120 games manual 10.2009

120 Games
Every Recreation Leader
Should Know

THE
LEADERS
BAG OF
TRICKS
120 GAMES
1985-2011

Created & Collected By:

Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi,
‫ادريس جاسم العبودي‬

Written & Edited by
Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi
David Justin Ibarra:

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2-3

2

Philosophy and suggestion for conducting games 4 -5
A few ways to create a positive win-win atmosphere 5-6
When and How to Change Games 7
Suggestions for leading fun activities 7–8
Simple rules to remember when working with children 8
Recognizing children with special needs 9
Characteristics of age groups 10 - 11
Ten easy steps for any verbal exchange 11
Things to remember as a game referee 12
Program ideas-family/intergenerational play ideas 13 – 14
TAG GAMES 15
Line Tag/Uncle Sam 16
Elbow tag/Hug tag 17
Dragons Tail/Blob Tag 18
Steal the Bacon 19
Chill out/hospital tag 20
Midnight/ball tag 21
Rock, Paper Scissors Tag/ Dry, Dry, Wet 22
Fox Tails/ditch’em 23
Flashlight Tag/ red light, green light 24
Everybody’s It/block tag 25
Dice 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 33
Dodge Ball 34
Double Dodge 35
Socco 36
Rocks 37
Kick the Can/Soft War-British Bulldog 38
Pony Express 39
Jedi Master 40
Exploding Enchiladas 41
Knock the Blocks/Snow Fight 42
Jail Break 43
Peg ball/SDP ball 44
Capture the Flag 45
Rabbit Hunter 46
Octopus/Monarch 47
Rock, Paper Scissors, under legs/Gladiator assault 48
Quidditch/ Hidden leader 49

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Jedi Jousting/GA-GA-GA 50
DEDUCTION GAMES 51
Pass the Penny/Spook Ball 52
Dream Master/Hidden winker 53
Run, Shout, Knock Yourself out 54
Four Corners 55
Aah, Sa, Go! /Balloon Stomp 56
Cowboys and Indians/Spud 57
Run, Rabbit, Run/run until you drop 58
BUS GAMES 59
Famous/Out of State License Plate 60
Flashlight Game 61
Alphabet/I spy 62
SPORTS GAMES 63
Football Golf/Sumo wrestling 64
Turkey Bowling/Ice Block Bowling 65
Alaskan Baseball/Frisbee 300 66
Ultimate Frisbee 67
Slip-N-slide kickball/NO BASE BASEBALL 68
Boom BalL/Clothes Pinning 69
Kick Ball-Basket Ball 70
TEAMBUILDING GAMES 71
Swamp Relay/ Magic Carpet 72
Hit and Run/ Human Knot 73
Group Juggling Quick Line Up 74
Lanyard Hunt/Get This, Get That 75
Mind Field/ Hula Hoop Pass 76
Stand off 77
Coin Football 78
Pass Attack 79
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND EDITOR 80-83

PHILOSOPHY AND SUGGESTIONS FOR CONDUCTING GAMES

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Games are part of the fun and relaxation needed by everyone - adults and children. When a game program is to
be conducted, the games should be planned and varied in type, formation, and grouping of the players, active
and 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 to
build up a repertoire of games that they can recall when some of the games scheduled are not working with the
group.

PURPOSE
There might be many reasons for playing games and these reasons, in turn, will determine the games to be
played. For instance, if the group has been sitting a long time or has been doing something boring, it is good to
bring in a game that can revitalize the group and give it a renewed interest in the planned meeting. Again, there
might be a need, if the group has too much energy, to give an active vigorous game that will re-channel that
energy. Maybe, if the game is to terminate the meeting, the game planned should be one that is quick to
organize and is always fun, so that the group leaves in a positive mood. Or, the purpose might be to have a
meeting or party made up of only games and, maybe, refreshments.

AIMS
The leader's responsibility, first of all, is to know exactly what they wish to accomplish, what are the hoped for
effects resulting from their choice of games. Games might be chosen, in addition to their fun quality, to develop
good sportsmanship, to improve physical or mental abilities, alertness, and/or social abilities. I have included a
new game list to help you remember all of the games we played today and help you with your leadership skills.

GAME SELECTION
Conducting games is an important responsibility of a Recreation Leader. It is very important that you pay
attention to these factors. Games selected should be equal to the abilities of the group. If there is a wide
variation 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 leader
needs to be prepared to use more games than he/she will be able to play. Games that appeal at one time are not
always 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 early
comers requiring little direction or supervision by the leader. The organized period itself should begin with
mixers or icebreakers to get the group acquainted or, if already acquainted, to get them relaxed and in a mood
for 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 or
running.

The Leader must first determine their goals. Does he/she wish to accomplish something in addition to planning
that the group has fun?

The leader must be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm brings about enthusiasm. If playing the game isn't fun, the purpose
of 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, when
teaching a new game, if they have had an opportunity to previously try it out on a small group.

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A very vital responsibility is to choose the game location, one that is safe and has few danger factors. On the
outside 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 stopping
lines 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 the
fence or wall is reached

The Leader should be prepared to start the games on time, keep the activities moving, and finish on time.

CONDUCTING GAMES

Try to tie the games to the theme or the time of year. Sometimes, only a name change is needed. Change the
name of the game to fit the occasion and coordinating the name of the equipment or action with the name of the
game.

Insist that the group be quiet when giving directions. Everyone should listen. Sometimes a handclap, whistle, or
arm 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 the
group. 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. If
minimal instruction will be sufficient, give the few directions needed, get the game going, and make
suggestions 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 rather
than 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 or
reach of the players.

It cannot be stressed too much that the Leader must be organized and prepared so they can have a good time and
be enthusiastic with the group. Their enthusiasm will bring up the group’s 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 much
fun to watch as it is to play or do. Relax and have fun.

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A FEW OTHER WAYS TO CREATE A POSITIVE WIN-WIN ATMOSPHERE

Ideas for Creating Teams

1. Birthdays

2. Nails

3. Stand on one foot

4. Ducks and cows

5. Cards

6. Psychic shake

7. Count off by 4’s (or fruits, animals, etc.)

8. Find a partner/say goodbye

9. Folding arms

10. Letters of alphabet

11. Vowels

12. Mingle (be in groups this big)

13. Data processing

14. Others?

Purpose: Quickly/Arbitrarily/Fairly and no one is picked last.

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WHEN AND HOW TO CHANGE GAMES

1. 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 ACTIVITIES

1. 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 everyone’s 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.”

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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 CHILDREN

Minors are not to be left unattended at any time. Appropriate judgment must be used while supervising minor
participants. 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 and
appropriate action taken. If the participant is an adult, appropriate judgment should be used. The health and
welfare 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 stay
afterwards for evaluative purposes.

Upon arrival to an area, the site must be inspected for safety purposes. Any hazard must be corrected, removed
if 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 supervisor
immediately.

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 be
considered. The calendars are due to the Supervisor the second to the last week of each month. Calendars for
the 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 expected
and to follow through accordingly. Participants should be involved with the cleanup process for each activity.

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RECOGNIZING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Several million children suffer from a little-understood problem called learning disabilities. It is estimated that
from 3% to 15% of the nation’s school aged children are affected. Boys outnumber girls by five to one. In
California, they are referred to as “educationally handicapped” or “learning disabled.” The children have been
called laxly, undisciplined, underachievers, daydreamers and even falsely labeled as mentally retarded or
emotionally 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 right

Margaret, 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 told

Carl, ten years old, read well but had not learned to subtract because he couldn’t grasp the concept that one
number was more or less than another. Mike, eight years old and obviously bright, had the vocabulary of an
eleven-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 couldn’t achieve what his parents and teachers
expected of him

A LEARNING DISABILITY IS A MYSTIFYING HANDICAP. While the children’s intellectual potential is
usually near average, average or above average, they function at a lower level. The children are from all
economic levels and racial backgrounds. Their hearing and sight are usually normal and, although some
frequently display inappropriate behavior, they are not primarily emotionally disturbed. They are often
attractive children with no obvious physical handicap.

Causes of learning disabilities are not known and there are many theories: genetic patterns, maturational or
developmental lag chemical imbalance, metabolic malfunction, poor nutrition, birth injury, high fevers,
accident, neurological irregularities, and allergies. Whatever the cause, parents should not blame themselves. In
most cases the causes will not be discovered but the children can be helped. With skilled handling by all
professionals 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

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CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE GROUPS

The following information was taken from a book called Recreation Leader’s Guide by Myrtle Edwards and
briefly 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 accept
the ideas of group participation. Their attention span is short and their coordination is limited. It is difficult for
them 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 refuse
to do what is expected of them. They frequently fail to finish what they start. As they progress toward the end of
the preschool period, however, they develop a greater sense of balance, both physical and emotional. They then
adjust to group activities more easily and attain better motor control. They are able to manipulate scissors, large
crayons, 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 to
finish 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 simple
directions. 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 the
efforts of others. They are very active physically, mentally, and creatively, and their desire for adventure is
keen. They enjoy dramatic games, formal and informal play, and pantomime. Story telling and story reading
hold 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 conduct
must 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 be
accepted by the crowd. Their manner of dress, hairstyle, and even their vocabulary must follow the pattern set
by the group. Boys usually prefer the company of other boys, but the girls are interested in boys and will readily
accept 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 development
during which the boys feel a great need to show off. It is most important to set consistent standards of behavior
for 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 competitive
activities that afford opportunity for group participation.

The older teens are much more individualistic in their conduct and choice of activities. Their span of interest
makes it possible to include all types of personal skill games and team sports, dancing, social activities, music,

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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 know
all the answers. Thus, the leader must use tact and be considerate of their personal interests. They like to feel
important, and when given responsibilities of leadership and planning, they can become valuable assets to the
program.

10 EASY STEPS FOR ANY VERBAL EXCHANGE

1. Don’t 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.

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THINGS TO REMEMBER AS A GAME REFEREE

1. All referees support each other, equality among referees, respect each other.
2. Notice participants needs
3. 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 equals
8. Be sure to focus on safety.
9. Make sure everyone cares about everyone else’s safety.
10. Remember the 3 basics-safety, teamwork, enthusiasm
11. 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.

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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 popcorn
2. Family Activity of the Month i.e. Flying Trash Bags
3. 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 Group
7. Stroller Derby and Little Peoples Walk and Fair
8. Boys-Girls Club Mixed Media and Family Fun and Food Night
9. S.P.A.R.C. of Life Adapted Family Leisure Education Process
10. Family Play share
11. Pleasant Hill: Leisure-It’s 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 Santa
13. 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, stoopball
14. Picture It (Photography for Teens and Older Adults
15. Leisure State (Older adults and preschoolers)
16. Family Sports Programs like bowling, tennis, walking, swimming, etc…
17. Family Tournament Nights
18. Spring Fitness Festival
19. Do Something Different i.e. Giant Bowling with Earth balls, Couch Potato Olympics
20. Outdoor/Indoor Family Adventure Risks
21. Don’t Worry, Be Happy(Bobby McFerrin Creativity Playshop)
22. T.V. Alternatives and Games
23. End of Summer Family Nights on the Playground
24. Family Hikes and Bikes
25. Parent/Child Participation
26. Family Carnivals
27. Family Field Trips, Snow Trips
28. Family Treasure Hunt
29. Ice Cream/Pizza Taste-off or Dessert Potluck
30. Frisbee Tournament
31. Board Games and Popcorn night
32. Indoor Picnic and Indoor Croquet
33. Solstice Teepee Campfire, Songs, Skits, Stories
34. Clay Day; Can You Dig It, make it, fire it, etc.
35. Host a Murder
36. Have a Family St. Stupid’s Parade on April Fool’s Day

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37. Family Sunday With Themes or Various Offerings like kitefests, birds of the world
38. Winter Wonderland (crushed or blown ice on a hillside for sledding and family picnics)
39. Parent Child Tea
40. Family Day Camp B.B.Q. and Show
41. Stuffed Animal Exchange
42. Family Balloon Night
43. Building an intergenerational playground
44. Back Yard Camping
45. Block Parties with Mobile Equipment Vans or Picnic Races
46. Car Rallies, Bike Rallies, and Maintenance
47. YMCA(Green Sheet) – Sharing Family Culture and Customs, Holiday Celebrations
48. Winnepeg Program-Orienteering, Fishing Clinic, Pets Are Family Too, Beginning Birding
49. Pot Luck Earth Day
50. 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 contest
52. YMCA Family Huddle Program

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Line Tag
Number of players: 10 or more
Equipment: Basketball Court
How to play: Pick one person to be “IT” and one person to be the “doctor”. When
the game begins, everyone must be standing on a line on the court which is the only
way to move around in this game. The player who is “it” will try to tag everyone; if
you 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 a
road block is if the “doctor” tags you. This game continues until everybody is
tagged as well as the “doctor.”
Note: This game can go on for a long time so add “its” when needed.

Uncle Sam
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines
How to play: Line up all players on one side of the field and then choose one
person to become Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam must stand in the middle of the field and
stand facing the players; the players Sing “Uncle Sam, may we cross your river
dam?” Uncle Sam responds by saying “Only if you are wearing red.” Those
players who have red on must run to the goal line without getting tagged. If tagged
before reaching the goal line, the player tagged must now help Uncle Sam tag
players who try to run by. After all have run across to the other side, the game
continues and all those that have been tagged are now helpers to “Uncle Sam.” The
game continues until all players are tagged and the last person tagged becomes the
new Uncle Sam for the next game.

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ELBOW TAG
How to play: Everyone pairs up and joins elbows. One pair will decide to be the
chaser and the chasee. The chaser runs after the chasee and tries to tag him/her. To
be safe, the chasee joins elbows with one of the pairs and since there can only be
two to a pair, the person on the other side of the pair becomes the chasee. If the
chaser tags the chasee, then the chasee becomes the chaser and vice versa.

Variation: Choo-Choo: 3
Three people stand together, one behind the other and, to get safe, you hook on the
back and say “Choo-Choo” to let the first person know to run.

HUG TAG
Equipment: Cones for a boundary lines
How to play: This is played like elbow tag except that the way to be safe is to hug
someone. 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 for
five seconds at a time. Then players must find a new person and continue. If
someone 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 one
person be it.

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DRAGON TAIL
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines and two flags
How to play: Divide the group into two groups and have each group line up and
link hands; hang a flag out of the pants of the person at the end to be a tail. (The
other end of the line is the dragon’s head.) Now, have the two dragons chase each
other and try to get the tail of the other dragon. The dragon must stay intact at all
times. As soon as one dragon’s tail is caught, the tail becomes the head of the other
dragon and the game continues.

BLOB TAG
How to play: One person is “it” and everyone else avoids him/her so they don’t
get 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 blob
goes around with the ends being the only part of the blob being able to tag someone.
The last person starts the new blob.

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STEAL THE BACON
Equipment: Rubber pig or any soft item available. Cones for boundary lines
How to play: Divide players into two teams. The organizer is the caller. Each
player on the team is given a number. When the caller yells out a number, players
on both teams with the corresponding number run to the middle and try to steal the
bacon, pig, fish, chicken, etc. That player must run back to their side without getting
tagged. If the player successfully steals the bacon without getting tagged, that team
gets 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

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CHILL OUT TAG
Number of players: Six or more
Equipment: Large open space.
How to play: Two people are “it” and everyone else is on their own. The
participants who are “it” try to tag the participants and, if successful, the participant
must sit down. In order to get freed, two people that are not it must stand over the
tagged individual, slap both hands in a “high 10” manner and say “chill out.” Then
the player is free and can run away or help other frozen players. The last two
people that have not been tagged are the new taggers or they choose the new people
who are “it.”

HOSPITAL TAG
Number Of Players: Six or more
Equipment: Cones for a boundary lines
How to play: This is an “every man for himself” game in which the players try to
tag everybody. Players have two arms, two legs, body and head in that order. Once
a body part is tagged, it is now dead and not in use. If both hands are tagged, the
player must tag each other by using his feet or if one leg is tagged, the player must
hop. If both legs are tagged, then the players must use arms or what ever they have
left. The player must sit down and try to touch someone next to him. The last
person with a body part is the winner.

Variation: You can have a doctor with a healing touch if you choose but they must
crawl.

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MIDNIGHT
person to become Mr. Clock. Mr. Clock must stand in the middle of the field facing
the players. The group then sings “Mr. Clock, Mr. Clock what time is it?” Then
Mr. Clock can say one - eleven o’clock; players then move forward the number of
steps Mr. Clock said. If the clock says, “Midnight or twelve o’clock,” everyone
must run to the goal line without getting tagged. If tagged, those players join the
clock being “it.” The last person tagged becomes the new clock for the next game.

BALL TAG
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines. Balls
How to play: Two or more people can be “it” for this game. Each person that is
“it” gets 1-2 balls to use as taggers. The “it” players then count to 10 from a
designated safe spot to allow the other players to run and hide. The object of the
game is to get to the base without being tagged by a ball. If one gets tagged by a
ball, you are now it and must help the taggers get the rest of the players before they
get to the designated safe spot.

22

ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS TAG
How to play: Two groups line up facing each other on the opposite sides of the
field after they have chosen whether they want to be a rock, paper or scissors as a
team. The two groups stand facing each other; they say “Rock, paper, scissors!” as
a team and they flash a sign - using the fist as a rock, the flat hand as paper, and two
fingers as scissors. If they have the same sign, they do it over but if they have
different signs, the winner runs after the loser and tags as many as he can to join his
side. Rock wins over scissors, scissors win over paper and paper wins over rock.

Variation: Man, tiger, gun (taser) and giant, trolls, fairies

Dry, Dry, Wet
Equipment: Bucket and water
How 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 he
says “Wet!” he pours the bucket of water on that person sitting in the circle. The
person who gets wet must stand up and tag the person who got them wet; before
that he can run and sit in wet persons spot. Note: This is a great summer game.

23

FOX’S TAIL
Equipment: Cones, for boundary lines. Flag
How to play: Pick one person to become the fox; the fox will have a flag in their
shorts. Then line up the rest of the group on one side of the field. The organizer
will blow the whistle once and the fox runs; on the second whistle, the rest of the
group runs and tries to take the tail from the fox. Once the flag is taken, the game
stops and the person who took the flag is the new fox. Then continue the pattern
again. The person who is the fox after five minutes is the winner.

DITCH’EM
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines.
How to play: “It” stands at the designated goal and counts to 25 while the other
players run and hide. “It” then calls out that he is coming and goes out to look for
everyone. The first found becomes “it” for the next game. He then continues to
search until all the players are found. As an additional element, a hider may save
himself by reaching and tagging the goal before “it” does. In this case, the first one
found and “caught” becomes the new “it.”
Note
Use a whistle or similar signal to call players in who would not have been found if
the game begins to drag. Know your play area so that you will be able to clearly
explain and forbid the use of undesirable hiding places.

24

FLASHLIGHT TAG
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines and a flashlight
How to play: This game of tag is played in the dark. The person who is “it” has a
flashlight. He/she who is “it” must “tag” the next person by shining the flashlight
on them. Once someone is caught with the light, that player becomes “it” and the
flashlight is passed onto him/her until he/she shines the flashlight on another player,
and so on.

RED LIGHT,
GREEN LIGHT
person to become the traffic light. The traffic light must stand in the middle of the
field and stands facing the players. When the traffic light is standing facing the
participants, everybody must remain frozen, when the traffic light in facing the
other way, the group will walk, run etc, and try to tag the traffic light. The traffic
light may move slow or move fast; anyone spotted moving when the traffic light is
facing the group must go back 10 feet. The person who tags the traffic light without
getting tagged wins.

25

EVERYBODY’S IT
How to play: This is a warm up game. Every player on the field is “it” and when
the game begins, each player tries to tag any other player. It is a game to get the
players warmed up and ready for the rest of the games for the day. Typically this
game is played with younger children because it does not involve a lot of rules or
equipment.

BLOCK TAG
Equipment: 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 will
throw 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, the
red team must run to the other side of the field to be safe. When the team’s color
shows, that team is to tag as many people possible, while the other team runs to
safety. Anyone tagged by the opposite team must now switch teams. Game
continues until one team is left standing.

26

DICE GAME
Equipment: 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 two
teams will face each other in the middle of the rectangular field. One team will roll
the two dice. If the roll is even, the even team will try to tag the odd team before the
odd team runs through the cones on their (the odd team’s) side; and vice versa: if
the roll is odd, then the odd team will try to tag the even team before the even team
runs through the cones on their (the even team’s) side. If the roll is even and the
even team tags members of the odd team before the odd team runs through their
cones, then those on the odd team that were tagged become members of the even
team and vice versa (ie: the roll is even. The even team runs after the odd team and
two are tagged before they reach their cones. Then those two odd team members
who were tagged become members of the even team.) Then both teams with
possible new members meet in the middle again and roll. The objective is to have
all players on your side.

BUMPER CAR TAG
Equipment: None
How to play: On the field or in a basketball court, have all of the players spread
out away from each other. Now have the players close their eyes and fold their arms
across their chest. Their arms should act as a bumper. On a leader’s count, the
players 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 with
another player. If two players bump into each other, then they both sit down and act
as traffic cones tagging the other players as they walk by but all players must have
their eyes closed for the entire game. Last car standing wins.

27

JAWS
Equipment: One parachute
How to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and makes waves. They then
start chanting the theme from “jaws” - Dun ta, Dun ta, etc.” Then someone
becomes jaws and moves under the parachute like a shark. If the shark grabs you,
you scream and become part of the jaw.

MUSHROOM
How to play: Start out like balloon, but when the parachute is up, everyone step
forward and, pulling the parachute behind them, sit down on a piece of it. Everyone
is now sitting inside the parachute.

29

POPCORN
Equipment: One Parachute and five balls
How to play: Have the group sit in a circle around the parachute and lift it up and
down to make waves. Have someone toss a couple of balls on the parachute - this
becomes popcorn. The object is to keep the popcorn (balls) on the parachute, so
when one flies towards your side, you lift up the parachute to push the ball back to
the other side.

HOT AIR
BALLOON
How to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and lifts it up and takes it
down in unison. When they lift up the parachute, they all move in towards the
middle; this looks like a balloon.

30

CAT & MOUSE
How to play: Everyone is standing around the parachute making waves. One
person goes under the parachute to be the mouse and one person crawls on top of
the parachute to be the cat. You have to hold the parachute low enough for the cat
to be on top, but high enough to give the mouse room. The cat crawls around the
top of the parachute in search of the mouse who is crawling around underneath
trying not to be caught. The people holding the parachute work to protect the
mouse by hiding it with waves. Once the cat catches the mouse by grabbing hold of
it when he/she finds it, new people can play.

PASS THRU
How to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and lifts it up and down in
unison. When the parachute is up, the caller calls out something like “Everyone
wearing white may pass thru.” These people run to the other side before the
parachute is brought all the way down. Make sure people don’t bring the parachute
down too hard. Also, if a lot of people are playing, you can have them hop on one
foot to the other side so they don’t go so fast.

31

WAVE
How to play: Having everyone holding on to the parachute at a low level, start by
lifting 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 get
a current of air under the chute. As you lift your section up, the person next to you
starts lifting it up and then on down the row. To create more excitement, you can
put the ball on the parachute and try to keep it going in a circle by being pushed by
the wave.

VOLCANO
Equipment: One parachute and one gator ball
How to play: The group leader places a ball in the middle of the parachute. The
rest of the group grabs the parachute and keeps it on the ground. The group leader
will then ask the group to pick up the parachute in unison; when the parachute is up
over everybody’s head, the group leader will shout “NOW”; then the group must
snap the parachute down to the ground. Then the ball will launch in the air like a
volcano.

32

RAINBOW
How to play: Everyone stands around the parachute and lifts it up and takes it
down in unison then puts the parachute behind them and sits on it. The group
leader will then yell out colors. If a participant is sitting on that color, they must
run to another side and sit on the same color; this continues several times. If the
group leader calls out “rainbow,” the whole group must race to find another color
across from their original spot.

LIFEGUARD
How 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 the
parachute. The shark will begin to pull people under the parachute. The people
must first call for a lifeguard’s help. The lifeguard then goes to save the person
from going under the parachute and becoming another shark.
Note: this game must be played on a soft surface like grass.

33

DODGE BALL
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines; 10-15 gator balls
How to play: Form a large circle and divide players into two even teams, placing
one inside the circle and the other outside. The object of the game is for the outside
players to hit the inside players with the ball. The center players may dodge the
balls by jumping, ducking or anything else as long as they don’t leave the circle.
Any player hit on any part of his body must join the outside players. The last player
to remain in the center is considered the winner. The original groups then switch
places and start over.

35

DOUBLE DODGE
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines and 10-15 gator balls
How 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 to
the designated “out” area. There must be a designated “out” area just outside the
boundaries for people who are hit below the waist. Once in the out area, each team
forms a line to get back in. In order to get one player back in, their team must catch
the 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 the
ball 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 3
people in, instead of one person.

36

SOCCO (Nation Ball)
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines and three gator balls
How to play: (Similar to Double Dodge) 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 to the designated “out” area. There must be a
designated “out” area just outside the boundaries for people who are hit below the
waist. When a player is out, they must go to the opposite side of the team they are
playing against. Now the game is like pickle…the players that are out and the
player that is still in the game can now double team. Once a player is out, they may
not go back into the game. 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 the ball 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 three people in, instead of one person.

See diagram #34

37

ROCKS
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines and 12 Frisbee’s
The object is to cross the center line, get into the hula hoop located at the end of the
opponent’s side and bring back all Frisbees or possessions to your side without
getting tagged and you win. Hints: You are safe on “your side;” if you are tagged
on the opponents side you must sit down and ** if tagged with a possession, you
must return it and sit down where you were tagged. In order to get free, a teammate
must cross the boundaries and tag you free (once tagged, both players get “a free
walk back” which means they cannot be tagged until they start running again); and
you can have one foot over the center line and still be safe.

38

KICK THE CAN
Equipment: 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 in
the middle of the circle. One person is chosen to protect the can. The can is placed
in the middle of the hula hoop; the person who is protecting it may not step into the
hula hoop or touch the can whatsoever. Everybody else must spread out on the
outside of the circle. Their job is to throw a ball and knock the can down, staying
behind the line. If the can is knocked over, the person who threw the ball is now
the guardian of the can. This game has time limits; i.e. after seven minutes, the
person guarding the can wins.

SOFT WAR –
BRITISH BULL DOG
Equipment: 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 to
the two “end zones.” When the people in the middle call out “British Bulldog
1-2-3,” the other players try to run past them to the opposite ends of the field
without getting caught. The catch is that the people in the middle have to lift the
runners 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 a
catcher. The catchers need to work carefully together so as not to hurt anyone.
Remember, the runner they catch becomes their teammate. The game ends when
there’s no one left to catch.

39

PONY
EXPRESS
Equipment: Whistle, scratch paper, a pen and participant flags.
How to play: This game is best with an open field area, forest space, or park in
general. Formation can vary depending upon space availability; most ideal
situation is an entire park space. Prior to the game the leader(s) must write out
several different pieces of paper that have various different items and on them, such
as: gold - $100; rare coins - $75; a new horse - $50, etc. To start the game the
leader(s) separate the participants into two teams - “the banditos” or the “pony
express.” The banditos are sent off into the playing area which is out of site while
the pony express are given the pieces of paper, or “mail” that are to be delivered to
the postmaster at the post office. The post office is an unknown place that is run by
the postmaster (whoever is chosen) and it is located in a place that is unknown to
both teams. The pony express distributes the mail amongst themselves and
conceals it in their hands. The object is to deliver all of the mail to the postmaster
without being “held up,” or getting their flag pulled by the banditos. If the banditos
pull the flag(s)/”hold up” of the pony express, they must turn over all mail, but only
IF the participant “held up” has any mail. If mail is turned over the banditos must
also 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 all
“held up,” the postmaster brings both sides together and counts up the mail to
determine who has won that round.

Once the score is tallied, the teams switch roles and the next round is played. At the
end of the switch, everything is totaled and a winner is determined. Hints: Pony
express can hand off the mail to other teammates if they are being chased and run
out of energy; be sure that a majority of the pony express receive mail, but it is not
necessary that everyone have mail.

40

JEDI MASTER
Equipment: Large open field, 10-15 gator balls and 2 hula hoops
Then choose a Jedi master for each team. The Jedi master person must stand in the
in the hula hoop. When the game begins, the Jedi master is safe as long as they are
standing in the hula hoop. The object is for the players to throw balls at the
opposing team below the waist or shoulders in order to get them out. If a player
gets hit, the Jedi Master is the only person that may free his team by tagging them
one by one. The team must try to protect the Jedi because when they get hit they
can no longer free their teammates. The game continues until the entire team and
Jedi are out. If players catch a ball, nothing happens; all other dodge ball rules
apply to the game.

EXPLODING

41

EXPLODING
ENCHILADAS
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines, 10-15 gator balls
How to play: “Every person for themselves game” children must stay within the
boundaries 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 the
other players. If the ball hits a player below the waist or shoulder WITHOUT
bouncing, the player must sit down. Once the player is down, they can crawl
around 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 the
winner. Hints: If the ball is caught in the air at anytime, the person who threw it
must sit down, but if it is caught by someone sitting, they can stand up again; balls
must be thrown within 10 seconds of catching; each player gets three steps when
holding a ball; if a player runs out of bounds, they must sit down.

42

KNOCK THE
BLOCKS
Equipment: 7 wood blocks and 1 ball, Cones for a boundary lines
How to play: Divide the players into two equal teams. One team plays on the
field while the other plays near the circle. The team on the field lines up and rolls a
ball at the stacked blocks in the hula hoop, one at a time. If a player misses the
blocks, another player tries until one or all of the blocks are knocked down. Once
the block(s) are knocked down, the team must scatter and try to stack up the blocks
without getting hit by a ball thrown by the other team. The players in the field try
to tag those players from the opposite team when they are trying to stack up the
blocks. However, players must stand outside the hula hoop when trying to tag
players with the ball. Teams rotate playing the field and near the circle. The team
that successfully stacks all of the blocks up without getting tagged earns a point.
The team with the most points wins the game.

SNOW FIGHT
Equipment: Newspaper, cones for boundary lines.
How to play: All players split into two teams. Each team builds a fort with the
surrounding materials available to them. Each team hides behind their respected
forts. 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. The
only rule is that players cannot strike another player in the face with a paper ball.

43

JAIL BREAK
Equipment: 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 each
side of the net. When the game begins, a player on Team A will say the name of a
player on Team B, then Team A’s player will throw the ball onto Team B’s side of
the net. If Team B does not catch the ball, then the player whose name was shouted
will be out. If Team B catches the ball, then the player whose name was called
stays in the game. Then a player on Team B yells the name of a player on Team A
and then throws the ball to Team A’s side. The same rule applies. If Team A does
not catch the ball, the player is out and if it is caught, then the player is safe. If the
player 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 can
yell “Jail Break” instead of a name and throw the ball to Team B’s side. If Team B
does not catch the ball, then all players on Team A that are out, can come back into
the game. If Team B catches the ball, then the player on Team A who shouted “Jail
Break” is out. The object of the game is to eliminate all players on the other team.

44

PEG BALL
Equipment: 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 the
surrounding materials available to them. Each team hides behind their respected
forts. When the game begins, each team throws yarn balls at the other team. The
only rule is that players cannot strike another player in the face with a yarn ball.

SDP BALL
(SAND DUNE PARK BALL)
Equipment: Gator balls, 1 for each person
How to play: Everyone for themselves Dodegball. When a player gets hit or
someone catches a player’s ball, the player must sit until that same person who got
you out is out.

Variation: Exploding Enchiladas (see page 41)

45

CAPTURE
THE FLAG
Equipment: Cones for boundary lines, 2 hula hoops and 2 flags
The object is to cross the center line, get into the hula hoop located at the remote
edge of the opponents side and bring back the flag from the opposing team without
getting tagged; and you win.
Hints: You are safe on “your side;” if you are tagged on the opponents side, you
must sit down and ** if tagged with a possession, you must return it and sit down
where you were tagged. In order to get free, a teammate must cross the boundaries
and tag you free (once tagged both players get “a free walk back” which means they
cannot be tagged until they start running again); and you can have one foot over the
center line and still be safe. Note: you can also use a jail for players who get
tagged.

46

RABBIT HUNTER
Equipment: 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 2
“hunters” stand in the hula hoops with the 3 balls. On command “hunting season is
open,” rabbits try to run through the field to the other side without being hit by a
ball. If a rabbit is hit below the waist, they must sit down and act as hunters’
helpers who try to tag the other rabbits as they run by. The rabbits that cross the
field safely to the other end line will be commanded to participate in “hunting
season” again until there are only two rabbits left.

47

OCTOPUS
Equipment: None
How 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. The
players 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 ball
thrown by the octopus becomes a tentacle, stops where he/she is hit and kneels
down. The next time the octopus yells “Go fish go!,” the tentacle can try to tag
them, without moving. Anyone either hit by the ball or tagged by a tentacle also
becomes a tentacle. This continues until only one person is left standing and they
become the new octopus.

MONARCH
Equipment: One or more balls
How to play: This game starts out like octopus - everyone lines up outside the
boundary line and when the person in the middle yells “GO!,” they run to the other
side. But, in this game the person in the middle is a monarch and so is anyone hit
with the ball that the monarch throws. The monarch can’t move, so to get someone
far away from him, the monarch with the ball throws it to another monarch closer to
the target. This continues until everyone but one is hit with the monarch’s ball and
becomes a monarch. The last person is then the first monarch. You can also play
with more than one monarch having a ball.

48

ROCK, PAPER,
SCISSORS, UNDER LEGS
Equipment: None
How to play: Pair up the participants in groups of two. Have them link up like
trains. Then have pairs battle one another as they play rock, paper, scissors. The
losing pair or team must now crawl under the winner’s legs and link up with them
now. This continues until all players are on one train and one team is declared the
winner.

GLADIATOR
ASSAULT
Equipment: 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 each
table. There is one recreation leader, leader A, operating the tennis ball machine in
front of the tables and another recreation leader, leader B, sitting in a chair beside
leader A. A player, wearing a helmet, runs from table to table using each as a
shield as leader A tries to hit the player with a tennis ball. Behind each table there
are two water balloons. The player has two chances at each table to try and hit
leader B with a water balloon before leader A hits them with a tennis ball. If the
player hits leader B with a water balloon without getting hit with a tennis ball, the
player wins. If they get hit with a tennis ball before they hit leader B with a water
balloon, the player loses. If the player does not get hit with a tennis ball after all six
tables and does not hit the leader B with a water balloon, then there is a tie.

49

QUIDDITCH
Equipment: 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 the
field just like soccer. But in this game you have to pick up the ball like it’s a
football and you are supposed to run down the field; however, you may only take
three steps at a time and then you must pass it to a teammate who can take three
steps at a time. The object of the game is to continue passing the ball between
teammates only taking three steps at a time down the field and then to roll it
through the opposing teams goal. If the ball touches the ground at any time during
passing it between teammates, the ball automatically goes to the other team. The
ball may only touch the ground if it is rolled into the other teams’ goal. Once a team
scores a goal, they go back on defense and it’s the other teams turn to try to make
their way down the field taking three steps at a time to score a goal. You can play
two 15 minute halves and the team with the most goals in the end wins.

HIDDEN LEADER
Equipment: None
How to play: Gather children into a big circle; choose one person to go outside of
the circle to become the guesser. While that person steps out of the circle, designate
another person to be the leader. When the game starts, the group copies the motion
of the group leader, the object of the game is to stump the guesser. The guesser gets
3 tries to find the leader. The leader must be as creative as possible. The group
must also copy the leader with out staring at the leader directly. When the guesser
runs out of guesses, the leader wins and then that person goes outside of the circle
and the guesser chooses a new leader.

50

JEDI JOUSTING
Equipment: Foam noodles cut in half
How to play: Each Jedi gets a half of a noodle which is now known as a light
saber. The Jedi has five body parts that can get “cut off”, two arms, two legs and a
head. The Jedi’s loses these body parts whenever they are hit by another Jedi’s light
saber. However, the head is to be the last part “cut off” once the Jedi has lost the
rest of his body parts.

GA-GA-GA
Equipment: 8 or more tables, 1 dodgeball
How to play: Set the tables up in a circle. Take the tables and now flip them on
their side and have each table touching another table’s edge, creating an enclosure
made by the tables so the ball cannot get out of the circle. Make one opening in the
tables to let the players into the ring. A referee will hold onto the dodgeball and get
ready to start the game. To start the game, each player must have one hand touching
the edge of a table. Now the referee tosses the ball into the ring but the players
cannot move until the ball bounces three times. Each time the ball bounces, the
players say “Ga-Ga-Ga” and then the game begins. If a player’s hand leaves the
table before the last “Ga,” they are out. Players must swat the ball at each other
using only one hand and aiming for the other players below the knees. If the ball
hits another player below the knees, they are out. If it hits them higher than the
knee, they are in. If the ball goes out of the ring, the last player who touched the ball
is now out. Players may use the table to their advantage because they are only
allowed one touch on the ball unless it hits a player or the table; if a player hits the
ball twice, they are out. The winner is the last player standing in the ring.

51

PASS THE PENNY
Equipment: 2 or more pennies as needed
How 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. The
players in the circle pass it around without letting the person in the middle find the
penny; the players in the circle can fake that they’re passing the penny. When the
pennies are being passed, the player on the outside comes back in. The player in
the middle is trying to guess which players have the penny. The guesser only gets
three chances to guess.

SPOOK BALL
Equipment: 1 or more soft balls
How to play: Gather participants into a circle; they must be arms length away with
their hands behind their backs. The group leader will stand in the middle of the
circle and become the spooker. The spooker’s job is to make the participants flinch;
this is done by the spooker pretending to throw a ball or by throwing the ball. If the
spooker throws a ball at a player, that player must catch the ball and not drop it. If
the spooker pretends to throw the ball, the player may not flinch. If the player
flinches, they are out and must sit down. Game continues until the spooker gets
everyone out and the last person in the game is the new spooker.

53

DREAM MASTER
Equipment: None
How to play: Have the participants line up shoulder to shoulder with their eyes
closed; 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 of
the game is for the “Dream master” (person who was touched on the back) to shake
hands with the entire group. As the game goes on, they must gently scratch a
participant’s hand; as participants get scratched, they must count to 5 in their head
and go to sleep. If a participant thinks they know who the “Dream master” is, they
say stop! then say it out loud. If they are right, the game is over and they pick the
new “Dream master;” if they are wrong, they instantly go to sleep and the game
continues.

HIDDEN WINKER
Equipment: None
How to play: Players need to form a circle around the leader. Have them sit down
and send one person out of the circle. The leader assigns one player to be the
winker. The winker will wink at players, which will knock them out. The winker
must not let the player in the middle see them winking at players. The player in the
middle has 3 chances to guess who the winker is. If the player is correct, then the
winker goes out and becomes the guesser and the player who is the guesser picks
the new winker.

54

RUN, SHOUT, KNOCK
YOURSELF OUT
Equipment: None
How 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 then
run across the field. They will run and scream until they are out of breath. The
participant who runs the furthest wins. Note: this is a great game to get a lot of
energy out of participants before a quiet activity.

55

4 CORNERS
Equipment: 4 cones/bases
How to play: Put out 4 cones or bases and number them 1, 2, 3, 4. The group
leader 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 getting
spotted. When the game begins, the person in the middle must shut their eyes and
say “GO” as the participants are running base to base. The group leader must then
say “Pick a corner!” Then the participants must pick a base and stay there. The
leader then calls out a number and whoever is on that base is eliminated and the
game begins again, until 1 person is left standing; then they are the new leader.

56

AAH SA GO
Equipment: None
How 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 on
their right or left, across their abdomen or chest. The player picked after “AAH” is
now “SA”. “SA” also uses their hands as pointers, either right or left, over their
head again pointing to a different player. The player picked after “SA” is now
“GO”. “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 or
takes too long to figure out which is next. This gets them placed outside of the
circle but not out of the game. The players outside of the circle are allowed to shout
out “AAH, SA, GO” in order to confuse the other players that are still in.

BALLOON STOMP
Equipment: 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 other
players. The object of this game is to pop every other player’s balloon but save your
own. Once your balloon is popped, you are out of the game. The player with the last
balloon standing wins.

57

COWBOYS &
INDIANS
Equipment: Cones for boundaries, Flag football belts with minimum of two
flags
How to play: Hand a set of flags to each player to put around their waist. Split the
players into two teams, the red team (Indians) and the yellow team (Cowboys). Line
the teams up at opposite ends of the boundary lines shoulder to shoulder. The leader
then gives a command which sends the players running towards each other trying to
steal the opposing team’s flags. Players may only run forward and side to side,
NOT backwards (any player caught moving backwards will lose one flag). Once a
player loses their flags, they are out for the rest of that game. Play until one team is
left standing.

SPUD
Equipment: 1 ball
How to play: One person must be the organizer/leader); the ball is thrown in the
air and before it hits the ground, the leader calls out a participant’s name. The
chosen person whose name was called must run to the ball, pick it up and yell
“FREEZE!” All other players must freeze and remain frozen. The player with the
ball may take 3 steps in any direction in order to tag someone with the ball. If a
player get hit by the ball, that person gets a letter of S-for (SPUD); if the player
moves while the ball is in motion, that person automatically gets a letter. If the
person 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: you
can spell dog, cat, monkey or anything you want to make the game go quick or
long.

58

RUN RABBIT RUN
Equipment: Baseball Bases
How to Play: One player must stand on each base and the remaining 4+ players
must stand inbetween each base (i.e. at least one between first and second, at least
one between second and third, etc.) When the game begins, all players run in a
counter-clockwise direction around the bases. Each player must tag the person in
front of them (i.e. the person on first is trying to tag the person between first and
second, 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 is
out, the game continues in the same fashion (i.e. if the player who was on second
base gets tagged, he/she is out of the game. The person between first and second
now must tag the person between second and third.) The tagging continues until
one player remains. This player will have never been tagged and will be the
winner.

RUN…UNTIL
YOU DROP
Number of players: Unlimited
Equipment: None
How 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 person
left running; that person is declared the winner. Hints: Be sure that children don’t
overdo it; those who stop running should keep walking; this is a great game to play
before a movie, indoor activity, etc.

59

FAMOUS GAME
Equipment: None
How to Play: The first player says the name of a famous person. The next player
must say another famous person’s name that starts with the last letter of the first
famous person’s last name. (Ex: The first player says, “Brad Pitt,” then the next
player would name a famous person whose first name started with T. He/She
would say, “Tom Hanks.” Then the next player says, “Sandra Bullock” because her
name 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 is
repeated or a person is stumped.

LICENSE PLATE
GAME
Equipment: None
How to Play: Find the most out-of-state license plates in an allotted time. Once one
player spots an out-of-state license plate, that plate is off limits to the other players.

61

FLASHLIGHT GAME
Equipment: None
How to Play: One player asks questions to another player. He/she asks, “If
_________ is a flashlight and _________ is a flashlight, then is _________ a
flashlight?” Each ________ is an object the player can point to (i.e. seat, backpack,
a person, a person’s arm, a steering wheel, a window, etc.). If the questioner asks
the other player, “Are you listening?” before asking whether something is a
flashlight or not, the answer is Yes. If the questioner just asks if something is a
flashlight without asking if the player is listening, then the answer is No. The
following is an example,

Questioner: If the chair is a flashlight and the backpack is a flashlight then are you a
flashlight?
The answer would be “No.”

Questioner: Are you listening?
Player: Yes
Questioner: Okay, if your sweatshirt is a flashlight and that shoe is a flashlight then
is 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 is
listening before some “flashlight” questions and not before others. Again, if the
questioner asks if the player is listening before asking the “flashlight” question, then
the 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 when
something is a flashlight and when it is not. The object is to get the player to realize
how to tell whether something is a flashlight or not.

62

ALPHABET GAME
Equipment: None
How to Play: The game starts with the letter A. Each player then tries to find
something in his/her surroundings which starts with an A. These include words on
a billboard, type of car, animal, etc. Each player must have a different object
starting with A. Once a player finds a distinct object starting with A, then he/she
can move onto the letter B and the same rules apply (ex: One player says Acura
and the other says Advil (from a billboard). Then they both move onto B and they
both say bus. It doesn’t count because they both said it, so they must come up
with two other B objects.) The object of the game is to be the first player that goes
through the entire alphabet without having the same object as another player.

I SPY
Equipment: None
How to Play: The group leader picks a player as the “spy”. The spy now says, “I
spy with my little eye…” and then the other players must raise their hands in order
to guess what the spy is spying on. The spy picks the players one at a time to let
them guess; if they are wrong, the spy picks another player to guess until one gets it
right. The person who guesses right is now the new spy and the game goes on.

63

FOOTBALL GOLF
Equipment: 1 football per player
How 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 their
target (at least 20 ft away). Targets include: trash cans, trees, poles, etc. After
choosing a target, the game begins. Player A throws his/her football towards the
target. Then player B throws his/her football towards the target. Then both players
walk 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 hit
the target using the least amount of throws wins. This game can continue by then
choosing another target and starting the game again.

SUMO WRESTLING
Equipment: 2 inner-tubes, rope (for wrestling ring)
How to Play: Use rope to construct a wrestling ring. Two players wrestle at a
time. Each player wears an inner tube. The objective is to either bump your
opponent to the ground or out-of-bounds. The players may only use their inner tube
to do this. The match is judged best out of three. The winner of the match is the
player who wins best out of three (ex: knocks down their opponent twice, pushes
him/her out of bounds twice, etc.) The winner of that match goes onto the next
match playing a new opponent.

65

TURKEY BOWLING
Equipment: Frozen turkey, trash bags, gloves, duct tape, Ten 2-liter bottles filled
with water
How 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 be
your pins. Hand out gloves to each bowler before handling the turkey. One at a time
bowlers will slide the turkey down the “lane” trying to knock over as many “pins”
as possible.

ICE BLOCK
BOWLING
Equipment: Blocks of ice, Towels/Rags, Inflatable life size pins, Grass downhill
slope
How to Play: Blow the pins up and set them in a triangle formation at the bottom of
the slope. Take the blocks of ice to the top of the hill and have the participant line
up behind the starting point. Place a towel or rag on top of the block and have a
bowler 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 kid
per block at a time.

66

ALASKAN BASEBALL
Number of players: 2 - 100
Equipment: 100 tennis balls
How to play: This game needs to be played on a baseball or softball field. You
need to have two teams and one team is spread out in the field like they are playing
baseball and the other team stands around home plate with two balls for each person
on the team. When the leader tells them, the team that is around home plate throws
all of the balls that they have any where in fair territory on the field. The players
that just threw the balls all run around the bases as many times as they can until the
team in the field collects all the balls and put them into the box that is located on the
pitcher’s mound. The team that throws, scores as many times as they can get around
the bases. Once the balls are all in the box, all runners must stop and the inning is
over. The team that was in the field now becomes the throwing team and the team
that just threw is now on the field. The score is kept for nine innings and the team
with the most runs at the end of those nine innings is the winner.

FRISBEE 300
Number of players: 5-100
Equipment: Frisbees, Open field
How to Play: The leader begins by throwing the Frisbee to the others who
scramble and position themselves in order to catch the Frisbee(s). Points for
retrieval of the Frisbee goes as follows: 100 points caught on the fly - 75 if caught
on 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 new
thrower and all participants begin at 0. Hints: Thrower may throw several Frisbees
to make things more exciting; thrower should try to throw to participants with few
or no points.

67

ULTIMATE FRISBEE
Equipment: Frisbee, either cones for a goal line or an object for a goal i.e.: hula
hoop
How to Play: Split the players up into two teams. The object is to pass the Frisbee
between teammates to score either through a hula hoop or in an end zone. After a
player catches the Frisbee, they may only take three steps in any direction before
they must pass it to another teammate. Opposing players may not touch each other
but may attempt to block the pass by standing in front of them (make a 1 to 2 foot
cushion between passer and blockers).

68

SLIP-N-SLIDE
KICK BALL
Equipment: Kick ball, baseball field, four slip-n-slides
How to Play: A slip-n-slide is placed between home plate and first, first and
second, second and third, and third and home plate. The same rules for regular kick
ball apply. The only difference is that instead of running to each base, the player
must slide on a slip-n-slide to each base. Even if the player kicks a homerun, the
play must slide to first, then stand up and slide to second, etc, until the player gets
to home plate.

NO BASE
BASEBALL
Equipment: 1 ball
How to Play: Split the players up into two teams. One team is up to bat and the
other team is in the outfield. The team up to bat will get into a tight circle, as tight
as possible. They will then pick one person to bat. The batter then throws the ball
somewhere into the outfield and proceeds to run around the circle, scoring a point
each time they hit their original position from throwing the ball. The outfielders try
to catch the ball and then form a straight line and the person who caught or grabbed
the 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 runs
to the front of the line and screams “OUT”. Once “out” is yelled, the runner from
the other team stops the running and ends the score count. Now the person with the
ball throws it at the other team and the game goes on until the leaders say stop.

69

BOOM BALL
Equipment: Baseball bat, large ball i.e.: volleyball, bases, or 5 gallon jug
How to Play: Split players into two teams; similar to baseball but the pitcher may
bounce or roll the ball towards the batter. The three strike rule applies. The only
other way to get a player out is if a fly ball is caught or if the runner is hit by the
ball while moving between bases, even if it is not thrown at them. Think of it as
dodgeball baseball. Or use 5 gallon jug as bat.

CLOTHES PINNING
Equipment: Large bucket of clothes pins
How to Play: Each player starts off with five clothes pins and the remaining pins
are 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 the
player runs out of pins, he/she can run to the community bucket and grab as many
pins as possible. When the time is up (say approximately 3 minutes), the players
with the most clothes pins attached to them are eliminated. All pins are placed back
into the community bucket and the game restarts with the players who were not
eliminated. The game continues for another 3 minutes and then players are
eliminated in the same fashion. The object of the game is to be the last player
remaining.

70

KICKBALL
BASKETBALL
Equipment: Kickball/Soccer ball, 4 bases, basketball hoop
How to Play: Divide players into two teams. This game is a combination of
kickball and basketball. It has the same rules as kickball but there are only two
ways of getting a kicker out, either a caught fly ball or shooting the ball through a
designated 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 each
time they hit home until they are declared out. After the entire team has kicked, the
teams switches from kickers to outfielders and vice versa.

71

TEAMBUILDING
GAMES

72

SWAMP RELAY
Equipment: 5 or more foam pads
How to Play: All players are on one side of a room and have five pads. While
crossing to the other side, each player must be standing on a foam pad. If a player
touches the ground, that team must start over. The foam pads must be touched by at
least 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 team
to cross a designated area using the foam pads without touching the ground.

MAGIC CARPET
Equipment: Tarp
How to play: Pick a tarp depending on the size of the group. All players stand on
the tarp and imagine it is a magic carpet. The object is to flip the tarp over without
any player stepping off of the tarp. If a player steps off the tarp, then the game
restarts.

73

HIT AND RUN
Equipment: None
How to play: Everyone pairs up with one person being the car and the other being
the driver. The driver stands behind his car with a hand on each shoulder; the car
has his eyes closed. The driver then leads the car around without bumping him into
anything. You can have races or have cars running in opposite directions of each
other, trying to get through without crashing. Then have everyone reverse rules.
Note: arms should be crossed over chest to protect players.

HUMAN KNOT
Equipment: None
How to play: The group forms a circle and then everyone moves in close enough
that everyone can join hands; but the rule is that each person must grab two
different hands and it can not be a hand that is of a person that is next to you. When
all 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 no
time can any of the members of the group let go of any of the other members of the
group’s hands.

74

GROUP JUGGLING
Equipment: Balls
How to play: Form a circle. There should be a Leader who has several balls near
him. He takes one of the balls and throws it to someone else in the circle, who
throws it to someone else. This continues until everyone has received the ball once.

QUICK LINE UP
Number Of Players: 12 or more
Equipment: None
How to Play: All players split into four equal teams, Team A, Team B, Team C, and
Team D. There is one person, not on a team, who is the main leader. The leader stands
in 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 C
faces the left side of the leader, and Team D faces the back side of the leader. Each team
must line up left to right, shortest to tallest, shoulder to shoulder (ex: all players on Team
A line up facing the front of the leader, shortest to tallest with the shortest person on the
left 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, facing
whichever way he/she wants. When the leader changes his/her direction, he/she yells
“Quick Line-up” and each team must line up facing the side of the leader they were in the
beginning and line-up left to right, shortest to tallest, shoulder to shoulder. This means
all players on Team A must be facing the front of the leader, Team B facing the right of
the 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 be
the team with the most points at the end of the game.

75

LANYARD HUNT
Equipment: 20 ft lanyard string (2+ colors)
How to Play: Players are split into 2+ teams. Each team has a specific color which
correlates to a color of lanyard string. Each 20 foot lanyard string is cut into several
2-5 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 their
color and then proceeds to tie all the pieces of their color together into one long
piece. When time is up (approx 5 minutes), the team who has the longest “tied
together” string wins.

GET THIS, GET THAT
Equipment: Use what players are wearing
How to play: The groups are divided into two teams. A player from each group
comes up to the middle of the field where the leader is. The leader will tell each
player what they must bring back or make the team do. The first team to complete
the complete task gets a point.

76

120 games manual 10.2009

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120 games manual 10.2009