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Gates, Bridges and Tunnels (active/circle)
Equipment: Rubber chicken
Players get into groups of three and form a circle so that they are standing beside the people in their group. One person is the gate person, one is the bridge person and one person is the tunnel person. The leader should be standing in the middle holding the rubber chicken. When Gates is called, the gate people leave their spot in the circle and run around the outside of the circle. The two people from the group then form a gate by putting their arms together. When the gates person gets all the way around they then run through their gate into the middle of the circle and try to grab the rubber chicken. The same thing happens for the tunnel and the bridge people except their partners form tunnels and bridges. The first person to grab the rubber chicken is the winner. (name your chicken, it is Fun, Fun, Fun!!!)
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George"George" can entertain groups for a while. To play this game everyone sits in a circle. Every one goes around the group and says their name. This allows everyone to learn everyone's name, in case they didn't already know. After the names are said the name stays with that seat/spot. George is "it". He can starts it by saying a name of one person. Amy do you want to leave? Amy answers: no. George says, then who? Amy will take over and repeat it with another or the same name. Scott do you want to leave? Scott says: no. Amy says: then who? It continues until someone messes up. When some one messes up the person to the right of George gets up and the one who messed up goes in his place (the last position) and everyone rotates up to where the person who messed up was sitting. Remember when everyone moves their name stays at that seat. It can get confusing to remember whose name goes with what seat.
A good way to memorize everyone in the groups name.
Contributed by Amy Roberts
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Ghost (passive)Three or four players are chosen to be the ghosts. The rest of the group needs to scatter across the playing space and choose a spot to stand in. All players need to close their eyes. The ghosts will roam about the playing space. They will try to kill the people by standing close behind the players for 10 seconds without them knowing. If this happens, the ghost will tap them on their head and they will sit down quietly. If a person suspects a person behind them, they would ask, "Is there a ghost behind me?" If they are right then they become a ghost. If they are wrong they are out and should sit down. This is a great game is you want to quiet your camp down.
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Good Morning Captain (passive)The captain sits slightly apart from the group and is blindfolded. The leader indicates a player who says "Good Morning Captain!" The captain tries to name the speaker. If he responds "I said good morning captain!" If the captain correctly identifies the speaker he retains his position. If not the player becomes the new captain. Players should try to disguise their voices.
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Go Tag (active)Everyone squats in a line, alternate players facing opposite directions. The person at one end of the line will be the first runner. They may run around the line in either direction. The person at the other end will be the first chaser. They may start running either clockwise or counter-clockwise, but they may not switch directions once they start. The object of the game is for the chaser to tag the runner. The chased person may change place with anyone in line. The chaser can only push out a new runner who is facing the appropriate direction. When the chaser catches the chased, the person who tagged them becomes the starting chaser for the next game.
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GrapevineThis game is intended for a large group, kids and adults 15 or more. The more the better. The group sits in a large circle. The kids should be spaced about arms length apart. The way we did it was to hold hands in a circle and gradually spread out until our arms were stretched. Now everyone takes a seat. The "originator", usually the one who organized the game, or the bossiest, starts a message. The originator whispers a short message into the ear of the person sitting to the right of them. The message is whispered once. The new messenger then whispers the message into the ear to the one to their right, and so on and so on. When the message reaches the person sitting to the left of the originator the message is announced out loud. Seldom does the message arrive in its original form. The person to the right gets to be the next originator.
A variation of the game is to start one message to the right then start a message to the left and see what happens. Tongue twister are really fun messages to send. Contributed by Kenneth Hutchinson
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Guard the Pin (active)Equipment: ball and pin
Everyone stands in a circle facing in. A pin is placed in the center of the circle. A guard is chosen. The guard stands in the center of the circle and guards the pin. The object of the game is for the players in the circle to try and knock down the pin with the ball. All throws should be thrown underhand. The person who knocks down the pin gets to be the new guard.
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Guess Who (moderate/icebreaker)Equipment: pieces of paper with names on them, tape
Each player needs a name taped to their back. The object of the game is to figure out who you are. Everyone goes around and asks the other players questions. The players can only answer yes or no. This game is great when a theme is incorporated. (ex. cartoon characters, book characters)
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H
Ha Ha Ha (passive/cooperative)
This is a contagious laughing game. Player #1 lies on their back and places their head on the belly of player #2 . Player #2 then places Their head on the belly of player #3, and so on. Players should end up lying in a zig zag formation. Now the first person shouts "ha!" and the next person answers with "ha ha!".... etc. Soon everyone loses control and starts laughing hysterically.
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Hand Wave (circle/moderate)Everyone starts in a circle, on their stomachs, with their heads towards the center and their arms forward. The players should have their right hand over their neighbor to the right's hand and their left hand under the hand of their neighbor to the left. Arms should cross at the wrist. The object of the game is to pass the slap. The person who starts slaps the ground and the next hand slaps (not the next person). Once you have the hang of it, add the option of a double slap. This skips the next hand. When a hand is turned on it's side, start slapping the opposite way.
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Hazoo (passive)Choose someone to be it and divide the group into 2 parallel lines. The person who is it has to walk down the column without laughing or smiling. The rest of the people, try to make the person laugh without touching them. This game can also be done in a circle and the person in the center can be put in the hot seat. Specific questions can be asked and if successful they become the Grand Pooba.
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Head CatchThe way you play is: Many people line up against a wall. A chosen player goes to the front of the line with a ball. Then he or she either shouts "Head" or "Catch!" while throwing the ball. Whatever the person calls, the first has to do just the opposite; if the thrower calls "Head!", the first person has to catch the ball, and if the thrower calls "Catch!" the first person has to head the ball. If the first person either misses the ball or does the wrong thing, he/she is out and the play continues. But if the person does the right thing, he/she is still in, and the play still continues.Whoever is in last wins.
Another version is: Everyone lines up against a wall with their hands behind their backs. The chosen thrower either throws the ball or fakes throwing it. If the thrower throws the ball, the catcher must catch it. If the catcher misses, he is out. If the thrower fakes the throw, the catcher is not allowed to jerk, move, or make any move that shows that he thought the ball was thrown. If he does, he is out. Whoever is in last wins. Contributed by Brian Rothenberg
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Hit the Bat (no gloves required)This is played in the street (quiet and a not so busy street) and requires having somewhat of a hill, not much though. One person is picked to be up (the hitter), stands at the bottom of the hill. The others stand scattered towards the hill. The person that is up, hits a tennis ball (can be a grounder or fly ball) somewhere towards the top the hill. Whoever gets to the ball has a chance to run as close as they can to the hitter, the way the hitter controls how close that person gets, is by putting the bat down whenever they choose. The person who has the ball then rolls it towards the bat. The ball ususally bounces up when hits the bat. The hitter must catch the ball after it hits the bat in order to remain the hitter, if not, the "catcher" now becomes the hitter. This is usually best played with at least 5 or more people.
Contributed by Tanya Callen
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Hodge Podge (circle/cooperative/moderate)See "Knots"
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Horse and Rider Ball (moderate)Equipment: ball
Half of the children are horses and half are riders. The riders mount and they are given a ball to pass between them. If they miss, either of the following are done 1) The rider that missed the ball runs and gets the ball and when he gets it he hollers stop which means that horses who have displaced their riders and have been running come to a stand, and if the rider throws and hits one of the horsed, the riders ride again, and if he misses the horses become riders. 2) Every time the rider missed a ball, all the riders immediately become horses and the horses riders, and every time the ball is missed all change.
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Hot and Cold (passive)One person is it and leaves the group. The rest choose an object in the room and when "it" returns they help him find the object by singing a song and increasing the volume as he nears the object and decreasing when he becomes colder.
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Hot Potato (circle/passive)Equipment: Ball or something to pass
The potato is passed from person to person until the leader gives a signal. The person left holding the potato is eliminated.
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How do you Do? (active/circle)Players form a circle. The hostess walks around the outside of the circle and taps one player on the shoulder. She shakes her hand and asks: "How do you do?" the reply is: "Very well thank you". Repeat three times. On the third "Very well thank you" hostess and player leave in opposite directions. The player who is last to reach an available space becomes the hostess.
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How do you Feel? (circle/passive)Fill a few bags with varying items. (ie. chunk of bread, a piece of soap, a candle, a stick of gum, a sock, kleenex, wet paper....) Be sure to have things that are difficult to distinguish. Then, sit the group in a circle. Give the bags out and ask the person to pick out an object without looking in the bag. If they pick out the wrong objects they must put it back. Then the bags are passed on to let someone else have a turn.
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How many Thumbs? (circle/passive)Group should be divided so that they are in small groups of about five or six people. The group lies on their stomach and puts hands in the middle of the circle with fists closed. On the count of three, everyone either sticks one thumb up or two or none, while at the same time they are saying a number. The object of the game is to predict how many thumbs are up!
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Human Pinball (circle)Equipment: Ball
All players except one stand in a circle, facing outwards. Spread your legs as wide as comfortable until your feet are touching your neighbors on either side. Everyone bend down and swing your arms between your legs. (flippers) The one person left over enters the circle as the moveable target. The flippers try to hit him by knocking a ball back and forth across the circle. If the target is hit, the person who hit him goes in the circle and becomes the new target.
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Human Tramp (cooperative)Two parallel lines are formed and told to face each other. Each person joins hands with those of the person opposite him. One person dives onto the arms of the two rows, and is passed down the line by being thrown up in the air. It's a good idea to have a safety spotter at the opposite end of the line.
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Humming Game (passive)You make a task for a person who has been asked to leave the room. When the person returns everyone hums. When the person returns everyone hums, when the person gets closer to the area where the task is to be accomplished the humming becomes more intense and if she goes away humming becomes quieter.
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I
I Am The Captain (circle/moderate)
Equipment: ball
The players are numbered in a circle with the captain standing in the center. The captain says, "I am the Captain and I have lost my hat, and I think that number ? has it." The captain then throws the ball to that person. As soon as the ball has been caught, they must say, "who sir/ma'am, not me sir/ma'am", before the Captain says, "Back to the end of the line." If the player does not say their line, then the player must go to the end of the number order and everyone gets bumped up a number. If the player does say "Who sir/ma'am, not me sir/ma'am" , before the captain can say their line, then the captain will continue the conversation saying, "yes, you sir/ma'am." The player replies, "Oh not I sir/ma'am." The captain asks, "If not you sir/ma'am then who ma'am?" The player answers, "Number ? sir/ma'am" and throws the ball to that player. This game could be simplified by using names instead of numbers.
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Indy 500 (circle/active)The group should be sitting in a circle and numbered 1-4. Give each number a name of a car. (ex. 1's are Porches, 2's are Ferrari's... etc) The game leader calls a car name and those cars have to get up and run around the circle. The first person back to their spot wins. There is a twist to this game. The cars can have things wrong with them as the leader chooses. Some ideas are; FLAT TIRE (Hop around on one foot), RUN OUT OF GAS (Crab Walk), TURBO BOOST (run around), NO MUFFLER (noisy!)...etc.
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Islands (active)Equipment: hoops or small designated areas
Several "islands" are placed on the ground. When the music stops or the leader stops singing, everyone must be standing on an island without touching anyone else in the group. As the game continues, remove islands until only one is left.
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I Spy (backpocket)One person says " I spy with my little eye, something that is ....(color)". Then others try to guess what the object is and the one who guesses it takes the next turn.
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In the River, On the Shore (active)All of the players should be standing on side of a line on the ground. The leader will call out, "on the shore" and "in the river". The players follow the commands by jumping on the side of the line that applies. The players get out if they are not listening. The leader could call out, "in the shore" and "on the river". The players move, they are out.
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