Tug of War is a fun game which can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. Have a little tug of war tournament with your Scouts to encourage fitness, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.
The rules for traditional tug of war are
- Get a long piece of rope.
- Mark the center of the rope with some red tape or string.
- Make a white mark 13 feet from the center mark on each side of the rope. Once again, duct tape or string works well.
- Divide into two teams with a maximum of 8 people on each team. There may be a weight limit for each team.
- Mark a center line on the field of play. Arrange the rope with the red center mark over the center line for the start of play.
- The team members line up behind the white mark on their side.
- The referee gives the command “Pick up the rope”. At this point, the team members pick up the rope.
- Next the referee says “Take the string”. The teams hold the rope taut so the red mark on the rope is over the center line.
- Finally the referee says “Pull”. Each team pulls.
- The first team to pull the opposing side’s white mark over the center line wins.
- If a player on a team falls down, the team is given a caution.
- Elbows must stay above knee level while pulling. A referee may call a caution for this also.
- The rope must be pulled underarm.
- A team may receive two cautions. If a player has a violation after two cautions, then the team is disqualified.
- Best of three matches are typical.
