Games are a great way to have fun with your troop and to create silly and wonderful memories. Below are a few games from around the world. Scouts can see what games kids play in different countries. There are of course many other games you can play with your troop, but here are a few to get started.
A couple websites that have other games are:
Boyscout Trail - Group Games (former Scoutorama)
Scouting Resources UK - Games
Games from Africa
---This first one is from Zambia and it is called Banyoka which means "the snakes."
How to Play:
1. Choose a play area that is a bit of an obstacle course, with bushes and large rocks. For younger players, it's probably best to have the starting point be atop a hill. You can create an obstacle course using toys, pillows, boxes, and cartons.
2. The players divide into two groups, each group havng at least six players.
3. Each group becomes a "Snake" by the players sitting one behind the other on the ground, legs spread and hands placed on the shoulders of the player in front, or arms wrapped around the waist.
4. Each snake moves forward by the players swaying their bodies back and forth. The snake can sing a song.
5. The object of the snake is to reach a designated finish line first. But the real fun of the game is to maneuver around bushes, rocks, and/ or other objects, to "slither" around and over them while remaining connected to each other.
6. The game can also be played with one snake. The competitive aspect is gone, replaced by a follow-the-leader quality. The "head" of the snake decides the direction, turning one way then another and choosing which obstacles to go across or around. If the line is long enough, it's fun for players to deal with a new obstacle or change of direction while players farther behind are still coping with the previous one.
---This game is from Ghana. It is called Da Ga. Da Ga means "boa constrictor".
How to Play:
1. Make an area about 10 feet square on the ground. This is called the " Home of the Snake".
2. Choose one player to stand inside the "Home of the Snake." All the other players should surround this person.
3. The first player reaches out and tries to touch any of the players. If touched, that player joins the player on the inside. The two hold hands and and then reach out (using only the free hand) to try and touch the other players.
4. The remaining players must stay close to the outside of the home of the snake. While they are on the outside, they can sing, dance, or skip to avoid the players in the circle.
5. The last player left begins to form a new snake in the next game.
Games from Asia
---This game is from Israel, and is a variation of Jacks. It is called Hamesh Avanim which means "Five Stones."
How to Play:
1. Toss the five stones on the ground.
2. Select one stone for tossing.
3. Toss the stone in the air, pick up one stone with your other hand and catch the tossed stone on the back of your hand. Continue until you have picked up all stones.
4. Repeat steps 1 - 3 only this time pick up two stones at a time. Repeat this picking up 3 and then 4 stones at one time.
---This game is from Laos and is called the Marble Game.
Equipment:
Marbles
How to Play:
1. Dig a hole in the ground, then draw a line about ten feet away.
2. Players attempt to throw their marble into the hole.
3. If your marble gets into the hole, you become a tiger.
4. A tiger has the advantage of being able to get people out if their marble touches another one.
Games from Europe
---This game is from England and is called Kim's game. You have probably heard of it before.
Equipment:
• At least 10 small things.
• A scarf or piece of cloth.
How to Play:
1. Put 10 things on a table. Be sure you can cover all the items with the cloth.
2. Show the players the objects under the cloth for 10 seconds then over them.
3. Ask the player what is on the table see if they can remember all 10 things. You can also take 1 thing away when the player isn't looking and see if they can identify what you took.
---This game is from France and it is called Escargot which means "snail." It is another version of Hopscotch. The Hopscotch looks like a snails shell and is a spiral.
Equipment: Chalk - to make the hopscotch. (No puck is used for this version of the hopscotch game.)
How to Play
1. Decide which is your hopping foot and who goes first. Whichever foot you choose is the foot you will hop on both to go to the center and to go back out.
2. Hop through the snail to the center. Start with square 1.
3. Hop only once in each square. Do not hop on any lines or you will lose your turn. You may rest when you reach the center.
4. Turn and hop back to the beginning. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for a second time.
5. If you have hopped in and out successfully you may choose a square as your "house". Put your initials in the square. You can use this space to rest and other players must skip over the square.
6. The game is over when it becomes impossible for anyone to hop to the center. The player with the most squares at the end is the winner.
A couple websites that have other games are:
Boyscout Trail - Group Games (former Scoutorama)
Scouting Resources UK - Games
Games from Africa
---This first one is from Zambia and it is called Banyoka which means "the snakes."
How to Play:
1. Choose a play area that is a bit of an obstacle course, with bushes and large rocks. For younger players, it's probably best to have the starting point be atop a hill. You can create an obstacle course using toys, pillows, boxes, and cartons.
2. The players divide into two groups, each group havng at least six players.
3. Each group becomes a "Snake" by the players sitting one behind the other on the ground, legs spread and hands placed on the shoulders of the player in front, or arms wrapped around the waist.
4. Each snake moves forward by the players swaying their bodies back and forth. The snake can sing a song.
5. The object of the snake is to reach a designated finish line first. But the real fun of the game is to maneuver around bushes, rocks, and/ or other objects, to "slither" around and over them while remaining connected to each other.
6. The game can also be played with one snake. The competitive aspect is gone, replaced by a follow-the-leader quality. The "head" of the snake decides the direction, turning one way then another and choosing which obstacles to go across or around. If the line is long enough, it's fun for players to deal with a new obstacle or change of direction while players farther behind are still coping with the previous one.
---This game is from Ghana. It is called Da Ga. Da Ga means "boa constrictor".
How to Play:
1. Make an area about 10 feet square on the ground. This is called the " Home of the Snake".
2. Choose one player to stand inside the "Home of the Snake." All the other players should surround this person.
3. The first player reaches out and tries to touch any of the players. If touched, that player joins the player on the inside. The two hold hands and and then reach out (using only the free hand) to try and touch the other players.
4. The remaining players must stay close to the outside of the home of the snake. While they are on the outside, they can sing, dance, or skip to avoid the players in the circle.
5. The last player left begins to form a new snake in the next game.
Games from Asia
---This game is from Israel, and is a variation of Jacks. It is called Hamesh Avanim which means "Five Stones."
How to Play:
1. Toss the five stones on the ground.
2. Select one stone for tossing.
3. Toss the stone in the air, pick up one stone with your other hand and catch the tossed stone on the back of your hand. Continue until you have picked up all stones.
4. Repeat steps 1 - 3 only this time pick up two stones at a time. Repeat this picking up 3 and then 4 stones at one time.
---This game is from Laos and is called the Marble Game.
Equipment:
Marbles
How to Play:
1. Dig a hole in the ground, then draw a line about ten feet away.
2. Players attempt to throw their marble into the hole.
3. If your marble gets into the hole, you become a tiger.
4. A tiger has the advantage of being able to get people out if their marble touches another one.
Games from Europe
---This game is from England and is called Kim's game. You have probably heard of it before.
Equipment:
• At least 10 small things.
• A scarf or piece of cloth.
How to Play:
1. Put 10 things on a table. Be sure you can cover all the items with the cloth.
2. Show the players the objects under the cloth for 10 seconds then over them.
3. Ask the player what is on the table see if they can remember all 10 things. You can also take 1 thing away when the player isn't looking and see if they can identify what you took.
---This game is from France and it is called Escargot which means "snail." It is another version of Hopscotch. The Hopscotch looks like a snails shell and is a spiral.
Equipment: Chalk - to make the hopscotch. (No puck is used for this version of the hopscotch game.)
How to Play
1. Decide which is your hopping foot and who goes first. Whichever foot you choose is the foot you will hop on both to go to the center and to go back out.
2. Hop through the snail to the center. Start with square 1.
3. Hop only once in each square. Do not hop on any lines or you will lose your turn. You may rest when you reach the center.
4. Turn and hop back to the beginning. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for a second time.
5. If you have hopped in and out successfully you may choose a square as your "house". Put your initials in the square. You can use this space to rest and other players must skip over the square.
6. The game is over when it becomes impossible for anyone to hop to the center. The player with the most squares at the end is the winner.