New Games

"NEW GAMES"

(Many of these games are derived from Fluegelman, Andrew. The New Games Book, and ibid. More New Games and from Orlick, Terry. The Cooperative Sports and Games Book and ibid. The Second Cooperative Sports and Games Book.)

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SNAKE IN THE GRASS

A playing field is marked off. The area should not be large,perhaps ten square feet per player. One player is selected to be "it". He lies in the grass in the center of the area. Each of the other players gathers around and touches it. On the signal from the referee, everybody runs, staying in the playing field. "It," as the snake, moving on his belly tries to tag as many as he can. Those tagged also become snakes and attempt to tag those not yet turned into snakes. The last person caught is the starter snake in the next round.

Dho-Dho-Dho

A playing field is marked off. The field is not large (about the size of a large gym mat). The center of this field has a line down it. The players are in two teams, each team on one side of the line. One team chooses a player to make a foray into the other teams territory. The object is for that player to tag as many of the other team as he can, but he must return to his own team's area in the space of one breath. While on his foray he must say "dho-dho-dho-dho" continuously. The team into whose area he has gone will attempt to retain him in their area. If he is not back into his area before he runs out of breath, he joins the team who held him. He may only be restrained by being grasped above the waist. (Being held down bodily is encouraged.) He may not be touched until he has tagged a player. If he makes it back into his own area, all those he tagged become members of his team. The teams may alternate turns of sending out a player on a foray, or they send him out at their discretion.

SLAUGHTER

Variation: ELIMINATION: The same rules as above, except the ball and the holes are forgotten and the object to eliminate your opponents by forcing them out of the circle. (This may eithor be a team game, a everyman for himself game.) Note: Over the calf socks must be rolled to the ankle before play starts.

Variation: KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF: The same set up as Slaughter, except the opposing teams both wear socks and a player is eliminated when both of his socks have been removed. (This may eithor be a team game, or a everyman for himself game.)

BLOB

A playing field is decided upon. The smaller the field, the more intense the action. The game starts as a game of tag. One person is chosen "it." As soon as he tags someone, they join hands. The "it" blob gradually grows and grows. The Blob can split into parts (no fewer than two players in separate parts) and organize raiding parties on the remaining players. (Moral: You become what you fear.) CATERPILLAR (People Roll)

Two teams are set up. Each team lies down on their stomachs, player beside player, teams parallel. At the signal, the back person begins to roll over the top of his team. When he reaches the end of the line, he calls out and the next person begins to roll. The winning team is the first team across the finish line. DRAGONS TAIL

In groups larger than eight, the players line up and join by grasping the players waist ahead of them. The head of the line then attempts to catch (touch, or pull flag from pocket of, or grasp to form circle) the tail of the line. If any player lets go, the dragon is declared dead, and a new one must be formed. If in the set time of the round, the head catches the tail, that player stays as head for another round. If not, the tail moves to the head of the line. BLACKOUT

In total darkness, or with all players blindfolded, the players are scattered at random in the space allowed. By giving Patrol Calls, the patrols attempt to gather into a group. The first Patrol so gathered, gives their Patrol Yell and is declared the winner.

SKIN THE SNAKE

Each team lines up. Now each player reaches between his legs with his left hand and grasps the right hand of the player behind him. Once the chains are formed, the referee calls "go." The last person in line lies down on his back, the next person moves straddling the body of the last person and lays down behind him without letting go of hands. (This will involve some laying on top of each other.) When the last person to travel the line touches his head to the ground, the process is reversed. The first team with all its members across the point of starting is the winner.

SMAUG'S JEWELS

Go-TAG

The entire group lines up, squatting, each facing the alternate direction of his neighbors (alternate people facing the same direction). The player at one end is the first runner. He starts off and may not change direction. The player at the other end is the first chaser. The chaser may tap any squatting player and shout "go". The tapped player runs forward and chases the runner. The original chaser replaces the new chaser in the line. Thus the chaser in effect can cross the center line. The key is to change chasers often and rapidly. Once the runner is tagged, the tagger becomes the new runner and the person at the end of the line becomes the new chaser.

BROKEN SPOKE:

BOLA:

Stuff a rubber ball into a long sock, and tie a 15 foot line or rope to it. The person holding the rope lays down in the center and begins spinning the bola (sock with ball). The others jump the rope as it spins by them. If the rope touches or nicks a jumper he is out. Last one jumping is the winner. (Variation, at the discretion of the spinner, if the rope entangles the feet of the jumper, the spinner may attempt to finish the hogtie before the jumper has freed his feet.) CATCH THE DRAGONS TAIL

The team lines up at least eight to ten on the team. Everyone puts their arms around the waist of the person in front of them. The last person tucks a flag in the back of his belt. At the signal, the dragon begins chasing its own tail, the object is for the head to snatch the flag, while the tail is attempting to prevent the head from getting the flag. (variation: Two or more teams attempting to get each others flags.) STANDOFF

Two players face off face to face at an arms distance. The feet of each player are side by side touching. The players place palms of the hands on the palms of the opponents hands. (Right to left and left to right.) The object is to force your opponent to move either or both of his feet. The winner is the first two out of three. (Variation, not to allow any sudden moves.)

HUMAN SPRING:

Two individuals stand facing each other about an arm's length apart. Now keeping the backs as straight as possible, hands up and palms towards partners palms, lean forward, catching each other palm to palm. Then rebound back to a standing position with a springlike action. The pair then attempts the same action from a distance about six inches further apart, and keeps increasing the distance until they miss or are unable to return to the standing position. (A pair may play for fun, or pairs may compete for furthest distance apart and yet complete the action.) HUNKER HAWSER

Two platforms (pedestals of logs about 6 to 12 inches high and about 12" diameter). Each of the two players stands on one of the pedestals, which are about 6 to 8 feet apart. Each player holds the end of a rope at least 15 feet long. At the signal, they begin to maneuver the rope (reeling it in, pulling and releasing, etc.) so as to make the other player fall off his pedestal. (variation: three players on a Y-shaped rope, variation: numerous players on a circular rope.) SCHMERLTZ

Take a long old cotton tube sock and place a ball in the toe. Tie a knot in the sock just above the ball. Now play catch, or any of the frisbee games. The only way to catch a schmerltz is by its tail. KING OF THE LOG

Two players take pillows (or suitable substitutes). They stand (or sit) on a log. The first player be knocked off the log or to fall off the log loses. (Challenges are then accepted or a tournament type round robin is set up.) OCTOPUS

One of the group volunteers to be the octopus. The remaining "fishes" line up on one end of a playing field. At the call of the octopus, the group attempts to pass to the other end of the playing field. The octopus has a nerf ball and attempts to tag or throw and hit or otherwise make the nerf ball come into contact with the fishes. Once a fish is in contact with the nerf, he is frozen to the place. On future rounds, if he can touch a fish, they become also, like he is, frozen in place and serves as the octopus's tentacles. The game ends when all the fish have become parts of the octopus' tentacles. MONARCH:

A playing field is set up with boundaries (the size depending on the size and skill of the group. The smaller the field, the more intense the action.) One of the players has a nerf ball, He is the Monarch, and is confined to his throne. (i.e. He can't move his feet.) The Anarchists (the remainder of the players) roam about the playing field at random. Once a player has been hit by the nerf ball, he raises to full height and announces his conversion by yelling "Monarch." He then can no longer move his feet, but he can catch and pass the nerf ball so as to convert other anarchists by hitting them with the nerf ball. The game is over when all the Anarchists have been converted to Monarchs. The action is a fast type of dodge ball. WINK:

(This game requires an odd number of players.) The group pairs up into pairs. The pairs arrange themselves in a double circle facing in. The odd player has a frisbee or other flag in front of him. The odd player winks at one of the inner circle players. The inner circle player (the winkee) then must tag the frisbee or flag in front of the odd player (the winker) without standing up fully, and his partner attempts to prevent him from reaching the flag before the group slowly counts to ten.

Use force only in relation to your partner.

TRIANGLE TAG:

The group breaks down into groups of four. (If there are extra, five or six will also work, but then you are playing "square tag" or "pentagon tag." Also the number of shapes need not equal the number of chasers, in which case any chaser may tag any it.) Three players grab wrists so as to form a triangle. One of the three is designated as "it." To start, the fourth player (The Chaser) stands across the triangle from it. He then tries to tag it. The members of the triangle manuever so as to protect it from the chaser. It is not legal to tag across the triangle on the arms or hands. CRAB GRAB:

Variation: ROOSTER FIGHT: Same rules as Crab Grab only the posture assumed is to tie foot to thigh or belt so as to stand only on one leg. The last in the group standing wins. (Some groups may prefer to hold their leg up with one hand rather than tying it up, but this limits the number of hands to fight the other roosters with.)

Variation: SPIDER GRAB:

Same set up as Crab Grab, only the position assumed is face down, supported only by hands and feet.

YURT CIRCLE:

The group is numbered off one -two. Then the group forms a circle with ones alternating with twos. On command, the ones lean forward and the twos learn backward. The circle should support itself. (A yurt stands up because each part supports the others.) On the second command, the ones lean back and the twos lean forward. (Can a wave motion be accomplished?) INSTANT REPLAY:

(This can be a fun game, or a skill challenge game.) The group forms a circle. Whatever equipment decided upon before hand is inside the circle. An it is chosen by random count or rhyme or by leader appointment. It moves to the center of the circle and performs an act or skill or movement. The entire group then must perform that act, skill or movement. Another it is chosen and the game goes on. If this is played as a skill challenge game, if a person can't perform or accomplish, points are tallied against him. (as in the basketball game Horse.) STAR WARS:

Variation: A team may have a jedi knight who may come forth and revive dead players with his light saber. (In this case the dead players fall where killed rather than leaving the field.) The Jedi Knight can be killed by being tagged by two of the opponents at the same time. He has a safe base over to the side in which he cannot be killed.

CENTIPEDE RACE

The patrols line up. The last Scout in each gets on all fours, those in front of him get in position such that the Scout behind them supports his feet and he has his hands on the ground. The patrols race a set distance. If the line breaks, the patrol must start over. TREASURER RAIDING:

At night an Older boy is stationed in light cover. Laying on the ground is a "valuable" which he is guarding, but may not touch. The patrol is to attempt to steal that valuable. The game is scored by the time it takes the patrol as a whole to steal the valuabe. At the option of the group playing, raiders may be "killed" or "captured" by the guard. *TROPHY SNATCH:

Two players face each other inside a 25 foot circle. Each wears a crepe paper band around his left arm just above the elbow, tied on with a square knot. At the command "Attack" each either stalk, or rush each other in an effort of snatch the opponents armband. Each pair may dodge about the circle as they will, interfering as little as possible with other pairs that may be playing at the same time. The attackers may crouch, feint, jump or try to secure a rivals armband in any fair and not over rough way. One round is a match. (Macfarlan p 239)

*KING OF THE LOG:

*LOG CHIEF:

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