How to Make Games Out of Toy Soldiers

Set up soldiers far apart from one another on one side of the room, and have your opponent set up his soldiers on the other side of the room. Use a small bouncy ball to try to knock down one or more of your opponent's soldiers. Your opponent goes next, and you each take turns until one player wins by knocking all the opponent's soldiers down first.

Have one player go into a room and set up his toy soldiers in hidden places around the room, making a quick list of the location of each soldier. Have the opponent come into the room, and he has one minute to aim his finger and shoot where he thinks the soldiers are hidden. Mark off each correct hit from the list during this time, then switch places and repeat.

Have each player set up her toy soldiers on one side of the room, spreading them out as much as possible. The first player lies on the floor and finds a path where she can take down the most soldiers with one shot of a bouncy ball. Lay down the soldiers eliminated, then the next player goes, continuing the game until one player wins by taking down all her opponent's soldiers. You can also do this standing and roll the ball as you would a bowling ball.

Set up toy soldiers on a bookcase. Use a toy shooter, such as a suction-cup arrow gun or a foam shooter, to take out the soldiers. Win by shooting more soldiers than your opponent.