Stake FSY Activity - Large Group Games
30–120 youth, 1 counselor to every 20 youth plus 1 counselor in charge recommended
You will want to do these games on a field, in a gym, or in some other large space, depending on how many youth total will participate. This works best if there is at least one counselor for every 20 youth plus one counselor in charge. It is likely easiest either to have a counselor teach the game to all participants before breaking up and playing or to break up into groups of 20 or so youth to teach the game and then come together into larger groups to play.
Pioneer Trail
All youth compete against each other at the same time in a large square playing area. The game is played until there are a few youth left in the game. One counselor is the “caller,” and the other counselors are judges. The caller shouts out a command, and the youth all follow the command. The last youth to complete the command are out. The judges watch and enforce the elimination.
Use the following commands to play the game:
- “Sandstorm”―All youth lie face down (or crouch down) to get out of the sandstorm. The last one down is out.
- “Stampede”―The caller points to a side of the playing field as he or she gives this command. All youth run out of the playing area to that side of the field. The last one across the imaginary boundary line is out.
- “______ in a campfire”―Youth link arms in a circle and sit around an imaginary campfire. Each campfire must have the exact number of youth around it as is called out by the counselor. The last circle put together is out, and any remaining youth not able to fit into a complete campfire are also out.
- “______ in a wagon”―The caller gives a number or description of youth in a wagon (for example, “four in a wagon” or “two boys and three girls in a wagon”). Youth get together to form the described group and sit two by two, all facing the same direction as if they are in a wagon. The last group to form a wagon, and any youth whose wagons don’t meet the criteria, are out.
- “______ ants on a log”―The caller gives the number of ants (usually one, two, or three) who then sit sideways on the back of a youth kneeling on his or her hands and knees acting as the log. The last group of ants to sit on a log, and any remaining youth, are out.
Everybody’s It
Youth are spread out within the boundaries marked by the counselor in charge. Each youth will assume the “little teapot” position with one hand on their hip and the other arm outstretched. Their outstretched arm will be used for tagging, while the other arm is the target for others to tag. Youth cannot switch arms during the game. The counselor in charge will count to three, and everyone is “it.” Youth run around within the boundaries and try to tag the target arm of others. Once a youth is tagged, they drop their target arm and exit the playing field. Any youth who runs outside of the boundaries is out. The game continues until there is one youth remaining. Counselors and youth who are out may stand at the boundaries to mark the playing field and should begin moving in closer as the number of players decreases.
Bardaga
Youth will form lines radiating out from the corners of a square, with equal numbers of youth in each line. When the counselor in charge calls “Bardaga!” the first two youth in each line will begin hopping (always keeping both feet together), one toward the group to the left, the other toward the group to the right. They will hop until each encounters the competitor from another line hopping toward them. For safety, youth must slow down before reaching a competitor to avoid a collision. When they meet, the two competitors will play one round of rock-paper-scissors (saying “Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!” out loud). The person who lost rock-paper-scissors quickly exits the path and runs to the back of their team’s line. The winner advances forward, hopping toward the opposite side, and the competing team quickly sends out the next youth in line. When the new competitor encounters the winner, they have a new rock-paper-scissors battle. Play continues until one competitor advances far enough to reach the other team’s flag and is awarded a point. New competitors from both teams then hop down the path to continue the game. After scoring, youth report their point earned to a counselor, who keeps track. When time runs out, the round is over, and the team with the most points wins.
