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Beaver Games
Here's our growing collection of Beaver-tested and interesting games. Most, we've used during the past year. Others have we've seen in books, magazines, newspapers, or even the web.
Back-to-Back Game
Two Beavers of relatively the same size sit back-to-back on the ground. Lock arms and push against each others back to try and stand up. Then try to push against each others backs to try to sit down. Switch Beavers around so all get a chance to stand up and sit down.
Ball In The Blanket
Using a blanket to throw and catch a ball, see how long you can throw a ball into and catch it, without the ball touching the ground.
Balloon Busting
Tie inflated balloons to each Beaver ankle. Beavers run around trying to step on others' balloons. Last balloon wins. It's not as easy as it seems since the game will last about 15-20 minutes. It's a blast. — Contributed by Dave "Rusty" Innes, Sackville, NS
Battle Ship
When the leader calls out something, Beaver do it: Hit the deck — lay on the floor; Periscope up — lay on the floor and put your leg in the air; Portside — run to portside; Starboard — run to star board; Missiles — everyone dies; Crows Nest — stand in one spot with hand over your eyes. You can add all kinds of things to this game.
Beaver Bowling
Beavers are in the centre with the leaders around the outside of the circle. The Beavers run around the centre of the room, but can not go behind the leaders. The leaders roll the ball trying to hit the Beavers from the waist down. If the Beavers is touched by a ball, he must sit down. If the ball touches the Beaver while he is sitting, he may join back in.
Blanket Volleyball
You will need 2 blankets and 1 ball (beach ball, volleyball etc.) Beavers try to throw the ball from one blanket to the next and back again.
Bowling
Use pop bottles filled with water and a ball. Line the balls up as in ten pin bowling and take turns trying to knock them down.
Broken Car
Leaders call out different car problems and the Beavers do them. Flat tire-crawl on hands and knees, Water in gas tank-two steps forward one step backwards; Gear shift stuck in reverse-walk backwards; Dead battery-sit on floor; Dropped muffler-scoot on their bottoms.
Broken Telephone I
One Beaver starts, say the youngest, by whispering a message in the ear of the person on the right. Try something simple like, "Beavers like ice cream," or a tongue-twister like, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." The message is passed fro ear to ear until the last person repeats the message.
Broken Telephone II
This time, let's start with the Beaver (or Leader) with their birthday closest to July 1 (or today's date). Everyone sits in a circle and joins hands. The game starts by the first person squeezing a message to the person next to them. Again, it can be something simple like three squeezes, or something more complicated like one long squeeze followed by two short and another long (kinda like Morse code). The message travels around the circle until it comes back to the start. See how much it changes. As an extra challenge, see how fast you can get the message around the circle.
Bug Toss
With the Beavers standing in their lodge, place a pail opposite them. Give the first Beaver of each lodge 5 marble (bugs). They are to try toss them into the pails. Then its the next Beaver's turn and so on. Try using bottle caps, ping pong balls and tennis balls. See what you can come up with.
Bug Tug
Line up Beavers by size. Pair off in the same size. Have a line drawn on the floor. Have the Beavers line up opposite each other, the line between them. They bend over, grab each others hands, and try to pull the other over the line.
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Cooperation Game
Divide Colony into two groups. Put a blanket over each group. Each group must try to walk without coming out from under the blanket to the designated place. The first group there is the winner. If you come out you must start over.
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Going On A Trip
Everyone sits in a circle — Beavers and leaders. A leader starts by saying, "I packed my bag with pj's". The next person adds something to the suitcase and says both things. For example, "I packed my bag with a tooth brush and pj's."
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Halloween Game
You'll need newspaper (lots) and a roll of masking tape for each lodge. Each lodge is given a pile of newspapers and a roll of masking tape and told to wrap their parent volunteer or brave leader from head to toe except for one eye. Okay if your not brave leave the head out altogether. You need a judge to say when each team is finished wrapping then the mummy has to run, hop, jump crawl (whatever) to the finish line. Or, just take picture of the Beavers with their mummy. We walked away and had our treats and left our Mummies while we sat in the circle partying and eating and laughing. The volunteer parents thought it was great too. — Contributed by Marlene "Sunshine" Mills, 1st Alcona Beavers.
Halloween N-S-E-W
Let Beavers exercise their creativity. Around your meeting area, put up pictures of a Bat Cave, Ghost House, Witch's Lair and Pumpkin Patch. As a leader calls out the different things and the Beavers go to them doing the appropriate thing. For instance, Fly to Bat Cave, Float to Ghost House, Ride a broom to Witch's Lair, Duck walk to Pumpkin Patch.
Hopscotch
With masking tape, mark out a hopscotch on the floor. For Beavers, make it relatively simple, say 6 squares, including a cross. Make one per lodge and let everyone play.
Hot Chocolate
This is a variation of Hot Potato. — With everyone in a circle, each participant is given a cothes pin. The leader puts a facsimile (photocopy or drawing) of a cup of hot chocolate. Participants pass the cut out around the circle, using only the clothes pin. After the cup has started down one side of the circle the leader starts another copy down the other side of the circle. Don't forget the marshmallow. Once the cups have started, introduce a marshmallow into the mix.
Hot Potato
A variation of Hot Chocolate. — Each participant is given a small drinking cup. Everyone is in a circle. The leader begins by putting a clothes pin into their cup and pouring it into the cup of the person next to him or her. That participant pours it into the person on the other side of them, and so on around the circle. After a short while, the leader puts another clothes pin in the cup and starts it down the other side of the circle. The fun begins when two participants are trying to exchange pins with one another. To make matters even worse, the leader can start yet another pin down one of the sides of the circle. To make it easier, try small items such as marbles or buttons.
Hula Hoop Pass
You need a hula hoop for this one. A rope loop may work but it may have too much flexibility. This game is great with a mix of leaders, parents, and Beavers.
The Colony stands in a circle. The leader puts a hula hoop over an arm them everyone joins hands. The object is for the colony to pass the hula hoop all the way around the circle without anyone letting go.
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It's a What?
The is the game version of the campfire challenge of It's a Dog. It's a fun game that takes a lot of words to explain. But give it a try, and you'll have fun. Required for this game are a Woozle, (anything you think a Woozle might be), and a Thingits (something different than the Woozle). Participants are in a circle. It is best to have someone (another scouter or white tail Beavers who are familiar with the routine) standing next to the leader. The leader starts the Woozle down one side of the circle by saying, "It's a Woozle." (Hands off the Woozle.) The participant responds, "It's a what? (handing the Woozle back to the leader). The leader passes it back, repeating, "It's a Woozle." The participant turns to next person and says, "It's a Woozle." (Passes the Woozle.) The participant takes the Woozle and asks, "It's a what? (passing it back), whereupon the receiving participant takes the Woozle, and turns back to the leader asking, "It's a what?" The leader takes the Woozle, explains, "It's a Woozle," and starts the Woozle back up the line again until someone new receives the Woozle and asks, "It's a what?" and hands it back down the line. The game continues, passing the Woozle around the circle. At some point, when everyone has figured out the patter, the leader introduces the Thingits along the other side of the circle.
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Key Game
Beavers sit in a circle, the leader holding a key up for everyone to see. Using imagination the leader explains what the key opens. Do this in glowing details. The leader then passes the key along the line where Beavers use their imaginations to explain what they see the key opening. It's alright for Beavers to "pass" when the key comes to them.
Killer Blink
Beavers sit in a circle with one person being taken outside so they can't see what's going on. A second Beaver is picked to be the killer and what this Beaver does is blink at the rest of the Beavers in the circle. When you see the killer blink at you, you must lay down and die. The first Beaver is brought back into the middle of the circle and he is the detective. He must find the killer in three guesses. If the killer is not found out he then becomes the next detective.
Kim's Game (variations)
With the Beavers sitting in a circle, place several objects in the middle. Let the Beavers look at the objects, but not for long. Then, cover the objects up and see if the Beavers can remember what was there.
A variation is to remove an object and see if the Beavers can remember what it was. Once you've revealed what object it was, you might even get the Beavers to draw a picture of it.
Another variation is to place the objects in a covered box, say with a towel. Let each Beaver in turn reach into the box an guess at what they are touching. After the guess, the object is brought out for all to see.
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Laugh Bag
Make up a Laugh Bag: a paper bag filled with notes giving action directions like Hop around the circle, Sing a song, Act like a robot, and so on. A round from the bag gives Beavers a chance to show off. Of course, no one is forced to take part, but it is a time when the shy ones can take centre stage for a while.
Light House
This is a good night time version of Red Light, Green Light. Required is a flashlight and an open area. The Beavers stand in a line some distance from the leader. The Beavers are instructed that they can only move if the light is not on them. Their objective is to get by the leader and back to the starting point, as many times as they can during the game. If the light touches them while they are moving, they return to the beginning and try again. The leader is like a light house. The beam of light sweeps the playing area, just like it would from a light house.
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Measuring
Here's a fun activity that involves the whole Colony. Use it at the beginning of the year and the end of the year to show how much your Beavers have grow. What you need is a tape measure and chalk. Let the Beavers do the measuring: one measures, and another records. Let the Beavers have turns measuring and recording the information. Here are some ideas for the Beavers to measure:
- stand shoulder to shoulder in a line
- stand in closed formation, in a line
- stand in a line, arms outstretched and touching, finger tip to finger tip
- stand in a circle, holding hands, stretched out as far as the circle will allow
Mini Putt
Using practice golf balls, long cardboard tubes (or 2 taped together). Use boxes, stuffed animals and anything else that fits your theme, as obstacles. Design a course and play it. Don't forget the score cards.
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Nature Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of things to find in nature such as a pine cone, bug, maple leaf, etc. Make copies for each lodge or group, depending on how much leadership or parent support you have. Set a time limit and send the groups out.
Newspaper Race
Line up in lodges. Each lodge gets 2 sheets of news paper. Go from one end of the room to the other by stepping on the newspaper. You move one paper while your standing on the other. No part of the body must touch the floor, if it does you must start over.
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Picture Bingo
This is a variation of regular Bingo. Here's how to make your own. Buy two inexpensive, identical children's picture books. Try to find a book with lots of small pictures — like a picture dictionary, or books on birds and animals. For each Beaver, you make a sheet with six pictures on it. Glue the identical sets of six pictures on little individual squares of paper. So, for six Beavers you'll need 2 sets of 36 pictures. To play the game, draw one of the individual pictures and give it the Beaver who has the matching picture on his or her paper. Continue to play until all Beavers match all their pictures. Have those who have completed their card, help the others who haven't.
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Red Light, Green Light
All participants start in a straight line across the playing area from IT. IT can be a leader or Beaver. It turns his back to the participants and yells, "green light". Participants moved as far forward as they can toward IT. Whenever IT feels like it, she yells out "Red light!" The participants must stop. If IT sees someone moving they must return to the start. The first participant to pass IT now becomes IT.
We used this game with our space theme. The Beavers were astronauts and the action phrases were, "resume countdown", "countdown hold", and when the Beaver passed Mission Control (IT), they yelled, "BLAST OFF!"
Rob You Blind
Sit in a circle. Have one Beaver sit on a chair in the centre of the circle with a blindfold on (your scarf works well as a blindfold), and a flashlight. The circle must sit really quiet while someone tries to steal the keys. The Beaver on the chair has three chances to try to shine their light on the thief.
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Sardines
This is a variation of hide-and-seek. One Beaver hides while everyone else counts out loud to 25. (May need some leader help here.) Beavers then scatter and search for the one hiding. The twist — each time a Beaver finds the one hiding, they hide in the place together and stay silent (ya, right!). The game continues until the whole Colony has joined in.
Scavenger Hunt
This is a different twist to the normal hunt. Break off into lodges. Give each lodge two magazines, scissors, glue sticks, a large piece of paper, and a list of things to find. When all lodges are done they will each get up and explain their findings.
Snake Biter
Divide the colony into 2 equal lines. The first line starts moving trying to avoid the 2nd line which is trying to touch the last person in the first line. If you are touched you must join the end of the 2nd line. This continues on till there is no one in the first line. No running allowed.
Spider's Web
Beavers stand at one end of the hall. Leaders stand in the middle with their arms and legs spread. All the Beavers move to the other end of the room. The leaders try to touch them as they go by. Touched Beavers must freeze with their legs open. Beavers can be unfrozen by another Beaver going under their legs. This carries on till everyone is caught, or you're tired of the game.
Spoons
Tie a really long piece of string to a spoon handle. the first Beaver threads the spoon down his shirt, through his pants, and hands it to the next player who threads the spoon through his clothing, and so on. Once everyone is threaded, try to sit down, stand up, hop, whatever.
Statues
A leader spins the Beavers, (or let them go around a few times on the end of a baseball bat), and the must stop and not move. If you move your out and you help watch for the others to move.
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Tortoise Race
Line up in lodges. Then the first Beavers of each lodge go to the other end of the room and back as slow as they can. The last done, wins.
Train Game
Make a circle of outward facing chairs. All the Beavers sit in the chairs, except one. The Beaver without a chair is the engineer and runs around the circle tapping other Beavers on the shoulder. When tapped the Beaver joins the train and the engineer continues until all the Beavers are up and following him. Then the leader calls out either: slow train — everyone walks slowly; or fast train — everyone runs ; or reverse — everyone walks backwards; tunnel — everyone does the duck walk; station — everyone sits on the chairs. The Beaver left standing is the new engineer and you start all over again.
Truth or Fib
Say the following chant —
As I stood under the apple tree,
All the apples fell on me.
Apple pudding, apple pie,
Would I ever tell a lie?
Yes you did, you know you did.
You broke your mother's teapot lid.
One Beaver stands and tells a short story. Is it true, or is it false? Everyone votes with fingers:
2 fingers straight up (peace sign) — TRUE.
2 fingers crossed — LIE
Tug o'War
Want something different for Family night, or during an outing, where you have unsuspecting parents and guardians? Then here's a variation of the game everyone, especially the Beavers, will enjoy. Have the Beavers participate in the standard, run-of-the-mill Tug o'War. Then challenge an adult team to take on the Colony. Make sure there's just less than half the number of adults as Beavers. Everyone will be surprised by the result.
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What I Saw At The Zoo
Sitting in the circle a leader tosses a beanbag at a Beaver who must give the name of an animal. The Beaver them tosses the beanbag at another Beaver who must say a different animal and so on. No duplicates allowed.
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You Are It
Beavers (and scouters) line up facing a wall. No one peeking. A piece of stick (masking) tape is put on the back of one of the participants, but the leader pretends to put in on the back of everyone. When told to begin, participants are told to sit down once they see the person with the sticky tape, but don't let anyone see your own back.
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Last updated: March 31, 1999
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