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Back Seat Driver

Required: Several big wheels or tricycles, blindfolds, and orange construction cones

Players: Small to large groups

Set up teams so that each team has a small bike to ride, a blindfold and a course with 3 -5 cones ahead of them equally spaced. If you don’t have access to cones then make them out of milk jugs filled with sand or water.

You can paint them differently for each team. The first player from each team will mount his bike and put on a blindfold, the next player of the team will be the back seat driver. The back seat driver will direct the driver down through the cones weaving in and out, and then back to the start line.

The back seat driver will now become the driver and the next person will be the back seat driver. The old driver will go to the back of the line until he becomes the last back seat driver. The first team to complete the rotation is the winner. A great team building game which youth or young couples will enjoy.

Ball Relay

Required: 15 sets of balls in various sizes, two ball bags and two hula-hoops

Players: Small to large groups

This game is great for a physical education teacher. Set up players in two teams. You will need 15 balls for each team. The balls for each team should match in size. You should use medicine balls, basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, kick balls, volleyballs, etc.

Each team should have the same size and amount. In front of each team, place a hula-hoop filled with all their balls, the big ones should be on the bottom with the little ones on top. All the balls should fit inside the hoop.

At the other end of the field will be a ball bag for each team (big enough to hold all the balls for that team). The first person from each team is to grab a ball, take it down the field, stuff it in the bag, race back and tag the next person who will do the same.

You keep doing this until the last ball is left. The person with the last ball will take it down field, stuff it in the bag, bring the bag back to the front of the line where the hoop is and place all the balls back into the hoop. Once all the balls are out of the bag and placed in the hoop that team wins, but the trick is they have to be stacked correctly to fit into the hoop. The big ones must be on the bottom and the little ones on top.

Balloon Head Race

Required: Balloons

Players: Small to large groups

Organise players so that they’re into pairs and each team receives a partially inflated balloon. When the game starts, teams must race to a finish line carrying a balloon between their heads, remember don’t use your hands. On hot days try it with water balloons or through a sprinkler. You can even try an obstacle course.

Banana Olympics

Required: Bananas

Players: Small to large groups

Divide the group into teams of 8-10 players and give each team a banana. Each team will complete several series of different relays using their banana. Here are some ideas for those relays. The banana under your armpit and hopping on one leg down a field and back.

Place the banana between the knees and hop down a field and back. Two teammates tossing the banana back and forth down the field and back. Place the banana on the ground and each teammate must roll across the banana. Teammates line up in leapfrog formation and first player hops over players while holding banana and then tosses banana to next player in line to do the same.

Show the players all the relays that they’ll have to complete for the Olympics. You may have to write them on a large white board so that all players will know what relay is next. Once a team has completed all these relays someone on the team must eat the banana and the team that is done first is the winner.

Use your own ideas, add to the list or use only a few ideas. You can adjust this game to all types of players including the disabled.   

Beanbag Bowling

Required: 5 bowling pins and 5 bean bags

Players: Medium to large groups

Play on a smooth flat surface like a gym floor. Divide players into four teams. Place one bowling pin exactly in the center of a 30ft - 40ft circle. The other four pins will be placed evenly around the outside of the circle.

One player from each team will be on the outside of the circle standing next to their bowling pin but slightly behind it. The player is given a FlingSock or beanbag to hold onto while they run. When signaled the players are to run around the outside of the circle in a clockwise direction.

Once they make a complete circle they are to stand at their bowling pin, toss their bag so that it will slide across the floor in an attempt to knock down the bowling pin. If their bag misses they are to retrieve their bag and return to their throwing position and try again until someone knocks down the pin.

The team that knocks down the pin receives 5 points. The next players on each team will do the same until all players have had a chance to do the relay. The team with the most points is the winner.

Big Foot

Required: Large rubber boots and grass play area

Players: Small to large groups

Set up teams with each team assigned one pair of large rubber boots. These boots can be fishing waders and it would be helpful if the players could just slide their shoes right into the boots without taking off their shoes. Have teams line up behind the starting line.

The first person on each team must put on the rubber boots, race down grass course and back, take off the boots and the next person on the team will do the same. When the last person on one of the teams crosses back through the starting line first, they are the winners.

Blanket Carry

Required: One blanket for each team, cones

Players: Medium to large groups

Play this game in an open grassy area. Divide the group into teams of 10 players. Each team will be given one blanket. Set out one cone per team at the end the playing field for players to go around.

Each team will need four players to carry the blanket; one player on each corner and the corners will be numbered corner #1, #2, #3 and #4. They will also need one player to ride in the blanket. The players will rotate after each carry so that each player on the team has been at all of the corner positions and the carried player.

On go, the teams will race down around the cones and back then rotate until all players have had a turn. If one team is short on players that team will have to repeat some players so that all teams take the equal amount of trips down and back. The first team to complete the rotation is the winner.    

Blinded Ball Retrieval

Required: Containers, balls and blindfolds

Players: Small to large groups

Separate into teams of 4-8 players and each team will have one container of balls and one blindfold. Each container will have to same amount of balls about 3-5 depending on the size of the teams.

The container of balls will be placed about six feet in front of the teams. The first player will put on the blindfold and then the balls will be dumped out. Each player will try to retrieve 3 balls and place them back into their own container by following instructions given by the rest of the team.

Once they have done this they can remove their blindfold and return to the next person in line. That person will put on the blindfold and the balls will be dumped. They will also retrieve 3 balls for their container. The balls can be any balls that they find but they have to go into their own container. If they put a ball into the wrong container it will count for the other team.

Caution the players not to run because they can bump into the other players that are blindfolded. It’s best if only one person from the team tells the blindfolded player where to go. It will take teamwork trying to keep quiet so that the player can listen for direction. The first team done with the rotation is the winner.

Chimp Race

Players: Small to large groups

Set up teams and play area. The first person on each team is to bend over with feet apart and grab their ankles. On “go”, they are to race down the course and back without letting go of their ankles. Each person on the team repeats the relay. The first team done is the winner.

Cracker Whistle

Required: Crackers, table or counter, cups and water

Players: Small to large groups

Set up 2-4 teams depending on the number of players. The first player on each team will run to one main table, eat two crackers and then attempt to whistle.

Once a player has whistled they run back to their team and tag the next player. That player will also do the same until everyone has completed the task. The first team done is a winner.

Make sure you have cups of water nearby just in case someone needs a drink.  

Cup Stack Relay Knock Down

Required: 8-10 paper or plastic cups and plates, one Fun Gripper Team Handball per team

Players: Large groups

Set up teams of 8-10 players in lines facing away from the middle of a circle about 15-20 feet away. In the middle of the circle, somewhat lined up with each teams position, is their pile of cups and plates to stack up. Each team will be given one ball.

The first player from each team will run down to the middle where their equipment is, and stack the plates and cups alternating them, having the cups face down, and then run to the next person to do the same. The next person will run down and un-stack them and then re-stack them. But anyone from another team has the option of using their ball to try to knock down any other team's stacked pile to set them behind.

This is done only by the next person in line, on their turn, they cannot go do their task until the person behind them has retrieved the thrown ball and brought it back to the group.

If a team's cups are knocked down, the person that stacked them has to return and do it again. So the strategy becomes do you knock down someone else's stack or focus only on your team's progress and play it safe. The first team done is the winner of the game.  

Dizzy Basketball

Required: Basketballs, basketball hoop and baseball bats Players:

Small to medium groups

Divide up players into teams. Give each team one basketball and one baseball bat. One player at a time from each team will go to their baseball bat, bend over, put their head on the end bat and circle it 5 times while in this position (They should be vary dizzy at this point).

Then they will go pick up their basketball dribble down to the hoop and shoot a basket with the ball. Once they have done this they return the ball to it’s position by the bat and tag the next player on the team to do the same. The first team done completing this rotation is the winner.

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