Embedded Files
Riverbank
Riverbank
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: Chalk, sticks, tape, or anything else to make a line
Instruction: Establish a line with tape, chalk, sticks, or anything else. Instruct students to put their toes on the line and face the facilitator (you). The facilitator will call out "river," "bank," or "riverbank." Players hop forward (over the line) when they hear "river" and backward (behind the line) when they hear "bank."
When the facilitator calls out, "riverbank," players hop sideways with one foot in the river and one foot in the bank. Increase the speed and rhythm on how you’re calling out each command to make it harder on the campers! If a player makes a mistake, they are out!
Kitty Cat Careers
Kitty Cat Careers
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Players form a standing circle. The facilitator will stand in the middle of the circle and will be the first kitty cat. The first kitty cat acts out a career without talking but plenty of meowing! For example, They will act out cutting someone’s hair (while meowing). Players shout out their guesses of what career it is. When the kitty cat hears the correct (in this case, barber/hairstylist), they’ll shout out “Yes!” and everyone sings (to the tune of the “Meow Mix” song)
“Meow, meow, meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow, meow
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, Kitty Cat Careers! (clap, clap) Kitty Cat Careers!”
The person who guessed correctly moves to the middle of the circle and becomes the next kitty cat.
Desert Island
Desert Island
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: Any
Supplies: rope, chalk or anything else to make an “island”
Instruction: Designate an area with tiles, rope, chalk (maybe 1 yard square or smaller). The group has to see how many people they can fit on the island. You can increase the difficulty of the island with each round. Alternatively, you can use the command “Desert Island” to point to a particular surface (A park bench, sidewalk square, a log, etc.) and the campers have to rush to the location you point to and try to all fit onto the surface as fast as they can. You can bring this command out at any time during the week. Mix this command in with “flying squirrel” (the campers have to all drop to the ground any time you say “flying squirrel”) and “the floor is lava” (campers have to quickly try and not touch the ground when you yell “the floor is lava”) for a fun reoccurring game to bring up randomly throughout the week!
Lion Tamer
Lion Tamer
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: One person is chosen as the “Lion Tamer,” and everyone else lies on the ground as sleeping lions. The objective of the lion hunter is to awaken all of the lions. This is done by getting the lions to laugh. The tamer may not touch the lions, and the lions may not bury their face or close their eyes. Once a lion is “awakened” by a tamer, then they also transform into a lion tamer.
People to People
People to People
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: The group forms a large circle and everyone partners up. One person in the center of the circle calls out commands round by round for the partners to connect body part to body part (Ex: Elbow to elbow, toe to toe, hip to hip, etc.). Each pair must follow each command until the caller says “People to People!” at which point everyone shouts and runs to the center of the circle grabbing a new partner. Whoever is left without a partner is the new caller. Have the caller experiment with the speed of their calls and their combination of body parts (elbow to toe, shoulder to knee, etc.) to get people moving and make it silly!
Clean up the yard!
Clean up the yard!
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: 15+ rolled up socks/bandanas/crumpled pieces of paper/etc.
Instruction: Sock it to the other team! This game is for 4 or more players and should be played in an open area. To play, you need lots of balled up socks (or any combination of other soft balled up material. Bandanas, pieces of paper, etc.). You'll also need a way to divide the playing field in half. Divide into two teams, A and B. One side of the playing field is Team A's backyard; the other side is Team B's backyard. Players all get down on their hands and knees. Split the rolled up socks evenly between both sides. On the word "go," the teams have one minute to throw as many socks as they can into the other team's yard. The team with the fewest socks in their backyard after one minute is the winner.
Dance Master
Dance Master
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Time to dance! This is a game for 3 or more players. But the more players you have, the more fun it is to play! To play, one player is the guesser, one is the dance master, and the rest are the followers. Decide which player will be the guesser. That player leaves the circle. While the guesser is away, the rest of the players then decide who will be the dance master. The other players have to do whatever dance moves the dance master does. If the dance master does a disco dance, the rest of the players have to disco dance. If the dance master changes their dance to the ‘floss’ dance, the rest of the campers need to change and do the ‘floss’ dance. When the players have decided who the dance master is, invite the guesser back to the circle and have them stand in the middle. The guesser will then try to figure out who the dance master is while the group is copying whatever movement they are doing. The dance master should try and change up the movement whenever they can and try not to get caught changing the action. If the dance master gets caught, then they become the next guesser. The dance master should feel free to incorporate any movement they want (even if it's not technically a dance). Be silly and creative!
Zoo Keeper
Zoo Keeper
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: The instructor will lay our boundaries for a large running field (adjust to the size of the group) with a starting line and finishing line on each side. A “Zoo Keeper” will be selected from the group and will stand in the middle of the field. The rest of the campers will line up on one side of the field behind the line. Each camper will then be instructed to think of an animal that they’d like to be (ex: parrot) for the length of the game (but don’t tell anyone your animal!). When all the campers are ready, the “Zoo Keeper” will call out one attribute of an animal (ex: feathers) and anyone who chose an animal with that attribute will have to run across the field to the other line and try not to get tagged by the Zoo Keeper. If a camper gets tagged while running across, they join the Zoo Keeper in trying to tag the rest of the campers. No matter what side campers are on, if an attribute is called out that their animal has, they have to run to the other side. With enough campers, this can be super chaotic and fun!
Variation: Color Master! Have the person in the middle (the Color Master) call out a color each round and if the camper is wearing that color, then they have to run across the field and try not to get tagged!
“Everybody’s It” Tag
“Everybody’s It” Tag
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Everyone in the group is “It” and everyone is against each other. Campers run around and try to tag the other campers without being tagged themselves. If a camper is tagged, they must sit down, and can only get back up if the person who tagged them gets tagged and has to sit down. If campers tag each other at the same time, they must play 1 round of rock/paper/scissors to see who wins. The camper who wins gets to continue tagging, while the camper who loses has to sit down. The instructor can re-energize the game by yelling “jail break!” and letting everyone who was sitting down back up to keep playing!
Hospital Tag
Hospital Tag
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Everyone in the group is given three lives. Each time a person is tagged they have a “wound” where they were tagged that they must cover with a band aid. The 2 band aids are their hands. Once someone is tagged twice, then the person has to tag carefully with the elbows. By the time someone gets to this point, someone will tag them just to take them out of their misery. Once you get tagged 3 times you are out.
Save the Tree Tag
Save the Tree Tag
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 8 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Kids get in a circle linking hands with no more than 10 kids, becoming one big tree. One person stands in the middle of the circle, “the cambium.” One person stands on the outside of the circle, “bark beetle,” trying to tag the inside person. All of the kids linked in the circle must protect the middle person by blocking the outside person “bark beetle” out. The bark beetle must try and get in-between two of the campers with linked hands (they cannot climb over or under anyone) to reach into the middle and the middle person is not allowed to move. Be sure to discuss safety with the campers beforehand as body control is an important component of this game. Make it more challenging by adding more “bark beetles” to the game!
Dragon’s Tail
Dragon’s Tail
Type: Active/Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Divide the group into 2 equal teams (or more depending on # of campers). Have them make a line holding on to the person’s shoulders in front of them. You place a cloth in the back pocket of the last person in line (or somehow fastened to the tail in a way that it can be removed). This line is now a dragon. The head of the line is the dragon’s head and the rear the tail. For the 1st round, have the head of each dragon chase its own tail to get the cloth. If the line breaks then stop the group and reset the line. The head can move either direction, same thing for the tail. Have them try that first. For the 2nd round, have the dragons go against one another to try and pull the cloth from the other dragons tail. Once a dragon’s tail is pulled, the game is over.
Flinch
Flinch
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: A soft, throwable object, ideally a ball
Instruction: Form a large circle with the group. One person from the group stands in the middle of the circle with the ball. They are the “Flinch Master”. Their goal is to get as many people from the group ‘out’ as possible. To get someone out, the Flinch Master pretends to throw the ball at someone. If they flinch in response, that person is out and sits down in the circle. If the “Flinch Master” decides to really throw the ball (underhand and catchable), the receiving person must catch it without letting it touch the ground. If they catch it successfully, they stay in, if not, they are out. The last person standing at the end becomes the next Flinch Master.
Scream Race
Scream Race
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: Any
Supplies: None
Instruction: Set a starting line, and when the instructor says go, campers (and the instructor if they’d like) will take a deep breath and run as far as they can while yelling with that one breath. Once campers have lost that one breath, they stop there. See who can get the furthest on one scream! This is a great way to use up energy.
Oh Captain, My Captain
Oh Captain, My Captain
Type: Active/No Contact (Optional)
Age: Any
Group size: 2 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: One player is chosen as the captain. The Captain call out orders to the rest of the players who are the crew. If a player does not follow an order correctly, they are out (This decision is made by the Captain or Instructor. This is optional. To make it less competitive you can just have the last person to perform the task site out for 20 seconds before re-entering the game, or remove someone needing to be out all together). Create boundaries and designate these boundaries at the “boat”. This is a fun game you can play on land and is also a great game to play on SUP day or Canoe day.
Orders to choose from (can use as many or as few as you want):
Bow: Run forward (to the front of the boat)
Stern: Run backwards (to the back of the boat)
Port: Run to the left (left side of the boat)
Starboard: Run to the right (right side of the boat)
Hit the deck: lay down on your stomach (or if players don't want to get dirty, they can crouch down)
Attention on deck: salute and yell, "Aye, aye captain!" -- players may not move now until the captain gives the order of, "At ease!" (even if the captain gives a different order such as "to the ship" the crew must continue to remain at attention until told "at ease")
Three in a boat: the crew must form groups of three and sing "Row, row, row your boat" Anybody who is not in a group of three is out.
Clear the deck: everyone must have their feet up off the floor
Scrub the deck: everyone on their knees scrubbing
Captain's Quarters: everyone runs towards the captain.
Man-over-board: Players must find a partner as quickly as possible. One partner must lay on their stomach while the other places their foot on their partner's back. Children without a partner or pairs that are too slow are eliminated.
Peg Leg: Every player falls on their back and sticks one leg in the air. The last ones are eliminated.
SHARK!!!!: Everyone must run to a designated base (multiple bases can be used). The last player to the base is eliminated.
Crow's nest: All players must find a partner. The lightest player rides on their partner's back. Those without partners or who assemble the crow's nest too slowly are eliminated.
Sick turtle: Everyone falls onto their backs and waves hands and feet in the air.
Row the Boat: Each player finds a partner, sits face to face, holds hands, and pretends to row a boat. Players who can't find partners or who are too slow are eliminated.
Beast Master
Beast Master
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Together, the group decides on three animals, and corresponding body poses. For example, you might have elephant (create a trunk with your arms), eagle (flap your arms like you’re flying), and frog (crouch down like you’re about to hop). One person starts as the Beast Master and goes up to the front of the group where they can be seen by everyone else. The Beast Master counts “1, 2, 3” and then strikes the pose of either the elephant, eagle, or frog on “3” at the same time that everyone else in the group also strikes a pose. If anyone chose to be the same animal as the Beast Master, they are out and sit down. The game continues until only one person is left; they become the next Beast Master.
Poison Dart Frog
Poison Dart Frog
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Have the group sit in a circle. Select one person to be the Detective who goes out of the room or someplace where they cannot see the group. Have the participants put their heads down and close their eyes. Walk around the circle and when you are sure that no one is peeking tap someone on the head to be the Poison Frog. Have everyone lift their head and open their eyes and invite the Detective back in. Tell the participants that if they felt you tap them on the head they are now the Poison Frog. Once the Detective is in the middle of the circle announce that the game has started. Have all the campers begin flapping their arms and buzzing like flies (even the Poison Frog. They are in disguise!). The job of the Poison Frog is to poison as many people as possible before the Detective guesses their identity. They do this by making eye contact and sticking their tongue out at other players in the circle. If you are a player in the circle and another player sticks their tongue out at you, you assume that they are the Poison Frog and you die (dramatically or quietly) by lying down. The Detective only gets three guesses. Try to encourage them to space out their guesses and don't let them wait too long to guess. The game ends when the Detective guesses who is the Poison Frog or when they use all their guesses (feel free to give them extra guesses after they use their first three).
Variation: Make it alien themed! The facilitator will pick one or more aliens and 1 detective. Have everyone in the circle make UFO noises/movement and the aliens will zap others by winking at them. Players who are zapped must sit down/lie down.
Sneaky Statues
Sneaky Statues
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: This game is usually played in a line during a transition, but can be played on its own with additional formatting. Select a camper to be the line leader (or the instructor can be the leader) and the rest of the campers are the “statues”. When the leader has their back to the “statues”, they follow the leader normally in the line. When the line leader turns around to face the statues, they must freeze in their position and hold their pose for as long as the line leader is gazing at them. When the line leader turns around again and continues walking forward, the statutes can begin moving again. If a statue is caught moving by the line leader when they turn around, that statue goes to the end of the line.
Variation: As a field game, the “leader” will stand a good distance away from the “statues” across a field (say 30 yards or so). When the leader has their back turned, the statues will run, walk, crawl, or however they want to move to get closer to the leader and be the first to tag them. BUT when the leader turns around, they must freeze in place. The leader can approach and investigate the statues, but they must be careful; when their back is turned to any statues, they may move toward the leader. If a statue is caught moving while the leader faces them, the statue must return to the starting line (or be eliminated).
Shake It Out!
Shake It Out!
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: The instructor will demonstrate and then play along with campers shaking each arm and leg a certain amount of times as fast as possible one at a time. Starting with the right arm 8 times, then the left arm 8 times, then the right leg 8 times, then the left leg 8 times (counting down from 8 out loud with each arm and leg) . Then count to 7 times, then 6 - all the way down to 1! A fun way to get some energy out with a quick energizer!
Ninja
Ninja
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Ninja is a game like Tag involving a group of people. The object of the game is to avoid having your hand touched or slapped, thus getting eliminated, and be the last Ninja standing. To begin the game, everyone gets in a tight circle, shoulder-to-shoulder, with their hands in the middle. On the count of three, they jump back into a "Ninja" pose. One-by-one and continuing counter-clockwise, each person takes a turn being the attacker and tries to touch another person's hand in a single "Ninja" move. The person being “attacked”, to avoid being touched, reacts with a single Ninja move. Only the attacker and the person being attacked may move; all others remain frozen. Whether missing, successfully hitting or avoiding, only a single Ninja move is permitted and both must stay frozen in that pose.
If a person's hand is touched, they must leave the circle. The player to the right automatically goes next and may choose to attack any other player. The person who is aimed for doesn't go next; the next person is always to the right of the person who just went. The game ends when only one person remains.
Variations:
Instead of targeting the hands, you can make it slightly easier by making it so any point hit below the elbow counts as a good hit.
Instead of having to sit out after you get hit once, you can have it so the camper who was hit has to put that hand/arm behind their back and now they only have 1 hand/arm left to defend and attack with. When both hands/arms are hit is when they are eliminated.
Biggest Fan Paper, Rock, Scissors
Biggest Fan Paper, Rock, Scissors
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 8 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Tell your campers to each find a partner and play paper rock scissors. Whoever loses the match then becomes the winners “biggest fan” and follows them and chants their name loudly and enthusiastically. The camper who won the match walks around and looks for another camper who won (who also has a “biggest fan” behind them chanting their name) and begins playing them. Whoever wins that match gets everybody who was on the losing camper’s side (including the losing camper) and they become the winning campers “biggest fans”, shouting the winning campers name even louder and with even more enthusiasm. This process continues until there are 2 campers left with their “biggest fans” behind each of them chanting their names. There will be one final rock/paper/scissors game with a TON of enthusiastic chanting to determine the winner!
Rock, Paper, Scissors Rumble
Rock, Paper, Scissors Rumble
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Campers line up so they are all facing the instructor. Go over rock-paper-scissors with the campers. All the campers will play against the instructor, called the rumbler.
For each round of Rock, Paper, Scissors that is played...
If a camper wins against the rumbler, they remain standing.
If a camper throws the same sign as the rumbler, they remain standing.
If a camper loses against the rumbler, they sit down.
The game continues until there is one camper left standing. That camper becomes the new rumbler. This is a great way to determine any sort of leader for an activity, or any other situation where you can only pick 1 camper. Feel free to add whatever twists you would like to it!
Protect your Pebble
Protect your Pebble
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: Enough small rocks/pebbles for each person playing to have 2
Instruction: Make sure you have a fairly large space to play in. Each player places one pebble on the back of each of their hands. Then, when the instructor says go, everyone tries to knock off the pebbles on the other campers hands while protecting their own. If someone’s pebble falls off their hand, they may continue protecting their other hand’s pebble. But, they cannot use the freed hand or arm to knock other pebbles off. If it seems like the group can handle it you can give the option to use legs/feet instead. This game is a great one for getting some energy out in a focused way. That said, it also has the potential to get rowdy, so be sure that everyone understands the safety precautions before letting them loose!
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