Wide Games
Wide games are generally played over a large area and can
comprise 'chases' or complex strategy on the part of the team
members. If you have a favourite that can be added here, feel free
to send it over.
Cattle Rustlers
You need: Wood, red paint, 2 different wool colours.
Divide the youth into two teams: "Cattle Rustlers" and
"Cowpokes". Each team is identified by tying different colours of
wool to their arms.
The "Cattle Rustlers" have stolen the "Cowpokes'" cattle during
the night, and are herding them back to their hideout. On the way to
the hideout, the cattle brush against bushes, trees, etc., and leave
hair attached to them (coloured wool). Some of the "Cattle Rustlers"
were injured during the raid, and drip blood (the red paint) on the
ground.
After the "Cattle Rustlers" have left for their hideout, one of
the "Cowpokes" wakes up and realizes that their cattle herd is
significantly smaller. They spot the trail of hair and blood, and
head off in the same direction following the marked trail.
The "Cattle Rustlers" believe that they haven't gotten a clean
getaway, and decide to ambush the "Cowpokes" from a convenient
location.
Playing the game:
The game is played with two known items: 1) the "Cattle Rustlers"
will be waiting in ambush, and 2) the "Cowpokes" are following the
"Cattle Rustlers". However, neither side will know exactly when and
where either team will appear. When the "Cowpokes" fall into the
ambush, the "Cattle Rustlers" jump out of hiding and attempt to do
in the "Cowpokes" by breaking the wool tied to their arms.
The Zulu Boy
This game is based on the Zulu Boy legend, where he is painted
white and given a head start before the tribe hunts him down.
Select one youth, and instead of painting him/her white, have
him/her wear a white t-shirt or white paper hat. The white item
cannot be removed by the Zulu Boy during the game.
Given ten minutes or so head start, the Zulu Boy must get away
from the rest of the group and hide. The balance of the group pairs
off, and are sent off in random directions to hunt the Zulu Boy.
When one of the pairs locates the Zulu Boy, they must try to
capture him by either both of the pair touching him/her, or removing
the white paper hat.
Vary the conditions of the game according to the layout of the
land that it is being played in. An urban setting may require some
restrictions on where the Zulu Boy can or cannot hide. Make sure you
set boundaries for the game
Limit the time of the game, and end it using whistle signals. If
the Zulu Boy have avoided capture at the end of the time limit, then
he is the winner of the game.
Pony Express
Equipment: Four sashes or neckerchiefs, two red and two blue. Two
boxes to receive delivered letters. Supply of postcards or index
cards, half bearing blue stamps half bearing red stamps.
The boys are divided into the Indians and the Pony Express
Riders. The object of the game is that the Riders are attempting to
deliver mail without being intercepted by the Indians.
Leadership should consist of at least one leader with the Indians
and a minimum of two leaders for each of the two groups of Riders.
The pack is divided into three groups, one group of Indians and
two groups of Pony Express Riders, the Red Riders and the Blue
Riders. The boys are placed in the field as in the diagram. Their
leaders are with them. There should be one Red leader and one Blue
leader at each end of the field, wearing sashes or neckerchiefs of
appropriate colours. Each boy on each side is to have a post card
bearing the appropriate colour stamp. At "GO" the Riders are to
attempt to get to the other end of the field to deliver their
letters to the boxes.
If intercepted by an Indian, the Rider forfeits his card and has
to say his Cub Law for the Indian leader before being allowed to get
back into the game. He then goes to one of the leaders of his side,
gets another stamped postcard, and again attempts to get through.
When a Rider gets through the Indian ambush he puts his card in the
mailbox and goes to the appropriate leader for another card to
deliver to the other side.
And who are the winners? At the end of the game the cards in each
set of boxes are counted, to see which group of Riders was able to
deliver the most letters. Or did the Indians beat both sides by
intercepting more cards than were delivered?
Capture the Flag
A game of stalking and hunting, Capture the Flag is best with the
woods for a setting. The game has all the elements of woodland
combat -- scouting, reconnoitering, stalking the enemy, capturing
the loot, and escaping to the home camp. It can be played for an
hour or made an all day event.
Divide players into two equal teams. Divide the playing area into
two camps by a natural boundary line -- a road, a stream, etc. If
the game is to be an all day event, the entire campsite may be used.
For a shorter game, the area should be reduced accordingly. On
opposite sides of the boundary, about twenty feet behind the line,
two prisons are marked out, or trees or stumps are designated as
guard houses. A guard, or several guards, if the group is large,
stand sentry about twenty-five feet away from the prison to prevent
escapes. Members of each team wear distinctive arm bands, head bands
or neckerchiefs so that during the game a boy has no difficulty
identifying his friends from his enemies.
How to play: The two teams go to their respective campsites and
hide their flags in in conspicuous places. The flags should be on
long, thin poles and these must be standing. The flag must be
visible at a distance of twenty-five yards -- less if the area is
small. Guards may be stationed near the flag to protect it from the
enemy, but they may not be closer than a hundred yards, or fifty
yards if the game is to be played for a shorter time and the playing
space is smaller. They may close in, of course, if they spy one of
the enemy approaching the flag.
Allow a reasonable period for hiding the flags, then signal the
warning that the attack is on. The boys should be cautioned to take
their time, for stealth and strategy count as much as swiftness.
Players from both teams venture into the enemy's camp to find its
flag, the object of the game being to capture the flag and bring it
safely across the boundary line into the home camp. Players may be
tagged in the enemy camp, and if they are, they are put in prison. A
team mate may free a prisoner by touching the prisoner's hand while
the latter has his feet on the prison. If his team mate succeeds in
eluding the guard and touching the prisoner's hand, both he and the
prisoner are allowed to return free to their own territory. A
rescuer may free only one prisoner at a time, however.
If the flag is successfully captured it is carried back to the
home camp. If the raider is caught before he crosses the boundary
line he is put in prison, and the flag is set up again on the same
spot from which it was taken. The boys will soon learn that the best
strategy once the flag has been discovered, is for team mates to
work together, several of them drawing the guards away from the
flag, to give one of their team the chance to carry it off.
If neither team captures the enemy's flag, the game is won by the
team that has most prisoners at the end of the playing time.
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