OUTDOOR GAMES
Chain Tag
In this tag game the first man tagged joins hands with the man who is "it,"
and later as each man is tagged he is added to the chain. Soon only a few remain who are
not caught and the awkward efforts of the unwieldy "chain" to capture these
causes much amusement.
Lion Hunting
This camp game is described in Baden-Powell's Scout
Games. In actual practice the use of
tennis balls is rather expensive, and I have found that bean bags do very well in this
game. Made up in bright colors they are hard to lose in the woods.
Duck on a Rock
See Dan Beard's rules for this camp game
and Ernest Seton's Rat on the Lodge.
This game is listed
as a reminder to Scoutmasters. In one summer camp the leader found that the boys
were liable to become careless in throwing the stones and some were hurt. He finally
hit on the plan of using tin cans, the sort that are opened by prying off the top. All
sharp edges were removed, and because of the convenience In standing them on end they,
served very well.
Scout Meets Scout
This is one of B-P's best Scouting
Games. Two groups are sent some
distance apart and proceed to work toward each other, the side which first sees the other
being the winner.
Nature Study
While on a hike the Scoutmaster announces that he will give points for the
identification of trees, flowers, birds, ferns and animals. The number given will be
decided by the Scoutmaster and will depend upon how difficult he considers the
identification to be. The season will also govern this. For instance, a tree
is harder to identify without the leaves, and a flower out of season might be difficult to
place. At the end of a certain time, say 15 minutes, the Scout with the most points wins.
This game will show up the ones that don't know how to use their eyes.
Quoits
No camp of any permanence can afford to be without this game. Old horseshoes make a
good substitute for the regulation quoits.
Scouts and Indians
Two lines are drawn about 10 yards apart, the space back of one being the stockade and
the space back of the other being the Indian village. The neutral space between the
two is dangerous to both, but of course each is "safe" in his own territory.
Each party makes raids into the neutral territory and captures members of the other
team, bringing them bodily into their headquarters. At the end of 5 minutes the team
that has captured the most of the other's men wins. A captured man is out of the
game.
Running the Blockade
This is another Indian camp game, and should be played where there is plenty of good cover,
and yet not too thick undergrowth for moving rapidly. Two good Scouts have to
deliver an imaginary message to the Scoutmaster, and all the rest of the troop act as the
Indians and do all they can to prevent either Scout coming through.
The "Scouts" take up a position several hundred yards away and do not start
until the Scoutmaster blows a whistle. The Indians spread out in a long line about
half way between the "Scouts" and the Scoutmaster, and may not come any nearer
the Scoutmaster, but start for the Scouts if they wish when the whistle is blown. To
win, the Indians must catch and hold both Scouts. "Scouts" are
appointed-each time, or may be those who do most to capture the previous
"Scouts." With two Scoutmasters on the ground real messages may be
transmitted.
Cross Country Signal Race
This is a patrol contest, and may be elaborated ad. lib. There should be two
cross country runners, a reader, sender, receiver, and writer on each team. A runner
of each team is posted with the Scoutmaster. The signal readers and senders of both
teams are posted about 1/8 of a mile, say, north of the Scoutmaster. The receiver,
writer, and runner of one team are located 1/8 of a mile to the west of the sending
station and in plain sight of it. The corresponding Scouts of the other team take up
a corresponding position, to the east.
The Scoutmaster gives the same written message to each runner, and these run to the
readers of their team. The message is read, sent, received. and written down, turned
over to the other runner and brought back to the Scoutmaster, thus making a sort of
triangular journey. More runners, or even another signal team may be added If
desired.
Hunt the Scout
The Scout Handbook mentions briefly this excellent camp game. One Scout is given 5
minutes to hide himself in a certain clearly defined territory. The Scout who finds
him is to hide next time, unless the hider cannot be found, in which case he hides again.
Knights
A good game for soft turf, but dangerous on hard ground. Each knight mounts
another Scout pick-a-back and all try to unseat the other knights by pulling and pushing.
The one maintaining his position the longest is the winner of the Tournament.
Poison (Outdoors)
Instead of using Indian Clubs as described under "Indoor Games" take a stick
about three feet high and sharpen one end. Stick this into the ground very lightly
so that the least touch will send it over. To prevent accidents the stick should be
too long to jump over. This camp game is played just the same as poison.
Indoor Games
Line Games
Circle
Games
Games of Tag
Informal
Games
Games of Strength
Stunts
(aka Skits)
Ripley's
Games For Boy Scouts
Many More Games for Boy Scouts
Even More Outdoor Activities & Pastimes
