GAMES
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Firstly here are some noisy and lively games that help to run off some steam!
This is probably the most commonly played Guide and Brownie game of all.
Most Guiders groan when it is requested, but in so many units it is the standard opening game, because as latecomers arrive at the meeting they can be slotted in the game in pairs.
Also it helps run off steam and can be organised by the girls alone if the Guiders are busy.
Girls sit on the floor in two rows, facing each other in pairs. They sit with their legs straight out in front and with each pair with their feet touching sole to sole.
Each pair facing each other are given a name - these names can be animals, plants, shop names, pop groups, football teams - practically anything that you can make a list of.
A caller stands to one side with a pencil and paper and calls out the names at random - making sure that everyone has a run but does have to listen carefully to hear their name called out.
The pair that are called jump up and race up the "ladder" of legs (beware of hard shoes - trainers are softer on shins!) and down around the outside of their own line and back up the "ladder"(if necessary) to return to their original place.
The caller notes which one of the pair sits down first and marks that as a point for that team/row.
The game continues until everyone has had a run and as long as energy remains.
This is an old playground favourite that most Guides still forget their dignity and enjoy!
One person is "it" and tags whoever she can catch. When a girl is tagged she must stand still with her legs apart and can only be freed when someone crawls between her legs.
You may need to change the person who is "it" from time to time.
Equipment - one or two large soft footballs
Method - Half the girls make a large circle standing arms length from each other, the rest stand inside the circle. The ball must be thrown by the girls in the circle so that it hits the girls inside the circle below the knee. When a girl inside the circle is hit she is out and joins the circle in trying to get the rest out.
Tips - Try to get the throwing players to pass the ball around the circle to make surprise attack. Be careful not to overcrowd inside the circle in case the smaller girls get crushed.
Equipment - none.
Method - Everyone stands in a line and holds on to the girl in front's waist. The front player is the head, and the last one is the tail. The head must try to catch the tail who must avoid this without the dragon breaking in two. Change these two when a touch has been made.
Tips - Change the two end girls if they really can't reach each other to give others a go. This may work quite differently with two or more smaller lines all playing at once. This game is from China so can be used for Chinese New Year or an International evening.
Equipment - a whistle..
Method - Girls form a double circle with each member of the outer ring immediately behind a girl in the inner ring. Two girls are not in the ring, they are the dog and the rabbit, they start outside the ring at opposite sides. At the whistle the dog chases the rabbit round the ring until the whistle blows or the rabbit is caught. If the rabbit is caught a new pair are chosen and they start as before. If the whistle goes before the rabbit is caught, she stands behind a pair and the front girl becomes the new rabbit and the dog keeps chasing her. The whistle should be blown frequently to give everyone a chance and to stop the dog and rabbit getting too tired.
Tips - Try to evenly space the whistle blasts or you will be accused of helping or hindering some girls. HOWEVER strategic use of the whistle (if you are subtle) may help a smaller or less agile girl not to fail too badly. Some less brave rabbits will try to stay inside the ring, they should run around the outside as soon as is reasonable.
Equipment - none
Method - Line the girls up in two lines facing each other, one side being the cranes and the other the crows. When the YL calls "cranes" or "crows", all of the team called must turn and run to the wall behind them, hotly persued by the other team. If a girl is tagged she joins the other team. This is kept up until one side has everyone in it. When "crab" is called no one moves, if they do they must go to join the opposing team. This helps keep the suspense going as they must wait to see exactly what you are going to call.
Tips - Don't let this get to rough, make sure only tagging is allowed not grabbing. If there is a danger of girls smashing into a wall maybe two chalk lines would do better as goals.
Equipment - three blindfolds
Method - divide the girls up into three groups, and take one girl out of each group. These three girls are the farmers and must be blindfolded. Each farmer is looking for a different type of lost animal, the only way she can find them is by the noise they make. Tell each of the three groups that they are a particular animal - chickens, cows, sheep, pigs etc., and let them practice their noise so the farmer knows what she is listening for. Then mix everyone up and put the farmers among them, and everyone must keep making their noise so the farmer can find her animals. When she finds someone they stop their noise and join on behind her in a line holding on to her waist. This keeps going until all the animals are found.
Tips - if the girls are very young you may like to make a "no moving" rule so that no farmer gets knocked over. It gets easier after a few have been caught as they steer the farmer so this game can start again several times - so that the noise doesn't drive you distracted, change the animals each time. Insect noises can sometimes be a bit quieter!
Equipment - whistle
Method - Line the girls up in four straight lines, each girl holds hands across from left to right. Two girls are chosen, on as the cat and one as the mouse, and they chase each other up and down the lines. When the whistle blows, the girls standing in the lines turn at right angles and form new lines going down, by holding hands with the girls in the new line. Each time the whistle blows the lines change in this way. When the cat has caught the mouse a new pair are chosen.
Tips - Pick well matched opponents as cat and mouse. The game can be made more complicated by the YL shouting "change" to turn the cat into the mouse and vice versa.
Equipment - two posts, chairs or jumpers to run around
Method - line the girls up in teams of about six.
The first girl runs off and runs round her chair ( about 7 yards away). When she gets back to her team she turns her back on the next girl, bends over and takes her hand through her legs. They both run round the chair, come back and the second girl takes the hand of the next girl in the same fashion and all three run off again. This continues until the whole team are linked by their hands through the legs of the girl in front of her. First team back in one piece wins.
Tips - put the bounciest and fittest in the front part of the team as they will do the most running. Also size differences will make this more chaotic.
Quiet games
Equipment - none
Method - Sit the girls down in a circle and take one girl out. She is the detective and must go out of the room or hide her eyes while the YL gets all the girls to close their eyes as she walks round the ring and silently taps three girls on the shoulder. These are the murderers and no one must know who they are to start with. The detective comes back and stands in the ring. Everyone must watch each other carefully as the murderers must wink at other girls to murder them, without the detective seeing her wink. Any non-murderer who is winked at must die and lie down dead. The detective has three guesses to work out who is doing the winking, That girl is the next detective.
Tips- The odds and difficulty can be changed by having only one or two murderers.You can use this as a chance to involve new or shy girls into some of the action. If you want a really quiet time then girls must die quietly, but part of the fun is with the blood curdling screams that accompany each dramatic death. This game can seriously alarm passing parents or visitors.
Equipment - a container or object for a honey pot, and some kind of blindfold.
Method - Sit the girls down in a circle with one blindfolded sitting in the middle with the honey pot in front of her. She is the bear and you pick out another girl to try to get up very quietly and tiptoe round the circle and break in to steal the honey pot before the bear points to her accurately. The bear must make clear pointing signals to where she thinks the other girl is and not sweep her arm round to take in a big area. The rest of the girls can contribute by saying "no Mr Bear" and "yes Mr Bear". When the girl is caught she becomes the bear, if she wins the honey pot she goes back to her place.
For older girls use the same format but put a whistle by the blindfolded girl, the object is then to creep in and blow the whistle (not in the poor girls ear though). In this version leave out the "Mr Bear " bits.
Tips - decide at the start whether they keep their shoes on or not, for better stalking. You can use this to involve shy girls or to really challenge noisy ones. Be aware though that some children really hate being blindfolded - so be careful if the girls are very young.
Equipment - nine chairs or sitters arranged in three rows of three, some way of marking the girls as two teams (hats on or off, neckers on their heads, coats on backwards etc.)
Method - Toss to see which team starts then play as normal noughts and crosses but leave each individual to decide where to sit. This can be used as a quiz if each team lines up and answers in turn, a right answer means they can sit in a place of their choice. Girls in the seats may not answer any more to help their team. If you are doing a badge together this can be a more fun way of getting them to learn things as it feels more like a game than a test.
Equipment - none
Method - Sit the girls down in a circle with one in the middle. Pick another girl to be "pussy". She then pretends to be a cat and crawls over to the girl in the middle who must stroke her on the head, looking at her in the face, and saying "poor pussy" three times WITHOUT LAUGHING. If the girl in the middle manages not to laugh another cat is chosen. If the cat succeeds in raising a laugh she becomes the next person in the middle.
Tips - Most girls will find it impossible not to laugh, make sure no one is being left out by not picking obvious friends to interact. If someone is too good at keeping a straight face however, her friends may break her resolve best.
Equipment - none
Method - Everyone spreads out around the room and then lies down on the floor. One girl has to make any of the "lions" move, laugh, or make any kind of sound WITHOUT TOUCHING THEM. Then the girl who has moved is out and she joins in and tries to wake the others up. The game then continues until everyone is awake or until the last sleeper is declared the winner.
Tips - The crucial point is that there must be NO touching otherwise trust is lost as most will fear being tickled.
Equipment - none
Method - All sit or kneel in a circle and start a sequence of slapping first the right hand on the right knee then the left hand on the left knee, then a right hand click then a left hand click. Starting with the YL who is number one, each girl has a consecutive number. Make sure they all know this number by going once round the circle clapping and saying their number in turn. Then the YL starts by saying "one" (clap, clap) "and two" (click, click). The next girl says "two" (clap, clap) " and three" (click, click) and this continues round the circle, with no one breaking rhythm. After this has been mastered it becomes randomised with each girl starting with her own number then picking another at random, the girl whose number has been called must then continue without breaking the rhythm.
Tips - this is harder than it sounds. If the girls cannot snap their fingers use a simple hand clap instead.
GAMES THAT NEED PREPARATION/EQUIPMENT.
Equipment - simple tray of odd objects and a cover for them, plus pencils and paper.
Method - Let the girls have a look at the objects for a few minutes, then cover them up and let them see how many they can remember.
Tips - The difficulty can be easily adjusted by choosing different kinds of objects. Widely differing objects are easier to remember, as are things of different colours. A tray of similarly coloured things can be much harder. An interesting exercise could be to follow the tray of "seen" things with making a collection of sounds (about 10) from behind a screen to see how easily they can remember them. Make sure no one cheats while you are behind a screen and writes anything down! This could even be followed by blindfolding girls and letting them feel the objects on a tray (selected for their textures and shapes) . This will take a lot longer unless you blindfold three or four at a time, and may be best for small groups at a time. These variations could all be linked to the theme of "using your senses".
Equipment - a large collection of old Christmas/birthday cards cut diagonally into two, and divided into two carrier bags with one half of each card in each bag.
Method - Without the girls watching too closely, spread out the half cards in various places around the hall. With the girls in sixes/patrols give them one half card each to go off to find the matching half and bring it back to their corner. As they find their card they can be given another to find. Set a time limit and the most complete pairs collected at the end wins.
Tips - Obviously the more cards the merrier and the more you scatter them around the longer it will take. You can make it harder by choosing very similar cards. To make it more difficult for older girls try giving them several cards at the beginning placed on the floor which they must not take with them when they look for the other half. They can then only pick up one of the scattered halves at a time to try to match and return it straight away if it does not match.
Equipment - a pillow case or large drawstring bag filled with a variety of odd things and tied tightly at the top.
Method - Either group at a time or all at once let the girls feel the bag. They then return to their sixes/patrols and see how many objects they can write down;
Tips - use some easy shaped objects and some odder ones, things that make a noise (squeaky toys etc.) can cause a nice distraction. Use nothing breakable or sharp!
Equipment - a number of traditionally tied up bedding rolls., some music or a whistle.
Method - After showing how to tie a sturdy bedding roll, get each patrol to roll and tie one without your help. When this has been done get all the girls in a circle well spaced apart. They must then throw the bedding roll to each other around the ring until the music stops or a whistle blows. When they stop inspect the roll to see which ones are coming apart and disqualify them, continue throwing until you have a clear winner. On the unlikely chance that they all survive congratulate them on being perfect campers! This can also be done at camp - over a small stream !
Equipment - a tray of large beans (red kidney beans or butter beans) and a thin straw for each girl. Also a small bowl or old foil pie dish for each six/patrol.
Method - Get the girls into teams and give each team a corner and a bowl and a straw each. Put the tray of beans in the middle of the floor. When you give the signal they can all rush to the tray and start collecting beans by sucking up through the straws only. They return their beans to their corner. However it is also allowed to steal beans from another teams bowl and guarding your own bowl is not allowed. Give a clear signal when the time is up but they must " freeze" when the last signal is given to stop any last minute chaos , and return the beans they are carrying to the centre tray. Only allow sucking to carry beans, if they keep one hand holding the straw and the other hand behind their backs this is easier to control.
Tips - do make sure there is no chance of anyone inhaling a bean, that is why the straw should be thin and the beans large. Watch out for cheating and anyone blocking another who is stealing from their bowl.
Equipment - For EACH team you will need - round plain biscuits, a bowl or butter icing, cut strips of bootlace liquorice, small round sweets, small pieces of red bootlace liquorice, a butter knife for the icing , a die (one dice!) and a table or clean plastic bin liner for a tablecloth if you have to use the floor.
Method -- In teams, each equipped with the above items, at the signal each team play beetle until someone has made a complete beetle. Then everyone stops and when the beetle has been checked everyone eats their beetle as it is and you start again. The beetles are made by first throwing a six to start and building up taking strict turns each to throw the die. The six is the biscuit body which can then be smeared with icing. The eyes are five each, the mouth is a four. There are six legs which are three each, the two antennae are two each and the tail is a one.
Tips - have some drinking water on hand is this can get very sickly. Point out that is not a good idea to use too much icing as they have to eat it each time. Use whatever sweets seem appropriate to the style of your beetle - bearing in mind that many children cannot eat chocolate . Get the girls to play this on a wipe clean surface and wash their hands before and after.
Can be used for various themes. If you have to avoid sugar you could make it savoury, use cream cheese as a sticking agent and slices of olives, cheese cubes, tomato bits, twiglets and cheesy nibbles as the "features". A good party game all round.
Equipment - 1 large bar of chocolate (unwrapped and on a plate), a wooly hat, a scarf, a pair of gloves, a knife and fork and a die
Method - Girls sit round in a circle and take turns to try to throw a six. When a six is thrown that girl has until the next girl throws a six to put on the hat, scarf and gloves and eat as much of the cocolate as she can -but only by using the knife and fork.
Meanwhile the die continues to go round the circle as all the others frantically try to get a six. When the next six is thrown the first girl stops, takes off the hat etc and passes them quickly to the girl who has just got the next six.
The pace of this gets frantic - girls will go mad at the thought of missing out on chocolate. So its a good idea to have a spare bar to share out at the end to all the unlucky ones.
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