These games are meant to bring people together with a common purpose. They allow different solutions to a challenging situation, encourage independent thinking and require group members to cooperate in order to succeed. By playing this type of game girls develop confidence in themselves through the success of the team, and learn to appreciate and accept others. There are no strict “rules” for these games; they can be adapted to your own needs, facilities and time frame. When giving directions just explain what the object of the game is; don’t give the solution. There can also be an imaginative story behind the game.
After the game is complete spend about 10 minutes reflecting on what they just did. Ask questions, such as:
- How did you feel when…?
- Did you get a chance to …?
- How did you all arrive at your solution?
- What got you all pulling the same direction?
- How did you feel when you found a solution to the challenge?
- What other ways might there be to accomplish the same goal?
- How could you change the game to make it more fun?
- What did you learn about yourself?
Catching the Dragon's Tail
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: None
A dragon is formed by grouping the players into a long line, each with their hands on the shoulders of the girl in front of her. The first in the row is the dragon's head. The last in the row is the dragon's tail, eager to lash to the right and left in order to escape the head. Until the signal GO is given, the dragon must be a straight line. Someone in the group counts "One, two, three, go!" On the signal GO the head runs around toward the tail and tries to catch it. The whole body must move with the head and remain unbroken. If the head succeeds in touching the tail, they may continue to be the head. If the body breaks before she catches the tail the head becomes the tail and the next in line is the head, and so on until each person has a chance to be the head and the tail. If the game isn’t working well, stop it and discuss what they could do to make it a better game and more fun.
Dragon Tag
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: A soft ball
Three people make a chain one behind the other with their hands on waists. The other players stand in a circle around them. The aim is for the people in the circle to throw the ball tagging the last person in the dragon chain. That person, when tagged, drops off the chain and back into the circle. The person who threw the ball that tagged them joins the front of the chain and so on. The players quickly learn to throw the ball fast in order to catch the dragon off guard - the ball can move faster than the chain! You can make the chain up of five people if you have a large group.
Frozen Beanbag Friends
For
Sparks,
Brownies or
Guides
Equipment: Bean bags (or soft toys)
Girls stand and balance beanbags on their heads. On a signal, girls move around the area at their own pace. To change the pace or action, the leader can ask the girls to hop or skip. If the bean bag falls off a girl’s head, that girl is frozen. Another girl (the friend) must pick up the beanbag and replace it on the first girl's head without losing her own bean bag. When the game is over, talk to the girls about how many times they helped their friends, or how many times their friends helped them.
Lighthouse
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: Blindfold
One person is a ship, another is a lighthouse, and all of the others are rocks in the water. The ship is blindfolded and stands at one end of the playing area. The lighthouse stands at the far end of the playing area from the ship and emits a beeping noise to guide the ship safely into harbour. The other players who are rocks, stand around the playing area and make swishing noises if the ship gets too close and is going to crash into them. The ship has to reach the lighthouse without crashing against the rocks by listening to the beeping and the swishing carefully. Discuss what difficulties they had, if they want the ship to succeed, and how they could help her get to the lighthouse.
Pass the Hula Hoop
For
Sparks,
Brownies or
Guides
Equipment: One hula hoop, or more if large group
Put the hula hoop over the shoulder of one girl. All girls hold hands. On a signal, without letting go or using their hands the girls must pass the hula hoop all around the circle. Let them figure out how. After one time around the circle, discuss briefly what the easiest way was. Do it again and time it. See if they can beat their own time. Use a second hoop for more action for other girls.
Ping Pong Ball Hockey
For
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: Ping pong ball, straw for each girl, table, markers on each end of the table for the goal
Divide the group into teams (teams of three work well) and have a goal keeper at each end of the table. The girls use their straw to blow a ping pong ball around a table, aiming to score a goal. After playing for a while, teams can take time out to discuss strategies and working together. “Winning” the game is not as important as working with your team to do your best.
Reverse Musical Chairs
For
Sparks,
Brownies or
Guides
Equipment: Chairs, music
Girls sit on chairs in a circle. The music starts and they move around the circle. Don’t give too many instructions. One chair is removed. The music stops and they all must sit down, somewhere, with or on someone else. No one is eliminated. Let them decide how to accommodate everyone when chairs become scarce. Enjoy the fun of seeing how the girls meet this challenge.
Group Charades
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: None
Girls work in small groups of four or five. The leader names something and the girls have to cooperatively use their bodies to make the object or animal: e.g. toaster, kangaroo, creature from another planet, the number eight, lawn mower, snake, the letter M. Be creative. Ask the girls for ideas. Observe how the girls work things out, who takes a leadership role, etc. Praise all their efforts and creativity. Groups can observe each others’ figures and see different ways of accomplishing the same thing.
Diminishing Island
For
Sparks,
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: One tarp or blanket for each team
Girls spread out the tarp and all stand on it. Then tell them that their island is disappearing but they still must keep all their team safe. Ask them to fold the tarp in two without stepping off it. When that is done ask them to fold it in two again without stepping off. See how small they can get their island and still be safe.
Blind Polygon
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: A piece of rope, six - seven metres long
Girls work in groups of five. All of the girls must close their eyes or wear a blindfold. Girls stand in a circle, with all girls holding onto the rope and one girl holding the ends of the rope together. Tell the girls to grab hold of the rope and make the rope into a triangle. When finished they can open their eyes and see how well they did. Then make a square, then a star. Observe how the girls work things out, who takes a leadership role etc. Praise all their efforts. Give them time to experiment and make a more effective polygon.
Skin the Snake
For
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: None
Divide into teams of five or more girls. The girls stand in line facing the same direction. Each girl reaches her right hand back through her legs and takes the left hand of the girl behind. The last girl in line lies down on her back and the others carefully back over her, with each new girl on the end lying down. Continue until the first girl in line is able to lie down. Try doing it in reverse. Observe how they accomplish the task and how safe and comfortable they are.
Human Knot
For
Sparks,
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: None
Seven to 10 girls stand in a circle. Each one puts her right hand into the centre of the circle and randomly takes another girl’s right hand with her left hand until all are joined. The object is to untangle the members of the team without letting go of hands. Care must be taken to not twist wrists. Girls may pivot hand position to avoid twisting another hand, but must keep contact when switching position of hands. Sometimes you end up with more than one circle!
Crossing the River
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: One “stepping stone” per person, plus one extra. Can be rug squares, folded newspapers.
Tell girls a story about needing to get to the other side of the river safely before the wild animals attack them, or some such story. The object is to use the stepping stones and get their whole group across the river without anyone falling into the water. Observe how they solve this challenge, what leaders emerge; if there are different ideas of how to do this.
Helium Stick
For
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: A thin, lightweight straight rod or stick for each group of eight to 10 girls.
Divide the group in half, with each half facing the other half (four to five girls on each side). All hold out their index fingers, palms facing down, with all fingers in a line. The rod is placed on their fingers horizontally. The challenge is to slowly lower the stick to the ground. All fingers must touch the stick, without holding it. Observe how the girls work together. Have them share their strategies and then try again.
Pipeline
For
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: One round object per team e.g. ping pong ball, marble. Half pipes for each girl. These may be made by splitting a two inch plastic pipe and cutting into 12 to 15 inch lengths. Then round off the ends for safety. Older girls could help makes these pipes.
The object of the game is to get the ball from one location to the other without it falling to the ground. Locations should be considerable distance apart. Pipes may be overlapped in transferring from one girl to the next. When the ball passes on from one girl she runs to the other end to continue the process. If the ball drops to the ground, they can either start over or continue from where they are. It is fun to do in competing teams. Let the girls experiment and discover the best way to do this.
Toxic Waste
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: Per team – two plastic containers with lids (yogurt containers work well); a strong elastic band that is large enough to be stretched around the container, four to six strings (about one metre long) must be tied to the elastic, so that it may be stretched by pulling on the strings (therefore, ensure strings are equally spaced around the elastic). A playing area marked with the start and end zone with masking tape.
The girls are divided into teams and told that there is toxic waste in the containers and it must not be touched with their hands. The object of the game is for the teams to race to the end zone. Team members need to work together to stretch the elastic around the container; then lift the container and carry it to its destination. If a container gets knocked over the team may raise a hand to have the leader come and pick it up, but no one except the leader is to ever touch the container.
To make it more challenging, the containers could be full of water, with or without the lids on. If lids are on, the containers could also be stacked on top of each other for an extra challenge.
Circle of Friends
For
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: None
About eight girls stand or kneel in a tight circle. Another girl stands in the centre and let’s herself fall one way or another. The girls in the circle always catch her and push her back upright.
Human Spring
For
Sparks,
Brownies or
Guides
Equipment: None
Two girls face each other with their arms outstretched and palms touching. Then move one step backwards, so their palms are aligned but not touching. The girls lean slightly forward simultaneously and break each other’s falls as their hands meet in the middle and elbows bend. They push palms together carefully to push each other back into standing position. Continue taking small steps backwards and springing upright.
Everybody Up
For
Sparks,
Brownies,
Guides or
Pathfinders
Equipment: None
Two girls sit down facing each other with feet together. Hold hands and pull together into standing position. Try it with legs extended, and with knees bent. Then try again with three girls, or four. Variation: a group of girls sit in a circle facing outwards, with their knees bent in front of them. Everyone links arms, and then the group tries to stand up.
Caterpillar
For
Sparks,
Brownies or
Guides
Equipment: None; played outdoors
A team of six or more girls lie on their stomachs side by side. The end girl rolls onto her neighbour and continues rolling to the end of the line and joins the girls lying down.
Variation: Similar to Caterpillar but one girl lies on top, perpendicular to the logs under her. The logs roll out from under the top log. When she is no longer lying on the row of logs she joins them and becomes another rolling log.
Lap Sit
For
Brownies or
Guides
Equipment: None
Any size group stand in a tight circle arranged according to height so any girl is about the same height as the girls on either side of her. All girls turn a quarter turn so they are all facing around the circle in the same direction. At the same time each girl slowly and carefully sits down on the lap/knees of the girl behind her. The object of the game is for everyone to be sitting comfortably with full weight on the girl behind her, with no one falling over.
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