Tag Archives | Games

Games promote team building, cooperation, and friendly competition. Active games also promote the BSA aim of personal fitness.

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Faith and Our Ancestors Game  The Faith and Our Ancestors Game is an icebreaker activity with a genealogy twist. Players ask each other questions about how they think their ancestors lived.

State Capitals Bingo Cards  In this picture bingo game, the cards have images of the states with the capitals on them. As each state name is called, players must try to find the capital on their card and mark it.

Halloween Craft, Snack, and Game Ideas  Craft, game, and snack ideas for your Halloween party or meeting. While some work best for younger kids, others are also appropriate for the older Scouts.

Sleeping Pirate Game  This month I am featuring the Cultural Awareness Troop Program Feature for Boy Scouts. The meeting plan for week two suggests playing Sleeping Pirate as a opening activity while the Scouts are gathering. This works well for this purpose since it doesn't require much equipment and additional Scouts can join in as they arrive.

My Story Mystery Game  The My Story Mystery Game is a great way to get to know some "history" about a group of individuals. It makes a great icebreaker. It can also serve as an introduction to a discussion about oral history and storytelling.

Shoot The Gap Game  This game is suggested as an interpatrol activity for one of the meeting plans in the Public Service troop program feature. This game would also work as a team building game or ice breaker, since the participants must know the names of the other players. So I think this could also be worked into a Crew program.

Crossing the Alligator Pit Game  This is a very challenging game which combines lashing skills and teamwork. It would work well for an interpatrol activity at a meeting focused on pioneering skills.

Bobbing for Worms Halloween Party Game  Looking for a last minute Halloween game idea? Here is a really easy which is fun for the players and spectators alike. And it is good for all ages. Our Crew played this at their costume party last year.

Halloween Bingo Cards  If you are looking for a fun gathering activity for a den meeting or pack meeting around Halloween time, try these Halloween Picture Bingo Cards.

Making a Plaster Print Mold  Plaster of Paris is messy, which means Scouts will enjoy it. You can use this versatile medium to make plaster molds and casts. This technique can be used to make shoe prints or tire track casts for Requirement 1 of Bear Achievement 7 – Law Enforcement Is a Big Job.

Soccer Drill - Soccer Croquet  This month I am featuring a soccer theme for Cub Scouts. A soccer drill can make a fun gathering activity or an end of the meeting game for a soccer themed meeting. This drill emphasizes teamwork, dribbling skills, and passing accuracy.

Soccer Marbles  If you are having a soccer or sports themed meeting, a soccer drill can be a fun way to burn of some energy. Soccer marbles is a three person soccer drill. It is simple enough for young Scouts.

Soccer Tennis  When my den meetings were immediately after school, I often did a physical activity during the gathering time. The Scouts needed to run around and burn off a little energy before they were ready to concentrate on the den activities.

Spud Game  Here is a game which works well for a group of 8 to 10 Scouts. This goes with my Classic Outdoor Games theme for this month. I'm sure many of us played this as children. Playing games helps Cub Scouts run off energy. learn to cooperate, and understand sportsmanship.

Rules for Ringer (A Marbles Game)  One of the requirements for the Marbles Belt Loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program is to explain the rules of Ringer and play a game. When you think of kids playing marbles, you are probably picturing Ringer in your mind - a circle on the ground and kids shooting at the marbles within.

Steal the Bacon  Here is another game for a large group of Scouts. This is fun for all age levels - from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Venturers. Your older Scouts might try to employ some strategy when playing this game.

Tell It Like It Isn’t Game  Every now and then people will contact me with a question about how I did this requirement or that. One question I have received a few times is "What are the rules for Tell It Like It Isn't for Tiger Achievement 4?" The instructions can be found in the Tiger handbook, but I think sometimes as den leaders we look at something and think it must be more complicated. Tell It Like It Isn't is the game most of us know as Telephone. Yes, it really is that simple.

Capture the Flag  Capture the Flag is a great game for a large group. Our Boy Scout troop plays it often as an interpatrol activity during meetings. Cub Scouts can play it also. We had a joint Pack/Troop flag retirement ceremony at a local park in the spring. When the ceremony was over, the Boy Scouts organized a game of capture the flag, putting some Cub Scouts on each team. They used most of the park as their play area. It was legendary. :-)

Kick the Can  Kick the can is a classic game which combines tag and hide and go seek. This is a great wide area game for a large group. Use it as an activity at a pack campout or to add some physical activity to a pack meeting.

Classic Outdoor Games  For this month's theme, I am focusing on classic outdoor games. These are games which would have been played by the Scout's parents or even grandparents. There are a few ideas listed on the right, and more will gradually be shown on the Classic Outdoor Games Theme page.

Sharks and Minnows  Here is a game to go with this month's aquatic theme. It can be used to fuflill requirement 2 for the Swimming belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program: "Play a recreational game in the water with your den, pack, or family." This is a simple version of the game. There are many, many variations and some groups add "house rules" as well.

Red Light Green Light  When working with Cub Scouts, remember KISMIF - Keep It Simple. Make It Fun. Sometimes we come up with elaborite or complicated plans when our young Scouts would really be just as happy with something simple. Red Light Green Light is a great example of this. It is simple and requires no preparation or materials. My Cub Scouts always enjoy these "classic" playground games.

Chicken on a Hut Game  This game makes a fun break in a meeting. It is a favorite with our Venture Crew. Because of the physical contact with the partners, when playing this game with our coed Crew, boys are partners with boys and girls are partners with girls.

Hubbub - A Native American Dice Game  This is a traditional Native American game. The scoring systems seem to vary from one reference to another, so the system below is a simplified system which scouts should be able to follow.

Light the Candle Game for Cub Scouts  This is a simple game which works in well with a holiday themed meeting. It only requires a few materials and not much preparation, which makes it ideal in my mind. And it works indoors.

Elbow Balloon Pass Game  This game is all about cooperation. Talk afterwards about what made it easier to pass the balloon and what made it harder.

Pirate Pick Up Game  Ahoy there me hearties! Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. So in honor of the occasion, I have a pirate game.

Human Knot Game  This is an icebreaker in which a group must work together to "untie" themselves from a knot. This is a cooperative rather than competitive game.

Kims Game with Items for a Home First Aid Kit  Kim’s game is a traditional Scouting game which was introduced by Sir Robert Baden-Powell. It is based on a game describe by Rudyard Kipling. This version of the game helps Scouts learn what should be in a home first aid kit.

Hail Storm Game  This game doesn’t take much space, so it can be played indoors. If you think ahead and take the materials to camp with you, you can even play it under a fly on a rainy day.

Caterpillar Race Game  Here is a fun game for Cub Scouts. They will have to work together to match their movements, so it teaches them teamwork and coordination.

Citizenship Football Game  The purpose of the game is to reinforce the ideas which are discussed in the Webelos Citizen activity badge.

Dock Your Flying Saucer Game  The idea of this game is to put the flying saucer (a Frisbee) in its space dock (a box). This is a good game for indoors or out.

Clothesline Relay Game  In this relay, the Scouts are doing the laundry. They hang out towels on a clothesline and then bring them back in.

Guide Me Game for Webelos, Boy Scouts, and Venturers  This game makes a fun break in a meeting. It is appropriate for Webelos, Boy Scouts, or Venturers. The will have to work together to accomplish their goal.

I Can Do That With One Hand Tied Behind My Back Game  The goal of this game is for two Scouts to work together to make a simple lunch. The challenge is that they each have one hand tied behind their back.

Snapper Fishing Game  This is a traditional Scout game which might date back to Baden-Powell himself. It practices Scoutcraft (lashings) as well as cooperation and problem solving.

Nitro Transport Game  This is an initiative game. Its purpose is to get a group to work together to solve a problem. This should build teamwork and cooperation in the group.

What’s In the Bag Game  What's In the Bag is a simple guessing game which can be adjusted for any meeting theme. Use it at a den meeting or a pack meeting.

First Aid Baseball Game for Boy Scouts and Webelos  First aid baseball is a fun way to review first aid skills with Boy Scouts and Webelos. There are instructions for the game and a set of question cards included in the printable file.