More games

Teaching games


Scout Law Circle SVO
a) Form a circle of scouts, go around the circle with each scout giving the next point of the scout law. If a point is missed the scout leaves the circle.
b) To turn into a cooperative gave challenge the patrol to do it together! Helps scouts learn their scout law.


Description SVO
(a communication game)
The group is divided into an instructor and numerous artists.
The director attempts to describe a simple picture to be drawn by the artists under various handicaps. This will progress in stages. Stop and reflect at each stage. Have written instructions ready for the director at each stage. Each stage should not last as long as a minute. Each reflection could (should) last longer.
• Stage 1: the director is blindfolded as well as the artists.
• Stage 2: The director can see, the artists remain blindfolded, director can only describe lines (no shapes or objects).
• Stage 3: The artists can see, director can only describe lines (no shapes or objects).
• Stage 4: Director can describe shapes but not objects
• Stage 5: Director can describe objects (house, cloud, tree, window etc.)
• Stage 6: Artists are allowed to ask questions
• Stage 7: Director moves around room critiquing work and making suggestions
• Stage 8: Director shows their sketch to artists

Standing Staves CSVOA
Each scout needs a staff 5 to 7 feet long. Form a circle with the sticks held vertical inside, one end on the ground. One scout is chosen as caller. The caller loudly and clearly calls out "ready left" or "ready right". Each scout leaves their stick standing and moves to the left or right. Occasionally the caller calls out "ready back" to spread the circle out. If a stick falls to the ground the person responsible leaves the circle. The last scout in the circle becomes the caller for the next round. There is no need to be tricky with calls, let people make their own mistakes.
Teaches scouts to respect for others and it is OK to make mistakes.


Thumb Taping CSV
Start off by talking about what kind of 'hands' different animals have & how they use them. How are people's hands different? We have thumbs that make it possible to grip things, turn things, etc. Then have each girl fold her thumb across her palm & tape it in place. (Adhesive tape works best.) Pretend to be thumbless animals as you explore an outdoor area trying to catch things, lift up rocks, etc. Or do it indoors - try writing, throwing a ball, drinking out of a cup.


Rope Golf SVO
This is really a water rescue practice game. First teach the scouts how to loosely but neatly coil the rope and throw with a long flat sidearm throw. Each patrol is given a long heavy rope, 1/2 inch ropes or bigger 30 to 40 ft. long work best. A target like a tree or dumpster is chosen about 100 feet away as the "hole" and is declared a "par 4". The first scout from each patrol coils his rope and throws it out towards the hole. The next scout in the patrol coils and throws from where the end of the rope lands. If the rope is let go it is thrown from the last shot. The next target (hole) is designated (perhaps as a par 3) and the game continues.


Sponge Water Fight CS
Traditional water fights have squirt guns or water balloons that take time to fill and slow down the action. Here is a suggestion that will speed up the action. Use sponges. Take about 50 to 100 hand size pieces of foam rubber. Place 1/2 dozen full buckets of water around the area. Let the action begin. Scouts are not allowed to pick up the buckets, but can quickly fill their sponges. Scoutmasters quickly become favorite targets. Note there is no litter of broken balloons to pick up and no “arms race” advantage to people with more expensive squirt guns.

Cleanup Sponge Game. CS
Announce a reward for the scout that returns the “last” sponge to the bag. They will be beating the bushes for every last sponge. :]
This also works for litter pickups, trying to pick up the “last” piece of trash is exhausting.

Situation Games SVO
(What should we do?)
Occasionally give the scouts a situational problem. Act it out if you can. As your scouts get into the spirit of these games they might come up with ideas also.

Nosebleed?
Fire!, What should we do?
Heart Attack?
We’re lost, what should we do?
Where’s the truck?
Where’s north?
Where’s the dipper?
How high is that object?
How far is that object?


Bucket Games SVO
Scouts see a series of buckets in a line, they are told that there are treats under the bucket that is exactly 60 ft. away. They are instructed to stand next to the bucket that they think has the treat. They will share whatever is under the bucket with everybody else that has chosen that bucket. No peeking until all have made their choices. Put 1 or 2 treats (Jolly Ranchers) under all of the buckets but the correct one that has at least 10 treats. This will teach scouts to stand by their convictions.
This game can be done with distance, compass bearings or even knots.


Treasure Hunts CSVOA
A way to liven up an activity. Have the scouts locate different plants, building rooms, people or animal signs.


Raise the Flag Pole SVO
Teach the scouts lashing. Wrap thrice, frap twice. Give each patrol 3 sticks about 1/2 inch in diameter and 3 to 5 ft long. Have them lash a flagpole and raise a flag, using at least 3 sticks. The top stick should be almost vertical, no sagging. Rough sticks are easier to work with than broom handles.


Easy 3 leg Compass SVO
Teach the scouts basic pacing and compass bearings. Test them by giving them a series of short 2 and 3 leg compasses courses. I like the there and back courses to see if they can come back to the same spot.


Stepping stones CSVOA
A stream is marked out on carpet or lawn with some stepping stones scattered around (14” X 14” plywood pieces) Patrol must cross holding hands or waists. Space the stones so some jumps must be made, have enough so there are some dead ends and backups.



Fill games
Fill Games (idle hands) Sometimes plans just fall through. Keep scouts busy and teach at the same time. If you don’t find something for them to do, they will find something to do…… oh no!


Standing Staves CSV
Each scout needs a staff 5 to 7 feet long. Form a circle with the sticks held vertical inside, one end on the ground. One scout is chosen as caller. The caller loudly and clearly calls out "ready left" or "ready right". Each scout leaves their stick standing and moves to the left or right. Occasionally the caller calls out "ready back" to spread the circle out. If a stick falls to the ground the person responsible leaves the circle. The last scout in the circle becomes the caller for the next round. There is no need to be tricky with calls, let people make their own mistakes.
Teaches scouts to respect for others and it is OK to make mistakes.

Jack Balls CSVOA
A rough and tumble takeoff of "boulles". Each player gets 2 balls of a unique color or marking. Croquet balls or painted golf balls work nicely but use your imagination, pinecones, rocks or shoes might do. The winner of the previous game tosses a white target ball out from where the last game ended. The scouts try to put their ball as close as possible to the target. The previous winner gets the privilege of throwing the last ball. There are no out of bounds, keep the rules simple, if scouts can put the target ball up a tree, in a hole or behind a stump it makes the game more interesting. A short range game is more interesting than a long throw where chance determines the winner.


Frisbee Golf CSVOA
Similar to rope golf, but just for fun. “Holes” can be trees, poles, dumpsters or hanging pie plates, etc.



Warm-up Games for Introductions

Tangled Knot CSVOA
Scouts form a disorganized cluster. Each grabs two other hands forming a huge tangled knot. The group tries to untangle itself. All knots are not solvable. Helps people relax their personal space.


Invisible Red Ball SVO
Everyone stands in a circle facing the middle. The leader starts by walking across the circle to a specific person and says the person’s name s/he is now facing followed by “Jane here is the RED BALL”.
The person says “Thank you for the RED BALL George” stating the name of who gave her the ball, and then s/he walks to someone new, as the leader takes his/her place in the circle, and says his/her name and says the same thing and so on.
There is no red ball. You are all just using your imagination and should act as if you are carrying a red ball. If that was it, this would be a pretty boring activity. After the red ball has moved on, the leader now walks to someone else and says that person’s name s/he is facing followed by “Jim, here is the Blue Bag of Cement.” That person says ‘Thank you for the Blue Bag of Cement George’ and then off s/he goes. The leader should have set the tone as s/he walked across the circle having difficulty carrying this big bag of cement. And so on. The leader keeps introducing a new object, crazier than the last every 30 seconds or so until you have as many people as possible walking back and forth across the circle and racing to try and get to those few people not going anywhere yet. Objects could include stinky socks, crazed cat by the tail, unconscious person and so on. Note:Watch for left out people when starting new items.



Zip Zap SVO
Players are arranged in a circle. "It" stands in the middle, points to someone in the circle & says, "ZIP" or "ZAP" & then counts to ten. If the command is "ZIP", the player must name the person on her left before the count of ten. If "ZAP", the person on her right must be named. If "ZIP ZAP", players on BOTH left & right must be named.

Group Numbers CSVOA
Method: Scouts are scattered throughout the room. The leader says, "Form fives" (or fours, or threes, or twos). Scouts have to get into groups of whatever size is announced. Those who don't get into a group of the correct size are out of the game. Could be used for large groups at a Camporee. Or use the next game to call the numbers. Also when a group is reduced from 5 to 4 and a person is expelled stop and do a reflection, ask the expelled person how they felt and why?



Spirals CSVOA
Everyone joins hands in a circle. Then one person releases the hand of their neighbour and pulling the giant human rope behind, begins to walk around the outside of the circle. The other people who broke hands remains in position on the end person. The chain of people spirals around and around the stationary person, drawing people tighter and tighter in a coil until all the people - still holding hands are wrapped around each other. The best way to unfold the spiral is from the centre. Still holding hands, the person in the middle ducks down and out, and the rope of people follows from the center.


First Names CSVOA
Have everyone count the number of letters in their first name. Now ask them to find someone who has the same number of letters. Those two are now partners. If a person can't find someone let him/her use another name s/he is called by (i.e., a student named Matthew may use the name Matt and then look for someone with 4 letters instead of 7.) If they still can't find someone pair up with a person who has the closest number of letters.


Signature Hunt CSVOA
Have people do a scavenger hunt for people in your group with some odd facts: born in another country, drive a ford, be an only child, play the violin, know two languages etc. It helps to know your group. To make it more difficult limit one response per person. Good as a preopener.

Equipment


Props and equipment, A true scout gamer is always on the lookout for fun items that can be used for games. Although you may need to improvise with pinecones, socks, fingers or whatever is available at the moment.

I keep the following in my garage because they are used over and over.

• Noodles: foam pool toys, I cut mine in half to 30 inch length, some longer ones are also handy
• Frisbees: I buy bunches at thrift stores
• Water bottles: empty water bottles used as bowling pins etc.
• Inner tubes: bicycle, car, and truck
• Blue tarps assorted sizes
• Tent poles, assorted lengths and diameters
• Plastic mesh pot scrubbers
• Rope: about ¼ inch, 7 or 8 foot long, but get any size or length.
• Carpet scrap about 6 foot by 9, marked with 1 foot grids.
• Balance board: 2x8 board at least 6 foot long with a 1x4 cleat on each end
• Staves: sticks, PVC pipe, or other poles about 1” diameter about 5 foot long
• Sponges: Foam rubber chunks about the size of your fist. I keep about 100 in a large onion bag for water fights
• Parachute, grab one wherever you have the chance, millions of uses.
• 35 MM film cans: harder to find now
• Coffee cans: or other large #10 cans, empty cat food cans
• Five gallon buckets: Get from painters, drywallers or other construction types
• Rope: at least 40 foot long, at least 5/8 inch diameter, as many as you can find
• Balls: Assorted sizes, shapes, colors. I NEVER use them for their intended purpose. Golf balls, ping pong balls, kick balls, bowling balls, croquet balls, wiffle balls etc.
• Bells: jingle bells, cow bells, dinner bells, school bells.
• Barbell weights: Someone’s old weights have multitude of uses
• Bags, sacks, duffels and packs
• Scrap: wood, pipe, tubing, stainless steel, sticks, bamboo, tyvek, parachute, plastic sheeting, farm disks, broken shovels, strapping, wire, pipe fittings,


Thrift stores, dollar stores, army-navy stores, yard sales, auctions, and landfills can all be a source of interesting material.

Of course a true scouter would never actually purchase any of these (not for full price anyway)

And as mentioned, I don’t think I EVER use them for their original purpose! :]

Crowd Control Games


Keep Talking CSVOA
This wears down even the most active scout. Break into pairs. Each person must talk as fast and long as possible. The person who lasts the longest moves up and competes with other winners until a champion is crowned.
Some ground rules: brief breaths are allowed, but no pauses. No lists or counting. No repeats. This one is exhausting just thinking about it. Used to tame a rambunctious group.


Minute Timer SVO
A quiet game. Have all the scouts close their eyes. Start a timer. Have people raise their hand (and open their eyes) when they think one minute is up. Used to take control of the group. You will have total attention!! Even works for very large groups of adults. Magic
South SVO
Have all the group close their eyes and point which direction they think is north. When they open their eyes there will be confusion and laughter. Have a compass ready to settle disputes.


Group Numbers CSVOA
Method: Scouts are scattered throughout the room. The leader says, "Form fives" (or fours, or threes, or twos). Scouts have to get into groups of whatever size is announced. Repeat with a different number. Could even be used for large groups at a Camporee. Can also be used to form impromptu teams for an activity (much more humane than team chosing)


Number Sit CSVOA
Whenever the leader in telling a story mentions a number, the Scouts all sit down. The last Scout to sit down drops out of the game. The game ends when only one Scout remains - the winner.

Travel Games

Travel Games (used for that long drive to scout camp) The trick is to keep their focus outside the car.


Navigator SV
While driving to scout camp, give each scout a copy of the roadmap that shows where camp is. Tell them you won’t turn until they say to.

X Marks the Spot SV
Each scout has a map of your journey (hiking or in a vehicle) at random times they must come to a consensus as to your exact location. Of course this means they must be paying attention. :]

I Spy CSV
Classic game. “It” says “I spy with my little eye something that begins with a (pick a letter. Players get 5 or 10 guesses. Guesser gets to pick next item. (Hint nobody ever guesses insulators on power poles).

Alphabet letters CSV
Be the first to find all the letters in the alphabet on signs etc. I once followed a Jeep for miles knowing I would need a J.

Alphabet items CSVOA
Find items that start with all the letters of the alphabet in order. Hint: a gravel pit is a quarry. A rock made up of other rocks (concrete) is a xenolith.

Travel Bingo CSVOA
Create a bingo game with items like a graveyard, round bale of hay, Volkswagen, cop car etc. Feel the pain SVo Every time you pass under a power line spread your hand on the window and announce that you can “feel the pane”. Get the scouts to see if they can also “feel the pain”

Find the 7 CSV
You need a bag of skittles. Every time someone sees the digit 7 they get a skittle.