GAMES

Australian Circle Game

San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Equipment: 2 Tennis balls

A player stands in the center of a circle holding a tennis ball. He tries to throw this ball to someone in the circle who will drop it.

Another ball is also being passed around the circle from one boy to another.

The player in the center may throw his ball to anyone, but he usually throws it to the boy about to receive the ball being passed around the circle.

If either ball is dropped, the one who dropped it changes places with the boy in the center.

Bomb the Bridges

San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Equipment: 2 to 4 tennis balls

The players stand scattered around the hall with their legs about 2 feet apart.

Each player's legs form a “bridge” which may be bombed. To bomb a bridge, a tennis ball must be thrown between the player's legs (hitting a player's legs is not enough).

Once bombed, the player is out and must sit down.

However, he may still take part by continuing to throw the tennis balls to bomb other players.

The last player standing is the winner.

To prevent being bombed, a player may protect himself using his hands to catch or deflect the tennis ball.

Players may not move their feet or crouch to prevent being “hit”.

Balls which are out of reach may be retrieved quickly by the nearest players so that play can continue.

The greater the number of balls the harder and faster the game becomes.

Chair Basketball

San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Equipment: A ball and 2 chairs

Each team has a boy sitting on a chair at the opposite end of the room.

The object of the game is for the team to score a goal by having their team member catch the ball that is tossed to him while on the chair.

The ball must be dribbled to within throwing distance.

The catcher must catch the ball while on the chair.

It's best to have teams of around 6-8 players.

Crab Soccer

San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Equipment: 1 ball and 4 chairs

This is a version of football that can be played indoors using chairs as goal posts.

The rules are much the same as normal football with the exception that players must be in the crab position - that is, on hands and feet with back toward the ground.

You may want to make additional rules to prevent the goalkeeper from throwing the ball too far across the hall. For example, the ball must bounce at least once on their side of the hall.

Dribble Ball

San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Equipment: A Ball and 3 or more empty 1- to 2-liter bottles per team

Setup: Arrange the bottles in a line, far enough apart so that players can dribble the ball between them.

Standing in teams, each person in turn dribbles the ball down the line of cones slalom fashion, either using their foot or a stick, and then straight back to the next man in their team.

If a bottle is knocked over, the player has to return to the start and begin again.

Relay “Ball” Games

Baltimore Area Council

Ball Pass Relay

Equipment: One ball for each team

Each team stands in file formation with a team leader sitting opposite about twenty feet away.  He has the ball in his lap.  On signal, the first player in line runs to this leader, picks up the ball, and returns to his place in the file line.  He then throws the ball to the leader and goes to the end of the file line and sits down.  When the ball returns to the leader’s lap, the next player runs.  The first team to finish a rotation wins.

Tennis Ball Pass

Equipment: A tennis ball for each team

Teams stand in a file formation.  A tennis ball is passed from chin to chin, using no hands, from one end of the line to the other end.  If the ball is dropped, it must be returned to the start of the line.  The first team to pass the ball forward and backward wins.

Waddle Relay

Equipment: A small-to-medium ball for each team

On signal, No. 1 players race against each other while carrying the ball between their knees.  They must successfully reach the turn-around line, bounce the ball once, and return to their team with the ball once again between their knees and tag Player No. 1.  Player No. 2 continues.  If the ball is dropped at any time, the player must go back and start over.  The first team to have all players “waddle” the ball wins.

Over the Top - Play with a medicine ball or basketball.  Boy in line in straddle position.  Ball passed overhead from boy to boy.  Last boy receiving ball vaults over the line as they stand in stooped position.  Others continue until first boy finishes. 

Through the Tunnel - Boys in same position.  Ball is passed between legs and last boy crawls through, pushing ball ahead with head and hands.  Others continue.

In and Out - Ball is passed between legs and overhead.  Last boy runs in and out through the line and others continue.

Over and Under - Same formation except the balls are alternatively passed overhead and between the legs.  Last boy vaults over one and crawls between legs of next boy.  Others continue.

Kangaroo - Ball is passed through line between legs.  Last boy tucks ball between knees, jumping on side of line to front, and others continue.

Goat - Same as above, except that last boy butts ball along side of line with head, not being allowed to use hands.

Medicine Ball Roll - Ball is passed between legs, last boy running to front of line.  Others continue same.

Cotton Ball Race - Each person has to pick up all the cotton balls with a spatula, keeping it balanced while running to a specified goal and back.  If the cotton ball is dropped, the player must start over.  When he returns with the cotton ball he places it in a carton. 

Barefoot Marble - Divide the Scouts into teams (patrol/Den).  First boy runs to a line 15 ft. away.  He grasps and carries one marble with the toes of each foot, returns to tag the next Scout. 

Arch Bowling

Baltimore Area Council

Set up 10 croquet arches in a row, spaced wide enough to allow a ball to go between them. Set a bowling line at a distance of 15 feet. Increase this distance if the lawn is smooth and well cut. Each player bowls one ball each turn. The ball must go through each arch in order. The first arch must be made before the second, and so on. The player who first completes the sequence of the arches wins.

Bottles And Cans

Baltimore Area Council

Bottles and cans can be used for lots of games. You can invent them or copy them from games in shops. Your games can be a lot more interesting than things that cost a lot of money.

A collection of tall plastic bottles makes bowling pins. Fill them with water or sand so they won’t fall over so easily. A heavy ball you can bowl slowly works best. Try a baseball or a hard orange.  Or a small tire!!!  CD

Litter Basketball

Baltimore Area Council

Boys always get fussed at for doing this –

Why not make it a game?

Equipment: Lots of crumpled computer or copy paper, trash cans

ü     Divide Den into two teams and seat them behind a throw line. Place the trash cans about 10 feet away (distance depends on the motor skills of your Den).

ü     On the signal “GO!” Cubs fire their paper “basketballs” at the trash can goals.

ü     After a set amount of time stop the game.

ü     Count the number of “basketballs” in each trash can.

ü     The team with the most “basketballs” in the cans wins.

Backyard Jugball

Baltimore Area Council

This is a version of lacrosse, Maryland’s official team sport. And I was watching the National Lacrosse Championships this weekend.  My son played in High School and now the two of us are hooked.  There were over 44,000 fans at the Linc in Philly to watch the semi’s.  Finals on Monday!! Great sport if your son or daughter has a chance to play.  It is the only team ball sport my Philmont staffer daughter ever really got into.  She loves the game, too  CD

Equipment: Plastic milk jug (Bottom cut off), Wiffle ball, 4 to 12 players.

Rules: Centers face off in center of field; touch ground with scoops on each side of ball raise scoops once over ball touching others scoop then back to ground. Then each boy tries to scoop up the ball and throw it to another team member who must catch it with his scoop then pass it on, or try to make a goal past goalie and between goal posts. Goalie tries to divert ball from goal using scoop or body (no hands). Goal counts one point. If a player touches the ball with his hand the other team gets possession at point of infraction. Players may go anywhere on field except goal circle. Goalie moves freely inside goal circle. Last team to touch out of bounds ball loses possession. Body contact is not allowed and disputes over possession are settled at point of conflict with a face off between the 2 players involved. First team to score 5 points, wins.

Rainy Day Racquetball

Baltimore Area Council

A rousing game of balloon racquetball will brighten up a rainy afternoon - or any afternoon! Make the racquet by bending a wire clothes hanger into a circle. Slip the wire circle into one leg of a pair of pantyhose. Tie off the pantyhose at both ends of the circle. Cut off extra stocking. Flattening the hook of the hanger makes the handle. Cover the handle with masking tape. Make a comfortable grip by building up with strips of cloth or paper, then finish off by wrapping smoothly with tape. After making two rackets, blow up some round balloons, find a partner and have a ball!

Blow-Hard Soccer

Baltimore Area Council

Divide the Den into 2 teams. Mark goal lines at both ends of the room or playing area. Players get on their hands and knees in the center of the room and face their opponents’ goal line. The leader drops a tennis ball into the center, and both teams try to blow it over their opponents’ line. Only blowing is allowed: if the ball touches any part of a player’s body, the other team gets a free blow at the spot of the foul.

Bucketball

Baltimore Area Council

Place two bushel baskets or large metal buckets 50 to 60 feet apart. Establish sidelines 30 to 40 feet apart.  Use a basketball or other ball about that size.  Play regular basketball rules, but with any number of players on a side.  No score is made if the ball bounces out of the bucket or knocks it over.

Button Baseball Game

Baltimore Area Council

Find a box lid that measures about twelve by ten inches.  Draw a baseball diamond on top of the lid.  Cut out circles as shown so that small nut, cups or paper muffin-pan liners will fit in them.  Each player has three buttons for each turn “at bat.”  Standing about six feet away, he tosses them at the holes.  If he misses all the holes, it is a strike.  If the game is played as a team game, “base runners” advance the appropriate number of bases for each hit.  If the game is played by individuals, a player scores 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple, and 4 for a home run.