GAMES

Eskimo Circle Pass
Heart of America Council

Equipment: Eskimo boys play this game with a 3-4 inch ball of sealskin filled with sand.  Find a ball of similar size. 

To Play:  Boys kneel in a circle and pass the ball around from boy to boy with a flat, open hand (palm up).  When first learning the game, use two flat hands side-by-side rather than one.  The object of the game is to pass the ball around the circle as rapidly as possible without actually grasping it.  It can also be attempted with more than one ball at a time.

If You Go To The North Pole With Me...
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

This can be used in both Den and Pack Meetings. Group can be di­vided into smaller groups, which compete or can be done within the den with boys taking turns. The Den Leader chants: "If you go to the North Pole with me, what are the wonders you will see?". Players call out what they might see and then must act out the Scene. More than one boy can help. In the Pack Meeting, each "picture" can be held, forming a living tableau of the North Pole.

You could make a memory game with this title by having the first person name something he would bring.  Then the second person repeats the first item and adds one, and the third names the first two and adds one and so on. 

North By Northeast
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

The leader gathers the group together. Using the compass, they all learn how to determine which direction is north. Someone from the group is asked to select an object that lies directly north, (e.g., a tree, or a doorstep, or a post). Then the group decides on an object that lies directly south, one that lies directly east, and one that lies directly west.

Everyone assembles in the center of the playing area. The leader calls out one of 'North', 'South', 'East' or 'West', and everyone runs to touch the object that lies in that direction. The last one to touch the object is eliminated.

After new rounds of the game, play can stop, and objects for the intercardinal points (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest) can be added. Everyone can begin the game again, as all eight points are used.

A great game to introduce the skill of orienteering!

Australian Circle Game
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

Players form a circle with arm's-length spacing. "It" stands inside the circle. The players pass a basketball, play ball or football from one to the other. "It" attempts to touch it or catch it.

If "It" touches or catches the ball, the last player who touched it is "It." The ball may be passed across the circle at random or to the next player in either direction.

Variation –
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.

Feed the Seals
Heart of America Council

Set Up:  Divide the den into two teams.  One group, the seals, gets down on their knees.  The keepers stand above them.  The keepers hold a leaf or slip (small) of paper cut like a fish, which represents the fish. 

To Play:  On signal, the keepers drop their 'fish' and the seals try to catch them by slapping them between their palms.  Seals are not allowed to grab fish with their fingers.  Also, seals may not move their knees, although they can bend their bodies.  Seals continue catching fish until they miss one, or the one who catches the most fish wins.

Whale Ahoy!
Heart of America Council

Equipment: 1 paper or sock ball or beanbag;

Formation: Scatter.  One boy is selected to be the ‘whale’; he may run freely about the room.  The rest of the Cubs each choose a position and since they are 'rocks in the sea', they may not move. 

To Play: The aim is to 'harpoon' the 'whale' by hitting him with the ball. Whoever hits him takes his place as the next 'whale'.  The skill of the game lies in passing the 'harpoon' from 'rock to rock' in an endeavor to corner the 'whale', rather than the Cubs taking random shots.  This is good training in playing for the game rather than for the individual.

Snow Fight
Heart of America Council
This one creates quite a mess, but it's worth it.

Set Up:  Divide into two teams and put a divider down the center of the room (like a couple of rows of chairs, back-to-back). The two teams are on opposite sides of the divider.  Give each team a large stack of old newspapers, then give them five to ten minutes to prepare their "snow" by wadding the paper into balls-the more, the better. 

To Play: When the signal to begin is given, players start tossing their snow at the opposing team; this really does look like a snowstorm.  When the whistle blows, everyone must stop throwing.  Judges determine the winner by deciding which team has the least amount of snow on its side of the divider.  Watch out for players who lose their eyeglasses or other personal belongings in the snow, which can get pretty deep.  After the game is over, provide plastic garbage bags and have a race to see which side can stuff the snow into the bags first.

Eskinose
Heart of America Council

To Play: Teams line up.  One person on the end of each line gets a lipstick smear on the end of his nose.  The idea is to see how far down the line you can pass the lipstick smear by rubbing noses.  The team that can get the farthest or the team that can get it to the farthest in the time limit (e.g. 30 seconds) is the winner.  A good prize might be Eskimo Pies.

Gathering Snowballs
Heart of America Council

To Play: Each boy takes a turn at trying to pick up cotton balls and put them into a mixing bowl, blindfolded.

Snowball Throw
Heart of America Council

Equipment: Use a large wad of cotton or a Styrofoam ball. Set Up:  The boys are seated in a circle on the floor.  "IT" sits in the center of the circle.

To Play: The boys throw the snowball to each other while "IT" tries to intercept.  When he succeeds, the boy who threw the snowball becomes "IT.”

Snowball Relay
Heart of America Council

Set Up:  Players divide into two teams and line up relay style. Each team is given a "snowball" (cotton or Styrofoam) and a piece of cardboard. 

To Play: Players move the ball across the floor and back by fanning it with cardboard.  Do not touch with hands or cardboard.  Each player in turn repeats the action until all each player on one team has fanned the snowball down to the designated line and back. The first team to complete the course wins.

I'm a Great Big Whale
Heart of America Council

Equipment: Piece of Wool, bandanna, neckerchief, or some sort of flag to put into the back pocket.

Formation: Scatter.  The Tigers (or Webelos – or what ever rank you wish) stand in the middle of the room. They are the 'whales'.  The rest of the Pack, each with a flag sticking out of their back pocket, line up at either end of the room.  They are little 'fishies'.  The 'whales' then chant, in deep whale-like voices, 'I'm a Great Big Whale at the bottom of the sea.’  The 'fishies' reply in high-pitched fish voices, 'And I'm a little fish and you can't catch me!’  The 'fishes' then race to the far end of the room and the 'whales' try to catch them by pulling the flag out of their pocket.  Any who are caught become 'whales' and help to catch the rest of the 'fishes'.  The game continues until one little 'fish' remains as the winner.

Compass Game
Heart of America Council

To Play: Everyone stands spread out around the room and is told to orient themselves to the “north”.  North could be real north or a convenient wall or corner in the room.  Everyone except for the caller and the referees closes their eyes (blindfolded if you don't think the honor system will work). The caller then calls out a direction, like "east" and then everyone turns (eyes still closed) and points in the direction of east.  The referee the goes around and taps the shoulder of anyone not pointing in the right direction.  They are out.  The game continues until one player is left.  It gets interesting when you start calling headings and bearings. This is a good game as it only discriminates by your sense of direction, which improves as you play.

Once Around The Block
Heart of America Council

To Play: Hikers go 'once around the block'; then their observations are tested.  Who has seen the most round things?  What did you see that was orange?  What are the names of the streets we were on?  Did we pass and businesses, schools, gas stations?  Name them, etc.

Compass Skills Patience
Heart of America Council

Equipment: Sets of cards having the compass points printed on them

To Play: This game is played the same way as the previous game, but this time the boys have to place the cards at the correct compass position for that card. Suggested order for laying down cards: North, South, East, West, North East, South East, South West, North West. NNE, SSW, NNW, SSE, ENE, WSW, ESE, WNW

I led this game in day camp and even the youngest got the idea.  Parents seemed to get confused more than the boys.  Use a great big circle, give each boy a card, and have him go to the right spot on the circle.  Many boys know the basic directions from seeing weather maps on the TV.  CD

Find The North
Heart of America Council

To Play: Scouts are spread out (about thirty yards apart), and each lays down his staff on the ground pointing to what he considers the exact north (or south), without using any instrument.  The umpire then compares each stick with the compass.  The boy who is most correct wins.  This is a useful game to play at night, or on sunless days as well as sunny days.

A Compass Points
Heart of America Council

Equipment: Eight staves

Set Up:  The Eight staves are arranged in star fashion on the ground each radiating from the center point.  One staff should point due North. 

To Play: One Scout now takes up his position at the outer end of each staff, and represents one of the eight principal points of the compass. The Scoutmaster now calls out any two points, such as SE and N., and the two Scouts concerned immediately change places.  Any one moving out of place without his point being named, or moving to a wrong place or even hesitating, gets a strike.  When changing places, Scouts must not cross the staves, but must go outside the circle of players.  When a Scout ahs three strikes, he is out.  As the game goes on blank spaces will occur.  These will make it slightly more difficult for the remaining boys.  To make the game more difficult sixteen points may be used instead of eight.

Polar Animal Shape Fishing Game
Heart of America Council

Tie 3 feet of string to a wooden spoon. Attach a magnet to the end of the string.  Cut and laminate many different colored polar animal shapes from construction paper (not too big though).  Attach a paper clip to each polar animal shape.  Spread the polar animal shapes on the floor and let your child try to catch the polar animal shape. Have them try to catch the star or the biggest tree. For a twist, label the polar animal shapes with letters or numbers.

Polar Animal Hide and Seek
Heart of America Council

Set Up:  Have all the children hide their eyes while you "hide" a polar animal in the room.  (It should be placed in plain view.) 

To Play: Tell the children to find the polar animal, but not touch it.  Once they spot it they should sit back down in their spot. The first one to sit down again will get to hide the polar animal.

*Variation: Play the game the same as above, except hide the polar animal.  Then tell the children individually whether they are "hot" or "cold" to the relation of the polar animal.  Allow the other children to have a chance to hide the polar animal, and tell children whether they are "hot or cold."  It may be a good idea to discuss the meaning of hot and cold before you play this game.

Penguin Waddle Relay
Heart of America Council

 Divide the class into 2 teams. place half of each team behind lines 6 to 8 yards apart.

Place a 6 to 8 inch rubber ball between the knees of the first two people in line and watch them waddle like penguins to give the ball to their teammates behind the opposite line. The teammates then carry the balls back to the starting line and the waddling continues until everyone has had a turn. If the ball is dropped, the penguin must go back to his/her starting point and begin again. The winning penguins are the ones that can waddle the fastest without losing the ball.

Science: You'll need: large pan of frozen water, small items from classroom such as blocks, crayon, and pencil.

Talk about where penguins live and the type of climate they need to survive. Show children the pan filled with ice.

Let them try to move the blocks and other small items around on the ice so they can feel the cold the penguins need to survive. Slide the items across the ice then across the desk, carpet and other surfaces. Compare the results.