Kickball

Use the basic rules of softball and baseball: four bases to run, three chances to kick the ball and three outs to an inning.

The pitcher rolls the ball to the kicker. Bouncing, other than the little bounces that you get when the ball rolls over grass, is not allowed. If the ball rolls over home plate and is not kicked, that is a strike. If the ball is kicked but goes foul, that is a strike.

The fielder can catch the ball and tag the runner, or step on the base, or throw the ball at the runner to make the out. The ball should not be thrown at the runner’s head. If the ball is thrown at the runner and misses, the runner may advance only one additional base. A kicked ball that is caught in the air is an out.

The team that is in the field should space themselves out according to the numbers of players. They will, of course, move in for the smaller players and out for the stronger players.

Capture The Flag

The group is divided into two teams. Each team has its own territory with a boundary designated between the two. Each team must also designate a spot to serve as a jail (such as a tree). Decide on the size of the designated safety zone around the flag, and where to place each team’s flag. Once placed, the flags cannot be moved, although they can be guarded. Those guarding their own flag may not enter the safety zone around the flag unless in pursuit of an opposing team member.

Once the flag is placed, team members are assigned to guard their own flag or to enter enemy territory to try to capture the other team’s flag. Any player in enemy territory can be caught (by tagging them) and put in jail. Prisoners can be released by being tagged by a teammate, but only one prisoner can be rescued at a time.

A team wins the game by capturing the other team’s flag and bearing it back to their home territory. If a flag is seized but is recaptured before reaching the opponents’ territory, the flag is set up where it was recaptured. If a game must be ended before a flag is captured, the team with the most prisoners wins.

I Wrote a Letter to My Mother… (Drop The Handkerchief)

A tisket, a tasket, A green and yellow basket, I wrote a letter to my mother, on the way I dropped it, and one of you has picked it up and put it in your pocket. Not you, not you, not you, not you …

The players stand in a circle facing inward, while another child, the “picker”, walks around the outside of the circle carrying a rag or handkerchief until finally dropping it behind one child. This child then rises, grabs the rag, and chases and tries to tag the picker. The picker tries to return to the spot where the picked child had been standing and stands in that spot. If the picker succeeds, the other child is now the new picker and the process begins again. If the child succeeds in tagging the picker, the same child may return to stand in the previous spot and the picker resumes the process.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

One way to run a nature scavenger hunt is to hand out an egg carton and a list of the twelve following natural items to collect.

something soft

something spiky

something blue

something red

something strong

something beautiful

something fragile

something yummy

something smooth

something from an animal

something dead

something dry

Scavenger Hunt

Daisy in the Dell

The daisy picker walks around tapping each player in turn, saying “Daisy in the dell, I don’t pick you” until finally saying “Daisy in the dell, I do pick you.” The child that is picked chases and tries to tag the daisy picker , while the daisy picker tries to return to the empty spot. If the Daisy picker succeeds, the person that was picked is now the daisy picker and the process begins again. If the person picked succeeds in tagging the daisy picker they may return to stand in their previous spot and the daisy picker resumes the process.

Duck, Duck, Animal!

A group of players stand in a circle, facing inward, while another player, “it” walks around tapping each player in turn, calling each a “duck” until finally picking someone as an animal other than a duck. “It” then chooses a t form of movement that goes along with the animal chosen (such as hopping for a rabbit or kangaroo) .

The “animal” chases and tries to tag “it” , while “it” tries to return to and stand where the “animal” had been standing. If “it” succeeds, the “animal” is now the “it” and the process begins again. If the “animal” succeeds in tagging “it”, the “animal” may return to stand in the previous spot and “it” resumes the process.

Candy Run Game

  

Line children up in a line (this will be the starting line). Spread out a variety of individually wrapped candies on the ground a distance away from the starting line. Give each child a bag with their name on it to keep at the starting line. At the signal all the children are to run to the candy and pick up one piece.

  

The children are only allowed to pick up one piece of candy before returning to the starting line. Once they have placed the candy in their bag at the starting point they can return to grab another piece of candy. Play until all the candy is gone or for an allotted period of time.

  

Psalm 119:103 NKJV

“How sweet are Your words to my taste,

Sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Mother, May I?

Proverbs 31:28 NKJV

“Her children rise up and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her”

The “mother” faces the group. She calls out to someone in the group (by name) and issues one of the following commands:

Take (#) steps forward

Take (#) giant steps forward (usually a small number, due to large step size)

Take (#) baby steps forward (usually a large number, due to tiny step size)

Take (#) forward

Hop forward like a frog, (#) times

Run forward for (#) seconds

Crabwalk forward for (#) seconds

Take (#) Cinderella steps – Twirl forward with index finger touching the top of the head

Open-and-shut the book (#) times – jump forwards with feet apart then again bringing the feet together

Lamppost – lie face down and stretch arms forwards, bring your feet to the point reached by the fingertips

The child must reply, “Mother, may I?” before carrying out the order, to which Mother always consents. However, if the child omits to ask permission they are required to go back to the start.

Freeze Tag

Freeze Tag
A child is chosen to be “it.“ “It” tries to tag the other players in the game. When “it” tags someone in the game the tagged player must freeze where they are and cannot move. The only way to become unfrozen is to be tagged by another player.

When “it” has tagged everyone and everyone is frozen “it” gets to choose who will be “it” for the next round.