SIMPLE GAMES
SCATTERBALL*
Dodgeball with a twist. To start,
everyone must have a hand on the Nerf
ball. Throw the ball up in the air, then
everyone scatters. Somebody grabs
the ball in the air or off the ground.
Whoever has the ball can only take
two steps. After two steps, the player
must throw the ball, dodgeball style, at
another player. If the ball hits a player,
that player sits down right where they
are. They can still play; they just can’t
move from their seated spot.
If a player is hit by the ball and catches
it, then the throwing player sits down.
Sitting players can snag the ball any
time it rolls by, and can throw it at
standing players to try to get them out.
The game ends when only one player
is standing. Hint: it’s a good game for
larger groups, but it’s lacking in action
if you have less than ten people.
RED-HOT POKER
Everybody stands in a circle and
holds hands. Have something in the
middle of the circle. (Anything works,
including a big 50-gallon trash can.)
The object in the middle is the red-hot
poker. You try to drag, push, and pull
one another into the red-hot poker. If
you touch it or break hands, then you
are out. Play until only one person is
standing.
LIGHTSABER WARS
Each person picks a partner of the
same gender and, preferably, similar
size. While facing each other, the
players should step forward and place
the outside of their right foot next
to, and touching, the outside of their
partner’s right foot. Their feet are
now “glued” to the ground and are not
allowed to move.
The players then reach out and grab
the right hand of their partner. After
grabbing hands, both players extend
their right pointer nger, which is now
their lightsaber.
The point of this game is to touch
the other player with your lightsaber
(nger), without letting go of their
hand or moving your feet. If you
move your feet, or are touched by the
opposing player’s nger, you lose the
game.
SLAP WRESTLING
Two people stand facing each other
with their own feet together and
about a shoulder’s span between
them. You must try to make your
opponent move their feet by slapping
their hands only. Touching anywhere
else, moving feet, falling, or interfering
means disqualication.
Good tactics are to push their hands,
then pull yours back so that they can’t
push you. You can also pull your hands
back suddenly when your opponent
attacks so they fall forward.
CAT AND MOUSE
Begin by having the entire group
stand in a circle and hold hands. Pick
one person from the group to be the
“mouse,” and another to be the “cat”.
The person who is the mouse will
move to the middle of the circle. The
person who is the cat will go outside
the circle. The aim of the game is for
the mouse to get outside the circle
and avoid being caught by the cat.
The mouse must stay moving while
inside the circle; however it cannot
stay inside the circle for more than
ten seconds.
The cat cannot come into the circle,
but it can reach into the circle to tag
the mouse.
The circle players have to try to
keep the cat away from the mouse
by letting the mouse in and out of
the circle. They can also block the
cat’s attempts to grab the mouse by
standing in its way.
If the mouse is caught, the mouse
becomes the new cat.
The old cat takes the place of a player
holding hands, and another player
becomes the mouse.
DURING TRIP
*Requires one ball
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