Anytime Games
These are games that are not included in the curriculum that you can use throughout the week with your
cabin group, sharing group, and village or when you just happen to be hanging out with some kids in
between activities. I have divided them in to three groups: Getting to Know You – Delving Deeper, plain
old Fun Games, and Lara’s favorites from both sections entitled, Highly Recommended.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Dream Game
The leader asks the students to write down a dream or aspiration. (i.e. to become a pro-tennis player or see a
UFO). Each student picks a dream out of the hat and must try to guess whose dream it is. If a student correctly
guesses whose dream it is, the guesser and the dreamer become a team. Eventually, everyone should be on the
same team.
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction/Two Truths and a Lie
Each student thinks of the most bizarre true story about her/his life. Break the group down into groups of 3. Each
group chooses the student with the most bizarre story. This student tells the true story to the rest of the group
while the other two students in the group tell similar, made-up stories. The rest of the students must figure out
which of the three students is telling the truth.
Variation: Have the students write or say three sentences about themselves- two true and the other false. Give
the students a chance to circulate and share stories. The objective is for people to guess which stories are true
and which is false. Then, as each person reads the two sentences, the group votes on which story is false. This is
a good one to do while waiting around for something.
Body Snatchers
This game begins when all, excepting the official “body snatcher”, close their eyes. The body snatcher then
circulates about the room and the meandering participants. The body snatcher positions her/himself in front of an
unaware, poor, sightless victim. The snatcher then chants, “Whoooooo!” The victim screams a sharp, bloodcurdling scream (depending on environs), opens his/her eyes, links arms with the body snatcher, and joins the
pursuit. As more participants become snatchers, the body snatcher group entirely surrounds individual unwitting,
poor, sightless victims and, in unison, chants, “Whoooooo!” Victims are added to the snatcher group until no
victims remain to be victimized.
Balloon Basketball
Balloon Basketball provides the added attraction of human basketball nets. The human baskets stand with their
arms in oval “basket” shapes. They have flexible upper trunks and fixed bases (feet). They are positioned at
opposite ends of the created court. Players scoot about the court in crab walk posture (on hands and feet with
buttocks brushing the dirt) attempting to move the balloon toward their basket and through their hoop. The
human baskets may stretch their upper torsos and arms toward the balloon, thereby aiding it through the hoop.
Once again, basket feet must remain planted.
People to People
Participants form a circle and look down at an object in the center. Once all eyes are down, the facilitator yells,
“people to people.” At this cue, everyone looks up at one person in the circle. If the look is returned and eye
contact is established, the two lookers scream (or run to each other and embrace, depending on the needs of the
group). The pair is then eliminated from the game and must leave the circle. All participants look at the center of
the circle again and play another round. The game continues until everyone has made eye contact with someone
else.
6-1
Sing-Off
The leader splits the group into two or three teams and announces a word (e.g. rain or love). Each of the groups
must brainstorm a list of songs with this word in their lyrics. The groups must then compete with each other,
taking turns to sing the songs on their lists, one at a time. When a group runs out of songs to sing, or sings a song
another group has already sung, the group is eliminated. The group that comes up with the most songs will win.
Pairs Tag
Demarcate a small court with a string. The whole group must fit snugly into this court. There should be enough
room to move around, but barely. Everyone should pick or be assigned a partner. One partner from each pair is
“it.” The chasers must try to tag their partners while staying within the court. They must not run and must not
touch anyone else in the court. (This should be a difficult endeavor; if it is not, the court is probably too large.) If
any two participants bump into one another, the offenders must stop and say, “I’m so sorry. Excuse me,” thereby
wasting valuable chase or escape time. The chaser role switches back and forth between partners as many
times as partners tag one another. When this arrangement loses its initial thrill, partners may pair with another
couple. Chasers, linked at the elbow, then chase their linked partners. Note: This does not work well with a wild
group. It can get a little dangerous if children are out of control.
Ah So U
Everyone sits in a circle shoulder to shoulder. The leader first teaches the students a sequence of 3 sounds and
movements: One person begins with "Ah" - with the palm facing down above the head pointing to the person to
the right or the left. The person to whom was pointed continues with "SO"- palm facing down in front of the chest
pointing to the person to the right or the left. The person being pointed at continues with “U”- both hands together
pointing at someone in the circle. Now this student starts over with AH etc., until someone messes up. Those
who make a mistake become hecklers. They hover about the circle and try to distract remaining players. They
may make as much noise as they want, but may not touch anyone nor enter the circle. Note: This one only works
well with a sharp group.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU - DELVING DEEPER
Round Robin Interview
Students roam around for 10-15 minutes interviewing each other to find out personal information such as likes
and dislikes, best attributes, where they were born, etc. They can jot down notes during the interview. When the
group comes together, each student comes to the front and says her/his name. Those who have interviewed this
student then contribute any information they have, one comment per student, so that a description of the student's
character and interests is built up.
Questions in a Hat
The leader asks the students to write down a question that they would like to know about a friend. Each student
takes a turn to pick a question out of the hat and answer it. Students may pass, or select another question.
Boundary Breaking
Seat the group in a close circle on the floor. Each person must answer every question, with the proviso that the
student may pass in order to think. If a person passes twice, do not pressure her/him for an answer. Group
members should not repeat the answer of someone else, if at all possible. An explanation of the answers is not
necessary and is, in fact, counter-productive to the flow and mood that you are trying to establish. Limit the size of
the group or the number of questions so that the exercise does not become tedious.
6-2
Directions to participants:
I'd like you to respond to a series of questions. Every answer you give is the correct one; no one will question your
response or react to your answer in any way. Please do not "cop out" by stealing someone else's answer. We will
proceed around the circle, starting with a different person for each new question. If you can't think of an answer,
you may PASS, and I'll come back to you. Speak loudly so that everyone can hear. Be as honest as you can.
Remember that we are interested in discovering good things about each of us. As each person answers, begin
developing an idea of each person in the group and perhaps a few of the invisible boundaries held up by
ignorance of one another will begin to tumble.
Boundary-Breaking Questions:
1. What is the most beautiful thing about people?
2. What is the ugliest thing you know?
3. What do you like to do most with a free afternoon?
4. What is the greatest problem in the United States?
5. What is the greatest value that guides your life?
6. What quality do you look for in a really good friend?
7. Other than a relative, what one person has greatly influenced your life?
8. What gives you the most security?
9. What is the biggest waste you know of?
10. Select a word that you feel describes people of your age.
11. Name the most unreasonable thing you know.
12. If you were to paint a picture, what would you paint a picture of?
13. What do people like best about you?
14. What do you consider to be your biggest fault?
15. When do you feel most lonely?
16. What one thing would you change in your life?
17. What subject is the most frequent topic of discussion among your peers?
18. What is the very last thing that you will be willing to give up?
19. What is the best advice you have ever received?
20. When you are depressed, what cheers you up the most?
21. If you were tape recording the sound of violence, what sound would you use?
22. What scares you the most about the next year?
23. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
Fact in the Hat
The leader asks the students to write down an interesting fact about themselves, and put it in a hat. Each student
takes a turn to pick a "fact" out of the hat. Based on what is written, the students have to guess whose it is.
Object Game
Have the students bring in objects that are important to them. Mix the objects up in the middle of the circle. Have
everyone guess which object belongs to which person. When an object is correctly matched with a student, have
the student explain what the object is and why it is important.
Spotlight
Everyone sits in a circle around one student sitting in the middle. The student in the center spends a few minutes
telling everyone in the circle a little about her/himself. The other students then ask her/him questions. Spend
about five minutes per student and allow each student to be in the "spotlight."
Show and Tell
Have the students bring something that is very important to them and have them share it with the group.
6-3
Treasure For A Day
The purpose of this activity is to let students know that someone else appreciates them. (This appreciation can
stem from a small gesture that they did, something kind that they said, or any incident which brought two students
closer together.) Students express this appreciation by allowing another student to keep a treasured possession
of theirs for a day. After the day is up, the student returns the "treasured possession" to the owner. It is now the
turn of the other student to "appreciate" someone and give away a "treasured possession." This can be played on
a weekly basis.
One on One
The leader calls the group together at night and tells everyone to bring a flashlight, but does not say what is going
happen. The leader pairs students off, takes each pair to a private spot, and leaves them there to talk. (Note: Try
to put students together who are having a conflict or who are simply not interacting much with one another). After
about 20 minutes, the leader can rotate the students so that new pairs are formed.
Commonalties
Divide the students into groups of five or less. Ask each group to make a list of 5-10 things that are true for each
person in the group. Try to pick things that are unusual and not obvious. (For instance, everyone has an older
sibling, can speak a foreign language, has camped out for more than a week.) Next, bring them all together and
ask the whole group if they can name some things that are common to everyone. Then they can name things that
they think are true for no one else but them.
FUN GAMES
Clap Trap
Sitting in a circle, have students place their hands out, palms on the ground, overlapping the arms of the person
next to them. Explain that each hand must slap the ground once going around the circle in order. Once they
complete a couple rounds with no problem, explain that if at any time someone chooses to slap her/his hand
down twice that the hand slapping must change direction. After they feel comfortable with this, try introducing
three slaps which means that one hand in the succession is jumped. Once the students have a good idea of what
to do, encourage them to pick up the pace. To complicate things further, try four hand slaps which means that
there is a change in direction and one hand is jumped. The fun starts when people start anticipating their hand
slap. If students raise their hand off the ground (even only an inch off the ground) in early anticipation or because
they have made a mistake, they are eliminated.
Pile-Up
Arrange the group in a circle sitting on the ground. The objective is to have all the students end up sitting in one
spot. The game starts by someone asking a question. Those who answer "no" remain where they are while those
answering "yes" move one space to the right. They must sit on the lap of (or in front of) the person there.
Encourage the students to ask funny and unusual questions to which most people will have to answer "yes." If the
game is dragging, eliminate spaces in the circle when they become empty. Interesting questions can be found on
the "Have You Ever?" questionnaire included in the "Questions and Puzzles" section.
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Follow Me!
A student volunteers to briefly leave the room and a leader is appointed among the remaining students in the
group. The leader explains that when the IT person returns, the leader will initiate a movement (clapping, finger snapping, head-rubbing - anything visual). Whenever the leader changes a movement, the group must
immediately follow her/his lead. The IT tries, amidst this movement melee, to identify the leader. Emphasize that
the group should not all look at the leader. When the leader is finally caught, s/he can be the next IT.
Thief
Choose one person to be the "Keeper of the Sticks." The Keeper should kneel in front of 3 sticks, blindfolded. The
others sit in a semi -circle around the Keeper. They must, one at a time, attempt to "steal the sticks" with out
being tagged by the Keeper.
Last Detail
Have two groups (or individuals) line up across from each other. Give them one to two minutes to study
everything about the other side. Then ask each student to alter five things about her/his appearance and see if
the other group or individual can name what they are. When playing with groups, let the group change about ten
things as a group. All the changes can be on one person or divided throughout the group.
Copy Cat
All students close their eyes and decide on a body position and a person they plan to follow. They assume a body
position, open their eyes, and do what their leader is doing. The goal of this activity is for every student to
eventually have the same leader and thus, the same body position. Play as many rounds as it takes to get to this
point.
If You Love Me, Smile
A group stands in a circle with one student in the center. The student in the center approaches a student in the
circle and tries to get them to laugh by saying, "If you love me, if you really, really love me, then won't you please
smile?" The student in the circle must respond, "I love you. I really, really love you, but I just can't smile," without
smiling. If this student smiles, s/he is now in the center of the circle. Physical contact is not allowed.
Make Me Laugh
The leader splits the group into two teams. The teams sit in lines facing each other with a big gap between them.
Students from one team call the name of a student on the other team. That student must get up and walk slowly
over to the opposing team. While the student is walking, the team can do whatever they want to make the student
laugh (no physical contact). Encourage the students to use funny stories about what has happened during the
program. If the student does crack a smile, s/he must join the opposing team. Continue playing until everyone is
on one team.
Spin the Bottle
Everyone sits in a circle. Someone starts a story. After the leader spins the bottle, the student to whom it is
pointing must continue the story.
Telephone
Play the traditional game.
6-5
Mirrors
Students are in pairs. One student follows the slow movements of the other in a mirror-like fashion.
Drawing Charades
Students are in two groups. One representative from each group comes to the "referee" or "wordmaster" who
whispers the same word, usually an adjective or adverb (i.e. soulful, peace, amusement) to each representative.
The representatives then go back to their groups and draw pictures to convey the mystery word.
Word Disassociation
Arrange students in a circle. One person begins by saying any word. The person to the right must immediately
say a new word which is completely unrelated to the word just said. This is more difficult than one might expect. It
is usually an automatic reaction to want to make some kind of connection to the word last used. Only allow a few
seconds for a word choice.
Name Five
Everyone sits in a circle with one person in the center. Someone in the circle holds an object. The person in the
middle starts the activity by closing her/his eyes; the students in the circle begin passing the object. When the
person in the middle has a challenge question to ask, s/he says 'Stop,’ and opens her/his eyes. The student
holding the object is the one to whom the challenge is directed. The challenge is to name a specified number of
things from a specific category (e.g. name five pro-basketball players, seven rivers outside the US, all the planets
in the Solar System, four knots used on a ropes course, ten people in the group, fifteen foreign languages). After
meeting the challenge, the person holding the object must immediately pass it to the next person and the game
continues.
Sightless Sculpture
Students are in groups of three and one person in each group is blindfolded. The blindfolded student tries to
"mold" a blob of clay (the second student) into the same position as the third student. Encourage the students to
use creative poses.
Robots
Participants are organized into groups of three. Two volunteers stand shoulder to shoulder with their eyes closed
(blindfolded if possible). They make up the robot. The third participant of each triad stands behind the robot.
This person guides it with the following simple direction cues: Forward – tap on the head. Stop – a second tap
on the head. 180 degree turn – tap on the back. Right – tap on the right shoulder. Left – tap on the left shoulder.
The guides should direct their robots so that both people who compose them move in unison and on a desired
course without collision. For advanced robot high-jinx, set up an obstacle course or robot race.
Monarch
In this game there is one czar-type person who marks her/his power by wielding a rubber chicken (or other
appropriate symbol). The rest of the group runs around like a bunch of nutty anarchists. The monarch lances
her/his chicken at a passing anarchist. If the anarchist is hit, s/he becomes a monarch. Once two or more
monarchs attain power (and, in effect, are no longer monarchs) they must freeze while possessing and lancing
the rubber chicken. One czar can throw the chicken to a second czar who is moving to achieve a more opportune
lancing position. Once the rubber chicken is caught, that czar must freeze and throw at an anarchist or to a fellow
czar. The monarchs try to convert all the anarchists.
This game can also be played so that the original monarch remains planted while additional monarchs are free to
move as long as they are physically connected to the original monarch.
6-6
Transformer Tag
The leader should demonstrate to the students two body positions: One hand on top of the head and the other
hand on the left or right gluteus (behind). Each student decides with which position s/he wants to start the game,
heads or tails. The leader shouts 'DECLARE!' and the students declare their identities by adopting one of the
body positions. Then, the members of each team try to transform all the members of the other. If a head tags a
tail, the tail becomes a head, and vice versa. Once transformed, the person continues to tag anyone of the
opposing team. The game continues until one team successfully dominates the game.
Elbow Tag
One student is the Tagger and another is “IT.” The rest of the students are in multiple groups of three. The groups
of three are linked at the elbows. The Tagger tries to catch the “IT,” and the “IT” tries to escape the Tagger by
weaving though the groups of three. When the It needs help, it can link onto any of the groups. The student on the
other end of the group of three now becomes “IT.” When the Tagger catches the “IT,” the roles are reversed.
Triangle Tag
Students are in groups of four. Three of the four hold hands. The fourth person tries to tag one of the students
while the other two try to block her/his efforts.
Chain Tag/The Blob
The leader chooses a student to be "IT." The "IT" runs around and tries to tag someone. When that student has
tagged another student, they link arms. The linked couple now runs around as a team and tries to catch someone
else to join their team. When they have made a chain of four, they break up into two groups of two. There will
now be two teams of "ITs." Eventually there will be several chains of two to four "ITs."
A variation is to have everyone who has been tagged remain linked (or holding hands) together, forming a “blob”
that continues to grow as more and more people are tagged. Eventually everyone becomes part of the “blob.” If
you play this way, you need to have set boundaries, because eventually the blob needs to become large enough
that it can stretch from boundary to boundary, thus capturing everyone.
Prui (PROO-ee)
Everyone closes their eyes and starts milling around searching for Prui. When students bump into each other,
they shake hands and ask each other, "Prui?". If the other person answers "Prui?" they have not found Prui.
Keeping their eyes closed, they have to find another student to ask. While the students are bumping about,
shaking hands, with everyone asking "Prui?," the leader whispers to one of the students that s/he is Prui. Prui
now opens her/his eyes and continues walking about. When someone bumps into the Prui, shakes Prui's hand,
and asks "Prui?," Prui should not respond. The student should ask again, just to make sure. If there is still no
response then that student has found Prui. That student has now become part of Prui and should link arms with
the original Prui. Eventually, everyone should find and join Prui.
Wilderness Spin - Elephant, Deer, Alligator
Form a circle with one volunteer in the center. Volunteer spins about (delay play for an hour after all meals) and
stops, pointing (in the manner delineated below - choose one) at a fellow animal in the outer circle:
 arms extended in a trunk-like formation with pointer finger extended toward chosen player.
 arms extended in snappy-alligator-mouth formation with pointer finger extended toward chosen player.
 hands up at temples in deer antler formation with one finger pointed toward chosen player.
6-7
Chosen player responds accordingly with elephant-trunk arms, snappy-alligator-mouth arms, or darting-deer
hands - however not as antlers but as paws extending forth from the chin in a submissive paw like motion (no
pointer fingers necessary). Players on both sides of chosen animal must also respond in the following ways:
 players on either side of chosen elephant must make ear shapes with their arms for that elephant.
 players on either side of chosen snappy alligator must make teeth shapes with their hands to extend from
chosen alligator's mouth.
 players on either side of darting deer must make antler hands on chosen darting deer's head.
If any one of the participating players err, that player must go to the center of the circle (ostracized by her/his
fellow animals), spin about, and choose a new outer ring member to continue the game.
Bumpity Bump Bump
First, the leader explains to the group that saying “Bumpity Bump Bump” takes between .6 and .65 seconds (the
average is close to .623). The leader should then ask the group to form a circle around her/him. The students
should be put about four or five steps away from the leader. The leader points decisively at one of the students
and says that student’s name loudly, following this immediately with “Bumpity Bump Bump” This student must
respond by saying the first name of the person to the left, before the leader has had time to finish exclaiming,
“Bumpity Bump Bump." If s/he makes a mistake or completely forgets who's who, s/he takes the place of the
leader in the middle in the circle. It pays to know who is to your left, unless the student in the center exclaims,
"RIGHT!” before pointing and saying “BBB.” In this case, the student must name the student to the right.
Buzz-Bang-Bing
Everyone sits in a circle and someone starts counting. Each student says a number sequentially in a clockwise or
counterclockwise direction until the number 7 is reached. Instead of saying 7, the student should say BUZZ. The
counting direction then reverses until the next number that has a 7 in it or is a multiple of 7 is reached; that person
also says BUZZ. The direction again reverses, and the sequence continues until someone makes a mistake (not
saying BUZZ or saying BUZZ at the wrong time). For example: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - BUZZ (reverse) 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
13 - BUZZ (reverse) 15, 16 - BUZZ (reverse) 18, 19, 20 - BUZZ (reverse), etc.
After some practice, a group may surprise themselves as to how high a number can be reached before a mistake
is made. To make the activity more difficult, add the word BANG for 5's and multiples of 5. The ultimate advanced
activity is to also include the word SING for 3's and multiples of 3.
Glick Glock
Everyone sits in a circle and the leader holds two objects. The leader says to the student to the left: "This is a
Glick," and passes an object to that student. The student should then respond, "A what?" to which the leader
replies, "a Glick." The student then turns to the left, hands the student the object, and says, "This is a Glick." This
second student then responds, "A what?" The first student turns to the leader and also asks, "A what?" The
leader then responds with, "a Glick." The first student turns back to the second student and repeats, "a Glick." As
the message, "This is a glick" continues clockwise around the circle, each new student asks, "a what?”. The
question is relayed back to the leader each time, and the answer (a Glick) is sent back around the circle.
After a while, the leader hands another object to the student on the right and says, "This is a Glock," to which the
student responds, "A what?," to which the leader replies, "a Glock." The Glock continues counter-clockwise
around the circle in the same manner as the Glick. The game becomes more interesting as the Glick and Glock
approach each other.
Zip Zap Bop
This game is similar to Ah So U except that the Zips, Zaps and Bops can be in any order. The person being
pointed at has the choice of zipping, zapping, or bopping. To Zip, students point to the person to the right or to the
left of them. To Zap, they point at anyone except the person to the right or left. To Bop, they lift their fists up over
their shoulders. This sends the turn back to the person who just did the zipping, zapping, or bopping.
6-8
Spot
Everyone sits in a circle. The leader starts by turning to the student on the right and says, "Hello Harry.” This
student then responds, "Yes Harry." The leader then says "Tell Harry," and the student replies, "Thank you
Harry." The student turns to the next student and says, "Hello Harry." The conversation is passed around the
circle. If someone makes a mistake, a tube of toothpaste is thrown her/his way and someone places a dab of
toothpaste on her/his forehead. Now that person is called Spot; the conversation changes to, "Hello Harry," "Yes
Spot," "Tell Harry," "Thank you Spot." When people make a second mistake they become "Two Spot" and another
dab of toothpaste is added to their face. A person who makes three mistakes or more is called "Super Spot."
Super Spots may have an endless number of spots on their face.
Red Handed
Everyone forms a circle, and one person, chosen as IT, stands in the center. While IT closes her/his eyes, the
other students pass a small object (like a marble or a stone) from person to person. The best method of passing
the object is to hold the object in one fist, palm down, and drop it into the palm-up hand of the next student. With a
little practice, students will be able to accomplish a quick and sneaky pass without looking at what they are doing.
After a minute or so, IT signals and opens her/his eyes. The object of the game is for IT to detect who has the
object. Students may continue to pass the object after the IT has opened her/his eyes. (Decoys like fake passes
by people who don't have the marble are an integral part of the game). If IT detects a suspicious look on
someone's face, IT walks up and taps one of the fists of the suspicious student. If that student is empty handed,
IT moves on. If someone has the marble and IT picks them red handed, s/he is now the new IT.
Do Unto Others What You Would Have Others Do Unto You
Ask the students to write down the name of someone in the group and something that they want that person to do
in front of the whole group (do a Beyoncé imitation, recite a love poem). Collect all the names/ commands. Tell
the students what the title of the game is and announce that they themselves now will have to do whatever it is
that they were going to make someone else do.
Senses Awareness
Have each student grab a pen and piece of paper and ask them to find a location outside. They must sit for about
15 minutes and write down all the things they see, hear, smell, touch and taste while sitting outside. People tend
to rely on their senses of hearing and sight, so encourage the students to try using all of their senses. For a more
in-depth analysis, have the students write down how the exercise makes them feel.
Mini Solo
The leader asks that the students convene at a certain time and bring just their water bottles (no books, journals,
or pens). One at a time, the leader takes the students to a private spot, and takes away their watches. S/he
explains that they should just sit, think and relax, and that s/he will be back to fetch them in a while. The leader
should return after 20 minutes or so.
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