Games

121. WITH THE HELP OF THE TOES. ( Active.)
Two players compete in this game. To participate in this game the players must take their shoes and socks off and sit down on the low chairs. On the floor in front of each player there stand 2 plates. Near each plate there are 5 walnuts. The task of the players is to put 5 walnuts onto the left plate with the help of the left toes and 5 walnuts onto the right plate with the help of the right toes. The player who fulfils the task the first wins the game.

122. WATER CARRIERS. ( Active.)
Draw 2 parallel lines at the distance of 10m from each other. Some players go down on all fours before one of the lines. The leader puts a bowls of water on the back of each of the player. The task of the players is to cross the opposite line and return back.

123. GET THROUGH THE HOOP. ( Active.)
Two teams (6-15 players in each team) form up in lines. The distance between the lines is 2-3 metres. The distance between the players in the line is about 0,5 m. The player's task is to get through the hoop (to each team is given one hoop) and to pass it to the next player. The team the players of which fulfil the task the first wins the game. This game may be more comic if the hoops are replaced by the round elastic lace. These round elastic laces must be loose enough to get through them.

124. PORTER. ( Active.)
The task of the player is to carry the chair from one part of the room to another without using the hands; leaning against the floor with one foot and one hand; without touching the floor with the feet; sitting on this chair; jumping on this chair.

125. BE CAREFUL, PINOCCIO! ( Active.)
There is a cap on the head of one of the players. He/she is Pinoccio. The leader tries to catch the player with the cap on his/her head. It's not easy, because the players pass the cap to one another while running. As the leader catches Pinoccio, they exchange their roles.

126. SPARROWS - FIDGETS. ( Active.)
Draw a circle on the ground (or on the floor). The size of the circle depends on the number of players. The more the number of players the more the size of the circle. All the players are accomodated along the circle line. One of the players is "a cat". He/she is in the center of the circle. All the rest players - "sparrows" - are beyond the circle. They stand at the circle line. At the leader's signal "the sparrows" begin to jump in and out the circle. "The cat" tries to catch the sparrows" while they are within the circle. "The sparrow" which is caught becomes "the cat", and "the cat" becomes "the sparrow". The game repeats itself.

127. ROBBERS. ( Active.)
For this game choose flat surroundings with plenty of secret places. The players are divided into "policemen" and "robbers". The main policeman is a sheriff. The robbers hide before the game begins. The policemen tie their arms with the white kerchiefs or think of the other distinctive marks. They start catching the robbers by their sheriff's instruction. The policeman who notices the robber must say a password. Only on saying the password the policeman may catch the robber. (About the password the players agree before the game begins. The password is necessary to distinguish between the robbers and the policemen in the dark.) If the policeman cannot catch the robber single-handed he/she may call for help of the other policemen. The caught robber is led to the sheriff. The sheriff thinks of "a punishment" for him/her. Usually "the punishment" consists in several joke strikes of the wisp. The caught and "the convicted" robber becomes the policeman. He/she receives a white band or other distinctive mark of the policemen. The robbers may also catch the policemen and turn them into the robbers. For this the robbers must sneak up to the policeman, strike him lightly and pronounce the password before the policeman pronounces it. If the policeman says the password before the robber catches him/her, the robber has to escape. The robbers pay much attention to the sheriff. They may sneak up to him and catch him. So the sheriff must have bodyguards.
The rules of the game:
1. The robbers and the policemen may make different tricks, but they mustn't confuse "the enemies" by changing the distinctive marks.
2. If the robbers hear the policeman saying the password, they mustn't catch him/her. But the policeman may say the password only when he/she really sees the robbers.
3. The game is over when one party is caught by the other or when the sheriff is caught.
4. The players mustn't fight painfully. It's the main rule.

128. FIGHT FOR THE BANNER. ( Active.)
A small hill or a heap of sand is "a fortress". The players are divided into 2 equal parties. One party occupies a fortress. The players of this party stand around the hill with their backs to each other. The leader of this party stands on the top of the hill with the banner in his hands. Not far from the fortress there drawn a line. It is "a trench" of the enemy party. At the signal of their leader, the attacking party begins the assault of the fortress. The assault consists in that the attacking party tries to pull off the defenders of the fortress over the trench line. The player who is pulled off the fortress and is over the trench line is considered to be a prisoner and cannot take part in the game anymore. The defenders of the fortress try in their turn to pull their enemies into their territory. The players of the attacking party who are pulled into the territory of the fortress are the prisoners. The game is over when one of the parties is so weakend that cannot continue fighting.

129. CRUCIANS AND PIKE. ( Active.)
At the opposite sides of the playground draw 2 lines (at the distance of 15-30 meters). There are "homes" of "crucians". All the players are "crucians". The leader is "a pike". "The crucians" stand in one of their "homes". "The pike" is in the centre of the playground. At the signal "the crucians" run to the opposite half of their "home". "The pike" catches the running "crucians". 4-5 caught "crucians" make a "net". They stand in a line in the centre of the playground. "The crucians" run to their "home" at the opposite side of the playground through "the net" (under the stretched arms of the players who make "a net"). "The pike" stands behind "the net" and catches "the crucians". "The crucians" who are caught join "the net". When "the net" is large enough it makes "a basket" (a circle). "The crucians" run through "the basket" and "the pike", who stands behind "the basket" catches them. When there are not many free "crucians", the caught "crucians" make "a fish-trap" (they form up in 2 lines, as though making a corridor). "The pike" stands near the end of the corridor (2 steps away from it) and catches "the crucians". The game is over when all the crucians are caught. The rules of the game: All "the crucians" must go through "the net", "the basket", "the fish-trap" while running to the opposite side. The players who violate the rules are out of the game.

130. HUNTER AND WATCHMAN. ( Active.)
The players choose "a hunter" and "a watchman". "The watchman" stands in the middle of the playground in the circle with the diameter of 2 meters. All the rest players ("the animals") run within the playground. "The hunter" runs after them, trying to catch them. The caught "animals" are led to "the watchman" by "the hunter". The caught animals may be saved. To save "the animal" it's enough to strike it by the stretched arm. But the players who save "the animals" mustn't step within the circle. If the player who wants to save the caught "animal" is caught by "the hunter" or by "the watchman", he/she is considered to be caught and he/she must go into the circle. The game is stopped by the leader at his/her signal at any moment.

131. KITE AND BROOD-HEN. ( Active.)
The players form up in file. They take each other by the waist. The first in the line is "a brood-hen", all the rest are "chickens". One of the players is "a kite". He/she tries to catch the last "chicken" in the line. "The brood-hen" tries to prevent him/her from doing it. "The brood-hen" bars the kite's way by the stretched arms. All "the chickens" try to help "the brood-hen", by moving the end of the line away from "the kite". When "the kite" catches "the chicken" the players will choose the new "kite" and "brood-hen". If "the kite" doesn't succeed in catching "the chicken" for a long time, he/she is replaced by the other player.

132. PEACOCK'S TRAIN. ( Active.)
This game is enjoyed by grown-ups as well as by children. Put some skittles on the floor of the hall. Attach "a peacock's train" (made of many-colored ribbons) to the waist of the player. The task is to walk between and round the skittles and not to overturn them.

133. THE PRESENTS OF FATHER FROST. ( Active.)
Make up 3 teams (5-6 players in each: mother, father and children). Their task is to illustrate the leader's story. The leader: "On the New Year's eve Father Frost brings some presents in the house. To father he gives a comb. Let all the players imitate (with the, right hand) how he combs. To son he gives ski. Show, please, how he skies! But don't stop combing! (Then all the new movements are added to the previous ones). To mother he gives a mincing-machine. The players must imitate the minicing-machine rotation with their left hand. To daughter he gives a chinese doll, which nods the head. "The players who manage to make all the movements simultaneously win the game.

134. THE BALL OUT OF THE CIRCLE. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle. They stand close to each other. The leader is in the center of the circle. The players pass the ball behind their backs so that the leader can't see it. The leader must guess who has the ball in his/her hands. The leader points at the player who (to his/her mind) has a ball in his/her hands. This player must hold out his/her hands forward at once/ If he/she really has a ball in his/her hands, he/she becomes the leader. If there is a greater number of players you may pass 2 balls at the same time and have 2-3 leaders.

135. FOUR ELEMENTS. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle. The leader is in the center. He/she throws the ball to one of the players. On throwing the ball, he/she says either "Earth", "Water", "Air" or "Fire". The player must catch the ball, throw it back to the leader and name
any animal, if the leader said "Earth"
any bird, if the leader said "Air"
any fish, if the leader said "Water"
If the leader said "Fire" the player must raise the hands over the head and turn around. The player who makes mistakes pays forfeit (fulfils the leader's task) and becomes the leader.

136. SLEIGHT OF HAND. ( Active.)
On the coat-hangers there hang the clothes with the buttons and button- holes. The players' task is to undo the buttons as fast as possible with the help of small sticks or toy "arms-backscratchers". Each player is given the personal coat hanger with the clothes and 2 sticks or 2 "arms-backscratchers".

137. TOILS OF TROUBLES. ( Active.)
"The toils" are netted out of many-colored ribbons and attached to the gymnastic or ski stick. The players' task is to untangle "the toils" with the help of toy "arms-backscratchers", a pointer or a sword. The players must do it as fast as possible.

138. THE MOST PRACTICAL. ( Active.)
The player who manages to take and hold in his/her hands the greatest number of different household utensils - saucepans, pans, mincing machines etc. - is the most practical.

139. THE BEST SHOT. ( Active.)
The bottle stands on the floor. The players' task is to hit the opening of the bottle with the pencil being blindfolded. The players hold the pencils with the hands. To hit the bottle the players must stretch the arms. Each player may make 3 attempts. The player who has the greatest number of successful attempts is the winner.

140. PEAS. ( Active.)
The peas - are ping-pong balls of different colours. 2 players take part in this game. Their task is to gather as many peas as possible. The peas (about 15 pieces) are thrown about the room (hall). There are 2 chairs with the little buckets on them. The players gather the balls with the help of the little scoop and put them into the buckets or baskets.

141. BUSES, TRAMS, TROLLEY-BUSES. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams (6 players in each one). Choose 3 persons for a jury. The teams number off. Each player must remember his/her number. The players form up 2 lines in file. The distance between the lines is 6-8 steps. Between the lines there stand 3 chairs. The first chair is "a bus", the second - is "a tram", the third - is "a trolley-bus". The instructor starts speaking: "It's early, early morning. All the people are hurrying to work. There are many people at the bus-stops. Now in the distance I see … I see… What do I see … Well, it's number 3 bus." His/her words the instructor pronounces quickly. Both numbers "3" must take place on the first chair. The player who takes the place the first brings a point to his/her team. Numbers "3" return to their places. The instructor continues: "There were so many people at the bus stop, that only 2 people managed to take the bus. (The instructor marks out the words "two" and "bus".) All the rest must wait again for the bus. Now I see number 1… tram (both numbers "1" must take place on the second chair) etc.

142. STOPPING. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2-3 teams (5 players in each one). The teams form up in lines. The last player in each line gets a coin. He/she puts it on the back of the hand. The task is to put the coin on the back of the hand of the player next to without the assistance of the other hand. The players pass the coin until the first player in the line gets it. If the coin is dropped, the player who dropped it must put it again on the back of his/her hand. At the distance of 7-10 meters in front of each team there stands a chair. On the chair there are 10 tennis balls. The first player of each team gets the spoon and runs to the chair. There he/she puts a coin on the seat of the chair, picks up a ball with the help of the spoon, runs to his/her team, puts the ball into the packet and passes the spoon to the next player. The team which "buys up" all the balls the first wins the game.

143. SCHOOL OF FISH. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2-3 equal teams. Each player gets a paper fish (22-25 cm long and 6-7 wide). A 1-1,2m long string is attached to the mouth of the fish. The players fasten the end of the string to the back so that the tail of the fish touches the floor. Each team has fish of different colors. At the signal the players run for each other, trying to step on the tail of the fish of their rivals. The players mustn't touch the strings and the fish with the hands. The player who "looses" the fish is out of the game. The team which manages to keep the greatest number of fish wins.

144. PAPER ARROW. ( Active.)
For this game you need a paper plane. It's better to play this game when it's windless. The players are divided into 2 teams. Draw a line on the ground. The first player who is going to throw the plane stands on it. The player of the second team throws the plane from the place where it landed. He/she throws the plane in the opposite direction. The next player of the first team throws the plane in the opposite direction from the place where it landed. So the players of 2 teams take their turns in throwing the plane in the opposite directions. If after the final throw the plane landed at the line, it means that both teams threw the plane equally. If the plane landed far off the line in the direction in which one of the teams threw the plane, this team wins the game.

145. RELAY RACE WITH THE BALLOONS. ( Active.)
2-3 teams 5-6 players in each may take part in this game. The task is to carry the balloon on the head. If the balloon drops, the players pick it up and continue to walk.

146. LET'S SWEEP THE FLOOR! ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams (7 players in each one). The teams number off and form up in file. At the distance of 4 steps from the first the player of each team there stands a chair. On the seat of the chair there are 6 small twigs, on the back of it there is a string, near the chair there is a dustpan. Behind the chairs the instructor throws little pieces of paper. The instructor addresses the teams. He/she asks them to sweep the floor. But the besom is unfortunately missed. So the players must make it themselves. To make the besom all the players (beginning with the last in the line) run to the chair one by one, take each a twig and give it to the first player. When the first player has all the twigs in the hands he/she runs to the chair, takes a string, binds the besom and gives it to the last player in the team. The last player takes the besom, runs to the chair, takes a dustpan and gathers all the pieces of paper into the dustpan. The team which finishes "the tiding-up" the first wins the game.

147. RUNNING WITH THE TRAP. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams. Tie 2 balloons to each ankle of the players. These are "traps". At the command the players of the teams run to the finish competing in speed. The next player in each team begins to run when his/her partner has reached the finish. For each burst balloon the team gets a penal point.

148. WITH THE BALLOON. ( Active.)
Divide up into 2 teams. The teams form up in 2 lines. Between the lines there are some skittles. The first player in each team is given a plate with the balloon on it. At the leader's signal the players begin to run between the skittles. The team which finished the race the first wins.

149. RING THE HANDBELL. ( Active.)
Put a handbell on the chair or on the stump (if you are in the forest). The player stands with his/her back to the handbell. He/she is blindfolded. He/she walks 10 steps forwards. There he/she is turned around for 2-4 times. Then the player must come back to the handbell and ring it. The player who manages to ring the bell gets a point. This game may be played in teams as well as individually.

150. SIT ON A CHAIR! ( Active.)
One of the players is sitting on the chair. At the leader's signal the player stands up, closes the eyes, makes 6 steps forwards, 2 steps to the right or to the left. Not turning back the player must repeat all his/her movements and, moving back to front, sit on the chair. The leader may change the task for the players. The player who manages to fulfil the task gets the prize.

151. GO THROUGH THE CORRIDOR. ( Active.)
Put the skittles on the floor in 2 rows (5-6 skittles in each row). The width of the corridor is 50-60cm. The distance between the skittles is 70-80 cm. The players' task is to go through the corridor. But before going through the corridor the player must turn around for 7-8 times. The player must turn around quickly with the right hand up, looking at the forefinger, or with the hands on the back of the head, or with the hands on the ankles.

152. "THE BLINDS" GO MARCHING. ( Active.)
The stake is driven into the earth. All the players but one are blindfolded. They stand in a circle around the stake. The distance between the stake and "the blinds" is measured by the steps. Usually this distance is equal to 30-50 steps. "The blinds" are facing the stake. "The sighted" player begins to count and all "the blinds" go marching to his/her counting in the direction of the stake. When "the sighted" has counted up to the number of steps between the stake and "the blinds", all the players stop and move away their fillets. The players are usually surprised at seeing themselves having gone to the wrong direction. "The blind" who manages to come to the stake becomes "the sighted", and the former "sighted" becomes "the blind".

153. THOROUGH TIDING-UP. ( Active.)
It's a relay race game. Give to each team a rag, a basin with water, a bucket. Put the basin at the start line and the bucket at the finish. The team which manages to bring the greatest amount of water to the bucket, wins the game.

154. FOUNTAIN. ( Active.)
For this game you need a bucket of water, a glass, some skittles. Put a bucket at the distance of 6m and some skittles at the distance of 3m from the start line. The glass is "a fountain". The number 1 player runs to the bucket, ladles some water from it with the glass and tries to knock down the skittles with the jet of water from the glass.

155. DIVING. ( Active.)
2 teams take part in this game. For each team there must be a basin with water. The players jump into the basin so as to splash as much water as possible. The players jump into the basin in turn. The team which has the least water in the basin - wins.

156. HOCKEY IN THE ROOM. ( Active.)
The mops - are "hockey sticks". The wet rug is "a puck". The buckets which lie on one side are "the goals".

157. TO WASTE MONEY. ( Active.)
Each participant of this game is given a banknote. The players' task is to move the money forwards by blowing on them. The players have 3 attempts. After each attempt the players come to the banknote and blow on it again.

158. TABLE HOCKEY. ( Active.)
The instructor asks the players to pass "the puck" (a draught or a button) with "the stick" (a pen or a pencil) to the finish (2 glasses) along the table.

159. FACING THE EARTH. ( Active.)
Suggest your guests to roll a ping pong ball or a walnut to the finish line through the labyrinth of bottles. They must roll the ball or the walnut with the nose, standing on all fours.

160. MOUNTAIN. ( Active.)
It's a mountain or a pyramid of caps. Any number of players may take part in this game. In early times the whole villages took part in this game. On a flat ground the players make "a foot" of the mountain. It consists of 3 caps. Then all the players put their caps on the mountain one by one. They put their caps until the mountain crashes down. The player who had put the cap the last before the mountain crashed down becomes "the owner of the mountain". The next stage of the game - the distribution of the caps. "The owner of the mountain" takes cap by cap and order their owners to fulfil different tasks. If there are too many caps in "the mountain", "the owner of the mountain" may give one and the same task to several caps at once.