The crew can try several different configurations.
***WARNING! Wind and uneven terrain can dramatically affect this game. Try to locate it in a sheltered area with fairly even ground. It could also be done inside if the room has a tall ceiling.
SPACE EXPLORATION GAMES PARTS - individually wrapped candy in different colours, coloured tape or marker cones to mark off the search area. Game leader will hide 10 candies of the same colour in search area, plus 1 of a different colour. Cubs need to search the area to find all 'samples'. After they are turned in and counted, they may each have 1 to keep. The coloured candy counts as 3 points, all others are 1 point. Be alert to 'missed' candies from previous groups.
SHUTTLE FLIGHT-CHECK GAME PARTS - 20 cards with different flight-check instructions, table, large cloth. Lay out 2 cards (in random order) for every Cub in the den. The Cubs will have 2 minutes to study, discuss, and memorize the cards. Then cover cards with cloth. They now have 5 minutes to write down all the flight-check instructions in order. Award 1 point for every instruction in the correct position relative to the previous and next instruction. Award 2 points for every instruction that is written EXACTLY correct - give 1 point if the instruction is mostly correct. There should be time to play this game twice. This is a version of 'Kim's Game'.
*** My cards were all very short phases, including things like 'CHECK FUEL GAUGE', 'CHECK OXYGEN GAUGE', 'INSPECT SHUTTLE BAY', 'TEST SHUTTLE BAY LIGHTS', 'EXAMINE AIRLOCK' and so on. I used 3" x 5" index cards and a black magic marker to make them.
***WARNING! This is another game that can be affected by wind. Using a large thick cloth, and taping one edge of it to the table can create an effective windbreak that the Cubs can 'peek under' during their 2 minutes of observation.
________________________________________
Desert Survival game removed due to copy write.
________________________________________
GAMES FOR PIRATE THEME BIRTHDAY PARTY •Walk the Plank. Works best if you have a swimming pool. Are brave prisoners or groveling prisoners more fun? Vote afterwards. •Buried Treasure Hunt. Bury some loot, make a map, hand out shovels, and stand back. Best if held on a beach, but if you're sick of your garden, what the heck. •Loot the Town. The kids burst into the house and cart away anything they find. Best if held at someone else's house. With teenagers, you can add the twist, "Make Them Tell Where They Hid the Silver." •Boarding Action. Split the kids into two teams and have them try to capture each other's "ships," which can be buildings or minivans. Kids over ten need to be searched for zip guns beforehand. Victory conditions are variable. Possible outcomes are: last "ship" operational, amount of loot removed from "ship," last pirate conscious. Best played just before leaving the country.
________________________________________
BOP STICKS Another game the scouts like a lot, which is not a game from the BSA, is "Bop Sticks." This game requires quite a bit of preparation, however. You will need: •2 lengths of PVC pipe, 7' X 1" •Lots of foam padding •Even more duct tape •Two old tennis balls •Two football helmets (or other helmet with a face guard) Cut the tennis balls in half and tape each half securely to the ends of the PVC pipe. Wrap every square inch of the pipe in foam, and secure with tape. When finished, you should only be able to see tape. The balls and foam should be covered in tape. The scouts wear the helmets and attack each other with the stick they are wielding. A hit to a limb results in the loss of the limb. A hit to the neck results in decapitation - you're dead. Two hits to either the body, the head, or both result in death. Loss of a limb results in just that. Naturally, if both legs are gone, you can't run away, and if both arms are gone, you can't wield a stick. It's fun to watch the scouts hopping around on one leg in their big, bulky helmets while swinging a rather awkward "sword" with one hand. You can have tournaments. Kind of SCAish, but not really.