Troop Night Games for Scouts
All games to be supervised by leaders or helpers
Quiet Games (play in silence, or with just one speaking)
1. Submarine net.
Line of chairs with gap.
Scout blindfolded stands in gap.
Others must creep past when started by leader, without being touched.
2. Matthew. Mark Luke and John.
Horseshoe of chairs. 1 st chair is “Master’s chair”, second is “Matthew’s chair”,third is “Luke’s chair” 4th “John’s chair, and the rest are numbered 1, 2, 3 etc.
The person sitting on a chair has the name or number of that chair.
Always start with “master” who says “Master to (e.g.) 1 “.
The person at chair 1 says IMMEDIATELY “1 to (e.g.) Luke”
This continues.If anyone gets it wrong, or is too slow, they drop to the last chair in the horseshoe and everyone below the empty chair moves up.
RULE: You can’t reflect – i.e. “2 to 3” followed by “3 to 2” is not allowed.
3. Tommy the Tenderfoot
Circle seated. First one says “Tommy the tenderfoot went to camp and with him he took a (e g TENT)”.
Second “Tommy the tenderfoot went to camp and with him he took a tent and a washing machine”. and so on, each person adding an item.
Mistake: drop out, do forfeit, lose point.
4. Knock out O’Grady
All standing in line across hall. Leader says “O’Grady say do this”, and makes action; others follow suit. If leader says “Do this” (i.e. no “O’Grady says”) then anyone who does it falls back one pace. Continue until bored or some criterion, e.g. someone has fallen back three lines.
5. Sleeping Pirate
One blindfolded scout (“pirate”) sitting on floor with whistle and keys between legs. Others in line sitting on floor come out silently when told by leader to try to take whistle. Drop and stay when “pirate” hears them and points at them.
Active Games
for Two Numbered teams
1. Tug of war(1)
Leader calls number (e g 5)
Then each number 5 runs out and tugs rope, to touch chair at his end.
2. Here there and where
Hank of rope. Three circles on ground, one called “here” one “where” and one “there”. Leader shouts e.g. “number 2 here” and both 2’s grab for
rope to take it to “Here”. Point for first to be right.
3. Hopping and barging
Leader calls number (e g 5)
Number 5 hops out (one leg) with arms folded, and tries to make opponent put foot down or unfold arms.
4. Cat and mouse
Rope in a hank (knotted) in centre of floor. Chair at each end.
Leader shouts “(e g) 4”
Number 4 ‘s from each side rush out to pick up rope, runs back to own chair with it. If touched by other player must drop rope.
5. Hockev (Scout)
Leader calls number (e g 6).
Number 6 from each side runs out, picks up hockey stick and tries to score goal with ball between chair legs.
6. Polo hockey
As Scout hockey, but played piggy back.
Running Games
1.Tail tally
Each Scout has tail, e g neckerchief. One from EACH patrol chases other patrols, and collects tails. Tail-less Scouts go to SIN BIN where they are released if chaser gives them tail. At end winners have largest number total of tails. (include those worn)
2. Mystery number
Patrol Leaders choose number. Scouts form circle round PLs, and start to
march round circle counting steps. When they reach the decided number PLs chase, if reach hall ends safe. Caught Scouts join PLs for new number.
3. North south east and west
Commands: N SE W, NE, NW etc. Freeze. Bombs coming over (fall flat on floor): man the lifeboats (one on back of another)
Last to comply is out.
4. Port and starboard
Bow stern port starboard, man the lifeboats, boom coming over, freeze
5. British bulldog
Running area lined off with two lines.
One Scout (catcher) in middle, shouts “go”, and others must run from one line to next Catcher picks up one, calls out “British Bulldog one two three” and caught scout joins catchers
6. Round the houses
Two circles, successive one from each runs fig 8 round each pushing stave on ground,
7. True/False
Numbered teams. Two chairs. One right and one wrong.
Leader shouts question followed by number, and first to sit on right chair gets point.
8. Crows and Cranes
Two rows of scouts facing each other -perhaps spaced apart. One is “Crows” the other “Cranes”. Leader calls out “Crows” who must then chase and catch Cranes before touch wall. Caught crows become cranes. And so on.
Leader can call out “Christmas” “Cream buns” etc. Anyone who runs wrongly may be deemed caught
9. Rats and Rabbits
Rats and rabbits start opposite ends> Leader says “Rats 1 pace forward” etc. Ultimately “Rabbits ATTACK” or “Rats attack” then as Crows and CRANES
10 Whipped to the Gap
Circle, eyes closed, hands behind back. Leader walks round with rolled up newspaper and places it in hands of one scout who whacks neighbour on seat. Neighbour runs around circle and back to place,
11. Threes
Groups of three. One catcher and one runner.
When runner is tired he touches one of three, who takes over running.
12 Chair run
Chairs in line facing opposite ways.
One patrol runners
Rest of troop sit on chairs, apart from catcher. Catcher starts running after runners, when he catches them they drop out. When catcher tired, touches sitting Scout, who takes over as catcher.
Ball-type Games
Prisoners base
I Three ropes across hall on ground to define 4 courts. Two teams in courts 2 and 3.
Ball caught from air after crossing centre line is alive. If live ball is thrown to hit opposite team member below knees, that person is a prisoner and goes behind catching team to court 1 or 4.
Prisoners are released by catching ball from air.
Skittleball
Patball
Crab football
Corner football
Chair ball
Scout on chair catches ball to score goal. No moving with ball, or physical contact. Change goalie when goal scored.
Corner clear
Patrols in 4(3) areas. One or more balls must be kept out of your area as much as possible. When whistle blows count ball distribution. Blow whistle every e.g. 30 sec. Minus points for balls in area.
Variation 1 No feet Variation 2: No hands
Chinese handball: Two rounds
Round 1: two teams at opposite ends of hall, pitch, field.
Ball is thrown to hit member of opposite team, who throw back and so on. Anyone hit (eg below knees) changes sides. Can use hands to protect.
Round 2; at end of round 1 teams become fixed. Then same action as before but this time people hit are out. Winning tern is last to have player.
Hit below the knees
Individuals in circle, out if hit below knees with ball. Timed
Dodger
Snake is middle of circle. Aim is for circle to hit tail, who drops out when so hit. Winner last snake to be out.
Dodge ball
Two teams, one each end of hall. Each throws ball at other and anyone hit below knees is out. Can use hands to protect.
Catch Punch
Circle around thrower. He calls “catch” then throws ball at one scout. Scout punches ball. Alternatively, thrower calls “punch” in which case scout catches ball.
Mistake means changeover with thrower.
King ball
One starts with ball. He can throw it at any other player, and run to get it. If he hits other player, other player joins him as catcher. Once two players are “it”, they cannot move with the ball.
Game continues until one player is uncaught, who is “King BALL”
Star Wars
Scouts stand around Hall (Fixed positions) Ball.
One runs around, and when hit by ball, he is out. Hitter takes over. Variation: Whole patrol runs around, timed.
Relay Games
Flight deck
One scout face down as aircraft. Others take arm, or leg and run along hall to land aircraft on landing spot. All run back, then new aircraft.
Staves
One at front with stave. Throw to first scout, who throws back and ducks down. Front scout catches, then throws to second scout and so on.
Hopping & barging
Hopping and barging- each scout is in one of two teams numbered. When number called must hop out towards opposite number with arms folded. Winner is first to put foot down or unfold arms. No changing feet.
Just Games
Barricades (TORCH)
First team makes barricade out of predetermined gear.
other team is outside, and comes in only when first team ready.
One blindfold scout from first team as flash lamp and can shoot (perhaps limited bullets) when he hears sound.
Jump Polly-Waatail
Two patrols -equal sizes and numbers needed.
Largest Scout back to wall, remainder of patrol make line of leapfrog backs, in line and in contact. First Scout of patrol two runs up and jumps onto line of backs, astride. He can move up to head of line, but if his feet touch ground, his team has lost. Others follow suit. If backs collapse, the riders have won. If riders fall off then back have won. If backs remain for e.g. 30 sec, then all even, and so swap over and repeat.
How do you like your neighbour?
Chair circle. IT stands in middle. He says “Fred (etc.) how you like your neighbour. Fred says “l don’t. I prefer X and Y” X and Y must change places, and IT must sit on one of their seats whereupon the seatless one becomes IT
Electric chair
Circle around chair, anyone pulled into contact with chair is out.
Poison
As electric chair, but several poisonous objects around hall. Perhaps two circles.
Rope Jump (Whirling Jackstay)
Jackstay is rope with (eg) slipper attached to give weight. Circle around centre person (leader) called “spinner”. Spinner whirls rope around with slipper at calf height, and circle of scouts jump as rope reaches them. Anyone hit drops out.
Tug of War Games
Conventional tug of war
Submarines
Patrol 1 makes channel out of chairs for patrol 2 to navigate their blindfold submarine through. If submarine hits mine (chair), patrol 1 is challenged to prove it can be done.-_
Stones
Small number of objects, e.g. 6 stones for three patrols, in centre. Each patrol has a chair in front of them. First scout from each patrol runs out and brings back a stone to their chair. Then same scout runs out to get next stone. Then, no stones are left in centre, so he must steal from another chair.
Winner is first to get 3 on their chair.
Dumb Waiter
