GAMES

Dreidel Games
Baltimore Area Council

The Dreidel Game is played by making a game board from a large box top which has been squared off with appropriate numbers in each square. Each player spins the dreidel and adds or subtracts his or her score depending upon which side of the dreidel faces up and on which number it rests.

For example, if the dreidel faces up Stell on 20, the player loses 20. First player to accumulate 25 points is the winner.

The Put-Take-Nothing Game begins with each player receiving an equal amount of small candy, raisins or nuts. Each player puts one item into a "pot", or "kitty", and the players spin the dreidel in turn. Scoring is the same as in the Dreidel Game. When a player gets "Gantz", or all, each player puts in another item to make a new "pot". The game ends when one player has accumulated all of the items.

International Games|
Baltimore Area Council

Bivoe Ebuma (Clap Ball)
Cameroon, Africa

Divide den into two teams. Teams line up parallel and facing each other six feet on either side of a center line. The two teams toss a small rubber ball back and forth. No player may step across the center line. When the ball is caught, the catcher must clap his hands and stamp his feet once. If a player forgets to clap and stamp, a point is scored against his team. Keep the ball moving fast.

Catch the Dragon's Tail
Taiwan

Two single lines are formed with each person's hands on the shoulder of the person in front of him.

Until the signal "GO" is given, the dragons must each remain in a straight line. The starter begins the countdown - "Em-Er-San-Ko!" or "I-2-3-GO!" The "fiery head" of each line then runs toward the "lashing tail" and tries to catch the last man. The whole dragon body must remain unbroken. If anyone lets go, the dragon's body is broken and the dragon dies. A new dragon must be formed with the head becoming the tail and the next in line having a turn at being the head. If, however, the head player touches the tail, he may continue to be the head.

Ringalevio
USA

Ringalevio is a variation of Hide and Seek. There are two teams, runners and chasers. Chasers stand inside a circle (base), eyes closed counting to 100 while the runners hide in the area. The chasers begin to hunt and when a runner is caught, the chaser shouts "Ringalevio." The runner is then taken to base. The idea is to capture all runners, but a speedy runner can save his friends by stepping inside the circle (without being caught). When all runners are captured, change sides.

Coyote and The Sheep
USA

One boy is the shepherd, one the coyote and the rest are sheep. The shepherd and the sheep form a line, hands clasped around waist of the boy ahead, with the shepherd in front. As the coyote approaches, the shepherd asks, "What do you want?" The coyote replies, "I want fat meat!" The shepherd calls, "Then go to the end of the line where the fattest lambs are."

The whole line of sheep still holding onto each other begins to run away. The coyote gives chase, trying to tag the last sheep in line. When the coyote tags the last sheep, the shepherd becomes the coyote, the next boy in line becomes the shepherd, the coyote goes to the end of the line.

Chef Manda (The Chief Orders)
Brazil

One Cub Scout is the Chief and stands in front. When he says, "The Chief orders you to laugh," all other players must laugh. If he says, "He orders you to laugh," no one should laugh because all valid commands are prefaced by "The Chief". A player who does not obey proper orders is eliminated.

La Canasta (The Basket)
Brazil

The players sit in a circle. Each is assigned the name of a different fruit. "IT" stands in the center and says, "I went to the market and bought some pears and grapes (or other fruit)." The players assigned the fruit "IT" mentioned try to change places while "IT" tries to sit down in one of their places. The one left standing is the next "IT".

Cherry Chop
France

This is usually played with cherry pits at harvest time. You can use pebbles or marbles.' Place a shallow bowl about two feet in front of a line of Cub Scouts. Put one pebble or marble in it and give each player 5 or 10 others. In turn, each uses his pebbles to try to knock the pebble out of the bowl. If he succeeds, he keeps it and the leader-places another pebble into the bowl. If a player misses, he must put one of his pebbles in the bowl. Winner is the one with the most pebbles at the end of the game.

Pebble
Greece

(6 to 20 players) One player is chosen to be "IT" and is given a small object to hold in his hand (marble, washer, small ball, pebble, etc.) The others stand in line with hands out, palms together and palms up. "IT" selects a goal IO-30 feet away beyond the line of players. He walks along the line and pretends to drop the pebble into each player's hand. Somewhere along the line, he actually does drop the pebble into a player's hand.

When a Scout gets the "pebble", he tries to reach the goal and back to "IT", who remains on the horizontal line. The player on his right attempts to catch the Scout with the pebble. If the runner succeeds in reaching "IT" without being caught, he becomes "IT". If he is caught, the one who catches him becomes "IT". The Scout who receives the pebble may choose his own time to run, but must start before "IT" reaches the end of the line.

Palito Verde (Green Stick)
Greece

 "IT" carries a green stick (a neckerchief may be substituted). The other players form a large circle, facing inward with their hands behind their back. "IT" travels around the circle and at some point he places the stick or neckerchief in the hands of a player. That player immediately races after "IT" around the circle. If "IT" is tagged before "IT" can get to the chaser's old place in the circle he remains "IT". If "IT" reaches the space safely the chaser becomes the new "IT".

Scoop Lacrosse
Canada

Lacrosse was played by Canadian and northeastern U.S. Indians. In this variation, lacrosse "sticks" are scoops made by cutting plastics, gallon size bottles. Use a soft rubber ball of about baseball size.

Goals may be two large cartons of the same size or you can set up 5-foot square frames at opposite ends of the field for goals.

Teams try to get the ball into their opponent's goal. Players may pass the ball or run with it but may not touch it with their free hand. A player may try to knock the ball out of an opponent's scoop with his own scoop.

Score one point for each goal.

Look for a version of Scoop Lacrosse called "Laundry Toss"  to be played at your February Roundtable for March's "Litter to Glitter" theme - CD

Hanukkah Games
Viking Council

Hide the Dreidle (Hanukkah top) one Cub leaves the room.  The others hide the dreidle.  The Cub returns.  The others yell "hot" and "cold" depending on whether he is near or far.  You can use real or paper dreidle.

Hanukkah Peanut Hunt Buy package of peanuts.  Write K on 4, H on 4, N on 4, U on 4 and A on 4.  Hide all the peanuts, lettered and unlettered, hunt for 5 minutes.

• 10 points for greatest number
• 5 points for each lettered peanut
• 20 points for a Cub finding enough to write HANUKKAH

Pass the Dreidel Cubs sit in circle, start music.  Pass the top around the circle.  When the music stops, the Cub holding the dreidel drops out.  Last Cub is the winner.

Trim the Tree
Viking Council

• Line up the dens for a relay. 
• Attach large sheets of paper to the opposite wall and give each boy a different colored crayon. 
• On signal, the first boy runs to his paper and outlines a Christmas tree. 
• Then the next boy runs up and draws in a stand. 
• The others draw ornaments or lights. 
• The first team to trim its tree wins.

Variation:

SANTA TRIP
Trapper Trails

Players sit in a circle. The first player says, "On Christmas Eve, I'm traveling with Santa and I'm going to visit (name a place starting with an "A") and delivering a (name an object strting with "A")." The next player repeats the first place and object and adds a place and object beginning  with "B". Continue the game through the alphabet alternating places and objects.

Present Charades
Sam Houston Area Council

Each boy thinks of a present he would like to give a make-believe friend (or a real friend) and then decides how to act out movements for his chosen present. (For example, if he chose a dog, he could chase his tail around in a circle, give a paw to "shake", or roll over with paws up in the air.)  There are no limits on the price, or availability of this pretend present.  The leader should consult with each boy as needed to choose a present and work out the movements.  When all the boys have decided on the presents and movements, have each in turn act out his present and see who can guess what it is.