Cabin Group Afternoon Activities

Cabin activities are one of the most important parts of Camp Piomingo. They provide a chance
for a cabin to further develop group teambuilding through a series of shared experiences. They
also provide additional time for counselors to spend with "their" kids. Because they are
important, cabin activities deserve to be thought-out and planned. A boy's cabin and girl's cabin
will be paired up and democratically discuss the weeks choices. Cabin Activities occur Monday
mornings, Monday afternoons, Tuesday afternoons, Wednesday afternoons and Thursday
afternoons.
Cabin Activity Schedule: will be completed each Sunday night at the beginning of the session.
Unit Leaders should discuss with their cabin groups, what activities they might want to do during
the week. Kids will swim every afternoon, so they should get to do at least 4 of the following
activities, each week they are here:
Hike Options:
-Nature Center Hike- visit the cool air OCP building. Closes at 4pm and all day Monday
-OCT- scenic loop around camp see the woods, hills, creek and river
Other Options:
-Arts and Crafts- many different projects and options...:.. talk to your Unit Leader
-Marksmanship- BB guns, target shooting at the range .
-Archery- bows and arrows, target shooting at the range
-Camp crafts- fire building contests, lashing/ shelter building, outdoor living skills
-Climbing Tower- Challenge-by-choice activity- great Goal-setting and Confidence-
building opportunity
-Pipeline Slide -160 feet of sliding fun
-Creek Walk, Blue Hole Swin)ming Area and Doe Valley Lake
-Front Yard
-Daniel Boone Cave- Long hike, cool waterfall
-Clancey's Cave- Naturally cool
-Morgan's Cave- Nice hike, awesome stream (build a dam)
GAMES
TIPS FOR LEADING GAMES
1. Know the games before you start- objectives, rules, etc.
2. Be clear in your directions. Cover all the rules from the beginning-- don't make it look like you
are making them up as you go.
3. Demonstrate the game when possible.
4. Don't play the game too long. If the kids are not allowed to play the game until they are tired
of it, they will look forward to playing it again later. 10-20 minutes is often the maximum.
5. Know the interest and abilities of your group.
6. Get your group into formation before you explain the rules.
7. Know the game and rules. Give directions. Then stop and explain. Learn by doing.
8. Watch for signs offatigue and restlessness.
9. Stress cooperation, not competition.
10. Avoid elimination games. These games limit happiness and success.
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Speed Rabbit With the group in a circle, choose one person to be uit." The "it" stands in the center of the
circle and points at one person and calls out an action. Each action requires three people to complete it
(the person being pointed at, and the person to either side of them.) Some popular actions are: Cow
(person in middle holds thumbs upside down, people on either side (/milk" the thumbs), Elephant (person
in the middle makes a long trunk and makes a loud elephant noise, while people on either side make big
ears and flap wildly), and Rabbit (person in the middle makes big rabbit teeth with the people on either
side stomping one foot wildly.) When the person in the center points to someone and calls out an action,
the three participants have until the person that is "it" says "Speed Rabbit" three times to make the
action. If they mess up, or don't do it in time, then the one that messed up the worst becomes "it."
Bumpity Bump Bump With the group in a circle, choose one person to be "it." The person who is it
stands in the center of the circle and points to one person, and says "Left" or "Right". The person who
just got pointed at has to say the name of the person to their left or right (whichever one the "it" chose)
before the "it" says uBumpity-Bump-Bump". If the "it" says uBumpity-Bump-Bumpu before the person
says the name of the person to their left or right, the that person becomes it.
See ya After learning names, small groups are asked a commonalties question that has a quantitative
answer (most siblings, most countries.visited, most miles on their.car). The person who has the most
moves on to another group when the facilitator counts "1, 2, 3 ... " and everyone yells, "See ya !"
Greetings This takes the handshake to a whole new level! Ask the participants to pair up with someone
they don't know. This becomes their "High Five" partner. Every time you call out "High Five Partner",
they have to meet up, scream each others name, and give each other a high five. Do the same for
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'Low
Five Partner", "Lumberjack Partner(/ (connect fingers, grab thumbs, and "saw" back and forthsaying the
partners name), and "Salmon Fisherman Partner" (excitedly slap the inside of the partner? arm like a fish
tail slapping the water.) The possibilities are endless!
Blanket Down A blanket separates two groups. Two individuals crouch near the blanket, and when the
blanket is dropped, the first person to say the other person's name wins! The loosing individual joins the
other side, and the game continues as long as you'd like, or until one side has all of the players!
100 Yard Scream Line everyone up on one side of the field or gym. When you say go
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everyone begins
screaming and running towards the other side ofthe field. The participants run as long as they are able to
scream without taking a breath; when they take a breath, they stop. If they reach the other side of the
field, they switch directions. This is a great way to quickly burn some energy!
Animal Tag Played just like freeze tag, except the person that is it can choose an animal that everyone
has to move and sound like. So, for example, ifthe person that is "it" calls out "Frog'', everyone must hop
and rib bit in their quest to keep from getting tagged.
Blob Tag One or two people are chosen to be "it." As they tag other. players, the tagged players link
hands to form a "blob". The game continues until there are only one or two "blobs" remaining.
Dragon's Tail Players are divided into teams of roughly 4 players each, and form a line by putting their
hands on the shoulders ofthe person in front of them. The person in the back of each line receives a tail
(a bandanna hanging out of their back pocket.) On "go", the teams try to remove the "tail" from opposing
teams. If a team looses it's tail, it joins with the team that captured it. Teams must stay connected at all
times ... l'm sure you can come up with some unique penalties for breaking the chain!
Elbow Tag: Each player finds a partner, and links elbows with that partner. One pair is separated, with
one player being "it'', and one player running free. On ugo", the player that is "it" tries to tag his partner.
His partner can become safe if she joins elbows with another pair. The person in that pair that the player
just joined up with that is not directly connected to her is now ({loose", and the person that is "it" now
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tries to catch them. For groups that are a little less active, you can play a walking version of this by
moving the pairs closer to one another.
Transformer Tag Each player chooses either
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heads" or
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tails", and puts a hand on that area so that the
other players know their choice. A coin is flipped, and whichever side lands up becomes
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it''. For
example, if the coin flip shows "heads", then everyone that has their hand on their head becomes it, and
tries to tag those people who chose tails. If a person that chose tails gets tagged, then they "transform"
to a head. Play continues until everyone who is not a
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head" has been tagged.
Wizards and Ge!flings This one is great, especially if you begin by telling an elaborate story about Wizards
and Gelflings. (here's a great opportunity to be really creative!) After your wonderful round of storytelling,
designate one person to be the
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Wizard." On
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go", the Wizard tries to tag the Gelflings (everyone who is
not a wizard.) If a Gelfling gets tagged, they move into a state of suspended animation and begin jumping
up and down while yelling
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Hep Me, Hep Me, Hep Me" (in a very high pitched voice of course ... how else
would you imagine Gelflings sounding!) In order to be set free, two other Gelflings must surround the
frozen Gelfling, join hands, and spin around the frozen Gelfling twice while chirping "Be Fwee, Be Fwee,
Be Fwee! Play continues until all the Gelflings are frozen, or until the Wizard runs out of power (i.e. gets
really, really tired!)
Pass Tag In this game the player who is "IT" chases the player who is carrying a small ball. The player
escapes "IT" by passing, not throwing, the ball he is carrying to the player who is nearest him. The player
who is tagged while carrying the ball becomes "IT".
Ostrich Tag To prevent getting tagged, the play_er must raise one knee, slip an arm under and grab his
nose.
The Flinch Players stand in a circle in a very specific position- hands down at their sides and facing the
center of the circle. There are a few people in the center with beanbags (1 bag per personL tossing the
beanbags at those in the circle with easy underhand throws or attempting to fake them out with false
throws. The object is to eliminate everyone in the circle. Players can be eliminated by:
1. Not catching the beanbag when thrown in a catchable way
2. Moving their hands to catch the bag (or flinching) when the bag is falsely thrown
3. Throwing the bag back to those in the center overhand
It is possible to eliminate several people at once by making them all flinch at false throws. As those in the
circle are eliminated, they must sit down. Once there are only a few people who remain standing, those
people replace those in the center and the game begins again.
I Like People Who Have everyone sit in a circle. Each participant must have a seat (chair, carpet square,
etc.). Have one person stand up and go to the middle; take that person's seat away from the circle so that
there is one less seat than players. The person in the middle begins a statement with "I like people
who ... " and fills in the rest with whatever he wants (such a 'have ~ m shoes', 'like ice cream', 'have a
brother', etc). All of those in the circle who this statement includes must get up and move to another
seat. The person in the middle must try to get a seat also. The person left standing goes to the middle
and begins the process of "!like people who ... " again.
Huckle Buckle Beanstalk In this game, a small object is used for hiding. All of the players leave the area
except for one who stays behind and places the object in plain sight but where it is not likely to be seen.
It may be hidden anywhere in the area except where it can't be seen without moving another object.
When the object has been placed the players are all called back and they begin their search, starting from
the base. When the person spies the object they try not to give away where it is hidden right away. They
return to the base and say "Huckle Buckle Beanstalk!" which indicates that they know where the object is.
The game ends when all players have located the object or when the leader stops the search. The'first to
find the object hides it for the next game.
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Fox and Rabbit An even number of players sit in a circle and pass two objects around. One object is the
fox and it gets passed to every other person in the circle. The other object is the Rabbit and gets passed
to every other person in the circle (all those not touching the fox}. The fox and rabbit start on separate
sides of the circle. The object of the game is for the fox to catch up to and overtake the rabbit. This
happens when they end up at the same place in the circle at the same time. When this happens, one ,
point is scored for the fox team. Once the fox has caught the rabbit, the people who were passing the
rabbit begin the next round passing the fox.
1. The fox and rabbit can travel in either direction in the circle
2. The objects being passed must not skip anyone on the team
3. The objects are never to be thrown from one person to another
FBI A game for partners
1. Each partner faces each other
2. One is the detective
3. The detective turns his/her back on his partner
4. Partner changes something about his/her appearance (i.e. clothing, hair, and physical position}
5. T ~ e detective gets 1 to 5 gue?ses (depends on the age}
Wink Murder Group sits in a circle. Use as many cards or slips of paper with numbers on them as there
are people. Designate a number as the murder number. Person with this card becomes the murderer.
1. The murderer "kills" by winking at his/her victims.
2. Open guessing can take place until the murderer is apprehended. If you guess incorrectly
you have committed suicide.
Telephone People sit in a circle. One person whispers a statement to the person next to them and so on
until the' last person hears the message. This person tells it out loud. The first person tells what the
original statement was. This game is always good for a laugh. Be careful as to the type of message that is
being sent.
Card Games War, crazy eight's, (or whatever number}, rummy, poker (parents will be thrilled their child
learned a new skill like this}, 52 card pick up (number depends on how many cards you have left after the
first week of camp), UNO, etc.
Wallpaper Your Cabin Obtain a roll of blank "wallpaper" from the Unit Leader. Decorate the paper with
paint, markers or crayons.
Large Group Games
EgQ. Without letting them know, each person chooses someone to be their Ego and their Alter Ego.
Everyone must keep their Ego in between them and their Alter Ego without letting those people know
they've been chosen. Once everyone is properly jumbled, you can have them switch so that they have to
keep their Alter Ego in between them and their Ego.
Evolution To start with, everyone begins as an Egg (to assume the Egg position, players squat down with
their knees pulled up closely to their chest.} Players face off in an intense match of
"Rock/Paper/Scissors", and the winner "evolves" to the next level. Now, even though we don't know
which came first, the Egg evolves into the Chicken (walking and clucking just like any good Chicken would
do.} The Chicken evolves into a Tyrannosaurus Rex (trust me on this one}, walking around and roaring
like the T-Rex:'s of old. The T-Rex evolves into the Super Human, who emphatically screams out /(Fear
Not, for I am Super Human!" And finally, the Super Human evolves into a Supreme Being, which makes
itself known by reciting the lyrics to that good-ole R & B classic by The Supremes ("Stop, in the name of
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love, before you break my heart .... ".) Eggs challenge Eggs, Chickens challenge Chickens, and so forth and
so on. The winners evolve to the next level, a-nd those that don't win, seek out another opponent on the
same leveL
Line+ Four teams are lined up in a+ around a numbered cone. When a new number is called, they must
line up in the exact order at the new cone. The goal is to be the quickest team to line up at all cones.
Each time, though, one person is taken from the slowest team and added to the quickest.
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Captain on Deck Played like Simon Says, but with a nautical theme. The Captain (i.e. Simon), gives orders
which must be preceded by
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Captain Says." Some popular orders are
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Go to the Bow" (players run to the
front of the boat and take a bow), "Go to the Stern" (players run to the back of the boat and become
seasick!),
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Swab the Deck" (players motion as if mopping the deck),
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Dose Do" (players grab a partner
and begin to square dance), and
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Life Boat" (players join in groups of three and motion as if they are
rowing a life raft.) If a player does an incorrect motion, or does a motion without the Captain "saying so",
that player is thrown (not literally) overboard and becomes a Shark (circling the boat with fins on their
head.) If the Captain yells out "Shark Attack", the sharks come on board the boat and are allowed to tag
one person (who then becomes a Shark.)
Shadow Stomp If you've got access to a large field, and a lot of sun, then this is a great game to burn off
some energy. Each person tries to defend their shadow while trying to stomp on the shadows cif other
players. The game can be made more challenging by making the playing field smaller, or by selecting
certain parts of the shadow that must be stomped on (legs, arms, head ... ouch!)
TAPS TALK/ DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Devotions (aka nightly taps talks) are a tool to be used to:
1. Help kids gear down and get ready for bed.
2. Assist in the processing ofthe day's activities.
3. Produce a positive attitude in the cabin group.
4. Build self-confidence and/or self-esteem.
Each night can be used as a different "topic" or a continuation of the preceding night. Some type of
progression of thought can be useful. For example:
Sunday- Family
Monday- Friends
Tuesday- Sharing
Wednesday- Growing up
Thursday- Sharing of each persons strengths
Topics used will vary due to the variables involved -age of the campers, length of the day, size of the
group, attention span, etc. Listed below are a few examples of g_ood and bad topics. Remember that
these are only examples; you will definitely want to add to the list as you discover what works well for
you!
GOOD TOPICS
Friends
Family
Sharing
Fighting
Concerns of campers
Thought for the day
Personal conflicts
Peer pressure
TABOO
Sex
Drinking Stories
Scary/ghost stories
Negativism's
Religion
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Dutch Auction
Cabin Skits
Square Dance
Story Telling
Shoes in Pile
Staff Skits
All Camp Rainy Day Activities
Carnival
Lip Sync
Dance
Walk Tag
Dog Show
Murder
Songs & Skits
Creative Dramatics
Casino Night
Wheel of Fortune
Cabin Family Feud
Beach Party/Limbo
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Animal Noises Wild West Liars Contest
Liz Koosh Lap Sit Musical Chairs
Camp Fire Fashion Show Human Sculpture
Human Letters Relay Races Blanket Bingo
Spelling Bee Pictionary Win Loose or Draw
Sock Hockey Duck, Duck, PIZZA Group Machines
Sensory Awareness Sing Down Make your own Pizza
Balloon Volleyball Freeze Drama Make your own Sunday
Simon Says Charades lnd Olympics/Gimpics
Toilet Paper Sculpture Folded Paper Dance Pin the Face on the???
Rubber band on the Head Relay Camp Sleaze Brown Bag Skits
Shower in the rain
puddle hopping
mud hike
swimming
nature walk
dry thing search
puddle fishing
catch rain on tongue
Clothes chain
joke contest
Rainy Day Cabin Activities
Light Rain
mud soccer
write your will
water fights
shower party
Frisbee
dodgeball
kickball
Heavy Rain and Lightning
run go tell
typing knots
build a shelter
sand castles
frog
worm hunting
wet thing search
mud castles
flag football
story telling
circle sit down murder (the game)
cabin banner
cards
chocolate factory
write letters
board games
skits
watch storm
telephone
crafts
secret handshake
drawing
pass along story
mixed fruit
balloons
dances
write poetry
freeze
fruity relay
simon says
tie knots
Songs
Little Red Wagon
write your will
sing songs .
decorate cabin
liz koosh
ah-so-koh
talent show
minute mysteries
You can't ride in my little red wagon
The front seat's broken and the axle's draggin'
Chuga, chuga, chuga, chuga, chuga
Second verse. Same as the first.
Except a little bit louder and a whole lot worse!
(As many verses as you can scream. Then ... )
Except a little bit quieter and a whole lot nicer.
Last verse. Doesn't exist.
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CABIN ACTIVITIES (VALUES)
In any situation where people are living together, especially in close
quarters, there are bound to be problems. Personality conflicts often
arise in cabin groups. Prevention is the simplest way to deal with any
problem. (obviously)
Many factors can be involved in cab{n problems. or individual problems.
There are certain biological needs that must 'be met, such as sleep and
proper nutrition. When these are not met, problems in personality and
relationshiPs can result. The first safeguard against problems is making
sure that your campers are getting a good balance in their diet and plenty
of rest. Unfortunately, even-the most careful and conscientious counselor
can encounter problems. The solution is not often easy to find. Often
times, group awareness or sensitivity games can help. (Even if they don't,
they give you hope ( !) and something to try ... ) These types of games are
excellent tools for heading off _problems be-fore they.: begin. In most cases,
keeping the group active or Tlbusy'-
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will prevent px-oblems. These activities
are simple and effective. enjoyable!)
The "Me Tree
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This activity is designed tohelp children realize their strengths and
accomplishments, to help t}).em realize-,their own worth. Each camper draws
a tree. On the roots, the campers write or draw symbols of all their
strengths, abilities-, and talents. On the branches, the campers draw
symbols of or write their accomplishments, or anything that makes them
happy or proud _of themselves .. (One per branch). Some roots and branches
should be left empty so the can add new things throughout the
session. The campers can write their names on the trunk of the tree and
can hang them around the cabin.
The Balloon Sh_eet
Each camper draws a brmch of balloons. In each balloon the camper
writes one thing that he/she likes to do.
Pexsonal Coat Of Arms
Make drawings or use words to express thoughts or fee'iings about the
following questions:
1) What was one of the most. important events in. your life?
2) What was your -greatest achievement or success over the last year?
3) What was one of your happiest moments in the past year?
4) What is something that you are good atf
5) What do you want to become? -
6) What would you like to be better at?
7) What three words would you most like your best friend to say about Y
Personal Flag
Each camper is king/queen of his/her own cormtry. The country needs a
flag, so each ruler has to draw a flag with designs that show some of the
things that should be important to the people of their copntry.
:N &"11e Game
To get to know your campers' names and something-about them, have
everyone sit in a circle. Each person must say their name and answer a
question such as: What is your favorite game? What; is your secret wish?
(etc.) Campers may pass on. any question that they don't want to answer.
Cabin Activities- (cont'd)
Pantomime One Thing T4at You Like To Do -
Sit in a circle. One person at a time goes to the middle of the circle
and panLomimes one thing that they like to do. If someone passes, give
them another chance after everyone else has gGne. ;
Touch Blue
The group should be standing close together, shoulder to shoulder. The
leader says "Touch Bluen and everyone must touch something blue on another
person. You can go through colors, articles of clothing, hair color, shoe
types, etc.
Appreciation Circle
Sit in a circle and tell each person to tell the.person seated to the
right something that they appreciate about them. The appreciation must be
an honest feeling and should not lead to ahy verbal put-downs.
New and Good
(In a circle) have everyone share something new and goo.d that has.
happened to them recently. Everyone should have a chance-to speak and be
listened to by the rest of the group.
Closing Circle
$it in a circle.
about today?
Ask a question like: What is one thing that you liked \
Sharing
Sitting in a circle, have campers share with the rest of the group
something that they enjoyed, learned, or experienced.that day.
Do Well
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Sitting in a circle, ask campers to share with the group something that
they do well. Variations may be:
I make friends by .. ~
I want to be able to ...
I am proud that l. ..
If I were a counselor I would ...
One thing I like about my friend is ...
I like people who ...
If I could teach everyone in the whole world one thing, it would be ...
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UHAT TO DO DURING REST PERIODS
Although every hour every day is of importance to campers, one of the most
beneficial periods of the day to the camper and counselors can be the iest
period, which usually follows the lunch hour. Campers are growing fast-- and
their bodies eat up energy. Therefore, they need a period to relax. During
this time of the day, your group should sit or l(e down, relax, and get to
know_one another. The hour may be spent in vari6us types of quiet
such as the following:
A. Just stretch out, relax and be quiet. At least half of each rest
period should be spent doing just that!! During this time you might
want to read or tell a story that is onthe interest level of the
You may bring a book or short from which you read
each day. It is important to remember, however, that a rest period
should.be a restperiod!
B. Talk over things you have seen or done so far this day.
C. Plan a skit for campfire, but save the actual rehearsal fpr later.
D. Let the campers talk about their hobbies, pets or other interests.
E. For residence campers, a rest period is a great time to write home.
F. After stretching out and relaxing for half of the rest period, you
may consider playing some quiet
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sitting
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games. The following are
pass i b i 1 i t i es:
sIRDS HAVE FEATHERS - One player is leader. When the leader names some-
thing with feathers, the players flap their arms in flying fashion.
If a player flaps his wings on the calling of something that does
not have feathers, he drops out. Leader may flap his
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wings
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any-
time, and should make his calls rapidly.
CONTINUOUS STORY - The leader starts a story. At any given point, the
leader may stop his story and point to someone in the circle. That
player must then pick up the story where the leader left off and
continue for awhile. He may then stop the story and point to
someone else to continue. This continues until all who care have
had a chance to add a few lines to the story. Then the story is
ended.
ELECTRIC SHOCK- Circle formation holding hands. One player is
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IT
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and
sits inside the circle trying to discover where the electric shcick
is. A 11 of the p 1 ayers ho 1 d hands and one p 1 ayer is des i
start the
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shock
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He squeezes.the hand of either the player t9 the
left or right of him. That player passes it on.
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IT
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watches .
closely trying to detect the position of the shock. When he.g'Jesses
correctly, the player responsible takes his place.
GRIN - This game must be played with utter seriousness, except when some-
one receives a grin from someone else. The leader begins by grinning
and then wipes it off with a sweep of the hand across the
With a serious face, he throws it across the circle, and but
to a player by name,
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Grin, Jack[l
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At this point, Jack is allowed
to grin or laugh until he throws the grin to another. All other '
players must keep a solemn face,
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WHAT TO DO DURING REST PERIODS (Continued)
. ; . ,,:: ... _i,}!jli
(' GROCERY STORE- Two equal 1 ines of players sit facing each other. One player
from each side is. selected and the leader calls out a letter: The
who fi calls the :n.!3rrie .of. article _beginning,:vrith
letter scores a point' for his An6ther player each
is selected for the next le'tter. _ _.,.,.
KNOT TYING TRICK- Equipment: A piece of rope, or- handkerchief. Ask
-.if anyone c'im, t,ie a knot in :the rope by'taki'n'g hofd 'of 'both ends a'nd ....
not 1 ett i ng go with ei ther hand. After' they have: 'tr'i e'd it:,' dembristrafe
how it can be done. Fold the arms, the left hand -under the right elbow
and the right hand over the .left elbow.- In this position, take hold:
of the ends of the rope. Now unfold the arms without letting go of the
ends and the
. kn ot , s t. , e.d. . ., - .. .
. . . . .. . . : -- . :: . . . .
SEVEN-UP- One persql'\ in the circle begins by counting .
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1
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, th_e player to
. . ' the'
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2'''/-'th'e next
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3
11
'. and so on unti 1 the number
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7
1
_
1
is
. ,_Instead .of. saying_ "l" :this: player must not speak; but substitut'e a
: __ ,t: ,:clap. of the-han'ds: .. Whenever there is a clapping of:hi:Hids, then.the
. .. continues .in: r'eve_rse direction (
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8
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wou.ld be s'pokenby'player
..;f!.umb,er6, ..
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9''-by playernumber.5, etc.).: No number endi'ng
of seven is spoken, but must.have a substitute clap .. Every
.. time;a-player .. misses the counting beginsover Usua'lly agood
.goalfgr. the group to reach is 50 without missing.
SNIP-

the_circle and then quickl-y poi('lts .. to one of the players
wor.d, spells it (as then counts to 15
and -en'ds with'.''.'Sh(p'
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Before. he .the other player must name
with. C, A, and T. If he fails to finish in
time, places with
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1T
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: . . ... ,. . . .
STONE, PAPER, SCISSORS - Formation is in pairs.-- Each player has his hand
behind his back. On the count of three from the leader, the players
bring their-hand forWard from behind their backs. Each player has his
hand in position for stone (clenched fist), paper (open palm), or
scissors ("V
11
formed by middle and index fingers). Stone beats
scissors, paper beats stone, and scissors beats paper. Keep score and
the five times is the winner.
Sitting. in a circle, one player whispers to neighbor a message.
_The neighbor, in turn, relays it to his neighbor, and he t6 his neighbor
on around the circle. The fun comes at the end when a comparison is
made with the original .statement and what came out at the end.
. . .
THIS IS MY.NOSE - The. leader stands before some player in the circle and
points to one part of'his body as he names another part of himself, then
he counts to .10. In that period of time the other player is to do just
the opposite -- point to the part named and name the part he is pointing
to. If
11
IT
1
' points to his knee and says,
11
This is my nose" then the
other must say, '
1
This is my knee
11
and point to his nose before the count
of 10 is reached. If he fails, they exchange places.
WITCHCRAFT- Tell your campers that if they will'tear a square piece of paper
into four exactly equal parts, you will give them a of
confidence, they will no doubt fold the paper twice and tear or cut it
;-:-, down the folds into four equal pieces. When they give them back to you,
hand one p ieee back saying,
11
Here
1
s your quarter.
Ask someone to write a message on a piece of paper, fold it with the
writing inside and stand on it. You insist that you will be able to tell
him what is on the paper even though you cannot see the writing. As he
stands on the paper and defies you to tell him, you remark,
11
your foot
11

..
CAMP PIOMINGO RODEO
A. TO THE CANP PIOMINGO RODEO!!! Please read all instructions. Thanks!!!!!!t
B. Pick a team color. Everyone should wear 'this color oft-shirt this afternoon
r-- at the rodeo. Don
1
t forget your bandana and/or cowboy hat too!
C. Pick a team name (or make up a new country) and design a sign. This will be
posted in your area on your-team bench or your team barrel.
D. Decide.who will participate in the follovling events: wheelbarrow race. 3-lega?d
race, pig hollaring contest, and bat carry race.
ORDER/DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS
1. THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER will open the rodeo. It will be suna at the flagpole.
2. WHEELBARROH RACE. 2 teams of 2. One person puts his hands on the oround.
His partner picks up his legs and the walk/run down tothe barrel, goes around
it, and comes back.
3. OVER-UNDER RELAY. Everybody plays. Each team will have a bag of flour. Line
up in a straight line. The first player puts the bag over his head. The
next person puts the bag between his legs. The third person puts it over her
head, etc. The LAST person in 1 ine runs up to the front of the line and .
starts the bag all over. When the first starting person) person is
fi.nally at the very end, he breaks the bag of flour over his head and everyone_
sits down to see whn wins.
3-LEGGED RACE. 2 tea-ms of 2. Tie twine/bandanas around ankles and knees.
They will run down to the barrel, around it, and back.
I
5. PIG HOLLARING CONTEST. 2 yellers. Yell for the missing piq down Mingo
trail. Hollar things like "Here piggy piggy. Suey.
11
6. GUNNY SACK RELAY. Everybody. Divide team in half (Half start at benches
and half at the barrel). Put both legs in the gunny sack and hop down
to the other part of your team. Tag-the next personrs hand get out of the
sack and let him get in. Repeat until the entire team (Staff .too!-} has gone.
.. -
7'.. DIZZY BAT RACE. Everybody. One staff member holds the baseball bat in front

( -,. of the barrel., One player at a time runs to the bat, places forehead on bat,
_f:: and qoes around it ? times at the couhter(Judge) counts. Run back to the
beginning and tag 'the next player. Sit down when you are done .
., - ' ....
c:l) 8. BAT 'CARRYING CONTEST. 3 players. 2' oeople:_hoi d ""the. e;d.o;f- a bat.
The 3rd person sits on the bat. .They carry the person- down the field, around
the barrel, and back. -
..
. .,;. \. : ......
9: WATER RACE. Everyb-ody. Designate 2 people to cans (One by benches,
_one 20 yds. dips .coffee:cup in water., places on.carrier
1
s back who
is on his hands and knees. That person cra;wls:to ,the other tin can where tfiat
person takes the cup and pours the: water in-to that tin can. The carri.er gets up
and runs the cup back to the starting The race is over whPn the.2nd tin
can.is filled to the hrim wit-h water. There will be a cooler of extrawater
to -refill the can of'water due to spillage, etc.
lai SHOE FACTORY. See attached.
GOOD LUCK !!!!!! HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU !!!!!! COWBOYS & COWGIRLS!!!
COUNSELOR HUNT
Make SURE kids go together in groups or with buddies.
Each unit is competing to get the most points.
RULES/EXPLANATION
l. All kids will go to the Recreation Hall to wait for the
counselors to hide. The rules are again explained to
them. After about lO ~ l5 minutes they are let loose
to find the counselors.
2. Counselorsmust not hide outside of the Red Trail (or
on top of buildings, etc.)
3. Kids must say "caught, caught, caught"! to catch a
counselor.
4. Halfway through the game the gong rings
1
signaling the
counselors to move - making it easier for the kids to
r' locate them.
5. At the end of the game the gong rings again and
everyone comes up to Central.
Counselors should gather their cabins (kids) around
the fire b o ~ and keep them QUIET so that the winner
can be announced. Make sure you have all of your
campers!
PIOMINGO CIRCUS
The goal is to foster creativity and encourage better
social interaction, and to have fun. Each cabin group will
have its own act.
Rules/Explanation
Every cabin group develops an act, one that might be seen
in a real circus. There is one ring, and while the rest of
the cabin groups watch, each group performs its' act. The
acts can range from actual skills to pretend ones, limited
only by the childrens imaginations.
..
I'
,....._
I ,
)
LOST BATALLION
Rules/Explanation
l. Two counselors with a lantern move about camp stopping
at various places (i.e. Ropes Course, Cherokee Lodge)
with tickets.
2. Groups of campers search for the counselors to get a
ticket from them in each place they find them.
3. Once the campers have a ticket they come back to
central area where they try to break through a circle
of counselors with buckets of water.
4. The campers can either give up their tickets or attempt
to break through the circle. If they are caught they
are drenched with water and their tickets.are taken
from them.
5. If they make it through the circle they give the
ticket to a counselor who-writes down their unit.
6. The campers then break out of the circle to go off to
find the counselors with the lantern to get a n o t ~ e r
ticket.
BEWARE 0 F WATER FIGHTS!!
WORLD SERVICE CARNIVAL
Each cabin group comes up with an idea for a booth
1
~ n d
sets up their booth in central area. Tickets are made and
given out to each camper to use at any of the WSC booths.
The counselors are free.to participate
1
but they also need
to keep .an eye on their cabins' booth. Campers will run the
booths.
Some ideas for booths are:
Voting Booth
Message Booth
- Face Painting Booth
- Kissing Booth
- Ring the Gong
- Frisbee through the Gong
- Massage Booth
- Shaving Booth
Sponge Toss
r"' Be careful of too many water related bo.oths which often
turn intomassive waterfights. At.the end of WSC
1
the
gong will ring lO .times. Make sure your cabin cleans up
their booths.
CAMPCRAFTS AND OUTDOOR COOKING MIN: ENROLLMENT 4
MAX: ENROLLMENT 15
QUALIFICATIONS: EXPERIENCE IN OUTDOOR LIVING SKILLS IN THE INTERMEDIATE AND
/OR ADVANCED LEVEL, CERTIFICATION NOT REQUIRED-EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
PURPOSE: TO ACQUAINT THE CAMPER WITH BASIC OUTDOOR SKILLSdAND SAFETY AWARENESS
IN THE OUT OF DOORS.
DAY 1 - Leader instructs camper son basic fire building, (tinder, kindling and
fuel) as well as fire structure, and safety Practice fire building
and the proper way to light a fire. Make S'mores.
Day 2 - Practice fire building and make orange cakes
Day 3- Trail marking(see attached sheet) Split group into two sections. First
group.goes out and marks a trail, other group follows the trail.
Day' 4 - Knots(see a.ttachment) - teach basic knots and their uses.
Day 5- Outdoor cooking and make banana boats
Day 6 - Lashing
go to an established outpost and see how it is constructed
work on lashing skills
Day 7 - Maps
get acquainted with uses and types of maps
make their own maps
Day 8 - Orienteering
Day 9-10
how to use a compas.s with a map
play compass games
ccocoLYMPics
various events form skills learned
campers earn medals and ce:rltificates for their "'!ff0rts
Events: fjrebuild5ng

knot tying
egg toss
I
/-t
. .,.......
I
YMCA Day Camp
Program Activities
All of the activities presented in this part of the
manual have been used successfully in camp
settings. To aid you in planning, we have
grouped them according to type. Framing ac-
tivities (chapter 6), which set the tone for the
rest of the day camp events, can be used on
the bus, during the lunch break, and during
family-oriented events. Camp site activities
(chapter 7) emphasize outdoor education and
campcraft. Lively activities (chapter 8) include
active games and sports, aquatics, and songs.
Quiet activities (chapter 9) are stories, crafts,
values study and exercises, and quiet games.
Special events activities (chapter 10) are those
related to one or more of the themes discussed
in Part I.
All of the activities in each category carry an
"objectives-addressed" rating that relates
them to one or more of the seven YMCA Pro-
gram Objectives discussed in chapter 1. Be-
cause the day camp program should present
a balanced mix of activities that emphasize the
objectives, this rating will be helpful in selec-
tion. Abbreviations used in this rating system
are as follows:
GP =grow personally
CV =clarify values
LS =become better leaders and supporters
AP =appreciate diversity
IR =improve family and personal rela-
tionships
OS = develop skills
FN =have fun
The objectives-addressed rating system is not
meant to be rigid; and most activities will con-
tain elements of all objectives. However, the
rating does indicate the main focus of each ac-
tivity. Finally, certain activities that are espe-
cially appropriate for one or the other of the
two age groups (6- to 8-year-olds and 9- to
11-year-olds) that make up the typical camper
population are given an age-group rating as
well.
49
Framing Activities
The activities described next are geared to be
of use in setting the tone for other events of the
camp day. Framing activities are planned for
use during lunch breaks, on the bus, and dur-
ing family-oriented camp gatherings.
BUS ACTIVITIES
Every day of every session, day campers travel
to and from camp by bus. Buses also provide
transportation for camp field trips and for
other special events. Because campers spend
so much time on the bus, that time should be
used constructively. Specific bus activities will
help staffers provide fun, prevent boredom,
and maintain safety.
Pocket Scavenger Hunt
Plan lists of items that campers are likely to
have in their pockets, and have one side of the
bus compete against the other to come up with
everything on the list. IR; FN
Singing
Rounds are especially appealing on the bus!
Don't let the singing get too boisterous or loud
for the driver to hear traffic, however. Songs
that require motion are excellent outlets for
early morning, precamp exuberance; so are
highly repetitive ones that campers seem
never to tire of. FN
51
52 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
Writing Boards
Use writing boards for coloring, for composing
a camp newspaper, or for writing messages to
family or friends. FN
Sharing Time
Have counselors sit with different campers
each day and encourage some in-depth shar-
ing of feelings. This gives campers much-
appreciated individual attention and helps
counselors better understand the children in
their care. CV; JR; GP
Group Projects
Have groups sit together on the bus to plan
special events or to make group posters, flags,
and the like. JR; LS
Nonsense Messages
A counselor or camper in the front of the bus
whispers a silly message (e.g., "Peter Pratt
prays for prized porkers") to the person sitting
next to him or her. This person in turn whis-
pers the message to the person sitting on the
seat directly behind, and so on until the mes-
sage has traveled from person to person, down
one row of seats and up the next. The last per-
son to receive the message announces it to
everyone on the bus. Then the person who
started the message announces what it was
originally. Usually the transmitted message is
vastly different from the original one. FN
Bus Games
Travel games present special challenges: They
usually require observation; they often use
simple arithmetic for scorekeeping; they must
be sustainable for some time; they must allow
players to stay seated; they require concentra-
tion. Games should also take the bus seating
arrangement into account. For instance,
games that require all players to see one
another will not be suitable on the bus. Paper-
and-pencil games, like tic-tac-toe or hangman,
are especially good for bus trips. Some games
can involve all of the riders simultaneously in
organized play; several are listed below.
Auto License Golf. The first player writes
down (or calls out for the leader to write down)
the license number of a passing car. The next
player takes the next car's license number,
and so on until everyone has had a tum. The
player whose license number adds up to the
highest total wins. FN
Alphabet. Players choose opposite sides of
the road as their own, noting letters on the
signboards they pass on their own side. Each
tries to spot letters of the alphabet in order on
successive signs. The first sign might yield an
A and B, the second a C, the third aD and E,
and so on. The first player to complete the
alphabet is the winner. IR; FN
Daily Listings. Players keep count of such
items as whitewall tires, sports cars, cars of a
certain make, sun roofs, and out-of-state
cars. OS; FN
Eagle Eye. Players look out the bus win-
dows and watch for specific objects decided on
in advance. Objects have point values depend-
ing on how hard they are to spot or how rare
they are. The player who spots an item wins
the points for that item. Play for a total score
of 50 points per game. OS; FN
Telepathy. As the bus passes the guardrail
on a curve or goes through a long tunnel, each
player takes a big breath and holds it until the
guardrail or tunnel is passed. If players hold
their breath all the way, "a special friend will
think of you.'' FN
Twenty Pairs. Each player selects a differ-
ent digit as his or her number. (Seat partners
work as a team.) Players watch for license
plates of passing cars and score a point for any
license number that has a pair or more of the
chosen number. The first player or team to get
20 pairs wins. OS; IR; FN
LUNCH ACTIVITIES
The lunch period is traditionally a time of rest
and relaxation. The hectic pace of the camp
day requires a short rest for both campers and
I.
counselors. The rest period after eating is often
a set time called ''Shoes Off,'' usually lasting
for about a half hour. However, if this time is
to be a good break in the day, it should be
planned. The activities listed next, along with
others described in the resource book Digging
In (1976), are especially appropriate during
the lunch hour.
First Day of Camp Discussions
Conduct a small-group sharing time, where
counselors and campers get better acquainted
through informal conversation. This is a time
to learn about campers' interests in and their
expectations related to camp. JR; CV
Independent Craft Projects
If campers have an unfinished craft project or
want to begin a simple project that can be
finished quickly, lunchtime may be a good
time to work this in. See the section on
"Crafts" inchapter9, "QuietActivities." GP;
DS
Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters are good, quiet activities for
the lunch break. They require concentration,
they teach articulation, and they're entertain-
ing. They also can evoke a laugh when one is
needed in a tense or unhappy situation.
They're useful during other parts of the camp
day, as well. Here are twelve tongue twisters.
DS; FN
One old ox opening oysters
Two toads, totally tired, trying to trot to Troy
Three tawny tigers tickling trout
Four fat friars fanning and fainting
Five fat flirts flying to France for fashion
Six Scotch salmon selling six sacks of sauer-
kraut
Seven small soldiers successfully shooting
snipes
Eight elegant elephants embarking for
England
Framing Activities 53
Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nonpareils
Ten tipsy tailors teasing a titmouse
Eleven early e ~ i g s eagerly eating eggs
Twelve twittering tomtits on the top of a tall
tree
Riddles
Like tongue twisters, riddles are a good source
of quiet lunchtime fun. Campers will enjoy
thinking about them, solving them, and shar-
ing them at home later. Each counselor should
have a private fund of riddles to ask the cam-
pers under his or her care. Once the counselor
poses a few brain teasers the campers will add
their own, and everyone's collection will grow.
Making up original riddles should also be en-
couraged. FN; DS
A sampling of riddles (with answers in
brackets) follows:
Where was King Solomon's temple? [On his
head]
What's the difference between ~ e r e and
there? [The letter T]
What can you give away and still keep?
[A cold]
What has four legs and one foot? [A bed]
What table hasn't a leg to stand on? [A multi-
plication table]
What bow cannot be tied? [A rainbow]
What is a pig after it is 3 days old? [4 days old]
What word is always pronounced wrong?
[Wrong]
Special Events Lunches
Often lunchtime can be used to plan for an
aftemoon special event, or the lunch can be
a special event itself. For example, on a day
whose focus activity is Paul Bunyan, lunch
may be the perfect time for each small group
to concoct its tall tale to present at the all-camp
gathering in the aftemoon. Or if it's Backwards
Day, lunch could be served dessert first.
Lunch may be a focus activity in and of itself-
for example, the day's main event might be a
campfire ceremony with food prepared over
the open fire.
54 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
Open-Ended Statements
Like bus time, the often relatively unstructured
time at midday can provide opportunity for
campers to get to know one another and their
counselors better. A good device to promote
sharing is completion of open-ended state-
ments, such as "When I'm 40, I will be ... "
or ''If I had a million dollars and could build
any house I wanted anywhere I wanted, it
would be ... '' CV
Songs
Lunchtime is often a good time for all-camp
singing. For ideas, see "Songs" in chapter 8,
"Lively Activities." DS; FN
Stories
Theme-related stories can be good lunchtime
entertainment, as campers and counselors
relax after the meal. See "World Meal" later
in this chapter, as well as "Stories" in chapter
9, "Quiet Activities." FN
New Locations
If possible, lunch away from camp could be
planned on certain days during the season. A
special picnic or a lunch at a field trip destina-
tion adds the variety that keeps the surprises
coming during the day camp session. FN
I Spy
The game I Spy allows for fun as well as for
the sharing of feelings. A counselor begins the
game by saying ''I spy something green that
makes me feel cool.'' The campers then try to
guess what it is. Whoever guesses correctly
continues the game by spotting something,
saying what color it is, and adding how the
object makes him or her feel. FN; CV
World Meal
A world meal is a good complement to the
''World Tour'' theme described in chapter 3
(see Sample Session Planning Form, week 9).
The point of this activity is to help campers
understand another culture and see how it is
different from and similar to their own. Plan
in advance for an international lunch focused
on a particular country, and provide ample
background information on the country.
Armed with this information, campers can
make appropriate costumes and know some-
thing about the special dishes served at the
meal. Just before the meal, a staff member
reads a story about family life in the chosen
country; and during the meal counselors and
campers might discuss the following ques-
tions:
What did you hear about family life in that
country that differs from your family life?
What did you hear that is similar to your
family life?
What values do you think are most impor-
tant to the family in the story?
What would you have to change in your life
if you went to live with the family in the
story?
Here is a sample story about family life in
Mexico:
I am Pedro, oldest of six children. We live
with my mother, father, grandfather,
grandmother, and my Aunt Linda and her
two children. We are lucky because we
have a house with three rooms. In our vil-
lage most houses have only one room. Be-
fore I go to school each day, I have many
jobs to do at home. I have to bring in wood
for the fire after I have cut it with my
machete. I have to bring water from the
well at the end of the street. My father
drives a truck for a big company from the
city. He is gone much of the time, but he
does have a job all the time, so we have
enough money to buy rice and sugar and
beans and other food. My mother cleans
house for a rich lady, and my grand-
mother cooks for us and watches us. She
gets tired very easily because she is old.
Every day she tries to take a rest, and we
children are supposed to be very quiet.
But sometimes we forget! Grandfather is
very old and can't get out of bed anymore.
He says he will probably die soon. I hope
not, though, because I love to sit on his
bed and listen to him tell me stories of
r
when he was a boy. Life must have been
exciting in those days.
One of my favorite times with my family
is during our church festivals. We have
parties that last for three or four days, and
we eat all kinds of special foods. My aunts
and uncles come for the parties, and our
whole neighborhood is laughing and
dancing and eating.
At our last celebration my parents gave
me l 0 cents all for myself. I went out that
very day and bought some candy. My
mother thought perhaps I should have
saved the money, but why bother?
After the meal, counselors might teach and
lead campers in games from the country. If the
camp population includes campers or coun-
selors from a foreign country, this country
may well be the focus of a world meal. AP; CV
Picture Predicaments
Picture Predicaments fosters creativity, rein-
forces communication skills, and gives cam-
pers experience in making decisions. Before
the meal, place on the table enough photo-
graphs or pictures from magazines so that
each camper and the counselor will have one.
Lay the pictures face down on the table. Dur-
ing the meal, ask one camper at a time to pick
up one of the pictures. After showing the pic-
ture to the rest of the group, the camper makes
up a story about it (allow no more than 2 or
3 minutes for each story). The story must
include a problem that needs to be solved. The
storyteller must suggest some possible solu-
tions to the problem and may choose one as
a conclusion to the story. For example, a
camper selects a picture of a group of people
standing near the entrance to the roller coaster
at an amusement park; the story might go like
this:
The little boy standing in the middle of the
picture is Billy. He's never ridden this ride
before and he's scared. He wants to get out
of line, but those big kids standing next to
him are his brothers and they won't let
him. They keep calling Billy names and
telling him he'll get into trouble if he gets
out of line, since they've already bought
his ticket. He's thinking about running
away or yelling for his parents or telling
Fr8llling Activities 55
the ride operator that he's scared or keep-
inghis eyes closed the whole time he's on
the ride. If I were Billy, I'd tell the ride
operator I was scared and see what he
thinks I should do.
After all participants have told their stories,
the counselor may want to return to a partic-
ular one, ask the group to suggest more op-
tions for solving the problem, and talk about
the consequences of each solution. Then allow
each camper to make a choice and to explain
the reasons for it. CV; GP; AP
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
The YMCA emphasizes the involvement of
families in all programming, including day
camping. This emphasis is based on the
understanding that people, especially chil-
dren, do not exist in isolation. Campers need
help to reach their fullest potential in the con-
text of their primary support systems, their
families.
Camp-Family Communication
Staff members should begin communicating
with families as soon as the registration comes
in. Staffers should let parents know by letter
just what to expect, and just what is expected,
as their children attend day camp. A child's
counselor could well follow up with a phone
call a day or two before the camper's first day.
The letter and phone call might convey in-
formation on camp goals, financial matters of
payment and/or refunds, bus policy, equip-
ment or supplies that campers should bring
along, exact locations and times, necessary
forms (for example, medical exam forms), and
meals provided by the camp. In addition, these
advance communications can let parents
know what they can do to make the camp ex-
perience a good one for their children and can
inform them of Family Night plans. No matter
how this information is disseminated, parents
should be given ample opportunity to ask
questions and have them answered.
Communication between camp and family
continues as camp is in session. For example,
campers may take craft projects home for
completion or deliver messages about up-
coming activities at camp; counselors may call
56 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
parents to check on absences or to discuss
progress or problems. Finally, parents should
be encouraged to take part in camp life as ob-
servers or as volunteers. CV
Family Night
and Family Night Activities
In addition to keeping parents informed about
day-to-day camp activities and their children's
progress in the program, day camp directors
and counselors should provide opportunities
for adults and children to socialize and learn
in the camp setting. There are a variety of
ways to do this, from encouraging parents to
visit camp at any time to including them as
integral members of the day camp volunteer
staff. Some YMCA Day Camps have success-
fully involved families by holding parent
mornings or parent lunches during camp ses-
sions. However, most if not all camps foster
parental involvement in their programs by
designating certain evenings throughout the
camp season as Family Nights. Family Night
gives parents the chance to meet the day camp
staff and become further involved in their chil-
dren's lives. It helps the YMCA staff get ac-
quainted with parents and introduce families
to the YMCA philosophy. Family Night also
helps staff members identify families that have
particular problems or concems, observe the
parent-child relationship first hand, and
receive direct feedback from parents concem-
ingtheir children's day camp experience. For
campers, this evening is a time when their par-
ents can see their special place at day camp.
Finally, Family Night is a time for families to
play and leam together-activities that are all
too elusive in these busy times.
In preparation for Family Night, an invita-
tion letter that outlines the time, date, and
place of the event should be mailed to parents
or sent home with the campers. The letter
should also let parents know what, if anything,
to bring, and it should invite other family
members to be part of the festivities. The in-
vitation might close with a brief agenda for the
evening and a reminder that if parents cannot
attend, another adult friend or relative is wel-
come to come in their place.
A Family Night might be focused on a theme
in progress during the day camp week (see the
Circus Day description in chapter 3). Daytime
activities could center on preparing a skit or
demonstration to present at Family Night. On
the other hand, a Family Night may be
planned independently of regular day camp
activities. In either case, Family Night is in-
tended as a time of communication and social-
ization between parents and children, between
parents and staff, and between children and
adults in general. The event typically com-
prises the following elements: an arrival
activity that keeps everyone occupied as
others come in; a welcome by the camp direc-
tor; a period during which participants in-
troduce themselves; a brief explanation of the
activities to follow; activities based on parent
and camper interaction; presentations by cam-
pers involving skills acquired during the ses-
sion (although campers should have the
chance to "show off" for their parents, this
should not be the only focus of the evening);
and opportunities for parents to meet and visit
with counselors and staff. FN; IR; CV
Creating a Family Shield
Although making family shields is a good
activity at any time during Family Night, it
may be especially useful as something to do
while everyone is arriving. Give each family
a large piece of heavy paper and some crayons
and ask them to outline a shield or crest,
dividing it into as many sections as they have
family members. Suggest that they take a
moment to think about a particular strength
of each person in the family; then ask them to
draw a picture or symbol for each of those
strengths. Everyone in the family can draw at
once-lots of positive conversation about
family members should result. Mention that
shields of old had a scroll across the bottom
with a motto or slogan that the family rallied
around. Have each family agree on a modem
motto for their family at its best and write the
motto on their shield. IR; CV; FN; CP
Name Tag
When more than one Family Night involves
the same group, this introduction activity is
best used at the first meeting. It helps people
get acquainted by sharing information about
themselves. Supply each person with a card
'
r
and a colored pencil, marker, or crayons. Give
the following instructions: "Write your name
on the card; in one corner write the name of
the town where you were born; in another
corner write the name of your favorite food; in
another corner write the names of two or three
friends; in another corner write the name of
a place you like. Then lightly color the card
your favorite color." Encourage participants
to mingle, wearing their name tags and talking
with each other. Finally, ask people to pair
off-each with someone he or she didn't know
well at the outset-and have each partner in-
troduce the other, using the information on
the card, to the rest of the group. GP; AP; IR
Paper Bag Skits
Divide the participants into groups, and give
each group of parents and children a bag con-
taining miscellaneous items such as combs, a
ball, a toothbrush, newspapers, and the like.
Each group is to make up a 5-minute skit
using every item in the bag and involving
every member of the group. FN; IR; LS
Theme Skits
Divide the participants into groups and ask
each group to create and act out a 5-minute
skit based on one of the following themes:
Famous historical events
Animal stories
History of an Indian tribe
TV shows
Famous sports events
If the events or stories acted out are suf-
ficiently well known, it may be fun for the
audience to try to guess what each skit por-
trays. FN; LS
Carnival
Divide the participants into groups and have
each group assemble a carnival game, booth,
or station. Give them access to whatever sup-
plies or equipment are at hand. Games could
include knocking down cans with a ball, darts
and balloons, bowling, throwing hoops around
bottles, shooting water pistols at paper cups,
Framing Activities 57
and so forth. To enable all to participate, sug-
gest that group members take turns covering
their booth, or write directions for the game
on a large piece of paper so that anyone wish-
ing to play the game at their station will have
directions. LS; FN
Sense It Fair
Prepare several problems (see list) with written
directions and equipment for each. Divide par-
ticipants into as many groups are there are
problems. Ask each group to read the direc-
tions and do the problem, allowing them about
10 minutes to complete the task. When time
is up, ask groups to rotate and continue the
process until each group has dealt once with
each problem. Directions for setting up some
sample problems follow. FN; IR; LS
Prepare a tape recording that includes six
common sounds, for example, a car start-
ing, someone sawing wood, a toilet flush-
ing, and so forth. The directions for the
problem will say: "Start this recording
and play through the first sound you
hear. Stop at the end of the first sound
and ask each group member to guess
what the sound is. Turn on the recorder
and you'll hear what the sound is, as well
as a new sound. Play this second sound
through, stop, guess, and again play the
answer. Repeat the process for all of the
sounds on the tape.''
The directions for this problem should
read as follows: "In the next 3 minutes
your group should write down all the pos-
sible uses for the feather lying in front of
you. Use your imagination. Write down
everything, whether it's practical or not.
At the end of 3 minutes stop and look at
the list. Now you have 2 minutes to
decide together what the 10 best uses
from your lists are."
Fill a box with three ordinary items (like
dog bones, a ball, a lump of clay, a tulip
bulb) and cover the box with a lid. Have
each group member reach into the box,
feel the three objects, and guess what
they are. Then lift the lid and see how
close the guesses were.
Fill two boxes with such "goodies" as
cookies, crackers, candy, and Slim Jims,
58 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
and ask that two members in each group
be blindfolded. Have someone else in the
group reach into the first of the two boxes,
pull out two goodies, and feed them to the
blindfolded persons. The tasters should
then be asked to name what they are
eating. Repeat the process with the sec-
ond box of goodies.
Fill several cans with different materials
(such as coffee grounds, lilacs, roses,
onion, skunk weed, etc.) for people to
smell. Taking one can at a time, ask each
group member to identify the smells.
Fill a jar with beans. Ask each member ..
in the group to guess how many beans are
in the jar.
.,.---_
I
Chapter 7
Camp Site Activities
The activities traditionally identified with all
kinds of camping, outdoor education and
campcraft, are still important in presenting a
well-rounded experience for day campers of all
ages. Because day camp sites are usually as-
sociated with the out-of-doors, outdoor educa-
tion and campcraft are integral and natural
parts of camp programming. Including both of
these elements promotes growth, self-confi-
dence, and a sense of belonging in the environ-
ment. When planning for this aspect of the day
camp program, planners should think of the
camp site not as a playground, but as a class-
room. Participants are, for the moment, not
campers but students-students who are striv-
ing for increased appreciation of and sensi-
tivity toward the outdoor world. Outdoor
education and emphasis on campcraft also fit
into the YMCA's spiritual mission as it helps
children become more aware of people and
worlds beyond themselves.
OUTDOOR EDUCATION
For purposes of this manual, we define out-
door education to include activities that em-
phasize the meaningful use of the outdoor
environment; that have learning and appreci-
ation of nature as their chief ends; and that in-
volve doing, rather than simply hearing about,
things in the outdoors. Campers learn about
the outdoors firsthand, through study and
through activity.
Nature Center
Whether it is an entire building or a corner of
the dining hall, a nature center is a valuable
learning resource. It lets campers explore, on
their own, various displays that tell them more
about the workings of the environment. Every
59
60 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
item in the display should be touchable and
should provide possibilities for discovery.
Matching games, such as trees to leaves, or
texture comparisons, such as the difference
between the furs of a woodchuck and a fox, are
examples displays in a good nature center.
LS; AP; GP
Teaching Environmental Ethics
The camp site itself is valuable in teaching
about the environment and our responses to
it. However, the message must be consistent
with the site. For example, teaching the effects
of soil erosion on pond ecology will be less
effective if the camp site pond is clouded by
erosion on the camp property. In such a day-
to-day practical approach, simple acts like
picking up litter, turning off lights, conserving
food, and turning off water faucets can be
stressed to good advantage even with the
youngest campers. GP; LS
Bird Blinds and Mr. Bird Man
A blind is a place where people can watch
birds or other animals at a feeding station.
Observers are hidden behind a wall with small
peepholes or even one-way windows so they
have a close-up view while the animals are
unaware of their presence. A wall for cover,
some feeders, and feed are the only equipment
needed.
A device called "Mr. Bird Man" extends the
possibilities. Construct a scarecrow and put it
among the feeders with seed in its hat or hand.
Birds may become accoustomed to this figure,
and soon campers may take Mr. Bird Man's
place and have birds eat from their hands.
Encourage campers to discuss what they
saw the bird or animal do while feeding and
why they think it behaved in thay way. They
might also try to imagine what it would be like
to actually be that animal or bird. Appropriate
for campers in the 9 to ll-year-old age group.
GP; OS
Sounds in the Silence
Ask campers to be completely quiet, with eyes
closed, for a full 2 minutes. They should listen
for all the sounds they can hear, while making
none of their own. When time is up, they can
discuss what they heard. GP; OS
Tree Interview
Campers make believe that each of them is
one of the oldest trees in camp-probably over
100 years old. The counselor interviews them
about what they have seen, experienced, and
hoped that people would or would not do. GP;
AP; CV
Un-Natural Trail
For a test of campers' observation skills, seed
a nature trail with items that don't belong
there. Many of these items are litter. Campers
walk the trail, listing all they see. Ask them
if they think they've spotted everything, and
encourage them to think about how litter gets
into a natural environment. CV; GP
Correcting Environmental
Bad Habits
The entire camp joins in a discussion about
the origins of energy and resources and the
human responses to these facts. This activity
is designed to bring feelings and understand-
ings together to arrive at a course of construc-
tive action for improving the environment and
planning a less consumption-oriented lifestyle.
Possible questions to stimulate discussion m:-e
as follows: ''Do I use things up? Could I recycle
or use less of something, like paper, plastic
bottles, plastic bags, tin cans, or glass bot-
tles?" "Do I waste energy with lights, televi-
sion, radio, the refrigerator, the furnace, and
automobile fuel?" "Do I disturb life cycles by
littering, polluting the water or air, or bother-
ing animals and other living things?" "Do I cut
myself off from the natural world by not get-
ting outdoors enough?" After discussing these
questions, the group should devise a workable
plan of action that can be carried out by each
camper. CV; GP
Magnifying Glass Activities
Give everyone a magnifying glass. Have them
look for specific things, or have them simply
explore in general, in the woods or on the
nature trail. Look at leaves held up to the sun,
at moss and lichens, or at bark, and ask the
campers to share their findings with the rest
of the group. The magnifying glass technique
is especially rewarding after a rainy period,
when there are plenty of mushrooms. This
activity is particularly good with the 6- to
8-year-old age group. FN; GP
Mason Jar Ant House
Have campers fill a quart jar two-thirds full of
soil and hunt for ants to place inside it, being
sure to take the jar along on the hunt! Try to
find the queen in the ant hill (she will have
wings and be bigger than the other ants) and
place her in the jar. Set the jar in a shallow
bowl filled with soil, then place the bowl in a
pie pan filled with water. The ants will crawl
in and out of the jar, but the surrounding
water will keep them in the ''house.'' Tie a
short piece of string to a short stick, and tie
a small piece of food to the other end. Rest the
stick on top of the jar so that the food hangs
just above the soil, level in the jar. Place the
jar in a shady spot under cover. The ants will
eventually tunnel around inside the jar so that
campers can watch them through the glass.
This activity will appeal to the younger cam-
pers, ages 6 to 8, especially. FN; GP
Senses Scavenger Hunt
Prepare lists ahead of time for pairs of campers
to use. Everyone should watch for, but not
gather, the following articles; they should note
when they saw the items and under what con-
ditions. The wilderness articles are as follows:
Something that is natural and edible
Something that is pretty
Something that is ugly
Two types of moss
An example of insect damage
An area where erosion has occurred
An example of an animal's home
Two types of animal tracks
An example of condensation
Two different types of animal scat
Camp Site Activities 61
An example of man's abuse of the land
An example of the effects of wind
Three species of trees
Two species of birds
The homes of two different insects
Of course, the list need not be limited to these
items. However, it should include items
requiring the use of sight, hearing, touch,
smell, and taste. There is no single winner in
this game. The joy comes as campers share
their finds and tell why they chose a particular
item. What appears ugly to one person may be
beautiful to another; such differences should
be recognized and appreciated. This activity
is best suited for the older campers, ages 9 to
11. AP; GP
Terrariums
Have campers pair up, with two children in
charge of ajar. Carefully place a shallow layer
of small stones on the bottom of the jar. Add
a layer of crushed charcoal to justcover the
layer of stones; then add soil to fill the jar half-
way. Have each pair of campers look for plants
to put in their terrariums. Explain that they
need to get a good root system with each plant
and to use small plants and moss. Encourage
them to be creative with the stones, pieces of
wood, and other natural objects they can use
to further decorate the terrarium. JR; FN
Inventory
Form groups of two or three campers. Assign
each group to a 5 foot by 5 foot plot in the
woods and have each group list everything
they find in the area. Then ask groups to
compare lists. This activity encourages careful
observation and helps make the point that, in
nature, things are not always easy to see or
obvious at first glance. GP; IR; DS
Leaf Art
Help campers better appreciate the symmetry
and beauty in nature with an art project based
on leaves. Start by spreading newspapers over
a picnic table and having campers find "spe-
cial" leaves in the woods nearby. The leaves
62 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
should be fairly small, with well-defined edges.
Campers secure the leaves onto the newsprint
with thumbtacks. Then, using old tooth-
brushes dipped into tempera paint, they paint
over both paper and leaves. The paint will
spatter onto the paper. After enough is applied
the leaf can be removed, and an outline of the
shape of the leaf will stand out on the paper.
Campers can cut their leaf paintings down to
size and glue on a simple cardboard frame to
set off the artwork. GP; FN
A Naturewide Game
This game helps campers become closer to
nature through their senses and imagination.
The objective is for teams to observe phenom-
ena at each of eight different "stations," then
to discuss their observations with each other.
Divide campers into groups of three or more.
Establish boundaries and the location of each
station. Prepare the stations by gathering the
equipment needed for each one and by writing
out the instructions to direct the activity at
each station. Give each team paper and pen-
cils, set a 1-hour time limit, and start teams
off at 5- to 8-minute intervals. Stress that a
team cannot arrive and begin activity at any
station if another team is already there. The
eight stations are as follows, with a ninth sta-
tion to be devoted to discussion and sharing
of the discoveries made at the other eight:
1. Observe-Instruct the campers as fol-
lows: "Observe through a magnifying
glass three things that you find nearby.
What did you discover? Write about or
draw the objects that you have found.''
(Be sure to supply two or three magnify-
ing glasses at this station.)
2. Listen-Place a large drawing of an ear
at this station and ask campers to draw
a picture on the ear of what they can
hear when they listen for the sounds of
nature here.
3. Taste-Ask campers to find a dandelion
(or bay leaf, weed, onion, honeysuckle
flower, etc.) and to pick and taste it.
Then ask what words they would use to
describe the taste. Tell them to quickly
jot down the first words that come to
mind.
4. SmelL-Instruct campers to find some-
thing that has a strong smell. Tell them
to bring it back and see if the rest of the
group, with their eyes closed, can guess
what it is.
5. Feel-Ask campers to find something
rough, something smooth, something
furry, or soft, or hard. Tell them to
remember or write down which object
they thought felt best.
6. Think-Ask campers to find some ob-
jects whose first letter makes up a word.
An example is P[ine cone], I[vy], G[rass],
to spell PIG. Have them bring these ob-
jects back, mix them up, and see if the
rest of the group can guess the word.
7. Test-Instruct campers to find some-
thing they think is unusual. Then each
group explains what their object looks
like, describes what it feels like, and
tells where it was found. The other
teams try to guess what the object is.
8. Imagine-Ask campers to imagine that
they are tiny elves, only as tall as a
hand. Tell them to find things that they
could use for food, shelter, and clothing.
Bring these objects back to show and
discuss.
9. Discuss and share experiences from the
first eight stations. IR; AP; LS
Looking at Your Environment
By holding a mirror flat and looking down into
it as they walk along a nature trail, campers
will get a new perspective on the tree tops and
the sky. They can also walk holding their mir-
rors over their heads and looking up to see the
ground reflected. FN; AP
Earth Tones
Colors that occur in such natural substances
as soil and charcoal can be used as art mate-
rials. For Charcoal Sketching, campers select
a piece of charcoal from the cooled fireplace
and sharpen it on a flat sandstone. (To make
charcoal, cover wood with earth as it burns so
that it is charred, not consumed.) Dried mul-
lein leaf stubs can be used for shading. Soil
Painting makes use of soil and sand samples
from many different areas. Clay, forest loam,
and humus are all suitable. Samples are
allowed to air dry and are then mixed with
' - - ~
water and white glue to make paint. Campers
can label their paintings with information
about the medium to make an interesting and
educational display. OS; AP
Printing
Campers can produce many interesting de-
signs, shapes, and textures by printing with
natural objects. For example, slicing open
fruits and vegetables reveals unusual patterns
inside. Even more interesting are mushroom
caps. When you find freshly kicked-over
mushrooms, cut the cap from the stem, place
it upside down on paper, and let it dry,
covered, overnight. The cap can then be used
to make a spore print-with different mush-
rooms producing different patterns.
To print with these natural objects, spread
printing ink on glass or another smooth sur-
face, use a small paint roller (brayer) to roll out
the ink until it's tacky, and press the vegetable
or fruit onto the ink and then onto the material
to be printed. Pinecones, corncobs, and rough
bark may be rolled in the ink to make still
other interesting textures. Depending on the
type of ink used, the campers may print on
paper or on fabric to decorate T-shirts, pillow-
cases, or other items. OS; AP
Color or Shape Hike
As campers walk through the woods, make a
game oflooking for a particular color or shape
that can be found in nature. When someone
has spotted the color or shape, name another
for the group to find, and so on. This activity
is especially good for the younger campers,
ages 6 to 9. OS
Trust Walk
Pair off campers, and blindfold one of each
pair. The "sighted" leads the blindfolded one
for 5 minutes, letting him or her touch, smell,
and experience all kinds of things in the en-
vironment. Stress that the leader should
create a good experience for the one who is
blindfolded. Have the partners switch roles for
the next 5 minutes. Conclude the activity by
talking about the experience. AP; LS
Camp Site Activities 63
Little Places
Little places are often homes for all sorts of
insects, plants, and animals. Campers can ex-
plore these places and discuss why they pro-
vide homes for various wildlife. Small hollows
in trees collect water, organisms, and unusual
vegetation. Galls support many levels of insect
life, including their original builder, parasites,
and predators. Campers can further develop
their observation skills be looking for "little
places" at home. A window sill or the space
between the screen and the windowpane can
be a good place to see insects. Spider webs are
a world of their own in which it is easy to see
who is the predator and who is the prey. Birds
nest under eaves, and so do wasps. Cool, dark
places around the foundation or in the base-
ment yield ants, slugs, and other interesting
insects. GP; OS
Waxed Leaves
Another example of art in nature, waxed
leaves are a simple craft project. Melt some
paraffin slowly in a deep pan. (A double boiler
is safest. Do not use a microwave.) Dip in
branches with brightly colored leaves. Be sure
that all parts are covered, and arrange the
leaves in place before the wax hardens. OS;
FN
An American Indian's
Ecological Lament and Prophecy
The story of Seattle, an Indian chief, and his
plea to the United States Government in 1854
shows that concerns about environmental pol-
lution and irresponsible use of the land have
been with us for more than 100 years. This
story can be the stimulus for a discussion of
environmental ethics with the older group of
campers, ages 9 to 11. AP; CV
Seattle, a leader of the Suquamish Tribe,
was saddened in 1854 when the U.S. proposed
to buy the Pacific Northwest from the Indians.
But he was a realist, resigned to the inevitable,
and he urged his tribesmen to move to a reser-
vation in a speech that seems almost prophetic
today. Following is a digest of an adaptation
of one translation of his address to the Terri-
torial Governor and to his kinsmen.
64 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
The Great Chief in Washington sends word
that if we do as he desires, he will buy our land
and allow us to live comfortably. When our
Good Father in Washington sends word he
wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us.
It will not be easy, for every part of this land
is sacred to us. Every pine needle, every sandy
shore, every mist in the dark woods, and every
humming insect is holy in our memory. The
rivers are not running with just water, but
with the blood of our ancestors. You must
remember these streams are sacred and that
each reflection on the glistening water tells of
experiences in the lives of our people. The
murmurs of the rivers are voices of our ances-
tors. These rivers are our brothers. They feed
us and quench our thirst; they carry our
canoes.
The air is precious because it nourishes the
beast, the tree, and man. It shares its spirit
with all life it supports. The wind that gave our
grandfathers their first breath also receives
their last. The wind must also give our chil-
dren the spirit of life. Our dead never forget the
beautiful earth, for it is the mother of red men.
Each reflection in the clear lake waters recalls
happy memories to our people. The graves of
our fathers are holy ground and so are these
hills and these tall trees. This land is conse-
crated to us.
The white man may one day discover our
God is the same as his. You can think you own
Him as you wish to own our land, but you do
not. He is God of all men and His compassion
is equal for the red man as for the white. This
earth is precious to Him, and to harm this
earth is to amass contempt for its Creator. The
white man's appetite may devour the earth
and leave him only a desert. The graves of the
white man's father and the birthright of his
children are forgotten. The white man treats
his mother, the earth, and his father, the sky,
as things to be bought and to be ravished and
plundered.
The sight of your cities pains me. There is
no quiet place, no place to hear the unfurling
of leaves in the spring or the rustle of an in-
sect's wings. What is there to life if man can-
not hear the cry of the whippoorwill or the
arguments of the frog in the ponds at night?
We prefer the sound of the wind across the
surface of the lakes to the white man's city
noises. Continue to contaminate your bed, and
you will some day suffocate in your waste. You
seem to be fued by the strength of the God who
brought you to this land and for some special
purpose gave you dominion over our land and
over us red men. That destiny is a mystery to
us. How can you buy our land? When we do
not own the freshness of the air and the spar-
kle of the water, how can we sell them to you?
The earth does not belong to man; man be-
longs to the earth. All things are connected as
the blood which unites one family. Whatever
occurs to earth, befalls the sons of earth. Man
did not weave the web of life; he is merely a
strand in it. Whatever man does to the web,
he does to himself. I am only a savage, but I
do not understand any other way. You must
teach your children that the ground beneath
their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. Tell
your children this earth is rich with the lives
of the red man, and instruct them in respect-
ing our wonderful land. If we sell you this land,
love it as we love it, care for it as we care for
it, hold it as it is when you take it. Love it as
God loves us all. Preserve it for your children.
Plot Study
Each camper should select a small ( 1 foot x
1 foot) plot of ground to study-in any kind of
environment, from the woods to the beach. In-
struct campers to investigate their plots for the
following:
Temperatures in different portions
Soil: color and texture
Vegetation: diversity and density
Growth rates in vegetation
Changes in "geology" due to rain, sun, or
wind
Wind direction
Succession and transition
To carry out the plot study, campers will need
soil thermometers, digging tools, and an
anemometer to measure the wind speed. This
activity is best suited for the older age group,
ages 9 to 11. DS; GP
Alike Yet Different
Campers use their senses to explore the value
of uniqueness both in nature and in human
life. Ask each camper to find a leaf (all from
the same tree) and to study it carefully so that
he or she can recognize it. Campers can touch,
smell, and rub their leaves in order to get to
know them well. Then place all the leaves in
a box and mix them up. Lay the leaves out and
ask the campers to find their own. Pair cam-
pers off, asking them to tell each other what
makes their own leaf unique. Following this,
gather participants in a circle and discuss the
following:
What makes people unique?
Is it good that people are unique?
How can two people who are different get
along with each other?
Think of some unique people you know and
describe them to the group.
To conclude, ask each camper to introduce
the person on his or her right, mentioning
what makes that person unique and what his
or her positive qualities are. CV; AP
Finding a Friend in Nature
During a short solo hike, each camper is asked
to find a friend in nature, an object that seems
to present itself as a new friend. Campers
return with their new friends and introduce
them to the group. They should describe
where and how they found the object, and tell
what qualities they were looking for in the
friend. The discussion can then turn to human
friendships; discussion questions might in-
clude the following:
Where do people go to find friends?
What are things friends do together?
What are some things friends talk about?
What could friends do when they get upset
with each other?
This activity can lead into further nature study
or further discussion on the qualities of a good
human friend. CV; GP
Focus Object
In preparation for the activity, a counselor
selects an object from nature. Campers sit in
a circle with their feet touching. The counselor
then explains that he or she has something
Camp Site Activities 65
behind his or her back that each camper will
have a chance to talk about. The counselor
then gives the object to the person imme-
diately to the right, who is asked to begin talk-
ing about it. The camper might describe the
object, guess where it came from, say what it '
might be used for, or tell a story about it. After
a minute or two, the object is passed to the
next person, who also talks about the object
but cannot repeat anything already said. En-
courage the group to be creative; not every-
thing said need be factual or real. After
everyone has had a turn, campers can discuss
what they learned about the object and which
senses they used to appreciate it. AP
Coming and Going of the Rain
Using hand motions, the group simulates the
sounds of a summer rain approaching and
leaving. If campers perform this routine well,
they will be able to hear the mounting wind,
the pitter-patter of rain drops, and the eventual
heavy drumming sounds of a brief rainstorm.
This activity demands a good deal of
cooperation.
Everyone stands in a circle and then turns
to the right. Participants close the circle by
side-stepping toward the center until they can
easily touch the back of the person in front of
them. The counselor, using the person in front
of him or her, demonstrates the hand move-
ments that produce the wind and rain sounds,
as follows:
l. With palms flat on the person's back
or shoulders, the counselor makes a
rotating hand movement to simulate
the swishing sound of the wind.
2. The counselor changes to a slapping
motion of the fingertips on the other
person's back.
3. Then the counselor changes again to a
heavier finger slapping action, to simu-
late hard-falling rain.
4. The counselor returns to the motion of
step 2.
5. The counselor returns to the motion of
step 3.
6. The counselor stops and waits for all
sounds to cease.
After this demonstration, the entire group par-
ticipates. When the first motion is begun, cam-
pers pass it (and all subsequent motions) along
66 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
to the person in front of them, and so on until
the first motion has made its way around the
circle and is returned to the first person again.
The exercise is even more effective if partici-
pants keep their eyes closed throughout. This
activity is best used with the 9- to 11-year-old
campers. LS; FN
Human Camera*
This activity demonstrates how one can use
a partner as a camera! After pointing out
briefly how a camera is like a human eye, the
counselor has the campers pair off. One of the
pair (the camera) closes his or her eyes, and
the other (the photographer) leads him or her
to a spot where there is an interesting sight to
record on retinal film. Using the human
camera body as a tripod, the photographer po-
sitions the partner's head (the camera) so that
the partner's closed eyes are directly in front
of the chosen subject. The photographer then
gently pulls the partner's earlobe to activate
the shutter. On this signal, the camera opens
and closes the eyelids very quickly to record
the scene. Each camper takes turns being
camera and photographer, with scenes varied
from close-ups to distant landscapes. Partners
can then compare notes on the experience.
LS; GP
CAMPCRAFT ACTIVITIES
Unlike most other activities described in this
chapter, campcraft activities are unique to the
camping experience. Although, for day camp
purposes, they are not highly sophisticated,
the campcraft activities offered here can be
valuable preparation for the resident camps
that many day campers will eventually attend.
Fire and Firemaking
Fi,remaking and outdoor cooking are two of the
most important campcraft skills, yet many
children of day camp age have had no experi-
ence with fire. Firemaking provides real moti-
vation for learning about various kinds of
wood, where they come from, what they are
good for. It also is a potent impetus for learning
about several aspects of conservation: Green
wood doesn't burn, so saplings are not cut for
fuel; if wood crumbles, it is rotten and will not
bum; the best fuel is dry wood, stacked to dry
further after gathering; small fires are better
for cooking than large ones.
A counselor should always be present dur-
ing firemaking, and campers should have
careful instruction and simulated practice be-
fore building actual fires. Everyone should
know the equipment for controlling or extin-
guishing a fire and procedures for getting help.
Fire must always be treated with respect.
Once the campfire site has been chosen and
the area enclosed for safety, fire building can
begin. Fire requires two things to bum-fuel
and air. The proper arrangement of the fuel
will provide air space so that flames can rise.
Fuel consists of the following:
Tinder: This is dry material no thicker
than a matchstick, such as shavings,
small pieces of bark, or small dry twigs.
Kindling: This is wood from matchstick
size up to the thickness of a thumb and
from a few inches to a foot long.
Fuel: The real food for the fire, fuel can
be logs, charcoal, coal, or peat. The logs
should be either of hardwood, which
bums slowly, or softwood, which burns
quickly.
To start the fire, place a handful of tinder
within a small enclosure of twigs. The twigs
support the kindling so that it does not fall into
and smother the lighted tinder. Arrange the
tinder loosely, but with all pieces touching one
another. Leave a little "cave" for air; this is
where you will put the lighted match. When
the tinder flares up, add the kindling piece by
piece, not too fast and not too slowly. Starting
with the smaller pieces, add kindling so that
the fire can always get air. The last step is
adding the fuel. This, too, should be done
slowly, with the fuel arranged to make the
kind of fire needed for the type of cooking
planned. DS; GP
Here are some ways of building and using
fires for cooking.
*From Silver Bullets (p. 177) by K. Rohake, 1984, Hamilton, M.A.: Project Adventure. Copyright 1984 by Project Adventure, . ....._,
Inc. Adapted by permission.
Tepee Fire. This fire is named for its tepee
shape. Build it, after the foundation fire is
buming well, by placing wood into a leaning
cone shape, keeping it tall and narrow. The
tepee fire, which sends flames and heat up-
ward, gives a quick, hot result that is useful
for boiling.
Crisscross Fire. The crisscross fire will
bum a long time and make a fine bed of coals.
You can build it in an outdoor fireplace or
against a rock that forms a heat-reflecting
back wall. Once a good foundation fire is es-
tablished, add wood piece by piece, building
up from larger pieces in the bottom layers to
smaller ones at the top. The crisscross of fire
needs air from below, and it should be built so
that it faces the breeze. It is excellent for most
types of cooking.
Tin Can Stove. This stove, placed over an
established fire, is fairly effective for cooking
and requires very little fuel. In fact, the fire
must be kept small, or the stove will become
too hot. Make the stove by tuming a 5-gallon
can upside down and cutting a4-inch opening
on one side at the bottom. This opening lets
you feed wood into the fire inside. At the top
of the can, on the side opposite the bottom
opening, cut a 2-inch opening for a chimney.
Food can be cooked directly on the surface of
the can, or a pan can be set on top.
Two-Story Tin Can Stove. Smaller than
the stove just described, the two-story tin can
stove is useful and fun because individual
campers can make and use their own. The
two-story stove, which works on the same
principle as its larger cousin, requires two cans
of slightly different sizes (coffee cans work
well), a larger can for the bottom of the stove
and a smaller one for the top. Tum the larger
can upside down and cut an opening in the
side at the bottom, just big enough for adding
small pieces of wood to the fire inside. Using
a triangular can opener, cut vents all around
the top of the bottom can for the heat to go
through. With an icepick, make four or five
holes around the top rim of the bottom can and
around the the bottom rim of the top can, and
wire the two cans together through those
holes. With the can opener, cut a row of tri-
angular vents along the top of the smaller can,
on the side opposite the bottom can's fuel hole.
Camp Site Activities 67
Dishpan Oven. Let a good fire die down to
hot coals. Scoop out a hollow in the coal bed
and set an inverted pie plate into the hollow.
Put the food to be baked on the plate. Cover
the plate with an inverted metal dishpan and
heap the hot coals aro:und and over the dish-
pan. Let the food cook there until it is done.
Although both younger and older campers
can benefit from learning the firemaking skills
just described, supervision and careful in-
struction are essential. OS; GP; IR
Outdoor Cooking
Outdoor cooking in a day camp can range from
the very simple (such as toasting bread) to the
very elaborate, depending on the ages of the
campers, their experience, and the facilities
available. Any day camp program, however,
can provide experience in several types of
cooking, including hot ash and hot rock cook-
ing, stick cooking, skewer cooking, tin can
cooking, reflector oven cooking, and foil
cooking.
In planning cooking activities, remember
that the younger the child, the sooner he or
she expects results. Foil cooking is too slow for
younger campers, and reflector oven baking,
skewer cooking, o n ~ - p o t meals, and the like
are too difficult for them. When these cooking
techniques are used, the younger campers can
help with the preparation but should go off to
other activities during the actual cooking time.
Recipes for various types of outdoor cooking
follow. OS; FN
Angels on Horseback. Cut American
cheese into l-inch cubes. Cut a slice of bacon
in half and wrap each piece around a
cheesecube, one piece in each direction, so
that the cheese is completely covered. Fasten
the bacon with toothpicks. Put on a toasting
fork or a stick and broil over the coals until the
bacon is crisp. Serve on a toasted bun.
Bread Sticks. Use biscuit mix, cutting down
on the water or milk to create a fairly stiff
dough. Roll dough into long strips about a half
inch thick. Flour a green stick to prevent the
dough from sticking, and wrap the dough
around the stick, spiral-fashion. Be sure the
sides of the dough strips do not touch, so that
the heat can reach them. Press the ends of the
dough strip against the stick to hold it in place.
.
68 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
Hold the stick over hot coals, turning it fre-
quently until the dough browns evenly.
Eggs in a Frame. Tear a hole in a slice of
bread and place it on a lightly greased pan or
griddle. Break an egg into the hole. Fry until
the egg is the right consistency, then turn
bread and egg over and cook the other side.
Roasting Corn. Shuck the com, remove the
silk, and cover the ear with butter, salt, and
pepper. Wrap the ear in foil, twisting the ends.
Put the wrapped ears on the grill, over coals,
and tum them frequently. The com in the
center of the grill will be ready to eat in about
15 minutes; ears on the outer edges will take
about 30 minutes.
Dog-With-a-Stick-in-Its-Mouth. Split a
frankfurter halfway through lengthwise,
leaving the ends closed. Put a long strip of
American cheese inside the split. Tie the
frankfurter together by wrapping it diagonally
in a slice of bacon, completely covering the
cheese, and fastening the ends with tooth-
picks. Cook on a stick or a grill over hot coals
until the bacon is crisp and the frankfurter is
hot all the way through. Serve on a split
toasted bun.
Bean Pot. This is a good one-dish meal. For
four servings, use six frankfurters or sausages,
2 cups of cooked com kemels, 4 cups of baked
beans, and a medium-sized onion, chopped
fine. Cut the franks or sausages into small
pieces and fry with the onion until brown. Add
the com and beans. If too thick, add a bit of
water to prevent sticking. Season to taste and
add ketchup if desired. Serve hot.
S'mores. Toast a marshmallow slowly until
it is big and brown and put it on a soda cracker
or a graham cracker. Cover it with a piece of
milk chocolate, add a top cracker, and squeeze
gently.
Rope Work
Rope is indispensable in camp, and knowing
how to use it is a basic campcraft. Rope holds
down a tent; hoists food out of the way of
animals; holds poles together for tripods, beds,
and other outdoor fumiture; moors boats and
canoes; hoists flags and sails; and rescues
swimmers or climbers. To leam knotting re-
quires a piece of rope that is long enough and
thick enough to handle easily and to show the
steps used in making the knot. From 4 to 6 feet
is a good rope length, and a diameter of 1/4 to
1/2 inch will make the shape of the knot visi-
ble. Each person should have his or her own
rope for use and practice. For specific informa-
tion and, most important, illustrations of the
knotting techniques, use the resource The
Day Camp Program Book (1980), or use basic
Scouting manuals. DS; GP
Outdoor Shelters
Learning to live in the outdoors in comfort but
without harming the environment should be
a goal of all camping experiences, including
day camping. Campers can leam about vari-
ous common types of primitive shelters either
by seeing pictures and hearing descriptions of
them or by helping construct shelters of their
own. For example, campers can make a simple
and effective shelter using a tarp with grom-
mets, placed over a line strung between two
trees. The ends of the tarp are secured to the
ground at appropriate angles with rope and
stakes. Making and using such improvised
shelters adds variety and fun to the day camp
program. Beyond being useful to keep offrain
or sun, simple shelters can stimulate creative
imaginations to invent stories or dramatics ac-
tivities based on the improvised shelter. A few
examples of simple shelters follow. FN; DS
Pup Tent. Stretch the tarp over a rope be-
tween two uprights. Use pegs and tapes to hold
the sides out. For a breezy tent, an open end
should face the wind.
Explorer's Tent. This tent is like the pup
tent, except that it has only one entrance, re-
quires only one upright for support, and is
taller at the entrance. It gives more shelter
than the pup tent does. The tarp is fastened
by its tapes to a rope running from a strong
peg in the ground up to a tree trunk or other
upright. The sides are held in place by tapes
and pegs.
Wigwam. The wigwam is a dome-shaped
shelter consisting of a curved framework
covered with a tarp. An easy and useful wig-
wam can be improvised with chicken wire
used as a framework.
Day camp programming should consider pre-
senting a real mix of activities. Children of day
camp age are not able to sit qutetly for long
periods of time. They need to have time to "let
off steam" and use pent-up energy. The Lively
Activities listed below are designed to allow
campers to do just that. More important, how-
ever, these activities also foster skills develop-
ment, cooperation, leadership and support,
and just plain fun for everyone who is in-
volved. For purposes of this manual, Lively
Activities are defined as active games and
sports, aquatics, and singing.
ACTIVE GAMES AND SPORTS
This section describes active games and sports
for groups of varying sizes. Some are appro-
priate only to small groups, others only to
large ones; many will be suitable for any num-
ber of participants.
Chapter 8
Lively Activities
The type of game chosen is less important
than the way in which it is played. Many of the
suggested games can be adapted to fit par-
ticular occasions or age groups. Even the rules
can be modified if everyone agrees to the
changes. All of these games have been used
successfully in day camp settings and else-
where, and all are designed to offer a change
of pace during the camp day, for campers and
counselors alike. There are many, many re-
sources for active games and sports. One of the
best, and one that yielded many of the items
included here, is The New Games Book (1976).
Schmerltz
The Schmerltz is a wonderful homemade toss-
and-catch missile. To make your Schmerltz,
get a long, cotton tube sock without a heel and
a solid rubber softball. Drop the ball into the
toe of the so<:;k, tie a knot just above the ball,
and you'll have made your Schmerltz. Take
69
70 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
it out to an open field and start tossing. For the
official Schmerltz toss, hold the top (not the
toe) of the sock, twirl the Schmerltz around
underhand a few times, and let it sail. With a
bit of practice, players can send it flying over
to their partners, streaming like a comet. The
only acceptable way to catch a Schmerltz is
to grab it out of the air, one-handed, by the tail
only. Although the Schmerltz may lend itself
to some good impromptu games, simply play-
ing catch with it is lots of fun. FN; DS; IR
Animal Walk Relays
Divide campers into teams and conduct relay
races, with each heat devoted to the locomo-
tion style of a different animal. The Crab Walk
and the Bunny Hop are already well known,
but it will take more imagination and result in
more fun if you add some others, like the
elephant, the chicken, the duck, and the bear,
to your menagerie. Simply think a bit about
how these creatures actually move in nature,
and you'll be well on the way to devising your
own creative walks. Best used with the youn-
ger group of campers (ages 6 to 8), Animal
Walk Relays could be part of a special events
time devoted to the "Circus" focus activity.
FN; LS
Standoff
This one-on-one battle for balance can be
played almost anywhere at any time; the only
equipment needed is the players themselves.
Two players stand face-to-face on a level sur-
face at one arm's length apart. Each player's
feet must be together, and toes must be touch-
ing. The players present their hands with
palms facing their partners' palms. The object
of Stand-Off is to cause your partner to lose
balance, making contact with your hands
only. If your partner moves one or both feet
while you retain your stance, you get one
point; if the partner falls against you, you get
one point. Ifboth of you lose balance, neither
gets a point. The winner is the player who
scores two points out of three.
It is permissible to dodge and feint with the
hands, but at no time during the game may
players touch any other part of their partner's
body. FN; DS; IR
Personal Scavenger Hunt
This scavenger hunt can take place indoors or
out, though a fairly large, flat surface is
needed. It is a large-group game, best played
with 25 or more campers. Divide participants
into teams of 10 to 12 people, who must then
remain together. Position all of the teams so
that they circle around the "peg," a brave
counselor, in the center. Maintain a distance
of 30 to 40 feet between all groups and the
center peg. Several other counselors are
needed as well: one to be the announcer and
others to judge and keep score.
Before the game begins, make a list of arti-
cles that can be found on the campers' bodies
(a red ribbon, a blue ring, a green tennis shoe,
etc.). The announcer calls out one of the listed
articles. Each team has an appointed runner;
and when the article is named, the runner
runs the article to the peg in the center. The
runner who reaches the peg first scores a point
for the team. Some articles on the list may not
be removable. In that case the announcer
must be very explicit, saying, for example:
"Bring out the person on your team with the
mostfreckles on his or her face," and the run-
ner would pull the freckled friend into the
center of the circle. The judges would have to
decide which candidate has the most freckles,
with ties being possible. Judges also decide
which runner has reached the peg first. Be-
cause teams will tend to gravitate toward the
center of the circle as the game progresses,
there must be frequent reminders to move
back. Every so often it is also a good idea to
have teams appoint new runners. This game
encourages campers to make new friends.
FN; LS; IR
Frisbee Golf
Partners play this version of golf in an open
space, using a Frisbee. The first player maps
out the first "hole" by choosing an object a few
hundred yards away (a tree, a refuse can, etc.)
and by then pointing out a course whose lay-
out is defined by items in the landscape, com-
r
"
plete with out-of-bounds and hazards. The
score for the first hole is the number of Frisbee
throws it takes to hit the target object. Score-
keeping follows standard golf rules in that the
player with the lowest score wins. After the
fust hole is played, the second player maps out
the next hole, and so on. DS; IR
Silly Soccer
This game is played on an open field with a
standard soccer ball. Form two teams and
place two pylons 100 to 150 feet apart. The ob-
ject of the game is to hit the other team's pylon
with the ball. There are no boundaries, and the
pylon may be hit from any direction. Players
may only kick the ball; no hands may assist
it on its way. FN; DS; LS
Catch the Dragon's Tail
A large, open area is needed for this game. To
form the dragon, have 8 to lO people line up,
one behind the other. Everyone puts his or her
arms around the waist of the person in front,
and the last one in line tucks a handkerchief
into the back of his or her belt. At the signal,
the dragon begins chasing its own tail. The ob-
ject is for the person at the head of the line to
snatch the handkerchief. The challenge lies in
the fact that the people at the front and at the
end of the line are competing, but those in the
middle aren't sure which way to go. When the
head catches the tail, the head puts on the
handkerchief and becomes the new tail. FN;
IR; LS
Water-Cup Pass
For a refreshing spray on a hot day, try playing
Water-Cup Pass. Players stand in a circle hold-
ing an empty paper cup in their teeth. One
player's cup is IDled with water. This person
begins by pouring the water into the next per-
son's cup without using hands. The recipient
then pours the water into the next person's
cup, and the process continues all the way
around the circle. For more involvement, more
players can start with filled cups, or the circles
can be smaller. FN; IR
Lively Activities 71
Bola
To make a Bola, stuff a solid rubber softball
into a long sock and tie a knot in the sock just
above the ball. Then tie a clothesline rope
securely to the sock.
One player lies on his or her back and starts
spinning the Bola, slowly letting out the rope.
When it's rotating at a radius of about 12 feet,
everyone can begin jumping into the circle.
There will be some tripping on the rope at fust,
but soon players will be jumping the Bola as
it spins even faster. With practice, jumpers
will become so agile that they might try skip-
ping the rope hand-in-hand with a partner.
DS; LS
long, long, long jump
As the name implies, the objective of this ac-
tivity is for a group of campers to jump collec-
tively as far as possible. The first player begins
at a starting line and makes one jump, and the
next player starts the jump where the. previous
jumper landed. Players can attempt to better
their total collective distance on successive
tries. This game can be played indoors or out,
with backward broad jump, forward broad
jump (standing or running), hop-skip-and-
jump, and other variations. DS; LS
Human Pinball
All players except one stand in a circle, facing
outward. They spread their legs as wide as is
comfortable until their feet touch their neigh-
bors' feet on either side. Everyone bends down
and swings their arms between their legs.
These players are the "flippers." The one
remaining player enters the circle and be-
comes the movable target. The flippers try to
hit the target player by knocking a volleyball
or rubber playground ball back and forth
across the circle. Whoever hits the target earns
one point and becomes the new target. Every
time the ball goes out of the circle, the target
scores a point. However, the target's sole job
is to avoid the ball, which only the flippers can
move. FN; IR
72 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
Crossover Dodgeball
As in regular dodgeball, players begin on
different sides of a line and attempt to throw
balls at players on the other side. However,
this is a no-loser version. In this game, a player
who is hit with a ball immediately turns to the
other side (that is, to the other team) and con-
tinues to play. Players are always throwing,
dodging, hitting, being hit, and switching
sides. The object, which is to end up with all
players on one side, requires a lot of hustling.
The game is best with five or fewer players on
a team. FN; IR
Go-Tag
Go-Tag is a version of a game played in India
and Pakistan. Everyone squats in a line, alter-
nate players facing opposite directions. The
line should be thought of as the central axis
of an oval track running around it. The person
at one end of the line, the first runner, may run
around the track in either direction. The per-
son at the other end is the first chaser. He or
she may start running either clockwise or
counter-clockwise but, once started, may not
switch directions. The object of the game is for
the chaser to tag the runner by working with
the people squatting in the line. As the chaser
runs around the track, he or she can tap the
back of any squatting player and shout "go."
The tapped player steps forward to begin the
chase and is replaced by the old chaser, who
squats in the line. Chasing is thus a group
process, and the direction of the chase can
change as a new chaser emerges from the
center of the line. FN; JR; LS
Esti-Win
This race changes the focus of winning from
being the fastest to being the one who best
knows his or her running ability. Players esti-
mate the time it will take them to cover the dis-
tance and then run the race to see how close
they come to their predictions. Runners try to
improve on their past estimates each time they
play. GP
Log Roll
A series of players (logs) lie side by side on
their stomachs on the floor, a mat, a rug, or
the grass. One person (the rider) lies on his or
her stomach perpendicular to the logs, across
the upper portion of their backs. All of the logs
then begin rolling in the same direction, giving
the rider a sometimes soft, sometimes bumpy
ride across the top. Once the rider has flopped
over the last log, he or she becomes a rolling
log at the end of the line. The first log to roll
out from beneath the rider becomes the next
rider and is propelled across the log line. This
continues until everyone has had a turn as the
rider. IR; FN
Smaug's jewels
Smaug is a dragon protecting his treasure. The
object of the game is to snatch his jewels while
at the same time avoiding his deadly touch.
One person chosen as Smaug stands guard
over his jewels, represented by a handkerchief
placed on the ground. Everyone else forms a
circle around him and tries to steal the trea-
sure without being tagged. Smaug can range
as far from the jewels as he dares, and anyone
he touches is instantly frozen in place until the
end of the game. Players may try to sneak up
behind Smaug, or they may pretend to be
frozen, hoping to catch him unawares. Once
the treasure is stolen, a new dragon takes the
place of the old to begin the next game. FN;
LS; IR
Frozen Tag
In this version of tag, a few players are desig-
nated "freezers," while everyone else scatters
in all directions. The freezers count to 10 and
then begin the chase. A player who is tagged
must freeze in a stride position or with a hand
extended. To thaw a frozen player, another
player must either pass under his or her legs
or shake the extended hand. The number of
freezers can be adjusted to keep the game
moving. At end of the game, the counselor can
ask, "How many of you thawed your friends?"
This game can also be played in shallow water,
with players swimming under each other's
legs to thaw one another. FN; IR; LS
Stand Up
A cooperative game, Stand Up is especially ap-
propriate at the beginning of camp sessions to
help campers get acquainted. Players sit on
the ground, back-to-back with partners, and
with knees bent and elbows linked. The object
is simply to stand up together. Once partners
succeed, have a third person join them on the
ground and have all three try to stand up
together. Gradually add more and more people
to the Stand Up group. FN; LS; IR
Push 'Em Into Balance
Another cooperative balance game, this one
may be easier for the younger campers (ages
6 to 8) to try. Two partners face each other,
place the palms of their hands together, and
take one or more steps backward so that they
are leaning on each other for balance. Then,
in unison, they attempt to push each other
back into standing position without moving
their feet. Some players like to begin this game
on their knees (rebounding while kneeling),
gradually moving farther and farther apart
and rebounding back up to an upright posi-
tion. FN; LS; IR
Red-Handed
Players form a circle and hold their hands out,
in fists. The person chosen to be "it" stands
in the center. While "it" closes his or her eyes,
the other players pass a small object (a pebble
or marble) from person to person around the
circle. ''It'' signals, opens the eyes, and tries
to guess who in the circle has the object. If' 'it''
thinks a particular player has the object, he or
she approaches that player and taps on one
fist. If the fist is empty, "it" moves on. Mean-
while, everyone has been passing the object
around, virtually under ''its'' nose. Whoever
Lively Activities 73
is caught with the object, though, is caught
red-handed and becomes the new "it." FN; IR
Circle of Friends
In this game, players literally fall into the
hands of their friends, who keep them from
hitting the floor. About eight campers kneel
and form a tight circle, shoulder-to-shoulder.
One person stands in the middle of the circle,
stiffens her or his body, and falls in any
direction-usually with arms held straight at
the sides and fixed in one place. This game en-
courages trust, as the people in the circle learn
to work together to catch the faller and gently
shove her or him in another direction. Players
take turns as fallers. IR; LS
Dho-Dho-Dho
Because of its emphasis on agility and breath
control, this game has also earned the name
of Yogi Tag. The playing area should be a sur-
face soft enough to cushion a fall, with the area
divided into two equal parts by a center line.
Players, in two teams, stand on either side of
this border, leaving a no-man's-land between
them. One team chooses a player to make a
foray across the line, tag one or more players
on the other side, and return safely home. Be-
fore crossing the line, the chosen player (the
dho-dho) takes a deep breath. Not only must
the dho-dho complete the mission in one
breath, he or she must use that breath to
repeat aloud in a steady, rapid flow, '' dho-dho-
dho-dho .... '' If opponents can catch and hold
the dho-dho in their territory until he or she
runs out of breath, they've acquired a new
team member. But if the dho-dho makes it
back across the line with any part of his or her
body, everyone tagged joins the dho-dho's
team. Adding a rule that the dho-dho cannot
be touched until he or she has touched some-
one first makes the game less frantic and more
inviting to people who fear being pounced on
from all sides.
After one team has sent its dho-dho on a for-
ay and everyone is realigned and settled down,
the other team sends a dho-dho across the line.
The teams alternate until everyone is on the
74 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
winning team. This game is best for the older
group of campers, those aged 9 to ll. FN; DS
Siamese Soccer
Set up for a regular game of soccer, with
teams, goals, boundaries, and so on. The field
should be a bit smaller, however, and there
should be about 20 players on each team.
Regular soccer rules apply, except that all
players must pair up and tie their ankles
together in three-legged race fashion. Players
can kick the ball either with their free foot, or
with the tied-together "big foot." The goalie
might be played by two people tied back-to-
back at the waist. FN; LS; IR
S nake-i n-th e-G rass
To prepare for Snake-in-the-Grass, rope off a
well-defined playing area. The starter snake
lies prone in the grass, while all of the other
players gather around to touch him or her.
When the referee shouts "snake-in-the-grass,"
everybody runs, staying within the roped-off
area. Meanwhile, the snake, moving on his or
her belly, tries to tag as many people as pos-
sible. Those tagged become snakes too. Non-
snakes run bravely around in the snake-
infested area, trying to avoid capture. The last
person caught is the starter snake for the next
game. FN
Pony Express
Pony Express is an all-camp game that can oc-
cupy a whole afternoon. Divide the entire
camp into two teams, each with an equal num-
ber of older and younger campers. Set up sta-
tions, each with a counselor to supervise it,
and have the teams choose members to parti-
cipate at each station. Each team also selects
a member to be its "runner." The procedure
for the game is as follows:
l. At each station there is a counselor to
run the event and a camper or campers
from each team to perform a specified
task. The runner from each team runs
from one station to the next.
2. Each team starts with its runner at the
start point. The runners run from the
start point to the first station carrying
a baton, which is given to the counselor
at that station.
3. The campers from that runner's team
begin to perform the activity for that
station.
4. When the campers have finished the
task, the counselor hands the baton
back to the runner, who runs to the
next station. There, the runner hands
the baton to the counselor and the
campers at that station may then begin
the activity.
5. As the activities continue, the rest of the
campers may follow the runners and
cheer for their team. The number of sta-
tions and the types of activities may
vary, but the last event is a hunt for a
greased watermelon. The team finding
the watermelon carries it back to the
start point and everyone shares in eat-
ing it. FN; LS; IR
Ideas for activities at various stations follow:
l. Dig and refill two small holes.
2. Sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" three
times.
3. Using ladles, put water from one bucket
into another.
4. Shave shaving cream from a balloon.
5. Separate rice and beans from a mixed
pile into two bowls.
6. Change clothes inside a sleeping bag.
7. Jump rope while counting aloud 25
jumps.
8. Put out a lighted candle by shooting the
flame with a water gun.
9. Run an obstacle course.
Egg Toss
In preparation for Egg Toss, fill a number of
balloons with water and designate an outdoor
playing location. You may want to make sure
that campers are wearing bathing suits or
other clothing that can safely get wet! Divide
players into two lines, each facing the other,
about 3 feet apart. The players opposite one
another are partners, with each pair of part-
ners receiving a water balloon. In the first
round, one member of each pair attempts to
toss the water balloon across to the other with-
out the ballon dropping or breaking. For sue-
cessive rounds, players in each line take one
step backward, increasing the distance for the
balloon toss. The last pair to keep their balloon
intact wins the game. FN; IR; LS
Great Plains
Inspired by the drama of a buffalo hunt on the
North American Great Plains, this game is fun
at any time, but it may be especially relevant
during the week organized around the "Indi-
ans" theme (see the appendix). The cast in-
cludes a herd of bison complete with bulls,
cows, and a calf, and a tribe of Native Ameri-
can hunters riding bareback on spirited
horses. About 20 players are needed.
About a quarter of the players represent the
cow buffalos. They stand in a circle holding
hands, with arms outstretched, then drop
hands and take three or four steps backwards.
Each cow puts a marker on the ground at this
point and stands on it. An equal number of
players are the bulls; each bull takes one of the
cows by the hand. Complete the herd by plac-
iiJ.g in -t.'le center of the--eirclea playground ball
to represent the calf, which is vulnerable with-
out its parents and is the object of the hunt.
The rest of the players form pairs of fairly
equal weight. One in each pair, an Indian hun-
ter, climbs on the back of the partner, who is
a trusty pony down on hands and knees, and
the hunt begins. The object is for an Indian on
horseback to break through the circle of the
buffalo herd and catch the calf (by kicking the
ball). The Indian must do so without being
tagged by a bull; but the bulls must continue
to hold the cow's hands, and the cows may not
move off their markers. An Indian who is
tagged must go outside the circle and switch
positions with his or her partner, taking a turn
as the pony, before making another foray into
the herd.
This isn't a game for lone hunters, The herd
can be pierced only with concerted and stra-
tegic attacks by the whole tribe. When a hun-
ter finally does get through to the calf, teams
switch sides for the next game. FN; LS; IR
Blob
The Blob begins like a common game of tag,
with one person chosen as "it." However, as
Lively Activities 75
soon as that person tags someone, he or she
joins hands with the tagged person, who is
now a part of the blob. The blob continues to
chase after others, tagging them only with the
outside hand on either end. Everyone tagged
becomes part of the lengthening chain, and
thus the blob keeps on growing. Moreover, the
blob can split into parts and organize raids on
the few who have managed to avoid being
caught. The game continues until all are part
of the blob; the last person caught is first to
be "it" in the next game. FN; IR
Body Awareness
Body Awareness helps campers become aware
of the changes that occur in their own bodies
as a response to exercise. Campers should be
very quiet and listen to their own breathing.
They count their breaths for 1 minute while
the counselor times them, and write this num-
ber down. Then everyone runs hard for 1
minute, and the breath-counting process is
repeated. The group can discuss the .changes
and the reasons behind them. GP
Rock-Paper-Scissors
This is a group version of the old game in
which a fist symbolizes rock, a hand held flat
is paper, and two fingers means scissors. In
both the traditional game and our version,
paper covers rock, rock breaks scissors, and
scissors cut paper.
Two teams of players face each other across
a center line, which has free zones on either
side of it. Each team huddles and collectively
decides which symbol they will throw. In two
lines, the teams face each other, chant "Rock,
paper, scissors," and throw their symbols. The
team with the winning symbol chases the
other team, trying to tag as many fleeing
players as possible before they reach the free
zone. (It takes a quick eye and a fast response
to realize which team is to chase and which
to run.) All tagged players join the team that
tagged them for the next round. The teams
constantly change numbers and faces, and the
game continues with everyone participating.
LS; FN; IR
76 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
Orbit
The game of Orbit would fit in well with the
"Strange and Unknown/Trip to Mars" theme
described in the appendix. The game requires
two teams and an Earthball-a canvas-
covered vinyl bladder about 6 feet in diameter,
sometimes called a push- or cage-ball. Mem-
bers of one team lie on their backs in a circle,
with their heads toward the center and their
shoeless feet in the air. The other team stands
in a circle around them, facing inward. The
Earthball is tossed into the center. Those on
their backs may touch the ball only with their
feet; those standing may touch it only with
their hands. While the "feet" team is trying
to kick the ball into Orbit over the heads of the
standing team, the "hands" team is helping
gravity by hitting the ball back to the feet. If
the Earth ball does manage to get into orbit and
make a crash landing in the outer regions, the
teams switch sides. FN; IR; LS
Crazy Guinness Games
Guinness games could become an annual
camp event or could be used to highlight a
theme. The following list of sample activities
is meant to be augmented as campers' and
counselors' imaginations work to think of
crazy events-the sillier and more entertain-
ing, the better. FN
Marshmallow throwing, With distance
measured and records kept
Ping-Pong ball bouncing, with the greatest
number of successive bounces winning
Number of people who can fit inside a
Hula Hoop, with the greatest number
winning.
Hug Tag
This version of tag is based on the same rules
as common tag, with one exception-the only
time a player is safe is when she or he is hug-
ging another player. When the game has con-
tinued for a time, the rules can be changed
again-for example, to say that players are
safe only in hugging groups of three. IR
African Safari
Form small hunting parties of campers and set
up boundaries for the hunt. Each counselor
wears a card with the name of an animal and
a point number; the faster or more elusive the
animal, the higher the number of points.
While the campers sing some songs, the coun-
selors hide or take their stations in the woods.
The cobra may climb a tree; the zebra may
decide to rely on his swift feet. Occasionally a
giraffe could climb a tree ... just to keep the
hunters on their toes. Each team attempts to
capture the wandering animals and bring
them back to the compound to be penned. A
team is awarded the points designated for a
particular captured animal. When all the
animals are captured or when the allotted time
has elapsed, the points are added up and the
winning team determined. FN; LS; IR
Skin the Snake
This game can be played either cooperatively
or competitively. Each team should have 20
to 25 players, lined up one behind the other:---
A counselor directs the campers as follows:
''Reach between your legs with your left hand
and grab the right hand of the person behind
you. Meanwhile the person in front of you will
be reaching back to grab your right hand.
Once the chain is formed, you're set to go."
At the starting signal, the last person in line
lies down on her or his back. The player in
front of that person backs up, straddling the
other person's body, and lies supine immedi-
ately behind the other. With everyone still
holding hands, this continues as the whole
team waddles backward down the growing
line of supine bodies and slips into place.
As soon as the last person to lie down has
touched his or her head to the ground, he or
she gets up and starts forward again, pulling
everyone else up and along. What just was
done is undone as everyone skins the snake.
When the last person is standing again and
everyone is in the original chain, still holding
hands, they get set to run. The winner is the
first team to get all of its members across the
point where the head of the line started. If any-
one lets go of hands during any part of the
process, the team must stop, go back to the
point at which contact was lost, and reconnect
before proceeding. This game works better
with the older, 9- to 11-year-olci campers. FN;
LS
Bug Tag
This version of tug-of-war can include any
number of people, but it may be easier to begin
with just two. Mark a line on the ground or
floor, and have partners stand back-to-back on
either side of it. Both bend forward, reach be-
tween their legs, and grasp each others' wrists.
They then start tugging to see who gets pulled
over the line first.
In the group version of the game, players
stand in two parallel lines, back-to-back to
each other. One line stands still while the other
takes a step to the side. Each player is now
standing with a person behind him or her on
either side. Players then bend down and reach
back between their legs with crossed arms.
Everyone grasps the hand of one person with
the right hand and of another person with the
left hand. Except for the end players, everyone
in the lines should have a grip on two differ-
ent people. At this point everyone begins pull-
ing. IR; FN
Shipwrecked
This game of challenge and imagination can
call on players to practice many of their camp-
ing skills. Begin by dividing the camp into
teams of 6 to 10 players. Assign an area to
every team, and then disperse the groups.
Areas should be far enough apart so that
teams cannot see each other easily, and, to the
extent possible, they should be free of signs of
"civilization." Before the game begins, a set
of directions should be placed at each team's
area. These messages could read as follows:
You have been shipwrecked on an isolated
island. Help may not arrive for days or even
weeks. In order to survive this disaster, you
will need to do the following things:
1. Make a map of the area so you won't be-
come lost or separated from the group.
2. Identify five different kinds of plants in
the area by making a description of the
leaf or flower.
Lively Activities 77
3. Make a toy to amuse a small child in
your group.
4. Construct a shelter big enough to house
your whole group, in case a storm
strikes suddenly.
5. Create an emergency signal that is visi-
ble from the air.
6. Give first aid to one member of your
group who was struck on the head
while leaving the ship. Another has a
broken arm, and still another has a
large cut on the leg.
7. Write a rousing song that will help to
keep your spirits up while you are wait-
ing for rescue.
The list can be modified depending on the type
of group and on the ages of the participants.
DS; LS; IR
Vampire
To start the game, everyone begins to mill
around, blindfolded or with eyes closed. The
referee keeps players from colliding with any-
thing besides each other. The referee also sur-
reptitiously tells one of the players that he or
she is the Vampire. .
When the Vampire bumps into someone, he
or she snatches the victim and lets out a blood-
curdling scream. The victim is then turned
into a Vampire. If a Vampire snatches another
Vampire, however, the snatched Vampire
reverts to an ordinary human. Will the Vam-
pires neutralize each other before all of the
human beings are snatched? FN
Ooh-Ahh
Begin with everyone standing in a circle: hold-
ing hands. One person gives a quick squeeze
of the hand to the person at the right. The
squeeze is passed along until it is traveling
smoothly around the circle. Then, speed up
the action of the squeeze and add an "ooh"
sound as the squeeze is made. Next, add an
"ahh" sound, but send the squeeze in the op-
posite direction around the circle. Then try
reversing the flow (' 'ooh,'' with squeezes going
to the right; then "ahh," with squeezes going
to the left). When both the "ooh" and the
"ahh" are traveling in the same direction,
78 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
there can be a game of tag between the
sounds. Any other gestures or sounds can be
added or changed and passed on. IR; FN
Prui
The Prui is a gentle, friendly creature that
grows. Players stand in a group and close their
eyes. They then begin milling around, and
when they collide, they shake hands and ask
"Prui?" If the response is also "Prui?'' then the
Prui has not yet been found. As the searching
continues, the referee whispers to one of the
players that he or she is the Prui. The Prui
opens his or her eyes; but although a Prui can
see, he or she cannot speak. Thus when the
searchers bump into the Prui, shake hands,
and ask ''Prui?, '' the silence indicates that the
real Prui has been found. When a player has
found the Prui, the finder can open his or her
eyes and become part of the Prui by joining
hands with the original one. The new member
of the Prui shakes hands with the searchers
but does not speak, and that is how the Prui
grows. The Prui has free hands only at either
end, so if the searchers encounter two clasped
hands, they know they've got the Prui some-
where in the middle. They can then feel their
way to the end of the Prui and join it. When
the last stray searcher finally joins the Prui,
a cheer goes up to end the game. IR; FN
Crazy Relays
Although well suited to the "Let's Be Crazy"
theme described in the appendix, Crazy Re-
lays can take place whenever the camp sche-
dule permits. The idea is to promote fun and
variety while giving campers the chance to
cooperate in games that they may have never
heard of before. IR; FN; LS
Back-Up Relay. Have two people race to a
point, face each other and hold their arms
straight up in the air. Someone from their
team places a ball between them. They must
simultaneously make a 360-degree turn with-
out the ball falling to the ground. If it falls, they
must begin again. After completing this
maneuver, they return to their team and the
next two teammates try to do the same.
Balloon Pop Relay. Divide the group into
teams, which line up single file at a starting
line. A chair is placed about 30 feet away from
the start. Each team member has a deflated
balloon. One at a time, players run to the chair,
blow up the balloon, tie it, pop it by sitting on
it, and go to the end of the line. The first team
to pop all of its balloons wins.
Broom Jump Relay. Team members line
up two abreast. The first pair on each team
receives a broom. At the signal "go," each per-
son in the pair must grab one end of the broom
and run back through the line made by the
teammates, holding the broom just off the
floor. Everyone must jump over the broom as
it passes from one end of the line to the other.
The process is then repeated with the second
pair on the team holding the broom, and so
forth. The winning team is the first one to have
the original pair again holding the broom.
Egg and Spoon Relay. Each player gets a
spoon. The teams line up, and a dozen eggs
are placed at one end of the line. The first per-
son in line picks up an egg and places it on his
or her spoon. The players must then pass the
eggs down the line using only their spoons;
they may not touch the eggs with their hands.
The winner is the team to get the most un-
broken eggs down the line in the shortest time.
Grapefruit Pass. A grapefruit is started at
one end of the line of teammates and must be
passed down the line under the players' chins.
No hands are allowed. If the grapefruit is
dropped, it must be started at the head of the
line again.
Hand-in-Glove Relay. Teams stand in line
and pass a pair of gloves from one end to the
other. The first person puts the gloves on, then
the next person takes them off and puts them
on him- or herself. Each person takes the
gloves off the person in front and puts them
on him- or herself. All fingers of the hand must
fit into all fingers of the glove.
Lemon Pass. In this relay, teammates lie on
their backs and pass a lemon to one another
down a line using only their bare feet. The
lemon is held cupped between the arches of
both feet. The first team to pass the lemon the
length of the entire line wins.
Mixed-Up Relay. In this unusual relay,
each contestant does something different.
What they do is determined by instructions
that they pick from a container at one end of
the relay course. At the start of the race, each
team is lined up single file. On a signal, the
first person on each team runs to the other end
of the course, where there is a chair with a bag
on the seat. The bag holds slips of paper with
written instructions. The contestant draws a
paper, reads the instructions, and follows
them as quickly as possible. Once finished, the
contestant tags the chair and retums to his or
her team to tag the next runner. The relay con-
tinues until the first team to use all of its
players finishes. Following are examples of in-
structions that could be used for this race.
Run around the chair five times while
continuously yelling, "The British are
coming."
Run to the nearest person on the other
team and scratch his or her head.
Stand on one foot while holding the other
in your hand, tilt your head back, and
count "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast
off."
Run to the nearest adult and whisper,
"You're strange."
Take your shoes off, put them on the
wrong feet, and go tag your nearest op-
ponent.
Go to the last person on your team and
make three different funny-face expres-
sions, then retum to the chair before
tagging your next runner:
Hagoo
Two teams stand facing each other in lines
about 3 feet apart, and two players, one from
each team, stand at opposite ends of this
gauntlet. These players are the challengers,
and they step forward and face each other
down the length of the two lines. With a bow
and the invitation ''hagoo,'' they walk toward
each other, breaking neither their eye contact
nor their reserve. In the middle of the gauntlet,
they pass each other and continue to the end,
determined to suppress their slightest smile.
Meanwhile, the gauntlet players are doing
everything they can to get the challengers to
Lively Activities 79
laugh and lose their determination. Players
may not touch the challengers, but they may
do anything else to break their resolve to stay
serious. Team members may be tom between
sympathetic and supportive silence for their
own challenger and all-out effort to get the
other team's challenger to crack.
A challenger who successfully runs the
gauntlet without revealing the slightest sign
of amusement rejoins his or her team. Unsuc-
cessful challengers, on the other hand, must
join the opposite team on its side of the gaunt-
let. The game ends either when there is only
one team left or when all players have had a
tum as challenger. FN; IR
Tug-of-War
Tug-of-war is one of the oldest games on
record, and in its standard form it involves
simply getting two teams together to see
which can pull hard enough on a stout length
of rope to yank the opposing team across a
designated line. There are several variations
on this old theme.
Have the two teams stand about 10 feet
away from the rope and, on a signal, scramble
for position as pullers. Or have the tug-of-war
take place with the rope stretched across a
creek or through a sprinkler. There could even
be a game of "tri-tug," with three teams, a
three-ended rope, and three markers. Each
team in the tri-tug would try to pull the center
of the rope over its own marker. FN; LS
Huron Hop
This indoor or outdoor game is fun anytime,
but it might fit well with the "Indians" theme
(see the appendix). Divide the players into two
teams or tribes. Each team is identified by
headbands and feathers of a certain color,
which campers can make before the game be-
gins. Draw a large circle on the playing sur-
face and have 5 to 10 players from each team
enter the circle. Tie a balloon to each player's
ankle. The object of the game is for players to
break their opponents' balloons while trying
to keep their own intact. Once a player's bal-
loon is broken, he or she leaves the circle and
80 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
joins the audience. The game continues for 5
minutes; the team with the largest number of
braves and maidens still in the circle wins.
Play several times, with new braves and
maidens each time. This game is best used
with the older group of campers, ages 9 to
11. FN
People Pass
Have everyone stand on mats, facing forward
in two lines, with the lines as close together
as possible. After removing glasses and belt (if
necessary), the person at the head of the line
leans back and is hoisted up and passed hand-
to-hand over the heads of the other partici-
pants. Players being passed lie on their backs
and keep their bodies fairly stiff, and passers
work together to provide a smooth ride. This
activity is best with the older campers, ages
9 to 11. FN; IR; LS
Amoeba Race
Each team forms an amoeba-a "cell wall" of
players standing in a circle with linked elbows,
and "protoplasm" represented by players
standing within the cell wall. The "nucleus"
is a player sitting on the shoulders of some of
the protoplasm members. Two amoeba teams
race to a designated finish line. To make the
amoeba move in a given direction takes lots
of cooperation, as well as skillful observation
and guidance from the nucleus! This game
works best with the 9- to 11-year-old campers.
LS
The lap Game
Players stand in a circle shoulder-to-shoulder,
tum to the right, and very gently sit down on
the lap of the person behind them. Once they
are comfortably seated, players might all wave
their arms or give each other back rubs. This
maneuver is harder than it sounds. LS; IR
Cookie Machine
This game lets players become the cookie of
their choice. Individual players are the ingre-
dients, and the group becomes the oven. Par-
ticipants form two facing lines, standing
shoulder-to-shoulder with elbows bent and
forearms in front of them, palms up. Forearms
should altemate, with a player's arms flanked
by the arms ofplayers opposite. Players bunch
together closely, one foot forward and one foot
back for balance. These lines are the oven with
a conveyor belt down the middle. The first
player gets ready by removing glasses and
belt, if necessary, and standing at one end of
the oven. The player announces what kind of
cookie he or she wants to be and slides up onto
the oven's conveyor. The "oven" chants the
cookie choice ("chocolate chip, chocolate
chip") as it bounces the cookie along the con-
veyor and tums him or her over halfway along
the belt. The cookie pops out the other end of
the oven, freshly baked, and it's another
player's tum to be the cookie. FN; LS; IR
AQUATICS
Most day camps have an established aquatics
program that involves progressive swfmming
instruction. For the YMCA, the specific stan-
dards and connotations of that program are
spelled out in detail in the YMCA Progressive
Swimming Instructor's Guide (1986).
As do all YMCA programs, the swimming
program seeks to address the central objec-
tives for all participants. Swimming coun-
selors and instructors should look to the
development of the whole person-physically,
mentally, and spiritually-and should appre-
ciate the uniqueness and individuality of each
camper here, as in other camp activities. Be-
cause the swimming program involves more
direct teaching and the development of spe-
cific and progressive individual skills, it incor-
porates a conscious gradation of levels of
instruction. This division according to skill
level is much more obvious in swimming than
in any of the other camp activities.
YMCA swimming programs include six
levels of instruction, each named for an aquat-
ic animal or fish. From the beginner to the
accomplished swimmer, these levels are desig-
nated Polliwog, Guppy, Minnow, Fish, Flying
Fish, and Shark. (A very advanced Porpoise
level also exists, but as a club, not an instruc-
tional component.) Advancement to a higher
level is based on successful completion of the
Chapter 10
Special Events Activities
The activities described in this chapter are
related to the themes presented in the appen-
dix. Although they are meant to provide focus
activities for those themes, they are also ap-
propriate for general use. All have been used
in day camp programs with success, and all
have lent a special air of surprise and excite-
ment for campers and staff.
ELECTION OF CAMP MAYOR
The mayoral election involves everyone in
camp. At the first meal or all-camp gathering,
the election of a camp mayor is announced.
Each small group of campers selects one mem-
ber to run for mayor and another to act as
campaign manager. Groups make signs, pub-
licizing their candidates, to post throughout
the camp or to carry along to meals. Allow
some time at meals for the candidates to make
campaign speeches. To encourage enthusiasm
and involvement, have the small groups make
up songs and slogans to promote their nomi-
nees.
The election should start the first day of the
camp session and climax with the final vote
on the third day. In the final voting each small
group could be allotted two votes, one of which
must be for a candidate other than its own,
and the groups could caucus to decide how to
cast their votes. Each group would announce
its decision at an all-camp meeting.
Once the mayor has been elected, the other
candidates make up the camp council. The
camp's philosophy and program will deter-
mine the duties and activities of the mayor;
the council can act as a representative body
for the small groups. LS; GP; DS; IR
109
llO The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
HENRIETTA'S SEED
SPITTIN' CONTEST
This contest could highlight the activities of
the Watermelon Day described in the appen-
dix. To introduce the event, a counselor an-
nounces that this is the day the famous
Henrietta Hanker-who can spit a watermelon
seed around the world-will arrive at camp. A
counselor dressed up with freckles and pony
tails plays the role of Henrietta, pretending to
spit watermelon seeds into a can. (The sound
of a seed landing in the can is made by her
finger plucking the bottom of the can.) Hen-
rietta arrives in the morning, just after roll call
and challenges everyone to a seed spittin' con-
test to take place in the afternoon.
To set up the contest itself, put a large sheet
of butcher paper on the ground and mark tar-
gets and distances on it. This paper will be the
seed spitting area. Henrietta returns to take
charge of the contest. Campers, in bathing
suits, form two teams about 6 feet apart.
Standing over the paper they spit seeds at tar-
gets and at each other, depending on the par-
ticular contest activity in progress. When the
contest is over, campers can shower off any
seeds they've picked up and go for a
swim. FN
GOLD RUSH
An event that can be related to a ''Wild West''
theme or enjoyed on its own is the Gold Rush.
A little preliminary "hype" will raise campers'
anticipation. Post signs around the camp that
say, "Gold Has Been Discovered in the State."
On the day of the rush, counselors run through
camp shouting that gold has been discovered
in the camp itself. This declaration could be
followed by a skit with counselors costumed
as cowboys and Indians. After the scene is set
and the gold rush announced, the cowboys
chase the Indians out of the dining hall and
return to announce the ground rules of the
rush, which are as follows:
Gold is in certain designated areas.
The prospectors' booth is in a certain
place.
The area around the prospectors' booth
is safe ground.
Before campers get to the safe area with
their gold, Indians can catch them by tap-
ping them on the shoulder. If tapped, they
must drop the gold, even though the cow-
boys are near to protect them.
Both cowboys and Indians are armed with
water pistols. Campers are told to stay in their
small group areas during rest period because
the staff members must patrol for hostile In-
dians. During this time the staff members
paint rocks with gold paint and spread them
over the playing fields. At the close of rest
period, the campers rush to the fields to col-
lect as many gold rocks as they can in the al-
lotted time. They can turn the rocks in at the
prospectors' booth and receive play money.
The game ends with an all-camp water fight
and a general swim. After swimming, campers
can use their money to play games or buy
snacks. FNi I R
WIZARD OF OZ
A Wizard of Oz dramatization can spark new
interest in the traditional scavenger hunt. Five
counselors dress up as Dorothy, the
Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion,
and the Wizard.
The program can be introduced in the din-
ing hall during lunch. Unnoticed, the Wizard
sneaks through the kitchen and stays hidden
until his cue. With him are lists of items to be
collected and paper bags for each small group
to collect them in. At the cue-a noisy diver-
sion by another staff member-the Wizard
makes his entrance. A few moments later
Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the
Cowardly Lion enter, singing "Follow the Yel-
low Brick Road.''
The Wizard jumps up and scares Dorothy
and her friends. However, they overcome their
fears and make their requests of the Wizard.
The Scarecrow asks for a brain, the Tin Man
asks for a heart, the Cowardly Lion asks for
courage, and Dorothy asks for a trip to camp.
The Wizard agrees to grant these requests on
the condition that Dorothy and her friends
bring him all of the items on a certain list. He
hands the scavenger lists and paper bags to
Dorothy, who, in turn, appeals to the campers
for their help in finding the items. A list and
a bag are handed to each small group coun-
selor, and the groups have an hour to find the
items and tum them in to the camp office.
Mter tuming in the bags, the groups gather
in an all-camp award ceremony. The Wizard
awards the Scarecrow his diploma, the Tin
Man gets his heart, the Cowardly Lion is given
a hero medal, and Dorothy gets a ticket to
camp. The Wizard also awards a special
plaque to the group bringing in the most items
on the scavenger hunt list. FN; IR; LS
TRIP TO MARS
This game is a good one to play during the
week devoted to the ''Strange and Unknown''
theme described in the appendix. Campers are
divided into two teams, each comprising a mix
of older (ages 9 to 11) and younger (ages 6 to
8) campers. Each of the two team leaders re-
ceives a sealed envelope to be opened at a
specific place and time. Each envelope con-
tains a marked map and sketch, arid one or the
other of the two following messages:
Message for Team 1
Story: I am the famous aviator, Colonel Lyn
Green. With you, my brave fellow pilot, I have
just completed a mission to Mars, where we
have landed our spacecraft. [Indicate landing
spot by placing four signal flags on five-foot
poles at the comers of a 15-foot square.] Un-
fortunately, in landing, we sma.Shed our water
tank. Since there are no rivers on Mars, we are
in a dangerous position. We have seen from
the air that northeast of here is one of the por-
table tanks in which Martians store their arti-
ficial water, but it will be dangerous to reach
it since Martians are violent enemies of the
Earth people.
Object: We must capture the Martian water
tank [marked by four 5-foot poles with signal
flags, which must all be pulled out] and bring
it to our spacecraft. At the same time, we must
defend our craft. If the Martians take it, we
shall be prevented forever from returning to
Earth.
Score: Water tank captured
(all four poles)
Spacecraft held intact
Each Martian captured
20 points
20 points
2 points
Special Events Activities lll
Message for Team 2
Story: I am the King of Mars. Some vicious
Earthlings have just landed on our globe,
southwest of here. They came in one of their
great metal birds that rumble like a volcano.
My spies have just told me they are looking for
water and they may try to get one of the tanks
in which we store our artificial water.
Object: We must prevent them from captur-
ing our water tank [marked by four 5-foot poles
with signal flags, which must all be pulled
out]. With our water, they will live and kill all
of us. But they shall not succeed! We shall take
their big metal bird and destroy every one of
those Earthlings.
Score: Spacecraft captured
(all four poles)
Water tank held intact
Each Earthling captured
20 points
20 points
2 points
Special Rules: Outline permissible methods
of capture and tell players when the game is
to start and stop. If either the spacecraft or the
water tank is captured, it may be recaptured.
FN; LS; IR
CREATE YOUR OWN NATION
Create Your Own Nation is meant to highlight
the "Intemational" theme. But here, as with
the theme, there is a twist. Instead of the
nations we already know of, campers create
their very own, using their imaginations to in-
vent original inhabitants and customs. The
campers participate on the small-group level,
and groups are allotted enough time to create
a whole new nation. Some items to consider
are the people's size and color, where they live,
their language, their flag, their traditions, and
their national ceremonies. Campers can pre-
pare costumes wom by the natives of their
created countries and can speak and greet
each other according to the customs of their
lands.
-An imaginary nation, for example, can have
inhabitants who are 2 inches tall and green,
and who greet each other by shaking hands
through their legs. There could a Goofy Grape
Nation, a Daffy Duck Nation, and nations
populated by people of every color and size
imaginable. Mter every nation has explained
and demonstrated its culture, a counselor may
112 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
point out that even in the real world not every-
one is the same size or color, and that lan-
guages and customs vary widely. A good
follow-up would be the message that if every-
one is considerate and attempts to understand
others, we can all try to live together in har-
mony. FN; AP; CV
CAMP OLYMPICS
Although an Olympics is a natural spinoff of
the Create Your Own Nation activity, it can be
included at any time during the season. The
Olympics can, of course, also be varied to suit
specific occasions and groups, though it is al-
ways good to present a lively mix of team and
individual events.
Each team designs its own flag and chooses
members to compete in specific events. The
games begin with the lighting of the Olympic
torch, which bums throughout the games.
The teams display their flags in an opening pa-
rade, and there are brief speeches on the his-
tory of the Olympic games and on their
traditional emphasis on sportsmanship and in-
ternational understanding.
Teams can correspond with small groups, or
new groupings can be made. It is important
that teams include a balance of ages and abil-
ities. Suggested events are as follows:
50-yard dash
Shot put
Broad jump
Canoe races
High jump
Discus throw (with
Frisbee)
Obstacle course run
Surfboard relays
Swimming races
All-camp relays
Softball throw
Tug-of-war
Team sports (such as
softball, volleyball,
soccer, etc.)
The all-camp relays should use all members
of two teams that have been formed from all
participating nations. (See chapter 8, "Lively
Activities," for relay race ideas.) This cooper-
ative effort is a good way to round off the Olym-
pics. Following the all-camp relays, winners of
various events can receive awards in a closing
ceremony. FN; IR; LS; DS
CAMP CARNIVAL
The carnival is another event that can stand
on its own or be tied to the newly created na-
tions. If the intemational idea is carried out,
carnival booths and other activities can be
related to the various nations. In either case,
the purpose is to get groups of campers work-
ing cooperatively to plan and carry out the ac-
tivities. The YMCA World Service philosophy
can be a focus of the carnival, especially if the
intemational idea is stressed.
The Camp Carnival features sideshows and
booths, and it may include a circus, hobby
show, pet show, talent show, and the like. The
Carnival, which can be held at the campsite
or in the YMCA gymnasium, is a natural for
a successful Family Night.
Each small group of campers is responsible
for planning, constructing, and running one
or two game booths with very simple prizes.
Group members take tums acting as barkers
and booth managers, giving everyone a
chance to circulate. If the carnival is a Family
Night activity, tickets can be sold at a central
location so that campers need not handle
money at each booth. If theW orld Service idea
is a focus, World Service brochures can be dis-
tributed along with tickets. Following are
some ideas for carnival booths:
Ball Bounce. Bounce Ping-Pong balls from
behind a line (4 to 6 feet back) into an open egg
carton.
Ring Toss. Throw rings (embroidery hoops,
rope rings, etc.) around legs of uptumed
chairs, Coke bottles, or other suitable targets.
Bowling on the Green. Use Indian clubs
and a softball for this activity, which can be
set up on the grass.
Turtle Race. Number and place turtles un-
der an inverted pail in the center of a circle 3
feet in diameter. When the pail is lifted, the
race is on.
Refreshment Stand. Sell cookies, cake,
fudge, donuts, punch, and soda donated by
campers' families. Proceeds go to World Ser-
vice projects.
World Service Booth. Sell World Service
fund-raising items, such as popcorn, candy,
soap, and so forth. FN; AP; IR
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POWWOW
The Powwow is ideal for use with the "Indi-
ans" theme (see the appendix), but it is fun
any time. Small groups (tribes) move among
various activity stations devoted to Indian
crafts and stories. Examples are given here,
but any appropriate Indian-related ideas may
suggest other station activities. The stations
should present a wide variety of items to in-
volve campers in the Indians theme. The ac-
tivity stations are at various points around the
camp site. Campers move from one to the
other in tribal units, guided by trail signs set
up to lead them from one station to the next.
Examples of stations are as follows:
Dyed-Macaroni Necklace Making. See
chapter 9 for instructions.
Face Painting. Campers pair up and apply
war paint to one another's faces.
Archery. This involves target shooting with
bows and arrows at buffalo shapes attached to
targets.
Storytelling. Each camper makes up an
Indian story and tells it to the others in the
tribe.
After all tribes have visited all activity sta-
tions, the Powwow culminates in an all-camp
game, such as Great Plains (see chapter 8,
"Lively Activities"). FN; DS
INDIAN OLYMPICS
In this grouping of games around the Olym-
pics idea, the competing nations are Indian
tribes, and the games have an Indian flavor.
Of course, new games can and should be add-
ed to the suggestions given (see, for example,
Huron Hop, listed under "Lively Activities"),
and all games should present a mix of indi-
vidual and team events. Tribes should include
equal distributions of ages and abilities.
Flying Feather. Divide players into teams.
Big braves and maidens kneel so that their
heads are no higher than those of standing lit-
tle braves and maidens. Players join hands
and try to keep a downy feather in the air by
Special Events Activities 113
blowing. The counselor leading the game
throws the feather into the air and makes sure
that the players hold hands at all times. The
team that keeps the feather in the air longest
wins.
Cracker Race. Two teams face each other.
At the signal "go," the first member of each
team eats two crackers, then whistles as soon
as he or she is finished. The next teammate
begins eating a cracker, but not before the
previous player has whistled. The first team
to finish wins.
Ring on a String. Get a string long enough
to reach all the way around the group. Every-
one forms a circle with one person standing in
the center. Players then pass the string around
to form a circle on the inside of the group cir-
cle. The person in the middle closes his or her
eyes while a ring is placed on the string and
passed from person to person. If the string is
held tightly enough, the ring cannot be seen.
The person in the middle has three guesses to
find out where the ring is. If the person guesses
correctly, he or she trades places with the per-
son who has it. If_none of the gues1'les is cor-
rect, another player is chosen to stand in the
middle.
Pick-Up Wampum. A blindfolded player
must try to pick up cotton balls from a table
with a spatula and put them into a bowl. Only
the spatula may be used. The player who can
get the most cotton balls into the bowl in 20
seconds is the winner.
Scrambled Birch Bark. Each of two teams
is given one of two identical newspapers that
have been disarranged. The first team to get
the newspaper back in its correct order wins.
Scrambled Moccasins. Each player re-
moves one shoe and places it in the middle of
the field. All of the shoes are then scrambled.
At the signal, the players rush forward to find
their shoes. The first team to be sitting down
with all shoes on wins. FN; LS; IR
PIRATE DAY TREASURE HUNT
A treasure hunt is fun any time, but it's espe-
cially exciting when campers have already
114 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
been thinking about pirates and hearing sto-
ries of their adventures. Pirates' Day empha-
sizes creativity and teamwork; campers
should be encouraged to come to. camp
dressed as pirates for this event.
Divide the camp into groups, distributing all
ages equally among the teams. At the begin-
ning of the event, allow time for each team to
choose a name and create an identifying insig-
nia its members wear for the rest of the day.
Have each team decorate a treasure chest,
agree on a prize to put inside, and decide
where to hide the treasure. With the aid of
counselors, each team then creates a treasure
map using the compass points.
Once these preparations are made, everyone
gathers to be told about boundaries, rules, and
procedures for the treasure hunt. Rules should
include the following: (1) The location of the
treasure cannot be changed during the hunt;
(2) treasures, once found, cannot be stolen. To
begin the hunt, distribute the treasure maps.
The team that finds another team's treasure
first wins a "finding" award, and the team
whose treasure is found last wins a "hiding"
award.
The treasure hunt rriay be enhanced with
other pirate contests, "gold doubloons" hid-
den along the trails, and a separate group of
renegade pirates threatening to capture the
hunters or otherwise harass them.
After the hunt is over, the group can tell
pirate stories and sing pirate songs. Sharing
or showing the treasures, if possible, is a nice
way to end this activity. FN; IR; LS
DINOSAUR EGG HUNT
An all-camp activity, the Dinosaur Egg Hunt
emphasizes fun, observation, teamwork, and
planning. It is set up in the "station" format,
with each station supervised by a counselor
who has prepared the necessary equipment in
advance. To begin the event, divide the group
into several teams and give them these in-
structions: "I've heard that a dinosaur was
spotted in this area. Let's see if we can find the
dinasaur or one of its eggs. Each team will
start at a different place. When you hear the
whistle of a pterodactyl (blow a whistle three
times), follow the clues to the next station.
When you get back to the starting point, and
the pterodactyl whistles three times, you can
open this sealed clue.'' After the campers have
visited all of the stations described next, the
whistle blows and they open envelopes with
the clues that will lead them all together to the
hidden dinosaur egg (a watermelon). When
they have found the egg, they sit down to
share in the eating of it!
Dinosaur Egg Hunt Stations
Searching for Dinosaurs
Equipment: Magnifying glasses; several
small jars containing spiders and other
insects.
Activity: Examine these animals. How
many eyes do they have? How many legs? Is
there a dinosaur here?
Directions to the next station: Follow a
clue to Crocodile Creek.
Crocodile Creek
Equipment: One heavy rope tied a few
inches off the ground between two trees and
another rope tied 4 feet above the first, to be
used as a balance line; onion or garlic.
Activity: Can you cross this creek without
becoming the crocodile's dinner? Participants
cross an imaginary creek by walking the lower
of the two ropes.
Directions to the next station: Dinosaurs
smell bad and they rub against trees as they
walk. Sniff here and then smell the other trees
to find out which way the dinosaur went. (Rub
the onion or garlic on trees that lead to the
next station.)
Tracking
Equipment: Paper; pencils or crayons;
dinosaur footprints made out of construction
paper.
Activity: Draw around your foot and then
compare it with the dinosaur's footprints.
Directions to the next station: Follow the
dinosaur's footprints. (Place paper footprints
on the trail to the next station.)
Swamp
Equipment: Five or six used auto tires.
Activity: You must cross this swamp.
Watch out for quicksand. The only safe, solid
ground is in the center of each island. Par-
ticipants jump from one tire to the next, across
the swamp.
Directions to the next station: Find a hid-
den clue. FN; LS; DS
PEANUTS PICNIC
The Peanuts Picnic is based on the well-loved
comic strip characters created by Charles
Schultz. The games are silly, with a good deal
of variety, and campers will have lots of fun
with them.
Charlie Brown's Game. This modified soft-
ball game is played on a regular softball dia-
mond, but players use a Nerfball and run the
bases in reverse order. The infielders cannot
throw the ball, but they can pick it up and run
with it to tag the runner or the bases for outs.
The game lasts three innings, with two outs
per inning. The runs scored are given to the
other team, and the team with the most runs
loses.
Linus's Game. This one may be called
"Steal the Security Blanket." A blanket is
placed in the middle of a large square, and
each of four teams lines up on one side of the
square. Team members number off so that
each player has a number. To begin the game
the leader calls out one number (or more), and
all of the players with that number run to the
middle of the square and try to pull the blanket
across their team's side. As soon as any part
of the blanket crosses a team's side, they score
a point. The blanket is returned to the middle
of the square, and all players return to their
sides. A new number (or numbers) is called,
and the game begins again.
Red Baron Versus Snoopy Game. This
game takes place on a large open field. Draw
a line to separate the Red Baron's territory
from Snoopy's. The group of players is divided
in half, with all of the Red Barons in their terri-
tory and all of the Snoopys in theirs. Each
Snoopy has a tail that consists of a flag (like
those used in flag football) tucked into his or
her waistband. Before the game begins, the
Snoopys gather at the end of their territory, as
far from the dividing line as possible, and the
Red Barons line up on that line. On a signal,
the Snoopys try to get into Red Baron territory
with their tails still on, and the Red Barons try
to capture tails as Snoopys cross the line. The
Special Events Activities 115
Snoopy team gets a point for each tail they get
into Red Baron territory, and the Red Baron
team gets a point for each tail captured.
Schroeder's Game. Because Schroeder
loves music, this is a musical game. Each team
must compose and perform a short team song.
A panel of judges selects the winning entry.
Peanuts Finale. The finale is a giant peanut
hunt. Scatter plenty of in-the-shell peanuts
over a large field. Gather all of the campers and
indicate generally where the peanuts are hid-
den. At a signal, everyone goes hunting to find
as many as possible. (Make sure that the less
aggressive campers get their share of peanuts,
too.) FN; IR
FOOT PARTY
Although it is meant to emphasize the "Let's
Be Crazy" theme (see the appendix), a Foot
Party is fun any time and can be a good rainy
day activity, too. (The Big Toe Show described
in chapter 9, "Quiet Activities," may well be
included here, also). The Foot Party is a series
of contests that involve teamwork-but the
real emphasis is silliness.
Foot Painting Contest. Each group is given
newsprint and paper plates containing poster
paint. With these supplies they create a mural,
using their bare feet instead of paint brushes.
The most beautiful picture wins.
Foot Awards. Points and prizes are awarded
for the largest foot, the smallest foot, the most
beautiful foot, the funniest foot, and so forth.
Foot Footage. Have teams line up their feet
toe-to-heel. The team with the longest com-
bined length wins.
Foot Stack. Stack feet on top of each other.
The group with the highest stack wins. FN
NEWSPAPER RALLY
The only equipment needed for this series of
activities is lots and lots of old newspapers. In-
tended for use with the "Superman" focus ac-
tivity (see the appendix), the Newspaper Rally
116 The New YMCA Day Camp Manual
is another event that can be held successfully
indoors or out. It emphasizes variety and team
cooperation.
Newspaper Costume Race. Teams have 5
minutes to dress players up with newspaper
and tape to look like whatever the leader has
assigned. For example, costumes could in-
clude those for Santa and his reindeer or Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs. A panel of judges
decides the winner.
Newspaper Scavenger Hunt. The leader
calls out certain items (want ads for specific
articles, names of people or places, baseball
scores, etc.) from the papers, and the first team
to find them wins.
Newspaper Treasure Hunt. Put in each
team's pile of papers an equal number of
colored pages. The team to find the most
colored pages within a time limit is the winner.
Wad and Pile. Teams have 10 minutes to
wad up all their newspaper into a big pile. The
team with the highest pile wins.
Snow Flight. Have teams stand on either
side of a line of chairs. On a signal, each team
throws all of its paper onto the other team's
side. Teams also try to return paper thrown
onto their side by the opposition. When the
time (2 to 3 minutes) is up, the team with the
smallest amount of paper on its side wins.
Disposal Event. Give each team plastic
trash bags. The team to get all of the news-
paper into the bags in the shortest time is the
winner. FN; LS
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