Rainy-Day - Kids 4 Kids

Transcription

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TIPS and SAMPLE SCHEDULE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SMALL GROUP GAMES - NO PROPS
1. WHO’S MISSING?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2. BUZZ - BING - BANG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. VIPER TAG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4. ANIMAL CHAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5. HADOUKEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6. UNFORTUNATELY/FORTUNATELY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
7. OLYMPIC SPEED WALKING DUCK RACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
8. HOW LONG IS A MINUTE?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
9. WINK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
10. HAVE YOU EVER? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
11. CAPTAIN IS COMING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
12. SLEEPING LIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SMALL GROUP GAMES - PROPS REQUIRED
13. FIRST TO 100 DICE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
14. PIPE CLEANER COMMUNICATION GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
15. MINEFIELD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
16. NAME SIX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
17. HUMAN HUNGRY HIPPOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
18. WHAT IF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
19. ROBOT PAPER WARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
20. STICKY SITUATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
21. INDOOR FOUR SQUARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
22. LIFE-SIZED ANGRY BIRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
23. KID CURLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
24. MARSHMALLOW FLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
25. CABIN BATTLE SHIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
26. GLOW IN THE DARK BOWLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
27. MINI-MARSHMALLOW POPPING CONTEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
28. BLIND BALLOON VOLLEYBALL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
29. BLANKET DROP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
30. RAINY DAY RELAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
31. NOODLE HOCKEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
LARGE GROUP GAMES and COMPETITIONS
32. HUNGER GAMES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
33. PILLOW CASE BINGO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
34. LARGE GROUP POPCORN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
35. SOUND OFF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
36. EXTREME PICTIONARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
37. HYPED UP BINGO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
38. INDOOR ROCK DROP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
39. THE NUMBER GAME/THE ALPHABET GAME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
40. HUMAN FOOSBALL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
41. FIVE THINGS ABOUT THE COUNSELOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
42. BATTLE BALL DODGEBALL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
43. BINGO BALL ELIMINATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
EVENTS
44. UGLIEST COUNSELOR CONTEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
45. JUNGLE DAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
46. HUMAN CLUE GAME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
47. GYM RIOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
48. YOUR CAMP’S GOT TALENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
49. UN-BIRTHDAY PARTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
50. DUTCH AUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
51. GAMES OF CHANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
52. INDOOR CARNIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
53. THE CAMP MUSEUM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
54. CABIN WARS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
55. PROJECT RUNWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITIONS
56. RAINY DAY CAMP RECORDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
57. LEGO CHALLENGES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
58. INDOOR OBSTACLE COURSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
59. MINUTE TO WIN IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
60. BEACH BOARDWALK CONTEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
61. RUBBER DUCK RACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
MAKERS
62. CREATE A BUG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
63. ROLLER COASTER RALLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
64. FORT BUILDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
65. RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
66. RAINY DAY PAINTINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
67. BUILD OFF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
HUNTS
68. MISSING ANIMALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
69. MAGAZINE SCAVENGER HUNT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
70. ESCAPE FROM THE MAD SCIENTIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
71. PUZZLE SCAVENGER HUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
72. BIG QUEST ROOM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
DRAMA and IMPROV
73. WALK MY WALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
74. SKIT IN A BAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
75. AFTERNOON WITH THE OLD FOLKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
76. CPR!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
77. WHO, WHERE, WHAT SKITS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
78. RADIO SHOW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
MUSIC and DANCE
79. THE BAG DANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
80. JUST DANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
81. NAME THAT TUNE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
82. SONG WARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
83. MUSICAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
84. 4 CORNER DANCE OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
OTHER
85. INVENTION CONVENTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
86. WET LAND SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
87. RAINY DAY GAME BAGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
88. WHOONU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
89. TO TELL THE TRUTH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
90. CABIN ROUND ROBIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
91. HURRAY FOR RAINY DAYS!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
92. PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
93. STORY TIME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
94. RAINY DAY BOXES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
95. THE WEATHER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
96. EPIC DINING HALL DECORATING CONTEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
97. CABIN DECORATING CONTEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
98. STORYTELLING CARDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
99. GRANDMA AND GRANDPA BINGO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
100.
JR. ACHIEVEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
101.
PRIZE WHEEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
TIPS AND SCHEDULE
Be Prepared
• Have 3 days of a rainy day Program/Schedule already made.
• Practice it during staff Training
• Use Station Games and Special Events
• Use all of your facilities
Have a Rainy Day Survival Kit/Bag of Tricks
• Balloons
• Cards
• Markers
• Rubber Bands
• Paper
• Etc.
Make a list of activities you are going to do on Rainy Days
Plan 2-3 activities than can be done in 15-20 minutes.
Each staff member leading an activity with a group, after 20 minutes campers rotate to next
staff member.
Giving Points
Points don’t cost anything. You can give them away by the 1000’s. Giving them away will never
deplete your supply either. My weekly score board goes up to 1,000,000 points. We give them
out for almost anything.
Try this: 1st place- 10,000 points, 2nd place- 5,000 points, 3rd place- 3,000 points, and 4th place1,000 points.
Points are also given out for team spirit, good sportsmanship, effort, being on time, etc. Avoid
doing penalties. Instead, just add more points to the teams who are not poor sports.
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EXAMPLE RAINY DAY SCHEDULE
7:00-8:30 Mini free play Activities (Gym)
• Double Four Square
• Two Square
• Climbing Wall
• Ga Ga Ball (We use Tables & The Wall)
Game Room
• Card Mania....21,Thrash,Speed,Fast
• Ping Pong Tourney
• Foosball Tourney
Arts & Crafts Room
• Coloring Contest
• Drawing Contest
• Tic Tac Toe Tourney
• Dots
8:30-9:00 Opening Circle
9:00-10:00 (TAC) Total Camp Activity
Music Fest - Campers participate in Lip Sync, Air Band Contest & Dance Off
10:00-11:00 Rotation Station Games
1. Gym......Prison Dodge Ball
2. Room A....This is/Hot Potato
3. Room B....Thumper/Finger Math
4. Arts & Crafts Room....Signs/ABC Game
5. Game Room....Story of My Life/Human Foosball
1:00-2:00 Rotation Station Games (Whole Camp Event)
Community Challenge (Tug-A-War)
2:00-3:00 Special Event - Human Checkers/Chess
3:00-3:30 Snack
3:30-4:30 Large group Activity - Chase Race
4:30 Huddle-up
5:00-6:00 Free Play
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PART
1
SMALL GROUP GAMES
NO-PROPS
GAMES FOR 2-20 PLAYERS TYPICALLY
WHO’S MISSING?
1. One camper leaves the room with an adult or teen leader.
2. Another camper is chosen to hide, under a desk, in a closet, or even walk out the other
door.
3. Then everyone has to get up and sit in a different spot in the room.
4. When all are seated, the first camper is brought back and he/she has to tell everyone
who is missing from the group.
BUZZ - BING - BANG
1. Everyone sits in a circle and someone starts counting.
2. Each person sequentially says a number in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction
until the number 7 is reached, and instead of saying 7, that person says “buzz.”
Small Group Games - No Props
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3. The counting continues until the next number that has a 7 in it or is a multiple of 7 is
reached; that person also says “buzz.”
4. The sequence continues until someone makes a mistake (not saying “buzz” or saying
“buzz” at the wrong time).
For example:
1…2…3…4…5…6…BUZZ…8…9…10…11…12…13…BUZZ…14...15...16...BUZZ...18...19...etc.
Variation:
To make the game more challenging, add the word “bang” for 5’s and multiples of 5, and if the
group still needs more of a challenge, add the word “bing” for 3’s and multiples of 3’s.
VIPER TAG
• In this game everyone starts out with two “vipers.” Your “vipers” are your hands with your first two fingers up and ready
for striking position. (Like a peace sign with fingers bent on
both hands.) • Once everyone has established their vipers and can make the
viper hiss noise, (do that now), then you are ready for play.
• Instruct the group that everyone is IT, but you must stay within the boundaries (cones or other visual boundaries). • If you get tagged by someone’s viper, you must hold onto the bite spot with one of
your vipers, therefore losing one of your viper to strike with. • If you get tagged again, you must hold onto the second bite spot with your other viper. You are now pretty defenseless, however, not out of the game yet.
• If you get tagged one last time you get the opportunity to create a big death and dying
scene and then lay in the middle of the field or remove yourself from the game. • The group can vote on the best death and dying scene after the game is over. Sometimes the dying scenes are the best part of the game!
ANIMAL CHAIN
1. Participants sit in a circle.
2. One person is chosen as the King Lion. Their action is to roar and show a crown on
their head.
3. The person to the right of them is the mouse, who squeaks.
4. Everyone else in the circle chooses the animal they wish to be with an action and sound.
5. To begin, go around the circle and have everyone choose their animal, sound, and
action.
6. The object of the game is to become the King Lion. The game is started by the King
Lion who does their action and sound as well as another animal’s action and sound.
7. The player whose action the King Lion did, does their action and sound and then
someone else’s action and sound.
8. This continues until someone goofs up or hesitates.
9. The person who goofs up becomes the mouse and everyone moves one animal to the
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left. The tricky thing is when you move a spot; you become that animal.
HADOUKEN
1. The group gets in a circle.
2. There is an imaginary energy. It can be passed to the left or right by putting their hands
together towards the person on their left or right and yelling “Hadouken”. They are
shooting out the ball of energy from their hands.
3. That person can reject the energy, however, by saying “Tiger Uppercut” in a fun accent
and giving an uppercut.
4. Play with these rules before introducing the next—Zen Archer, where participants
shoot a bow and arrow and send the energy to any individual in the circle.
5. That person can reject it with a Zen Shield, by crossing their arms.
6. The Zen Archer, then, can send a Flaming Arrow back to the person, who must then
dramatically die.
UNFORTUNATELY/FORTUNATELY
1. All participants sit in a circle.
2. The leader starts the story with a sentence beginning with the word, “fortunately”.
3. The next person continues the story with a sentence beginning with the word “unfortunately”.
4. The pattern continues through the entire circle.
The goal is to create a story that makes sense and can be ended by the last person in the circle.
Example: Fortunately, my car started this morning. Unfortunately, my car was out of gasoline.
Fortunately, my friend showed up. Unfortunately, he got lost on the way.
OLYMPIC SPEED WALKING DUCK RACE
1. First, have participants practice their speed walking techniques. Have them really get
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their arms and hips into the motion.
2. Then have participants waddle, quack, and flap their arms like a duck.
3. Now they need to combine all of these motions as gracefully as possible and have a
race with their buddies.
As a judge, you are looking for form and a good laugh!
HOW LONG IS A MINUTE?
1. A leader times a minute.
2. Participants raise their hand when they feel that a minute has past.
3. The leader determines who the closest person to a minute was. The
leader will need to wait longer than a minute the first few rounds
to get the people who raise their hands at 90 seconds.
Continue trying a few times to see how many people can guess close to a
minute.
WINK
1. Participants make a circle sitting down.
2. One participant is chosen to be the Guesser and must leave the group and face away
from them until a staff member has told them to rejoin the group.
3. Participants in the circle close their eyes and a Leader walks around the circle and taps
one person on the head. This person becomes the Winker.
4. Participants open their eyes and the Guesser comes back to the middle of the circle.
5. Participants in the circle look at each other in the eyes waiting to get winked at by the
Winker.
6. If a participant is winked at, they must lie down on their tummy and are out of the
game.
The guesser gets 3 chances to guess who the Winker is before the Winker has winked at everyone.
The game ends when the Guesser guesses correctly or they use all three chances.
HAVE YOU EVER?
1. Group stands in a large circle with each person on their own carpet square.
2. Facilitator begins in the middle of the circle.
3. Each person in the middle will start by saying his/her name and then the group will:
clap twice, slap their legs twice, snap twice and point their index finger at the person
in the middle and yell his/her name.
4. At this point, the person in the middle poses a question to the group. “Have you ever
________?”
5. If the question is true for anyone on a carpet square, then they must find a new square
that is not the one they are standing on or is not directly to their right or their left.
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6. The person left in the middle starts again.
CAPTAIN IS COMING
It’s Simon Says with some adventure!
First, you’re on a boat, so you need to know
some things:
• Bow = Front of the Boat
• Stern = Back of the Boat
• Port = Left Starboard = Right
• Captain is Coming = Everyone salutes
and no one moves until facilitator says,
“At Ease.”
• Swab the Deck = Everyone Mops
• Seasick = Heaving over the railing
• Jellyfish = 5 people each with one hand in the center of a circle
• Life Boat = 3 people sitting on the ground in a single file line rowing
• Ballroom Dancing = 2 people dancing on the deck
• Disco on the Deck = show off your moves!
• Climb the Rigging = Climbing Up
1. So basically all these commands are yelled out to the crew of the boat.
2. Everyone remains a crew member until they mess up or are extra if a set number is
needed.
3. When a person messes up, s/he becomes a shark and must circle the boat. Sharks hold
their palms together and hold their “fin” above their head and try to look like Jaws.
SLEEPING LIONS
One of our favorite Rainy day Activities is a game called Sleeping Lions:
• To begin the game; a person is assigned to be the Zoo Keeper.
• The rest of kids are the lions.
• The lions are told to get comfortable and then are told to go to sleep.
• The lions now cannot move. Breathing motions, eye blinks are allowed.
• The lion keeper than goes scouting for any movement among his lions.
• Lion keeper watches for a twitch of the finger, a head movement, talking among lions, a
leg adjusts, etc.
• Lion keeper says, “Jesse, I saw your fingers move.”
• Jesse then moves outside the lion area.
• The last lion sleeping then becomes the zoo keeper.
The kids love this game. In the afternoons we have had kids fall asleep on the carpet playing
sleeping lions. Some kids become extremely good sleeping lions…they lay there motionless…I
have had difficulty catching them move.
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PART
2
SMALL GROUP GAMES
PROPS REQUIRED
GAMES FOR 2-20 PLAYERS TYPICALLY
FIRST TO 100 DICE GAME
Supplies (per team):
• Blank Pieces of Paper
• One Pencil
• Two Dice
Instructions:
• Divide group into teams of 5, each player has a piece of paper.
• Teams sit around a table and take turns rolling the dice.
• The first player to roll a 2 (snake eyes) grabs the pencil and starts writing 1, 2, 3, and so
on, up to 100 as fast as they can.
• Meanwhile, the dice gets passed to the next player, and the next player, etc. Each time
a player rolls a 2; they take the pencil and start writing.
• The first player to get to 100 wins.
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• There is only one pencil. You have until the next 2 is rolled to get as far as you can.
• The next time you roll a 2 and get the pencil, you pick up where you left off and continue as fast as you can.
Variation:
You can change the number that you want them to roll to encourage adding or just do matching
numbers.
PIPE CLEANER COMMUNICATION GAME
1. Pair up the group and give each person a pipe
cleaner.
2. Have each pair sit back to back.
3. One person will make a shape first (about a minute) while the second person waits quietly.
4. After their shape is complete, the first person has
about 2 minutes to describe their shape (without
showing their partner) so that their partner can
make the same shape.
5. After the two minutes, both turn around and
compare their shapes.
6. Have the partners switch roles.
This activity can be easily debriefed by talking about clear communication when you can’t see
the person or object you are talking to or about.
MINEFIELD
• Mark off a starting and ending area.
• Throw “mines” or random objects (balls, bandanas, stuffed animals, etc.) in random
places between the starting and ending point.
• One group member is blindfolded and the rest of the group is standing a distance
away from the blindfolded person.
• The group’s job is to direct the blindfolded person through the minefield without stepping on any of the “mines”
• Have the group come up with their own strategy on how they are going to direct the
blindfolded person, but make sure everyone gets a chance to direct the person.
NAME SIX
1. Participants sit in a circle.
2. One Leader stands in the center of the circle.
3. The Leader closes their eyes while the others pass an object around the circle.
4. When the Leader claps their hands, the participant who is caught with the object in
Small Group Games - Props Required
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their hands must hold it up.
5. The Leader points to them and names a letter.
6. Once the letter is said, the participant holding the object begins passing it around the
circle.
7. That participant must name 6 things that begin with the said letter before the object is
returned to them.
Challenge: have two objects and two letters going around the circle to confuse people. If 6 words
are too few or too many, feel free to adjust.
HUMAN HUNGRY HIPPOS
Supplies:
• Bungee Cords
• Scooters
• Plastic Ball Pit Balls or small balls or balloons
• Laundry baskets or buckets
• Helmets
Instructions:
• Designate 4 stationary areas to be the anchor.
• Kids are “ Hippo”.
• 2-4 kids can play at once.
• Wrap the cord around a pole or other stationary/anchored area and attach the other
end to the scooter.
• If a pole or other anchor is unavailable, adult staff can hold the end of the cord loosely
tied around the waist of participants. This also will help if slack is necessary.
• The Goal is for players to grab as many balls as they can from the middle and put them
in a container back at their station.
• Players scoot to the center and grab as many balls as they can.
• Balls should be inside the circle or designated game area. Balls that roll outside the
circle are dead. This important rule keeps players from swashing balls closer to them
and then getting them later.
• You can use plastic play balls (ball pit), small gator balls or balloons
• To find the center of the playing area, cross the bungee cords between opposite ends
and then put a piece of making tape at the center of the X.
There are some great videos online that show
different ways to play this game. Here are a
couple to watch...
https://youtu.be/_vF-p1S5wvM
https://youtu.be/4sbZfcfeBR0
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WHAT IF
Supplies:
• 1 small slip of paper per person
• 1 pen or pencil per person
Instructions:
1. Everyone gets a piece of paper and they have to write a question starting with “What
if....” ex. What if the sky was green?
2. Then you collect all the questions and mix them up.
3. Hand them back out and the question on the paper is to be answered on the other side
of the paper.
4. One person asks the question that is on their paper, and the person beside them reads
the answer on their sheet of paper. The answers are not the match to the questions, but
that is what makes the game funny!
ROBOT PAPER WARS
Team building activity for ages 7 and up.
This activity is good for teaching team work and the importance of communication, while also
allowing the kids to have some fun.
Supplies:
• Balled up wads of paper strewn about the floor (the more the better!)
• Blindfolds (2-4)
Instructions:
Step One:
Divide the kids into teams of two. Explain that one will be the programmer; the other will be
the robot. The robot will be blind-folded and will have to rely on the programmer for directions.
Step Two:
Explain that the goal of the game is to knock the other robot out or destroy the other robot by
using ammunition found throughout the battlefield. The programmers will direct their robot
through the battlefield and instruct them through battle.
Step Three:
Using camp counselors to model, show the campers how to play the game. The programmer
will stand behind the robot and verbally instruct them to move forward, right, left, backward,
fast, slow, etc. The programmer will need to communicate when to pick up ammunition and in
which direction to aim and fire.
This can be done as many times as needed (you can do first shot and out or three shots and out
depending on the amount of kids). Always have partners trade out and try both positions.
Up the Ante:
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Add in more teams in advanced rounds to make it even more challenging
Step Four:
Discuss how the game went and ask leading questions. What was difficult about being the programmer? What was difficult about being the robot? Did you receive the communication you
needed? How could communication between the two have gone better?
STICKY SITUATION (Minute to Win It game)
Supplies:
• A carpeted room would be best (if possible)
• Tablecloth
• Marbles
• Double Sided Tape
• Rectangular Table
• Bins to catch marbles (optional, but recommended if not playing in a carpeted space)
• 2 Plastic Snack Cups
Goal:
From the opposite end of the table, players must
roll 5 marbles so that they stop on the tape without rolling off the table.
Prep:
• Place the tablecloth on the table, making
sure that it’s pulled taut without bunching or wrinkling.
• Cut a strip of double-sided tape that will
run the width of the table and apply it
to the tablecloth at one end of the table.
• Try the white tape first and if it doesn’t
work, try the clear tape.
• Wait to remove the backing until you are ready to play.
• Bins can be placed at the end of the table to catch any marbles that don’t stick to the
tape and roll off the table.
• Place the marbles in the cup and place the cup at the opposite end of the table from the
tape.
• Just before you’re ready to play, remove the rest of the backing from the tape.
The player should be standing at the opposite end of the table from the tape. They must hold a
cup full of marbles in one hand and place their other hand behind their back. The player should
be standing at the opposite end of the table from the tape.
Instructions:
• The player may start to roll the marbles, one at a time, in an attempt to get them to stick
on the tape at the other end of the table.
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• If a player had rolled all marbles in their cup before one minute is up, you can supply
them with more marbles.
• If he or she can get five marbles to stick on the tape before the timer runs out, they win.
INDOOR FOUR SQUARE
• Moved furniture as far out of the center of the room.
• Use painters masking take on the floor to create the four square playing area.
• Use a softer ball than the typical playground ball usually used outside.
• Come up with bracket listings and best of the best.
LIFE-SIZED ANGRY BIRDS
We did a life size angry bird game. I gathered about 50
boxes of different sizes and shapes. I made pigs with
small and large Mountain Dew bottles with pig faces.
We filled the bottles part way with water to keep them
from falling over too easy. And the birds were different
color playground balls. Each time the boxes and “pigs”
were set up differently. I didn’t make a catapult, but that
would make the game better. I just had the kids throw
the balls. It was a huge hit! I had only planned it for one week, but the kids kept requesting it,
so we kept it for the whole summer. The not only loved playing, they liked taking turns setting
up the next round.
Variation from another camp:
Grab some cardboard boxes out of recycling, divide them up between two groups. Get a couple
stuffed animals, we use 3 for each group, but you can use more. Each group builds a structure
putting the animals on it, but not inside the boxes. Once both groups are done building their
structure, they get to try and bounce a play ball at the other teams and knock it over so the
animals touch the group. * It is important to emphasis they have to bounce the ball, if you just
throw it the game is over pretty quick.
KID CURLING
Kid Curling is a game in which players push a scooter with a child on board towards a target
area which is segmented into 3 sections. Two teams, each with 4 - 6 players, take turns pushing
the scooters across the gym towards the target area. The purpose is to accumulate the highest
score for a game; points are scored when the scooters pass one of the 3 target lines.
Supplies:
• 2 Kids Sit Down Scooter with handles (1 per team)
• Painter’s Tape
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To be played in a gym. Put a start line at the pushing end. Put 3 tape lines at the target end
about 1’ – 2’ apart (depending on the size of your gym).
Instructions:
• Split the children into 2 teams – try to divide them equally by height and weight.
• From behind the start line, the pusher must push the scooter, with a passenger, across
the gym to the finish line. The object is to cross the 15 point finish line.
• Team 1- all players take their turns. Add up the scores.
• Team 2 – all players take their turns. Add up the scores.
• Highest score wins.
Please show children how to grasp the handles safely.
Created by former staff member, Geoff.
MARSHMALLOW FLING
Supplies:
• Marshmallows
• Plastic spoons
• Small paper lunch bags
Prep:
• Players split into teams of two.
• Each team has a marshmallow flinger and a marshmallow catcher.
• The playing field should be about 15 feet wide.
• Tape a long strip of masking tape on the floor. This is the flinging line.
• Then, make two two-foot squares on the floor out of masking tape, each 10 feet from
the flinging line. These are the boxes that the marshmallow catchers stand in.
Instructions:
1. The marshmallow flinger uses the plastic spoon to fling marshmallows to his teammate, the catcher.
2. The catcher catches the marshmallows in the bag, but she can’t leave her masking tape
box. The flingers fling from 10 feet away.
3. First team to catch 10 marshmallows in their bag wins. (http://pbskids.org/zoom/
games/)
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CABIN BATTLE SHIP
• Give cabins walkie talkies and have them set up a battleship board on the floor of their cabins.
• Have them place their battle ships and use walkies to call
back and forth! Ton of easy fun!
GLOW IN THE DARK BOWLING
• Put a glow stick into a bottle of water... and now it glows in the dark!
• Line ten of them up bowling pin style.
• Use something round as a bowling ball... and now you’re bowling!
While we’re a day camp, and can play this in a darkened inside room, I can only imagine how
cool it would be outside at night.
MINI-MARSHMALLOW POPPING CONTEST
Supplies:
• Balloon, uninflated (1 per popper)
• Scissors
• Utility knife (staff only)
• Paper cups
• Duct tape or rubber bands
• Mini marshmallows
• Paint
• Paper or poster board to make targets
• Plastic for floor and wall
Instructions:
1. Knot the end of the balloon, then snip off ½ inch from the top. Cut off bottom of a paper
cup.
2. Stretch the balloon over the cut off end of the cup so that the knot is in the center.
(You’ll need to hold the balloon in place when you “pop,” or secure it with a rubber
band or tape for little hands.)
3. Place a bowl on the ground.
4. Tape a line on the floor a few feet away from the target.
5. Place a mini marshmallow into the cup so it fits snugly in the knotted center of the
balloon.
6. While aiming the cup at the target, pull the knot back, release, and send the marshmallow soaring.
7. See who can pop marshmallows the farthest or get the most into a bowl that’s a few
feet away.
Variation:
You could have a teammate hold a paper bag a few feet away to try and catch the marshmallows.
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BLIND BALLOON VOLLEYBALL
One rainy day activity that we almost always fall back on is Blind Balloon Volleyball.
• I push all the chairs back in our meeting room,
• string a rope across the center of the room,
• and clothespin blankets up from the rope, so you can’t see from one side to the other.
• Then I split the kids into two teams and they volley back and forth until the balloon
hits the ground on one side--that’s a point for the other team.
• I make it harder by limiting the number of hits on each side, or by throwing multiple
balloons into the court.
• I make it easier for smaller kids by putting several balloons into a trash bag and knotting it shut (easier to hit and keep up in the air).
Beach volleyball might work too, but I am too afraid of breaking a light overhead to try that.
BLANKET DROP
One that’s a lot of fun later in the week, when most people are SUPPOSED to know each other’s
names, is called Blanket Drop. It’s pretty simple.
• We sit the kids down in two groups, facing each other.
• Two staffers stand in the middle, holding up a blanket so that the two groups can’t see
each other.
• I point out one kid from each side to crawl quietly up to the blanket, and position them
so they are sitting directly opposite each other, with the blanket hanging between them.
• Then, on the count of three, the staffers drop the blanket and the first kid to say the
other kid’s name gets a point for his team.
It’s always hilarious when someone is pointing and gaping and trying to come up with the other
person’s name (and can’t!). It’s also fun to set siblings up against each other, or cousins, or best
friends.
RAINY DAY RELAY
Supplies:
• Red Solo cups
• A couple of buckets
• Some dry towel for the end of the game
Instructions:
• Each group gets 15-20 red solo cups and a bucket.
• The object is to fill the cups up with the rain water and then fill the bucket.
• How you fill that cup is up to the campers. Mud puddles, wet shirts, holding the cup,
or whatever way you want.
• The only rules are you can’t get it from the water fountains, or sinks it must come from
the sky.
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NOODLE HOCKEY
A “new” one that was a HUGE hit last year was Noodle Hockey.
• Our dining room tables have long, heavy benches, so we turned those on their sides
and lined them up to make a rectangular “rink.”
• Chairs or cones mark the goals.
• Then we split the kids into two teams,
• gave them all pool noodles,
• and threw a small plastic ball into the rink.
• There aren’t many rules other than no hands, and points are scored by getting the ball
into the opposing team’s goal.
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PART
3
LARGE GROUP GAMES
AND COMPETITIONS
TYPICALLY DESIGNED FOR 20 OR MORE PLAYERS
HUNGER GAMES
Set-Up:
• Hunger Games is played outside in coned off area or in a gym.
• Cornucopia is the center circle in gym or 3-5 hula hoops outside.
• Fill the Cornucopia with pool noodles, soft Frisbees, small dodge balls and large dodge
balls. The number of items depends on class size. Class of 30 = 6 of each or less.
• Students can only hold one ball or noodle.
Instructions:
• Objective is to be the last player in the game.
• Students start game on baselines.
• Soft Frisbees eliminate players hit on legs.
• “Tagging” with small dodge balls eliminates players.
• Large dodge balls are thrown and eliminate players when hit anywhere between their
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shoulders to their feet. Thrower is out if ball is caught or hits a players head.
• Eliminated players identify themselves by dropping equipment, placing hands on
head and going to designated area.
• No helping from side lines.
• Watch for those students who may be “honestly challenged”.
• When two players are remaining start stopwatch for 1 minute to
speed up game.
• Return equipment to Cornucopia and start a new round.
Another variation is adding a counselor who is a “tracker jacker” who
runs around trying to “sting” or tag campers with a pool noodle. If tagged,
campers would have to lie down for 10 seconds at the mercy of the other
“tributes” to be eliminated.
PILLOW CASE BINGO
Campers have 15 minutes to go around camp (inside) and find items to fill up a pillow case (we
have enough cases so that each group can have one). The better items are ones that there are
limited in numbers around camp. While the campers are filling the pillow cases—the unit head
is making a list of items that she/he will ask for.
Instructions:
1. Each group lines up in the gym in a straight row. The pillow case is at the end with a
camper.
2. The Unit Head will announce an item that campers will look for and pass up to the
front.
3. The camper in the front of the line will hold it up high and the first will get three
points, second two points and the third one point.
4. Then the camper in the back goes to the front and each camper moves back on position.
This goes on until one group hits 21 points and is declared the winner.
LARGE GROUP POPCORN
Supplies:
• 2 trash cans
• Lots of balls of different sizes
Set-Up:
• Dump all of the balls out in the room allowing them to spread out and roll everywhere.
• Put one trash can on one side of the room and the other trash can on the other side of
the room.
• Divide the group into two teams and each team has their designated trash can.
Instructions:
Large Group Games and Competitions
20
• The goal is for the teams to get as many balls into their trash can as possible.
• Once a person touches a ball, they cannot move. They must toss the ball to a teammate.
• The teammate then passes it to someone else—until it gets in the trash can.
• If they do not have a ball in their hand they can move.
This is a great team work game and it gets a lot of energy out.
SOUND OFF
Some animals find mates using sound (but predators also listen!).
Set-Up:
• To simulate this, have all children get into
a circle on a flat surface (meadow, gymnasium).
• Put on blindfolds.
• Give every child a noisemaker (bells,
beans in a film canister, clickers, etc.),
making sure that every noisemaker type
has at least 2 to 4 people using it.
Instructions:
• Players need to try and listen for someone making the same sound they are, and make
their way over to them while blindfolded.
• For the first few rounds, just let them find someone making the same sound.
• When they find a correct ‘mate’, both players take off their blindfolds and walk quietly
to the side lines and sit as a pair until the simulation is over.
• After the campers understand their mission, introduce a predator for later rounds. The
cost of making noise is that other animals are listening too, and for different reasons!
• Have the children try to find their mates blindfolded while trying not to attract the
attention of the predator.
• If the predator finds them or runs into them (predator is also blindfolded but makes
NO NOISE), the ‘prey’ is killed and takes off their blindfold and sits out for the rest of
the round.
If someone lives until the end of the game (stop when there are only ‘singles’ left making noises),
but doesn’t find a mate, the species is in trouble even though one lived! Talk about how it felt
trying to find your ‘mate’ by sound, knowing predators are also listening.
You can talk about other examples of finding mates using...
• Light (lightning bugs, who flash in different patterns according to species, but there is
an imposter who mimics the flashes and then eats the unsuspecting bugs who come
over!)
• Smell (salmon find their way back to their home spawning grounds using smell, and
you can simulate this by making ‘trails’ of index cards sprayed with different scents to
see if the students can follow a specific trail, or kids can try to find a ‘mate’ who has the
same smell they do (film canisters with cotton balls soaked in different scents))
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• Sight (males of sexually dimorphic species are brightly colored or have long tail feathers, etc. to attract the females, but also so the predators are more likely to catch the
males rather than the females on their nests).
EXTREME PICTIONARY
Supplies:
• Flag belts for everyone
• In each corner:
◦◦ List of items
◦◦ Chair for each team
◦◦ Whiteboards & markers for each team
Instructions:
• Divide the group up into four teams, one for each corner of the gym.
• The goal of the game is for teams to name each item on the list by playing the game of
Pictionary.
• To get the item to draw, one camper must run across the gym and ask the staff person
in the chair for the next item to draw and then run back.
• In the middle of the gym there are about 10 staff trying to pull a camper’s flag belt.
• If a player’s flag is pulled they have to go back and tag the next person to try and make
it across. On the way back, a camper’s flag cannot be pulled.
• Once the kid gets back they use the whiteboard to draw the item. The same rules of
Pictionary apply.
• When a team has finished the list, everyone sits down.
HYPED UP BINGO
Supplies:
• A bingo kit with the balls
• Bingo sheets
• Chips or doppers to mark the numbers
The game is played as normal except that the caller
is SUPER excited about which numbers come out.
Picture a caller more like an auctioneer, shouting
and pointing around the crowd at whoever gets
the numbers.
It also helps to place counselors around the room
to bump up the energy level and get the campers
into the game. The heightened energy makes everyone feel like they’re playing a big stakes game
and the winner will be pumped!
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INDOOR ROCK DROP
This is an indoor version of one of the most popular evening programs we do at camp. It’s a favorite for all ages, although we have found the indoor version goes down best with the younger
boys.
Set-Up:
• Set-Up time is approx. 1-2 hours
• First, staff will need to fill a bucket full of small rocks or pebbles, this takes time.
• You need a large recreation hall type space that you can black out so it’s completely
dark. We do this by pinning trash bags to the entire window, and it works fine. This
game is played completely in the dark!
• Then, staff needs to build a sort of obstacle course in the space - chairs, benches, canoes,
those play tunnels...anything you can find really.
• Then place 1-4 empty buckets (depending on how big your space is) in different locations around the room, and one bucket full of rocks at the starting point of the obstacle
course.
Instructions:
• Campers should dress in all black
and comfortable long sleeves and
pants that they can crawl on the floor
in.
• Campers take one rock from the full
bucket, and try and get their rock
into an empty bucket by making their
way through the obstacle course.
• Staff are hidden around the room,
with flashlights, and they are trying
to catch the campers out.
• Staff will shine their flashlights onto
the campers, and the campers have to freeze. If they move, they have to go back to the
beginning of the obstacle course.
• Campers can only crawl on hands and knees, or slither on their bellies. If a staff member shines the flashlight on them, and they are standing, (and/or moving) they go back
to the beginning.
• If a team gets a certain amount of rocks into their bucket by the end of the game, they
win prizes.
Rules for Staff:
Staff can only have their flashlight on for a maximum of 3 seconds, and must wait another 3
seconds before turning it on again. Whilst you want it to be a challenge, you don’t want it to be
impossible to get through the obstacle course!
The idea is that it’s normally staff vs campers, so the PRIZES might be.... “If you get 50 rocks in
the buckets, staff will do your camp duties tomorrow!” or “If you get 100 rocks, you can throw
the director in the lake!” etc.
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We normally do 3 rounds, each about 15-20 minutes long. After each round, campers, gather
back at the starting points, and the “scores so far” are announced (we normally make these up,
since there isn’t actually time to count them). Also, on the last round we always add battle sound
effects or atmospheric theme music, which makes it even more exciting.
We have also found that it’s best to let the campers go through in batches of 20-40 (again depending on how big you space is) since you don’t want too much traffic in the obstacle course.
THE NUMBER GAME
I learned this game on a cruise years ago.
Supplies:
Prepare for this game by making 2 (or 3) sets of numbers (1-5) each on a sheet of construction
paper (we use one color per set).
Instructions:
• Divide players into 2 (or 3) teams.
• For each team, select 5 people to come up to the front of the room and each will hold
a number.
• Begin play by calling random 5 digit numbers (such as 52,341 or 23,154). It helps us to
write these numbers in advance!
• Teams race to be the first standing in the correct order to create the number called,
reading left to right.
• After each child has had the chance to play 3 or 4 times, let them choose someone else
on their team to have the number.
THE ALPHABET GAME
• This game is similar in concept to the numbers game, but you will pass out 2 sets of
alphabet letters (one set per team).
• Children will start play from their seats. Any number of children can play this game,
and it is okay for children to have 2 or 3 letters (or more if necessary).
• To begin this game, you will randomly call letters of the alphabet.
• The first team to the front of the room with that letter wins a point for their team.
• Once children get the hang of that, you may start making simple words (like D-O-G,
C-A-T, D-U-C-K or C-A-M-P) as long as no letter is repeated.
• All of the children holding a letter to that word must come up and stand in the correct
order to form the word.
HUMAN FOOSBALL
Supplies:
• Chairs for each person playing
• Beach ball
Set-Up:
• Set up the chairs with two chairs for a goal.
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• Three chairs in the next line facing the goal.
• Five chairs in the next line with their backs to the three chairs.
• Five chairs across from the other five chairs facing them.
• Three chairs with their backs to the five chairs.
• Then two chairs for the goal and they are facing the three chairs.
x x ---face to
o o o ---face
x x x x x
---back to
o o o o o
----back
x x x
---face to
o o ---face
Instructions:
• The ‘x’s are one team the ‘o’s are the other team.
• Have teams take their seats.
• Play like soccer, without use of their hands. The beach ball is kicked around the room
and each team tries to score through the other team’s two chairs.
◦◦ We do not count goals that are really high above the head because the players must
stay seated in their chairs and even the goalies are not allowed to use their hands.
◦◦ We have also learned to have counselors stationed throughout the room because
the balls sometimes is out of every players’ reach and the counselors just toss the
ball back into play.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT THE COUNSELOR
• This can be done in large groups or small. It can be done with individuals or with everyone agreeing as a group.
• The goal is to decide which list matches each counselor.
• Depending upon how you play, depends upon how many sheets of paper with the
numbers 1-5 you will need.
Example Paper Handout:
Five Things About a Counselor
My name/Group name: _____________
My/our counselor choices are:
1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
4. _______________
5. _______________
Director Choice (Bonus): __________
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• Each counselor writes down five things about themselves. They are all truths. Some
examples: afraid of honeybees, grandfather was a CIA agent, mom was my high school
principal, like to hike, etc.
• You can have them write the 5 items on poster size paper and place around the room
taped to a wall, or you can put the list up on a wall via a slide projector. Format depends upon your accommodations and needs and whether you choose to play using
individual or group competition.
• If you choose individuals, you can place buckets in front of each list for campers to
place their guesses in. Tally and announce winner(s) over lunch.
• If by group, each group can have a point person who goes to the front and gives their
teams nomination as each poster is announced.
• Ahead of time, create a poster board showing each team name. Mark tallies by each
team if they guessed the correct counselor.
• Tiebreaker can be the director guesses as kids might not know him/her as well as they
do the counselors.
• Award prizes! Think of non-monetary items such as line leader, complimentary snack
bar item, etc. Have winners all take a turn at the pinko or punch out board.
BATTLE BALL DODGEBALL
One activity we do is having an all camp battle ball game which the campers never seem to become bored with it.
• We stand up our tumbling mats and place cones on top of them
equally on both sides of gym.
• Dividing the group in half and placing all of the Gator balls randomly in the middle, the whistle blows and the game begins.
• The rules are that each team is trying to knock down all of the
opponent’s cones.
• If you throw a ball and it hits an opponent, he/she has to go out of the game on the side
line.
• If they catch a ball, the person who threw it is out.
• When a cone gets knocked off a mat, it’s a jailbreak and everyone is back in.
• If all cones are down, the team who knocked all the cones down finishes the game by
throwing the Frisbee in the basketball net.
• If they miss it is not over until the Frisbee makes the net.
BINGO BALL ELIMINATION
• Give each person in the room a piece of paper or 3 by 5 card and have them write a
number from 1 - 75.
• Everyone stands.
• Call numbers from a Bingo Ball Cage, pieces of paper with 1- 75 or use an App on your
phone that calls Bingo numbers!
• When your number is called…you are out and you sit down.
• Last person(s) standing wins (more than one person may have that last number)!
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PART
EVENTS
4
PROGRAMS THAT CAN SPAN 4 OR MORE HOURS
AND INCLUDE THE WHOLE CAMP
UGLIEST COUNSELOR CONTEST
This activity is similar to the reality TV show: America’s Next Top Model, with Tyra Banks. In
this game, campers get to decide which of their counselors is going to be participating in a Beauty Contest. There should be about 40 minutes available for youth to prep their counselors, and
about 40 minutes available for the contest. These times can be extended or shorted, depending
on the number of cabins participating.
Instructions:
• Makeover the counselor using odd clothes, make up, hair gel, etc.
• Campers must prep their counselors on a number of areas to compete in.
• The first portion will be introduction with name and accent.
• Counselors must put on their best show with two creative poses at the end of the runway for the judges.
• The second portion is the camp spirit portion, where they must show some sort of
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spirit towards camp. Counselors and campers are left to full creativity for this segment.
• And finally, there is a questions portion, where the host or judges will ask the counselors a number of questions (don’t forget the all famous, “If you could have one wish,
what would it be?”).
• Senior staff or support staff play the hosts or judges for the show.
Since it is raining, this should take place in a large open area, like dining hall or pavilion. Cabins
will be posted at a table and be the judges for the ugliest counselor. The campers will applaud
who they feel are the ugliest and the winners will continue on to the Dating Game Show. Get
creative and keep it fun. This activity can be fun for all ages.
DATING GAME SHOW
Three winners from the ugliest counselor contest will
move forward to the dating show. The man of their
dreams will be the contestant. The contestant should be
an attractive counselor who has a nice shirt and comb
over. The contestant and his mother (an overprotective
woman who only wants the best for her son) will be
seated facing towards the audience with their backs
turn towards the three “ugly” counselors.
The host will ask typical dating questions such as, favorite date, perfect vacation, hobbies, etc.
The host will have to improvise and guide the dating game show. Contestant gets help from the
audience to select/eliminate ugly counselors.
Contestant will meet by being blindfolded. The spoof will be that he will get pied in the face by
the ugliest counselor for being shallow.
JUNGLE DAY
One of my personal favorites in terms of an indoor activity is a mixture of team building and a
scavenger hunt. Although it is an indoor activity, we used a few small buildings/cabins along a
circular path. In each building groups had to complete a task together in order to reach the exit
door, leading to the next cabin/challenge.
The Setting:
It was “Jungle Day,” so during dinner a few of the staff started a commotion in the kitchen, complete with humans yelling and monkeys shrieking. Once the monkeys ran out, the counselors
ran into the dining room and exclaimed that the monkeys had stolen dessert, but dropped a
treasure map. (The map was a picture of the buildings at camp, with a pathway drawn from the
dining hall, around a circular paved path that included going through four cabins.)
The group was anxious to start the search.... as they did so the counselors continued their acting,
stating things like “we should not go out there...what about the lava that is on both sides of the
path!?! I am nervous we will fall in...” to make sure that the group would stick together, look
out for one another and follow the path that was drawn out.
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General Set Up Notes:
Some of the tasks require some set up beforehand. Also, a “Jungle Spirit” was present for each
tasks. They were able to help facilitate help where needed without being affected by any of the
jungle dangers. (More of an explanation to follow...)
Then they set out...
Building/Task 1: Poison Vines
Set Up:
• The path led to a long building with two doors, one at each end.
• Before the group got there, we had taken toilet paper and hung long strips from the
ceiling so it just about touched the floor. (The TP was hung in a line, so it looked like a
curtain or partial wall. This “wall” was located about 2/3 of the way in the building, so
there was room to move around on the entrance side.)
• The strips have to be close enough where the campers can’t just walk around them,
and they have to be close enough to the ground where they can’t just slide under.
• Soda cans and bottles can be taped to the bottom of each strand, to create tension, making task completion easier.
• On the side of the building that the group entered, there is to be nothing present except
for a pile of elastic bands. This is the task with the most set up.
Task:
• In order to continue on the journey, the campers have to work together to figure out
how they can reach the other side WITHOUT touching the poison vines. If any one
touches the poison vines, they risk losing their taste buds, therefore not able to eat the
rescued dessert.
• Ultimately, the group is to figure out they can shoot the rubber bands at the vines to
make them fall, creating a hole for the group to get through. [Note: Jungle Spirit is on
the exit side of the vines, collecting elastic bands to send back to the group on the other
side.]
• Once through the vines, the path led to a second building.
Building/Task 2: Eagle’s Nest
Set Up:
• All items were put behind
closed doors, to leave the
group to find only the materials they were allowed
to touch.
• Long branches, blankets and various balls were scattered around the empty portion of
the building.
Task:
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• Jungle Spirit exclaims that the Momma Eagle had left the nest to find food, and in the
wind the nest was ruined, leaving the eggs scattered.
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• The group must figure out how to rebuild a nest (using only the tree limbs and blankets) and get the eggs (balls) back into the nest before Momma returns.
• HOWEVER, it is a known fact that Momma birds will not care for any eggs that humans touch, so the group CANNOT use any part of their body to get the eggs in the
nest!
• Once the nest is built, rush everyone out before Momma Eagle returns! You can have a
timer set to start decreasing in time if you feel your group could use a challenge!
Building/Task 3: Alligator Swamp
Set Up:
• Spread out a large tarp on the floor just inside
the next doorway.
Task:
• Counselors should rush everyone in and onto
the tarp, BUT DON’T FALL OFF or the alligators will eat you!
• The group is standing on a magic raft, if they
can flip it over to the other side WITHOUT ANY ONE FALLING OFF, and then fold it
in half WITHOUT ANY ONE FALLING OFF, the Jungle Spirit can fight off the alligators for 30 seconds while the group runs out of the swamp and out the next exit.
Building/Task 4: Jungle Coins
Set Up:
• Cut out gold coins from construction paper.
• Write out the name of the location of the dessert, one letter on each coin.
• Hide the coins around the treasure cave.
Task:
• The group has to collect the coins and unscramble the name of the location of the dessert! [You can really play this part up with having pots/pans and large spoons on hand
in the “cave,” passing them out to the campers before leaving the cave so they can bang
them together on the way to the final destination, so as to scare away the monkeys as
you arrive at the dessert location.]
Side Notes:
• Dirt Cups (chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and gummy worms) go with the theme
well!
• Overall, even though we were out in the weather for the travel between buildings, it
was not much. The rain added to the jungle feel!
• As always, the more energy and acting the staff put into the hunt, the more the campers
get into the activity! It is helpful to have one or two outgoing staff that know the story
behind each task, and can dramatically narrate as the tasks come up (this is different
than the Jungle Spirit role). For instance, with the poison vines they can say, “OH NO!
I was hoping to never run into the POISON VINES! How are we going to make it to the
other side?? You know we can’t touch the vines or else. But it does look like we have
these super bands...”
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HUMAN CLUE GAME
We turned our center into a giant human clue game. The giant human clue game plays out just
like the board game but our building is the board and the kids are the players. This game can be
adapted for any building or space.
“Something has happened to our dodgeballs! Sometime between
sunrise yesterday and upon closing up of the center last night, the
dodge balls have disappeared from the storage room. This is all we
know.”
“But, we do have some clues to work with. Take your list of clues
and go to different rooms and find out information.”
Objective is to find:
• Suspect (who took the dodge balls)
• Location (where the dodge balls are hidden)
• Time (of dodge ball disappearance)
• Item (use to destroy dodge balls)
Once you have your “accusations”, give us the reason/story behind it.
Instructions and Set-Up:
• Divide group into teams of 6-8 (depends how many are playing)
• Teams enter room. You can have 2 teams in each room at a time. The other team(s) have
to sit and wait quietly.
• They will be giving a question or task to complete.
• If correct/completed they get shown a clue from staff in the room.
• If incorrect/incomplete they need to go to another room before they can come back to
that room.
• Detective: If you want to make an “accusation”, find the DETECTIVE. This person will
be walking around with a Detective badge on front of his/her shirt. Kids will not know
who it is until they see the badge on the person.
HINTONBURG MYSTERY
SUSPECTS
men
Mike
Steve
Mac
Andrew
Matt
SUSPECTS
women
Lisa
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Amy
Monique
Jen
Diana
LOCATIONS
Laroche room
Wellington room
Piccadilly room
Office
Lobby
Downstairs Kitchen
Upstairs Kitchen
Burnside room
Gymnasium
Basement
TIME
Sunrise ~~ 7 am
Breakfast
Open up center time
8 am
Pre care
Morning snack
Lunch ~~ 12 pm
Afternoon snack
Post care
Sunset ~~ 6 pm
Lock up centre
10 pm
ITEMS
sports
Hockey stick
Dodgeball
Volleyball pole
ITEMS
Toys
Checker board
Lego pieces
Stuffed dog
Pokemon cards
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ITEMS
Crafts
Scissors
Crayons
Glue
Construction paper
Here are examples of Clue Cards...
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GYM RIOT
Set-Up:
• Divide the group into teams according to the number of people that you have participating. If you have a group of 60 people or less, divide them into four groups (see figure A, for gym layout). If your group is over 60 people divide them into equal groups,
be sure not to exceed 10 groups, otherwise the supplies may not be available (see figure
B, for gym layout).
• If you have four groups assign each team a color as follows: Blue, White, Red, and
Yellow.
• Have them create a name and a cheer that includes their color.
• Also get the teams to either decorate their corner or create a poster, as well as painting
their faces in their according color.
• Points given out for each relay: 1st place- 1000 points, 2nd place- 500 points, 3rd place- 300
points, and 4th place- 100 points. Points also given out for team spirit, sportsmanship,
effort, etc.
Backball Relay
A game which can be used for both older & younger groups.
This game requires groups of two people each. A ball (a basketball or volleyball) is placed between the two players, just above the belt line, as the pair stands back-to-back. With their arms
folded in front of them (not using their elbows), they must carry the ball around a chair (or some
other goal).
Supplies:
• One ball (basketball or volleyball) per group
• One chair for each group
Over & Under Relay
Teams line up in single file. The player in the front is given a basketball (or any other large ball).
The first player passes it to the player behind him/her over their head. The next person passes itr
between his/her legs to the person behind him/her, ans so on. The last person gets the ball, goes
to the front of the line, and starts the whole process all over again. The first team to get back in
its original order wins.
Supplies:
• One ball (basketball or volleyball) per group
Thread the Needle Relay
Teams line up, and each gets a cold spoon (just out of the freezer) with a long string tied to it.
The object is to be the first team to lace the entire team together by running the spoon through
everyone’s clothing-underneath clothes from the neck to the ankle. Each team member must
keep advancing the string along as the spoon is being moved along, which requires a lot of
teamwork.
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Supplies:
• One frozen spoon (a large sized one) per group
• One piece of string approximately 20 feet (the length of string directly varies to the
amount of people on each team).
YOUR CAMP’S GOT TALENT
• Campers are divided into 4 groups.
• Each group is given 15 minutes to come up with a song or dance.
• Select a panel of judges.
• Each group performs and the judges select the best.
• Do 3 to 4 rounds.
• The winner of each round goes to the finals.
• The final winning team receives an ice cream party for their camp division.
The best part of this activity is that it gives campers who are artistically talented an opportunity
to shine!
UN-BIRTHDAY PARTY
Split the camp into 4 groups depending on which season their birthday falls – Fall, Winter,
Spring and Summer.
The groups rotate to the different activities.
• Group A Spring
• Group B Summer
• Group C Fall
• Group D Winter
Activities:
• Games in Gym/Obstacle Course
• Piñata & party Games
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• M&M Bingo
• Scavenger Hunt/Charades
2:15-2:30
2:30-2:45
2:45-3:00
3:00-3:15
Games
A
B
C
D
____________________________________________________________________________________
Pinata
B
C D
A ____________________________________________________________________________________
Bingo
C D
A
B
____________________________________________________________________________________
Scavenger Hunt D
A
B
C
____________________________________________________________________________________
3:15 pm
Campers return to the auditorium for snack.
They sing happy birthday and enjoy cake and ice cream.
3:30 pm Paper Bag Dramatics – Each group receives a bag with 15 items.
After a few minutes they perform a skit created from the props in their bag. The theme of the skit is based on their season.
Variation:
A rotation of different (age appropriate) scavenger hunts.
• Magazine Scavenger Hunt
• Picture Scavenger Hunt
• Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
• Magazine Scavenger Hunt Bingo
Magazine Scavenger Hunt
• Any chocolate dessert recipe
• A politician
• A bird
• A can of soda pop
• A baby
• Athletic footwear
• Ice
• A red-haired woman
• The word “sophisticated”
• A blue car
• A TV
• Water
• A utensil
• The word “game”
• Glasses (the kind worn on the face)
• A vegetable
• A Cartoon
• A phone number with the number 8 in it
• A red necktie
• A ring
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Picture Scavenger Hunt
Hand out the list of words and have the teams search for them and cut them out of their magazines in 10 minutes. The team who finds the most items in 10 minutes wins.
Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
Find items that begin with all the letters of the alphabet.
Magazine Scavenger Hunt Bingo
Each team will receive 1 blank bingo card. As a team, think of things that might be found in
magazines and write down one item per square (except for the FREE space in the middle).
Next, have each team give the card they made to the other team. Then, hand out the magazines
and let the hunt begin. The first team to get a bingo wins. You can play this several times, but
once a picture has been removed from a magazine, it cannot be used again.
DUTCH AUCTION
Outcomes:
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Creativity
• Public speaking
• Problem solving
• A lot of laughter
During a Dutch Auction, teams compete to accomplish various challenges while using only the
materials provided to them. (You can also allow them to use any items immediately on or next
to their person, i.e. in their backpack.)
All teams present their creation at the end of each challenge and are evaluated by the judging
panel. At the end of the activity, the winning team can receive a prize or not, depending on your
camp culture.
Set-Up:
• Collect miscellaneous items – the weirder, the better.
• Make one collection per team. Try to make them decently comparable, but not exactly
the same.
• Assign 2-4 staff to act as the judging panel.
• As always, costumes are a must.
Example Challenges:
• Dress up counselor and create superhero name/persona (present the counselors fashion show-style)
• Create a musical instrument
• Make a rainbow
• Make a team cheer/chant
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• The person with the smelliest shoe (yes, the judges smell the shoes)
• Invent an item and present it as an infomercial
• Loudest whistle
• Create a replica of the camp’s mascot/camp director/ranger/camp celebrity
• Create a representation of your week at camp
• Most flexible
• Longest fingernail
• Best dirt tan
• Write a haiku about _______________
The Awards Ceremony:
At the end of each round, we like to award points for various categories, usually made up on
the spot. Examples are:
• Most creative use of paperclips
• Best teamwork
• Loudest cheer
• Best incorporation of Beanie Babies
• Most unexpected/out-of-the-box
Things to keep in mind:
• When presenting the challenge, give them the time limit for that round. Can vary from
round to round. Most challenges take 3-7 minutes
• Provide a mixture of challenges involving the provided materials (create an instrument) and those that don’t require any materials (ex. team cheer, smelliest shoe).
• Factor in the time it takes for each group to present their item.
• This activity is wonderful for camps with a wide age range.
GAMES OF CHANCE
Ages:
All (Level I is Pre-K – 1st Grade, Level II is 2nd
grade and up)
Supplies:
Each game and supplies for game are in a baggie
with instructions for each.
Activity:
• There are tables of Card Games and Dice
Games - “casino style”.
• Campers can rotate around the different games as they want to and participate where
they like.
• Specialists should run each game with enthusiasm to “draw” the campers to their
game of chance.
• No prizes awarded – just playing for fun!
• Encourage the campers to try all the games as they are all games with a quick turnaround time.
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• Each game has a maximum number of players
per game round (from 6-8). If you have more
campers at your table than the game will allow,
encourage the campers that are waiting to watch
and learn the game and cheer on those playing
the game, or find another game that has more
room for players and come back in a minute or
two as the games should not take long.
Level I Players:
• These groups are still young, so rotating as they wish may not be the best idea. Check
with the Group Leaders/Counselors to see their preference.
• The campers can be split up into small groups and be assigned to a game table and
play that for a while, then all groups can rotate to the table next to them to play for the
second half. Whatever works best.
Additional Tips:
• Before beginning the activity, advise the groups that they may play and visit any of the
tables as they like.
• Only a certain maximum number of players are permitted to play a round so if they are
not involved in that round of play, they can get in line to play, watch, learn and cheer
on the others playing OR can move to another table to try to get into that game.
• Let them know that there are enough tables to rotate around so they should not have
to wait long to get into a game.
• Specialists should also be mindful of campers who have not gotten a chance to play a
game yet. If you notice campers in line for a game and others that have played it previously, please let those campers new to the game give it a go before the others who have
already had a chance. Asking campers questions as they approach your table about
whether or not they have gotten many chances to play other games will give you an
idea as to who to let in if there is a long line. Otherwise…first come…first serve!
• Warning to ALL Campers: When giving the initial instructions please advise them that
if they are watching or cheering on players, they MAY NOT divulge any players hands
to the other players and interfere in the game being played. This is grounds for being
disqualified from playing the game.
Set Up for Game Tables:
• Use 6 separate tables spaced out through the area; each table has one game being run
by a different Specialist. These will become the Game Tables.
• Three tables will have Card Games.
• Three tables will have Dice Games.
• Have games spread out for variety. (Card Game, Dice Game, Card Game, Dice Game,
etc.)
• Each game has a Level I game and a Level II game for that table for a total of 2 games
for that Specialist.
• Game Tables should be set up for whichever level/age group is coming for that period.
• Dice Games have a cardboard strip backing to be taped onto the tables for the dice to
roll against.
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• Each Game Table will have a Game Sign that should be displayed somewhere that can
be seen by all.
• Have the Specialist stand behind the table to facilitate the game so the players have an
open playing area in front of the table.
• The campers should not stand next to or behind the Specialist unless the game needs
the extra playing space for them.
Card Game Examples:
Level I: Rock, Paper, Scissors
Level II: Slap Jack
Dice Game Examples:
Level I: Balloons
Level II: Perfect Score
Games of Chance - PERFECT SCORE
Supplies:
• 2 dice
• Laminated Score Sheet
• Dry erase marker and eraser
Maximum Number of Players: 6
Object of the Game:
The object of the game is to roll 18 points or as close to 18 as possible without going over. At the
end of the round, the player with a perfect score of 18 is the winner. If there is no “perfect score”,
the person with the number closest to it (without going over.) is the winner.
Instructions:
1. Choose which player goes first.
2. That player will roll both dice for their first total.
3. Record their total (or keep track until their final number is reached).
4. The player may choose to roll again to bring their score up closer to 18, or remain with
their score and pass to the next player. They may roll as many times as they like in their
turn unless they roll past the max score of 18.
5. Once all players have had their turns and a winner is declared, the winner of that
round is the only player who may stay for the next game to play with any campers
waiting in line to play. The winner may choose to stay and play another round, or
move onto another game table and allow a new set of 6 to play.
Tip:
Have game table facilitators encourage players to take chances if they have a low number initially. Once they see that they may move closer to the number with another roll, they may be
more willing to take a chance. The Specialist can be the first person to roll and “participate” in
the game as an example of how the game is played.
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Games of Chance - ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS
Supplies:
• Supply of Rock, Paper, Scissors Cards
Object of the Game:
Played like Rock, Paper, Scissors
Rock crushes Scissors
Scissors cuts Paper
Paper covers Rock
Version 1 – Group Play:
• Players stand in a line in front of the table.
• Deal each player 3 cards face down. Players cannot look
at their cards.
• First player at both ends of the line turns to the player
next to them and each turn over any one of their cards (only one without looking at it
first).
• Winner of Rock, Paper, and Scissors gets all the cards and moves to the player next to
them. These two players turn over any one of their cards (only one without looking at
it first) and winner gets all cards and moves to the person next to them and does the
same.
• Since both sides of the line are moving towards the middle, this should leave only two
players in a face off to see who wins the entire round.
• Winner may remain in the next game with the next round of players or can choose to
walk away.
Variation:
Players can choose the cards they want to use instead of blindly choosing and leaving it to
chance.
Version II – Paired up Game:
• Players can play in pairs (this will have four games going on at once.)
• Each game gets their own deck of cards.
• Player receives 5 cards. T
• he remaining cards are set between them as the draw deck.
• Looking at their cards, each player selects one card and lays it down face up at the
same time as the other.
• Player with the stronger card takes both cards and places them face down in front of
him/her.
• Players draw one card from the draw deck after each turn (Dealer draws first).
• Play continues in this manner until there are no cards left in the draw deck.
• Players continue playing with the cards in their hands until they are gone.
Tiebreaker:
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• If both players lay down the same card, each player lays down another card from their
hand until one card beats another (Remember: Players draw one card from the draw
deck after each card played).
• That player then collects all cards played during that turn.
• If players run out of cards during a tiebreaker, each player selects a card from their pile
and continues play until the tie is broken.
• If there are no cards available to a player (from the draw deck, hand of cards or accumulated cards), the other player is the winner.
Winning the game:
When players run out of cards in their hands and the draw deck is gone, the game is over. The
player who has collected the most cards wins. In the event of a tie, each player selects one card
to play from their pile. The player with the stronger card then wins the game!
Games of Chance - SLAP JACK
Supplies:
• Deck of cards (no Jokers)
Object of the Game:
To be the person who collects all the cards.
Instructions:
• Make sure the players all have the same “reach” to the center of the table to make the
game play fair.
• Deal the cards as evenly as possible.
• Without looking, players take the cards in their hand and form them into a neat pile
face down.
• Players may not look at their cards at any time.
• Starting with the player to the left of the line, each player (one at a time) quickly places
the top card from his stack onto the middle of the table WITHOUT HAVING LOOKED
AT IT FIRST. Cards will start to stack up there. The middle cards don’t need to be neatly stacked. It is more important that the game moves quickly from player to player.
• Players continue to play cards and keep a watchful eye on the middle stack.
• When a Jack is played, the first player to slap the card pile wins the entire pile.
• Players who have no more cards left to play must leave the game and get back in line
behind others waiting to play again if they like.
• Now there will be room for new players to join in late. Players may join in late if they
like and try to slap their way in. If they slap a Jack first, they collect the pile and start
playing.
• Note: 6 is the max amount of players for the game so if one player leaves, only one may
join, etc.
• If a player incorrectly slaps the pile when it is not a Jack, he must pay five penalty
cards, face down, to the player who played the card.
• Game is ended when a player has all the cards and that determines the winner.
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All players are then done with this round and a new set of 6 players may begin a fresh game.
Players who joined in a game may be part of the new round of players provided they did not get
a chance to “Slap in”.
Variations:
If the game is taking too long, you can set a time limit and count cards to determine a winner
when time expires. Also, if you find that having players join in is not working out so well, discontinue this rule.
Make it more fun:
If this game seems too simple or the players start losing interest, throw in some challenges. One
popular variation is to have the “dealer” say a card out load (any card) before the card is turned
over. If the card played matches what the dealer said, then the first person to slap wins the pile.
Change this each time.
Games of Chance - BALLOONS
Balloons is an ideal early learning dice game for little kids.
There are a number of ways to play this game.
Supplies:
• One large colorful die
• Printable sheets
• Crayons
Choose one Variety and stick with it for the period if you can.
Variation 1 (Good for Pre-K and K):
• Specialist rolls the die and calls out the number.
• Players color a balloon of the correct number.
• There are no winners or losers just aim for a colorful picture! Try to have colored at
least one balloon of each number before stopping the game.
Variation 2 (Good for K and 1st):
A competitive game!
• Player rolls the die and colors in that number on their sheet.
• Next player does same and so on until there is a player who has colored in a line of
three balloons with the same number.
Variation 3 (Good for 1st):
Play until one player has three full lines of balloons colored in (or for a specified time).
• Player rolls the die and colors in that number on their sheet.
• Next player does same and so on until there is a player who has colored in a line of
three balloons with the same number. This player is not necessarily the winner!
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• Now all players total up the numbers in the balloons they colored.
• The player with the highest number (score) wins!
INDOOR CARNIVAL
Supplies needed
• Whatever you need to make carnival booths
Prep Ideas:
• We divide our children up into groups of ten or so (depends on your camp size)
• Each group is responsible for coming up with a booth idea that can be made from stuff
they find at camp.
• The children are really creative and they have come up with
many exciting and interesting booths over the years.
Now that there is Pinterest, you can find some games there that are easy
and made with camp items.
Carnival Game Ideas:
• Make a skee-ball run out of a box (this is now on Pinterest)
• Ping pong ball toss into cups
• Punch bowls (tissue paper over cups or bowls. The children
then punch the tissue paper and get whatever is inside)
• Paper bag piñata
• Pool noodle toss through a hula hoop
• Baseball throw
THE CAMP MUSEUM
The counselors announce to the children that there is going to be a special evening in their very
own camp museum.
• Each group prepares one “room” in the museum in which they are going to display
whatever they can find that has meaning to them and that is related to the camp:
◦◦ Toys
◦◦ Items they have crafted
◦◦ Prizes they have won
◦◦ Costumes
◦◦ Clothes
◦◦ Posters
◦◦ Photos
◦◦ They can also include a dance or a song, if they like.
• Once they have gathered all their items and ideas, they can decide on how they want
to organize and present them.
• They can sort their exhibits by:
◦◦ Theme
◦◦ Chronological order
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◦◦ Order of importance...
• They can also write a description on a little card to accompany their items, make posters or draw a time-line.
• They should also decide on how they are going to present their items:
◦◦ On a table
◦◦ On the wall
◦◦ On the ground
◦◦ On a bench...
• Finally, they prepare a little guided tour with a little more information and interesting
stories.
• The museum guides can also:
◦◦ Try to find a costume or take a serious voice
◦◦ Try and make the tour more interactive by making the visitors participate in a
dance for example
◦◦ Ask the counselors to show a video or play a special song
• When all the “rooms” have been set up, the museum tour can start. In turn, each group
present their room while the rest of the children are the visitors.
CABIN WARS
This is a fantastic indoor activity where campers compete in various 7 minute events and challenges with their cabin unit.
The number one goal of this activity is cabin bonding. We want to see campers encourage one
another, develop cabin spirit and have a fantastic time. Our two big rules are #1 Everyone must
be involved and #2 We give extra points for Team Spirit and Encrouragement.
How it works:
• We get non cabin staff, LITS, etc. to lead one specific Event. For example, my head
lifeguard might lead the event called Zoom. He will lead this during the whole competition.
• There are two ways to switch events. You can either have the campers rotate to different cabins OR usually we just have the event leaders rotate between different cabins so
that campers don’t have to go outside in the rain.
• The game will start by us announcing that” today is “Cabin Wars” and that campers
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will be competing in a competition to see which cabin is the best at camp”..blah blah
blah, we will talk about how we will be giving extra points for teamwork, encouragement, and listening.
• We will give kids a few minutes to get a team cheer together and tell them that staff
members will come to their cabins where they will compete in a series of challenges.
• When the horn or whistle starts, event leaders know to start.
• When there is a minute or so left, I will blow the whistle so event leaders know to finish
up their event. One the big whistle, leaders know to rotate.
• All scores are recorded on a paper scoresheet and kept secret.
Hints:
• It’s really important that your Event leaders keep their score secret and don’t let the
cabins know if they are leading or far behind. I always tell groups that they are doing
really really well or something like that. It’s devastating for a group if they think they
got a great time in an event, but are in last place.
• I’ve listed a bunch of the events we do.
• I usually will have each cabin do about 4 or 5 events and then tabulate the scores.
• Most of these challenges are excellent for both older and younger cabins.
Cabin Wars Events
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Event Name
Supplies
Description
Zoom/Re-Zoom
Stopwatch, Zoom
Book or reZoom Book
(pages are cut out)
The cabin group is challenged to put the pictures in
sequential order. (I will give younger cabins less
pages)
Shoe City
Camper Shoes, Tape
Measure
Campers are instucted to build a tower using only their
shoes, tallest taller will win. They have 6 minutes to
build their tower, when 6 minutes is over, Hands off
NO touching. Hint: Sometimes I will let a cabin build
two towers so that kids can all be involved.
Sleepytime Race
Sleeping bag, chairs,
pillows, objects,
stopwatch
Kids go one at a time. Make an obstacle course, have
kids get in sleeping bags on their stomachs and slide
through. The team with the fastest time wins.
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30 ft Rope (or
something to make
a circular boundary)
One inflated balloon
for every camper,
Stopwatch
The challenge for the cabin is to see how long they can
keep their balloons in the air while staying inside the
ciruclar boundary, sounds easy, but it’s tough. Give
them multiple attempts and score their best time.
Newspaper,
Stopwatch
Take a Newspaper and spread it all around the room.
Tell the campers that they were working in a printing
press and the machine malfunctioned, their job is to
perfectly put the paper back together in the shortest
amount of time. (For younger campers, I leave out
some sections to make it easier)
Great American
Pillow Toss
A few Pillows, A chair
Sounds real simple, but kids love it. Campers take
turns throwing a pillow at a chair. Two points if it
stays on, one point if it touches. Obviously use your
creativity with fun “super bonus throws!”
Layered Clothing
Relay
XXL Clothes, Life
Jacket, Inner tube, etc.
stopwatch
The cabin will compete in a relay race where they will
have to run down and put on one piece of clothing
and run back. The 2nd person will have to put on two
pieces, the 3rd person 3 pieces…….
Paper
Campers are given a few minutes to make their favorite
paper airplane. Make a few targets and take turns
throwing planes for different amounts of points. Have
fun!
A Tarp with a duct
tape grid (5x8
squares) stopwatch
Only the event runner knows the secret way through
the maze, campers must line up and navigate one by
one through the maze until they all make it through.
Say ‘Boom” anytime a camper takes a wrong step and
the next one in line will know which one to do next.
Great group game with collaboration
Trashion Show
Trash, junk,
cardboard, some staff
Judges
Campers are give 6 minutes to dress up two campers
in a fun and hilarious way and then must present their
“models” to the judges in a fun way. The judges
simply say Great Job and then secretly will rank the
cabins Best-Worst for final scores
Add your own!
Balloons away
Windy City
Paper Flight
Maze
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PROJECT RUNWAY
1. Decide on the medium of choice (newspaper, toilet paper, etc.) and gather LOTS of it,
along with a roll of masking tape for each group, paper, drawing materials (you could
also use paper products from the recycling bin for an added challenge).
2. Divide your campers into smallish groups (cabin groups will probably work fine).
3. Each camper group chooses a staff member to be their model.
4. Activity is broken up into three phases: planning, construction, & judging.
5. In the planning phase, camper groups must look at the materials available and create
their design sketch.
6. In the construction phase, campers use their sketches as a reference and create their
designs.
7. In the judging phase, there is a fashion show, followed by a presentation by each cabin
group of their design (don’t forget cheesy model music for the catwalk).
8. Awarding of prizes in a variety of categories, etc. is also fun but optional.
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PART
5
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITIONS
CHALLENGES DESIGNED FOR CAMPERS
TO PARTICIPATE ON THEIR OWN
EVEN IF THEY ARE PART OF A TEAM
RAINY DAY CAMP RECORDS
We go for world records in:
1. Keeping a balloon in the air—count how many times we can hit it before it hits the
floor.
2. Number of paper airplanes in the air.
3. Biggest straw and pipe cleaner structure made (this is done in groups).
4. Largest number of card houses up and stable at the same time.
5. Most number of campers
a. Standing on their heads
b. Doing jumping jacks
c. Balancing on one foot
d. etc.
Individual Competitions
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LEGO CHALLENGES
• Build a Lego Catapult
◦◦ Who can propel their marshmallow
the furthest?
• Lego Bridge Building
◦◦ Who can build the longest bridge?
◦◦ The sturdiest bridge?
• Lego Tower
◦◦ Who can build the tallest Lego tower
without it toppling over?
• Lego Car
◦◦ Who can build a car that, will go the furthest?
◦◦ The fastest?
• 25 Brick Challenge – Each camper gets 25 Lego bricks (their choice or yours), what can
they build? (More great Lego ideas can be found on Frugal Fun 4 Boys Blog)
INDOOR OBSTACLE COURSE
Location: Large Space or Gym
Supplies:
• 2 Benches
• Gymnastic mat
• Jump ropes
• Self-made hurdles
• 4 car tires
• Hula hoops
• Ping pong balls
• Spoons
Instructions:
• Set each obstacle up around the perimeter of the gym.
• Benches are spaced apart so the gym mat can lay over top. The kids are to crawl under
the mats like going under a bridge.
• Staff runs 2 jump ropes for kids to jump through.
• Hurdles are used to climb over and under.
• Car tires spaced out for kids to jump one foot to the next in the tire.
• Hula Hoops held up by staff for kids to crawl through.
• Use spoon to carry ping pong ball a designated distance.
• Explain to the kids each obstacle and that they may pass other players but they have to
complete each obstacle.
• It may be easier to run several heats, about 10-15 kids at a time.
• We had the kids complete 22 laps with first, second and third place winners.
• You will also need the kids to wear a headband for staff to mark and count laps as they
pass the start/finish line.
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MINUTE TO WIN IT
Minute to Win It Day is one of our most popular rain day activities
,where the counselors and the campers get to compete against each
other for the win.
To start come up with 8 Minute to Win It games. Why 8 you may
ask? We pick 8 because we have 4 units here at camp. Units consist
of 40 or more campers so we split each unit by 2 having smaller groups travel and work together. These groups will then travel
through the games.
Instructions:
• During the games we have our program specialist be in charge of running our activities.
• When a group comes to the activity, the counselor in charge will take the best score and
write it down on a sheet of paper. **This is important because the top camper from the
unit will then compete against other top campers from other units. This normally will
take us all day long.
• Throughout the day counselors are encouraged to get involved and practice because
you never know who will be competing on stage.
• At the end of the day, we make sure to end normal camp activities 2-3 hours early to
have a Minute to Win It Competition!
Final Event Instructions:
• The program director (host of the show) will call out games one at a time to be played.
• When he/she calls out the game then the winners from each unit will be called to the
stage.
• The 4 campers will compete against each other for the win.
• Then counselors will be called to the stage to compete.
• When a camper and a counselor is declared winners, then they will go head to head
for the point.
• This will be continued till all games are played.
Points:
Points work in an easy way. If the camper beats the counselor then the campers get the point.
If the counselor wins then the counselors get a point. Out of all my 10 years working camp and
playing this competition, counselors have only won 3 times.
Below I included websites for minute to win it games. Enjoy!
http://thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/family-fun-night-minute-to-win-it/
http://ministry-to-children.com/minute-to-win-it-games/
http://lets-get-together.com/2014/05/16/family-reunion-minute-to-win-it/
BEACH BOARDWALK CONTEST
We have been doing this one in our camp for years. Kids look forward to participating every
summer, and it’s such a quick and easy activity!
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• We create a long list of “mini contests”, ranging from physical attributes, to weird talents. Some of the categories are:
◦◦ Longest (or shortest) hair
◦◦ Tallest (and shortest) camper
◦◦ Oldest (and youngest) camper
◦◦ Best smile
◦◦ Funniest laugh
◦◦ Best yodel
◦◦ Best clean joke
◦◦ Most unusual talent
◦◦ Best Tarzan call
◦◦ Best singing
◦◦ Best dance moves
◦◦ Best counselor impression….the ideas are endless
• After we create our list, we have the kids sit together as a group.
• We announce each category in turn and select around 10 campers that would like to
come up and participate in that particular contest.
• We do an audience vote by loudest cheer, and we also have a judges’ panel for the final
decision.
Tips:
• Each contest only takes 2-3 minutes, so we usually have around 20-30 categories each
time we do it.
• Get all the campers involved by either coming up to join the contest or cheering for
their favorites.
• We generally hold off and announce winners at the end. That way, our judges can try
to make sure that we have as many different winners as possible.
• We always give them a small treat for winning, and sometimes we will even create a
paper award where we write in their name and category.
RUBBER DUCK RACE
A great outdoor rainy day activity is a rubber duck race down a creek or stream.
1. Label the ducks with campers’ names
2. Send them off when the creeks are flowing strongly. Lots of fun to follow alongside your duck during its journey! Prizes for the first ducks to cross
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PART
MAKERS
6
INCLUDES ARTS, CRAFTS, FOOD AND CONSTRUCTION
CREATE A BUG
• Give campers random objects:
◦◦ Parts of egg cartons
◦◦ Colored cellophane
◦◦ Buttons
◦◦ Pipe cleaners
◦◦ Artificial flower petals
◦◦ Netting
◦◦ Metallic confetti
◦◦ Beads
◦◦ Toothpicks
◦◦ Pom poms, etc.
• Allow them to create a bug.
• After finishing, they can do a ‘show and tell’ with their bug and talk about where it
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lives, what it eats, etc.
ROLLER COASTER RALLY
One of our hit activities for 1st to 3rd graders is Roller Coaster Rally.
• You take old pool noodles
• Slice some in half (ahead of time!)
• Give teams of kids a limited supply of the noodle halves along with marbles, cups and
tape.
• Teams have to build the longest, coolest coaster possible.
• Play other challenges:
◦◦ Races
◦◦ Whose has the most loops?
◦◦ Biggest drop?
◦◦ Highest/longest jump?
FORT BUILDING
• Send the kids to their cabins to get blankets, sleeping bags anything they can to make
a fort and bring it to the dining hall.
• Split the hall into two teams.
• They can use the tables and benches to create their Fort.
• When finished, have one staff member go around and pick the best Fort, not just in
design but for the story and creativity behind it.
• This activity kept the kids occupied for hours. Just play some music while they are
building and who knows, maybe a dance competition could start on the new grounds
of their forts.
Happy building!
RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE
You can do this in a cabin, in a lodge, just about anywhere.
Rube Goldberg machines are those simple elaborate chain reaction machines that overdo a simple task. The dominoes fall-over knocking a book over, pushing a toy car that knocks a marble
down a slide and then somehow it opens a door.
It’s best to start with the design phase, figure out what things you need and then where you can
get them. Then put it together. There will be a lot of trial and error, but it is great fun and really
gets the imagination going.
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GIANT MARSHMALLOW MONSTERS
Supplies:
• Giant-sized marshmallows (these are bigger
than the ones used for s’mores but if can’t find
giant ones, regular size works too.)
• Gel icing—various colors
• Soy butter or frosting
• Crushed up Oreos
Directions:
1. Children can decorate their giant marshmallows faces with gel icing colors.
2. We coated top of “head” with soy butter or
frosting and dipped them in crushed Oreos
for “hair”.
3. Eat ‘em!
RAINY DAY PAINTINGS
Supplies:
• Thick paper or watercolor paper
• Watercolor paints
• Paint brushes
Instructions:
1. Have each child put their name on the paper with a pencil or crayon.
2. Allow them to paint on their paper. Explain what ‘abstract’ means and encourage them
to try one.
3. Quickly take the painting outside in the rain. Either stand out there and hold them or
set them on the ground. If you set them down and it is windy, you may need to use
something as a paperweight.
4. Let the rain drops do the rest! The rain will make unique patterns in the paint and
potentially mix colors and spread them around. Leave them out as long as you want.
5. (optional) After the paintings dry you can allow the children to use black marker over
the paint. Have them make designs, write something, or do zentangles.
BUILD OFF
At the beginning of each week of summer, we ask all parents to bring in anything cardboard!
We often don’t use the items until the last week of camp because we will go outside, as long as
there is no lightening.
With 90 kids attending camp each week, we have quite a collection by the end of the second
week. All boxes are broken down; paper tubes are stored in bags and tucked away in a room
outside of our main activity area.
We also have various rolls of tape, string, yarn, tempura paint, paint brushes, old sheets, clothes
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pins and other random items. On the first REALLY rainy day we have a ‘build off’.
Instructions:
• The camps are divided into four teams.
• Whatever cardboard we have is divided equally among the groups.
• We pick a theme (e.g. pirates, castles, tree forts, etc.) and the groups build their own
structure in a predetermined area of the gym.
They are told to keep in mind, the following:
1. The structure needs to be ‘usable’ for the whole day (for reading, building Lego and
other quiet activities
2. Safety considerations are outlined prior to breaking into groups. I.e. (use of scissors,
placement and use of knotted string/yarn, etc.)
3. The group must discuss the design and come to a consensus before they start the project.
4. All group members must be involved in building.
5. It must be able to fit or include the entire group inside or around (participating) with
the structure after it is built.
6. The group that builds a structure that can withstand use, and BE USED, for the remainder of the day wins the competition, and is awarded ‘play money’ that can be used to
purchase prizes, snacks, leader for a day privileges etc.
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PART
HUNTS
7
A VARIETY OF SCAVENGER AND TREASURE HUNTS
MISSING ANIMALS
We have 5 different (special office only) stuffed animals that are office only toys.
• Before the campers arrive we hide them in different indoor areas of the camp.
◦◦ Elmo in the drama room dressed up so he isn’t that visible.
◦◦ Teeny (the elephant) in the gym up on the climbing wall.
◦◦ Bubbles (the fish) in a zip lock bag filled with bubble wrap in the nurses office.
◦◦ Jumpy (the frog) in the lunch room lost and found box.
◦◦ Wings (the bat) flying in the hallway.
• Then during round up we tell the campers that the animals are missing.
• After round up we tell them their mission is to find them—take a selfie with each one
and make sure the entire cabin group is represented in the five photos and report back
to the office.
• Once all groups have reported back we print the photos and then post them.
• Campers are given three stickers to put on the most creative picture, the silliest poses
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in a picture and the one they like the most.
• At the end of the day we announce the winning cabin group and they get an award.
MAGAZINE SCAVENGER HUNT
Supplies:
• Multiple magazines
• Paper
• Glue sticks
• Scissors for each group
Instructions:
• Split campers into groups, they can be the
same ages or mixed ages.
• The magazines given to the campers can be any type of magazine, cooking, social,
news, etc… In fact, the more varied the genre selection, the more fun the game becomes.
• There is a caller (staff member) who will call out any combination of items, activities,
people, etc. Examples: “Squirrel playing tennis,” “Angelina Jolie eating dinner with
Lady GaGa,” “Two trees playing hide and seek” “A man in red shoes with a blue
shirt”. Really the more outlandish the combination, the more the kids get into it. For
primarily younger aged campers, the combinations can stay more generic and for older campers, they can get more specific to include certain people and the like.
• Once the combination is called, the groups must find the images in the magazines, cut
them out and glue them on the paper. The paper should also have the group’s number,
name or however they choose to identify themselves on it.
• If the combination calls for a specific scene, like surfing crystal clear waters with a
shark, then the magazine cut-outs should be pasted in such a way that the scene is
depicted.
At this point, the game can take many variations.
Variation 1:
Once the group has finished pasting the completed combination or scene, they run (or walk) it
to the front to a staff member. The groups are then assigned points for the order in which they
turn in their papers.
Variation 2:
The first group to finish their combination or scene must bring it to the designated staff member.
This group then becomes the callers and gets to call out any combination/scene they like for the
next round.
Variation 3:
No score is kept and everyone just has fun
Variation 4:
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After a certain number of combinations/scenes have been called out, the groups then turn their
papers into a story. They can write the narration on the back or bottom of the papers. They then
can act them out or just read them aloud.
If the campers can’t find a certain image, encourage them to use their imaginations and creativity to create it. Creativity points can be awarded if the group can logically justify their picture.
This can often times lead to some crazy pictures!
The groups can either be timed or not, it’s really up to who’s leading the activity.
ESCAPE FROM THE MAD SCIENTIST
It’s kind of a creepy variation of tag or capture the flag.
We go to the basement of the lodge that is pretty dark, cover any
windows and make it as dark as possible. The concept is that you are
in a Mad Scientist’s lab and you are trying to find a key or keys to
escape without being caught by the Mad Scientist. (We use from one
to four keys depending on the age and skill of the campers).
• One person is chosen to be the Mad Scientist. Albert Einstein wig, mask and lab coat are a must!
• The players that are trying to escape, go and hide.
• The mad scientist tries to find the hidden players.
• If they are captured, they go to the Mad Scientist’s lair and are essentially out of the
game.
• Meanwhile, the players are also trying to find the hidden keys to unlock the doors and
allow them to get out of the lab. The keys are glow sticks that are expertly hidden by
the Mad Scientist. The harder the hiding place, the better.
• When a key is found, it must be delivered by the player to the exit door.
• Once all keys are found, the doors are “unlocked” and the players are free. The Mad
Scientist has been defeated!
PUZZLE SCAVENGER HUNT
I always had this in my survival bag (more about these later) so that I could use it at any time.
• I would have one or two puzzles that were age appropriate size wise.
• While I ran another program the rotation before, I would have my LIT’s or co-counselor run around and post the pieces all over using sticky tac.
• When we rotated the kids were split into groups and given a picture of their puzzles.
Each group had a different puzzle.
• They had to go and find their pieces and leave the other pieces for the other group.
• They then had to bring them all back and put the puzzle together.
Another variation of this is you don’t provide the picture. This works better for the older kids
because it gives them a challenge.
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Scavenger hunts may take time to set up but they are the easiest to facilitate for last minute
things. What makes it work the best though, is having it on hand in your survival kit.
SURVIVAL KIT
A survival kit should be your best friend. This bag/tote would house rainy day activities and
boredom busters. This was used a lot in the day camp during pick up. I had board games, cards,
coloring, crafts, books, balls, and even some Legos for the kids to use while waiting for mom/
dad to pick them up. I also kept my back up activities in here so it was easy to pull out. These
were required when I was a counselor and now I’m looking at requiring them for my counselors.
BIG QUEST ROOM
• A group of kids is locked into the room.
• They have to find the key to open the door. They have it somewhere in the room. They have to search for it.
• All the hints and clues must be hidden inside the room.
• Lockers, small boxes with keys, safe behind the picture on the
wall, hidden signs, ultraviolet signs, every clue leads to the
next clue and they should find the key to open the room in the
end.
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PART
8
DRAMA and IMPROV
ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE ACTING
WALK MY WALK
• Have players stand in a circle with plenty of space in the middle.
• Discuss the many ways people walk. For example a spy might creep along on tiptoes
while a fashion model walks with a studied, erect posture.
• Players select a role with a specific kind of walk.
• Each player walks across the circle several times as the group tries to guess his or her
identity.
• When someone guesses correctly, the entire group imitates the walk, and then forms
into a circle again to watch another walk.
Possible walk selections: tightrope walker, astronaut on the moon, window washer on a ledge,
infant learning to walk, old person, body builder, marching soldier, circus clown, explorer at the
North Pole.
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SKIT IN A BAG
• Quickly throw together random items from around the camp into bags.
• Each group gets a bag, and has time to prepare a skit in which they must use every
item in their bag as a prop.
• It doesn’t matter how the items are used - they can use a toilet paper roll as a microphone, or a plate as a steering wheel.
• When the kids present the skits it can either be just for entertainment or you can judge
and choose a winner.
AFTERNOON WITH THE OLD FOLKS
• Campers spend some time getting dressed
up like old people. They love adopting funny voices, talking about “the old
days,” wearing wigs and granny shawls,
and making canes out of sticks.
• Afternoon entertainment includes games
like Bingo! (Engagement in this game
skyrockets when campers are in character. Especially when they bring all of their
good luck charms along with them!).
CPR!
My all-time favorite rainy day (or as it once was, tornado watch day) activity is CPR! This is a
mostly staff lead skit/game that keeps the kids laughing and having fun!
• For this activity you will need 4 staff members.
• Three of them will be sent out of the room where they cannot hear or see what is going
on.
• Once the other 3 people are out of the room kids will give suggestions on three things
for the staff to act out. These should all be people, places, or things, but can also be
actions or often jokes that have been established by the summer staff.
• After these three things are chosen, one of the staff from outside will be sent in. They
will then have to guess the three things, only by charades. However, when they think
they know the answer they do not announce it, they will have to tap their head.
• After all three are performed they will then get the chance to perform it to the next
person that enters, making it a combination of telephone and charades!
• After the last person has seen all three things acted out they will announce to the whole
group what they think they are.
The game can be played with campers, but it is often much more fun to watch the staff act out
crazy things on stage! As for the name CPR….no one can seem to explain it, but it stuck over the
years so that is just what it is called!
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WHO, WHERE, WHAT SKITS
One of our favorite rainy day activities is Drama. The kids love doing who, what, where skits.
• Each team comes to me and they pull a who card, a where card, and a what card.
• Then they must incorporate those into a skit.
• When the skit is performed the audience must pay attention as afterwards we ask the
audience to guess the who, what and where.
The cards I have made up are vast. The kids could end up with an astronaut, a school and a
whisk...just as an example. The craziness of the combination is one of the things the kids love.
The guessing part is the next favorite.
RADIO SHOW
Supplies:
• Cassette Recorder
• Cassette Tape
• Microphone
Make a radio show with a cassette recorder.
• Campers need a name for their show.
• Tape music and hosted interviews with other campers.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask them.
• For a talk show, give the date and introduce yourself and your
guests and the discussion topic of the day.
• Make ads and emergency news reports.
• Campers can act out a story by taking turns reading different parts
and adding sound effects.
• Tap a book on the table for muffled footsteps. See what other sound effects’ you can
make up.
• Radio listeners like to hear lots of different sounds, so fill your show with bits of music,
sound effects, different people speaking, and maybe a caller contest or give-a-way.
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PART
MUSIC and DANCE
9
ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE
MUSIC, SINGING and/or DANCING
THE BAG DANCE
Supplies:
• 1-2 big circles (depending on the size of your group)
• 2 black garbage bags per circle filled with different campfire props (wigs, masks, costumes, etc.)
Instructions:
• Play music.
• Everyone starts dancing in place and passing the black garbage bags around the circle.
• Randomly stop the music.
• The person holding the bag when the music stops blindly grabs something out of the
bag and puts it on.
• Continue the music and passing of the bag.
• Randomly stop the music again.
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• Again, the person holding the bag when the music stops grabs something out of the
bags and puts it on.
• Continue until everyone is wearing something ridiculous from the bag.
JUST DANCE
One activity that really stands out to me was playing just dance through a projector in the classroom. The counselor would look up a video on YouTube of a just dance (kid-friendly) video and
would play it on the wall with a projector. The kids LOVED dancing to it and actually used it
when working on their skit for our annual talent show. It’s a good way to get the kids moving
and burning some energy all while keeping them within certain boundaries.
NAME THAT TUNE
• Campers are divided into teams.
• They create names.
• Play is divided into theme rounds (genres like Pop, rap, 90s, 2000s, Oldies - which for
many of our campers may include 90s and 2000s!), or themes like “songs with numbers.”)
• Each team gets to hear 15 seconds of a song and must
name the artist and title for one point each.
• If a team cannot come up with either the artist or title other teams can answer for a chance to steal the
point(s).
• At the end of each round, a team expert goes to the
front for a “fastest hand in the air” battle.
• The winner gets extra points for their team, plus some
kind of prize like candy.
• Last round is the lightening round, where teams must
know song AND artist, or get negative points if they
get either wrong.
SONG WARS
• Prepare a list of topics/words to present one at a time to the group.
• The group will be split up into teams.
• Present them with one of the topics or words.
• The object for each team is to think of as many songs using that word or topic.
• A team is eliminated if they cannot produce a song within a set time limit after the
team before them finishes singing.
◦◦ The song also needs to be an actual song of which the team sings at least 6 words
of it including the required word or topic.
◦◦ The song also needs to be sung (known) by the entire team.
• The game goes in rounds until there is only one team left.
Music and Dance
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MUSICAL
• Kids are re-divided into three groups.
• Each group masters a dance to the music (rain related music like
Weather Girls – It’s Raining Man, B.J.Thomas – Raindrops Keep
Falling on My Head, James Blunt – Tears And Rain) Of course they
dance in rubber boots, rain coats, with umbrellas.
• They lip sync the songs.
• It takes time to master the dance. When all the groups are ready
they perform on the stage one by one.
4 CORNER DANCE OFF
• Place different colors/shapes/items in the corners of your room.
• Play music.
• While music is playing, let campers dance around.
• When music turns off, they must select a corner and get there before a counselor/selected camper counts to 5.
• Counselor, with eyes closed, then calls out a corner (i.e.: hula hoop!)
• All campers/counselors in that corner are “out”.
• Keep playing until there is a winner
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PART
OTHER
10
ACTIVITIES and IDEAS THAT DIDN’T FIT
INTO THE PREVIOUS CATEGORIES
INVENTION CONVENTION
• Divide into small groups with 4-6 campers.
• Each group gets a box filled with the same supplies. It could be anything you have
available. Some ideas are tape, Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, plastic cups, construction
paper, etc.
• Give them an allotted time (about 45 minutes) to create a unique invention using only
the materials provided.
• They also must create a commercial to promote their product.
• At the end of the time allow each group to present their products and commercials.
WET LAND SPORTS
If it’s just raining but not thunder and lightning, it’s game-on at our camp for most things.
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Land Sports, where we usually would play a field game like kickball or soccer, turns into WET
Land Sports. The games are sometimes the same, just wet. Sometimes we’ll even turn a hose on
for added effect.
Obstacle courses are always a hit and if you’re getting wet, why not get REALLY wet? Have
your campers put on their bathing suits and add a few water obstacles to the game: baby pools,
hoses, water hoops (a PVC hoops with holes drilled in it and a hose connection. when you pass
through it - it’s like a 360 degree car wash). Or, add a swim segment in the pool or lake to your
races.
RAINY DAY GAME BAGS
Small Groups of 5 or 6
Supplies: l
• Lunch bags
• Random objects like...
◦◦ Ping pong balls
◦◦ String
◦◦ Paper clips
◦◦ Clothes pins
◦◦ Cups
◦◦ Balloons
◦◦ Straws
◦◦ Paper cups, etc.
This can be done ahead of time so that you can just grab it at the last minute.
Instructions:
1. Prepare lunch bags ahead of time. Each bag has a random assortment of items.
2. Have groups invent a game using only the items in the bag. They can use as much or
as little of the items.
3. The have them teach other groups their game and play it.
WHOONU
This one is a take-off of the board game Whoonu.
Preparation:
• Create 100+ cards (# depends on size of your group)
with different random things that a person might
like. (For example: singing in the shower, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, holding a new born baby,
unexpected snow day, going out to eat, listening to
your favorite song, getting a manicure, winning a ball
game...) With a small group of counselors, some paper
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and markers, you can have 100+ cards in no time.
• Hang up five large pieces of paper on the wall, the first one with a big number 1 on it,
the second with a number 2, etc.
• Split the kids into groups - doesn’t matter how many groups, but the groups shouldn’t
be too big.
How to play:
1. Call up a contestant (most entertaining when it’s a staff member) to the front of the
room.
2. Hand out 5 cards to each group, and each group should choose which of their cards
they think the contestant likes the most
3. Each group hands their chosen card to the contestant, and after each group has handed
one in, the contestant reads them out loud, eliminating the ones that he doesn’t like so
much until his five favorite cards are left.
4. He then should put those five cards in order from good to best, hanging the best on the
wall near the number 5, and the least good on the wall at the number 1 with the others
in between.
5. The groups whose cards make it up on the wall are allotted the amount of points upon
which their card was placed. (i.e. he liked their card second to best so he placed it by
the number 4, so we have 4 points.)
6. Have the groups rotate cards, give each group a new card so that they have 5 again,
and choose a new contestant
TO TELL THE TRUTH
• Find a counselor with a true crazy story, and choose a few
other counselors to make stories up.
• Each counselor tells his/her story to the camp.
• The kids have to guess whose story is the true one.
CABIN ROUND ROBIN
• Each counselor thinks and prepares a simple “hip-pocket” game – something that can
be played inside the cabin for about 5 – 7 minutes.
• Campers begin in their own cabin, with their own counselor.
• When the loudspeaker announces that it is time to switch, the campers move to the
next cabin, while the counselor stays in their cabin and leads the same game with the
next group of campers.
• Continue to switch cabins every 5 -7 minutes until campers have made it through all
the cabins or you need to switch activities.
This is such a HIT because usually the campers do not get to go in other’s cabins. It’s so fun for
them to get to know another counselor, see another cabin and “travel” around the camp. Since
the counselor stays in their own cabin, there isn’t the risk of stuff being messed with in the cabin.
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If it seems like I am going to have to insert this activity into the schedule, I will quickly have
the counselors write down their game on a list so that we make sure campers aren’t playing the
same game in 3 cabins.
HURRAY FOR RAINY DAYS!
If it’s a rainy day and not a storm, take a walk
with your group.
• Smell the rain.
• Smell the damp earth.
• Are the drops cool or warm?
• Are colors more vivid in the rain?
You would be surprised how many of the campers have never intentionally walked in the rain.
• Close your eyes and listen to the drops hit the ground.
• What does it sound like?
• Talk about how nature copes with rain.
• Show the campers how leaves are often tunnel shaped so that raindrops can roll off.
• Explain that many animals have oily fur to keep them dry.
• Earthworms know to come to the surface when their burrows are flooding. Of course,
this creates a field day for birds that eat worms and for people who collect worms for
fishing.
Is it a thunderstorm?
Teach the campers how to calculate the distance between themselves and the storm.
• At the first sign of lightning, begin counting the seconds until you hear the thunder
(one Mississippi, two Mississippi, and so forth).
• Divide the number of seconds by five. The answer is the number of miles between the
storm and you.
• At this point, you may also wish to instruct your campers about lightning safety!
Watch for a rainbow.
When the rain has moved on and the sun is breaking through the clouds, look for a rainbow.
• Explain that rainbows are caused by sunlight being “bent” and “bounced off” the raindrops.
• What are the colors of a rainbow? (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).
• If the sun comes out after the storm, make your own rainbow. Place a clear glass of
water (filled to the brim) in a windowsill in bright sunlight. Put a piece of white paper
on the floor under the window and watch for the rainbow to appear.
PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES
Rules
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• Always hold on to parachute at all times (unless asked to do otherwise).
• Watch where you are going.
• Never allow students to toss a person in chute.
• No horseplay.
• Be specific about signals and use consistent vocabulary.
Bicep Builder
• Children line up around the edge of the parachute with one foot forward, one back.
• Palms up (under grip-lean back holding onto parachute).
• Pull parachute towards you without moving feet or jerking.
• Pull hard for 6 seconds then relax.
• Repeat with a down grip.
Wild Horse Pull
• Backs to parachute bend down and grasp with palms down grip.
• One foot forward, one back- on signal, lean forward and pull hard.
Variation: Assign teams and have a tug of war.
Ocean Waves
• Hold the parachute at waist level.
• On signal, shake the parachute up and down, first slowly then increase speed.
Merry-go-round
• All grasp the parachute with the right hand- walk forward to the left.
• All grasp edge with the left hand, hop backwards to the left.
• Circle forward to right using gallops.
• Move forward using a grapevine step; can you make the parachute vibrate as you circle?
• Lie down.
Bend and stretch
• Hold parachute at waist level, spread feet for balance, palms down grip.
• Bend forward on count 1 & touch parachute to toes; breathe out.
• On count 2, stretch as high as possible; breathe in.
• Repeat with reverse (under) grip.
Inflation of Parachute
• Grasp edge of parachute; raise chute to waist level
• Bend over and touch chute to ground- bend back and
stretch arms overhead on 1,2 stretch
• Pump chute to gain maximum inflation
Pitch a tent
• Inflate chute; take 3 steps forward- hold edge of chute
down on ground with hands.
• Seal edges tightly, then loosely; watch how fast or
slow air escapes.
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Push-ups
• Inflate chute; make mushroom by placing edge of chute on ground.
• All squat and extend legs backward- lower and raise body by touching chest to parachute.
• How many can you do before the mushroom disappears?
Squat Thrusts
• Inflate chute as in push-ups.
• On count 1, extend legs back-on count 2, squat.
• How many times can you perform squat thrusts before the chute touches the ground?
Count Downs and Blast Offs
• Grasp chute using over grip- on count 5, touch chute to head, on 4 shoulders, on 3
waist, on 2 knees, on 1 ground then blast off.
• Jump and reach as high as you can.
Ostrich: hides head in face of danger
• Call out names of animals; when children hear the name of a dangerous animal, they
hide their heads under the parachute, sealing the edges around their neck.
Variation: Rolling out the sleeping dog, as about but only heads are outside of chute
Sunflower
• Inflate chute and take 3 steps forward.
• Quickly lower chute and kneel on edges- join hands and lean in and out as a sunflower
opening and closing.
Igloo
• Hold parachute in crossover grip (right under grip, left under grip).
• Swing chute overhead, take 3 steps and turn left.
• Sit, kneel or lie under the cute.
Fly Away
• Inflate chute and take 1 step forward.
• Release chute on command- allow chute to settle over children, or reach for ribs of
chute on command.
Popcorn
• Use Nerf balls, beach balls, volleyballs.
• Overhead grip, shake parachute to make balls ‘pop’.
• Try not to let the balls go off the edge.
Parachute ball
• Use 2 light balls (more balls may be used).
• Divide group into 2 teams- each team attempts to score by shaking the balls of the
chute on the opponent’s side.
• Cannot use hands to stop the ball.
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Center Ball
• 2 balls of 2 different colours- 2 teams.
• Try to shake the ball into center pocket- 2 points awarded for each goal
Number Change
• Assign participants numbers (flowers, countries, days of the week etc.)
• A number is called and students exchange places while parachute is inflated overhead.
Number Race
• Create groups and number each person in the group.
• Parachute is inflated and a number is called- children travel around the circle and must
return to place before the center of the chute touches the ground – 1 point awarded if
successful of first back receives a point for their team).
Bean Bag Pick-ups
• Children numbered off in 4 teams- 3 bean bags are placed under the chute.
• Teacher calls a number as the chute is inflated.
• Children try to grab a bean bag and return to place- each team that picks a bean bag
scores 1 point.
Mousetrap
• 6-8 children selected as mice.
• Inflate chute and mice weave in and out of the children around the chute.
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• Teacher calls ‘run across’ and mice must run across the circle.
• Children try to trap mice in parachute.
• Those caught must join the circle; last mouse in is winner.
Basket weave
• Number children off in 1’s and 2’s.
• 1’s hold chute high overhead, 2’s weaves in and out until they reach their original position.
• 1’s move clockwise and 2’s move counter clockwise.
Parachute Colors
• Assign kids a color ahead of time or have them choose their favorite color.
• Have everyone on the outside of the circle, slowly shaking the parachute up and down
• Call a color when the parachute is lifted up and have the designated colors run under
to another spot of the same color.
Parachute Cat and Mouse
• Everyone sits on their knees and billows the parachute up and down.
• One child is chosen to be the cat; another child is chosen to be the mouse.
• The mouse tries to make it all the way under the parachute by crawling, without getting caught.
• Meanwhile, the cat is on top of the parachute, trying to find the mouse.
Parachute Pinwheel
• Have everyone standing on the outside of the parachute.
• Quickly pass it in one direction so that the colors spin.
• Repeat in the other direction.
Parachute Lean
• Have everyone stand around the edges of the parachute and hold on
• All at the same time, have children lean back while still holding on
• Everyone should be leaning back, fully supported by the parachute and the team
Snakes
• Put a bunch of jump ropes on top of the parachute.
• Shake the parachute up and down while trying to keep the snakes (jump ropes) from
biting (touching) you.
Around the World
Read this script to children while following instructions.
1. First, we are going to a rain forest in South America. Raise the chute up and leave it
up until it comes down. While it is up, have 1’s, 2’s, etc. walk under the chute to a new
spot.
2. Next, we are going to Antarctica so we must cross the ocean, so let’s make some waves.
3. Make waves with parachute.
4. It was so cold down there so let’s get inside an igloo. Have students raise the chute and
sit inside of it. Next we will go to Africa for some cave exploring. Have the students
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raise the chute, come down, and poke only their head inside.
5. Now we are going to go to Europe to the Eiffel Tower. Have students raise the chute
and take three huge steps toward the middle so the chute goes up very high.
6. Now we are going to cross the mountains into Asia. Have students raise the chute
and put it under their knees on the ground. Call 1’s, 2’s, etc., and have them crawl to
a different place while the chute is up. Next is Australia, which is known for sharks.
Have children lay down with the parachute up to their chins and tap one person to be
a shark underneath the parachute who will gently on children’s legs without pulling
them under.
7. Finally, we are heading to good old North America and Wichita, Kansas. Kansas is
knows for--TORNADOES. Have students shake the chute rapidly.
Hidden Treasures
• Hide bean bags or little soft objects under the parachute and have children start to
shake.
• Choose 2 or 3 people to crawl around on top of the parachute.
• They must try and crawl around to try and feel the objects underneath.
• Once they find them all, hide them again and have new kids try.
Sit Ups
• Everyone sits with legs under parachute, knees bent, grab parachute and lean back and
up.
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Hot Potato
• Make a mountain by inflating the parachute.
• Turn and sit down with back to the mountain and pass a ball around the chute.
• When the center part hits the floor, whoever has a ball gets a point against them.
• Can you more than one ball; the object is to see who has the least amount of points.
Tent Pole
• Inflate the parachute so you are all sitting inside on the edges.
• One person is selected to be a tent pole and stands in the middle, holding the centre of
the chute as high as possible.
• The tent-pole person calls out some one’s name and goes and sits down in that person’s place.
• The person called has to rush to the middle and take up the role of the tent-pole before
the chute comes down.
Shoe Shuffle
• Number around the circle 1 or 6.
• All of one number remove a shoe and throw it under the canopy.
• On a count of 3 the canopy is lifted, mushroomed up on the third lift and all those missing a
shoe go into the middle, retrieve their shoe and get back to their place.
Ocean
• Pretend the parachute is the ocean.
• Players move the parachute in response to the ‘weather report’ they hear. For example
the Leader says, “I heard on the weather report this morning that there was a slight
breeze over the Pacific. What would that look like?”
• The players respond by making small waves in the parachute.
Turn Over
• This is a great challenge - turn over the parachute over with no one letting go of the
edge.
Parachute soccer
• Stand around the parachute holding it at waist level; must be held tight and not peeking under.
• Shake the chute to make waves.
• Roll a soccer ball under the parachute to be kicked around gently.
• A goal is scored if it comes out the other side.
Eagle & Fish
• One child is selected to be the eagle and sit in the middle of the parachute; this will
become the Eagle’s perch.
• Four fish are selected from different locations around the parachute.
• The remaining children have to sit or kneel around the parachute and make waves.
• At some point the fish can go underneath the parachute and try to poke the eagle before it sees them.
• The game is four against one but the eagle can pounce upon the fish but needs to know
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that it can’t swim in the sea and must stay on its perch.
• Fish pounced on by the eagle must then leave the sea. The fish can meet up underneath
and plan to attack all at once or one by one.
Cat, Dog & Mouse
• This game is played with two parachutes, one placed on top of the other.
• It is basically the same game as cat and mouse but this time a dog is added to catch the
cat while the cat tries to catch the mouse.
• The mouse goes underneath the first parachute, the cat between the parachutes and
the dog on top.
Lifeguard
• The “shark(s)” is under the parachute; everyone else sits around the parachute upright
with legs under.
• Everyone around the chute is making ripples with the chute.
• The sharks underneath is trying to grab them by the leg and pull them under the parachute.
• The lifeguards are walking around the parachute trying to save anyone before they get
pulled under.
• If you get pulled under, then you are a shark as well.
Dodge ‘em
• Have some soft balls (socks rolled up).
• A few players go under the parachute while everyone else holds onto the parachute
about head high.
• The outside can throw the soft balls at the players underneath the parachute, while still
holding onto it.
• If they are to get hit with the ball, they join the outside.
• The last one left in the middle is the winner.
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MORE PARACHUTE ACTIVITIES
Birthday Exchange (or number/color exchange)
• Grasp the edge of the parachute with an overhand grip and raise the parachute overhead.
• The leader calls out a month of the year.
• Those players born in that month let go of the edge and exchange places by moving
under the parachute to an empty spot.
• This game can also take place by giving everyone a number from 1 to 8 or by calling
out a color that the players are wearing.
• Players need to be told to head for gaps, keep their eyes open and try to avoid bumping
into one another.
• Make sure that the players who remain around the edge allow the parachute to fall
rather than pulling it down hard.
Cat and Mouse: (Equipment = beanbag)
• The group stands holding the parachute at shoulder height making sure there is a
space between each player around the parachute.
• Choose one player to be the cat and one to be the mouse.
• The cat starts off under the parachute guarding the cheese.
• The mouse starts off outside the parachute and has to get to the cheese running in between the players holding the parachute.
• If you have already numbered the players 1 or 6 around the parachute then choose a
cat of one number and a mouse of another.
• The mouse has 20 seconds to get the cheese; the cat has 20 seconds to catch the mouse.
• Once the game starts, count to 20 (everyone else counts).
• Score one point to the cat if the mouse is caught or one point to the mouse if the cheese
is eaten. Score no points if 20 is reached before either the cheese is eaten or the mouse
is caught.
Competitive Chute Ball: (Equipment= a light weight ball like: nerf, playground, or glow ball)
• Mark a line across the diameter of the parachute (masking tape works well).
• Have equal teams hold the edge of the parachute on either side.
• Throw a ball into the middle.
• The aim is to get the ball off the parachute on the other team’s side of the line, and stop
it coming off your own side of the line. (i.e. to throw it over the other team’s heads).
• You mustn’t let go of the parachute or touch the ball with any part of the body.
• Keeping score is optional.
• After several minutes of wild flapping and little progress the group should realize that
co-ordination and strategy are needed to flick the ball off the parachute.
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• Players sit on the floor in a circle holding the parachute stretched out with his or her
legs underneath it.
• The parachute is the sea and they are sitting on the beach, happily dipping their toes
in the water.
• By shaking the edge of the parachute realistic ripple or wave effects can be generated.
• Once the waves are going well, someone is selected to be a shark and disappears under
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the parachute.
• They move around underneath and because of the waves it will be difficult to see
where they are.
• The shark chooses a victim and grabs him or her by the feet. The victim can give an
appropriate scream before disappearing under the parachute.
• This person now becomes a new shark. To prolong the game you can have the original
shark revert to being a swimmer - or to make it more lively you can have several sharks
in there at once.
• To finish the game you can choose “once a shark, always a shark” so everyone eventually becomes a shark.
• You can introduce freak weather conditions - or even a killer whale!
Poison Snake (Equipment = ropes)
• Place four to six short lengths of ropes on the parachute.
• By shaking the parachute, try to make them hit the players on the other side.
• Keep track of who gets bitten.
Pom Pom Pool (Equipment = pom poms)
• Sprinkle various sized pom-poms on the top of the parachute and try to get them into
the middle pocket.
• You could have teams with different colors and count how many they get in.
Rollerball (Equipment = large beach ball)
• Players hold the parachute taut.
• Place a large ball near the edge.
• Try to make the ball roll around the edge of the parachute. To do this someone starts
the ball rolling. As it comes towards you, you lower the edge you are holding, and as
it goes past you raise your edge.
• When all the players do this in sync, it creates a wave going around the edge, pushing
the ball around in front of it in a smooth, steady circle.
• It cannot be done without concentration and co-operation! However, it is very rewarding for the group to eventually achieve a smooth, continuous motion.
• Once you’ve done this try speeding up - or changing direction.
STORY TIME
For our elementary camps we do a rainy day story time.
• Pick someone to read the story that will get into.
• Decorate the stage with a chair and make it look cozy
like your grandparents are reading a story. Have a fire
going.
• Have cookies and milk for each person to enjoy during
the story time.
• Take pictures of the storybook. (Instead of scanning it,
I have found it much easier to use and iPad and make
it into a photo album).
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• Pass out characters to the staff. (Print off a copy of the book or type of the words). Having a script prepared, they can still sit with their cabin, but when it comes time for that
character to talk instead of the narrator that counselor will say the part.
• Get the kids all hyped up about it and have the kids and staff dress up in their PJ’s,
bring a blanket, and/or stuffed animal with them.
RAINY DAY BOXES
We create 4 or 5 Rainy Day schedules for the summer. These schedules give our camper groups
the ability to move to different spaces (we have VERY limited indoor space) throughout the day,
to break things up.
We have pre- planned suggested activities, but also incorporate Rainy Day Boxes and our Big
Book of Rainy Day Ideas, just in case! Rainy Day Boxes are made for each group before camp begins and are stocked with supplies for activities that are bought specifically for Rainy Days. We
try to buy things that the campers wouldn’t see on a typical day so it is different and interesting.
Our big book of Rainy Day ideas were compiled from Pinterest and other sites which include
songs, activities, coloring pages (not my favorite but the kids occasionally love doing!), and active games. Our counselors will take a quick look through on Rainy Day mornings to pick out a
few activities to have in their back pocket, in addition to their rainy day box and schedule!
RAINY DAY BOXES II
Each year, I encourage my Site Directors to come up with a week’s worth of rainy day plans that
the camp can rely on whenever they might need to.
Coming up with a schedule is one thing, but the best plan is to also gather any resources or
supplies that they might need for these days. If the plan includes a craft or science activity for
example and they don’t have some of the materials they need, the plan is moot.
I ask them to put everything they might need, that is not a typical thing to have on hand, in a
box and set it aside to only be used for a rainy day. With that said, some of my favorite rainy day
activities include the following
• Minute to Win It challenges (Google will provide so many game options for this)
• Camper (Family) Feud
• Build forts out of cardboard boxes
• Bake; cupcakes, rice krispie treats, etc.
• Get crafty; there are limitless possibilities of good camp crafts
• I will also allow each camp to watch ONE movie each summer. Usually I encourage
them to save it for a rainy day and later in the summer. It can be a good back-up but I
refuse to let staff rely on this one!
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THE WEATHER
As long as it is safe, I like to get the kids out in the rain to show them that a little water won’t
hurt them. I read this poem to the kids and then we head out for an exploration hike. Things
always look different in the rain.
THE WEATHER
By Fred Winslow Rust
Why complain about the weather?
Would we change it if we could?
Knowing both the rain and sunshine
Do to someone, somewhere some good?
Since we have no power to change it
And we know we wish in vain
While we much prefer the sunshine
Let’s enjoy the clouds and rain.
EPIC DINING HALL DECORATING CONTEST
• Get your campers on two teams - Red vs. Blue (or whatever color you choose).
• Allow them to go and find as many items that are blue or red in approx. 5-10 minutes.
• Provide them with paint/ banner paper/ tape/ streamers/ and other decorating supplies.
• Let them all be creative.
• Ask them to create cheers/songs re: their color/ team.
• Try to say “yes” to as many of their requests as you possibly can...allow their vision to
come to life!
• Your dining hall will look awesome, especially if the rain continues over a meal time,
and kids are typically engaged due to the level of creativity and the freedom they get
to experience.
CABIN DECORATING CONTEST
We keep our cabins pretty tidy and there is typically just decor here and there to give it a homey
feel. Every couple of years, if we are having a rainy season, we pull out the cabin decorating contest. I have no idea how the cabins become decorated in such imaginative ways, but it’s amazing.
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• Groups are given 1-2 hours to decorate.
• Each cabin comes up with a theme and makes a list for the counselor of last minute
supplies they need (the campers typically miraculously find a way to use whatever
they possess). The counselor does their best to retrieve whatever they need, typically
arts and crafts supplies.
• We ring the bell to note the end of the decorating.
• Cabins take turns viewing the other cabins in a round robin fashion, so everyone gets
a glimpse.
We have had cabins turned into “bubble baths” where campers decorate just in white sheets,
translucent balloons, bathrobes, swim suits and bath toys. It actually looks like a bath!
Or the club, where the campers dress in all neon, have a bouncer at the door, a VIP room, flashing lights, music, disco ball, etc. disco ball. . . Who comes to camp prepared with a disco ball?!
We’ve seen haunted houses, doll houses, a woodsmen’s retreat equipped with a mounted moose,
the campers are so imaginative, anything can happen.
STORYTELLING CARDS
I enjoy storytelling games, which lend themselves well
to those days when weather forces you to take cover.
One of my favorite resources is Tell Tale cards by Blue
Orange Games. Each card shows a different picture
which can be lined up to create a story. You could have
them create individual stories and take turns telling
them to the group, or have the kids work cooperatively
to build a group story. If you want to go further, you
can then act the story out to get the kids up and moving.
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA BINGO
Bingo is a fun game and achieves a lot of different goals. It always provides a lot of laughs and
is a great bonding experience no matter what the age – we even do this as a counselor night activity!
All players go back to the bunks and get dressed up as old people (because Bingo is a favorite
of the older generations, right? Well, this version will prove that everyone will have a blast with
Bingo). You can use M&M’s or sunflower seeds or some other yummy snack as the bingo markers.
The basic premise of Bingo is simple: players start with a blank grid. Each round can be about
different theme. For example; one round can require the players to fill in their boxes, with their
bunkmates names. Another round can require the boxes to be filled in with counselor names,
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sports teams, places in camp, favorite camp meals, best Color War break outs, etc. Players cover
up the spaces as they hear the corresponding names being called by the Bingo caller. Whatever
theme you give, the Caller will also have to right down those theme ideas on small pieces of
paper to be pulled out of a hat and used for calling out during the game.
In between games of Bingo, you can have a mini fashion show and give awards for best costumes, most original ideas, creepiest interpretations of a Grandma and Grandpa, etc. Be sure to
ask all players to remain in character throughout the game, EVEN when they have to call out
Bingo. Be sure to serve snack (soft foods like apple sauce) and offer plenty of bathroom breaks.
Also it is a good idea to ask contestants to tell jokes or to come up and speak about their grandchildren.
Winners make a complete line on the Bingo board, going vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
Or, you can play “Black Out” which means the winner is the first person who covers all of the
spots on the card.
JR. ACHIEVEMENT
We contacted Jr. Achievement (they are located throughout the US). They provide great activities
(FREE) for ages preschool to teens on business. We had kits for exact group and they completed
themes on indoor days. Each kit has 6-8 activities so they can be done over the summer and the
kids really got into them.
As an example, the teens worked on developing and designing a teen drop-in center and the
preschool kids worked on designing a pet shop. The activities include take homes, stickers, are
all hands-on, and they even provide certificates of completion!
Definitely different for a summer camp but the staff liked having items ready to go and parents
liked how the kids were learning. Their website can be found at: https://www.juniorachievement.
org/web/ja-usa/home
PRIZE WHEEL
We purchased a Prize Wheel a few years ago that is Dry/Erase.
It’s great for entertaining large groups and we are always making up
new games. Kids love to come up and spin the wheel. Some examples of
games we do:
• We do a Deal or No Deal version where we write the name of
each group on the wheel and that is who gets to play. Then we
re-spin to see what group is going to go next.
• For a really simple game we just write numbers on the wheel
and the groups have to guess what number is going to come
up. I know it sounds crazy, but the kids get really into it and are
totally engaged for 30 to 45 minutes.
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There really are just so many silly camp things you can do with the wheel.
A FEW MORE IDEAS - BY AGE GROUPS
Juniors: 6-10 year olds
Fort making in the cabins--using sleeping bags, blankets and moving their beds around to create the coolest area
Indoor campfire--traditional songs and stories, followed by hot chocolate and if you’re lucky
you can ask the kitchen to use the ovens to make s’mores; still yummy cookie making; ask the
kitchen to keep cookie dough aside
Movie time--only rated G, we had purchased a portable screen and we’ll bring snacks in to
them
Bingo--we have boxes of bingo cards and we keep a tally of winners and let them choose some
kinds of treats or dollar store toys
Scavenger hunt--only for a basic rain storm,
Mural design--huge roll of white paper that covers their dining hall table
Intermediates: 11-12 year olds
Fort making in the cabins--they love it. Leave it up to them to create
Trivia contests over our camp radio station
Broom ball--hockey with brooms, we literally scrounge up all the brooms we can and use a soft
ball as a puck and benches placed on their sides to make a goal
Bingo as a choice activity---not everyone wants to be athletic
Movie---usually a last choice if it is a rain event lasting for days
Dodge ball/basketball--cabin tournaments held in the field house
Seniors: ages 13-15
Hibernation--their first choice is to sleep, chill in their cabin
Staff canteen--only for our 15 year olds, we will let them into the staff canteen where they can
play pool, ping pong, x-box...They feel like they are the kings of the hill.
Dodge ball---major event; for some reason dodge ball with this group is intense and very competitive
Arts and crafts---not every camper wants to play dodge ball; our arts and crafts is located right
next to their cabins, so we’ll assign staff to hang out at arts and crafts which is enclosed on
three sides, so safe and dry
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Rainy-Day - Kids 4 Kids

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