GAMES
Forty Ways to Get There
Baltimore Area Council
Divide the boys into two or more teams. On signal, the first boy on each team runs to the finish line and returns. The next boy on the team must get to the finish line using a different method (e.g.., backwards, bunny hops, hopping on one leg, crab walk, etc.) Each player on the team must use a different way of getting to the finish line. The emphasis is on fun and ingenuity.
Over and Under the Waves
Baltimore Area Council
Divide teams equally and line up in relay formation. The first Cub Scout on each team is given a large ball. On signal, he passes the ball overhead to the second, player who passes it between his legs to the third, who passes it overhead, and so on to the end .of the line. The last player runs to the head of the line and passes it as before. The first, team back in its original order wins.
Crossing the River
Baltimore Area Council
With stones or stakes, mark out a ‘river’ 10 ft. wide. Divide the Den into two teams and have both teams on one side of the river. The Den leader or Den chief puts the ball in play by throwing it high into the air. Whoever catches it before it touches the ground shares its magic properties and is able to walk across the river. From the other side he throws the ball over to one of his own team while the others try to intercept the ball and gain passage across the river. Anyone stepping into the river in the excitement of the game loses a life. When he has lost three lives, he is considered drowned and is out of the game. The team that gets its members safely across first is the winning team.
Raft Race
Baltimore Area Council
Line up the Dens for a relay race. The first Cub Scout in each line is the “skipper.” He stands with each foot on a large pad of newspapers. The second Cub Scout is the “passenger” and he stands on the same papers with his skipper. On signal, the skipper bends over and grasps the papers with each hand. By shifting their weight and sliding the papers forward, the two boys maneuver themselves to the goal line without stepping off of the pads. On reaching it, the passenger runs back to his team with the newspapers and brings the next boy across the river. The first team to cross the river wins.
Leaking Relay
Baltimore Area Council
Items needed: Bucket of water, Two cups with holes in the bottom and sides (equally), and two containers about half gallon size.
Divide into two teams. First player on each team fills his cup with water from the bucket, then places the leaking cup over his head and runs around a previously marked course. When he gets back to the beginning he pours into the empty container, whatever water is left in his cup then hands the empty cup to the next player. The team that fills their container first wins.
Water Slides
Baltimore Area Council
Make a simple backyard water slide by laying a sheet of plastic down a gentle slope. Use giant staples made from hangers or stiff wire to fasten the edges, and make sure there is a safe way to stop at the end (bumpers of hay or a big, level grassy area). Run a sprinkler at the top, get it good and wet, and you are ready to slide! For safety sake, only slide lying down feet first.
Variation: Do this on level ground and do running slides, or play tug-o-war!
Water Balloon Volley Ball
Play volleyball except use a water balloon for the ball and have the teams use a bath towel to catch and throw the balloon. Have two boys to a towel. Play outside!!!
Sponge Wars
Fill two five gallon buckets with water. Place 30 sponges – the number of sponges is up to the pack – in each bucket. Divide the boys and adults into two teams. Mark a dividing line between the teams. Put one bucket of sponges on each side of the line about five to six feet back. When you yell “Sponge Wars!” the teams begin throwing the wet sponges across the line onto the other teams territory.
Rules:
ü You can only throw one sponge at a time.
ü The object is to get as many sponges as possible on the other teams side.
ü You may pick up sponges that have been thrown on your side and throw them back as long as you only throw one at a time.
ü At the end of one minute the leader yells peace and all sponge throwing stops.
ü The team who has the fewest sponges on their side wins.
Rollero
Cut a toilet paper tube into two sections, so you have two rings. Cover each section with colored paper or decorate with markers. Set a starting point and a finish line on the table or the floor. You race to the finish line by blowing through a drinking straw so that you move your Rollero along. The first one to cross the finish line wins.
Hidden Object
Longhorn Council
Maybe after playing this they will be more able to find pollution (litter) and pick it up on hikes and camping trips.
Equipment: 1 thimble, ring or coin
Formation: Scatter
Send boys out of the room. Take a thimble, ring or coin and place it where it is perfectly visible but in a spot where it is not likely to be noticed. Let the boys come in and look for it. When one of them sees it, he should quietly sit down without indicating to the others where it is. After awhile, if no one else has found it, have him point it out to the group to make sure he really saw it.
Earth, Water, Air and Fire
Longhorn Council
Equipment: 1 bean bag
Formation: circle
ü The Pack or den sits in a circle with one Cub in the center holding the bean bag. He throws the bag at someone and shouts 'Earth!', 'Water!', 'Air!' or 'Fire!'.
ü If it is 'Earth', the chosen Cub must reply with the name of the animal, before the center Cub counts to ten.
ü If it is 'Water!', he must think of a fish,
ü If 'Air!' - a bird and
ü If 'Fire' - whistle for the Fire Engine.
Note: Once a creature has been named, it may not be called again. If the Cub cannot reply in time, he changes places with the thrower.
Above and Below
Longhorn Council
Notes: After some discussion about pollution and what are ways we have polluted out environment, play this game where you come up with ways we have polluted our environment and ways we are trying to save our environment and are they above or below (meaning is it visible to us).
Equipment: None
Formation: Circle
Examples:
Pollution: litter on highways - above,
Garbage on the floor of the sea - below,
Saving our environment: Planting a tree - above)
Arrange the players in a circle. Call out ways we pollute the environment or save our environment that are found above or below. When you call something that signifies above, the players stand; if below, they sit down. Failure to do this eliminates the players who miss. The list of things to be named should be carefully worked out in advance to keep the game going smoothly.
WATER CARNIVAL GAMES
Circle Ten Council
Depending on where you live you may or may not want to do this in April (BBbbrrrrr) But mark it and put it away fro a great summer activity!! CD
Floating Target
Float a pie plate in a tub of water. Give each player ten beans. In turn, the players try to toss their beans into the plate from a distance of about five feet. Score 10 points for each bean that stays on the plate.
Penny Drop
Pour water about six inches deep in a bucket and drop in a dime. Each player is given six pennies. In turn, players drop their pennies in the water, trying to cover the dime with the penny. The successful player wins the dime.
Water Balloon Race
Give each player a balloon filled with water and a 30-inch-long string. The players tie one end of the string to the neck of their balloon and the other end to one ankle. On a signal, all players move toward the finish line 20 feet away, dragging their balloons behind them. A player whose balloon breaks must step out of the game. The winner is the first person whose intact balloon crosses the finish line.
Sand Castles
Locate a nice sandy area and bring lots of water, molds (cans, buckets, etc) and modeling tools (rakes, spoons, shovels, etc) and spend some time making sand creations. Have each Den or each family create something.
Alka-Seltzer Shoot-Out
Drill a hole in several Alka-Seltzer (or generic) tablets. Tie a string through them, put one on each boy’s neck and turn the boys loose with squirt guns to squirt each other’s tablets. When your tablet is gone, you are “out”. NOTE: This does not stain or hurt most fabrics, grass, sidewalks, skin, etc, but be careful of eyes and fine fabrics. Once everyone is wet, the tablets will not last long, so switch to a “squirt tag” game for a few minutes - if someone squirts you, you are “it” until everyone is caught. The last Scout caught starts as “it” for the next round.
Water Balloon Relay:
Form two lines about 8 - 10 feet apart, facing each other. Let’s call one line A, B, C, D, ...and the other is 1, 2, 3, 4, ... “A” takes a water balloon and tosses it to “1” who tosses is to “B” who tosses it to “2”, then “C” and so on to the last person who tosses it in a basket. The goal is to see how many can be passed unbroken in a set time limit.
Mini-Firefighter’s Tug-O-War:
Perhaps you’ve seen those battles where teams of Firefighters try to push a barrel on a cable using the powerful streams from the fire hoses. It’s easy to do this on a smaller scale by punching two holes in the middle of two foam plates. Fasten the plates together back to back, then string a thick cord through them and tie it about 5 - 6 feet off the ground, as tight as you can. Mark the center, or two “end zones”. Arm the Scouts with squirt guns or bottles (have quick refill barrels ready). Divide into two teams and set the teams to push the plate with water pressure alone. The team who pushes past the centerline or into the other team’s end zone is the winner.
Water Balloon Toss:
Form two lines standing 4 - 5 feet apart with Scouts facing toward each other. Each pair of Scouts is given a water balloon. Scouts toss the balloon back and forth from one side to the other. Once the balloon has been tossed from one side to the other and back, the Scouts take one step backward. When the balloon is dropped to the ground or bursts, that team is to sit down. The winner is the team left standing the longest.
Biathlon:
Instead of skiing and shooting, or biking and swimming, this biathlon involves running and squirting! Using squares of paper towels, draw a number or letter per Scout on each paper towel. (Use water-based markers - it’s fun to watch them run!) Stick the paper towels up around the yard or park. Each Scout starts on a signal, running the course and squirting his number only on the towels. Scour by total time, minus a second for each missed towel.
