Sharks and Minnows saves the day

[Ohanadad]

We had our pack meeting this weekend which each den's parents would run an activity station. While planning, we figured out that we needed to increase the time for the pack meeting so all the boys and siblings go cycle through the stations. We decided to hold off awards, den presentations, etc. and go straight into the activity stations after a quick opening ceremony. Well, Murphy struck. Since the parents organized the stations, most of the stations weren't set up in time for the start of the pack meeting and of course I didn't plan on anything since we had so many activities already lined up for the boys to do. In order to buy the parents some time, I launched into a Halloween version of "Sharks and Minnows" which became "Zombies and Villagers." If you don't know how it's played, all the kids line up on one side of the playing field and try to run to the safe zone on the on the side of the field. One player (me) is in the middle of the field and has to tag the kids as they run across the field. Anyone I tag turns into a Zombie and helps me out as the kids race back the other side. Before long, there is only one fast kid with a bunch of zombies chasing after him/her. Anyway, having this game in the hip pocket was able to occupy the whole pack until the stations were ready (which was good because it was getting really hard for me to tag those kids as time went on). The other good thing about this game, is that you can change the name to fit pretty much any situation (ice monsters vs. reindeer, Pilgrims vs. Turkeys, etc.) and doesn't need any equipment or preparation.

 

What's your "go to" on the fly activity?

 

[Trevorum]

Always a good game... Your mention of 'zombies vs. villagers' made me smile. A troop I know plays 'plants vs. zombies' ...

[jc2008]

We have a few "on the fly" games. Including a version of the sharks/minnows. Most of the time our Pack meeting is inside the cafeteria, so not much room to run around.

 

A good one is "rock, paper, scissor, snake" where you go up and play "rock paper scissors" with someone, and the loser goes behind the winner and puts their hands on the winners shoulders. Then the person in front plays rock paper scissors with another random person and the loser goes to the end of the chain of kids behind the winner. This is giong on all over the room with a bunch of people playing rock paper scissors. So you have a bunch of small "snakes" of people with the "heads" playing rock paper scissors and the losers going to the end of the chain until you have two big snakes that go up against each other, resulting with just one snake chain of all the kids together. The parents usually join in this one as well

 

 

(This message has been edited by jc2008)(This message has been edited by jc2008)

[frank10]

We can always count on Ship/shore/lighthouse.

 

One end of the room is the shore, the other is the lighthouse and the center line is the ship. you call out any of the three and the scouts run.

If you yell out SURF, they drop to their bellies where ever they are. At the scout level the last to do as called is out. at cub level they don't care to win just to play for as long as you let them so no one is out.

 

Always love pointing to shore and yelling lighthouse.

 

Twice as much fun in the water.

 

[infoscouter]

In the den, my go to game has been Steal the Bacon, but the with a pack of 12, now I play it as a pack game!

[AKdenldr]

In the den ping pong blow. Set up one boy on each end of rectagular table. Hands on table or behind back. Ping pong in the center - compete with each other to blow off table.

 

In pack had success with front/back game. Take a deck or more of cards scatter in room front side up and down. Divide group into two teams. They turn over card for their team in place on the floor. No moving the card. A few adults monitoring the game can make some changes to keep the game moving. Works well with all age levels.

 

-- AK