GAMES

Explore the Mystery Planet

Heart of America Council

This is a simple game of testing the senses. Have people get into a circle and pass several spices or items like vanilla under their noses. Have them guess the items and the person who guess the most wins. If it is easier hide the item have people open their eyes and write down the answer, then move on to the next example. When done tell people there was a prize, but where it went was a mystery!

Space Relay

Heart of America Council

Human Tic-Tac-Toe

Santa Clara County Council

This game is played just like it is on paper, except that people are used.  To play, set up nine chairs in three rows of three. Team One stands on one side of the chairs, and Team Two on the other. Have each team member wear a piece of clothing that identifies that team, such as a blue hat. Players on each team then number off.

The leader calls a number, like “three.” As soon as the number is called, the two “threes” on each team scramble to sit down in any two chairs as quickly as they can. When they are seated, another number is called, and play continues until three teammates from either team have successfully scored a tic-tac-toe by sitting in a row of three either up, down, or diagonally.  If no tic-tac-toe is made, then the players return to their team, and the game is played again.

A variation of this game is to play it with ten people (five on a team).  They all take a seat in one of the nine chairs, leaving one person without a seat. When the whistle is blown, everyone must get up and move to a different chair, while the extra person tries to sit down somewhere.  After the mad scramble for seats, the game is scored like tic-tac-toe.  Ay row of three people from the same team gets points.  In each round, there will always be one person left without a seat.

Seventy-four Years and Counting!

Simon Kenton Council

2004 marks the 74^th anniversary of Cub Scouting in the United States.  Let's keep counting!

Have the boys sit in a circle.  The first player says "one", the next says "two", etc.  But when a player comes to "seven" or a number with a seven in it, he must instead say "blue".  When he comes to "four" or a number with four in it, he must say "gold".

For example - 75 would be "blue-five", 42 would be "gold-two", 14 would be goldteen, and 74 would be "blue-gold".

Rocket Relay

Heart of America Council

Equipment: 1 chair per Den.

The Dens line up with a chair at the head of each, facing away from the Den.  The chairs are 'launching pads' and the first Cub or 'rocket' stands on the chair awaiting the countdown.

When the leader reaches zero, the 'rocket' blasts off round the room, touching all four walls, and returns to the 'launching pad' where the next 'rocket is waiting to be launched. The first 'rocket' lets off the second and returns to his Den.

Space Ships

Heart of America Council

Equipment: Chalk

Draw a large space ship on the ground.  Mark off sections on the space ship.  The Nose­cone is out of bounds, and anyone who touches it is eliminated, as is anyone who steps outside the space ship. The leader shouts out a section of the space ship. Players must get there as fast as possible, the last few being eliminated. Other special commands can be 'Emergency' when players sit down with heads between knees;

'Prepare for Take-off,' when players lie face downwards facing the nose-cone;

'Prepare for landing'; when they lie down facing the stern.

The Black Hole

Heart of America Council

2 Large foam meat trays the same size

Scissors

Permanent markers

Marble

Tacks

Glue

1.       In the center of one of the trays cut a hole slightly larger than a marble. Mark it the "Black Hole." In each corner cut a hole a little smaller than a marble; these are "spaceports."

2.       Stick tacks in the foam to outline constellations. Draw curving dotted lines from spaceport to spaceport.

3.       Glue the foam meat trays together (the one with the holes on top).

4.       The player holds the game board and tries to roll a marble from spaceport to spaceport and avoid the terrible Black Hole. Score one point for each successful trip between spaceports.

Musical Backs

Santa Clara County Council

This game is a lot like musical chairs.  Kids roam around the room and when the music stops (or when the whistle is blown, etc.), everyone quickly finds another person and stands back-to-back.  When there are an odd number of people on the floor, someone will not have a partner and will be eliminated.  When there is an even number of people playing, a chair is placed on the floor, and anyone may sit in it and be safe.  Naturally, every other time the chair will need to be removed.  Everyone must keep moving and players may not pair off with the same person twice in a row. The last person remaining wins.

LAUNCHING PAD

Sam Houston Area Council

A number of pieces of newspaper are scattered around the room, (as many as there are Cub Scouts to play). A cassette player or radio is used for music. When the music starts, Cub Scouts march around the room single file to the right. When the music stops, each Cub Scout must find a "launching pad" to stand on. (During the music, the leader removes one sheet of newspaper; so one player will be without a "launching pad"). The Cub Scout who cannot find a "launching pad" when the music stops is eliminated. Action is repeated until one Cub Scout remains.

MOON WALK RELAY

Sam Houston Area Council

Line up the Cubs in two teams for the relay race. Give each Cub a balloon. When the race starts: Blow up the balloon and tie, place between knees and race to designated spot, turn around without breaking the balloon or touching with hands. Continue until all Cubs return to starting position.

SPACE PILOT RELAY

Make a flying saucer for each den by stapling together two paper plates. Each den is also given a target made from a cardboard carton with a hole about three feet in diameter. The den lines up in single file about 15 feet from the target. Each Cub in turn sails the saucer through the target. If he misses, he must retrieve the saucer and run back to the blast-off line before firing again.

MOON TREASURE

Sam Houston Area Council

Hide unshelled peanuts around the meeting room and tell the boys that there is moon treasure hidden. Give them a time limit and a signal. On "go" each begins to hunt "moon treasure."

FLYING SAUCERS

Circle Ten Council

See who can sail the most cardboard discs, one at a time, into a box 6 or 7 feet away

ORBITING THE MOON

Circle Ten Council

This is a race for the entire family! Each den's families make up a mission to the moon. The moon is a marker about 30' from the starting line. A small Cub Scout is the "nose cone". Two other children are the first and second stage of the rocket. On signal, parents pick up the nose cone and the two rocket stages and begin carrying them toward the moon. Halfway there, on of the stages is put down and joins the run. At the moon, the second stage is put down and also joins the runs. The race ends when all family members are back at the start and the nose cone is set down gently on a chair.

ROUND THE MOON

Circle Ten Council

All the Dens line up at the end of the room. Each Cub places his hands on the waist of the Cub in front so the Dens for a 'rocket'. A chair is placed at the far end of the room opposite each Den; these are the 'moons'. On 'Go', the Dens run the length of the room, around their 'moon' and back into orbit. As they pass base, the 'rockets' drop a section each time and the Cubs sit down there one by one, until finally the 'nose cone' - the first in line 'returns home. The first team to be sitting down is the winner.

ALIEN EGG

Circle Ten Council

Divide the boys into pairs. Tell them that you have been given an alien egg (a ball about volleyball size wrapped in aluminum foil). The egg cannot be moved from place to place unless it is carried between the heads of two people. The egg is unique in this way because it must be in contact with human brain waves while it is in motion or the baby alien inside might get upset, break open the egg, and eat the floor. The object is for each pair to crawl sideways to the end of the playing area and back. They must then exchange the egg with the next pair in line without using their hands.

MOON RACE WALK

Circle Ten Council

Materials: Really, really, really big gum boots or galoshes.

Divide the boys into two teams. Have them take off their shoes and stand in two lines. Place the huge boots at the starting line and have the boys put on the "moon boots" race down to a turn-around point and return to give the boots to the next in line. Continue until all boys have finished.

SPACE CHARADES

Circle Ten Council

Play a game of charades using space-related words and phrases like these -:

Blast off                      Shuttle Pilot                Countdown

Moon Rock               Space Station                           Orbit

Launch Pad               Lunar Lander