Outdoor Games
1-2-3-Look
This is a very simple game that can include the entire group. This is the quiet
version of ‘Scream Machine’.
Everyone closes their eyes and lowers their heads, the leader calls out 1-2-3Look! As the leader calls "look", the campers look up at one specific person.
*Campers cannot change who they are looking at during each round.
If that person is looking back at him/her, both players are out. If that person is
looking at a different person, the campers put their heads back down and wait for
the next call of "1-2-3 Look."
Continue the game rapidly to close the circle and eventually you'll be left with two
people and the game is over.
Beat the Bunny
Equipment:
 Small ball
 Large ball
Method:
1. The bunny (small ball) is started first and is passed from person to person
around the circle.
2. When the bunny is about half way around, the farmer (large ball) is started
in the same direction.
3. The farmer can change directions to try and catch the bunny, but the bunny
can only go one way, until the farmer changes direction.
Dead Fish
What do Dead Fish do? Exactly… nothing! Explain that the rules are to be the
best Dead Fish by being as “lifeless” as they can.
Give them a few seconds to get all the wiggles and laughs out. As soon as you
start, walk around and tag people ‘out’ that are moving or laughing.
Allow those that are out to help you by trying to get people to laugh and respond.
Outdoor Games
Four Corners
One person is "it" and closes their eyes. The rest of the class goes to one of the 4
corners (or 4 designated spots) of the room.
"It" calls a number and children in that corner sit down. If they don't sit down, they
are 'out'. Continue until there are 6 or 8 left, then you tell them there must be only
2 in each corner or, when 4 left, - one in each corner. The last person left - gets to
be "it".
Elbow Tag
Everyone gets a partner and links arms. Two people are chosen to split up. One
will be it and the other will be chased.
Whenever the person links with a pair of players, the person on the opposite end
must break off. They will now become chased.
If the person gets tagged, they become it.
Dragon Race
Form two equal lines with players in a single file line.
Each player reaches his left hand through their legs and grabs the right hand of
the person behind them. This forms the Dragon Chain.
The object of the game is to have each Dragon run around a given point or person
and back to a place without breaking. Any time a team breaks, the kids have to
run back and start over.
Outdoor Games
Fire on the Mountain
Have the group lay flat on their backs.
When you say “fire on the mountain” the group is to stand up as fast as possible.
The last one up has to then sit out until the end, or do ten jumping jacks, pushups, sit-ups etc…
When the group is on their back they are to lie perfectly still. If you say something
other than mountain (Mickey mouse, Montana, Mazda etc…) and they flinch or
begin get up then the sit out or they do the jumping jacks as well.
Crocodile Race
Form teams of 4 - 10 players.
Each team stands in a straight line.
One person is the leader and all of the others on the team need to put their hands
on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
Then the team should crouch down, forming the crocodile.
The different crocodiles then races out to a point and back or whatever
adventurous, but safe, idea you can come up with.
Group Knot
Have the campers stand in a tight circle, with their hands in the centre. Then have
them grab other hands at random. The puzzle is for the whole group to work
together to get themselves untangled.
Sometimes you’ll find that the group has actually formed several smaller circles.
Outdoor Games
People to People
Pair up in groups of two and stand back to back. Make sure participants introduce
themselves to one another.
Then the leader will say different combinations that the group has to try to get to
while staying back to back (right hand to right hand, left foot to right foot, head to
head, right hand to left leg, etc…). The pairs must maintain all called combination
until they switch partners.
Once the leader says People to People they will then go switch partners.
If you have an odd number of participants, the odd person is the leader. Once
pairs switch, the odd person out is the new leader.
The Kids From Mars
Set up two boundaries across from each other on a flat playing surface. Choose
two participants to be ‘The Kids from Mars’.
They are it and should begin the game in the middle of the two boundaries. The
rest of the players should line up along one of the boundaries facing ‘The Kids
from Mars’. Play begins when ‘The Kids from Mars’ chant "We're the kids from
Mars, we'll steal your candy bars, if you're wearing..." and they will choose a
colour or some item that the players are wearing. Any player wearing that item or
colour must attempt to run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary.
If they are tagged before they reach the other side, they must sit in that spot and
become a helper for the rest of the game. They can tag players who run past them
but they must remain seated. Those who make it across without being tagged wait
behind that boundary line until ‘The Kids from Mars’ call out the chant again. Play
continues until everyone is tagged or there are only two players that haven’t been
tagged. For safety, only let children run in one direction at a time.
Outdoor Games
Finding Twins
Equipment:
Small labelled pieces of paper
Method:
To prepare for the activity, decide ahead of time on a category such as animals,
famous people, occupations, emotions, sports, etc.
Write specific examples on slips of paper of the category you have chosen. Make
two slips for each example, which will be given out to participant partners. Create
one set of three for an odd number of participants.
To start the activity, distribute the slips to players and advise them not to share
what is written on the slip with anyone else.
Ask the group to spread out in the playing area.
Tell the group that each person must make a noise associated with the example
on their slip of paper and/or perform a movement.
Tell the group that each person must now find their twin by acting out their card.
Once the partners have found each other, they stop where they are and watch the
other playing find each other.
Amazing Shrinking Blanket
Equipment:
Picnic blanket
Method:
Explain to the group that because the ground is so cold, you’ve provided a nice
cosy blanket for them to stand on.
Spread the blanket on the ground or floor.
Ask the whole group to get on it so that no body parts are touching the ground off
the blanket.
Once the group successful completes standing on the blanket, advise them that
you’ve received a report that another group needs half of their blanket to keep
their feet warm, too. Ask them get off and fold blanket in half.
Repeat the above process as many times as possible. Each time you fold the
blanket, the group will need to be more creative (and cosy) to successfully stand
on the blanket.
Outdoor Games
Rope Push
Equipment:
Long skipping rope
Method:
Split the group into half, and identify an imaginary line that separates them from
each other.
Then place a rope perpendicular to that line with one half on either team’s side.
The challenge for the group is to have their side of the rope all the way on the
other side and vice versa, at the end of a given time.
After a while of trying to throw the rope back and forth, the groups might figure out
that they can simply hand their side to the other while trading with the other team,
but that becomes the challenge so let them figure it out.
Earthball
Equipment:
Beachball/balloon
Method:
The group task is to keep a beach ball or balloon in the air for a specified number
of hits without letting it hit the ground.
Additionally, no one person can touch the object twice in a row.
Set a goal with the group for the number of hits that the group can make following
the rules.
After your group meets its goal, it can increase the target number or go for a
“world record” and see how many hits the group can accomplish.
This fun activity is much harder than it seems! If the group is struggling, give them
an opportunity to review their strategy and create a plan for the next attempt.
Outdoor Games
People Machine
Divide group into even numbered teams (4-8 participants are ideal).
Each teams needs to make themselves into a machine, with as many parts
(gears, levers, etc.) as they can devise. The machine should have motion and
sound, and include all team members.
Give the teams five minutes to prepare their machine. Once the time is up, the
teams take turns presenting and guessing each other’s machine.
Magic Carpet
Equipment:
Picnic rug
Method:
Ask the group to stand on an 8'x8' “magic carpet” (tarp or blanket). The entire
group must be on the tarp completely.
Once everyone is settled, advise the group that they are going on a magic carpet
ride. Tell them that they have risen 100 feet in the air and are ready to go.
Unfortunately, the instructions on how to steer and land the carpet are on the
other side of the carpet. So, they must flip the carpet over while standing on it.
Very fun and challenging!
Outdoor Games
Hot Chocolate River
Equipment:
2 x long lengths of rope
8 x paper plates
Method:
Lay two ropes on the ground parallel to each other, about 20 feet apart. Have the
girls line up on one side of the rope, and tell them that they are looking at a giant
hot chocolate river. They must get their entire team across the hot chocolate river,
but it is too hot to swim across and too deep to walk across. (Obviously, they
cannot walk around the river, since it does not end just because the ropes do).
The only way to get across is by using the large, fluffy marshmallows that you
provide (such as carpet squares, poly spots or paper plates).
Give the campers about eight or nine carpet squares, so that they have enough to
get across with one or two left over.
Advise the group that this challenge isn't about physical abilities, but rather it is
about communication. Unfortunately, the current in the river is so strong that it
actually sweeps the marshmallows away if someone is not holding them down
(with a hand, foot, or other safe appendage). Also, the marshmallows swell up
once they are placed in the river, and they become too heavy to move again, so
they must remain where they are placed.
This seems like a simple exercise, but kids, especially middle schoolers, have a
lot of trouble with it. It will take a good 45 minutes for them to begin to
communicate with each other, and you will probably need another set of eyes to
make sure that all the marshmallows are being “anchored down.”