GAMES

Grasshopper Relay
National Capital Area Council

Relay teams line up single file.  The first player in each team holds a beanbag or ball firmly between his knees.  At signal, he hops to goal line and back to the starting line where he hands the bag to the next "grasshopper" in line.  If a player drops the beanbag, he goes back to the starting line.  Team to finish first wins.

Centipede Race
National Capital Area Council

It is best to run this race outdoors on soft ground.  If you try it on a hard floor, it will be hard on hands and knees.  Divide the group into teams of two players each.  The players on each team get down on their hands and knees, one behind the other.  The one in back grasps both ankles of his partner in front of him, so that each pair forms something resembling a centipede.  On signal, the centipedes move away from the starting line, and creep toward the finish line.

Apple Race
National Capital Area Council

Contestants are required balance an apple on top of the head and walk to a goal line.  If the apple falls off, the contestant must go back to the starting point and begin again.  This race could be done with almost anything on top of the head, apples, oranges, books, etc.

Birds Fly
National Capital Area Council

All players stand with hands on hips.  The leader stands in front, calling out the names of various animals and saying that they fly.  If the animal really does fly, the boys make flapping motions with their "wings".  If a boy makes an error - says that an animal flies, but it doesn't - he is eliminated.  The leader may try to confuse the players by flapping his own wings every time.  Examples of calls:  "Robins fly, pigs fly, ducks fly, hawks fly, horses fly," etc.

Stay Out Of The Puddle
National Capital Area Council

Establish two lines about 20' to 30' apart.  Divide the group into two teams, then divide each team in half.  One half of each team stands behind each line on the playing field.  The object of the game is to move each half of each team to the opposite side of the "puddle" (playing field).  This is done using 2 large juice cans or 3lb coffee cans.

To begin, the first players from each team stand on a can behind one of the lines while holding another can in one hand.  When the leader says "Go," each player places the second on the ground in front of the line and steps on it.  While balancing on this can, the players pick up the first one and put it in front to serve as the next step.  If a player loses his or her balance and touches the ground, that play must start again from the beginning.

When players reach their team members on the other side, they place a can in back of the line for the next player to stand on to get his or her balance.  The first player hops off in back of the line and hands the next player the free can.  The next player crosses back across the "puddle."  The game continues until one team has successfully switched all players from one side to the other.

Erosion
York Adams Area Council

Spread out a plastic sheet on a fairly level (but slightly sloped) surface. Divide the sheet into two areas so that both the left and right areas slope top-to-bottom next to each other. Place something like a plastic peanut (the pink things in shipping boxes that pad the contents) at the “top” of the sheet. Divide the den in two groups, give each boy in each group a small Dixie cup (the 2- or 3-oz bathroom size) and access to a “supply” of water (like a 5-gallon bucket).  On “go” the teams try to convey their peanut to the bottom of the sheet by “eroding” it down the sheet pouring the water “upstream” from the peanut so that it carries the peanut “downstream” toward the bottom of the sheet). The boys on each team take turns moving the peanut down the sheet until it crosses the “finish line” you set up.

Static Electricity Balloon Race
York Adams Area Council

This one will need a fairly dry room to work best.  Blow up enough balloons that there is one per boy and some extras. Have boys work in teams or pairs. Each boy rubs his balloon against something (his hair, a furry piece of material, etc.) to build up enough of a charge that the balloon sticks to his teammate’s back. Each boy does this, sticks the balloon to his friend’s back and they move from the “start line” to the “finish line.” First team across the finish line wins.

Wind Storm Race
York Adams Area Council

Find a fairly smooth surface to run this race. Divide the den into teams. Each boy on each team must convey a ping-pong ball from the starting line, to a turn-around point and back where the next boy takes over. First teeam to have all its players run the race wins. This should give the boys a sense of power that the wind exhibits.

In The Pond 
Middle Tennessee Council

Mark a big circle on the floor. This is the pond. The whole group stands around the edge. The leader is the referee. When he shouts "In the Pond," you all jump into the circle. When he shouts "On the Bank," you all jump out. But sometimes he will try and trick you by saying "On the Pond" or "In the Bank." When he does this, nobody should obey. Anyone who moves, on a wrong order, is out of the game or may pay a forfeit and get back in.

Blizzard Game
Central New Jersey Council

Divide the pack into two equal teams lined up on opposite sides of a line marked across the room. Give each boy one page of newspaper and have them rip it in half and make two “snowballs” apiece.  On a signal, boys throw the snowballs across the line, creating a blizzard.  They pick up snowballs and throw them back until a second signal, when the blizzard stops.  The team with the most snowballs on its side loses the game because it has been most affected by the blizzard.

Big Wind Blows (circle/passive)
Central New Jersey Council

The group forms a large circle sitting at an arm's length apart. One person is chosen to be the "wind", and stands in the center of the circle. The game begins when the person in the middle acts like the wind ( by turning in a circle and waving their arms) and says "The Big Wind Blows".  At this point they must specifically state what the wind blows, a statement which must be true about themselves. ie "The Big Wind Blows everyone who has blue eyes."  All of the kids who have blue eyes including the wind must stand up and run through the circle to a position that is now empty on the other side. Upon reaching this spot, they sit down.  One person will be left over, they are now the wind and the game continues.  There is no winner or loser, just a lot of fun.

Rainmakers (circle/passive/coop)
Central New Jersey Council

All of the participants need to sit in a circle.  This activity will create a rain storm at your camp without actual rain.  Each action that is to be done will start with the leader.  As the action comes to each player, they will join in.  You can not start the action until it is your turn.  The action sequence is; - Rubbing hands together - Snapping - Clapping - Slap thighs - Stomp feet.  Then reverse the whole process.  This will sound like a rain storm starting and then slowing down again.