Games

161. A BULGARIAN. ( Active.)
This game is played on the table covered with the table-cloth. The table is divided into 4 equal parts. Each player has an equal number of pins with the many-colored heads. The players stick the pins on their parts as they like. One of the pins is stuck into the crossing of the lines which divide the table into 4 parts. This pin is a Bulgarian. If you have no pins with the many-colored heads you should cut the tiny flags out of paper and place them on the pins. Each player has 2 little balls. The players throw them in turn. The object is to hit the rival's pins trying not to overturn the Bulgarian. The game is over when the Bulgarian is overturned. The player who has the greatest number of pins at that moment is the winner. According to a prearranged rule the player who "looses" a pin puts a coin or two into the money-box. The player who overturns the Bulgarian must pay the double sum of that is in the money-box. The player who has all the pins hit is out of the game.

162. KNOCKER. ( Active.)
This game is played at a flat wall. The first player throws his/her little ball against the wall (20cm above the floor). The ball bounces off the wall and rolls back to the player. The second player does the same, trying to throw his/her ball so that it hits the ball of the previous player (while bouncing off the wall). All the rest players do the same. The player who hits with his/her ball one of the balls which lie on the floor takes all of them. Every time the players throw the new ball. The game lasts not for a long time, because it becomes easy to hit one of the balls when there are over 20 of them on the floor. Instead of little balls you may use big buttons.

163. TRAP. ( Active.)
Dig out a 9 cm deep hole near the wall. This is a trap. The players throw the little balls or big buttons into it. The player holds 2, 4 or 6 balls or buttons in the hand and asks: "Who wants to pawn 2, 4 or 6 balls?" One who wishes to do it gives to this player 2,4, or 6 balls. The player takes them with one hand and throws them together with his/her own ones into the trap. If all the balls (buttons) hit the trap or if there is an even number of them in the trap, the player wins all these balls. If there is an odd number of balls in the trap the player looses all his/her balls. In fact only 2 people take part in the game itself. But the rounds are very short. So there may be over 12 people by the trap at once.

164. BUTTON BATTLE. ( Active.)
There are 2 players in this game. Each of them takes 12 big buttons - "soldiers" and 1 button - "an officer". Usually the players choose the most beautiful buttons for "the officers". Besides, each player takes a metal button - a bat. The players form up the lines of their buttons opposite each other at the distance of 2 or more meters. The distance between the buttons in the lines must be about the size of the bat. "The officers" are put at some distance behind the lines. The players put the bat in turn, trying to knock out "the soldiers" of the line. The button which considerably advances the line is considered to be knocked out. The defter players usually consider the overturned buttons to be knocked out. The knocked out "soldiers" are "the captives" of the player who knocked out them. The player who manages to knock out the rival's "officer" takes half of the rival's "soldiers". The game is over when one of the players has more soldiers by four than his/her rival.

165. CAT AND MOUSE. ( Active.)
All the players (not more than 5 pairs) form up 2 lines facing each other. The players in the lines hold each other by the hands. In one line there are "the cats" in the other there are "the mice". Between the lines there is "a hole". The first pair begins the game: "the cat" is running for "the mouse". "The mouse" is running around the lines. In the dangerous moment "the mouse" may hide in "the hole". As soon as "the mouse" is caught by "the cat", the next pair continues the game. The former "cat" and "mouse" stand in their lines again. The game goes on until all "the mice" are caught by "the cats". The rules of the game: "the cat" must not run into "the hole", "the cat" and "the mouse" mustn't run far from the lines.

166. GAME WITH THE KERCHIEF. ( Active.)
The players get into a circle in pairs. They choose 2 leaders. One of them is given the kerchief. At the signal the leader with the kerchief runs away the other leader. The leaders run outside the circle. The leader may give the kerchief to any of the players in the circle and stand at his/her place. The rules of the game: The leader may run only with the kerchief in his/her hand. When the leader with the kerchief is caught the other leader is given the kerchief. He/she is traced by one of the players from the circle. The game starts at the signal.

167. THE MOON OR THE SUN. ( Active.)
2 players are chosen as leaders. They agree in private who is the Moon and who is the Sun. All the rest players come to them one at a time. Each of them says what he chooses - the Moon or the Sun (the players say about it quietly so as nobody can hear it). The leader quietly says to the player whose team he/she is to join. In such a way the players are divided into 2 teams. The teams form up in file. The players hold the player in front of by the waist. The teams try to pull each other over the line drawn between them. Usually it's full of fun. The rules of the game: If the captain of one of the teams (the Moon or the Sun) oversteps the line, His/her team looses the game.

168. WEIGHTLESS BALL. ( Active.)
2 pairs are rivals. Instead of the goals use a hoop. The task is to pass the balloon into the rival's hoop by the flicks. If the balloon falls on the ground the rivals has the right to flick it the first.

169. SKITTLE-ALLEY. ( Active.)
The skittles are the plastic bottles (1,5 L). Passing the ball the players hit the skittles. On the skittles there written different numbers. The player who manages to get the greatest number of points is the winner.

170. PORTER-2. ( Active.)
The task is to carry the tray with 10 ping-pong balls around the room (hall) in 5 seconds.

171. MERRY-GO-ROUND. ( Active.)
Drive a stake into the ground. At the top of the stake there is a revolving ring. Tie 4 long strings to the ring. 4 players take these strings by the ends and stretch them out. It's "a merry-go-round". Between the stretched strings there stand some other players. The players who have the strings in their hands run clockwise. The players who stand between the strings stand counter-clockwise (while running they jump over the stretched strings). The players who touch the strings while running are out of the game. Then the players switch the roles.

172. STATUES. ( Active.)
The players are throwing the ball to each other. The player who lets the ball fall must continue the game standing on one foot. If he/she succeeds in catching the ball in this position he/she is allowed to stand on both of the feet again. Otherwise the players must continue the game in "the kneeling position". After the third mistake the player must kneel. If the player manages to catch the ball in this position all "the fines" are repealed and the player rises to his/her full height.

173. LITTLE CROWS. ( Active.)
Put 3-5 bottles with the wide necks on the table. Put "the heads" of little crows (made of paper) on the necks of the bottles. Use little buttons of different color "to feed" the little crows. Each player uses the buttons of definite color. "The little crows" which are closer to the players bring 3 points to the players. The farther falls "the little crow" the more points gets the player.

174. AIRBORNE LANDING. ( Active.)
Make parachutes out of paper or light cloth. Attach a little weight to the shroud lines. The object is to throw the parachute upwards. The parachute will open and then land at the table. On the table there is a toy-target with the circles and numbers. The number of the points the player gets is indicated on the circle where the parachute lands.

175. GAME WITH THE SAUCEPANS. ( Active.)
Put 3 saucepans one into another (the less into a larger one). Move them to one of the sides. The object is to hit the saucepans with the ping-pong balls or little rubber balls from the distance of 2-3 meters. The ball must fix in the saucepan. Only in this case the player gets his/her points. The number of the points is indicated on the saucepans.

176. JUGGLERS. ( Active.)
Give the balloons to the players. The players must juggle with the help of the nose. They mustn't help themselves with the ears or hands. The player who manages to keep the balloon flying for the longest time may be called the juggler.

177. ROPEWALKERS. ( Active.)
Each player is given a rope of 1,5-2m long. The object is to walk on the rope up to its end. While walking the players must hold the end of the rope in the hands. The players mustn't leave the rope and let it off. The player who manages to fulfil the task the first (not letting the rope off and not leaving it while walking) gets the prize.

178. CHAINS. ( Active.)
In this game there are 2 teams with the equal number of players. The teams form up the lines at the both ends of the playground. The players hold each other by the hands tight. The players of the first team cry all together: "Chains, chains hammered, chains, chains fettered! Unfetter us!" The players of the second team ask: "By whom of us?" The first team answers, e.g., "by Kate". Kate runs to the first team and tries "to break" the joined hands of any of 2 players. If she succeeds in it she has the right to take one of the players (whose joined hands were "broken" by her) to her own team. If Kate fails in "breaking" the joined hands, she becomes the member of the first team. The new members of the team usually stand in the first "to unfetter" them. The game goes on until there is only one man in one of "the chains".

179. SNAKE. ( Active.)
The players hold each other by the hands. They follow the leader. The leader runs in winding way. While running the leader runs under the high raised arms of the players ("makes knots"). The player who is in "the knot" must quickly turn around so as to renew the chain ("snake"). The leader runs under the arms of all pairs in turn (makes several "knots"). Sometimes the last player in the chain stands still and the leader funs round him/her until "the snake" coils up. Then "the snake" unwinds and coils up again.

180. EATABLE-UNEATABLE. ( Quiet.)
The leader names different objects. If the named object is eatable the players are to clap the hands in front of them. If the named object is uneatable the players are to clap the hands behind their backs. The leader names the following objects:
"roll-doll-box-fox-jam-ham-lamb-plane-cane-cream-dream
-streat-meat-feet-pill-dill-crill-frill-honey-money-candy-dendy…"
The player who makes a mistake is out of the game.

181. SNOUT. ( Quiet.)
Draw a big muzzle of the pig without a snout on a large piece of thick paper. A snout must be cut out of paper separately. The player is blindfolded and put at the little distance from the picture. The object is to come to the picture and put the snout at the place it should be. The player who does it the most accurately wins.

182. HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO BE AN ANIMAL. ( Quiet.)
The instructor asks the players to remember the sounds of different animals. The players must pronounce these sounds at the instructor`s command.
The instructor: "How wonderful it is to be a dog!
The players: "Woof, Woof!"
The instructor: " How wonderful it is to be a duck!"
The player: "Quack! Quack!"
Each of the players may make sounds only if the instructor points at him/her. If the player loiters he/she is out of the game. The game is over when there is only one player in it.

183. SPOILED TELEPHONE. ( Quiet.)
All the players sit in a row. The first player on the left side whispers something in his neighbor's ear. The latter transmits it to his neighbor's ear and so on. The first player on the right side announces aloud the word or the phrase that came to him. Then the player who started the game announces the word or the phrase with which he began the game. At times the distortion may be very funny! After each "call" the players must exchange their seats so as everybody can act as the first player on the left side and the first player on the right one.

184. ELEPHANT. ( Quiet.)
The leader gives to each team a large piece of thick paper. Being blindfolded the teams collectively draw an elephant. The first player in each team draws the body, the second draws the head, the third-legs etc. The team which finishes the drawing the first and whose drawing is the most accurate becomes the winner.

185. SELF-PORTRAIT. ( Quiet.)
Each participant is given a large piece of thick paper with the openings for hands. He/she passes the hands through the openings and begin to draw their self-portraits. The participant who painted the best "masterpiece" gets the prize.

186. GOOD NOSE. ( Quiet.)
The object is to name the flower by its smell. The players are blindfolded.

187. CHIEF ACCOUNTANT. ( Quiet.)
On a large piece of thick paper there drawn different bank-notes. They are situated separately from each other. The player counts in the following way: one dollar, one ruble, one mark, two marks, two rubles, two dollars etc. The player who'll count the money rightly, not violating the rules will be "the chief accountant".

188. FORFEITS. ( Quiet.)
One of the players is enumerating the letters of the alphabet to himself. Then he/she is stopped. The letter at which he/she is stopped is the initial letter in this game. For example, the first player is stopped at the letter "N". So he/she says aloud that he/she is stopped at the letter "N" and pronounces any word which begins with the "N", C.f. nose. (Mind, that the players mustn't use personal nouns). The following player says - name, the third-news etc. If someone cannot remember the word which begins with "N", he must "pay off", i.e. to recite a poem or to tell a funny story. It he/she feels too shy to do it he/she gives his/her forfeit (a pen, a handkerchief etc) and drops out of the game. So the leader gathers the forfeits. The last player who remains in the game is called "a wordexpert". He must set a certain forfeit for each player. "The word expert" turns his back to the players and the leader asks him/her to set forfeits. Holding each forfeit above the head of "the wordexpert" the leader asks: " What will this forfeit do?" Every player remembers what to do. As a forfeit you may say a tonguetwister, recite a poem, Sing a song etc. After setting the forfeits the players begin to carry out the orders in turn.

189. CITIES. ( Quiet.)
The object is to name as many cities beginning with the letter "A" as possible. The player whose variant is the last is the winner. When there are no more variants the leader begins to count: c.f. Amsterdam - one, Amsterdam - two, Amsterdam - three. Amsterdam wins!

190. FROM CITY TO CITY. ( Quiet.)
The players get into a circle. The leader begins to name the cities. He/she, for example, says: "Moscow". The player next to the leader names the city which begins with the last letter of Moscow - "W". He/she says: "Warsaw". The next player says, for example, "Washington". Then the players name, for example, Novgorod, Dublin, New York etc. Each player has 3 seconds to think over his/her variant. If he/she can't remember the name of the city in 3 seconds he/she is out of the game.

191. GALLOWS. ( Quiet.)
Two players take part in this game. One of the players is "a hangman". He/she thinks of a word, which consists of 7 letters and writes down the first and the last letters of the word. Instead of the middle letters there are hyphens. Then "the hangman" draws the gallows, where he/she will "hang" the player, if he/she cannot guess the word. The player begins to guess the word, naming the letters. If he/she guesses the letter "the hangman" inserts it into the word. It the player doesn't guess the letter "the hangman" draws the head in the loop of the gallows. After each wrong letter "the hangman" continues to draw the figure in the loop. He/she draws the body, the legs, the arms. If the player guesses the word before he/she is hanged he/she becomes "the hangman" in the following round.

192. WHO IS A MONKEY? ( Quiet.)
The players choose the leader. He/she goes out. While the leader is absent the players choose the monkey. When the leader returns, "the monkey" begins to make movements - to shake the head, to stamp with the foot etc. The players repeat all the movements. They must do it so as the leader cannot understand who is the monkey. If the leader guesses who "the monkey" is, "the monkey" becomes the leader in the next round.

193. PORTRAIT. ( Quiet.)
From behind the curtain each player shows to the leader his/her leg, arm, nose, eyes, mouth. The task of the leader is to recognize the player. If the leader recognizes the player after the first attempt he/she gets 5 points, after the second attempt the leader gets 4 points, after the third-3 etc.

194. CINEMA. ( Quiet.)
The players think of the title of the film which consists of as many words as there are the players (prepositions included). e.g. "Tender is the night". The leader asks the first player the abstract question. e.g. How did you spend your last weekend? The player gives a full detailed answer in which there is the word "tender". The leader tries to guess what word in the answer sound unnatural. In such a way with the help of logical deduction the leader tries to guess the title of the film. The more complicated is the disguise of the word the more interesting is the game.

195. ARTISTS. ( Quiet.)
The first player draws any detail of the future picture on the sheet of paper so that the other players can't guess what is drawn. Then this sheet of paper is given to the next player. He/she continues to draw. Each player has a felt-tip-pen of his/her own color. The sheet of paper is returned to the first player. He/she says what he/she intended to draw.

196. MERRY TRAIN. ( Quiet.)
This game is enjoyed by grown-ups as well as by children. Get ready the cards with the tasks beforehand. At the party suggest your guests to travel by "the merry train". All the guests who sit at the table are passing the envelope with the cards around the table. While passing the envelope they all together recite any poem about the train. As the rhyme finishes, the guest who has the envelope in his/her hands must take a card with the task out of the envelope.
Samples of tasks for children:
1. Sing a song.
2. Say to the player next to you on the right: "What wonderful ears you've got!"
3. You are a kangaroo. With the small box between the knees jump around the table.
4. Draw a horse, being blindfolded.
5. Say any tongue twister 3 times.
6. Sit on a stool. Grab a small box which stands at one of the hind legs of the stool with the teeth. (Do not touch the floor with the hands and feet!)
7. You are a butterfly. Show how you fly!
8. You are a bird. Show how you brood, how you fly for the feeding, how you feed the nestlings.
9. You are a rooster. Show how you dig the ground, find the corn and call the hens.
10. You are a train. Show how you get in and depart.
11. Put three candies into the mouth. Eat them!
12. Receive a prize!
Samples of tasks for grown-ups:
1. Tell a funny thing.
2. Perform a dance of little swans ("Swan Lake")
3. Sing a song.
4. Kiss the guest next to you on the right.
5. Perform a lezginka dance sitting on the chair.
6. Pay a compliment to a hostess.
7. Persuade the guest next to you on the right to drink a glass of wine.
8. Organize a choir out of all the guests. Sing a couplet of any song in a choir.
9. Make an appointment for any of the guests.
10. Give a smile to all the guests.
11. Eat lemon slices smiling!
12. Drink a wine-glass of tea with pickled cucumber and say how tasty it is.
13. Propose a toast to all the present guests.

197. CAKE-CONCERT. ( Quiet.)
Serve a cake cut into pieces. In each piece there is a little flag with the number. As the guests have taken the pieces, the host (ess) announces that the numbers on the flags mean the following tasks:
- to sing a song;
- to recite a poem;
- to ask a riddle;
- to perform a dance;
- to perform a pantomime.
The guest mustn't eat his/her piece of cake until he/she fulfils the task.

198. GUESS! ( Quiet.)
One of the players is out of the room. All the rest think of the subject for him/her to guess. For example, they think of a red rose, which is among other subjects in the room. The guesser returns to the room and begins to ask questions trying to guess the subject by its characteristics. Other players answer his/her questions briefly: "yes" or "no". The guesser must formulate the questions precise so as it would be possible to answer "yes" or "no". The guesser may, for example, ask the following questions:
- It this subject animate?
- Is it a piece of furniture?
- Does it smell? etc.
The guesser who guesses the subject with the help of the least number of questions wins the game.

199. PARTY'S SURPRISE. ( Quiet.)
Put a large, beautifully painted box on a raised place or hang it under the ceiling. Near the box on the wall hang a poster proposing the players to guess what is there in the box. The players write their variants of answers on the sheets of paper and put them into a little box, which is situated not far from the poster (sheets of paper and pencils are on the table near the poster). The players mustn't touch, weigh or look inside the box. This game usually lasts for 30-40 minutes. Then all the answers are given to the jury. The jury chooses the winner. The answers may be different because the players are not given any descriptions of the object in the box. In this game the answers are based on the mere guesswork. Sometimes no one of the players gives the right answer. In this case the jury tries to find the most similar answer. If there are several right answers the jury distributes the contents of the box among the players whose answers are right.

200. WHAT IS THE PAGE? ( Quiet.)
This game is similar to the previous one. But instead of the box you may use a thick book, tied round with a cord. Somewhere in the middle of the book the players can see a bookmark. They must answer at what page there is the bookmark. The player whose answer is the most exact is the winner.