After a season of summer camp, my kids have a new repetiorie of games. They aren’t games you buy in the store, and– best of all– they have no price tag on them. These new favorites simply require a group of kids and a fun attitude.
You might remember the simple childhood classics, like Duck, Duck Goose or Rover Red Rover, but today’s kids have an entirely new lineup of great active play games with a modern twist.
Here are four summer camp games my kids couldn’t wait to share with me. Perfect for extending the fun of camp at home, or playing with friends and family at a BBQ or a birthday party, all of these games will get kids up and active while fostering strategy, communication, and motor skills. Win, win!
Drip Drip Drop
Drip Drip Drop is similar to Duck Duck Goose, but with some fun water play added in to cool down any remaining summer heat. Everyone sits in a circle, and one player who is dubbed the “dripper” walks around the circle and drips water on everyone’s head from a cup while saying “drip, drip, drip.” Then one person gets “drop” and the whole cup of water is tipped over onto his or her head. The person who gets the “drop” chases the “dripper” back to his or her spot. If the wet victim tags the dripper, he or she can then dump a cup of water over the dripper, and now the soaked person sits in the center of the circle! The game ends when all players except the one winner are inside the circle!
Fishy Cross My Ocean
Fishy Cross My Ocean is can be played year round. The kids (aka “fish”) form a line at one end of the play area (aka the “ocean”). This line is the “shore line” of the ocean (and a safe zone). A shark is chosen and that person is placed in the middle of the ocean. The shark yells “FISHY FISHY, CROSS MY OCEAN!” The kids/fish swim from one shore to the other shore as they try to avoid being tagged by the shark. If the shark touches a fish, the fish now becomes seaweed. The seaweed stands still and is a safe area for the fish. If the seaweed touches the shark, the seaweed turns back into a fish and can swim to shore. Alternatively, the seaweed could be EVIL (*gasp*). If a fish touches an evil seaweed, they also become a seaweed, which allows the game to go faster. The game ends when everyone becomes seaweed!
Stuck in the Mud
Stuck in the Mud requires a descent amount of space, but it’s also a great year-round game. Everyone scatters, and one person has to run around trying to tag as many people as he or she can. When the tagger tags someone, that player becomes “stuck in the mud” and has to freeze and stand with his/her legs and arms apart. The only way to be freed is if another player crawls through the tagged players’ legs! (A player cannot be tagged while crawling through tagged players’ legs either!) The game ends when everyone is stuck in the mud.
Hibernation
In Hibernation, all of the kids sit in a circle with one child in the center, curled up like a bear hibernating, with his or her eyes closed! One child in the circle must sneak up and touch the “bear,” then quickly return to his or her spot in the circle. Then everyone in the circle says “WAKE UP SLEEPY BEAR! WAKE UP!” and the child in the center will then sit up and have to guess who woke him or her up. You can vary the game by letting the bear guess more than once, or allowing the bear to ask a few questions before guessing, like, “Was it a boy?” or “Do they have on a red shirt?,” etc. If the bear guesses correctly, the two kids switch places. The game goes until everyone has a turn.
The next time you having party, or even if you are that the beach and want to get a group of kids together to play, explain the rules and have fun! No batteries required!
What are your kids’ favorite summer camp games?
