Native American Games for Scouts

Learning about and respecting other cultures is a part of Scouting. Scouts learn about the First Americans by playing some Native American games. They might be surprised by the similarities to some games they play all of the time. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Hubbub

Hubbub is a traditional Native American dice 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

Picaria

Picaria is a Native American board game which is somewhat like tic-tac-toe or checkers. You can play it by drawing the lines for the play area on the ground or you can print out a template for the board.

Pahsahëman

Pahsahëman is a Native American field game which is somewhat similar to football. This game originates from the Lenape of the American Northeast.

Before discussing Native American traditions or imitating them, think about how your words and actions reflect on the culture and be knowledgeable about how they might be interpreted.