DURING TRIP
PROTECT THE PRESIDENT*
For this game, you need a volleyballsized
Nerf ball. Have everyone stand
in a wide circle with two people in the
middle.
One person in the middle is
the “president”, the other is the
“bodyguard”. The people in the circle
have the Nerf ball and throw it at the
president. The bodyguard may do
anything to block the ball with his
body: jump, squat, dive, etc. The ball
may NEVER touch the president. If the
ball touches the president at any time,
the person who threw the ball (or the
last person to touch it) becomes the
bodyguard, the bodyguard becomes
the president, and the president goes
back into the circle.
What makes this exciting is that from
the moment the president is hit, the
new president is vulnerable because
the transition is instantaneous. The
new bodyguard must be fast at getting
into the circle to defend him or her.
This sometimes makes presidential
turnover pretty quick, but it’s exciting.
This game is EXHAUSTING, especially
if the people in the middle are good.
Be ready to sweat if you play. One
strategy for the “shooters” is to pass
the ball around the circle and keep
it moving to wear the people in the
middle down. They’ll eventually tire,
and the president will get hit. As the
kids get more experience playing the
game, they will develop strategies
and tactics and will thoroughly enjoy
themselves.
ULTIMATE NINJA
Have all the players stand in a circle.
Together the group yells, “Ultimate
Ninja!” and then jumps to a spot and
gets into a ninja stance. Choose one
person to begin the game. On each
person’s turn, they may try to strike
someone’s hand with one motion, or
they may move one step. Once the
motion is complete, it immediately
becomes the next person’s turn. Turns
move clockwise around the group. You
are allowed to dodge in one motion
when you think someone is trying to
strike your hand; however, you must
hold this new pose after you dodge.
A player is deemed “out” of the game
when their hand is hit by an attacker.
The game is played until there is one
player standing.
CONNECT THE DOTS
NINJA, BEAR, HUNTER
A blown-up version of Rock, Paper,
Scissors. This game can be played with
any three characters, so long as they
can be acted out.
Two players will stand back-to-back
and count to three. On the count of
three, both players turn around and
immediately strike a pose. Ninja (the
crane pose from Karate kid), Bear (two
hands raised above their head), or
Hunter (hands in the shape of a gun
pointed at the opponent).
Who wins:
ninja beats hunter,
hunter beats bear,
bear beats ninja.
These games go quickly and are
most fun when players make noises
representing their character. Have
each duo play best out of three, then
nd a new partner.
33