Bucket Brigade

OBJECT - Fill the bucket.

GAME TYPE - Racing game, passing game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. You should have at least five people in a line, and if you have enough players, you can have several lines going at once.

WHAT YOU NEED - A bucket full of water, an empty bucket, and a lot of plastic cups.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Line the players up. At one end of the line, place the full bucket. At the other, place the empty bucket.
2. On the word "GO", the player next to the full bucket fills a plastic cup and passes it to the next player. The cup makes its way down the line to the other end, where the last player dumps it in the bucket.
3. The first player keeps passing full cups down the line, one after the other, until the bucket at the other end is either full, or full to a predesignated level.
4. If you only have one line, try to record the fastest time. If more than one, have a race.

This can make the floor pretty wet, especially if the cups are full when passed. Be careful

THIS WORKS ON - Eye-hand coordination (passing the cup, receiving the cup, not spilling), teamwork (passing quickly without spilling)

Bottle Ball

OBJECT - Knock down the bottles!

GAME TYPE - Two team game, dodge game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Two. You should have at least three per side, but no more than eight.

WHAT YOU NEED - Twelve to twenty 2-liter plastic soda bottles, some empty, some filled with water. You'll also need two or three playground balls and a marked off space for the playing area.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Divide the group into two teams. The two teams go to opposite sides of a playing area, separated by a line.
2. Set up the plastic bottles at the back of the playing area, with space between them.
3. Place the three playground balls at the center. All players line up in front of their plastic bottles.
4. On the word "GO", players race to try and get the balls. No player may cross the center line.
5. The object of the game is to knock down all of the other team's bottles. The full ones should be harder to knock down than the empty ones.
6. This game also adds elements of dodge ball, in that if you hit another player with your throw (unless the ball touches the ground first), they are out. However, as soon as a bottle gets knocked over, all out players on the team whose bottle went down may reenter the game.
7. If a player catches a throw, they may return one player from their own team to the game. Nothing happens to the thrower.
8. If a ball goes out of bounds, one of the players from the team on the side where it went out of bounds may retrieve it. They may not throw the ball until they have come back in bounds.
9. Once all the bottles of one team have been knocked down, the game is over.

For a variation, give one point for each empty bottle knocked over, three for each full bottle knocked over, and set a time limit.

THIS WORKS ON - Athletic ability (throwing, running), competition (playing against another team), eye-hand coordination (aiming at targets), teamwork (playing as a team).

Balloon Sweep

OBJECT - Be the first to sweep your balloon over the finish line.

GAME TYPE - Racing game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. You need at least two to play this one, more to make it a relay.

WHAT YOU NEED - Several blown up balloons (in case one pops), and two brooms (or more, depending on how many teams/racers you have).

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Divide the players into teams.
2. Give the first runner on each team a broom and place a balloon on the floor.
3. On the word "GO", players sweep the balloon towards the turn-around point, which can be a line, a chair, a wall, whatever.
4. At that point, they turn around and head back to the start.
5. When they cross the start line, they give the broom to the next player who now sweeps the balloon toward the turn around.
6. The winners are the first ones to have everyone cross the finish line.

The balloons will go all over the place, so definitely have more ready in case one pops. Also, you can have every player race individually rather than in teams, keeping track of the fastest time.

THIS WORKS ON - Eye-hand coordination (using the broom to sweep the balloon), competition (racing)

Paper Football Tournament

OBJECT - Win the paper football tournament!

GAME TYPE - Individual game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Groups Two and Three. You need two people for a game, and more for a tournament.

WHAT YOU NEED - A table and a paper football for each game. Find instructions on how to make a paper football here.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. You can set up the tournament in a couple of different ways. You can do a single elimination tournament, bracket style like the NCAA tournament. You could also have all players play everyone else and keep track of wins and losses, with the top two players meeting for the championship at the end. You can also come up with your own format.
2. To play paper football, seat two players across from each other at a table. There shouldn't be too much space between them.
3. Have players flick the football to the other end of the table. The goal is to get part of the football hanging over the edge of the table. You can check this by running your finger across the edge of the table. If the football moves, it's a goal.
4. If the football goes over the edge and falls to the floor, it doesn't count.
5. If the football does not score a goal, the opposing player must flick it from the place it stopped. The only way a player may move the football is if the football goes over the edge.
6. Whoever scores five points first is the winner.

Play as many games as you want, but try to keep it competitive and fun.

THIS WORKS ON - Fine motor (flicking the football), eye-hand coordination (aiming, trying to get the shot just right), competition (trying to score more goals than the other player)

Around The World

OBJECT - Score all the shots first!

GAME TYPE - Individual game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Groups Two and Three. You need at least two for this game, and probably no more than 8.

WHAT YOU NEED - A basketball, a basketball court (or half-court), and some means of marking spots (chalk, tape, carpet squares).

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Mark ten spots around the basketball court, with shots increasing in difficulty. For example, spot #1 might be right by the basket (lay up) while shot #10 is behind the basket.
2. On their turn, each player will start at spot #1 and try to work their way up to spot #10.
3. If a player makes a shot, they move ahead and shoot again.
4. If a player misses a shot, their turn is over and the next player tries.
5. Each player starts their turn from the last place they missed.
6. The first person to make all ten shots is the winner.

Know your group's abilities, and don't make the shots impossible, but do make them challenging. If your group can barely get the ball to the hoop from the free throw line, don't make them shoot from midcourt.

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (trying to make all the baskets before anyone else), athletic ability (basketball skills), eye-hand coordination (making shots).

Grid Game

OBJECT - Collect the most grid boxes.

GAME TYPE - Individual game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. You need at least three people, and up to ten.

WHAT YOU NEED - Sidewalk chalk and an area outside. In drawing the grid, make five rows and five columns of boxes for 25 total. If there are more than five playing, add another column for each player. Also, you'll need one beanbag for each player.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Draw the grid (as described above).
2. Each player takes turn throwing one beanbag at the grid.
3. If a beanbag lands in an unoccupied box (a box that has not already been claimed), the player that threw it may claim the box. They can sign their initials, or color it in with a unique color, or draw a picture, or whatever tehy want to do to claim it.
4. If the beanbag lands in a box that has already been claimed, they can have one more chance to try and get a free box. If they don't, they pass their turn.
5. Keep playing until all boxes are claimed. The player who claimed the most boxes is the winner.

Due to the set-up, this is not a game that repeats easily. Either plan on this being the only thing in your session, or have another game ready for after this one ends.

THIS WORKS ON - Eye-hand coordination (aiming a beanbag and throwing), competition (trying to earn the most boxes), writing (signing your box).

Spam

OBJECT - Get the other team out using paper ammo.

GAME TYPE - Dodge game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You should have a good number of players for this, preferably at least five per side.

WHAT YOU NEED - A large space to play in, and lots of old magazines or newspapers.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Divide up into two teams.
2. Teams take sides of a playing area. In the middle of the playing area, there is a neutral zone that holds a table and the magazines and newspapers.
3. On the word "GO", both teams have exactly one minute to go to the table and make as many paper balls as they can. Rip out magazine pages, tear up newspaper, whatever they have to do. Crumple the paper up to make your team's ammunition.
4. At the end of the minute, everyone must leave the neutral zone and not return.
5. When the minute is up, players may start firing ammunition at their opponents.
6. If a paper ball hits a player, that player is out. They must sit out of the game until the next round.
7. Players may use any ammunition that is on their side of the playing area. If the ammunition falls into the neutral zone around the table, it is out of play because no one may enter the neutral zone after that first minute.
8. The team that gets the other team completely out is the winner.
9. For the next game, they may make more ammunition, or you can jsut use what was already made.

This is better than dodge ball, especially for Group Three, since they can throw the paper balls as hard as they want and not hurt anyone. This game makes a mess, so make sure everyone cleans up afterwards.

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (trying to get the other team out), eye-hand coordination (aiming and throwing to hit a target).

Pyramid

OBJECT - Don't knock the pyramid over!

GAME TYPE - Elimination games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. You can have about two to six players for this game. If you have more, it gets a little long.

WHAT YOU NEED - Plastic, paper or styrofoam cups, probably about ten to twenty for each player. Also, a table or other flat surface to play on.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Pass out cups to each player. Each player sits around the playing surface. Play goes to the left.
2. The first player puts a cup, upside down, on the table.
3. The next player puts a cup right next to the first cup.
4. The next player puts a cup on top of the first two cups, making a two level pyramid.
5. The next player adds another cup to the bottom row.
6. The next player adds a cup to the second row, so it balances on two cups.
7. The next player puts a cup at the top, making a three level pyramid.
8. Keep adding in this manner, building up the pyramid until it topples over.
9. Whoever added the cup that knocked down the pyramid is out.
10. Pick up the cups, and start over with the remaining players.
11. When it gets down to two players, the one who doesn't knock over the pyramid is the winner.

Players should be very careful not to jostle the table or playing surface at all, otherwise the pyramid will come tumbling down prematurely.

THIS WORKS ON - Eye-hand coordination (being able to balance cups on top of other cups), Desxterity (being able to move around the existing pyramid so as not to knock it over), competition (trying not to be the one to knock down the pyramid)

Brooklyn Bridge

OBJECT - Get a ball through the legs of your opponents.

GAME TYPE - Two team games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. The group should have an even number of people. However, if there's an odd number, an adult can join one of the teams to make it even.

WHAT YOU NEED - A playground ball and a big space.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. The players divide into two teams. It doesn't matter how the teams are chosen.
2. Each team lines up with their feet approximately shoulder width apart. Also, their feet must be touching the feet of the player or players next to them.
3. One team takes a ball and attempts to roll it through the legs of the other team.
4. The team defending may try to block the ball, but they may not use their hands or move their feet, only their legs.
5. If the ball rolls through, the rolling team gets a point.
6. The defenders are now the rollers. Make sure everyone gets a chance to roll and defend.
7. The winning team is the one with the most points after a certain time limit.

As the game goes on, you may want to add more balls to the mix to make things interesting.

THIS WORKS ON - Eye hand coordination (aiming, rolling), strategy (figuring out where to roll the ball and how to block it), competition (trying to score points off the other team).

SPUD

OBJECT - Get everyone else to spell out SPUD by hitting them with the ball.

GAME TYPE - Dodge games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Two or Group Three. There should be at least three players for this game.

WHAT YOU NEED - A soft playground ball and plenty of space to run.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Gather all players in a circle and assign one player to be IT.
2. IT throws the ball as high as they can in the air, and all other players take off running.
3. IT catches the thrown ball and yells "FREEZE!" The running players must stop exactly where they are and not move.
4. IT must then try to hit one of the runners with the ball. IT may take up to three giant steps in their direction, then throw. The runner may not dodge.
5. If IT succeeds in hitting a runner, the runner gets a letter. The runner becomes the new IT.
6. If IT misses the runner, IT gets a letter. Choose a new IT in any way you like.
7. Everytime a runner gets hit, or IT misses, they get a letter. The first time, it's S. The second, P. The third, U. The fourth, D. If a player gets to D, they are out of the game.

Make sure no one is trying to hurt each other with their throws. Also, be very strict about the three step rule.

THIS WORKS ON - Eye-hand coordination (aiming the ball), following directions (three step rule, freeze), competition (trying to get other players out, being a good sport).

Seated Volleyball

OBJECT - Don't let the ball touch the ground!

GAME TYPE - One team games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group One. You need at least six people to make the game work well.

WHAT YOU NEED - Either a beach ball or a balloon, and chairs

HOW TO PLAY:

1. All players sit in chairs in a circle.
2. One player hits the beach ball or balloon up in the air.
3. Another player hits the ball when it comes down.
4. Repeat this as long as possible. Don't let the ball touch the ground!
5. No player may hit the ball twice in a row.
6. No player may leave their seat to hit the ball.
7. No spikes are allowed (hitting the ball very hard).
8. Score one point for the team every time the ball is hit successfully. If the ball hits the ground, start the scoring over.
9. Try to get the highest score possible!

You can also play a more individual version, where players get points if they hit the ball and someone else can hit it before it touches the ground.

THIS WORKS ON - Teamwork (working together to achieve the highest score possible), eye-hand coordination (being able to see the ball and hit it so others can hit it), following directions (being able to follow the rules), attending (paying attention to when the ball comes to you).