More Games for Rainbows

Duck Duck Goose
The girls sit in a circle on the floor facing inwards. One girl is chosen. She walks around the outside of the circle tapping each girl gently on the head, and saying duck to each girl. When she decides to, she names one of the girls a goose instead. She must then run (in the same direction) around the circle. The goose must get up and chase the first girl around the circle and try to catch her before she sits in the goose's place. If goose does not catch the first girl, then it is her turn to decide who is the goose. But if she does catch her, then she can sit down and the first girl must continue.

The paper game
The girls and leaders sit in a circle on the floor facing inwards. One leader has a large piece of paper (sheet of newspaper works well). She stands up and tosses it high into the air shouting someone's name as she does so. That person must try and catch the paper before it lands on the floor. Whether or not she catches it, it is her turn to throw it next, but if she does manage to catch it, then the paper is torn in half and only one piece used. As the paper gets smaller, it gets more difficult to catch it. Stop the game when the piece of paper is about 1 inch square. This game helps the girls to learn each others names, but you should make sure that they shout the name out exactly when they throw the paper (or before) to give the girl a fair chance to catch it.

Paper fishes (relay race)
The girls are divided into two (or more) teams which MUST have the same number in. Each team splits in half, and half the team goes at each end of the hall. Each team has a folded newspaper and a fish shaped cut out of paper. The fish is put on the floor and the girls must move it to the other end of the hall by flapping the newspaper on the ground in front of it, before handing the newspaper to her next team-mate who must flap the fish back to the other end of the hall. When each girl has had a turn, the team sit down. The rest of the team can shout support while this is happening. To keep it fair, you may like to say that the fish must cross a line at each end of the hall before the newspaper can be handed over. It's a good game for teamwork, and being encouraging.

On the bank; In the pond
The girls line up next to each other in a single line, facing the leader. They all start off "On the Bank". The leader then calls out either "On the Bank" or "In the Pond" and the girls must jump forward into the pond, or backwards out of it. But if they jump the wrong way or they jump and they didn't need to (if the last instruction was the same) and they jump, then they are out! Girls who are out become judges to see if anyone jumps the wrong way or wobbles.

Sleeping Lions
All the girls lie on the floor and pretend to be sleeping lions. Anyone who moves is out. You should set rules for what is permissible - coughing etc. This is a good calming down game.

Rainbow Rabbit Relay
Using the template provided, make lots of bunnies and cut them into pieces (two ears, head, body, two legs). These should be put on a table at one end of the room. The girls should be divided into teams or three or four. Each team has a table or an area of floor space at the opposite end of the room from the pieces, preferably all the same distance from the pile. When the leader says go, one member of each team runs to the far table and picks up a piece of bunny. When she gets back, she tags her next team-mate who then runs to get another piece and so on. The team-mates who aren't running should try and assemble the pieces into whole bunnies again. The winning team is the one which has the most WHOLE bunnies when all the pieces on the table have run out. This game is good for wearing them out, and teamwork.

North South East West (also known as "Captain's Coming")
All the girls must obey the instructions called out by the leader. If they get one wrong then they are out and become a judge or this can be used before refreshments etc, to get the girls a few at a time. Before you start, designate corners of the room North, South, East and West (or use the real directions if they know them!) "North", "South", "East" or "West" - girls must run to North side etc
Climb the rigging - mime climbing a ladder
Captain's coming - salute
Pirates - run round screaming
Sharks - lie flat on the floor on your front with your hands sticking up on top of your head like a fin.
Scrub the decks - mime scrubbing the floor
Freeze - all must stop as they are and ignore all further instructions until…
Thaw/Melt - shake yourself as if you're cold and await further instructions

Other commands for older girls (it gets complicated if you use too many) are:
Man overboard - girls must get into piggy backs. Anyone left over is out.
Man the lifeboats in 2's / 3's / 4's etc - girls sit on the floor in a line with the right number of people, begin to mime rowing and sing "Row row row your boat". Any team with the wrong number of people is out. (Good for finishing the game e.g. if you have 6 experts, ask them to man lifeboats in 7's and they will all be out!)
Captain's daughter - Twist your hair and say "Ooh la la"
Torpedo - shout Splosh and then lie on the floor on your front with your arms making a point in front of you
Dance the hornpipe - Dance a hornpipe while singing the Blue Peter theme tune

Bunnies
All the girls stand in a circle facing inwards. The leader walks around the circle naming each girl either Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail or Peter Rabbit. She then calls out instructions and the appropriate bunnies must run around the circle, back to their original place while the others do the appropriate action. If she shouts Flopsy, then all the Flopsy's run, and the others flop about. If she shouts Mopsy, then all the Mopsy's run, and the others mop the floor. If she shouts Cottontail, then all the Cottontail's run, and the others show off their cotton tails(!). If she shouts Peter Rabbit, then all the Peter Rabbit's run, and the others show off their coats. But if she shouts Mr Magregor, then they must all run round the circle.