Fond Childhood Memories of Traditional Group Games (Easy)

Youth Group Games

I have warm-hearted childhood memories of playing group games with my cousins and the kids in the neighbourhood. In this article I reminisce and share with you some of those fond childhood memories of traditional group games.

An Awesome Outside Night Group Game

Fond Childhood Memories of Traditional Group Games

On the coastal seaweed banks, whilst camping with family friends, we would play a night group game called ‘Kick the Can’. We loved this game because of the exhilaration of hiding in the dark from our ‘enemy’.

The aim was to kick the Can without being caught by the Spotter who held the torch.

We’d run around late into the night dodging the torch light, hiding behind sea weed banks and sneaking along the sand dune from bush to bush.  We’d watch from the dark corners, our comrades getting picked off one by one by the Spotter. They would be sent to the Spotter’s jail!

We’d join forces with those still at large to mount a strategic counter attack to free our captured friends! The only way to free them was to kick the Can.

If you managed to do that, you would most definitely be the hero of the game!

Have you Ever Tried Playing Hid-n-Seek, Back-to-Front?

Another fun traditional group game that we played all the time in the back yard with the neighbourhood kids was a game called ‘Squashed Sardines’.

This game is a reverse of Hide-n-Seek. Rather than one person counting whilst all the other players hid; with Squashed Sardines, one person hides whilst all the other players count.

Once the countdown was complete, we would franticly race around searching for our buddy who was secretly hiding. When found, we would silently slide into their secret hiding spot awaiting others to find us. These guys would also join us in our hiding spot.

When the last poor sole finally discovers us and our hiding spot… we’d jump out shouting, “Squashed Sardines”. It was our worst nightmare to be that last poor sole! (Find more outdoor group games here)

Heads Down Thumbs Up a Traditional Group Game

At school, our teachers would have us playing traditional group games. An old favourite, that has stood the time, is ‘Heads Down Thumbs Up’. Such a simple game that we were so stoked to play!

I bet many of you played this game as well.

Five students were selected to quietly move around the class, each picking a player by touching their thumb. These players had their head buried on their desks and their eyes closed.

Once all five students have made their selections, the coordinator of the game (which was usually one of us kids!) would call, “heads up stand up”.

Those who had had their thumb touched would stand. Each would have an opportunity to guess who it was who touched their thumb. If they guessed correctly, they would get to swap with that out the front. Then the game repeats.

I used to try and peek under my arm at the feet of the kids doing the picking. I’d usually end up getting caught!

Do the French Play Cricket?

A cool group game we played on the oval was ‘French Cricket’.

This was played with a bat and a ball. The batter’s legs were his/her wickets.

The aim was to hit the batter’s legs below the knee with the ball! Not as easy as it sounds.

Fielders would work together, passing the ball between themselves whilst moving in on the Batter. The Batter wasn’t allowed to move his/her feet unless he/she manages to hit the ball with their bat when the ball was tossed underarm at their ‘wickets’. When the ball has hit, the Batter could race off to find a new spot on the oval.

As soon as a player picked up the ball again, that player would call out “freeze”, and the Batter would stand with feet still again, ready to defend their wickets. Fielders were not permitted to run when they had the ball.

They had to pass the ball to players closer to the Batter. Attacking the Batter with the ball from behind made it easier to get them out. If the ball was being tossed at the batter’s legs from behind, then the Batter would have to keep their feet pointing in one direction, whilst twisting their body around to defend their wickets with the bat.

French Cricket works best with small groups of about six players. I have no idea if French Cricket was a game the French play!

Fun Youth Group Games for Kids

Do you Remember These Traditional Group Games from Your School Days?

A bunch of other traditional group games that I remember playing as a kid were ‘Four Square’ and ‘Wall Ball’ on the quad; ‘Knuckle-Bones’ and ‘Elastics’ in the hallways; and ‘Brandy’ and ‘British Bulldog’ out on the oval. We loved pen and paper games like Boxes, SOS and Pen Flick; or games to practice number concepts (Buz) or for learning our spelling words (Beat-the-Chalk).

I have so many happy childhood memories. It was a time long before electronic games and social media. Playing group games helped me form the foundations to who I am today.

Now, here I am many years later, a Dad to seven kids and a school teacher, reliving my awesome childhood with my own cool little tribe of kids at home and with the kids I teach!

Other articles to check out!

Large Group Games for the Outdoors

Five Fun Classroom Educational Group Games for Teachers

Team Building Games for Kids

Epic Large Group Games for the Outdoors (Quick Demo Videos)

large group games

Having groups of 100 or more presents challenges with finding a suitable group game that can be played easily, and at the same time, engage all players. Here are a few outdoor large group games that are definite winners with kids of all ages.

Secret Hunter

Large Group Games Capture the Flag

A large group game similar to Gang Up Chasey.

A Secret Hunter is selected.

Everyone runs off, and if they like, can hide.

The Secret Hunter will hunt (tag) players. These players then join the Secret Hunter’s team and become Hunters.

More and more Hunters band together seeking out players.

The last player tagged wins the game! Perfect for big open spaces where kids can run.

Secret Hunter is guaranteed to wear them out!

Capture the Flag

For very large groups play this game with four teams. Each team has an area to defend and an ‘no go zone’ to place their flag (this can be a ball in a marked circle- 3 metre diameter). Each team also has a jail for holding their captures.

The aim of the game is to capture all four flags.

If players get tagged whilst in another team’s area they must go to that team’s jail. Only a player from their own team can rescue them from jail.

Capture the Flag is an action strategy large group game where everyone is involved.

It also makes a great night group game that kids would enjoy playing when on a youth camp. When I was a teenager we played Capture the Flag at night in sand-dunes in the bush with just two teams! The guys manning the base would have torches for spotting the enemy.

Everybody’s It

 A very simple large group game that is perfect as a warm up. Everybody runs around tagging one another. If tagged, the player stands still with their arms out in a ‘tree pose’. Active players can also save other players by ducking under a tagged player’s outstretched arm. The game has no end, just lots of energized kids!

Treasure

This one is a favourite of mine! The kids love the game and they will play until they drop.

The aim is to steal all the ‘treasure’ from the other team.

Two teams, each with their own zone. In each zone there is a marked circle (about 2-3m diameter). Place three pieces of treasure in each circle (use anything- shoes, gator balls, coconuts).

Each zone also has a jail and a safe base (use a hoola-hoop for these or a mat).

Teams wear team colours.

Allow players time to meet to discuss strategy, then start the game. Players must defend their treasure and at the same time try to steal the treasure from the other team. If caught they are put in jail. To be rescued from jail, a member from their team must get to the jail and link arms with their captured team mate. They can then walk them safely back to their team zone.

Players can also use the safe base as a vantage point to get closer to the treasure. This is an action packed exciting Large group game for the outdoors.

Large Group Games Final Thoughts

The key to running successful large group games is having all players fully engaged in the game and not standing around.

Check out Wacki’s collection of outdoor large group games HERE.

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