Outdoor Camp Games/activities

hi -
here are some thoughts :) ...

1) Blind Obstacle Course
Set up a simple obstacle course that involves items to walk around, step over, and duck under. Students work in pairs. One member of each team is blindfolded and must rely on their partner to direct them through the course. Leaders must give clear, specific directions, and followers must rely solely on their listening skills to gather information about how to navigate the course. Another great activity for promoting teamwork
( from Suite101: Team Building Activities for Teens: Group and Classroom Games to Promote Communication Skills http://youth-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/team_bui...)

2) http://www.group-games.com/games-by-age

3) http://www.mrgym.com/ (games, activities, field days)

4) http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/searchresults.asp?ca... (field day activities)

5) various animal walks - can incorporate in obstacle courses - http://worknotes.com/IL/Chicago/Fit4FunKidsFitness/hf0.stm
Good luck and Have fun!!

My kids are younger, but favorites at scouts and field day are water activities. One is like a relay with a bucket at each end. The kids stand in a line and the first person takes a sponge and soaks it, then passes it either under her legs or over her head. It continues down the line going over and under and the last person then squeezes the water into the empty bucket at the end. You could either do a time limit with the fullest bucket, or a set number of sponges for each team. This was my son's favorite at field day this year but he's 10.
In scouts we've done the clothes relay where the team has to put on a certain outfit or number of clothing items, then either take it off and pass it along or the other teammates also dress together in a theme or something. You could have each get dressed, then have a team member snap a photo, then take it all off and pass it to the next person.
I, myself, love scavenger hunts. You could also do a compass course.
Capture the flag is great fun and you may be surprised at how many kids have never actually played a large scale game of it.
A party game I like is taking pieces of paper and writing something on it and then the kids have to walk around and ask yes or no questions to determine what they are. You could do some kind of theme with this (shapes, colors) or animals are always easy. I did this at a bridal shower with famous celebrity couples so the guests not only had to figure out who they were, but who they went with, too. Good mingling game. And it randomly set up pairs for our next game.

Vest tag - you have vests that have velcro sewn on them - horizontally, vertially, at angles, etc. on both the front and the back of the vests. They tie at the sides. Use tennis balls. Allow one or two people to be "it" - don't know how many kdis you have - and if they are "tagged" w/ the ball - it sticks to the velcro, they are out. They should have a specified area where they need to go if they are out.

Dodge ball w/ SMALL balls and rules are no hitting above the waist. I would NOT let the 12 year old play w/ the 18 year olds.

Polish softball - EVERYONE runs no matter where they hit it, there are no boundaries and you don't even have a rule for how many can be on base or which direction you can run the bases. Just make sure if they stay on base they have to be able to touch it. You don't even have to keep people in order. If someone who batted behind you decides they want to run and you don't, it's okay. You DO have to keep running in the same direction as to what you started. A GREAT game to help younger/less experienced ones who don't ever feel like they get to run the bases.

Red Rover
Capture the Flag
All KINDS of things or races you can do w/ hula hoops or multiple hula hoops
Are you allowed to use WATER?

See if your library has "Hopscotch, Hangman, Hot Potato, & Hahaha: A Rulebook of Children's Games" by Jack Maguire. It has over 250 classics - everything from solo play to games to play in water to travel games to small groups to large group games (inside and out - for when the weather is bad and campers are stuck indoors). I highly recommend it. There are many games I remember playing as a child but couldn't remember all the rules to. We play many of the classics at birthday parties and they are new to most of the kids - like Red Rover, Kick the Can, Capture the Flag, etc.

My older kids love disc (frisbee) golf. I do believe the Columbus area has several disc golf courses or you can make your own if you have enough yard space. You don't necessarily need to go buy baskets (they are EXPENSIVE - believe me, I know as we have a few), but you could use hula hoops or something on the ground as a "goal" for the disc/frisbee.