Eagle Eye Outdoor Game

Directions for the Eagle. This outdoor game is a sedentary variation on hide-and-seek.
Play it in an area with some decent cover for hiding: bushes, ferns, tall grass.
One person will be chosen as the Eagle who must stand in his "Eagle Nest" that consists of
about the range of his/her pivot-step. I usually start by having an instructor stay with the Eagle
during the game as a facilitator.
The Eagle closes his/her eyes and counts to 60 while everyone
else hides in a broad circle around the Eagle Nest (define the boundaries).

Directions for hiders. All hiders or "voles/mice/rabbits" must hide themselves in such a way
that they can see the Eagle with at least one eye at all times. This means no hiding completely behind trees, etc.
They must also hide within the boundaries.
The game goal - people want to get as close to the Eagle as possible and not be seen. this is the true test of invisibility.

Eyes Open. The Eagle opens his eyes and looks (and listens) all around for everyone hiding,
but she cannot leave the nest. When the Eagle sees something that might be a person hiding,
he must describe the colors of the clothes or hair he sees and point to the exact location,
it will be clear that the person has been seen.
That person comes to the Eagle Nest and sits down, remaining silent not giving anyone else away.
Again, the Eagle listens in the silence for any movement of other people hiding.

Sustain Pace. After a while, when the Eagle cannot see any more people, have her close her eyes
and count to 30 while everyone quickly hides again, moving at least 5 steps closer to the Eagle this time.
Keep playing like this until Eagle finds everyone or until one person remains.
Ask the last person hiding to give a bird call so everyone
can locate their number one hiding spot. In this way,
the game stays interesting and fun for everyone involved, without lagging or becoming boring.

 Ninja

Among outdoor games for teens, Ninja lives up to its name. It demands complete sensory awareness, the ability to improvise in chaotic circumstances, and to have an amazing amount of fun. Ok, I'm not sure if real-life ninjas have fun, but in this game they do.

For the game you'll need a group of at least 2 students, and much larger numbers can be accommodated with some changes. You'll also need a blindfold or two.

How To:

- Find an open flat area where your group can gather, and then form a circle. Form a boundary around the outside edge of the circle with jackets/shoes/etc.

- Choose one or two "ninjas" to start - these will be the folks wearing the blindfolds. Blindfold them and have them come to the center of the circle.

- Now the fun begins! Essentially, the two blindfolded ninjas need to move about the circle (being told when they are moving outside the boundary) with a goal of tagging everyone else who remains inside the circle (besides the other ninja). They can move fast, slow, crawl, jump, etc.

- Once they tag someone, that person moves to the boundary of the circle, and helps to alert the ninjas, or others in the circle when they are approaching/crossing the boundary.

- If someone leaves the boundary to escape the ninjas, they are automatically "caught" and become part of the outer circle with others who were actually tagged.

- At times, it will be easy to evade the ninjas, and at others almost impossible. It's a good idea to have a facilitator who keeps the challenge up by slowly moving in the circle of folks on the boundary as the number of folks trying to elude the ninjas gets smaller.

- The round ends when the ninjas have tagged everyone who started out in the circle. Usually, the last two folks to be tagged then become the ninjas for the next round.

- Played barefoot by all, this outdoor game for teens becomes a battle of senses and creativity where speed means little and moving quietly is essential.

We'll post more outdoor games for teens here so stay tuned!

Play well!

Nutty Squirrels

How To:

Goal. Mother squirrels guide their blind babies with code-language to navigate the playing field, collect nuts, and fire them at other squirrels. Hit Squirrels go to the sidelines. The last squirrel left in the field, wins. Don't be deceived by the mother/baby language here, this is among the best of outdoor games for teens.

Set Up. Use markers to define your natural boundaries. Play this outdoor game for teens barefoot by both partners, with their socks balled up, tossed into the middle of the playing field, to become Nuts. Remember to check the field for barefoot hazards before playing.

Pair up as Mother and Baby Squirrels. You'll need a minimum of four pairs to play, although larger groups work better. Ask for a volunteer Baby Squirrel, and blindfold the Baby.

Set-up Signals. Before starting, partners agree on sound signals or code language with which the Mothers will guide the babies. Mothers very quietly stay close to their Babies at the beginning without touching them; Mothers don't want to draw other blind squirrels' attention to their Babies. Signals cannot be words, and need to be unique to each pair. Taps, squirrel-like chatters, and quick yelps work great.

Refereeing. To monitor larger games, you will need multiple instructors. When a sock-nut hits a Baby squirrel, Baby and Mother must silently walk out of the playing circle and watch the remaining squirrels fight for their lives. If only the Mother gets hit, the Baby Squirrel stays in, no "on their lonesome" to do everything - with their blindfold still on. Watch the concentration of the last few blindfolded Babies as they listen for nearby footsteps and quietly Fox-walk so they do not betray their location. Watch for folks who demonstrate an uncanny ability to throw their nuts to hit the target, even before Mother Squirrel prompts them. Either their blindfold is loose, or they're more than ready to become a fabulous birder-by-ear.

Last Squirrel Standing. The last squirrel standing wins the round. Have the squirrels on the sidelines - when they aren't rolling on the ground quietly laughing - remain quiet and throw miscast nuts back into the game field.

In comparison to other outdoor games for teens, this one might sound cutesy because of the mother and baby squirrel description. However, even though this can be done by younger children, the strategy and the fun possible with this definitely makes it a great game for teens!

---

HAWKS BIRDS

In this nature activity, hawks birds present a fun challenge to the children.

When a bird hawk is hunting, the birds that survive are the ones that are most aware of danger. At a young age either they learn to scatter into the trees or back into the nest, or they become lunch for a bird of prey.

This is a fast moving game that children love. It is a good one to play with large groups, although it can also be used with groups as small as four or five.

Working with the 6 to 9 year olds at Spruce Pine Montessori School, we shaped it to a version that we liked, giving our hawks and birds a lot of freedom to interchange.

Start the game with one or two hawks. Everyone else is a baby bird. The bird’s “nest,” or safe place, is a bandana or other object placed on the ground. Make as many nests as necessary so that the birds are not too crowded.

The game begins when the baby birds leave the nest to find food. Then the hawks began to fly around the birds. When they raise their “wings” (arms) they begin the hunt.

When the baby birds see the hawks hunting they must get back to their nest or be killed (tagged) by the hawk. Once in the nest they must practice being still and quiet. If the hawk sees movement or hears noise, it can tag the bird and the bird dies.

“Dead” birds become hawks in the next round so that no one has to sit out.

If a hawk does not catch a bird in three rounds, then it “dies” and becomes a baby bird.

Helpful hints:

1. Hawks are not allowed to touch the birds in order to make them move.
2. Hawks are not allowed to hover over a bird. They must continue to fly.
3. Baby birds must leave the nest if hawks are not hunting.
4. Limit each round to 30 to 60 seconds.

 

 

 

 

HIDING GAMES

What do nature activity hiding games have to do with awareness? Well, everything really. We play our games in the woods. This helps the child to spend a lot of quiet time in the natural world and learn to blend in. The more a child can blend in to the woods, the closer he or she will be to nature. An increase in awareness of birds, animals, plants, colors, textures and all other natural things will follow. Plus, they are great fun.

With adult supervision, find a safe place in a wooded area. Be sure that the boundaries are well defined and the area is free of common hazards such as poison ivy. Hide and seek is a great way to start, and everyone knows how to play. Begin with hide and seek and then try a couple of new ones.

TRAIL SIDE HIDE

Walk down a wooded trail with two adults and a group of children. One adult stays behind while the other takes the children a little further up the trail. Then the children hide on both sides of the trail. The rule is that they must hide close enough to the trail so that they can see the adult. The other adult must close his or her eyes while the children are hiding, then walk forward. Without leaving the trail he or she tries to find as many children as possible. This is a fun activity with all age groups, but especially the younger ones.

SCATTER

This nature activity hiding game works with an older group that you are sure will follow directions. Take a walk in the woods on a well marked trail. Without warning, the adult will shout "SCATTER" and begin counting to a low number such as 8 or 10. The children will have an 8 or 10 count to find a hiding place. Then the adult will look for the hiders while staying on the trail.

The object of this game is to find cover and blend in quickly. Running a great distance after the count is over is not allowed. As the game goes on, make the count shorter and shorter. The kids love the challenge.

 

BANDANA WALK

Here is a nature activity that works well with a small to medium size group. It is a great game to help you to learn how to see. Oh, I know what you are thinking, you already know how to see! Are you sure? Can you see the little things in nature that most people walk right by and never notice? Most of what we experience in the world comes through our eyes. The catch is, we miss a lot because we have not been trained to see. Computer games, videos, and TV do not teach us to see. They are only lines on a screen. Real seeing in the natural world is an art. With a little practice you can open up new worlds for yourself in nature by learning how to use your eyes.

Let’s get started. Gather up several bandanas or pieces of cloth of many different colors. Find a trail in the woods if possible, or use an area in or around your house. This activity will work anywhere. One person will place the bandanas along the trail, or around the house and yard. Put them where they can be seen, but not too easily. After this is done the rest of the group, one at a time will walk down the trail, or around the house, and see how many bandanas he or she can find. Do this without moving your head from side to side. Look straight ahead and try to catch the bandanas with the corners of your eyes. This is called using your peripheral vision. Owls are great at this and you can be too!

To make it more interesting, try different colored bandanas and put them in new places. Also, make some easy to see and some hard. It doesn’t matter how many you actually find. What is important is to practice using your sense of sight in a new way.

Any questions before you begin?

---

“I would like to say something.”
“Hi, Moon Bird. Can we talk later? I’m trying to get the children started on this nature activity.”
“I know, Bob, but I have a suggestion.”
“There will be time for suggestions later, let’s play the game and then talk things over, OK?”
“Well, Bob, I have a thought that will help.”
“All right, Moon Bird, what is it?”
“First of all, I need a headline.”
“Another headline? But they are soooo hard to do!”
“Please, Bob. For the children.”
“OK, Moon Bird. You’re right. What should it say?”
“It should say Non-Nature Trail, in green, please.”
“Like this?”

NON-NATURE TRAIL

“That looks good, Bob.”
“OK Moon Bird, now will you tell me why we are doing this?”
“Sure. It’s simple. The nature activity Non-Nature Trail is similar to Bandana Trail. They can both be played in the same place, so we can give out two games at the same time.”
“Good thinking, Moon Bird. How does it go?”

“In the Non-Nature Trail you must place objects along the trail, or around the house, that don’t fit in. Then, as people are walking down the trail or around the house the goal is to find these objects. Use a bottle cap, or a piece of paper, or a plastic cup, or anything at all.”
“That’s a good game, Moon Bird, but how is it different than Bandana Trail.”
“In this activity you are allowed to move your head back and forth, so it is easier to do. It will help you wake up your sense of sight and get ready to see like an owl. You have told them about Owl Eyes, haven’t you, Bob?”
“Well, Moon Bird, I’ve been wanting to do that, but you see, I’ve been kind of busy and…”
“That’s alright, Bob, you can tell them about Owl Eyes another time."

---

Thank you, Moon Bird. Now let’s turn it over to the kids! Time to go out and try either one or both of these nature activities. We would like to know how these nature activities went for you. Where did you play these games? Was it in the woods, or around a house, or some other place? Were you able to see any bandanas or other objects? What colors stood out? Which ones blended in? If you played both games, which one did you like better? Why?

 

 

 

 

ANIMAL PRETEND

Hi kids, it is Running Deer here. Moon Bird, Barbara, and Bob are animal tracking right now on the mountain. So I'm in charge for today. We need another nature activity. Hmmm.....let me think. I've got it!

Here is a fun activity that many children love. We call it 'animal pretend'. I think you know why we call it that. This is a nature activity in which you pretend to be any nature critter that you want to be. That's why I like this game so much, because I love to use my imagination and play pretend. You need at least two people to play, but it is more fun with larger groups.

One person will pretend to be an animal and the others will try to guess who you are. There are many things you can do to give them hints. Here are a few: Make certain creature sounds. Walk or run in a certain way. Pretend to eat certain foods. Act in a brave way or a timid way, depending on what you are.

You get the picture. Pretend so well that you become the animal. Give everyone in the group a chance to pretend at least one time, then do it again.

 

THE CIRCLE GAME

This is a fast and fun nature activity. The rules are simple. A group of children stand in a circle, facing in, to the center. One person is chosen to enter the middle of the circle. He or she will hold a bandana or any other handy object. When the bandana is put on the ground in the center of the circle, the game begins. The center person is not allowed to cover up the bandana in any way, such as sitting on it, standing on it, etc.

The object of this nature activity is for every player who is standing in the circle to try and take the bandana away from the person in the center. They enter from all sides whenever they want to. The center person must tag players as they come close. If a player is tagged, then he or she must go back to the outside of the circle and start again.

If a player picks up the bandana, he or she must get back to the outside of the circle without being tagged. Whoever is successful in getting the bandana all the way to the outside of the circle becomes the next person in the center. Play until everyone has a chance to be in the center.

That's all there is to it. Are you wondering why this activity has anything to do with nature? It's the eyes. This is a game that will teach you how to see. I know that you can see, but can you see like an animal can? Can you see like an owl?

An owl has a wide field of vision. If you practice this nature activity, your field of vision will expand. It has to. If you were in tunnel vision you would see only what is directly in front of you. Someone could easily come in from the side and take the bandana.

This is called using Owl Eyes. Practice this skill and it will open up a whole new way of looking at nature for you.

How did that nature activity go for you? Did you use your Owl Eyes? What was more helpful in this game, speed or owl vision? Where else do you think you can use Owl Eyes?

 

 

 

 

FIND A MATE

This is a nature activity that the younger children can't get enough of. We use it often in programs for 6 to 9 year olds, and occasionally with 9 to 12 year olds. They laugh and play their way through it, and then ask for more. It's a great way to experience what it is like to be an animal and to offer insights into why and how it behaves.
This is how it goes. Develop a list of common animals, such as deer, cat, dog, mouse, bird, etc. In secret, give each child an animal. The key to the game is to give each animal twice so that every child will have a mate. When the signal is given to start, the children imitate their animal and try to find their mate.

This is where the fun starts. Encourage the children to "become" the animal. Walk like the animal, make sounds like the animal, behave like the animal. No human talking is allowed. When all mates are found, start another round.