GAMES

Bivoe Ebuma (Clap Ball)
Cameroon, Africa
Heart of America Council

Divide den into two teams.  Teams line up parallel and facing each other six feet on either side of a centerline.  The two teams toss a small rubber ball back and forth.  No player may step across the centerline.  When the ball is caught, the catcher must clap his hands and stamp his feet once.  If a player forgets to clap and stamp, a point is scored against his team.  Keep the ball moving fast

Chef Manda
(The Chief Orders) Brazil
Heart of America Council

One Cub Scout is the Chief and stands in front.  When he says, “The Chief orders you to laugh”, all other players must laugh.  If he says, “He orders you to laugh”, no one should laugh because all valid commands are prefaced by

"The Chief".  A player who does not obey proper orders is eliminated.

Cherry Chop, France
Heart of America Council

This is usually played with cherry pits at harvest time  You can use pebbles or marbles  Place a shallow bowl about two feet in front of a line of Cub Scouts.  Put one pebble or marble in it, and give each player five or 10 others.  In turn, each uses his pebbles to try to knock the pebble out of the bowl.  If he succeeds, he keeps it and the leader places another pebble into the bowl.  If a player misses, he must put one of his pebbles in the bowl  Winner is the one with the most pebbles at the end of the game.

Palito Verde (Green Stick), France
Heart of America Council

 “It” carries a green stick (a neckerchief may be substituted).  The other players form a large circle, facing inward with their hands behind their back.  “It” travels around the circle, and at some point he places the stick or neckerchief in the hands of a player.  That player immediately races after “It” around the circle.  If ‘It” is tagged before “It” can get to the chaser’s old place in the circle, he remains “It”.  If “It” reaches the space safely, the chaser becomes the new “It”

Catch The Dragon’s Tail, Taiwan
Heart of America Council

Two single lines are formed with each person’s hands on the shoulders of the person in front of him.  Until the signal “Go” is given, the dragons must each remain in a straight line.  The starter begins the countdown - “Em-Er-San-Ko!” or “1-2-3-GO!” The “fiery head” of each line then runs toward the “lashing tail” and tries to catch the last man.  The whole dragon body must remain unbroken  If anyone lets go, the dragon’s body is broken and the dragon dies.  A new dragon must be formed with the head becoming the tail and the next in line having a turn at being the head.  If, however, the head player touches the tail, he may continue to be the head.

Exchange Race, England
Heart of America Council

Divide the players into two, four, or six groups (for teams).  Form straight lines and count off

Paired players face each other.  Lines are ten, twenty, or more feet apart facing each other.  On a starting signal the No 1’s of each Line run forward, meet near the center, exchange objects, run around each other, return to their lines, and give their object to No 2.  Then they go to the end of their own line.  The 2’s repeat, give same object to No 3, etc.  Objects must work back down to the head of the line.  The team wins whose No 1 man is first to receive the object and hold it up.

Pyramids of the Nile, Egypt
Heart of America Council

Divide the boys into teams of 4-6 boys, and line them up in straight lines that stretch from one end of the playing area to the other.  (i.e. 8-10 feet between team members).  The first boy on each team is given 10 flat-bottomed paper cups.  On ‘GO’, he builds a pyramid in front of himself.  All ten cups have to be used.  When he is finished, he and the second boy on his team try to carry the pyramid from his spot to the place where the second player sat.  If they drop any part of the pyramid they can rebuild it where it fell and then continue their walk.  When they reach the proper spot, the second boy tumbles the pyramid and then rebuilds it so that he and the third player can advance the pyramid to the third location.  The relay ends when all of the ‘Egyptians’ have built, moved, and tumbled the pyramid.

Note: Boys have their choice of how to move the pyramid.  They may pick it up by the 4-cup base, or try to slide it across the floor. 

Popsicle Slapshot, Canada
Heart of America

Divide the boys into two teams.  Place two nets (Shoe boxes with one end cut out make a good net) at the same end of the playing area.  Each team lines up about six feet in front of its net.  The first member of each team puts a tongue depressor in his mouth, gets down on his hands and knees, and attempts to shoot the puck (ping pong ball) into the net, using the tongue depressor.  When he has scored, he takes the ball back to the starting line and the next player shoots.  The first team to complete the relay wins.