Tug of War
Create two teams. One team on each side of the rope. Depending on the size of the teams, Use a rope that's 25–120 ft long, depending on your team size. Have a marker to designate the center of the playing field. Then, mark 13–15 ft on either side from the center mark The idea of the game is that each team will pull the rope, and the first team to get their mark over the center mark wins the game.
Red Light Green Light
One person (either a camp counselor or one of the players) stands at the front of the playing field, playing the role of the “traffic light.” The rest of the players stand a certain distance away from the traffic light, but close enough to hear the commands. The traffic light will have their back turned to the players (or hands over their eyes). The traffic light will shout “green light,” or “red light”. Green light means the players can move closer either walking or running. “Red light” means that the players must stop. When the traffic light shouts “red light” they can look and anyone caught still moving during “red light” will be eliminated. The object of the game is to reach the traffic light without being caught.
Land, Air, Sea
Have three parallel lines of equal distance apart - if you're playing in a gym you can use the boundary lines and mid court line. If you're playing outside you can make your own lines and designate each line to either be “land”, “air”, or “sea”. All players will start at the middle line.
One person will stand in front of the middle line calling out commands. That person can call out “land” and all the players will have to run to that designated line labeled “land”. If any players go to the wrong line they are out. If the person calls out “land” and the players are already there and their feet leave the line, they are out. The person calling out the commands can also call out multiple commands such as, “land, air, land, sea,” and the players must listen for the last command - that's the one that matters.
Musical Chairs
Set up the chairs in two rows back-to-back. There should be one less chair for the number of people playing - if you have 15 people playing you would set up 14 chairs. The game will start with everyone circling the chairs as the music plays. Once the music stops, it’s a dash to see who can sit down first to avoid elimination. As the game continues and people are eliminated, chairs will continue to be taken away until only one chair remains to crown a winner.
Balloon Toss
Fill one gigantic balloon with water, glitter, sparkles, and/or confetti. Space everyone out in a large circle, roughly one or two feet away from each other. Then, the players will pass or throw the balloon around the circle, trying not to pop it. Have backup balloons in case the game goes quick cause who doesn’t want to pop a balloon filled with glitter and sparkles
Water Balloon Fight
Fill up plenty of water balloons for both teams to throw at each other. For some added fun you can add coloring or glitter that easily washes off. The team least covered in color or glitter wins.
Steal the Bacon
Split the group evenly into two groups and sit them with their backs turned towards the center line, approximately 20 feet apart. Assign numbers to each player on both sides from one to the final person. At the end, each team will have a number 1, 2, etc. In the center place a ball. When you call out a number, the goal is to be the first to reach the ball and bring it back to your side without being tagged by the other person. If you make it back safely, your team scores a point, if you are tagged, the ball goes back in the middle, and a new number is called.
ABC Basketball
Children sit in a large circle and pass the basketball around the circle (like a hot potato) while singing the alphabet. Whoever has the ball when the group gets to the letter Z must go to the basket and try to make a shot. If a player makes the shot, he/she takes their seat in the circle. If they miss it, they are out.
Crab Walk Soccer
Two teams sit on lines a short distance apart. Players on both teams are assigned a number, starting with one on each team. Place the soccer ball in the center. Someone calls out a number. The player from each team who is assigned that number crab walks to the center and attempts to get the ball over the opponent’s goal line. When a point is scored, the ball is returned to the center and another number is called. Team members may help but not score.
10 Sponge Relay
Create two teams and have them line up behind a starting line. Each team gets a small empty bucket and a large sponge. At the finish line, place two larger buckets filled with water. On the word go, the first person in line must run to their team’s water bucket, dunk the sponge in, run back with it, and squeeze all the water from the sponge into the team’s empty bucket. The wet sponges must be carried above their heads as they run back from the water buckets. They then pass the sponge to the next person, and so on until one team fills up their empty bucket with water. That team wins.
