*Note: many of the games in other categories (name games, movement-optional games, other fun games) work well in big outdoor spaces. In this section, we're listing games that REQUIRE a large space. (Of course, you're still encouraged to modify them so that they work in tighter quarters!)
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Game Name: Capitalism Tag (A.k.a. Everybody's It Tag)
Game Type: Tag
# of Players: 8 & up (more=better)
Ideal Setting: Large open space
Supplies:
HOW the game is played: Everybody's it. When you tag someone, they're out and have to sit down. Play until one person is left. The capitalism metaphor is that everyone's pitted against each other, and almost everybody loses; debrief about how the experience felt.
Variations:
Tips: Play in conjunction with Movement-Building Tag (below)
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Game Name: Movement-Building Tag (aka Chain-tag or Blob-tag)
Game Type: Tag
# of Players: 8 & up (more=better)
Ideal Setting: Large open space
Supplies:
HOW the game is played: One person starts as it. When they catch someone, they link arms barricade-style and run off in search of new people to join the movement. Play until everyone's in the movement. (As more people join the chain, they will have to strategize and work together to move effectively. Debrief about the whole process.)
Variations:
Tips: Make some clear boundaries; it's really hard to catch everyone in a gigantic field. A facilitator can move the boundary-markers in closer if the chain is having trouble.
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Game Name: Building Communities of Support and Resilience Tag (aka Hug Tag)
Game Type: Tag, Consent
# of Players: 8 & up (more=better)
Ideal Setting: Large open space
Supplies:
HOW the game is played: One person's it. If the it-person's about to tag you, you can create a temporary "Safety Zone" by hugging another player. However, you have to first ask that player's consent— "Can I hug you?" If they say yes, you hug and the it-person moves on. If the it-person tags someone, that person becomes it.
Note: Discuss what consent means and why it's important.
Variations:
Tips: To keep the game moving, try rules like: the it-person's not allowed to puppy guard; the players aren't allowed to hug for longer than the count of 5.
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Game Name: Dragon of Capitalist-Imperialism Tag
Game Type: Tag variation
# of Players: 8 & up
Ideal Setting: Large open space
Supplies: Bandanna/scarf
HOW the game is played: Players form a dragon by standing in a line and holding the person in front of them's waist (or belt, or shirt— it becomes hard to hold on!). The player at the end of the chain is the dragon's tail— they have the bandanna in their back pocket or tucked into their pants or the top of their dress. Behold: the Dragon of Capitalist-Imperialism. This dragon has eaten up all the world's resources, and it's still hungry— so now it's trying to eat its own tail! The head of the dragon's objective is to grab the bandanna off the tail.
Variations: If there are lots of people, try adding multiple dragons. (competing super-powers?)
Tips: make sure everyone has a firm hold, it's easy for the dragon to fall apart. this might be a good thing for the world, though. Add debriefs!
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Game Name: Grandmothers Footsteps (AKA Listen to Elders)
Game Type: Red light greenlight style, go go stop, move and freeze game.
# of Players:4-10
Ideal Setting: a big clear open space for movement, and some running, need a few sweaters or other pieces of costume clothing. Its helpful to demarcate the finish line point, either by having a wall to reach, or pylons to pass.
HOW the game is played: Scatter the clothes around and explain that the game is similar to red light green light. Grandma stands at one end of the playing area, and all the grandchildren are at the other end, their goal is to get to an article of clothing, put it on and then get past grandma. They can only move when grandma is facing away from them and says green light, or go, or 'sleeping' or 'zzzz' ing... when the grandmother turns around after saying 'red light' or 'stop' or 'whats that noise?' the 'grandchildren' must freeze in place while grandma looks to see if anyone is moving. If Grandma catches anyone moving they must go back to the starting line and take off the article of clothing and leave it in place.
Variations: The grandmother can also ask questions of the frozen kids, or try to make them laugh, or interact in various ways. Beanbags can be used as cookies as a secondary objective. Just be clear about what the levels of interaction will be.
Tips:For the first round, the faciliator should play grandma, and be particularly clear with the signals to go and stop so everyone can hear, and scrunitize the grandkids evenly, but especially close attention to the ones getting close to the finish line.
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Game Name: Toilet Tag
Game Type: Tag, active, silly
# of Players: 5-20
Ideal Setting: Big area to run around a lot in.
HOW the game is played: Game is played like freeze tag, where one or more players are 'it' and chase after the other players trying to tag them. When a player is tagged, the must freeze in place as a toilet, with one arm out as the handle, and in a sitting position while still standing. They can be freed from toilet-hood by being 'flushed' by another player who can push their handle as they are running by. The toilet spins around 3 times and makes the sound of a toilet flushing and they are free.
Variations: The toileted players can be freed by all other players or only by specified 'plumbers'.
Tips: Encourage sound effects.
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Game Name: Stay Between
Game Type: active, moving, running
# of Players: 6-20
Ideal Setting: a big field or gym, clear of obstacles
HOW the game is played: Each player mentally picks two other players in the group, and when the game starts the goal is to stay directly between those two people at all times.
Variations:
Tips: this game has no end, so the facilitator should gauge the mood and call an endpoint before everyone collapses in exhaustion.
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Game Name: Meet a Tree Blindfolded
Game Type: Trust, Nature exploration, sensory
# of Players: An even number of players and a facilitator
Ideal Setting: In a place with lots of different types of trees not too far apart. Need enough blindfolds for each group of two.
HOW the game is played: Players get into pairs, one puts on a blindfold, and is led by the other first in a few circles and then to a specific tree. The blindfolded player is invited to touch and smell and get to know the tree. When the blindfolded player is ready they are led away from the tree, spun in a few circles and then unblindfolded. After getting their bearings again the player tries to find their way back to the tree they got to know.
Variations: Can be done without the 'guessing game' aspect, and be in pairs taking turns leading each other blindfolded on a nature walk taking them to different sensory experiences.
Tips: do it with a group that already knows and trusts each other, take your time with it, linger on the sensory experiences.
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Game Name: Trust Run
Game Type: intense trust-building
# of Players: 9+
Ideal Setting: vast, obstacle-free space. Supplies: blindfold
HOW the game is played:
The blindfolded person runs across field/gym into the arms of 2 lines of waving hands.
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Game Name: Spider Web
Ideal Setting: Between two trees
Supplies: string, some time to prepare...
HOW the game is played:
Create a web between 2 trees with holes big enough for participants to slide through. Also enough holes for all the participants. The group will begin on one side of the web. Their challenge is to get every member to the other side, traveling through the holes. They can use each hole only once. If they touch a string, that person will have to go back to the starting side and try again.
This is a great activity for group bonding because each body shape and ability is an asset. Larger people will help with lifting people, and smaller people can fit through smaller holes.
Facilitator Tips: Make big enough holes! Be aware of different body shapes & sizes beforehand, and who might find this difficult. If someone is stuck, switch to something different.
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Game Name: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Game Type: Quiet, reflective, sensory
# of Players: 2+
HOW the game is played:
Have participants find a solitary spot in the woods, and sit for 5 minutes. While they are sitting (& without walking around), ask them to notice:
5 things you feel...
4 things you smell...
3 things you hear...
2 things you see...
1 thing you know...
Come back together & take turns sharing what you discovered. Did people notice the same things, or different things.
Variations: Do it with or without writing down the things noticed.
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Game Name: Snake in the Grass
Game Type: Tag Variation
# of Players: 4 +
Ideal Setting: soft open space with boundaries; grass or rug
Supplies:
HOW the game is played: First there is one snake. They lie on the ground, motionless in a snakelike manner, and everyone who's playing touches them lightly. The snake counts down from 3, then everyone runs away and the snake tries to tag them. The snake can tag with any part of their body, but they cannot crawl or get up; they have to move by wiggling and rolling. When the snake tags someone, they gift that person with snakeness. The game is played until there is a world of snakes.
Variations:
Tips: Encourage hissing among snakes (hiss by example). The boundaries are key for this game— too small and it's over in a flash, too large and the beginning takes a long time. I recommend erring on the side of too large; it's fun to get close to the snake and taunt them. Good-naturedly.
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Game Name: Solidarity Redlight Greenlight
Game Type: Redlight/Greenlight Variation
# of Players: 4 +
Ideal Setting: Outdoors or large indoor space; smaller spaces work fine though
Supplies:
HOW the game is played: Classic Redlight/Greenlight with one major difference: everyone has to touch the stoplight at the same time in order to win the round. If someone touches the stoplight without their comrades, everyone has to return to the starting line. The next stoplight is chosen by choice.
Redlight/Greenlight rules refresher: one person is a stoplight, everyone else is trying to reach them. Stoplight stands at one end, everyone else lines up at the other end. When stoplight says "green" and turns around, everyone can move. When stoplight says "red" and turns to face everyone, they must freeze. If stoplight sees someone still moving, they send them back to the starting line.
Variations: Dancing version—especially if there's music—make everyone continue dancing while frozen in place, and if they stop or move a foot they have to return to the starting line. Can also add "yellow" meaning slow movement only.
Tips:
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Game Name: Knee Tag
Game Type: Tag Variation; good for when you're tired.
# of Players: 4 +
Ideal Setting: Outdoors
Supplies: —
HOW the game is played: Everybody's it. When you tag somebody, they freeze (or "stick") with their palms up in a double-high-five position. They can be un-stuck by receiving a double-high-five from another player. The knee twist: anyone can create temporary safety at any moment by putting their hands on their knees and standing still. You cannot move in this position.
Variations:
Tips: Good for when the facilitator is tired, because you can spend as much time in safety position as you like.
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Game Name: Zombie Tag
Game Type: Tag variation
# of Players: the more the better
Ideal Setting: outdoors with boundaries
Supplies: 0
HOW the game is played: One person starts being it, as a zombie. Everyone that person touches turns into a zombie too until all are zombies. Okay, so, maybe not so radical, but kids love it. Try an intro about toxins or industrial collapse if you're feeling motivated!
Variations:
Tips: Ask kids to model some of the different ways zombies walk, when explaining the rules. Note that zombies can walk fast and even lunge and tumble, but they don't run.
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