QUIET GAMES

Cards

Dot-to-Dot

Search/Find Puzzles

Reading Books or Boys' Life

Carving - Remember to have your Whittling Chip Card and practice safety!

Eyes-Shut Drawing (Artist) - Have the Scouts draw a picture of a pig, etc. while blind-folded. The resulting picture can be hilarious!

Outlines or Wiggles (Artist) - Give everyone a pencil and paper and instruct them to draw either a wavy or a zig-zag line. Then have them exchange papers and have them turn the line into a picture. You can let them use their imagination, or instruct them to draw something specific, i.e. an aardvark.

Crazy Artist (Artist) - This is a relay to draw a complete house outline with a specific number of windows and one door. Divide the boys into two teams and give each team a marker. Place two large pieces of construction paper at opposite ends of the room. At the signal, each player runs to the other end of the room and draws two lines on the paper. They return and give the marker to the next player, who adds his two lines, and so on. The first team to draw a house wins!

Five Dots (Artist) - One Scout draws five dots on a piece of paper. He hands it to another Scout who must draw a person using the five dots in these places: head, two hands, two feet.
 

FREE TIME GAMES

Marbles

"Pick-up" Games - i.e. tag, basketball, kickball (bring your own ball).

Hat Trick - Give each player the same number of playing cards (or index cards). Set a hat in the center of a circle. One at a time, each player takes turns "throwing" cards. Anyone who gets a card inside the hat gets to continue tossing. The player who gets the most cards in the hat gets to start the next round.

Bean Bag Events

1. Each player has a bean bag. One player tosses his bag about 6-8 feet away. The other players, in turn, try to toss their bag closest to first player's bag without touching it. The player who is closest gets to toss first for the next round.
2. Draw a line on the floor. All players stand behind another line a certain number of feet away. Each player tosses his bag toward the opposite line. Whoever gets his bag over the line AND closest to the line wins.
3. Place a large pot or pail in the center of a 6 foot circumference circle. Each player stands just outside the circle and tries to toss his bag into the pot!

Lean 'Em - Divide a deck of cards evenly among the players. They must take turns tossing the cards against the base of a wall. The objective is to get that card to lean upright, not fall flat. Do it and you win all the cards that have been tossed. If you miss, your card becomes part of the "pot" and it's the next player's turn. You can get more specific: don't let the player look at the card before tossing it; only hearts or diamonds that lean on the wall count.

Toss Game -Using heavy duty paper plates at least 5" in diameter, cut out the center to form a 1" wide ring (don't cut through the ring). The players can decorate their rings (write their name on each). Place a candle upright in a candlestick holder or make some equivalent. The players take turns trying to "ring" the candlestick!

Shootout - Each player needs a (decorated) tin can that is unique from all the others and six small rocks. Place the cans on a fence rail or curb and move the boys back 10 feet from the cans. At the signal, each boy tries to knock down everyone else's can before his own is knocked down. Once their own can is knocked down, they have been "shot" and cannot make anymore throws. After a few rounds, separate them into teams and let the teams try to knock each other off.

          GROUP GAMES

Lighthouse - One of the players is the lighthouse, parked at one end of the hall. Half the players are rocks and are spaced around the floor, with a gap between each of them. The rest of the players are ships that have to make their way, blindfolded, through the rocks to the lighthouse. On "GO," the lighthouse goes "Woo Woo" to guide the ships. The rocks go "Swish Swish," very gently to warn the approaching ships of danger, and the ships are supposed to sail between the rocks to the lighthouse. If a ship hits a rock, it sinks and stays where it is. When all the ships have either sunk or reached the lighthouse, the players switch roles and play again.

Crossed, Uncrossed - Everyone sits in a circle on the floor. The leaders hands a pair of scissors to the person on his left and says "Crossed" or "Uncrossed". The leader should make a point of showing whether the scissors are being passed to the next person closed or open, but shouldn't say anything. Each person passes the scissors to the next person, announcing "Crossed" or "Uncrossed", and the leader either confirms it or corrects the player. (NOTE: The trick is not identifying if the scissors is open or closed, but whether the passer's legs are crossed or uncrossed.)

Alphabet Bingo - Each player gets a sheet of paper on which he draws a grid - making six squares. He selects six different letters of the alphabet and writes one in each of the six boxes on his sheet. The "caller" pulls letter out of the hat, one at a time. If the called letter is on a player's sheet, the player Xs it out. When all the letters on a player's sheet are Xed off, he calls BINGO! But to officially win, the player must create a sentence with words that begin with each of the letters - in sequence. For instance: RBAEPC might turn into "Red brontosauruses always eat pink cereal!"

Fitness Circle Game - Have all the Scouts get in a circle, facing the same direction. The players should be careful to avoid contact with others. Then give various instructions such as:

1. Start walking in a circle and keep walking between these exercises.
2. Start hopping.
3. Make yourself as small as possible.
4. Make yourself as tall as possible and keep walking. Reach your hands over your head.
5. Bend your knees slightly, grasp your ankles, and continue walking.
6. Walk as if the heel of one foot and the toes of the other foot were sore.
7. Walk stiff-legged.
8. Squat down and jump forward from that position without bumping into others.
9. Walk on hands and one foot with the other foot held high, like a lame dog (if space allows).
10. Walk forward at a rapid pace (don't run) while swinging arms vigorously.
11. Take giant steps at a regular pace.
12. Walk forward, raising your knees as high as possible with each step.
13. Jog, lifting your knees high.
14. Walk on both hands and feet.
15. Stop, stand up, and walk backwards.
16. Stop!

Telephone - All players sit in a circle on the floor. One player whispers a message of 8-10 words to the player to his/her right. That person "passes" the message to the next player in the circle. When the message comes back to the originating player, both it and the original message are announced.

Crazy Olympics - This is a relay game where odd or difficult activities are attempted by every player of each team. Draw a starting line and a line at the opposite side of the room. Some activities might be:

1. Run to the other end, eat one cracker, then whistle/hum "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
2. Go down and back tapping a balloon and keeping it in the air. If it hits the floor, you must return to the front of the line and start again.
3. Walk down and back with a potato between your knees. If it falls, pick it up and put it back between your knees.
4. Trot backwards, flapping your arms.
5. Using a broom, sweep a paper towel tube down and back.
6. Place an empty paper cup over a straw and place the straw in your mouth. Go down and back keeping the cup on the straw and the straw in your mouth.
7. Clasp your ankles with your hands and keeping them there, go down and back.

Chain Laughter - Players lay on the floor in this manner: Player one lies down; player 2 lies down with his head on player 1's stomach; player 3 lies down with his head on player 2's stomach and so on. When everyone is situated, the first player says "Ha!" after which the second player says "Ha, ha!"; then the third player says "Ha, Ha, Ha!", etc. Eventually the "Ha Ha's" turn into genuine laughter. Try reversing the direction, or test your willpower by seeing how long everyone can maintain their positions without laughing!

Balloon Volleyball - Tie a string between two chairs to form the net. Blow up a large balloon or use a large sponge ball or a fabric balloon. Play volleyball! Encourage the kids to make up their own rules. Try to use two balloons at once and keep them both aloft!

People to People - Everyone has a partner except for the leader. The leader chants body parts for partners to touch together. For example "Head to Head" or "Elbow to Elbow." After doing a few of these the leader calls out "People to People" at which time everyone, including the leader, must find a new partner. Thus there's a new leader.

Group Juggling - Players form a circle. The leader gives each person a number. Consecutively numbered players should not be next to each other, but across the circle from each other. The players must then toss a ball starting with person #1 to person #2 to person #3, etc. The last person throws to person #1. The players must remember who is throwing to them AND who they are to throw to. As the players get used to the pattern, add a second, similar sized ball. Then add a different sized ball.

Moonball - Players form a circle. Toss a beachball or fabric balloon into the circle and have the players see how long the group can keep the ball up in the air (counting the hits). If the ball hits the ground, they must start over counting. Increase the incentive by forming two teams to compete without interfering with the other group. Ask them how they can improve.

Blind Height Alignment - Blindfold each member of the group, then instruct them to align themselves according to height. The players may NOT talk to each other, and blindfolds must remain in place throughout this activity!

Blind Square - Put a blindfold on each player, then place a rope that is tied in a large circle, in each person's hands. Players must them form the rope into the shape of a square. All players must have at least one hand on the rope at all times. When they believe the square has been formed, let them remove their blindfolds.

Sideline Basketball - Mark sidelines with tape or cones to make the court narrower than usual. Two teams line up on opposite sidelines. Each team sends half of their players on the court at a time. After every basket both teams change all their players from court to sideline.

• No dribbling is allowed
• Players on the court may not throw to each other
• Players on the court may throw only to their teammates on the sideline
• Players on the sideline may not throw to each other
• Players on the sideline may throw only to their teammates on the court

Alien Baseball - This game, played with a kickball, works best with large teams. The rules:

• Set up a field similar to a small baseball diamond
• One team is "up" (offense); the other is outfield (defense)
• A player from the "up" team kicks the ball and proceeds to run the bases
• If a player in the field catches the ball in the air, the kicker is "out"
• After 3 "outs," teams change from offense to defense and vice-versa
• If a player on the field stops a ball on the ground, he has to "freeze"
• All the other fielders then line up behind the "frozen" player
• The ball is passed under the legs of all players in line
• When the last player gets the ball, he runs to the front of the line and yells STOP!
• Meanwhile the batter runs around the bases continually until STOP is yelled
• The number of complete laps that is made is how many runs are scored

Farmyard Frolics - Each player is handed a slip of paper bearing the name of a domestic animal or bird. On the signal to start, each begins acting the part of that animal without making any sounds, while looking for other players who are the same animal. When three or more have been collected, they can make the animal sound. The first herd, covey, or flock in full chorus is the winner.

Fish and Net - Have 3 to 5 players join hands to form the "net." They try to catch "fish" by surrounding individual players. The "net" players must keep hands held while moving. Set boundaries in which the "fish" must contain themselves. As a "fish" is caught, it becomes part of the "net." The last 3 to 5 players caught, make up the "net" to start the next round.

Smile Tag - Players form two equal lines facing each other about 3' apart. One line is "Heads" and the other is "Tails." The leader tosses a coin and calls out the side that is turned up. If it is Heads, the Heads laugh and smile while the Tails must remain solemn. The Heads try to make the Tails smile or laugh. Those Tails who "fall" must join the Heads' line. The coin is tossed again, and play resumes. Continue for a few minutes as time permits.