Fun & Games for Camp

Fill the Bottle

• Prepare for this summer kids' game by gathering a large bucket, two plastic soda bottles and two small cups. Fill the bucket up with water and place it at the starting point, where the players also line up. Group the players into two different teams. Each team has to pick one kid to go to the opposite side of the play space and lie down, holding the soda bottle at his forehead with his hands. The game begins when the first player from each team fills up a small cup with water from the bucket and heads over to his teammate on the other side, filling up the soda bottle with the water. The player then heads back to his team at the starting point and hands off the cup to the next player. This continues until one team has completely filled up its team's soda bottle.

Popcorn

• To help the campers build a sense of community, play "Popcorn." Gather everyone into a large play area, whether it's outside or indoors. To start, call out a number and an object. For instance, say "Five, car" or "Three, washing machine." The campers all have to form groups composed of the number of players you instructed. Quickly, they have to come up with a way of using their collective limbs to represent the object. To make sure that no player gets left out, use only numbers that divide evenly among the amount of campers present. Play for as long as you want.

British Bulldog

• Move the campers all to one side of the play area. Pick one player, preferably an older child, to become the bulldog and have her stand in the middle of the area. When ready, the bulldog shouts "British bulldog," prompting the other players on the sidelines to rush past him to the other side of the area. The British bulldog has to try and pick up one of the players and hold him for as long as it takes to call out "1-2-3, British bulldog." If she accomplishes this, that player transforms into another bulldog, who has to try and pick up campers just like the other bulldog. The game ends when only one player--the winner--remains, having avoided becoming a bulldog.