Embedded Files
Line-ups
Line-ups
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: Any
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Get creative with how you challenge your group to line up throughout the week. Put them on a log, can’t talk, blindfold, whatever, and make them line up in some kind of order (birthdays, height, etc). Use these throughout the week anytime you need to get into a line. Example: Ask each camper to think of their favorite animal. Then the group must order themselves in a line from smallest to largest animal. They can only communicate through their animal noises and gestures. When they've finished, ask each camper what their animal was and check if they got it right!
Big Knots
Big Knots
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: 1 or more throw ropes
Instruction: Have everyone evenly spaced holding onto a throw rope. The goal is to tie a knot in the rope without letting go of the rope. Groups can start with simply overhand knots and work up to something really tricky like a figure 8. If you have a lot of campers, you can use 2 throw ropes, split them up into teams, and have them race each other.
Loop-de-loop
Loop-de-loop
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: 2-3 hula hoops
Instruction: Have the campers stand in a circle and hold hands. Start one hula hoop hanging between two campers with their hands held through it. Each person in the circle must pass the hoop over themselves and on to the next person WITHOUT letting go of hands. Try adding in 2 or 3 hula hoops to make it more challenging. It is possible to do this with 2 or 3 loop/hoops going at the same time in DIFFERENT directions?
Minefield
Minefield
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: Cones, ropes, random objects to serve as ‘mines’
Instruction: Draw/make boundaries to make a ‘field’ with a starting point and end point (can use cones, rope, etc.). Then place objects in the ‘field’ to serve as ‘mines’ (these could be sticks, rocks, jackets, or anything else you have that could serve as an obstacle). Have campers pair up. One person is blind-folded and their partner is not. The seeing partner must verbally guide their blindfolded companion through the obstacles (no touch!). Make the minefield big enough so all pairs of campers can work their way through the minefield at the same time. Make the game more difficult by adding in more mines, having the campers only use sounds (no words or touch) to guide their partners through, making it so campers can’t speak and can only tap their partner to guide them through the maze (no pulling, pushing, or holding onto them), etc.
Group Juggle
Group Juggle
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: 2-3 balls to toss
Instruction: Have the group stand in a large circle and pass a ball (or more than one) around the circle in a specific order. Once everyone has caught the ball in a specific order. Try and repeat that pattern by memory. The goal is to time the activity and see how fast the group can do it. See if the group can reverse the order. This can also be turned into a name game for the beginning of the week. To increase the challenge, you can add more and more balls to the mix. Begin the pattern with one ball, and continue adding them quickly (after the first or second toss is made). Remind the group that any balls dropped or overthrown must be left. At the end of a minute the group counts the balls. All balls must be thrown underhand.
M&M Feedback Game
M&M Feedback Game
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: M&M’s
Instruction: Have each color of M&M represent a different type of feedback. For example, blue is positive feedback to the right, red is positive feedback to yourself, orange is constructive and positive feedback to everyone, etc. Give everyone 3-4 M&Ms and go around the circle and share! You can give out more M&M’s if you have time. Feel free to change what each M&M color represents as well. Make sure to check in with parents at the beginning of the day to make sure camper can eat M&M’s for this activity. If they can’t eat the M&M’s, they can still play the game!
Drippy Cup
Drippy Cup
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: 2-3 small buckets, 2-3 cups with holes in them, water source
Instruction: At some source of water (river, lake, faucet), place a bucket for each team a certain distance from water (closer=easier; further=harder). Split the group up into teams (2 or more). Each team will have a container with multiple holes in it that leaks water (a drippy cup). Each team must run back and forth to fill their bucket from the water source using their drippy cup. The same team member cannot make back to back trips for their team. No covering up the holes with your hands! The first team to fill their bucket up with water (or fill it to a certain line) wins! If the water buckets are too big to fill in a reasonable amount of time, mark a line in the buckets that each team needs to fill to.
Maze
Maze
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: Anything to make a large grid on the ground (duct tape, rope, chalk, etc.)
Instruction: Use duct tape, jump ropes, anything you can think of to set up a grid on the ground. It can be any size you want (Ex:5 spaces horizontal, five vertical, each space big enough for a person to fit both feet inside it). Everybody lines up, and there is no talking. The instructor has a specific way that campers must get through the maze, but only gives the starting spot away. From there, the first person decides where to step next, choosing from any adjacent square. If it is correct, the instructor says nothing, and the camper chooses again. If the camper chooses incorrectly, the instructor says “Nope,” or whatever they want to say, and the camper must retrace his/her steps to exit the maze. Then, the next person in line gets a turn. The goal is to get through the maze in as little time as possible. Everybody must try to pay attention so they can choose by process of elimination, being careful not to choose the same wrong square twice! If you are using chalk to make the grid, you can write a number in each box to resemble a keypad and the campers need to figure out the “code” to “unlock the keypad”.
Interpretive Story
Interpretive Story
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: paper and drawing material (pencil/pen/colored pencils/etc.)
Instruction: Sit in a well-spread-out circle. Give one participant a piece of paper and a box of thin markers or colored pencils, and have them write a sentence of no more than 10 words at the top of the paper. No one else may know what this sentence is. Pass the paper and markers to then next participant, and have them draw a picture in the space below the sentence according to the sentence. Fold the paper back so that the sentence cannot be seen but the picture can. Pass the paper to the next participant and have them write a sentence of no more than 10 words to describe the picture. Fold the paper so that the picture can no longer be seen, and so on until the paper reaches the creator of the original sentence. Share the progression of the story. You may need more than one piece of paper. You can have more than one story going around at a time or split up the groups to keep everyone busy.
Zen Counting
Zen Counting
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Form a circle (or, to make the game more challenging, have everyone gather in the same area but don't form a circle). The goal of this game is for the group to count to 20. There are only 3 rules:
Every person must say at least one number
Only one person can say a number at a time
No other talking is allowed
That’s it! Every time one of these rules is broken, the group starts over at 1. If you make it to 20, see if you can keep going! This game is deceptively tough. What the group will quickly find is that they have to create a system for who says a number when, otherwise two or three people will usually say a number aloud together. But, they have to work out this system without talking. Feel free to reduce the number to 10 if the group is having a lot of difficulty with this.
Helium Stick
Helium Stick
Type: Restful/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: A tent pole, broom handle, long stick, hula hoop, or anything else the group can try and lift together
Instruction: Set the scene by telling campers: ‘your job is to put this stick (or tent pole, or hula hoop, etc.) on the ground as a group. Everyone must help.” If you are using a tent pole or stick, have campers stand in two lines, facing each other, shoulder to shoulder (one line on either side of the pole). If you are using a hula-hoop campers will stand in a circle facing in. Have campers put out their index fingers straight out as if they were pointing at one another and then have them zipper their arms (putting their arms over and in between the arms to the right and left of them) with the people next to them and have their index fingers pointed out. When they are ready, place a tent pole or hula hoop across everyone’s fingers. Without grabbing (keep a straight finger, not a bent one) they must lower the stick (or pole or hula hoop) to the ground as a group while keeping it level and without anyone’s finger coming off of it. Usually one end of the pole, or the whole pole will rise up (as if it’s full of helium) as the group tries to keep their fingers in contact with the stick. Let your campers try a few times; it’s okay to let them fail! Stop the group as needed and encourage them to try various strategies and make a plan for how to succeed.
Yurt Circle
Yurt Circle
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: Strong Rope
Instruction: Create one circle of strong rope (with a reliable knot). Each person in the group should hold one piece of the rope and pull tight/lean backwards. The group can try and sit down together, then stand up together. Add blindfolds or put half the group on the inside of the circle to increase difficulty. You can even recap on the week while leaning back! This is a great activity for teaching and establishing trust within the group.
Never-ending Knots
Never-ending Knots
Type: Restful/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: a long piece of rope
Instruction: Tie a series of knots on a length of rope making sure there is one knot for every camper in the group. Each camper should put one hand on a length of rope between two knots. (Each length of rope between knots should have only one camper’s hand on it.) The group’s task is to completely untangle the rope, until no knots remain. Once each camper places a hand on the rope it is automatically glued to the rope; they cannot open their hand wide enough for the knots to slip through but they can let the straight rope slide through their hands.
Blindfolded Shapes
Blindfolded Shapes
Type: Restful/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: Any
Supplies: a long piece of rope, tied into a large loop (big enough for the entire group to hold onto with at least an arm length’s space between each camper)
Instruction: Set the circle of rope on the ground, and have campers stand around it. Then, ask campers to pick up the rope. The group’s task is to create each shape that you give them; anything from a circle to a triangle, square, pentagon, star shape, etc. To make it more difficult, you can blindfold the group, take away campers’ ability to speak (both are a good opportunity to designate a leader who can see or speak), or challenge the group to eliminate direction words (forward/back/left/right). You can also split the group up into teams, give each team a length of rope, and have them compete to see who can make each shape the fastest. Feel free to blindfold this as well!
Don’t Spill the Tea
Don’t Spill the Tea
Type: Restful/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: a bucket of water
Instruction: All of the campers sit in a circle with a bucket of water in the middle. Using their feet, they lift the bucket and then lower it back to the ground. They can also try taking one foot off the bucket or have a couple of campers take their shoes off.
A What?
A What?
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: Two common objects (i.e. a water bottle & hat, or a stick & rock, etc.)
Instruction:
The leader starts by passing the first object to the person on their right (Person A) and saying, "This is a Which."
Person A replies, "A What?"
The leader would then clarify, "A Which."
Person A: A what??
Leader: A Which
Person A: “Ohh, a which!”
Person A then turns to the person on their right (Person B) and says, "This is a Which"
Person B, "A what?"
Person A, turns to the leader, and asks, "This is a What?"
leader to Person A, "A Which!"
Person A to Person B, "A Which!"
Person B: “ohh a which!”
Person B turns to Person C: This is a Which.
And so on…
This game can be further complicated by the leader adding an additional object called a ______ in the opposite direction. Eventually, people are receiving and passing two words at time.
Try to keep the speed up! Challenge the group to return both objects to the starting point with the correct name still attached.
Win/Win
Win/Win
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: M&M’s (or any other small treat you)
Instruction: Line campers up in arm wrestling position against another camper. The instructor says, “The goal of this game is to win as many times as you can. Make sure to keep track because every time you win, you get an M&M.” Some campers may work hard to try and beat one another to try and get an M&M. The goal is for campers to understand that working together and simply continuing to work WITH their opponent to win back and forth back and forth back and forth is the best way to get the most M&M’s! This is a great lesson in teamwork and problem solving. Make sure to speak with all the parents/guardians of the campers before the camp day begins to make sure they are allowed to eat their M&M’s (or whatever other snack you use).
Tarp Turnover
Tarp Turnover
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: A Tarp large enough for all group members to stand on.
Instruction: Have all of the campers stand on one side of the tarp. The challenge for them is to flip the tarp over beneath them without anyone stepping off of the tarp. If desired, tell a creative story about how the ground is lava and the tarp is ‘safe’, or the tarp is a life raft and the ground is the ocean with great white sharks circling, etc. This can be framed 1000 different ways, so be creative!
Give minimal instruction and encourage campers to be creative and try whatever they think will work. There is no right or wrong way to complete the challenge, as long as campers respect the boundaries of the challenge.
You can fold the tarp to make it smaller to make it more challenging depending on how large or small the group is.
Campers will need to make lots of small moves, and may fail a few times before they successfully complete the challenge. Encourage campers to regroup as needed, and work together to make a plan.
Magic Hat
Magic Hat
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: One hat (or bandana) to act as the ‘magic hat/object’
Instructions: Campers start as a group on one side of an imaginary river/lava field/etc. Mark off the boundaries of this imaginary area with a clear start and finish line.
The rules of the game are that all students must reach the other side of the ‘river’ but you must have the magic hat on in order to walk across. Once you’ve worn the magic hat for one trip across the ‘river’, your magic is depleted and you cannot wear it back or use it again.
Campers will need to be creative and physically help one another across. Be sure to frontload the need to respect others’ personal boundaries.
Ultimately, campers will need to take turns carrying one another (and/or being carried) to get the entire group across. Depending on the size and capability of campers, they can also use strategies like wheelbarrow (so that feet don’t touch the ground), or ‘monster walk’ on one another’s feet, etc.
Ask for Help Maze
Ask for Help Maze
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: Blindfold material, a long rope to tie to trees/different objects to create the maze
Instruction: Put all members of the group blind-folded inside of a large triangle or other shape (with closed ends) that you formed with a long rope tied to objects a little lower than shoulder height on the campers. Tell them, “There is a way out of the maze. If you need help, please raise your hand.” Since you made a closed shape with your rope, the maze will be impossible for the campers to get out of unless they raise their hand and ask for help. Everyone who raises their hands to ask for help gets pulled out of the maze by a staff member (silently and secretly) and gets to watch the other campers potentially struggle by refusing to ask for help.
Cave Treasure
Cave Treasure
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: Blindfold, one small item to serve as the “treasure”
Instruction: Select an item as the "treasure," such as a cone, water bottle, ball, etc. Explain to your campers that they are looking for treasure in a giant cave. Unfortunately, one of the campers' headlamps has lost battery power and they are not unable to see (blindfold them). It is now up to the rest of the campers to guide them to the treasure. BUT, they can only guide them with sound effects! Give the team about 1 minute to decide how they will communicate, and begin. You can increase the difficulty by putting the “treasure” in a challenging location, limiting how the team communicates with one another (no vocal sound at all, only poking, etc.)
Human Knot
Human Knot
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: In a tight circle, have all the campers put their right hand in the circle, thumbs up. Now have everyone reach in the circle with their left hand and grab someone else’s right hand (the one with the thumb up). The only hand you can’t grab is the one right next to you. Try to untangle the mess without letting your hands go!
Goal Jumping
Goal Jumping
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Explain to the group that the goal is to see how far they can jump collectively. Create a starting line, and have one person jump at a time, each person taking off from where the other person landed, so that they are collectively gaining progress moving forward. Once everyone has jumped, mark their final end point, send everyone back to the initial starting line to do it again, but this time put a bag of goodies (or just put a goal marker) about 5 feet beyond where the last person landed the first time. Now that they have a goal to jump for, they will hopefully crush their original end point and even surpass the goal you marked for them. This will demonstrate the power of setting a specific goal.
Xerox Game
Xerox Game
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: Pictures for reference, paper and drawing material
Instruction: Have the camper’s pair up and have reference pictures prepared for each team. Have each team choose one person to be the drawer and the other to be the describer. Have the describers come up and grab a reference picture for their team (making sure to not show the picture to their drawer). The goal of this game is to get your campers communicating specifically. Instruct the describer to describe the picture in front of them while the drawer must attempt to redraw the picture from the descriptions. Have each team share their picture and the drawing at the end of the round! If you have time, switch positions within the team and/or switch teams around.
Raging River/Lava River
Raging River/Lava River
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: Bandanas, poly dots or other flat objects
Instruction: The group must cross the “River of Despair” (an area of instructor’s choice) and they can only stand on the magical lily pad bandanas to get across. The only problem is that if there is a lily pad in the river somewhere without a camper’s foot to hold it down, it will get washed away (instructor will walk around and attempt to grab the bandana away if the group leaves it without a foot on it). Bandanas can be picked up by the group and moved and all the bandanas must cross the river with the team. Provide less bandanas to make the game more challenging.
Silent Circles
Silent Circles
Type: Restful/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Get everyone in a tight circle shoulder to shoulder. Next, have everyone take 3 big steps back, so now you are all in a well-spaced out circle. From this point, no one can talk. The goal is to get everyone back into the small circle by taking three big steps back in, BUT no one can take more than one step at a time, and no two people standing next to each other can take consecutive steps. Only one camper at a time may take a step.
The group will need to work out alternate ways to communicate, and/or will need to create and agree on a system to get everyone back together.
If this seems easy, time the group and challenge them to complete the task more quickly.
Builder, Middle Man, Constructor
Builder, Middle Man, Constructor
Type: Restful/ No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: Natural Materials for building
Instruction: In groups of three, have one camper build something from natural materials. The middle man must describe what they are building so that the constructor can try and build the same thing without looking at the original structure. This is a great exercise in communication.
Everybody’s Up
Everybody’s Up
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Start with partners sitting back to back. Sit down and stand back up. Start out with 2, then try 4 campers, then 8 campers, etc. until you have the whole group sitting back to back trying to go from sitting to a standing position.
Where’s My Dragon Egg?
Where’s My Dragon Egg?
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more (Great for large group game)
Supplies: Any object roughly the size of a water bottle (stuffed animal, Nalgene-sized water bottle, etc.)
Instruction: One person is chosen to be the ‘The Protector’. Have The Protector walk to one end of the playing area with the ‘egg’ (the water bottle, stuffed animal, or whatever object you decide to use) about 100 ft or so away from the rest of the group. They will put the ‘egg’ down at their feet facing the group, and then turn around so the egg and the group are behind them. The goal is for the group to get the ‘egg’ from The Protector back to where they started. The first portion of this game works just like Red Light, Green Light. The Protector faces away from everyone while they yell ‘Where’s my dragon egg?’ (loud enough so the group can here). While The Protector is yelling this, the rest of the group creeps up to them but must stop moving as soon as they finish yelling and turn back around (by the time they say “Egg?” they must turn around and the campers must freeze!). If The Protector sees anyone still moving at this point, they are called out and go back to the starting line. The game continues like this until everyone has gotten close enough to The Protector to touch the egg with one finger. Only once every player has touched the egg, the group free to pick it up and attempt to bring it back to the starting line. At this point, every time The Protector turns to yell “Where’s my dragon egg?”, the group tries to move the egg closer to the starting line, and then attempts to hide it from view when The Protector spins to face them. The protector has 3 chances to guess who is hiding the egg before the group gets it back to the start.
Tarp Volleyball
Tarp Volleyball
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 4 or more
Supplies: 2 Tarps, 1 ball, a net (or some sort of barrier to play volleyball over)
Instruction: The group is playing volleyball using tarps (one per team). They must work together to catch and throw the ball over the net. Everyone must be holding onto the tarp with both hands at all times or else it doesn’t count. Score it like regular volleyball. Also, you could do this as one big group where the goal is to get the ball as high as possible in the air and then designate a target (using a hula hoop or rope) for them to hit that is a distance away.
Traffic Jam
Traffic Jam
Type: Restful/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 8 or more
Supplies: Carpet squares/dots/cones (1 more than people in the group) or chalk/tape to mark a place for people to stand.
Instruction: Set the carpet squares either in a V- shape or straight line (straight line is harder and less people get involved). Have the group stand on the carpet squares leaving exactly the middle one open splitting the group into 2. The 2 groups should turn and face each other. The groups are attempting to switch positions with each other while staying in the same order within their own group. Group A ends where group B started and group B ends where group A started. Students are only allowed to move forward into an open space or move around a person into an open space. Students are not allowed to move backwards, around someone facing the same direction, or move two students at a time. If they get stuck, shout traffic jam and they must start over.
Considerations: When the students make a mistake and have to start over, have the person in front of the traffic jam move to the rear. This will involve more campers in the decision-making process. This can be a very difficult initiative- be prepared to spend a lot of time or maybe experience failure with the group.
See no Evil
See no Evil
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: a ball or other object for campers to retrieve
Instruction: Have the kids get into groups of three. One can only see, one can only hear, and one can only talk. Use blindfolds where appropriate. Two of the kids will stay behind a line directing the camper who can only hear, to an object a certain distance away. One of the two campers who are behind can talk but is not facing (cannot see) the object, the other is facing the object and can see it but cannot talk. Give the campers a few moments to come up with a system of direction. The first group to get the object in hand wins. You can also add elements of difficulty by making them hit the other team’s blindfolded member with the object (make sure its soft!) or by not letting them use English. Make sure you play this on even flat ground.
Alphabet Actors
Alphabet Actors
Type: Active/Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 3 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Divide players into groups of three or four. The leader then calls out a letter, and the groups must then form that letter using their bodies. The groups can decide if they want to build the letters standing or laying. You can have the different groups spell out words as well.
How’s that again?
How’s that again?
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 6 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Divide the group into three teams, and line them up into three parallel lines. The object of the game is for the team on one side to try to get a message to the team on the other side by shouting out the message, while the third team, in the middle, tries to drown out the message by making distracting noises. Teams can be given a few minutes to devise strategies, and to make up messages, each time the game is played teams can switch places. Messages can be anything the campers or instructor want. Example: “Brush your teeth before you go to bed!”
Telephone with a Twist
Telephone with a Twist
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: Paper and drawing utensil
Instruction: Campers will get into a line, with the first person ready to draw with paper and a drawing utensil. The instructor will whisper a word or phrase to the first camper, and they will draw out what they heard. Then, the camper will pass it to the next person, who will attempt to figure out what it is. The second camper will whisper to the next camper what they think it is and the whisper will be passed down to the end of the line. The last camper will say aloud what they heard. Have fun comparing what the initial word or phrase was to the drawing and the end result!
Pass the Movement!
Pass the Movement!
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Campers line up behind the game leader. Campers close their eyes. They can only open their eyes when they hear their name called. The leader turns around and says the name of the person behind them. Once the player's eyes are open, the leader silently does a series of three movements that the player will need to memorize. After the leader completes the movements, they will turn around and face forward. That player will then turn to the person behind them and say that person’s name. After the person's eyes are open, the person will silently do the same series of three movements, and then turn and face forward. Try and pass the motions from beginning to end without making a mistake! Encourage the leader to have fun with it and to make the movements as silly, simple, complicated, etc. as they’d like!
Pterodactyl
Pterodactyl
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Have all campers stand up and form a large circle. Inform all campers that the point of the activity is to keep their lips covering their teeth during the entire time. If they show their teeth at any point in time, they will be out. The game begins as one camper faces the person to their right and says “pterodactyl” (with their lips covering their teeth). Then that camper turns to their right and says “pterodactyl” and play continues in this way until someone shows their teeth (usually from laughing!) and gets out. If anyone would like to change the direction, they can squawk as loud as they want or however they want, mimicking the sound of a pterodactyl – making sure to still not show their teeth! The activity continues until there are only a few participants left, but can be ended at any point based on time.
Variations:
To make this activity even more challenging, tell participants that they are not allowed to laugh either. If they laugh, they will be eliminated.
Each time someone squawks to switch directions, they must raise their arms and mimic the stance of a pterodactyl. Sometimes this happens naturally, but if you are with a group that is fairly close, it will help to make the activity even funnier.
Play with categories instead. If the category is fruits and veggies, have everyone go around and say a different fruit or vegetable. Instead of going around in a circle they will pass to different players by saying their fruit or vegetable. The first player would say their fruit or vegetable twice and then pass by saying someone else’s twice: Player 1: “Strawberry, strawberry, carrot, carrot” then Player 2: “Carrot, Carrot, Apple Apple”. Same rules apply, no showing teeth!
Do as I Say, Not as I Do
Do as I Say, Not as I Do
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Players form a standing circle. The leader will select one person to start the game. The selected player will turn to the person on his or her left and say, "I am doing [insert verb]." For example, “I am brushing my teeth." However, the player will act out a different action. For example, he or she will pretend to climb a ladder. The person on his or her left will then act out the action that was spoken aloud but say a different action. In this example, the player would pretend to brush his or her teeth but say something else, like, "I am walking a dog." Players must make it around the circle without making a mistake. If someone does make a mistake, then you have to go back to the beginning and start over with a new movement.
Ah, So, Co
Ah, So, Co
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Players form a standing circle. One player starts the game by putting one hand across their stomach and says, “ah,” to someone on their right. That player will then put one hand over their head and say, “so,” to someone on their right. The next player will point to someone across the circle and say, “co.” If the wrong command is said the circle says, “yahm zing,” and that player is out. The last two players win! Try going slow at first and then speeding it up!
Pat, Clap, Stomp
Pat, Clap, Stomp
Type: Active/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: None
Instruction: Campers form a large standing circle. Everyone will receive a number, and that number will determine the player's spot in the circle. The player who is number 1 will begin a pattern that everyone will follow.
The pattern is:
Pat, Pat: Pat your legs with your hands twice
Clap, Clap: Clap your hands twice
Thump, Thump: Stomp your right foot on the ground, then your left.
After two repeats of the pattern, the player who is number 1 will continue the pattern, but will say their number on the first clap, then the number of someone else in the circle on the second clap.
The person who is the second number will then say their number on the first clap, and then the number of another person on the second clap. This pattern will continue until there is a mistake. Try going slow at first and then speeding it up as campers pick it up! As a variation, you can eliminate any camper who makes a mistake, and then reassign numbers to the group after each elimination. Play until there are only 2 people left! Then you can rock paper scissors for the win (or any other competition of your choice).
The Great Debate
The Great Debate
Type: Restful/No Contact
Age: 2nd-7th grade
Group size: 5 or more
Supplies: Cones or tape to designate sides (optional)
Instruction: The instructor is the great debate moderator. The moderator asks questions, and the players debate each other over the answers. For example: Which animal is better – a lion or a tiger?
There are two areas with cones/tape that represent either side of the debate. After the moderator asks a question, players have 15 seconds to move to the side they most agree with. Teams will then have 90 seconds to come up with an argument for why their side is correct. Each team will nominate one person to deliver the argument in under 30 seconds. Once the arguments have been made, players will have 15 seconds to vote again. The side with the most votes wins the debate! Losing team can perform a silly punishment if the instructor would like.
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