# of Players: 2+
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 5+
Here's a simple game that I play with my kids when we still have a bit of walking to do before reaching our destination, and the complaints of boredom start coming. It's a great and simple distraction vehicle when you need to walk briskly from one end of the mall to another, for example. Always saves me from having to pick the kids up in my arms. It's also actually a distraction game that my wife (then girlfriend) and I sometimes played as adults trekking from one end of Boston to another in our first few years after college.
With a specific destination in mind, each player simply guesses how many steps it'll take before that destination is reached. Then, you count aloud the actual steps as you're walking them, and the person with the closest guess is the winner. If the destination is so far away that a single game won't provide enough distraction, simply break it into multiple rounds by picking interim milestones along the way and guessing the number of steps to each one.
For some reason, until you've played it a few times, I think you'll find that your guesses always underestimate the number of actual steps.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
Shoe Golf
# of Players: 2+
Equipment Needed: A shoe that you don't mind scuffing up
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 10+
I remember playing Shoe Golf with Jeff Keating, a childhood friend from Churchill, PA. For some reason, it never really took off with our other friends, but Jeff and I had many a good round. For those who are familiar with Frisbee Golf (or traditional golf), this game is played pretty much the same way, but with an old sneaker or shoe. I think there's a business idea in setting up Shoe Golf driving ranges across the Midwest!
For each hole in a round, there is a specified target. Typically, the target chosen might be a hundred yards or so away, and is an easily identifiable stationary object like the base of a street sign, a tree, a building fixture, or a lamp post. Obviously, you can vary the target creatively based upon your surroundings. You can also pick targets that are different distances away, maybe to simulate a par 5 or par 3.
Each player dangles his shoe from the edge of his foot -- my technique was typically to keep the laces tied and insert my foot about halfway into the shoe. Each player then takes a "shot" by flinging his shoe off his foot using a kicking motion in the direction of the target - for a little momentum, we allowed players to take a step with the other foot before firing the shot. Players walk to where their shoes land and take another shot towards the target. The objective is to hit the target with your shoe in as few shots as possible.
Since you're not playing the British Open, etiquette is a little less important than with traditional golf, but typically the player who shoe is farthest from the target is the one who takes the next shot.
You can define the entire golf course (say, 9 or 18 holes) before the round starts, or simply allow the player who wins a hole to pick the target for the next hole. As with golf, there are many ways of scoring: for example, lowest total score over an entire round or most holes won over an entire round.
Equipment Needed: A shoe that you don't mind scuffing up
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 10+
I remember playing Shoe Golf with Jeff Keating, a childhood friend from Churchill, PA. For some reason, it never really took off with our other friends, but Jeff and I had many a good round. For those who are familiar with Frisbee Golf (or traditional golf), this game is played pretty much the same way, but with an old sneaker or shoe. I think there's a business idea in setting up Shoe Golf driving ranges across the Midwest!
For each hole in a round, there is a specified target. Typically, the target chosen might be a hundred yards or so away, and is an easily identifiable stationary object like the base of a street sign, a tree, a building fixture, or a lamp post. Obviously, you can vary the target creatively based upon your surroundings. You can also pick targets that are different distances away, maybe to simulate a par 5 or par 3.
Each player dangles his shoe from the edge of his foot -- my technique was typically to keep the laces tied and insert my foot about halfway into the shoe. Each player then takes a "shot" by flinging his shoe off his foot using a kicking motion in the direction of the target - for a little momentum, we allowed players to take a step with the other foot before firing the shot. Players walk to where their shoes land and take another shot towards the target. The objective is to hit the target with your shoe in as few shots as possible.
Since you're not playing the British Open, etiquette is a little less important than with traditional golf, but typically the player who shoe is farthest from the target is the one who takes the next shot.
You can define the entire golf course (say, 9 or 18 holes) before the round starts, or simply allow the player who wins a hole to pick the target for the next hole. As with golf, there are many ways of scoring: for example, lowest total score over an entire round or most holes won over an entire round.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Indoor Basketball (with handicapping)
# of Players: 2+
Equipment Needed: A soft ball that can be used indoors
Time per Game: 5 minutes
Age Group: 5+
Like father, like son. I've only been writing this blog for a few days now, but it's made me more aware of my fondness for making up games and thinking through the rules. This weekend, I got a hint that my 6-year-old son may be wired in a similar way. As a proud dad, I had to make a quick posting, even though the game described here is pretty basic.
A few minutes before his bedtime on Saturday night, we placed a cylindrical clothes hamper in the middle of our family room, and with a soft ball (we were using the one that comes with the Fisher Price hoop, but any ol' ball will do), we took turns trying to shoot baskets into it. Each of us stood about 6 feet away from the hamper, with my son on one side and me opposite him. For some reason, we counted each made basket as 5 points, and we decided to play to 25 points (you can, of course, vary the points per basket and targeted winning score).
After a few attempts, it became clear that, having many more years experience shooting baskets, I'd win the game. Without hesitation, my son added a twist, handicapping things like one might a match between two unevenly skilled golfers. I had to shoot with my eyes shut. I still had a fun time with this added challenge, and it felt fair to me. But starting the game anew, he beat me 20 to 5. By the way, aside from providing a little activity, the game teaches counting by fives (or whatever "points per basket" scoring you want to use).
A variant on the game: instead of shooting baskets through the air, play the same game requiring that the ball bounce on the ground 1 time before entering the hamper.
Equipment Needed: A soft ball that can be used indoors
Time per Game: 5 minutes
Age Group: 5+
Like father, like son. I've only been writing this blog for a few days now, but it's made me more aware of my fondness for making up games and thinking through the rules. This weekend, I got a hint that my 6-year-old son may be wired in a similar way. As a proud dad, I had to make a quick posting, even though the game described here is pretty basic.
A few minutes before his bedtime on Saturday night, we placed a cylindrical clothes hamper in the middle of our family room, and with a soft ball (we were using the one that comes with the Fisher Price hoop, but any ol' ball will do), we took turns trying to shoot baskets into it. Each of us stood about 6 feet away from the hamper, with my son on one side and me opposite him. For some reason, we counted each made basket as 5 points, and we decided to play to 25 points (you can, of course, vary the points per basket and targeted winning score).
After a few attempts, it became clear that, having many more years experience shooting baskets, I'd win the game. Without hesitation, my son added a twist, handicapping things like one might a match between two unevenly skilled golfers. I had to shoot with my eyes shut. I still had a fun time with this added challenge, and it felt fair to me. But starting the game anew, he beat me 20 to 5. By the way, aside from providing a little activity, the game teaches counting by fives (or whatever "points per basket" scoring you want to use).
A variant on the game: instead of shooting baskets through the air, play the same game requiring that the ball bounce on the ground 1 time before entering the hamper.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
What Number is That?
# of Players: 3+
Equipment Needed: A set of keys on a keychain
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 12+
I learned this game during a high school summer at the PA Governor's School for the Sciences and then used it as an icebreaker while meeting friends early freshman year in college, both of which show you where I stood on the social competence spectrum at that time. I think this is more of a parlor trick than a real game, but it's a fun way to kill time with a mid-sized group, particularly as some people start figuring out the trick while others are still struggling with it.
Everybody sits in a circle, and the emcee (probably you, since you're the one reading this) takes the set of keys. Put the keys so they're in front of you, towards the middle of the circle so everybody else can see them (maybe a foot or two in front of you). Fidget with the keys a bit so it appears that you're arranging them in some symbolic pattern. Then, pull yourself back to an upright seated position and ask "So what number is that?" Before asking the question, with one of your hands, nonchalantly stick out a number of fingers (from 1 to 5) on your lap (and not too close to the keys) so everybody in the circle can see them. People will guess a number, but the first few times through it, anybody who guesses correctly will most likely be doing so at random -- everybody will be diligently trying to figure out what number is represented from the mystery pattern in the keys rather than noticing the number of fingers you're showing in plain sight. After a few guesses, announce the correct number, maybe even congratulating anybody who guessed correctly. Then, fiddle with the keys a little, sit back, stick out a few fingers, and ask "So what number is that?" again.
Keep going until people figure out the trick, potentially putting your fingers closer to the keys as the game progresses. People who figure out the trick early will take great joy in the frustration still faced by the others. Oh, and be prepared to be pummeled at the end of the game for wasting everybody's time.
Equipment Needed: A set of keys on a keychain
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 12+
I learned this game during a high school summer at the PA Governor's School for the Sciences and then used it as an icebreaker while meeting friends early freshman year in college, both of which show you where I stood on the social competence spectrum at that time. I think this is more of a parlor trick than a real game, but it's a fun way to kill time with a mid-sized group, particularly as some people start figuring out the trick while others are still struggling with it.
Everybody sits in a circle, and the emcee (probably you, since you're the one reading this) takes the set of keys. Put the keys so they're in front of you, towards the middle of the circle so everybody else can see them (maybe a foot or two in front of you). Fidget with the keys a bit so it appears that you're arranging them in some symbolic pattern. Then, pull yourself back to an upright seated position and ask "So what number is that?" Before asking the question, with one of your hands, nonchalantly stick out a number of fingers (from 1 to 5) on your lap (and not too close to the keys) so everybody in the circle can see them. People will guess a number, but the first few times through it, anybody who guesses correctly will most likely be doing so at random -- everybody will be diligently trying to figure out what number is represented from the mystery pattern in the keys rather than noticing the number of fingers you're showing in plain sight. After a few guesses, announce the correct number, maybe even congratulating anybody who guessed correctly. Then, fiddle with the keys a little, sit back, stick out a few fingers, and ask "So what number is that?" again.
Keep going until people figure out the trick, potentially putting your fingers closer to the keys as the game progresses. People who figure out the trick early will take great joy in the frustration still faced by the others. Oh, and be prepared to be pummeled at the end of the game for wasting everybody's time.
Page 1
# of Players: 2 to 5
Equipment Needed: Deck of playing cards (jokers optional)
Time per Game: 2-5 minutes
Age Group: 5+
My mom and dad taught my sister and me how to play this game when we were little. I think it was my dad's way to feed his hunger for the card game Bridge with his little kids. My sister liked it so much that she was willing to give up a Saturday afternoon ice skating outing to extend her Friday evening bedtime and play a few more games (I chose ice skating). Now, I've taught it to my son and one of his friends who doesn't like every game but latched onto Page 1 during our lake vacation last summer.
Every player is dealt 5 cards from the deck and can look at his cards (but doesn't share them with others). The next card in the deck is turned face up, and the rest of the deck remains face down in a draw pile. Everybody looks at the face up card (let's suppose it's the 5 of hearts) and tries to play a card from his hand that matches its suit (hearts, in this example). If a player doesn't have any cards of that suit in his hand, he must take cards from the draw pile until obtaining one that matches. Once each person plays a card of that suit, then all of the played cards are moved into a discard pile. The person who played the highest ranking card then picks the next card to play face up from his hand, and the other players must match its suit with a card from their hands (and take cards from the draw pile if they cannot).
The object of the game is to get rid of all the cards in your hand. When you have just 1 card remaining, you must announce "Page 1" aloud to give the others a heads-up that you're close to the finish. When you play your last card, you announce "Stop" and win, and the cards can be shuffled for another game if desired.
A few additional points about the game:
Equipment Needed: Deck of playing cards (jokers optional)
Time per Game: 2-5 minutes
Age Group: 5+
My mom and dad taught my sister and me how to play this game when we were little. I think it was my dad's way to feed his hunger for the card game Bridge with his little kids. My sister liked it so much that she was willing to give up a Saturday afternoon ice skating outing to extend her Friday evening bedtime and play a few more games (I chose ice skating). Now, I've taught it to my son and one of his friends who doesn't like every game but latched onto Page 1 during our lake vacation last summer.
Every player is dealt 5 cards from the deck and can look at his cards (but doesn't share them with others). The next card in the deck is turned face up, and the rest of the deck remains face down in a draw pile. Everybody looks at the face up card (let's suppose it's the 5 of hearts) and tries to play a card from his hand that matches its suit (hearts, in this example). If a player doesn't have any cards of that suit in his hand, he must take cards from the draw pile until obtaining one that matches. Once each person plays a card of that suit, then all of the played cards are moved into a discard pile. The person who played the highest ranking card then picks the next card to play face up from his hand, and the other players must match its suit with a card from their hands (and take cards from the draw pile if they cannot).
The object of the game is to get rid of all the cards in your hand. When you have just 1 card remaining, you must announce "Page 1" aloud to give the others a heads-up that you're close to the finish. When you play your last card, you announce "Stop" and win, and the cards can be shuffled for another game if desired.
A few additional points about the game:
- Aces are high in this game, and if you're playing with jokers, those count as a trump card that can match any suit and always is the highest card.
- If all the cards in the draw pile have been picked, you can shuffle the cards in the discard pile and then turn them over as a fresh draw pile.
- There's obviously a little strategy in terms of remembering which suits other players are missing, noting which cards in a suit have been played (so you know, for example, if your queen is the highest card remaining), and deciding when to play certain cards (for example, it's a guaranteed win if you play a joker right before declaring "Page 1").
- In our variation, you weren't required to play a matching card the moment you picked it from the draw pile. For example, if you selected a joker from the draw pile, you could hold onto it for a later time in the game.
- Sometimes a game can get tediously long when the suits are not evenly distributed (for example, one player holds almost all the hearts, another holds almost all the spades, each forces the other to keep drawing from the pile, and the problem only gets worse). In those situations, it's sometimes best just to call the game a draw and start a new one.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Make Me Laugh
# of Players: 2
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 4+
I played this simple game with my sister when we were young. Now, I have a fun time playing with my son, and my daughter's getting to the age where she and my son can play together. It's proabably best played with two people relatively close in age.
Players take turns. The person who is "it" tries to make the other person laugh aloud (smiling doesn't count) without being able to physically touch (no tickling) the other person. When the other player laughs, s/he loses and takes a turn being "it".
There are lots of variations to the game. You could play with more than 2 people, where the person who is "it" tries to make the others laugh, and the loser is the first to laugh. You could also use a timer, where the person who is "it" loses if s/he has not gotten laughter in under a specified timeframe (e.g., 60 seconds).
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 4+
I played this simple game with my sister when we were young. Now, I have a fun time playing with my son, and my daughter's getting to the age where she and my son can play together. It's proabably best played with two people relatively close in age.
Players take turns. The person who is "it" tries to make the other person laugh aloud (smiling doesn't count) without being able to physically touch (no tickling) the other person. When the other player laughs, s/he loses and takes a turn being "it".
There are lots of variations to the game. You could play with more than 2 people, where the person who is "it" tries to make the others laugh, and the loser is the first to laugh. You could also use a timer, where the person who is "it" loses if s/he has not gotten laughter in under a specified timeframe (e.g., 60 seconds).
6 Saltines in a Minute
# of Players: 1, plus a challenger and audience
Equipment Needed: 6 standard (square) saltines and a timepiece with a second hand
Time per Game: 1 minute
Age Group: 12+
A well known and simple challenge that I tried in my college freshman dorm cafeteria.
Try to consume 6 saltines in 1 minute or less without the aid of any beverages (including not being able to dunk the saltines in liquid) during that minute. No remnants of saltines can still be in your mouth after the minute has expired.
It sounds simple at face value, which is why you can often win a small wager if the person accepting the challenge has never tried it before. I think I got through 4 saltines with major remnants of the remaining 2 in my mouth (I tried 2 at a time). Nobody else could even come close to competing the challenge, until a guy named Sasha completed it with relative ease -- I think he may have even downed a 7th saltine in the minute, just for kicks. His method was to consume saltines 1 at a time, balling each in his mouth and then swallowing the ball whole, like a big fat horse pill. Not something I could replicate.
How many were you able to finish?
Equipment Needed: 6 standard (square) saltines and a timepiece with a second hand
Time per Game: 1 minute
Age Group: 12+
A well known and simple challenge that I tried in my college freshman dorm cafeteria.
Try to consume 6 saltines in 1 minute or less without the aid of any beverages (including not being able to dunk the saltines in liquid) during that minute. No remnants of saltines can still be in your mouth after the minute has expired.
It sounds simple at face value, which is why you can often win a small wager if the person accepting the challenge has never tried it before. I think I got through 4 saltines with major remnants of the remaining 2 in my mouth (I tried 2 at a time). Nobody else could even come close to competing the challenge, until a guy named Sasha completed it with relative ease -- I think he may have even downed a 7th saltine in the minute, just for kicks. His method was to consume saltines 1 at a time, balling each in his mouth and then swallowing the ball whole, like a big fat horse pill. Not something I could replicate.
How many were you able to finish?
Friday, January 5, 2007
Who's Luckier?
# of Players: 2+
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 15+
I think I started playing this game with friends in college, but it's something that my wife (then girlfriend) and I played in Boston. It's a game to distract yourself when you're needing to kill some time in a place where people-watching is an option. We found it great while waiting in the airport for delayed flights. Be warned -- it's the basest of games I've written about so far, and it brings out the People magazine in you.
As you see a couple walk by, all players make a mental note of which person in the couple is luckier -- in other words, who made the better "catch" in landing the other person as a partner. Since you don't know the couple, you pretty much decide based upon physical appearance, though some factors like attire or attitude might weigh in. After the couple is out of earshot, every player announces who s/he picked. There's not really a winner to this game. Many times, all players will agree on who's luckier. But it's most fun when there's disagreement, since you can have some debate as to what factored into each player's decision.
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 15+
I think I started playing this game with friends in college, but it's something that my wife (then girlfriend) and I played in Boston. It's a game to distract yourself when you're needing to kill some time in a place where people-watching is an option. We found it great while waiting in the airport for delayed flights. Be warned -- it's the basest of games I've written about so far, and it brings out the People magazine in you.
As you see a couple walk by, all players make a mental note of which person in the couple is luckier -- in other words, who made the better "catch" in landing the other person as a partner. Since you don't know the couple, you pretty much decide based upon physical appearance, though some factors like attire or attitude might weigh in. After the couple is out of earshot, every player announces who s/he picked. There's not really a winner to this game. Many times, all players will agree on who's luckier. But it's most fun when there's disagreement, since you can have some debate as to what factored into each player's decision.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
What Number Will Mommy Be?
# of Players: 2+
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 2+
A very simple game that I sometimes play with my kids while we're waiting in the car for mommy to buy some quick items at the grocery store.
With a view of the exit door, everybody picks a number for his or her guess of which number person mommy will be out that door. You then keep a running tally as people emerge from out the door, and when mommy emerges, the person with the closest guess to the actual tally wins.
There are lots of obvious variations to this game. In Boston, my wife (then girlfriend) and I used to guess how many seconds it'd take until the next T train came along. While watching cars pass on the road, you can also guess how many it'll be until a car of a certain color, brand, or type (for example, a minivan) passes.
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 2+
A very simple game that I sometimes play with my kids while we're waiting in the car for mommy to buy some quick items at the grocery store.
With a view of the exit door, everybody picks a number for his or her guess of which number person mommy will be out that door. You then keep a running tally as people emerge from out the door, and when mommy emerges, the person with the closest guess to the actual tally wins.
There are lots of obvious variations to this game. In Boston, my wife (then girlfriend) and I used to guess how many seconds it'd take until the next T train came along. While watching cars pass on the road, you can also guess how many it'll be until a car of a certain color, brand, or type (for example, a minivan) passes.
Name that KOIT
# of Players: 2+
Equipment Needed: A radio
Time per Game: As long as you want
Age Group: 12+
My awareness of this game is credited to my friends from college, Joel Stein and Ari Richter, who taught me it for car rides of any length. Good times were had on a long trip to Lake Tahoe in Joel's station wagon.
Tune your car radio to the local light rock station -- ours was 96.5 KOIT. You can actually pick a station that plays any type of music, but my friends and I liked to poke fun at ourselves for knowing something about soft rock. When a new song starts, it's a race to see who can name the song title and the artist (singer or band) first. You get 1 point for being the first to name the song title correctly and 1 point for being the first to name the artist correctly. However, you lose 1 point if you jump in with an incorrect guess for either the song or artist. If a person guesses incorrectly, we let him stay in for that round and keep guessing if desired, to try to make up for any lost points. Play until reaching your destination or until somebody reaches a certain score.
We always played it on car rides, but I suppose there's no reason why it can't be played anywhere there's a radio available.
Equipment Needed: A radio
Time per Game: As long as you want
Age Group: 12+
My awareness of this game is credited to my friends from college, Joel Stein and Ari Richter, who taught me it for car rides of any length. Good times were had on a long trip to Lake Tahoe in Joel's station wagon.
Tune your car radio to the local light rock station -- ours was 96.5 KOIT. You can actually pick a station that plays any type of music, but my friends and I liked to poke fun at ourselves for knowing something about soft rock. When a new song starts, it's a race to see who can name the song title and the artist (singer or band) first. You get 1 point for being the first to name the song title correctly and 1 point for being the first to name the artist correctly. However, you lose 1 point if you jump in with an incorrect guess for either the song or artist. If a person guesses incorrectly, we let him stay in for that round and keep guessing if desired, to try to make up for any lost points. Play until reaching your destination or until somebody reaches a certain score.
We always played it on car rides, but I suppose there's no reason why it can't be played anywhere there's a radio available.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Guess the Next Word
# of Players: 2
Equipment Needed: A book
Time per Game: As long as you want
Age Group: 4+
Jim Yoo, a high school friend of mine, made up this game. It was good for 10 minutes of fun.
One person picks a book in the room. The title can be shared with the other player. The reader starts reading aloud from any place in the book. Periodically, the reader pauses from reading, and the listener has to guess what word comes next in the book. I guess you could keep score, but it's almost more fun to be on the same team and see if the reader can stop at places where the next word can actually be guessed by the context from the rest of the sentence or paragraph.
It's a game you could play with a child who's learning to read (where you actually might point to the next word in front of the child) or with a friend where you're studying for a class together and want a fun way to get through some reading material.
Equipment Needed: A book
Time per Game: As long as you want
Age Group: 4+
Jim Yoo, a high school friend of mine, made up this game. It was good for 10 minutes of fun.
One person picks a book in the room. The title can be shared with the other player. The reader starts reading aloud from any place in the book. Periodically, the reader pauses from reading, and the listener has to guess what word comes next in the book. I guess you could keep score, but it's almost more fun to be on the same team and see if the reader can stop at places where the next word can actually be guessed by the context from the rest of the sentence or paragraph.
It's a game you could play with a child who's learning to read (where you actually might point to the next word in front of the child) or with a friend where you're studying for a class together and want a fun way to get through some reading material.
Find My Middle Finger
# of Players: 2
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: 10 seconds
Age Group: 2+
Despite my odd choice for its name, this game is a quick one that can provide a few minutes of distraction and fun. My dad played it with me when I was little.
One person takes his left hand and scrunches the fingers together in any desired pattern, such that the tips of all 5 fingers are at the same level when looked down upon. Then, he wraps his right hand around all of those fingers, so that only the top tips are exposed to the other person. Only being able to see the tops of the fingers, the other person tries to guess which one is the middle finger and wins if he's correct.
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: 10 seconds
Age Group: 2+
Despite my odd choice for its name, this game is a quick one that can provide a few minutes of distraction and fun. My dad played it with me when I was little.
One person takes his left hand and scrunches the fingers together in any desired pattern, such that the tips of all 5 fingers are at the same level when looked down upon. Then, he wraps his right hand around all of those fingers, so that only the top tips are exposed to the other person. Only being able to see the tops of the fingers, the other person tries to guess which one is the middle finger and wins if he's correct.
Alphabet Car Game
# of Players: 2 or more
Equipment Needed: None (but best played in a moving vehicle)
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 3+
My sister Lillian taught me this pretty well-known game, which helped cure some boredom on summer vacation drives along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
In a moving car, players can observe letters on anything outside of the car (e.g., street signs, buildings, license plates, etc.). The winner is the first person to spot every letter in the alphabet, in alphabetical order. In other words, you cannot count a sighting of the letter "B" until you've already spotted an "A".
It's played somewhat on honor code (since everybody would move at the same pace if people announced letters before they'd passed), but it's fun if players announce their progress through the alphabet and how they are spotting each letter (after the sign has passed).
Equipment Needed: None (but best played in a moving vehicle)
Time per Game: Varies
Age Group: 3+
My sister Lillian taught me this pretty well-known game, which helped cure some boredom on summer vacation drives along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
In a moving car, players can observe letters on anything outside of the car (e.g., street signs, buildings, license plates, etc.). The winner is the first person to spot every letter in the alphabet, in alphabetical order. In other words, you cannot count a sighting of the letter "B" until you've already spotted an "A".
It's played somewhat on honor code (since everybody would move at the same pace if people announced letters before they'd passed), but it's fun if players announce their progress through the alphabet and how they are spotting each letter (after the sign has passed).
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Spud
# of Players: 3 or more
Equipment Needed: A rubber playground ball (or other comparably sized ball that can be thrown at others)
Time per Game: 5-10 minutes
Age Group: 5+
I used to love playing this variation on dodge ball outside Tim Rooney's house. Loads of fun. I couldn't get enough of it, and now I can also attest to the fact that it's fun for both adults and kids.
Everybody playing starts with no letters, and the object is to be the only person not to get all the letters in the word Spud (S-P-U-D).
Somebody is chosen to throw the ball up first. Everybody else huddles together out of hearing distance, and everybody in the huddle is given a different number -- each person can pick his own number, or one person can designate numbers for everybody. The numbers for everybody range from 1 to N, where N is 1 greater than the number of people in the huddle. For example, if there are 5 people in the huddle, each person would receive a different number between 1 and 6. Since there are 5 people and 6 numbers, 1 number is left unassigned.
Once the numbers are assigned, all of the people stand close to the one with the ball. That person throws the ball high into the air (as straight into the air as possible) and yells a single number from 1 to N. The person who was designated that number in the huddle must catch the ball (on a bounce is OK) and then yell "Stop". Everybody else runs away from the ball (typically in different directions) as fast as possible but must halt once "Stop" is yelled.
Then, the person who has caught the ball can take steps (as giant as possible) towards one (or more if people are close together) of the other players (typically towards the closest one, but sometimes towards the one still with the fewest letters in "Spud" or the least coordinated :). The number of steps he can take equals the number of letters he has not yet obtained in the word "Spud". For example, at the start of the game, a person could take 4 giant steps for having none of the letters in S-P-U-D. After getting 3 letters in the word "Spud", a person could only take 1 giant step for D if his number is called.
After taking his steps, the person then throws the ball at one of the other players (typically, throwing at the head is disallowed). If the thrower hits anybody (a "target") with the ball on the fly (i.e., before it hits the ground) and that target cannot catch the ball before it hits the ground, then the target gets his next letter in the word "Spud". If the thrower hits the ground with the ball before it hits a target OR if the thrower hits a target with the ball on the fly and then that target catches the ball before it hits the ground, then the thrower gets his next letter in the word "Spud". Whoever gets the letter on this turn is the one who throws the ball up on the next turn.
One little catch is that if the person who initially threw the ball into the air yells the one extra number that was not assigned to anybody, then that person who yelled the number automatically receives his next letter in the word "Spud", and another turn commences.
A player is eliminated from the game once he has all the letters in the word "Spud". The person who most recently threw the ball into the air before the eliminated player gets to throw it on the next turn. The game continues until only 1 player remains.
Equipment Needed: A rubber playground ball (or other comparably sized ball that can be thrown at others)
Time per Game: 5-10 minutes
Age Group: 5+
I used to love playing this variation on dodge ball outside Tim Rooney's house. Loads of fun. I couldn't get enough of it, and now I can also attest to the fact that it's fun for both adults and kids.
Everybody playing starts with no letters, and the object is to be the only person not to get all the letters in the word Spud (S-P-U-D).
Somebody is chosen to throw the ball up first. Everybody else huddles together out of hearing distance, and everybody in the huddle is given a different number -- each person can pick his own number, or one person can designate numbers for everybody. The numbers for everybody range from 1 to N, where N is 1 greater than the number of people in the huddle. For example, if there are 5 people in the huddle, each person would receive a different number between 1 and 6. Since there are 5 people and 6 numbers, 1 number is left unassigned.
Once the numbers are assigned, all of the people stand close to the one with the ball. That person throws the ball high into the air (as straight into the air as possible) and yells a single number from 1 to N. The person who was designated that number in the huddle must catch the ball (on a bounce is OK) and then yell "Stop". Everybody else runs away from the ball (typically in different directions) as fast as possible but must halt once "Stop" is yelled.
Then, the person who has caught the ball can take steps (as giant as possible) towards one (or more if people are close together) of the other players (typically towards the closest one, but sometimes towards the one still with the fewest letters in "Spud" or the least coordinated :). The number of steps he can take equals the number of letters he has not yet obtained in the word "Spud". For example, at the start of the game, a person could take 4 giant steps for having none of the letters in S-P-U-D. After getting 3 letters in the word "Spud", a person could only take 1 giant step for D if his number is called.
After taking his steps, the person then throws the ball at one of the other players (typically, throwing at the head is disallowed). If the thrower hits anybody (a "target") with the ball on the fly (i.e., before it hits the ground) and that target cannot catch the ball before it hits the ground, then the target gets his next letter in the word "Spud". If the thrower hits the ground with the ball before it hits a target OR if the thrower hits a target with the ball on the fly and then that target catches the ball before it hits the ground, then the thrower gets his next letter in the word "Spud". Whoever gets the letter on this turn is the one who throws the ball up on the next turn.
One little catch is that if the person who initially threw the ball into the air yells the one extra number that was not assigned to anybody, then that person who yelled the number automatically receives his next letter in the word "Spud", and another turn commences.
A player is eliminated from the game once he has all the letters in the word "Spud". The person who most recently threw the ball into the air before the eliminated player gets to throw it on the next turn. The game continues until only 1 player remains.
Ghost Around the House
# of Players: 3 or more
Equipment Needed: A house without fences or other major obstacles on which kids might be injured
Time per Game: 2-3 minutes
Age Group: 5+
Here's a variation on tag that cured many an afternoon of boredom, played at Nicky Stupakis' house in Pittsburgh. Lots of skinned knees resulted from slips on his concrete driveway, but I can't believe no legs were broken from jumps off his 5-foot high (or was it 4-foot high since I was shorter then?) retaining wall from his front yard to his driveway.
A base is designated (Nicky's back porch) and a person is initially selected as being the ghost. Everybody else sits on base and counts to 30, while the ghost hides somewhere around the house. The people on base announce "here we come, ready or not", and then attempt to run around the entire house and back to base without being tagged by the ghost. Everybody must attempt to make a complete loop around the house -- it doesn't count to run halfway, turn around, and run back to base. After the first person is tagged, the game ends, that tagged person becomes the new ghost, and the game is repeated. If everybody makes it around the house safely, then the same ghost is "it" again, and the game is repeated.
Equipment Needed: A house without fences or other major obstacles on which kids might be injured
Time per Game: 2-3 minutes
Age Group: 5+
Here's a variation on tag that cured many an afternoon of boredom, played at Nicky Stupakis' house in Pittsburgh. Lots of skinned knees resulted from slips on his concrete driveway, but I can't believe no legs were broken from jumps off his 5-foot high (or was it 4-foot high since I was shorter then?) retaining wall from his front yard to his driveway.
A base is designated (Nicky's back porch) and a person is initially selected as being the ghost. Everybody else sits on base and counts to 30, while the ghost hides somewhere around the house. The people on base announce "here we come, ready or not", and then attempt to run around the entire house and back to base without being tagged by the ghost. Everybody must attempt to make a complete loop around the house -- it doesn't count to run halfway, turn around, and run back to base. After the first person is tagged, the game ends, that tagged person becomes the new ghost, and the game is repeated. If everybody makes it around the house safely, then the same ghost is "it" again, and the game is repeated.
29
# of Players: 2
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: 1 minute
Age Group: 4 to 10
Here's a simple game that my dad taught me when I was a little kid.
Players alternate turns in a basic counting game. During each turn, a player can either say the next number in the sequence, or the next two numbers in the sequence. For example, suppose Player 1 just said "15". Player 2 could then choose between saying "16" or saying "16, 17". The loser is the player who is forced to say the number "29".
Variations: After a few turns, older kids can figure out the "trick" to winning, but the game can then be varied by changing the target number and/or the number of subsequent numbers in the sequence that can be named.
Equipment Needed: None
Time per Game: 1 minute
Age Group: 4 to 10
Here's a simple game that my dad taught me when I was a little kid.
Players alternate turns in a basic counting game. During each turn, a player can either say the next number in the sequence, or the next two numbers in the sequence. For example, suppose Player 1 just said "15". Player 2 could then choose between saying "16" or saying "16, 17". The loser is the player who is forced to say the number "29".
Variations: After a few turns, older kids can figure out the "trick" to winning, but the game can then be varied by changing the target number and/or the number of subsequent numbers in the sequence that can be named.
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