Misc. Games

Required: Open play area
Players: Small to large groups

Divide players into two teams. One team will all hold hands in a line, side by side at one end of the play area. The other team will do the same at the other end facing the other team. One team will call someone over from the other team by saying, “Red Rover, Red Rover let _________ come over”.

The ____ is for that person’s name. That person will come over to the other team and try to break thru two hands that are connected. They cannot use their hands or lay across the connection to break it. If they cannot break the connection they join that team but if they break the connection, they take one of the players involved back to their team. To make it fair you can limit how many times someone can be called, limit how often they can go through certain individuals or everyone gets a turn and no repeats on calling over the same person.

Required: Rice, 1” or smaller safety pins, bowl and timer
Players: Small to large groups

Pour one box of rice into a bowl, add one package of 1” safety pins and mix well. Each player is to try to find the safety pins with their fingers without looking. They are allowed 30 – 60 seconds to do this. The person with the most safety pins is the winner.

Required: Pumpkin and several hula-hoops
Players: Small to large groups

Try this game for any type of harvest type gathering. Place pumpkins about 8-10 feet away from players and give them several hula-hoops to throw. If the hoop goes around the pumpkin they receive a point or some type of small reward.

Players: Small to large groups

This game is like Hide and Seek with a twist. You pick one person to hide and the rest of the players look for the hider. As the seekers find the hider, they are to squeeze into hiding place with hider. This is done until the last seeker finds the hiding place. The last person is the new hider.

Required: Container, 2-3 pkgs. of Skittle candies, score sheet, paper and pencil
Players: Small to large groups

Find a deep, clean, non see through container to pour in several bags of skittles. Make a point chart on paper or blackboard for the different colored Skittles. An example is purple 5pts, green 10pts, yellow 20pts, orange 25pts, and red 30pts. Divide into teams and have one person at a time from each team, draw out a Skittle. The team is awarded the points for the color that is pulled out. The drawer gets to eat the Skittle. The first team to reach 500pts is the winner.

Required: Sleds, snow, sledding hill, snowballs and buckets
Players: Small to large groups

On your favorite sledding hill set up buckets right side up, on the path down the course. Each player will take two snowballs per trip down. For each bucket they hit they receive one point, if it lands in bucket they receive two points. You can even use other ideas for targets.

Required: Small stone and safe stairs
Players: Small groups

Play this game on a safe set of stairs, for little ones have them sit on steps instead of standing. Have all players stand at the top of the stairs and one person should be the stone teacher. The stone teacher will hide their hands behind their back to decide in which hand they will hide the stone. They will bring hands forward with closed fists and have the first players choose which hand to stone is in. If they’re correct they will move down one step, if incorrect they will stay at that step. The teacher will again hide hands behind back and then have next player choose a hand. The first person to the bottom step is the winner and the new stone teacher. Great game for a class waiting for a bus on a field trip, at home, or recess.
Submitted Sharon Hunt, Allendale MI (Thanks MOM)

Required: Beans
Players: Small to medium groups This is a very old game from the colonial days

Each player will be given 5 beans and the leader will have a supply aswell. The leader will take one of the beans and fold his fingers over the bean. The other players will try to guess which finger the bean is under. If the players guess correctly which finger the bean is under they will each receive a bean but if they guess incorrectly they will each have to give a bean to the leader. When a player has no beans left he is out of the game. The player with the most beans at the end of the game is the winner.

Required: Nothing
Players: Small to large groups

Have children stand scattered throughout their classroom or play area. The leader will point out to the participants the location of the four compass directions- north, south, east and west. Have them all repeat and in a pointing motion show the directions of north, south, east and west, to be sure that everyone understands the positions. When a direction is called the players are to jump in place making the necessary turn in the air to face the called out direction. This is done by a quarter, half or three-quarter turn. You should make sure that all players rotate in the same direction. If the direction is called that the players are at already, you can do one of two things. Your rule could be that they still have to jump and still land in the same direction or that they’re not to jump at all. If their not suppose to jump at all, those that moved would be out of the game. Anyone that lands in the wrong direction is out of the game.

Required: Container, paper and pencil
Players: Small groups

Make up draw cards with points assigned. The points system could be as follows, fifteen – 5pts, fifteen – 10pts, ten – 20pts, five – 25pts, five – 50pts and three – Zonks. This will give you a total of 53 point cards. Place folded draw cards into a non see through container. Divide into teams and have one person at a time, from each team, draw out a card. The team will receive points for what is written on draw card. If they draw a Zonk they will loose all their points and have to start over. You can allow a person to draw more than one card if they choose. The first team to reach 500pts is the winner. You can also play for higher points and every 500pts the team gets to keep. Each 500pts can be added to a running total.

Remember – The object is for everyone to have fun. The moderator is the all-powerful dictator. You may at any time change the rules or boundaries or handicap players to help balance out the wide spectrum of abilities. We want the tentative athlete and the superjock to play together at the best of their abilities.

Have Fun! ?

Now here are some colorful ideas to liven up play time.
If you have a fun game that is entertaining and healthy for kids of ANY age, you can send it to us for consideration and addition to our Games and Activities Guide.
Join our mailing list to receive our periodic newsletter and be kept up to date on new games, ideas and activities.