CHAPTER TEN

GAMES
Games play an important part in the Girl Scout program. They help campers learn to cooperate
pleasantly and readily with others. Games help campers develop self-control and good
sportsmanship. They contribute to physical, mental and emotional fitness. They can make the
practice of other skills more interesting to the group. Most importantly, games are fun.

Pointers for Fair Play

● Have a clear cut starting point and starting signal.

● Have a definite finish line, goal and/or signal.
● Explain the rules clearly to everyone before the game and do not change them after the
game has begun.
● All players need to keep the purpose of the game in mind. “It’s good to win and not so
good to lose, but more important than winning or losing is the fun of the game itself.”

Tag
● Players (two or more) decide who is going to be "it", often using a counting-out game
such as eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
● The player selected to be "it" then chases the others, attempting to "tag" one of them (by
touching them with a hand) as the others try to avoid being tagged.
● A tag makes the tagged player "it".
● In some variations, the previous "it" is no longer "it" and the game can continue
indefinitely, while in others, both players remain "it" and the game ends when all players
have become "it".
Variations
● Elimination game, so that tagged players drop out of play.
● "no tag-backs", "no catch-backs", "no returns", "can't tag your master" or "can't get the
butcher back"
● Kangaroo tag - hop around instead of running
● Marco, Polo - with eyes closed “it” calls out Marco with others replaying back Polo.

Torri Tag
● Two players form an arch (Torri) leaving enough room for the other players to pass
between them
● The remaining players for a single lin holding hands with the player in front and behind
them
● The line circles around the Torri once then passes slowly under it
● When the last player walks under the Torri the line drops hands and scatters
● The 2 Torri players drop hands and act as taggers
● If you are tagged you are out
● The last 2 players tagged become the new Torri

Korean Twirl
● Have players stand about 8 feet apart.
● Players hold their right ear with the left hand and the left ear with the right hand
● Everyone twirls clockwise
● If you fall down or let go of your ear, stop and sit
● The last one spinning wins
Rule the Roost
● You will need a card with a color written on it for each camper
● Have the campers stand in a circle facing each other
● Tape a card on their back
● By moving anyway they can, players try to see the color on another player’s back
without their color being spotted
● If your color is spotted you must sit down
● The last player standing wins

Guess Who
● Have everyone write down 2 goals, interesting facts about them, etc. Do not let anyone
see them.
● Collect all of the goal cards
● Shuffle them and pass them out
● Have each player read their new card out to the group
● After a card is read out loud have people guess who's card it is
● If nobody guessed after 3 tries ask for the owner of the card to reveal their identity

Bag Skits
● Throw several different objects into paper bags
● Divide the girls into groups
● Give the girls 5 minutes to come up with a skit using everything in the bag
● Have groups present their skits

Red Light Green Light

● Create a start and finish line
● Players (two or more) decide who is going to be "it", often using a counting-out game
such as eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
● The player selected to be "it" stands in the middle of the field
● Players line up on the start line
● Whenever “green light” is called, players can move forward. However when “red light is
call out they must stop immediately
● If any of the players are caught moving after this they are out
● The last person standing becomes the new “it”

Variations
● The player that is “it” stands with his back to the other only turning around when “red
light” is called to check for people moving
● The player that is “it” can stay facing the others at all times
● The player that is “it” can call “green light” or “red light” twice in a row in order to trick
players not paying attention to the words
 ● Introduce new colored lights. For example run on green, hop on yellow, walk heel to toe
on purple
● For the hearing impaired try having the caller turn their backs toward the group of a red
light and face the group for a green light

Killer
● Campers sit in a circle
● One camper leaves the circle. They are the detective.
● The other campers close their eyes and the leader walks around and taps one camper
on the head. This is the killer.
● The detective comes into the center of the circle and tries to guess who the killer is
● When the killer sneakily makes eye contact with someone in the circle, the killer winks at
them and they die dramatically - the more dramatic the better.
● Play until the detective correctly guesses the killer and play again

Island
● Place one frisbee on each end of the field. These are the islands.
● Divide into 2 groups and circle around each island.
● They prance around chanting and clapping until the referee signals “islands”.
● Everyone scrambles to touch the frisbee.
● The last camper to touch the frisbee joins the other group.
● If any 2 players come into contact with one another while trying to touch the frisbee joins
the other group.

Duck Duck Goose

● Campers sit in a circle.
● Players (two or more) decide who is going to be "it", often using a counting-out game
such as eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
● The person who is "it" will start walking around the circle and tapping the top of each
player's head, saying either "duck" or "goose."
● Choose a "goose” and run. At a time of his or her choosing, "it" will tap a player's head
and say "goose." "It" then takes off running around the circle, and the goose jumps up
and chases after "it." The goose's goal is to tag "it" before "it" is able to sit down in the
goose's spot.

A nice twist on a hot summer day: Instead of tapping each player’s head, give the picker a
cup of water to dribble some on each player’s head before dumping it all on the person he
chooses as the goose.

Red Rover
● Red Rover is a team game, so you will need at least three people on each team to play
● Pick a captain for each team. The team captains can then flip a coin to determine who
gets the first pick.
● Divide the players into two equal teams. The captains can take turns picking players until
everyone has a team.
● Have each team stand in a straight line, holding hands. The teams will face each other,
standing between six and ten yards apart. The further apart the teams are, the more
distance players have to pick up speed before they reach the other team's line. It's a
good idea to keep the distance between teams smaller for younger children to lower the
chance of injuries.
● The team that goes first decides who to "call over" from the other team. Once the team
has decided, they sing, "Red Rover, Red Rover, will (name) come over!"
● The player who was called runs across the space between teams and tries to break
through the arms of two players. The runner should use some strategy when taking their
turn. Find the weak link and go for it. Avoid going at the strongest players unless you feel
confident you can break the link.
● If the player doesn't get through the line, they join the opposing team. However, if they
break through, they go back to their own team. They can take one of the players whose
arms they broke through with them.
● Continue playing until one team is down to one person. When one team is no longer
able to make a chain, the other team wins.