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Word and Circle Games/No Equipment:
1. Sing Off: Counselors pick a common word, such as “blue,” “sun”, “love,” “rain”. Divide campers into two or more
groups. Each group must think of as many songs as possible with the word “blue”, and sing at least two lines of the
song. The winning group can sing the most songs. If a group sings a song that another group has already sung, they are
out, so must listen carefully. Or, you can select a specific topic for each round, ex sports, candy, etc.
2. Indian Chief: Group sits in a circle. 1 person goes outside and 1 person inside is picked at the “Chief.” The Chief
begins a movement, such as patting the head. All the others in the circle echoes his or her movement. The chief
periodically switches the movement. The person who was sent outside comes in and has to figure out who is the chief.
3. Pictionary: Divide into 3 to 4 teams. Each team writes a few topics to guess, put in a sack and each team picks a topic
from another team. Instead of acting out the topic, like in Charades, each camper on a team has to draw a picture of the
topic so the other members of the team can guess what it is.
4. B.F.Skinner: a participant leaves the room. The group decides on a physical activity (jumping on one foot, jumping
jacks or other). When the person comes back in, he or she tries to guess the activity, by performing various actions. The
closer the person gets to performing the activity correctly, the louder the group claps. The group bursts into a standing
ovation when the person performs the correct action.
5. Around the World: Group sits in a circle. One camper stands behind another camper who is sitting. A question is
asked by the counselor and is to be answered by the camper who is standing up or the camper sitting in front of him/her.
Whichever camper answers the question correctly first stands behind the next camper in the circle. If any one camper
makes it around the entire circle, that camper has Agone around the world” and wins the game.
6. Improv Action: Give campers a setting (ex., restaurant, hair salon, school). Put them in groups of 3-4 and have them
make up a funny skit that takes place in their setting.
7. Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: Group sits in a circle. First person names a movie. Next person names an actor/actress
in the movie. Third person names a different movie that the actor/actress is in. Fourth person names a different
actor/actress in that movie. And so on. If you get one wrong or can’t think, you’re out. Group can challenge the last
person to see if they can name the next answer.
8. Alphabet Dramatics: Two or three people stand in a line. The entire group picks a letter from the alphabet (ex., “R”).
The first person says a line of dialogue that starts with the letter R. The next person says a line starting with the next
letter in the alphabet (in this case, “S”). And so on. The small group has to do a dramatic scene, working their way
through the alphabet until they get back to the starting letter.
9. Freeze Scene: Two or three people start a dramatic scene with characters and locations picked by the entire group.
After a bit, the counselors yells “Freeze” and replaces one of the people in the group with a new actor/actress. Based on
the physical location of the people frozen, the person who has jumped in starts a totally new scene with the other people.
Repeat until everyone has rotated through the scenes.
10. Jet (a name game): Everyone sits in a circle. Someone starts the game by saying someone else’s name in the circle.
The person named says a different players name. If someone says the name of someone not there, or repeats a name
already used, that is one strike. Once the group has three strikes, all the names rotate one person (so each person “is”
now the name of the person next to him/her). Game is continued until the group has three strikes, then rotate again.
11. Iskabuu: Break group into two teams. Each team sits on one side of a table. Team A gets a coin or pebble. They
put their hand under the table and move the object up or down the table so one player is holding it. All of Team A then
holds their closed hands above their heads. Someone from Team B says “hands down.” Team A then all slam their
hands down, in unison if possible. Team B has to guess hand by hand which player on Team A does not have the
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quarter. Goal of the game is to eliminate all hands that do not have the object. (If you don’t have a table, group can sit
on the floor and pass object behind their backs).
12. Have two campers go to a separate place and practice acting out something you told them to act out. Tell them the
audience will rate them on how well them do, so they should really get into it. Then go back to the audience and tell
them that the actresses are doing something else. Example, tell the actresses to blow enormous bubbles/tell the audience
they are in love with a giant fish, or tell the actresses to act like hair dressers/tell the audience they are cooking dinner.
13. 7-Up: 7 campers are chosen to stand up. Everyone else sits down and covers their eyes. The 7 players walk around
and tap on the back of 1 sitter. Sitters have to guess who tapped them.
14. Green Glass Doors: The rule of the game is that only certain words can “go through the green glass door.”
Example the MOON can go through but not STARS. A PUPPY can go through but not a DOG, a BOOT but not a
SHOE (the trick is that words with double letters are allowed, but you want to see if the campers can figure out this
rule!)
15. Detective: All campers close eyes and sit down. A counselor touches a camper on the shoulder. The camper who
was touched is “the criminal.” The “criminal” winks at the other campers. Once campers are winked at, they lie down.
Campers try to guess who is the “criminal”
16. Charades. Variation: “Flashback History Attack”—campers pick a real historical figure. They act out things those
people are famous for, and the other campers try to guess who they are. This can be done with speaking or silently.
17. Pick a topic such as “fruit.” Each camper names a fruit until someone can’t name one. If you can’t name it, you are
out. The last person who can keep naming each category wins. Do this with other topics like boys and girls names,
types of cars, camp activities, etc.
Variation: First player’s word has to start with A, second player’s word has to start with B, etc.
18. Human Knot: Kids cross their hands across their chests and join hands in a circle. They then move until they are
untangled. (Hint—for this to work well, each person must grab the hands of two other different people, not both hands
of the same other person)
19. Story Telling: First person in a circle starts a story and must tell it for a certain amount of time (30 seconds to 1
minute), then the next person picks up and continues. The faster everyone goes, the crazier the story will be. Variation:
use a dice and roll the dice before each person’s turn. They have to use the number shown on the dice in the story
(example “so I walked 6 blocks to my best friend’s house”)
20. How many standing: Sit in a circle. Anyone can stand up whenever they want, but cannot remain longer than 5
seconds. Aim of the game is to have exactly four standing at one time. Campers can’t speak to each other to coordinate
their movements.
21. What Did I Do? Group examines one person in the center of the circle. Then child leaves the circle and without
being seen by the group changes something about his or her appearance (unbuttons a button, changes hair part, ties
shoelaces). The child returns to the circle and the group tries to guess what’s different.
22. Two people leave the room. The rest of the group decides on a specific pose (ex. stand on one foot; arms spread to a
“T”), and the two posers come back. By calling “hot” and “cold,” the group tries to direct the posers to the correct pose.
23. Concentration: Everyone sits in a circle. They hit their knees once, clap hands once, snap right hand once, snap left
hand once. Keep going with this rhythm. A subject is chosen (food, kinds of cars, etc.) and you go around the circle
with each person naming something in that category in the rhythm of the beat.
24. Hand Game. Everyone sits in a circle and puts their hands on their knees, all left hands palm up and all right hands
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palm down. All the left hands are beneath their neighbor’s right hands. Sing the song ADown by the banks..” and slap
your right hand to the other person’s right hand until the end of the song, when the last person tries not to get his/her
hand slapped. When the song ends, the last child who’s hand is slapped is out. However if that child pulls her hand out
of the way and is not slapped, the slapper is out. VARIATION: start the slaps in more than one place in the circle, so
two or more slaps are going around. (The song goes: “Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky/ where the bullfrogs
jump from bank to banky/ they go hip, hop, belly flop/ one hit a lily pad and went ker-plop”)
25. Honey Do You Love Me? Players form a circle with one player, “it”, in the center. “It’” approaches players in the
circle and asks “Honey, do you love me?” The person being questioned must answer “Honey, I love you but I just can’t
smile.” If s/he does smile or laugh, s/he becomes “it.” “It” is not allowed to touch other players, but may make funny
faces.
26. What Am I Holding?: Collect a number of small everyday objects, such as pen, ring, glasses, paper, etc. Must be
one object for every player. The campers take turns reaching behind their backs into the bag and taking 1 item out
(without seeing it or letting other players see it). They have to hold it behind their backs and describe it to the group.
Questions can be asked by the other members of the group. When the group guesses, it’s someone else’s turn to pick.
27. Sparkle Spelling: Modified spelling bee. Stand kids in a circle. Counselor says an age-appropriate word. The first
camper says the first letter of the word, the second camper says the second letter, etc. If a camper says a wrong letter,
s/he sits down. When a camper correctly says the last letter of the word, the camper after him/her has to say the entire
word. The next camper in the circle says the word Asparkle”. The next camper in the circle sits down. Continue until
only one person is standing.
28. All kids sit in a circle. A counselor will throw a ball to each child and ask him/her to name a favorite food, TV
show, sport, camp activity, etc. If that child can’t name something from that category in 3 seconds, that child is Aout”
and sits in the middle.
29. Shuffle Your Buns: Assemble as many chairs as there are people, in a circle with chairs facing the middle (or can
use pieces of newspaper for each person). Pick one person to go into the center. There is no chair for that person. The
goal of the person in the middle is to sit in the empty chair. The people sitting in chairs are constantly shuffling to fill the
empty chairs as the middle person attempts to sit in it. Person who ends up without a chair is new middle person.
30. Alphabet Game: Goal is for campers to find all the letters of the alphabet that objects in the room start with, in
alphabetical order, ex. A for awning, B for ball, C for cap, D for door, etc. Each object can only be used for one letter.
Variation: The words named have to be in a certain category, such as: names of places, types of candy, things to do at
Riverbend, sports words, etc.
31. Name Game: Group sits in a circle. First person says his/her name with an adjective that describes him/herself that
starts with the same letter as their first name (ex. “great Gil”). Next person adds their own name and repeats the name
and adjective of the first person (ex., “jumping John, great Gil”) etc. Continue until the last person in the group names
everyone.
32. Howdy Pardner: All the kids sit down, and one comes forward and closes his/her eyes. The counselor silently points
to another child to be the “cowboy/girl.” The “cowboy/girl” goes up to the kid who has closed his/her eyes and says
“Howdy Pardner” in a silly voice. Then the “cowboy/girl” goes back. The child with eyes closed tries to guess who was
the “cowboy/girl.” Then the “cowboy/girl” goes to the front of the room and closes his/her eyes.
33. Telephone: Campers sit in a circle. One person whispers a sentence in the ear of the camper next to him/her, and
the second camper whispers it into the ear of the camper next to him/her. When the message gets around the circle, the
last person says it out loud. See how it differs from the original message.
34. I Packed My Bag: The first person says: AI’m going on a camping trip and I’m going to bring...”and chooses
something, example “socks.” Then the second person says “I’m going on a camping trip and I’m going to bring socks
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and ...” and chooses something, ex.”potato chips.”. Then the third person says “I’m going on a camping trip and I’m
going to bring socks and potato chips and...” Continue until everyone has a turn. Variation: Each item has to begin with
a certain letter of the alphabet, or subsequent letters.
35. Trivia Game. Put one child on one side of a room and all the others on the other side. Only the one kid on the side
of the room by himself can speak. A trivia question is asked by the counselor about any subject. One by one all the kids
who have to be silent walk up to the one child and whisper an answer into his/her ear. Once all the guesses are heard,
the single child decides on an answer and tells the counselor. If the group is right, it earns 1 point.
36. Riverbend Spirit: Pick a popular song and change the lyrics to be a spirit song for Camp Riverbend or your group.
37. Applause: One camper leaves the room. The rest of the group picks a person to be the Astar.” The group spreads
itself out. The camper who left the room comes back in and tries to guess who is the Astar.” When the camper who
was outside gets closer to the Astar,” the group claps louder; when he moves away from the Astar,” the group claps
softer. When the Astar” is identified, she becomes the next player to leave the room while the group chooses a new
Astar.”
38. What Is The Scarf? The group sits in a circle. Begin by explaining that the scarf is not really just a scarf. It is really
a bracelet. Wrap it around your wrist to demonstrate this. Then the first player gets the scarf and figures out a new
function for the scarf. They demonstrate the scarf in this new function (ex. as a sling for a broken arm, as a hat, as a
bullfighter’s cape) without speaking. The rest of the group has to guess what the new function is. This game can also be
played with another type of object, such as a frisbee, a ball, a milk crate.
39. Rain is Good: Each camper has to think of a reason why it is good that it is raining.
40. Hand Game: Kids sit in a circle with both hands in. Go around the circle, each kid slapping ground once at their
turn. Two slaps change direction, and a fist pounded on the group skips a hand. If someone pauses too long or slaps at
the wrong time, then they are out. Last two players in win. VARIATION: Zip Zap. Zip’clap left side, zap ‘ clap right
side. Campers sit in a circle and have to pass “it” around by either clapping on their right or left while saying the word
“zip” or “zap,” depending on what side they clap. If they clap and say the wrong word (example, clap left but say “zap”)
the camper is out. Also, campers can throw the “it” across the circle. After “it” is thrown, it must be passed either to
right or left. This game should be played at a fast pace!
41. Trigger: The group sits in a circle. Each person give the one on their right a “trigger,” such as “every time Johnny
smiles, you must stand up and sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’” At “go,”everyone watches for their trigger. The
object of the game is to guess what other people’s triggers are.
42. Missing Person: Make up a list of questions about a person (ex, what is the person’s favorite color, sports team,
dessert, what is the person’s least favorite food, song, etc.) One person is picked and leaves the room with the list of
questions. While the person is out of the room, s/he answers the questions AND the remaining people in the room
answer the questions about the missing persons. Then the missing person returns and the two sets of anwers are
compared.
43. Dead Eye: Group stands in a tight circle, shoulder to shoulder. The leader calls out “look down,” and everyone
looks at their feet. The leader then calls out “look up” and everyone looks at eye level at someone else. Everyone must
look at someone, even if they are staring at someone’s ear (no looking at the sky or between people). If two people are
staring at one another, they are both out for the round and step out of the circle. The circle tightens to fill the space. The
game continues with the leader calling “look up” and “look down” until only 1 or 2 people are left. The last ones left
standing are the Dead-Eyes.
44. A What? Campers sit in a circle. Everyone puts one item in the circle (a sneaker, hair clip, bracelet, etc.). A leader
is selected to start the game. The leader picks up an item (for example, a sneaker) and say “this is a sneaker” to the
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person on his/her right. That person replies, saying “a what?” and the leader replies “a sneaker.” This continues until
the item has been passed around the circle.
45. Bird, Fish or In-Between: A counselor hides an object high (“bird”), low (“fish”), or in-between. Then the campers
will ask “Is it a bird, fish or in-between?” The counselor will give the correct hint and the campers will start looking for
the object. When the object is found, the game is over.
46. Bust a Rhyme Baseball: Counselor acts as the pitcher. S/he throws out a rhyming word for the “batters” (campers).
1 syllable rhymes are singles, 2 syllable rhymes are doubles, etc.
47. BOP: Campers sit in a circle with two people in the middle. The object is to get out of the circle if you are in the
middle. Those inside the circle will say things to selected campers on the outside to try to trick them to take their place.
Any time the camper on the outside of the circle can’t perform the activity, s/he will switch places. 1. Saying “bibbitybop-bop-bop”—if the camper in the middle finishes saying this before the one on the outside can say “bop,” they switch
places. 2. Saying “Viking” –the camper on the outside will have to make horns with his hands over his head while the
campers on his immediate right and left make “rowing” motions. 3. Saying “Hawaii 5-0” –the camper on the outside
will do a small hula dance while campers on his immediate right and left make “wave” motions. 4. Saying “elephant”—
camper on the outside must make elephant trunk with his arms while those on immediate right and left make ears with
their arms. 5. Saying “Charlie’s Angels” –camper on the outside must make “Charlie’s Angels” pose with the campers
on his immediate right and left.
48. Killer: make small pieces of paper, one for each player. Most are blank, but two have “killer” written on them, and
one has “policeman” written on it. The leader has everyone close their eyes and says “killers, please open your eyes.”
That allows the two killer to see who the other one is. Then they stand up and each taps one person on the shoulder to
“kill” them. They should do this silently and then go back to their original spot. Then they close their eyes, and the
leader has the policeman open his eyes. The policeman then guesses who one of the killers is. The leader says “yes” or
“no”. Then everyone opens their eyes and the group tries to guess who was the killer. The person with the most votes
“against” them is out. Keep going until only 1 person is left. When both killers are out, the game is over. If the killers
both die, the rest of the group wins. If the last person alive is one of the killers, the killers win.
49. CHIPS: Split group into 2 teams. You will need chips or coins to keep score. 1 person in each group selects a
category (ext, trees, type of flowers, sea creatures, etc.) Go around each group and each person has 5 seconds to name
something in that category. If they can’t, they get a chip and a new category is chosen. The person with the fewest chips
in one group goes against the person with the fewest chips in the other group to determine a winner. The pace of the
game should be fast.
50. Funny Face: Children sit in a circle with a solemn expression. One child is “it” and suddenly bursts out laughing.
He stops, wipes the smile off his face and tosses it to another, calling that person by name, who in turn bursts out
laughing. Any player who laughs when it is not his or her turn drops out of the game. The play continues until only 1
person is left.
51. Getting to Know You: Make a set of labels with well known celebrities or people from history on them. Stick a
label on each person’s back. Then they have to ask yes or no questions of other players to figure out what name in on
their label.
52. Elephant, Bunny, Donkey: Have the kids stand in a circle with a counselor inside. When the counselor calls out
“elephant” and points to one child, that one must put his hands in front of him like a trunk, and the person on either side
of them holds up a hand like an ear. If the counselor call out “bunny,” the camper puts her hands on her backside like a
fluffy tail, and campers on either side put up one finger on either side of her head like bunny ears. If the counselor says
“donkey,” that child and everyone else does nothing (because donkeys are stubborn). If any of the three children
involved in any action mess up, they become the caller in the center.
53. Manner of the Adverb: Two people go out of the room. Meanwhile everyone else decides on an adverb that is
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easy to act out. A good example is “slowly.” When ready, the guessers come back into the room. They
instruct any camper to do an action “in the manner of the adverb.” For example, they tell one camper to “comb
your hair in the manner of the adverb.” Or “dance with a partner in the manner of the adverb” or “brush your
teeth in the opposite manner of the adverb.” Let people continue until they guess the adverb (remember: an
adverb describes how a verb is done—exampled: slowly, nervously, quickly, happily, angrily, calmly, etc.)
54. Circle of Fun: have all kids stand in a circle with the counselor in the middle. Then the counselor states
something, like “everyone wearing blue” or “all people with brown eyes.” Anyone who matches that statement
must change spots, like in musical chairs. Whoever is left without a seat becomes the new caller. You can ask
about hobbies, birthdays, and other categories.
55. Silent Interview: Pair up the campers. Tell them they have 10 minutes to spend with their partners. At the end
of the ten minutes, they will have to know three things about their partner. However, they can’t talk to get this
information. In order to learn these three things about their partner, they have to act out the information. The
counselor starts by naming three things they have to learn: for example, favorite hobby, favorite food, favorite
TV show. After the 10 minutes, each group goes up and acts out what they learned. The rest of the group has
to guess.
56. Train Wreck: Campers are arranged in a circle, with 1 less seat than the number of people. The camper
without a chair/spot stands in the center of the circle and announces: “My name is Jane and I love ice cream.”
All the campers who agree with that statement get up and move to another chair/spot in the circle. The camper
who does not get a spot becomes the new caller.
57. Wind, Rain and Thunder: Sitting in a circle, the leader asks players to duplicate whatever the leader is doing.
The leader rubs her hands together (wind). After everyone is doing this, the leader begins slapping her thighs
(rain). As the group is all slapping their thighs, the leader begins stomping her feet on the floor (thunder).
Then the group follows. The leader can speed up the process. If the group is ready for a bigger challenge, they
do only the movement that the person sitting on their immediate right is doing, so a motion can be “passed”
around the circle. To finish the game, the leader indicates thunder, then rain, then wind, and then silence, until
the whole group is silent.
58. Guess Who: Kids are paired up. Counselor secretly gives each pair of campers a pair of characters. They
have a minute or two to prepare, then they act out a scene with dialogue to get the other campers to guess who
they are. Sample characters: movie star & fanatic fan, officer and a speeding driver, psychiatrist and patient,
waiter and diner, principal and student, hairdresser and client, teacher and parent, babysitter and child, big
brother and little sister, driving instructor and student, radio DJ and phone-in listener, reporter and accident
witness, cheerleader and athlete, camper and counselor, etc. One rule: the actors can’t use any word from their
character or job title.
59. Powerball: Group stands in a circle. There is not actually a ball, but the players mime using one. One person
“picks up” the powerball, “charges” it and passes it to the right, making a “whoosh” sound. The ball must be
passed around in the same direction with each person making a “whoosh” sound when the pass it. The
direction can be reversed by reflecting it with your palm and making a “ping” noise. Once everyone has gotten
the hang of the game, a “bump” is introduced, where the person can bump the ball volleyball style and make a
“bump” noise. This makes the ball continue in the same direction, but skip the next person. If someone messes
up, they are out.
60. Weird Market: Split the group into teams and have them sit in circles. Have children put all their items
(whatever they have) in the center of the circle. Counselor calls out a thing that each group must make
(example, a “flying toaster”). The campers “make” the item the best they can with what ever they have. Each
group presents it to a panel of judges (counselors) and the best one is awarded a point. Repeat for each round.
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61. Human Tic Tac Toe: Divide campers into X and O teams. Use chalk or other lines to make a tic tac toe board.
Each team takes a turn sending a player to occupy one space. To indicate that they are an O, the camper holds
his/her arms in the big circle. To indicate X, a camper crosses his/her arms.
62. Animal Alphabet Game: First player has to think of an animal that begins with the letter A. The next person
has to think of an animal that begins with the last letter of the first animal . (Example: first person says “ant,”
so second person has to think of an animal that begins with the letter T). Continue the pattern until a player
fails to think of an animal. You can use places, fruits, vegetables, cars or any other topic.
63. People to People: Everyone stands in a circle with one person in the center. The person in the center yells
“people to people,” and claps her hands together after each time she says “people.” (So it would sound like
this “people” CLAP “to” “people” CLAP). After this she says two body parts, for example “head to foot.”
Then everyone including the person in the center must try to find a partner and have a head touching a foot.
Whoever can’t find a partner becomes the new center.
64. Two Truths and a Lie: Take turns telling three statements about yourself. Two are true and one is a lie. A little
imagination goes a long way in this game. Everyone tries to figure out which statements are true and which are
not.
65. Eliminator: One person is secretly picked as the “eliminator.” Everyone walks around shaking hands. The
Eliminator can either shake hands normally to stay hidden or squeeze the other person’s hand. If your hand is
squeezed, wait 3 seconds and then “die” a dramatic death. Everyone tries to figure out who is the eliminator.
66. Animal Circle Sounds: Before the game starts, each member of the group chooses an animal sound/hand
motion. No two can be alike. Ex—say “Woof Woof” and place hands below chin like paws, or “Meow
Meow” and places hands on head like cat ears. The group sits in a circle and each person demonstrates his/her
sound and motion. Now the game can begin. One person starts the game by slowly clapping twice, doing
his/her animal sound and motion, slowly clapping twice again and doing someone else’s sound and motion.
Without missing a beat, the second person has to clap twice, do her sound and motion, clap twice again and do
someone else’s sound and motion. Continue until a player misses her call. When this happens that person’s
sound and motion are “retired’ and can’t be used again in that round. Variation: Each person uses the
movement only, without sound.
67. Human Guess Who. This is like the board game, “Guess Who.” Divide the group into two teams, sitting in the
center of the room. Each team also needs one picker, who doesn’t sit with the rest of their team. The pickers
secretly pick a member of their own team, and write down that person’s name on a piece of paper as proof.
Then the pickers take turns asking the other team’s picker yes/no questions about who they picked. When the
picker answers a question, all the other team players who’s characteristics match that category leave their seats.
For example, a picker from team A asks “Does the Team B person have red hair?” and the answer is “no”.
Then all the red-haired members of the Team B leave their seats and sit on the sidelines. If the answer was
“yes,” then all Team B’s blonds and brunettes would leave their seats. Continue until the picker identifies the
person on the other team correctly.
68. Pattern Memory Game: There are many different variations of this game that can be played. The object of this
game is to create an increasing sequence that the children need to remember. Have the children sit in a circle.
Select one child to start and have them do something that everyone can copy (clap hands, tap head, tap lap,
etc.). Everyone in the circle then repeats this action together. The next child then adds on another action.
Everyone in the circle then needs to repeat both actions (first child’s action, then second child’s action) in
order. Then the third child adds another action and everyone repeats all 3 actions in order. Play continues
going around the circle until the children can no longer remember the actions correctly. The game can be
enhanced by making up a song to go with it.
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69. Mime: Mime taking an imaginary object out of a box. Each camper takes a turn and the others have to guess
what the object is.
71. Four on a Couch (works well with older kids): This is essentially a memory game. The object of this game is to get 4 members
of your team on the designated "couch" (or just a section of 4 chairs). To start, divide the campers into two teams, then have
everyone sit down in a circle (incuding the 4 "couch" seats) alternating teams. This means that two of the 4 designated seats on the
couch belong to your team and two belong to the other. Remember the objective is to get the other team out of those seats and your
team on. First, you write everyone'
s name on a card and have everyone pull a name out of a hat. Everyone has a different name in
their hand (it doesn'
t matter if it is their own name). Once everyone is seated and has a name card you can start the game. There
should be one empty chair/place in the circle. Whoever is to the right of that empty place asks someone to come sit next to him. The
first couple of people will just guess a name because they do not yet know who holds what name cards. Say the empty seat is next to
you and you call the name Jeff... the person with the name Jeff on their card gets up...and sits next to you, NOT the person whose
name is actually Jeff. There is an empty space where the “so called Jeff” used to sit. So the person to the right of the empty seat calls
another name (Sarah). They then fill the empty seat. You keep doing this until eventually you call the name (on the card) of someone
on the couch and they have to vacate their coveted position. If the empty spot is on the couch, the person to the right will want to call
someone from their team up to join them. (they will have had to remember from before). People in the circle will want to remember
the name of an opposing team member on the couch, so that in case an empty seat opens up next to them, they can call someone off
the couch. A person on the couch will want to remember their own team members'names so they can call someone on the couch.
Keep in mind however, that YOU may be called onto the couch and be required to remember your own team members'names as well
since it will be up to you to call team members onto the couch. The only rule of the game is that you can'
t call the same name twice in
a row. Remember that the persons physical body counts, not the card, so while the "name" might be a B team member and the person
might be an A team member it is the person that counts so they are on the A team.
72. Look At Me: Campers sit in a circle. Everyone closes their eyes. The counselor says “1-2-3-Look.” Each camper looks at
someone else around the circle. If two people are looking at each other, they are both out. If you are looking at someone who is NOT
looking at you, then you remain in. Play until there are only 1-2 people left.
73. The Vegetable Game: Each player picks a different vegetable. This is now their “name.” Take a minute to make sure each
player knows every other player’s new “name.” Select one player to start. That person says their own vegetable name, then calls out
the name of another player, example, “Carrot, Celery.” Then the second name player says his own vegetable name and then calls out
the name of another player, example, “Celery, Artichoke.” Player 3: “Artichoke, Cucumber.” And so on. The catch is if a player
ever shows his teeth, he is out. NO TEETH! All talking has to be done using your gums—like Grandpa without his dentures in.
Encourage players to talk quickly and use silly voices—this will make them struggle to contain their laughter and it is nearly
impossible to laugh without showing your teeth. Variations: Pick another category, like US states, candy, TV shows, etc. for names
74. Split Second Answer: The group is in a circle and the leader stands in the middle to ask questions. The game can be played with
two or more teams. The questions must be answered instantly. If the answer is wrong there are no points. If the answer is correct but
takes too long, there are minus points. TIP: good idea to write down the questions ahead of time, instead of having to make them up
on the spot. Some sample questions: How many toes do you have? What is your name? How old are you? Which direction is south?
What is the square root of 49? What is 7 + 7? What month is it? What day of the week will it be in 3 days? What was the name of the
first president? Which letter comes after W? Which letter comes before K? What is your father’s name? What day comes before
Tuesday? How many people are in this room? Where did you take your last vacation? How old will you be in 12 years? What size feet
do you have? Etc.
75. Psychiatrist: One person leaves the room. Everyone who remains decides on a certain rule to follow, such as: to tell the
truth with legs uncrossed, and tell lies with legs crossed, OR to answer all questions with 5 word phrases OR to begin all
sentences with a vowel. When the rule is decided on, the “psychiatrist” comes back into the room and starts asking
questions. They continue to ask questions until they can figure out the rule. The psychiatrist has 3 guesses. Then another
person takes that role and a new rule is selected.
76. True or False: Counselor reads off certain statements. Campers stand UP if they think a statement is true and sit DOWN if
they think it’s false. Examples of statements: Is the sky blue? Does it snow in the summer? When you drop a ball does it
go up? Do birds have whiskers? Do fish have scales?
77. Talent show: Each camper shows off what he/she can do.\
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78. Dead Horse. One person lies down in the middle of a circle of players (this is the Dead Horse). Everyone else closes the
circle and tries to make the Dead Horse laugh without touching them. They can make funny faces or noises or do a crazy
dance. The person who makes the Dead Horse laugh becomes the next Horse
79. The Friends Game: Like the Newlywed Game on TV but with friends paired up. One of each pair of friends leaves the
room and the remaining friends have to answer questions about their partner. Then bring back the ones who left and see
what they answer. Questions could be: what is that person’s favorite color, camp activity, sports team, lunch, what school
do they attend, what street do they live on, where would s/he most like to go on vacation, etc. Whichever pair has the most
matching answers wins
With Pencil and Paper:
1. Game of Dots and Crosses: Make a grid on paper at least 10 by 10 squares. One person marks his or her square with
a dot, the second person with a cross. Must line up 5 consecutive squares (this is a variation on tic-tac-toe)
2. Anagrams: Divide group into two teams. Need two sets of cards with each letter of the alphabet, each team gets one
whole set of letters. Divide letters evenly among each team. Then each team gets a clue. The answer must be spelled
out by each team holding the appropriate letter card. Example of a clue: “The name of a city in California that has the
zip code of 90210 and is the name of a TV show.” Answer is “Beverly Hills” If a letter is used more than once, the
person holding it must run from spot to spot.
4. The Race is On! Divide group into several teams. Each team works together to score as many points as possible.
Ten points for each correct list. List the following:
a. 10 pop singers alphabetized by last name
b. Complete last name of the tallest member in the group. Using the letters of that name, spell as many words
as possible. 2 points for each word.
c. List in alphabetical order 10 places to buy a hamburger
d. List 10 words that begin and end with the same letter (ex, bomb)
e. List 15 words with a double letter (ex. butter)
f. Write the words to any nursery rhyme
g. List 5 pairs of people who have the same first name (ex. Tom Cruise and Tom Clancey)
h. Make up a list of 5 things in each of 5 categories: Countries, Cars, TV shows, Candy, Song titles
i. List 10 words with only 1 vowel. The word must be at least 4 letters long. (Ex. spring)
j. List 10 words that rhyme with “hat”
5. Create Your Own Business: Campers will pick a profession. Pick a name for the business, write down all supplies
needed, all employees needed, budget, advertising slogan, etc.
6. Yes or No. Counselors write a famous name on a piece of tape for each camper, and tape it onto each camper’s back.
Campers have to figure out who they are by asking Ayes” and Ano” questions only to other campers.
7. Flash-Forward Futurama: This is a positive activity in which each person in the group writes 5-10 facts about his/her
life right now, then writes down what s/he want to be like in the future. Each person can learn a lot about the rest of the
group members.
8. Me and My Imposter: In this activity, each person writes down two columns numbered from 1-10. One column is
for true things about the person and the other is made-up stuff that can be really believable or absolutely impossible to
believe. A group member reads aloud the columns for one friend and the rest of the group tries to guess which column
is true and which is not.
9. Write a letter home to mom & dad about what you did today
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10. Who Am I? Each player has a name tag of a famous person taped on their back. By only asking questions that can
be answered “yes” or “no,” they have to figure out who is on their tag.
11. People Scavenger Hunt: Find counselors or campers with clues such as: who has blue eyes, who is not wearing
socks, who lived outside New Jersey, etc.
12. Hangman. Variation: all words are based on Camp Riverbend trivia. Split campers into 3 teams. Winning team
gets a reward (gets to pick up ice cream) or losing team has to perform a song for all. OR all words must have to do
with Camp Riverbend.
13. Self Made Bingo. Ahead of time, make a 5 x 5 grid. Each square has a question inside itB, such as Bdo you ride a
bus to school, do you take karate, do you have a dog, do you have 2 sisters. When it’s time to play, each camper takes a
card. They walk around the group and when they meet someone who Aanswers a question” they can write that person’s
name in the grid. Each person can only write their name in 1 square per card. (For example, they can’t be counted as
both a person who rides a bus to school and takes karate) When the first player fills in 5 squares in a line, they shout
BINGO
14. Origami/Paper Airplanes
15. Pictionary
16. Make your own mad libs. Write a story about camp, and have the group fill in random words.
17. Each camper draws a self-portrait without signing it. When they are done, see if the group can match each
person’s picture to themselves.
18. Balderdash: Need pens and paper and a dictionary. The counselor picks a hard word that campers won’t know
the meaning of. Each camper writes a definition of the word, trying to invent a likely one. Meanwhile the
counselor writes down the correct definition. The counselor collects all the papers and shuffles them up. The
counselor reads out all the definitions and each camper votes. If a camper guesses the correct definition, they
get a point. AND, a camper gets a point for vote for the definition they invented.
19. The Scibble Game: Each camper scribbles on a piece of paper. Then they pass the paper to another camper.
The second camper has to draw a real picture using the scribble as part of the design. The counselors can
specify what the “real” picture should be: a car, a rocket, a flower, something at Camp, etc.
20. Celebrity Heads: Choose 4 campers to sit in front of the group. Counselors stands behind the panel of four
campers, writes a name of a celebrity, person, object or animal on a piece of paper and flash the paper above
their heads so they can’t see it but the rest of the group can. Campers on the panel start asking “yes/no”
questions that the “audience” answers. First panelist to guess the celebrity wins.\
21. Poetry Slam: Campers have to write a poem on a certain subject. Try different styles of poetry, (simple rhyme
with 4 lines, limerick, haiku, etc.)
22. Secret Codes;: Set up a code so that A’1, B’2, etc… Z’26. Then write down messages in numbers that the
campers can translate back into letter, or have them make up messages and encode them, and then pass them
along to other campers to uncode.
23. Writing Backwards: Give each camper paper and a pencil. Demonstrate how you would write your name
backwards. If you have a mirror you can hold up the paper to the mirror to see how it reads forward.
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With Special Equipment:
1. Marbles
2. Bingo
3. Scattergories
4. Mancala (play by dividing group into two teams)
5. Shadow Puppets (need a flashlight and a sheet)
6. Store: (needs a deck of cards) Put campers into groups of 5 or 6. Each camper picks a type of store to have (pet
store, sporting goods store, supermarket, etc.) The dealer lays out the cards in front of each camper. When two cards
match (ex., two 8'
s are face up) those two campers spring into action. The campers have to say what is in the other
camper’s store. The first camper who can name an item wins the round and the other camper gets a point. If you get
three points, you’re out. No repeating of items during each round.
7. Card Flip: Throw cards against a wall until one card lands on another, in which case that camper collects all the cards
on the floorBwhen one camper has all the cards, s/he wins. VARIATION: The campers keep throwing cards until one
is leaning against the wall. Then the first camper to knock it down wins all the cards.
8. Memory Survival: Need 1-2 decks of cards. Divide group into 2-4 teams. Each team gets a suit of cards (Ace to 10)
spread out randomly in front of them. Teams must stand about 10 paces away from the cards, behind a line drawn in
chalk. One player at a time from each team runs up to the cards, tries to find the ace and turn it over-they can only turn
over one card. If they didn’t pick the ace, they turn the card back face down. The player runs back and the next player
on the team gets a try. When the ace has been turned over, the next player guesses for the two, etc. The first team to
successfully turn over all 10 cards wins.
9. Toilet Paper Tower: Each group gets 1 roll toilet paper, scotch tape, and they build a structure that will stand the
tallest, the widest, or any other categories.
10. Picture Stories: Cut out pictures from a magazine or newspaper. Let children make up a story about the
person/thing in the picture. Variation: Divide campers into several groups and have each make up a story. Each group
gets a chance to tell their story.
11. Card games: Uno, Old Maid, Go Fish, Crazy Eights
12. Board games: checkers
13. Toothpick Tower: The object of the game is to build the tallest tower from marshmallows and toothpicks (could also
use bits of playdough). Each team gets lots of marshmallows/playdough and 10 toothpicks. Players from each team take
turns answering trivia questions. When a campers has a correct answer, s/he gets 3 more toothpicks. Team that ends
with the tallest tower wins. Can do this for a certain amount of time, or 1 or 2 trivia questions per camper.
14. President: A card game for 6-8 players. Deal the cards out. Campers organize their cards into pairs and three-of-akinds if they have them. The person to the left of the dealer starts by putting down a card (face up). The next person
must put down a card of higher value and this continues until no one can go higher. The person who put down the
highest card takes the pile. The object of the game is to lose all your cards and become President.
15. French Drop (a magic trick): Hold a coin around the edges between your left thumb, first and middle fingers. Hold it
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so that the thumbnail is upward, with the two other fingers facing down. As you cover up the coin with your other hand
over the coin to make it seem like you will grab the coin, lift your left thumb up slightly so that the coin falls into your
left palm. Then pretend to take the coin with your right had and drop your left hand to your side, retaining the coin
hidden within it. In any way you choose, the coin can be shown to have disappeared from your right hand. (This may
sound complicated but is easy to do and teach)
16. Dutch Auction: Need 1 paper bag per player (or could use empty lunch bags). Campers prepare for the Dutch
Auction by collecting all sorts of items from around camp (milk carton, cotton ball, leaf, etc.) and putting them in their
own paper bag. Then the campers are split into 2-4 teams. The auctioneer will callout an item. The first person with
that item in his/her bag runs up and hands it to the auctioneer and gets a point for their team. The team with the most
points wins.
17. Juggling—use bean bags or scarves
18. Dominos
19. Balloon Stomp: need 1 balloon and 1 piece of string about 36 inches long per player. Tie each balloon to the end
of the string, and tie the other end to the camper’s ankle. Object is for campers to try to stomp on each other’s
balloons—camper with the last intact balloon is the winner.
20. Spelling Bee: (need a dictionary) Each camper takes a turn standing up and is challenged to spell a word chosen
by the counselors. Counselors state the word, then use it in a sentence, then repeat the word. If they misspell a
word, they are eliminated. If they spell a word correctly, they stay in the game. Variation: to add some
fun/drama, suggest that a counselor introduce each camper as he/she steps forward, using the overblown boxing
arena MC voice: (“And the next challengeerr—hailing from Westfield NJ—and wearing blue trunks and a white tshirt, iiiiiiiis…JOOOEEEY SWEEENEEEY!!!)
21. Drum Circle: Everyone in the group sits in a circle and gets a percussion instrument or anything that can make a
permission sound (like an empty milk carton). The counselor sits in the middle, makes up a rhythm and starts
making it. The camper repeat the rhythm. Then each camper has a turn to come to the center and make up a
rhythm of their own, which the group will repeat.
22. SKUNK: Need paper and a pair of dice. All sit in a circle and set up a board or paper with S|K|U|N|K written on
it. Each letter stands for a round of the game. The object is to stand up before you roll a 1 or any combination of 1
and any other number. Roll 2 dice and give the total of the two. The campers will add the numbers to the round.
They stand up when they think you will roll a 1. If they are still sitting and you roll a 1, they loose the point for that
round only. If you roll a 1 + 1, you lose the points for that round and the rounds before it. At the end of the game,
total all of the points. The most points wins.
23. Battery Bowling: 2 “C” batteries and 1 tennis ball for 1 pair of players. The two players stand opposite each other.
Each player sets up 1 battery on end in front of themselves. The object is to knock the other player’s battery over
3 times by rolling the tennis ball into it
24.
Cup Stacking: Check out kit from awning staff.
25. Scavenger Puzzle: Need a jigsaw puzzle, preferably with large pieces. All pieces from the puzzle are given a
number on the back to avoid confusion. Each team is given a number corresponding to one of the puzzle pieces.
The puzzle pieces are scattered and hidden, and each team must track down all their pieces and complete the
puzzle.
26. Balloon Charades: You need 1 slip of paper and 1 balloon for each player. Before the camp, the counselors write
or draw a different action on each slip of paper. Each slip of paper is put into a balloon, and the balloons are
inflated. The camper who has to act picks a balloon, and sits on it until it pops. Then the camper acts out the
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action on the slip of paper from the inside of the balloon.
27. The Stick Game: Each player needs a baseball bat or field hockey stick. Campers stand facing each other in a tight
circle, shoulder to shoulder. They hold the bat/stick upright in the middle of the circle with one hand and put the
other hand behind their back. When the counselor blows a whistle once (or says “tweet”), the campers let go of
their stick and grab the stick of the person to their right. When the counselor blows the whistle twice, the campers
grab the stick of the person to their left. If a stick falls on the ground, the camper who was supposed to grab it is
out. The game continues until there are only 2 players left. Then these two stand back to back. When the whistle
blows, the campers spin to the right and try to grab the other person’s stick.
28. Edible Bridge: Need toothpicks and marshmallows to create a structure that will cover the span between two
chairs. The bridge must be able to support the weight of a book, or a marker or something else.
29. Coin Toss: need 1 quarter and bunch of pennies. Each player gets a penny (mark his/her initials on it). Throw the
quarter on the floor. Players try to pitch their penny closest to the quarter.
30. Can You Get That Object?: Players try to extact a requested object from a bag/sack without looking, just using
their sense of touch. You need two bags with several objects (ex. Key, watch, dice, sunglasses) and a scarf to
cover the eyes. Divide campers into two groups. Assign a number to each camper. The counselor calls out a
number and an object. Those players must cover their eyes, walk up to the bag with the help of another player and
search to find the object requested.
31. The Stick Game (different from #27 above): Need a stick to act as a scepter. This is a game where the players do
not actually know how to play and must figure out the pattern. The group forms a circle around a leader who
knows how to play (usually the counselor). The counselor then engages in a strange ceremony, pointing at all of
the players and chanting something along the lines of “The stick game, the stick game, this is the stick game. I
have the stick and one of you is it.” The stranger the ceremony, the better. When the “ceremony” is done, the
leader challenges the group to figure out who is “it.” The group usually tries to decipher the “ceremony”, but the
simple trick is that the first person to speak immediately after the ceremony is completed is “it.” After the group
guesses for a while, the leader tells who was it. This can be frustrating for the campers. A whole week can pass
without them figuring it out, and telling them the secret is often a good way to end the camp season/session.
32. Spider Web: need a ball of yarn. Campers in a circle. The first person holds the string and calls the name of
another child, passing the ball of yarn to him/her. The pattern continues until there is a spider web. Variation 1:
Each player tells something about him/herself when they hold the ball of yarn. Variation 2: Each player tells
something about the person to whom he passes the yarn.
33. Sweet Magic: you will several paper sugar packets (or pieces of opaque paper or small paper cups upside down)
and a coin. Place the packets on a table and put a coin under one of them. Move the packets around and see if the
camper can figure out where the coin is. If you are using a table, you can also maneuver the packets near its edge
and drop the coin into your lap so it “vanishes” off the table.
34. President (card game). 4-6 players per deck of cards. The players try to get rid of all the cards in their hand. Deal
out the deck of cards. The 3 of spades starts. Cards of equal or higher value are placed on top. A 2 clears the pile
and that player starts with a new card from his/her hand. Whoever clears their hand first is the President, the
second is the Vice President, the 3rd is Vice Custodian and the 4th is Custodian. In the next round, the President
must take 2 cards from the Custodian and the Vice President takes 1 card from the Vice Custodian at the beginning
of the round.
Active Games:
1. Ghosts in the Graveyard: Campers move around until the counselor says “Ghosts in the Graveyard.” Campers stop,
fall to the ground and freeze in position. Counselor walks around the room to see in anyone is moving. If someone
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moves, they can either help the counselor find others or sit on the side. Winner is the “ghost” who stays completely still
the longest.
2. Relay Races: Potato pass, Over and Under, Wheel barrow
3. Silent Ball using a yarn ball (Variation: when the camper catches the ball, they name an item from a category, ex.
Sports teams, celebrities, songs)
4. Human Knot: Group stands in a circle with hands toward the center. Each camper grasps the hand of two different
people. (But not the person standing next to them). Then the group has to unknot itself, without letting go of hands.
5. Shoe Game: split group into two teams. Each person takes off shoes. Each team makes a pile of their own shoes. 1
person from each team sits on a chair. They describe their shoe with only two words (and not using the brand name).
Another team mate must find the correct shoes. Repeat until each person has their own shoes. The team that gets all the
shoes on correctly first wins.
6. Three Way Keep Away: Divide into groups of 4 players. Each player chooses a number (1,2,3 or 4). Players 1,2 and
3 hold hands in a circle. Player 4 stands outside, directly across from #1. On a signal to begin, player 4 will try to tag
player 1. The other player s(#2 and 3) will rotate the circle to “protect” #1. #4 cannot reach across the circle or go
under the arms of any players. Play for 30 seconds or until #1 is tagged. Everyone gets a new number and start again.
Play 4 rounds so each player can play in each position.
7. Hula hoop pass: Start with the campers in a circle holding hands. Place a hula hoop over a child’s arm, hanging
loose. The camper move the hula hoop around the circle by stepping through it as it comes to them. The game is over
when the hoop comes back to the first child. Try adding a second or third hoop after the group has done it a few times
with 1 hoop.
8. Quiet Ball: Need 1 foam rubber ball. Campers stand. The object of the game is to catch and throw the ball without
making the following mistakes 1. Making any noise! 2. Dropping the ball or throwing it so another play can’t catch it.
Variation: If the ball hits you or you drop it, you are out. The winner makes up the rule for the next roundBex.Bcatch
with right hand only, pass ball between legs before throwing, etc.
9. Shape the String: Get a long piece of string or yarn. Divide campers into groups of 8 to 15. Group stands around
holding a long piece of string tied in a circle (group stands on the outside of the circle). Everyone closes their eyes. A
leader calls out a shape (triangle, rectangle) and the group has to move around to the make the correct shape. Then
everyone opens their eyes to see how well they have done.
10. Corners: Set up cones or other markers in 4 corners. 1 person stands in the center with their eyes closed and calls
out “corners,” then counts slowly to 4. The person in center points to one corner. If there are players there, they are
“out”. Game continues having the person in the center repeat the steps and all active players moving quietly from corner
to corner. Game ends when only 1 person is left or when an empty corner is called. If an empty corner is called,
everyone who has been “out” comes back into the game.
11. Womp em: This game tests how well everyone knows the names of campers in their group. The group sits on the
floor in a tight circle with legs extending into the center. One person stands in the center holding a balloon. One person
in the circle starts by saying the name of someone else in the circle. It is the job of the person in the middle to womp the
feet of the person whose name has been called before they say another name. If they do, they change places with the
person sitting.
12. FFEACH: (Fast Foods, Electrical Appliances and Cartoon Heroes)
and MOOCH: (Movie Titles, Occupations and Hums (songs that can be hummed))
Divide into groups of 5 to 15. Each group sends one person to you and you whisper to them either a Fast Food, an
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Electrical Appliance or a Cartoon hero. They go back to their group and mime it out. When the group calls it out, they
send up another player. When everyone has had a turn, the team is done. With MOOCH, the categories are different. It
is a good idea to prepare a list of ideas ahead of time.
13. Jeopardy Baseball: Played like Jeopardy but each question gets a different value (ex, a single, double, triple, home
run, grand slam) based of the difficulty.
14. “500": This game needs a small ball (football or baseball work well). One person is the thrower and everyone else
clusters about throwing distance away from the thrower. The thrower tosses the ball in the air towards everyone else and
announces a number between 50 and 500, for example, “I’ve got 200 up for grabs.” Whoever catches the ball get the
number of points announced. If a person drops the ball, they loose the same number of points. Negative scores are
possible. First player to 500 wins.
15. “500" (variation): One person is thrower, others get ready to catch. The ball is thrown toward the group. If caught
on the fly, it is worth 100 points, after first bounce, 75 points, after second bounce, 50 points, after third bounce, 25
points.
16. SPUD: Need 1 ball and 1 person as referee. Each player gets a secret number. All players come to center. Ref
yells out a number and tosses the ball. Player who’s number was called scrambles for the ball while all other players try
to run as far from that person as possible. Player who catches the ball yells “SPUD”, all other players freeze. The
person with the ball tries to hit another player below the knees. Players may jump but not move to another spot to dodge
the ball. A player hit by the ball is out. (Variation: player hit by the ball gets one letter “S”. Once they have 4 letters
“S-P-U-D”, they are out)
17. Tennis Ball Challenge. Need a tennis ball for each camper. Try these different throws (each camper individually)-under your own leg, behind your own back, over your opposite shoulder, toss ball standing and catch sitting, throw ball
sitting and catch standing up, one hand juggling. Two campers together: toss to partner from behind your back, from
under your leg.
18. Juggling: Use bean bags or tennis balls. Start with one bag, then work up to two, three.
19. Basketball Baseball: Works like regular baseball, but fielder has to catch the ball and make a basket with it (use a
hula hoop held by a counselor) before runner gets home.
20. Interlock: A group game of tag. All members stand in a circle and pair up, locking elbows. One person is IT and
one person is the target. The target can only escape from IT by locking elbows with a pair. Then the person on the other
side of the pair is set loose and is the new target.
21. Drop Seat: Everyone stands in a tight circle, all facing the same direction. There should be no space between
players. At the signal, everyone sits on the lap of the person behind them. Once the group is sitting, you can have them
advance by all moving one foot on your signal.
22. Japanese Tag: Similar to the regular game of tag, except the one who has been tagged must place his right hand on
the spot where he has been touched, whether it is on his arm, chest, back, ankle, etc. Then he must chase the other
players while holding that position until he has tagged a new “it.”
23. Plate Race: Give each girl a paper plate. Separate the girls into teams. Each team gets 1 extra paper plate. The
teams race each other to a finish line while only stepping on the paper plates. This will require tossing a paper plate in
front of the team and each team member moving forward. The last member picks up the last plate and it gets handed to
the front where it is then thrown ahead and stepped on. Everyone moves forward a plate and the process continues until
one team crosses the finish line.
24. Wiffleball: Use a wiffleball bat, a few wiffleballs and a plate. Played like baseball but there is no base running.
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Hits are as follows: past the pitcher: single, 15-20 feet: double, 25-30 feet: triple; 35 feet or farther: home run. If the ball
is caught, then it is an out.
25. Blanketball: You will need several towels and balls. Set up a finish line and divide group into teams. Each team
sends two players holding two sides of a towel, and bouncing the balls in the air as they walk toward the finish line. For
a variation, give each team points for each time they throw the ball up and catch it.
26. Dance party with a radio/cd player. Can have contests for endurance, new moves, etc.
27. Ribbon Dancing: Make ribbons from streamers stapled to straws. Play music and allow children to move and dance
around with the streamers.
28. Indoor Volleyball: Stretch a rope across a room or use a bench. Play volleyball (use a regular volleyball, or beach
ball, or even a ball of newspaper held together with tape).
29. Ship’s Captain. One person is the captain. She calls out orders to the rest of the “crew.” If a player does not follow
orders, she is out. The decision is made by the captain, who is always right. “To the Ship”Brun to the right
“To the Island” run to the left
“Hit the Deck” lie down or crouch down
“Attention on Deck” salute and yell Aaye, aye captain!” then players may not move until the captain says
“At Ease”
“Three Men in A Boat” the crew forms groups of three and sings “Row Row Your Boat”
“The Love Boat” crew members grab a partner and dance
“Clear the Deck” everyone must have feet off the floor
“Scrub the Deck” everyone on hands and knees scrubbing
“Captain’s Quarters” everyone runs to Captain
“Man Overboard” players find a partner; 1 lies on stomach and other puts foot on her back
“Shark” everyone runs to a designated base
“Crows Nest” players find a partner and one goes piggyback
“Bow” run to the front of the boat
“Stern” run to the back of the boat
(This game is also known as “Coke and Pepsi”, with “soda-related” commands)
30. Scramble: Break into teams and have them arrange themselves without talking by: height, grade, birthdays,
alphabetically by last name, number of kids in family, etc
31. Divide group into two teams. Teams face each other. The first team makes up an imaginary object, and “passes” it
down the line, pretending to use it. The other team guesses what the object is. Then the second team gets a turn.
32. Spider Web: Take a ball of yarn or string. Everyone sits in a circle. First person holds the ball of yarn and starts to
tell a story, then passes the string to another person, who continues the story. Continue until everyone has a turn to add to
the story.
33. How Animals Travel: Children make a list of as many animals as they can. Then classify them by how they travel
(ex., swim, wriggle, fly, hop, etc.) Children can act out these motions.
34. Juggling with scarves (book in office)
35. Push Ball Relay: Teams are in relay formation. Each player in turn pushes a basketball with a wand or stick over a
goal line.
36. Rescue Relay: Teams in relay formation. One player on each team stands at the goal line facing the rest of the team.
On the signal, this player runs to the first player, grabs that person’s hand, and runs with him/her back to the goal line.
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Then the person who was grabbed runs to the next player, and grabs them back to the goal line. Continue until each
player is brought to the goal line.
37. Zig Zag Relay: Form two equal teams with about 10 on a side. Players on each team are arranged in a zig zag
pattern. On a signal, a ball is passed following the zig zag.
38. Call Ball: Group sits in a circle, with one player in the center with a ball. This player tosses the ball up and calls the
name of another player. The person whose name was called tries to catch the ball before it bounces twice. If s/he
catches the ball, s/he takes the place of the person in the center. If not, the person in the center calls again.
39. Windows and Doors: Group forms a circle holding hands. Then they spread out enough so everyone’s arms are
held straight out to the sides. Then they drop their arms and stand still. The spaces between the players are the
“windows and doors.” One player starts weaving in and out between children. As s/he does this, the players in the
circle can drop their arms and try to touch or trap the player weaving in and out. Once the person is caught or touched
by the arms of someone, they are out. They then choose a new person to weave in and out.
40. Lip Syncing: Children are split up into small groups, and each group chooses a song. Then each group takes time to
practice their performance for all the other groups. Counselors should make up an award for each small group’s
performance (best spirit, best dancing, funniest, etc.)
41. Knee Skits: Use water color paint to paint faces on knees. Actors stand behind a sheet with only their knees
showing. Do a skit.
42. MTV: Campers duplicate favorite music videos, or make up new ones to songs. Need a CD player and CD’s
43. Indian Pin: Need: two bowling pins or empty soda bottles, plus a bunch of soft balls or knotted socks. Divide group
into two teams. Each team has to protect their pin, while trying to knock down the other team’s pin by throwing
balls/socks at it. If a member of the other team catches your ball/sock or hits you with their ball/sock, you are out.
44. Paper Bag Dramatics: Divide campers into groups of 3 or 4. Prepare paper bag kits with a few everyday items
(exBa sock, button, pen, sheet of paper, string, etc.) Give campers a certain time to create a skit using all the items in
their bags as props, then they can perform for others.
45. Shuttle Run: Use 4 blocks or other medium sized objects. Form group into two teams. Two players start at the
starting line. They run to pick up one block, run back the start line, place (not throw) the block behind the start line and
run back to repeat the procedure for the second block. When finished, the runner sits. Can also have players skip,
crabwalk, hop, etc. instead of running.
46. Steal the Bacon: The object is to steal the bacon and bring it back to your own side without being caught. Divide
group into two teams. Each team lines up facing the other and players are given a number (one on each side have the
same number) The Abacon” which can be a t-shirt, ball, etc. is in the middle. The leader calls out a number. Both
players with that number run to steal the bacon and bring it back to their own side. Neither player can touch each other
until someone touches the bacon, Once a player touches it, the other player can tag him/her. If a player is able to get
back without being tagged, the team scores a point.
47. Turtle Tag: Like normal tag, except if you get on your back like a stuck turtle, you can’t be tagged.
48. Statues: One person is the caretaker of a sculpture garden. While the caretaker counts to 20, each player picks a
statue pose and freezes. The objective of the caretaker is to get the statues to move, laugh or talk. Once someone is
caught doing these things, they are out. (smiling and blinking are allowed). However the fun is to see what you can get
away with when the caretaker’s back is turned. The caretaker must see any movement with his/her own eyes. Statues
can talk, move, etc. as long as they are not seen by the caretaker doing so. The caretaker tries to get people out by
making them laugh, move, etc. without touching them. Caretaker can also falsely accuse a statue. If statue answers
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back, s/he is out. Last statue gets to be the caretaker for the next game.
49. Peanut Butter and Jelly: Set up boundaries for playing area. Each camper secretly decides to be either “peanut
butter” or “jelly”. They all walk around the area. When leader yells “stop,” they stop walking and shout whether they
are “peanut butter” or “jelly.” Each player must then lock arms with their opposite Then each pair chooses to be “pb”
or “j”. The pairs walk around until the leader yells “stop” and then each pair must find its opposite and join together.
Continue until there is one really thick sandwich!
50. Tiger Tails: Divide into pairs. Each player has a flag (or scrap of fabric) tucked into his/her waistband. Try to grab
your partner’s flag while protecting your own. Repeat three times, then switch partners. Variation: Tape 2 scraps of
paper on the sleeves of each player. Try to remove the other player’s papers.
51. Hot Potato Fitness: Kids jog or walk around the area to music. While they are jogging or walking, they pass an
object, such as a beanbag, to the person in front of them. When the music stops, the camper with the beanbag comes to
the center of the circle and leads the group in a fitness activity. You can change the way kids move around the
circleBskip, jump, etc.)
52. The Animal Game: Object is to tag the animal called in order to get out of the center of the circle. You will need a
rag or other object that can be used to tag with and won’t hurt while tagging. Everyone sits in a circle. Everyone gives
themselves an animal name, going around the circle naming themselves. One person goes in the center with the rag, and
calls out “their own name” wants “another name.” (Example--squirrel calls rabbit.) The person called on has to call out
the name of another animal before the person in the middle can tag them (ex. rabbit wants fox). If the person gets
tagged, they go to the middle.
53. Blob Tag: It’s a basic game of tag, except that when a person is tagged, they lock arms with the person who tagged
them. Now they are “it” together. The more people who get tagged, the larger the “blob” gets. The last person to get
tagged is “it” for the next round.
54. Dodge BallBuse a nerf ball (not a rubber ball!!!)
55. 7 Up: Choose 7 kids. Have all the others put their heads down with thumbs up. Each of the 7 kids walks through
the group and pushes down the thumb of one of the other kids. The ones who had their thumb pushed down must guess
who tagged them. Then those kids are the new 7 up.
56. Nose Tag. One child is “it” and tries to tag the others. A child is safe from being tagged if he/she stands on one leg
with the other leg looped over an arm while the hand on that arm hold his/her noes. If the child lets go of his/her nose,
they are no longer safe and can be tagged.
57. Loose Caboose: Arrange kids in groups of 4. There should be 3-4 extra kids not in a group. The groups form a
train, holding one another at the waist. The extra children are loose cabooses and try to hook on to the back of the trains.
The trains move around trying to avoid being hooked on. If a loose caboose does connect with a train, the first person
on that train become a loose caboose.
58. Hide the Shades: One child leaves the room. All others sit indian style against the walls. Hide the sunglasses (or
any other small object) behind one. The child returns and stands in the middle (can’t walk around) and tries to guess
who has the shades. Then that child has a turn to leave the room.
59. Pass the Orange (or tennis ball). Divide campers into 2 groups and line them up. Players must pass an orange (or
ball) down the line under their chins, not using hands.
60. Getting to Know You: Have the campers sit in a circle. Get a soft ball to throw. Each child will throw the ball to
another child and the counselors will ask the child fun questions (favorite movie, TV show, kind of pet, activity at camp)
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61. Balloon Keep Up: Campers have to keep a balloon off the floor. Variation: use a paper cup or a wadded up piece
of newspaper instead of the balloon. To make the game more challenging, campers have to hit the
balloon/cup/newspaper ball in specific order (ex—birthdays, alphabetically by first name)
62. Musical Towels: Like musical chairs, but use towels on the floor instead. Variation: instead of campers being “out,”
take away a towel each time and campers have to crowd onto remaining towels.
63. Ghost Busters: Choose 6-8 campers to be slimers. They hold soft foam balls. They are to TAG campers with the
balls--NOT THROW THEM! They stand in the center. On a signal, the slimers try to tag the other campers with the
balls. When a camper is tagged, s/he must stop, place his/her hands on their head and stand with their legs in a straddle
position. To be deslimed, another camper must run up and say “Who ya gonna call?” and the person to be deslimed
must answer “Ghostbusters!” Then the first camper slides through the slimed camper’s legs and then the slimed camper
is free and can be tagged again. After two minutes, stop and change slimers.
64. Freeze Dance: All campers dance to a CD or tape. Counselor (where she can’t be seen) turns off the music. When
the music stops, all campers freeze. If they move after the music stops, they are “out.” Continue until the last camper is
caught.
65. Group Numbers: Have campers move around in any way you can think of (running, walking, hopping, etc.) Then
call out a number. The campers must then get into groups of that number and sit down. Once everyone is sitting down,
call out another way to move, and later, another number.
66. Ball Pass Over: Need a few soft balls and 2 hula hoops per team. Divide campers into team. The campers lie on
the floor head to toe. At the feet of the first camper on each team is a hula hoop with a few soft balls inside it. That
camper picks up the ball with his feet and passes over his head to the next camper’s feet. The last person has a hoop at
his head and must place the ball inside the hoop. Continue until one group has moved all the balls. Campers CAN’T
use their hands.
67. Minefield. Need some bean bags and blind folds. Scatter bean bags across an area. Campers work in pairs. One
camper wears a blindfold (or keeps her eyes closed) and the other camper guides the blindfolded camper across the mine
field, without touching the blindfolded camper. If the blindfolded camper touches a mine (bean bag) they are out. Then
have the campers on each pair switch roles.
68. Red Light, Green Light: Campers line up on a starting line. They are trying to get across the room to a finish line.
A counselor stands at the finish line with her back turned to the campers. She says ARed Light, Green Light, 1,2 3" and
turns around. Campers can run to the finish line until the counselor turns around. Whoever is still moving is Aout.”
First one to cross the finish line is the new caller.
69. Hot Potato: Group stands or sits in a circle. A ball, the “hot potato” is passed around the circle to music. When the
music stops, the person holding the ball is “out”. Continue until 1 player is the winner.
70. Invisible Chair: Arrange the campers in a long line against a wall. Each camper stands with her back against the
wall, slowly bending knees until thighs are parallel to the floor, then cross one leg over the other
71. Finger Touch: Campers close their eyes and extend both arms with a finger pointed on each hand. Without
looking, they try to move their arms and touch the tips of their fingers together.
72. Simon Says
73. Lion Hunters: All of the campers lie on the floor in “sleeping positions”, except 1 or 2 hunters. Once they are
settled, they are not allowed to mover. The hunters walk through the rooms, trying to make the lions move by
making them laugh. They are not allowed to touch the lions. Once the lions have moved, they get up and join the
hunters.
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74. Team Rock Scissors Paper: Each team lines up side by side facing the other team, with space between the teams.
Each team needs a “base” behind them, where they can run and be safe from being tagged. Each team meets in a huddle,
and decides if the team will display rock, scissors or paper. At the count of 3, each team does the hand motion they have
chosen. The members of the team that wins try to chase members of the loosing team to their base. If the losers get to
the base first without being tagged, they are safe. If they are tagged, they are out. The game continues until no one is left
on one team.
75. Rock Scissors Paper Evolution: Have a large group of campers play “rock, scissors, paper.” Evolution when you
win a round is: egg, chick, human, superhero, invincible. Each time you win, you advance one level; when you lose, you
drop one level. You have to do a movement to signify which level you are at: egg’’curled up; chick’’chicken dance;
human’’normal stance; superhero’’Superman pose; invincible’’fist in the air. You can only play with rock, scissors,
paper with people at your level, so keep finding new partners. Game is timed—get the group to do it as fast as possible,
getting everyone to invincible level.
76. Alphabet relay challenge—Campers move in crab walk only—no running! Need 4 hula hoops (one for each
group), at least 4 sets of alphabet cards, 4 pieces of tape on the floor to mark a starting line. Divide the
campers into 4groups (about 5 kids in each). Each group sits behind their tape. Each group has a hula hoop
with a set of alphabet cards inside it about 10 feet away. The leader writes a word or spells a word. The first
camper on each team crab walks to the hoop, finds the first letter of the word, and crab walks back to the team.
Then the next player goes to get the second letter. Continue until one team has all the letters from the word.
77. Wall ball
78. “Bring Me;” Split the campers into 3-4 groups. Sit them in rows in height order. Each team has a captain.
The leader of the game starts by saying “bring me a ….” (ex--“a girl with 7 ponytails in her hair”). The captain
runs down the rows and finds a volunteer and brings them to the front of the line, either to put 7 ponytails in her
hair or grab 6 other girls all with ponytails and they stand together and they become “a girl with 7 ponytails.”
The team captains can be creative in interpreting the commands. First team to complete each task gets a point.
79. Martian Tag: The game starts with one “Martian” at one side of the playing field. The object of the game is for
the Martian to capture and convert the other players into Martians, so they can help capture any survivors in
later rounds. The lead Martian tries to capture others by calling out a specific group that he wishes to attack.
Example: My name is Billy, I’m a Martian and I like…the color green/names that start with a “D” (a specific
player’s name).” The idea is for the Martian to be creative with what he likes so he can attempt to tag as many
players as possible. If a player is among the target group, s/he has to try to touch the opposite wall before being
tagged.
80. Swedish Meetball: Divide campers into groups of about 8 people. You will need a very soft object to throw
around—a clean knotted sock or nerf ball are good choices. Throw the object to each other. Each receiver
says his/her name. Any receiver can initiate a “group shout” by catching the object and not saying his/her
name. Then everyone else shouts out his/her name.
81. Indoor Scavenger Hunt: Counselor makes up a list of things to find (some can be a specific object, like a
pencil, others can be more theoretical, like someone born in 1980, or “a happy thought”). Variation: One
person is designated as “The King.” The King stands up and says “Bring me…” The first group to get it to
him/her gets a point. Examples: 1 sock, a size 12 shoe, something that smells pretty, belly button lint, a
retainer, a pink rock, etc.)
82. Bombardment Pins: At either end of the playing space, set up in a row as many soda bottles as there are
players (can use the small water bottles that are distributed at lunch). Make a dividing line across the center of
the space. Divide players into two teams. Each team takes 1 side of the area, and may not step over the line
into the other side. One team starts by throwing a ball to try to knock down the bottles on the other side. The
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players on that side can defend their bottles by catching or blocking the ball with their hands or bodies. The
winner is the team that knocks down the most bottles. Once a bottle is knocked down, it can’t be set up again
until the round is over.
83. Duck Duck Goose
84. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish: A leader stands away from the group with his/her back to everyone
and water bottle sitting on the ground behind his/her back. The rest of the group is standing on a starting line,
shoulder-to-shoulder facing the leader’s back. The object of the game is for the players to get the water bottle
back to the starting line without being caught. The leader faces away from the group and the group can run
toward the bottle while the person says “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”. Then the person turns
around and the rest of the players have to freeze. If you are caught moving you go back to the starting line. If
the water bottle is missing, the leader has to guess who got it. The leader gets one guess: if the leader guesses
wrong, the game continues. If the leader guesses right, the person who grabbed the bottle has to put in back
and go back to the starting line. If the person gets the bottle and brings it back to the starting line without being
named, the game is over. That person becomes the new leader.
85. Have You Ever? Everyone sits in a circle, with a chair or place marker for each person. “It” stands in the
middle, without a chair/place marker. “It” asks a yes/no question that he will answer “yes” to ; for example:
“Have you ever gone swimming in the Atlantic Ocean?” Anyone in the circle who can answer the question
with “yes” must move to a new spot in the circle. While everyone is moving, “it” tries to grab a spot. The
person left over becomes the new “it.”
86. Head Catch. Need a soccer or other rubber ball. Players stand in a circle around the leader who has the ball.
The leader throws the ball to each player, and while it is in the air, says “head” or “catch.” When the leader
calls “head,” the player must head the ball back to the leader. When the leader calls “catch,” the player must
catch the ball and throw it back to the leader. If the player misses, he or she is out for the round. If the players
get very good at the game, move on to the “Opposite” variation—when the leader calls “head,” the player
catches the ball, and when the leader calls “catch” the player must head the ball.
87. Without Direction: All players close their eyes and only make movements according to the instructions of the
group leader For example, 3 steps forward, 2 steps to the left, a half turn to the right, and 2 steps backwards, 5
steps to the south…. At the end of the game, everyone opens their eyes to see if they are standing where they
thought they would be.
88. Paper Towel Roll Baseball: Players divided into two teams. A crumpled up piece of paper is used as the ball,
and a paper towel roll is used as the bat. Players take their positions sitting down and can only stretch out (not
get up) to field the ball.
89. Coin Ball: Need 1 ball and 1 coin per 2 children. Pair up all the children. They face each other, take a step
apart from each other and place the coin on the ground between them. Child with the ball bounces the ball and
tries to hit the coin. The other child has a turn with the ball. A player gets 1 point if they hit the coin, and 2
points if she flips the coin. When one child in the pair reaches 11 points, she has to take one step backwards
away from the coin and the score for both players goes back to 0.
90. Little Sally Walker: (Best for girls)—Girls stand in a circle and while everyone is singing, one girl skips inside
the circle from player to player. Everyone sings:
Little Sally Walker, walking down the street,
She didn’t know what to do so she came right up to me (camper in the center stops at the nearest camper)
Hey _____ (insert name) shake that thing, shake that thing, lets go (the two campers dance facing each other)
Hey ______(insert name) shake that thing, shake that thing , lets go (the two campers dance back to back)
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Then the girl who wasn’t in the middle to start with is now the one who skips in the center and dances with someone
new the next time.
91. Human Pinball. Equipment needed—1 soft ball. Everyone stands in a circle facing outward, except one who
is called the dodger. The players in the circle stand with their legs spread, feet touching the people on either
side of the. They bend over and swing their arms between their legs. They become flippers, whose object is to
hit the dodger with the ball. The dodger tries to avoid being hit. The person who hits the dodger becomes the
new dodger.
92. Stuck in the Mud: Like freeze tag, but when frozen, the player must stand with their legs apart and to be
unfrozen, another player must crawl under their legs.
93. Indoor Gaga (put 6 benches on their sides to form the gaga court)
94. Chair Basketball: Two teams of about 6 people sit facing each other about 8 feet apart, in two parallel lines.
One person from each team sits at the end of each line, to make a rectangle (like a basketball court with the
hoops on the short ends). Those players hold their arms out to form hoops. All the players must remain seated
during the game. A balloon is the ball. Each team tries to get the balloon and pass it along the line and shoot it
into the “hoop.”
95. With Me or Against Me: Everyone stands in a circle. One person is in the middle and says something that the
other people have to agree with or disagree with (ex—Archery is the best activity at camp). The people who
agree with the statement have to leave their spot and run to another open spot. The person in the middle tries
to grab an empty spot too. The last person left over becomes the person in the middle.
Arts and Crafts:
1. Friendship bracelets
2. Desk Organizers: Need to have a cereal box, assorted cardboard food containers or tin cans, colored paper, pencils,
tape, stickers and scissors. Cover the cereal box in colored paper. Trace the bottoms of the food containers or tin cans
on the box and cut out. Cover containers/tin cans with colored paper and insert into cereal box. Decorate with stickers
and paper strips.
3. Fortune Tellers: 1 square piece of paper per person. Fold each corner to center of paper. Turn paper over and again
fold corners to center. Write the name of a different color on each square flap showing. Turn over the fortune teller and
write a number (1-8) on each triangular flap. Lift each triangular flap and write a funny fortune under each number
(“You will have spaghetti for dinner,” “you will play gaga tomorrow”). To use it, fold the fortune teller in half (triangles
with numbers on the inside). Put index and thumb together on each hand, and insert one under each of the four square
flaps. Have your friend pick a color; spell it out while pinching fingers together and apart. Have your friend pick a
number and read that fortune.
4. Invention convention: discuss inventions; can group think of an idea for a better toy, tool for doing chores at home,
gadget? Let campers design their new invention.
5. Sock Puppets/Paper Bag puppets. When done, have two people hold up a towel for a stage, and campers have turns
to put on shows
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6. Design own Pokemon cards
7. Design comic strip
8. Hot Air Balloons: need: glue, water, newspaper squares 2" x 5", balloons, yarn, paper cups, paint (this is a 2 day
project). Mix glue and water to make paste. Blow up balloons, put newspaper over balloons with paste (like paper
mache). Cover all of the balloon except for a small square on the bottom. Let dry. Next day, pop the balloon, attach 4
pieces of yarn to the paper cup, so it is suspended below balloon. Paint/decorate as desired.
9. Create your own board game: Have group decide on what kind of game to make. Draw a board on posterboard.
Color and mark the board. Make cards/tokens to use. Decide and write down rules.
10. “Riverbend-opoly”: On a piece of posterboard, make a Monopoly board featuring Camp Riverbend activities.
Decide what will be the various properties, and what will be “Community Chest” events.
11. Make your own bingo boards. Group brainstorms 50 words, symbols, etc. Then campers fill in their own boards
with 25 of them. Counselors make up cards with the 50 words, symbols. Then play with your set.
12. Make kites
13. Make group banner
14. Paper loop chains
15. Paper plate masks: Draw a face on the botton of the plate decorating it in any way. Punch two holes in the side and
tie string around the back
16. Snow Globes: Need: small glass jars (baby food size), colored clay or “Fimo”, glitter, scissors, water. Each person
molds the clay or Fimo into a person, animal, object. The figure must be small enough to fit into the jar. Press the figure
down firmly, and/or glue it to the bottom. Add glitter, then water almost to the top and screw on lid tightly!
17. Jolly Jumpers: Paint two paper plates green. Make 8 thin strips of green felt for 4 legs, and sandwich a pipe cleaner
with glue between each set of two felt strips. Glue the legs in place around the bod inside one of the paper plated.
Decorate plates with googly eyes etc. Knot one end of a length of elastic string and glue the two plates together. Tie the
elastic to a stick and your frog is ready to hop.
18. Clothes Pin People. Decorate clothes pins with googly eyes and yarn. Make eyes with markers.
19. Origami Frogs (see attached diagram)
20. Make finger puppets with construction paper.
21. Friendship pins
22. Picture Collage. Make a collage telling something about the camper or a friend in the group. Can use magazine
pictures, letters, favorite foods, hobbies, etc. Need old magazines, markers, glue and paper to assemble the collage on.
23. Paper bag puppets; can act out a story with the puppets
24. Making trees. Roll up newspaper sheets into a cylinder and tape closed. From the top down, cut tube into strips
about 1 inch wide. Pull strips down so that they resemble leaves. Use paint or markers to paint the leaves.
25. Marble Painting: You will need: a box, sheets of paper that will fit evenly into the bottom of the box, marbles, paint.
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Put a few drops of paint onto the paper. Put 2 or 3 marbles into the box. Roll the box around gently so that the marbles
move over the paper surface. Remove paper from box and let dry.
26. Patchwork Quilt: Have each camper personalize and decorate an 8" square piece of poster board. Punch holes at
even intervals along the sides of the posterboard. Make sure the holes are in the same place on each square. Loosely
lace the pieces together to make a quilt. Variation: Bind squares together on one side to create a memory book.
27. Picture Frames from popsicle sticks. They can be decorated after they dry with paint, glitter, beads, etc.
28. Pictionary: Divide group in 2. Use large piece of paper to draw different objects (objects will depend on age of
campers). Give one group a chance to guess the identity of the thing, then the other group gets a chance to guess the
next drawing. Keep a tally of how many correct answers the entire group gets, thus establishing a new record. Each
rainy day can be a chance to break the old record.
29. Pinwheels: Need: squares of paper, straws, scissors, straight pin, masking tape. Fold paper on diagonals. Cut on
diagonals until about 1 inch from center. Fold alternate “points” into center. Push pin through center and through one
end of straw. Put a bit of masking tape on the sharp end of the pin to hold it in place and prevent scratching.
30. Hemp Necklaces/Bracelets: Use lanyard stitches to make bracelets. Can also thread beads onto hemp, or make own
beads using fimo. Can also make friendship bracelets.
31. Bird Feeders: Use thick thread and needle to string popcorn, cranberries, raisins, breadcrumbs. Or, use an empty
soda bottle, punch two holes in the top of it. Run a string through the holes and tie into a hanger loop. With a knife
(CAREFULLY--COUNSELOR DOES THIS!!!) cut out a small hole in the front of the bottle. You need to leave
enough of the bottom to be able to fill your feeder. Make sure the opening is big enough for birds to reach inside, but
not so big that the food falls out.
32. Paper Plate Butterflies: Each butterfly needs 4 paper plates (2 large and 2 small). All plates are stapled/glued
together to form butterfly shape. Cut out a body from dark construction paper and glue on top. Use pipe cleaners to
make antennae. Decorate wings with crayons, markers, glitter, etc. VARIATION: Coffee filter butterflies: Color the
coffee filters with watercolor or markers and then let them sit out in the rain for a short while, so the colors bleed and
blend. Dry the filters inside, then scrunch up the middle of the filter with a pipe cleaner to create a body and antennae.
33. Hands on Hat: Butcher paper or newspaper, white or yellow crayons, “bio color” foam paint, colored tape, trim such
as feathers, leaves. Cut 24-36" circles out of butcher paper or newspaper. Let campers draw designs with a crayon onto
the paper. Squirt primary colors of “bio color” foam paint onto the paper. Let campers run their hands through the foam
paint mixing it into secondary colors. Rub until there is no foam left, but not until colors have mixed too much. The
paint will dry instantly on the paper and their crayon designs will appear. Place the paper on top of child’s head, and
tape around the forehead to the nape of the neck. Roll up the edges to make the rim of the hat. Add trim of choice.
34. Pasta necklaces. String dry rigatoni. Can paint with watercolors or markers.
35. Caterpillars: Need: green and brown construction paper, glue, markers, googly eyes, green cotton balls. Cut green
construction paper into 3 4-inch circles. Overlap the circles and glue into a line. Glue eyes at one end. Cut legs and
antennae out of brown construction paper and glue on. Cover body with cotton balls for a “furry” appearance.
36. Popsicle Stick Picture Frames: Glue popsicle sticks together, overlapping ends, to make a picture frame. Decorate
with beads, markers, etc. Attach magnets on the back for a refrigerator picture frame.
37. Tissue paper flowers
38. TV show: group plans and puts on its own TV broadcast. It could include spots on local news, entertainment,
sports, etc. If the group wants to get creative, make a big “TV” frame out of cardboard and decorate it. Use
Rainy Day Activities
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cardboard/markers to make microphones.
39. Paper Plate Sun: you will need: a paper plate, yellow construction paper, scissors, glue, crayons/paint/markers,
googly eyes. Paint the paper plate. Trace the child’s hand on the construction paper about 7 times and cut out.
Glue the hands to the plate (the fingers are the rays of the sun). Draw a face on the sun, add googly eyes.
40. Homemade Cloth Dolls: Need: pipe cleaners, embroidery floss or yarn, large beads, felt. Cut 20 pieces of yarn per
doll. Fold 1 pipe cleaner in half, with the yarn inside the fold. Slide a bead onto the pipe cleaners and up to the fold
so the yarn pokes out like hair. Wrap another pipe cleaner just below the bead for arms. Bend up the ends of the
body pipe cleaner then wrap them around another pipe cleaner which will become legs. Now you can explore
different clothing options, made of felt.
41. Rain Painting. Drop a few drops of food color onto a sturdy white paper plate. Hold the plate under the rain.
Observe the patterns that the rain makes with the food coloring.
42. Silly Creature Lab: Need index cards and markers. Each camper places 3 cards horizontally on a table or the
ground, touching each other along the long side. Each camper draws a head on the top card, a matching body on the
middle card, and feet and legs on the bottom card. Then campers can mix and match to make silly creatures.
43. Home made snowglobes: Need: baby food jars, glitter, glycerin, small plastic figures, sandpaper, water glue. Sand
the inside of the lid until it is rough. Glue the small plastic figures onto the lid. Let dry. Fill the jar to the top with
water. Add a pinch of glitter and a dash of glycerin. Screw on the lid tightly. Turn the jar over and let it snow.
44. What’s In the Bag: You need a paper sack and some ordinary household objects. Have campers reach into the bag
and try to identify what is in it.
Cooking:
1. Make butter. Start with 1 pint of heaving whipping cream. Place in a clean glass jar. Wrap a towel around the glass
jar, and tape or rubber band it to hold in place. Roll the jar back and forth on the floor among members of the group to
churn the butter, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Open the jar carefully and remove butter lumps with a slotted spoon.
Spread on crackers. The liquid that remains is called buttermilk, and is also good to drink.
2. Bright as a Penny: Take 1 ounce of lemon juice or vinegar, 1 dull penny. Soak the penny in lemon juice or vinegar
for 5 minutes. The coin is now shiny. The acid of the lemon removes the oxidized copper.
3. Dough models: 1/4 cup water, 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 1/4 cup flour, 1 1/4 cup salt, paint, mixing bowl,
cooling rack, toothpicks, baking sheet. Set oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, salt, oil and water into a soft dough.
Sprinkle some flour on a table and knead the dough until it is smooth and stretchy. Shape the dough into shapes. Use
water to attach pieces together. Bake the shapes on a baking sheet for 20 minutes. Cool, then paint and decorate the
shapes.
4.
Ice Cream: Into a small ziploc bag, mix 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 ounces cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla. Squish
together. Place 4-5 small bags into a bigger ziploc bag that is filled halfway with ice and 5 ounces of salt.
Wrap the bag with newspaper, and secure with tape or rubber bands. Place in a garbage bag and shake for 5
minutes. Open, and check if liquids have solidified. Enjoy!
5. Playdoh: ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup water. 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, 2-3 drops food coloring, ½ cup flour. Mix with
hands in a bowl and add ½ cup flour again. If its too wet, add flour. If its too dry, add water.