GAMES/05-05

DOGCATCHER SCRAMBLE  

Materials Needed: none
How to Play:
Select one player to start off as the Dog Catcher.
The remaining players are the Pets who quietly decide which household pet they want to be.
Next, decide on a home base for the Pets and a starting point for the Dog Catcher. Then decide
on a round-trip course for the players to run, such as to a tree and back or once around the house.
Have the Dog Catcher and the Pets gather at their starting points.
To play, the Dog Catcher begins calling out types of House Pets. As soon as he calls out
a Pet name, that Pet takes off through the course, with the Dog Catcher in pursuit. If the Dog
Catcher manages to tag the Pet before he can make it back to his home base, the Dog Catcher
and the player swap places, and the Pets all select new Pet names. If not, the Dog Catcher tries
again with another Pet name. A time limit needs to be set for this game.

BIRDS FLY  

Materials Needed: none
How to Play:
Pick one player to be the Leader or the den leader is the Leader. All players line up side
by side, facing the Leader and stand with their hands on their hips. In succession, the Leader
calls out the names of animals and the word "fly", such as, "Robins fly!" "Pigs fly!" "Ducks fly!"
"Horses fly! "Spiders fly!" and so on. If the animal is, in fact, one that flies, the boys must
immediately flap their arms. If a player flaps for an animal that does not fly, or fails to flap for
one that does, he must take one step back from the line.
The Leader may try to confuse the players by flapping his arms for animals that don't fly
or by remaining motionless for those that do. The winner is the player closest to the Leader after
a specified time. This is a variation of "Simon Says."

CAT AND MOUSE  

Materials Needed: two blindfolds
How to Play:
Get everyone into a circle, with players about an arm’s length away from
each other. This game is best played on grass or carpet and everyone
should keep very quiet during each round. Pick one player to be the Cat and another to be the
Mouse. Bring them both to the center of the circle and blindfold them. Explain that the Cat is
hunting at night and is listening for his prey, the Mouse. The Mouse, naturally, is trying to avoid
the Cat. The other players are the trees that will guide the Cat or the Mouse gently back into the
circle when either wanders off the playing area. Turn the Mouse and the Cat around several
times to slightly disorient them, then let the hunt begin. Allow a little extra time for this game --
every player will want a turn at being the Cat and the Mouse.