Games Descriptions (R)
Red Light, Green Light
Running
Time - Short (5 minutes)
Group size - Any
Equipment needed - None
Choose one person to be in (the Caller), who then stands alone at one end of a space, while everyone else stands at the other end.
The aim of the game is to tag the Caller, but everyone can only move at certain times.
Red Light: When the Caller is facing the group, they say “Red Light” and anyone who is spotted moving is sent back to the start.
Green Light: When the Caller faces away from the group, they say “Green Light” and everyone else can move freely until “Red Light” is called again.
A new round begins when the Caller is tagged, with that person becoming the caller and everyone else returning to the start.
Relays: Egg and Spoon, Three-Legged, Sack Races
Active, Team
Time - Medium (5-10 minutes)
Group size - Any
Equipment needed - Spoons and Eggs/table tennis balls, string/rope, sacks/sleeping bags
These are all classic games, but we use some alternative equipment to make them easier to run.
Egg and Spoon - table tennis balls are a great alternative to save time on preparation. Have runners go back to the start if they drop the ball off the spoon.
Sack Races - if sacks can’t be obtained, sleeping bags also work well during camps, but have to be careful of the additional slipping danger from using a sleeping bag.
Rob the Nest
Running, Team
Time - Medium (5-10 minutes)
Group size - Any
Equipment needed - Dozens of small items, hula hoops
Split the group into 3-5 teams, and give each team a hula hoop to designate their base, with each team spread throughout the edges of the space.
Place all the small items for collecting in the middle of the space. Items that work well include glow sticks, mini bean bags, novelty bowling pins or anything else of a similar size.
At the start of the game, each team will send one person at a time to collect one item from the centre and return to their team. This continues until no items are remaining, at which point teams can steal from other teams, still only taking one item at a time.
At the end of time, each team counts the number of items in their base, with the highest scoring team winning.
Considerations and Variations
Cheating - it is very easy to cheat in this game, either by taking more than one item or sending more than one runner. While this can be dissuaded by penalising teams who cheat, it is important that leaders model good behaviour and encourage kids to play fair, even if other teams aren’t, which will hopefully lead to a better experience for all kids.
Guards and Jail - this variation has 2-3 leaders who guard the middle horde, who can tag kids and send them back empty handed to their team, with anything they were holding sent back to the middle. This can be expanded upon further by sending anyone tagged to jail, who must then either be rescued or bailed out (price of one item, returned to the middle) to continue playing.
Rhythm Detective
Non-Active, Circle, Quiet
Time - Short (5 minutes)
Group size - Any
Equipment needed - none
Seat everyone in a circle, and choose someone to be the detective, who then leaves the area so they can’t see the rest of the group. While they are gone, choose someone to be in, which will be the person who leads the patterns.
After choosing a pattern (e.g. tapping knees, shoulders, clapping, finger snaps, etc.) everyone begins doing the same pattern. The detective returns, and must figure out who is leading the patterns, while the person leading tries to subtly change the pattern without the detective noticing.
The detective has three guesses. At the end of the round, the previous pattern leader becomes the detective and a new round begins.