Four Team Volleyball

OBJECT - Win a game of volleyball against three other teams.

GAME TYPE - Four team game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You need at least three players per team.

WHAT YOU NEED - Two movable volleyball nets, an extra pole or two, and a volleyball.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Set up the court. Put a pole in the middle. Set up the nets so the middle is tied to the pole, and the ends make a ninety degree angle to each other, creating four equal quadrants. Alternately, you can have two poles in the middle and wrap the nets behind them.
2. Each team goes to a quadrant.
3. The serving team must serve the ball into the quadrant that is directly across diagonally. After that, the ball can go anywhere.
4. After the serve, each team has three tries to get the ball over the net. One player cannot hit the ball twice in a row.
5. If the ball hits the ground, or if a player commits a foul such as hitting the ball twice in a row, their team gets a point.
6. If the ball goes out of bounds, the team that hit it out of bounds gets a point.
7. The serving team keeps serving until they get a point, at which point the next team to the left serves. Alternately, you can set a five serve limit before they must pass.
8. Players rotate the serve whenever it is their team's turn to serve.
9. Once a team reaches 15 points, the game is over. The team with the lowest point total is the winner.

This game requires a lot of focus becauser the ball could be coming from anywhere. Players will learn how to fake each other out, so make sure everyone is paying attention.

THIS WORKS ON - Athletic ability (volleyball skills), competition (playing against three other teams), observational skills (paying attention to the ball), teamwork (playing as a team)

Table Baseball

OBJECT - Score the most runs.

GAME TYPE - Two team game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. There should be at least three people per team, but as in real baseball, no more than nine per team.

WHAT YOU NEED - A ping pong ball, a scorecard, and a marked square table. The markings are described below.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. First, set up the table. At the center of one side, mark a home base. From there, mark diagonal foul lines to one third the distance of the sides. These are your foul lines. At the other end of the table, draw three lines parallel to the end. The area closest to home plate is a single, the next area is a double, and the third area is a triple. There should be some room between the foul lines and the single line.
2. Place the ping pong ball on home base.
3. One player from the batting team kneels so his mouth is right behind the ball. This is the batter.
4. Three players from the other team make up the outfield, and kneel on the opposite side of the table.
5. When ready, the "batter" blows the ball. He may only blow it once. He is trying to blow it over the edge where the "outfielders" are.
6. The outfielders also blow the ball. Their object is to blow it off the edge of the table before it scores either a run or a hit.
7. If the ball goes off the edge of the table in foul territory, the batter may try again. However, they only get three total chances. If it fouls on the third try, they're out.
8. If the ball goes off the edge of the table between the foul line and the single line, they batter is out.
9. If the ball goes off the edge of the table in the single zone, the batter goes to first base (mark this on your scorecard). If a double, they go to second base. If a triple, they go to third base. If it goes off the edge of the table where the outfielders are, it's a home run.
10. Keep track of which base each batter is on. They may only advance on force moves. If a batter is on second with no one on first, and the next batter gets a single, the batter on second does not move. If a batter is on second with no one on first, and the next batter hits a double, the batter on second may only move to third. Of course, a home run scores everyone.
11. Each team gets three outs or five runs per inning. This means that if a team gets their three outs before getting five runs, the next team is up. If the team gets five runs before it gets three outs, the next team is up.
12. Keep playing for a predetermined number of innings. The winner is the team with the most runs scored.

Be sure to rotate players - have a lineup, or order, for the batters, and if you have more than three players per team, make sure everyone gets a chance to be in the outfield.

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (playing a baseball game), oral motor (blowing the ball), strategy (knowing where you should aim the ball for the batter and outfielders).

Red Handed

OBJECT - Find the object.

GAME TYPE - Observation game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You should have enough people to make it hard for IT.

WHAT YOU NEED - Some sort of small object, such as a beanbag or a marble.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Have everyone stand in a circle.
2. Choose one person to be IT.
3. IT must close his eyes and count to ten slowly.
4. While IT is counting to ten, the people in the circle start passing around the chosen object behind their backs.
5. When IT reaches ten, he can look and try to figure out where the object is.
6. The members of the circle must keep[ passing the object, but to make it confusing, they are allowed to fake it (pretend to pass when they don't have it).
7. IT may make three guesses. If they get it correct in those three guesses, they win. If they can't figure out where the object is, the group wins.

This is not a competitive game in that no points are awarded, but the group does need to work together in order to keep IT from finding the object.

THIS WORKS ON - Strategy (distracting IT from the proper location), observational skills (looking to figure out where the object is), teamwork (working together to defeat IT)

Greedy

OBJECT - Make the most baskets.

GAME TYPE - Elimination game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You should have no more than ten people playing this game at once.

WHAT YOU NEED - A basketball hoop and enough basketballs so each player can have one. The basketballs should be unique enough that players can tell them apart. This can be a marking on the ball, or an entirely different style of ball. You should also have a scorecard.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Have each player line up outside the three point line, and give each a basketball.
2. On the word "GO", every player shoots their basketballs to try to make a basket.
3. When a player misses, they must get the rebopund (and make sure it is their ball), and shoot from where they got the rebound. They may not move closer to the basket. If a ball goes out of bounds, the player may bring the ball back in bounds before shooting again.
4. Once a player makes a shot, they yell "POINT" and run back to the three point line to start shooting again.
5. Keep track of the points. When a player scores five baskets, they can stop and move off the court.
6. The last player shooting (who doesn't make five points) is eleiminated.
7. Players start again from behiond the three point line. In the next round, you only need four points. The next round, and all rounds after that, need only three points.
8. Players can use their basketballs to block other shots, throwing their balls in the air to knock another one off its flight path. The danger in this, however, is that you have to shoot from where your ball goes, which will probably be somewhere in the wrong direction.
9. Keep eleiminating until one player is left standing. This player wins.

This game can get pretty chaotic, so make sure everyone knows exactly which ball is theirs.

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (trying to score the most baskets while everyone else is shooting), athletic ability (basketball skills)

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)

Spoons

OBJECT - Make four of a kind, and don't be the last one to grab a spoon.

GAME TYPE - Elimination game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. This should ideally be played with a group of no more than seven or eight.

WHAT YOU NEED - A full deck of playing cards and one spoon for each player, minus one.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Have all players sit in a circle with spoons in the middle. There should be enough spoons in the middle so every player except one can grab a spoon.
2. Have one player shuffle and deal the cards (help if you need to). Four cards get dealt to each player. All extra cards are placed in front of the dealer.
3. The object is to make four of a kind in your hand. This means you want to have all four 3s or all four Kings, etc.
4. On the word "GO", the dealer takes a card from the extra card deck. The dealer must then discard one card and pass it to the player on his/her left. While the next player decides if he/she wants to use that card, the dealer draws another one.
5. Play continues like this, with each player discarding and passing. You may only have four cards in your hand at a time, and you may only pick up one card at a time.
6. When the last player discards, instead of passing the card to the dealer, they make a discard pile. Should you run out of cards without someone getting four of a kind, the dealer may shuffle those cards and use them as a new deck.
7. When someone makes four of a kind in their hand, they must grab a spoon. However, they want to do this in such a way that no one else notices.
8. If anyone notices that a spoon has been taken, they can grab a spoon as well, even if they don't have four of a kind in their hand.
9. Whoever does not get a spoon in the round is out.
10. Remove a spoon and play again.
11. Keep playing until only one remains. They are the winner.

Sneakiness is encouraged when grabbing a spoon. When someone does notice, it usually turns chaotic quickly.

THIS WORKS ON - Observational skills (knowing when someone takes a spoon), matching (making four of a kind), competition (playing a game with peers)

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).

Pig

OBJECT - Score 101 points before anyone else.

GAME TYPE - Individual game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. This game is ideally played with 2-6 players.

WHAT YOU NEED - Two dice and a scorepad.

HOW YOU PLAY:

1. Decide who goes first by rolling the dice. High roll wins.
2. The first player rolls the dice and adds up the total. They may keep rolling until they bust, or roll a one, or until they choose to stop.
3. If, on any roll, one of the dice is a one, that player's turn is over and they collect no points for the turn, but may keep all points accumulated in previous turns.
4. If a player rolls double ones, their turn is over, and they lose all points accumulated in the game to that point. This is a bust.
5. If a player rolls doubles (not ones), they must roll again. They have no choice. If they roll doubles three times in a row, they lose all points accumulated to that point. This is also a bust.
6. If a player chooses to stop before busting or rolling a one, they may keep any points accumulated in that turn and add them to their total.
7. The first player to score 101 points or more is the winner. However, if any player scores exactly 100, they bust and lose all points accumulated in the game.

Confused? Here's a sample:

• Player A rolls 3-6. He chooses to keep rolling. He rolls a 2-3. He chooses to stop with 14 points.
• Player B rolls 4-4. He must roll again. He rolls a 6-6. He must roll again. He rolls 2-3. He chooses to stop with 25 points.
• Player C rolls 5-6. She rolls again. She rolls 1-3. She ends her turn with zero.
• Player D rolls 3-4. She chooses to stop with 7 points.
• Player A rolls 1-1. He loses the 14 points he earned on his first turn and now has zero.
• Player B rolls 2-2. He must roll again. He rolls 5-5. He must roll again. He rolls 3-3. He busts and loses the 25 points from the first turn, and now has zero.
• Player C keeps rolling for several turns, amazingly not rolling a single one. However, at 95 points, she rolls 2-3 bringing her total to 100. She loses all her points and is back to zero.
• Player D rolls a 6-6 and must roll again. She rolls 5-6 and chooses to stop with 23 points in this round added to her 7 from the previous round for 30 total.

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (rolling for higher points than your peers), strategy (knowing when to quit rolling), math (adding numbers).

Hungry Hippos

OBJECT - Feed the hippos!

GAME TYPE - Four team game.

WHO'S IT FOUR - Group Two and Group Three. You need at least four players to play, but probably no more than 12.

WHAT YOU NEED - Four boxes or laundry baskets, several playground balls, and a fairly large area.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Divide the players into four teams. There should be one to three players on each team.
2. Assign each team to one goal. This is a hippo, and this is where they will try to score.
3. Everyone must try to score a goal in their own hippo while trying to block goals in other hippos. It may be helpful for teams to divide themselves into offense and defense.
4. If there are only four players, the playing area will be much smaller than if there are twelve.
5. If a ball is kicked into a hippo, that hippo's team scores one point. The ball goes back into play.
6. Players may only kick the ball.
7. At the end of a set time limit, whichever team has the most points wins.

All four teams must cooperate to prevent other teams from scoring while trying to score themselves. This can make the game pretty chaotic, so watch for frustration.

THIS WORKS ON - Competition (trying to score goals against other teams), eye-foot coordination (trying to aim kicks), interteam cooperation (working with other teams to try and defend).

Paper Airplane Race

OBJECT - Build the best paper airplane and win the race.

GAME TYPE - Racing game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You need at least two people to make it a race, but you can have as many as you want.

WHAT YOU NEED - Paper for the airplanes, and a number of different designs to experiment with.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Step One is the making of the paper airplanes. Each player can make several, using different designs if they want.
2. Next comes the testing of the airplanes. They can throw them around, checking to see if they work properly.
3. Now is the time for the race. Players pick their best paper airplane.
4. On the word "GO", players throw their airplanes as far as they'll go towards the finish line.
5. If the airplanes fall short, players must pick them up from where they landed and try again.
6. The first airplane to cross the finish line is the winner. If two airplanes cross at the same time, the one that went the farthest was the winner.
7. Try again with a different plane if you want.

Some players may need extra help making the airplanes. Be willing to give it.

THIS WORKS ON - Sequencing (following steps to make a paper airplane), competition (it's a race), artistic ability (being creative with designs)

Human Foosball

OBJECT - Protect the goal, but don't stray from your line.

GAME TYPE - Two team game.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. This is a big game, and you need at least seven players per side, plus two ball chasers.

WHAT YOU NEED - A big space (such as a basketball court), sidewalk chalk, a kickable ball, and two goals.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. First, make the court. Draw three or four lines on each side of the court and set up a goal at either end.
2. After dividing the players into teams, set them on their lines. As in regular foosball, they should alternate. There should be a line of Team A in front of their goals, then a line of Team B facing them. Then Team A, Team B, Team A, and Team B in front of the goal they are protecting. Players can decide how many people they want on each line, but once the decision is made, that's it.
3. The big rule of this game is that no one may leave their line. They can move on the line wherever they want, but they may not go around another team member as that would involve leaving the line.
4. Start the ball in the middle. The team can kick it to their teammates or to the goal.
5. If the ball goes in the goal, the kicking team earns a point, and the other team gets the ball.
6. Players may use any part of their body to block, but may only pass with their feet.
7. If the ball gets stuck between the lines, the ball chasers (who otherwise stay off the court) may tip the ball in either direction. It will probably be a good idea to assign them to teams, and whoever gets there first can tip it.
8. Also, the ball chasers are responsible for getting any balls that go out of bounds. The ball chasers, however, may not try to score.
9. The winning team is the one with the most points at the end.

Have fun, but be very strict about the no leaving the lines rule. You can make the lines wide for a little more mobility, but they must stay there.

THIS WORKS ON - Athletic ability (kicking the ball and blocking), following directions (staying on the lines), competition (trying to score points against each other), teamwork (passing to each other).

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).

Human Knot

OBJECT - Create a human knot and untangle yourselves.

GAME TYPE - One team games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You need at least five people to make this work, but the more people you have, the more complicated and fun it becomes.

WHAT YOU NEED - A sense of humor. Otherwise, this can be really frustrating.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. All players stand in a circle.
2. Everyone reaches into the circle with their right hand and grabs someone else's hand.
3. Everyone reaches into the circle with their left hand and grabs someone else's hand, taking care not to grab a hand belonging to the person they're holding with their right hand.
4. The goal of this game is, without letting go of hands, to untangle the human knot into a full circle with no twists. Some people may be facing backwards, and that's OK.
5. There is a possibility that the knot will turn out to be two separate circles. That's OK too, as long as both get untangled successfully.

There are no winners or losers in this game. Everyone is working together to a common goal. Therefore, encourage everyone to come up with strategies, suggestions, and work together.

THIS WORKS ON - Teamwork (working together to untangle the knot), strategy (figuring out the best moves to get the knot untangled), dexterity (being able to move through all spaces).

Dragon's Jewels

OBJECT - Steal the dragon's jewels!

GAME TYPE - Tag games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Two or Group Three. You should have at least five people to play this game.

WHAT YOU NEED - About ten to twenty small objects to double as jewels. I like to use beanbags, but you can use just about anything.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Choose one player to be the dragon.
2. Place the dragon's jewels in the center of the floor.
3. The dragon must protect the jewels, but may not touch them. The dragon can stand over them, crouch, and protect them in anyway, but no touching.
4. All other players try to steal the jewels. They can work together, trying to distract the dragon while others steal jewels.
5. If the dragon tags a player, that player is out of the game.
6. If the player gets away from the dragon with jewels and without being tagged, the jewels are successfully stolen.
7. If the player steals jewels, but gets tagged in the getaway, the jewels go back to the nest.
8. The round is over when either all jewels have been stolen, or all players have been tagged.
9. Everyone should get a chance to be the dragon. The winner will be the dragon who has successfully defended the most treasure.

Since the jewels do not belong to an individual, but rather to the whole team, be sure to stress team cooperation. The team can't steal much treasure unless they work together.

THIS WORKS ON - Teamwork (working together to steal jewels), strategy (figuring out the best way to stymie the dragon).

Paranoid

OBJECT - Protect your flag!

GAME TYPE - Elimination games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. There should be at least three people playing at a time, but it's more fun with more.

WHAT YOU NEED - Some type of flag for each player, and each player should have two. Flags should be loosely attached at the belt line so it can be easily pulled off. Also, you should have a boundaried area to play in, not too big, but big enough so people can move around. A circle is preferable.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Attach flags to player's waists. They should be easy to pull off. Each player gets two flags.
2. This is an everyone for themselves game, so players will be trying to capture other people's flags while protecting their own.
3. Once both a player's flags have been taken, they are out and must leave the area immediately.
4. Players may not stray out of the boundaries you have established. If a player does go outside the area, they are penalized one flag.

The game is called Paranoid because you're trying to keep everyone in your sight to keep your own flag safe. Players will find it difficult to keep their eyes everywhere at once. You may want to play smaller games with at least three people before working up to an all out game with everyone.

THIS WORKS ON - Strategy (trying to outthink your opponents), competition (trying to be the last one standing).

Team Rock-Paper-Scissors

OBJECT - Get all players on one team by playing Rock-Paper-Scissors.

GAME TYPE - Two team games.

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You should have at least six people to play this game, but more is preferable.

WHAT YOU NEED - A large space with home bases for each team.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Divide the group into two teams.
2. Each team decides among themselves whether to throw rock (closed fist), paper (open palm), or scissors (two fingers extended).
3. Once decided the teams come together in the center of the area.
4. On the count of three, both teams throw the sign they decided on. Everyone on a team must throw the same sign.
5. A winner is determined. Rock breaks scissors, scissors cut paper, paper covers rock.
6. If there is a tie (i.e. both teams throw paper), the teams go off and decide on a new sign.
7. If there is a winner (i.e. one team throws rock and the other throws paper), the losing team must run back to their home base. The winning team must try to tag the members of the other team before they get away.
8. Anyone who gets tagged before reaching home base switches teams.
9. The process is repeated until everyone is on the same team, at which point the game is over.

Make sure everyone understands exactly when they're supposed to throw their sign. Decide beforehand whether to do it right on three, or to count 1-2-3, then throw the sign.

WHAT IT WORKS ON - Strategy (to try to decide what the other team will throw), teamwork (doing the exact same thing as the rest of your team at the same time), competition (no real winner declared, so it's just fun)

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).

Catch the Leader

OBJECT - For IT, discover the leader from the group. For everyone else, keep that from happening.

GAME TYPE - Observation game

WHO'S IT FOR - Group Three. You should have at least six people to play this game, but the more the merrier.

WHAT YOU NEED - One chair per person (except for IT), or everyone can just sit on the floor.

HOW TO PLAY:

1. All players sit in a circle.
2. One person is chosen as IT and leaves the room.
3. Once IT is gone, another player is chosen to be the leader.
4. The leader begins a simple, repetitive movement that can be easily imitated by all other players. This could be clapping hands, nodding head, tapping feet, etc.
5. Once the movement has started, IT returns to the room.
6. IT must try to figure out who the leader is.
7. The leader must change the movement every once in a while. If you want, you can set a thirty second time limit before the leader MUST change the movement. Otherwise, the leader will never change, and IT has no chance.
8. All other players must imitate whatever the leader is doing, which means they have to pay attention to the leader. However, they can't give the leader away, so they shouldn't look directly at the leader.
9. IT has three guesses to catch the leader. If IT is successful, the leader becomes the new IT. If IT is unsuccessful, you can make him/her go again, or you can choose a new IT.

It is very important that the group protect the leader. They must pay close attention so the movement changes can be imitated immediately.

THIS GAME WORKS ON - Teamwork (group working together to fool IT), competition (everyone against IT), attending (paying attention to when the movements change), imitation (imitating what the movement is), logic (IT must work out who the leader is).