Games
There's going to be plenty of occasions this summer where you're going to have to 'wing-it' and entertain the kids; whether that's on a day where it's too hot for sport or on a rainy day spent in the gymnasium, when it's too wet and dangerous to go up to the field. So, in preparation, here's a few games you can play with your campers...
Capture the Flag
Divide the group into two teams; identify each by a set of arm or headbands. Set up a jail area (3- 4 square yards) and a separate hiding spot for each flag. Jails are set up at opposite ends of a 5 -20 acre area.
The object of the game is to penetrate the other team's area and capture their flag. A flag is "captured" after it has been returned to the captor's jail area.
Prisoners are taken by having their arm or headbands removed by an opponent. Prisoners are taken to the jail of their captor; they wait there quietly until they are released. Prisoners can only be released when a member of their team (with arm or headband intact) runs through the jail in which they are being held captive. After their release, prisoners are given free escort back to a central spot near their end of the area. Here, they are issued new arm or headbands. The game continues until a flag is captured, or time is up.
NOTE: Supervision at the jails and "new arm band area" is important.
Encourage teams to plan elaborate strategies of defense and offence. It is fun to play the game with three or four teams, each with its own jail area and hiding spot for flag.
Requirements
- 2 handmade flags on staffs 2 feet long
- 2 different colored sets of arm or headbands (made of crepe paper)
Battleship
The entire playing area is broken down into different parts of a ship. The leader explains the location of each part. For example :
Bow: the front of the playing area
Stern: the back of the playing area
Port: the left side of the playing area
Starboard: the right side of the playing area
Special actions are explained. For example :
Submarines: Players run to the centre of the playing area, lie down on back, and raise one foot in the air.
Lifeboats Port: Players run to left side of playing area, form single line, sit down and begin to row.
Lifeboats Starboard: Players run to right side of playing area, form single line, sit down and begin to row.
The game begins with everyone standing in the centre of the area. When the leader calls out one of the above parts of the ship, all players must run to the designated area. The last person to reach the spot is eliminated, and goes to help the leader. Each time a different part of the ship is called, the last player reaching the site is eliminated, until one player remains.
British Bulldog
Line a group of kids up on one side of a field. Pick one person to be the British Bulldog. That person heads to the middle of the field.
When everyone is ready, the British Bulldog yells "British Bulldog!" Everyone runs to the opposite end of the field, trying not to get tagged by the British Bulldog.
If a person gets tagged, they join forces with the British Bulldog. Kids run back and forth on command until there is one person left. They are then the next British Bulldog.
(Originally a tackle game, counselors gave kids football flags to avoid discrepancies as to whether or not the kid was captured)
Requirements
- A big field to run across (Make two games across the width of a soccar field)
- Football flags (Optional)
Objective
Be the last person to get tagged by the British Bulldog
Peek-A-Who
Split the group into two teams. Each team sits behind one side of the sheet so that they are out of the view of the other side. One person from each side will sit facing the sheet.
When the sheet is lowered, the team that says the name of the person on the opposite side first gets that player on their team.
The game ends when everyone is on the same side.
Requirements
- A sheet or tarp big enough for half of your group to hide behind.
- The group must know each other or be familiar with each other's names.
Rustlers and Settlers
The group forms two teams of equal numbers. One is called the Rustlers and the other the Settlers.
A very large circle is drawn on the ground. The Settlers gather together the objects and place these in the centre of the circle.
The Settlers then join hands to form a tight circle around the objects, while the Rustlers station themselves outside the circle.
The Rustlers charge at the Settlers and try to enter the circle to take away their objects. The Rustlers may use only their heads and shoulders to enter the Settlers' circle. Once a Rustler enters the circle and gathers up as many objects as he can (maximum five) he is allowed out of the boundary circle.
However, once he is out of the circle, a Settler may break away and chase the Rustler- he must tag him by touching him with the palms of both hands (at the same time!). All captured Rustlers are out of the game.
The game ends when all Rustlers have been captured, or all objects have been taken from the circle.
Requirements
- A large number of objects -shoes, sticks, hats
Silly Handshakes
Everyone pairs up (groups of two). They introduce themselves and start out with a silly handshake. On a call from the leader they then split groups and find a new partner, introduce themselves and do a different handshake. Once you have gone through 4-5 different handshakes the leader will then call out one of the handshakes and participants will run to find the correlating partner.
Handshake examples:
Mork: Hands are connected between the middle and the ring finger
Walleye: Fingers are place on the inside of the forearm, almost to the elbow, and hand is slapped against the forearm
Hoedown: Dance a jig in front of each other
Chicago: Headbanger stance
Cool Guy: Grab hand with a wrapped grip around the thumbs and do the chest bump and back slap
Lumber Jack: Right and to right hand, and left hand to left hand thumb wrap grips so that the arms are in an X. Then they push and pull back and forth like they are cutting a tree.
