GAMES WITH A MESSAGE
DIVERSITY BRINGS US TOGETHER
Have all participants stand in a large circle -- at least arms' length
apart. In turn around the circle, each person must tell one thing
about themselves or their experiences that they think is unique. If
no one else in the group shares the experience/ characteristic, the
speaker takes one step forward; if someone else HAS had the same experience,
the speaker remains where he/she is. Go around the circle several
times until most people are close to the middle of the circle. The
pluralism value in the exercise is in the processing at the end. Many
people come up with what they think -- and most of us would think
-- were unique experiences, only to find that someone else has that
in common with them. It shows not only how different we all are, and
how our differences can enrich the group, but also that we have many
things in common that we might not expect.
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FOUR CORNERS
Four people are chosen from the group. The group requires at least
16 people. Each of these 4 leaders is given a characteristic that
will allow someone to join her group. (This is done in private) Something
quite obvious i.e. glasses, jeans, tennis shoes, colour of hair, etc.
Each leader goes to a corner. The remaining participants IN SILENCE,
walk and pass each of the leaders extending their hands, as if to
shake, each of the leaders shakes her head yes or no, as to whether
or not they get to join her group. When you join the group you stand
behind the leader so that she may see the person that is coming next
in line. Hopefully, a few of the people will not be chosen. You let
these people pass all 4 leaders at least once, so they are rejected
by one or two of the leaders twice. You then call an end to the game.
You then ask the leaders how they felt about having to reject people,
how people felt about being accepted, and how those not chosen felt
about not being chosen. Then ask each group if they can figure out
why they were accepted to the group. (You have not told the group
that it is a physical characteristic) Sometimes they can figure it
out and sometimes not. This is a game that can be used at the girl
level also. And sometimes this is the first time some of these girls
are rejected and have never had that feeling before. It is a game
that can get people talking and does get them up and moving around
the room.
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BANANA GOES TO CAMP
Pre-story prep: take a not-too-ripe banana, using a long darning needle,
pierce the skin at the side and push the needle through the fruit
of the banana all the way to the skin...yes, this is hard to describe!
I'll tell you what you *want* to have happen... When you peel this
banana you want it to fall into many slices. All the way down the
banana, about every half inch, I push the needle through the peel,
moving it from side to side in order to make a "slice". Try to keep
the skin completely intact! Optional: I put a smiling face on using
a black marker. Story: (here follows *my* camp version of the story;
you may have to modify it to use it in *your* circumstances) I brought
my friend Banana Scout with me to our campfire today. Doesn't he look
nice? I really enjoy Banana Scout's company. Did you know he went
to scout camp this year? Yes, but he didn't enjoy himself a lot. All
the scouts at camp made fun of him. They said nasty, hurtful things
to him. Can you imagine what they might have said? (Ask for suggestions
of what was said) e.g. You have too many freckles!...You're not a
nice yellow colour like me!.....You're too small! Well, I can tell
you that this did not make Banana scout very happy. Look at his face...doesn't
he have a nice smile? He didn't let any of the scouts know that they
were hurting him. Did you know words could hurt? Has anyone ever hurt
you with words? Banana Scout just kept smiling and tried not to feel
hurt but inside...well, he wants us to know how he felt inside. (Begin
to peel the banana) Sometimes when we say things that are not nice
the people we say them to look just the same as they did before but
inside they begin to feel like Banana Scout did...can you see what
the mean words did to Banana Scout? (By the time you are half finished
peeling, the banana will fall apart into many slices...help the children
to reflect on what hurtful words can do and what we can do to prevent
our friends/fellow campers from feeling hurt inside.) Hope you enjoy
this little story. It was very helpful in this situation as we had
a girl who was "differently-abled" and many of the girls were snubbing
her or even being mean to her. It made me very angry to see this and
thus, the story at campfire time. The day after campfire we noticed
several of the girls helping out and being nice to her! Sometimes
we just need little reminders to help us *know* the feelings of others.
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RED LIGHT - GREEN LIGHT
Craft: You can have the Rainbows/Brownies make their own signs by
drawing a circle on red and green construction paper or you can make
up a set to be used for future meeting and keep to be used for various
topics. (NOTE) my sample is a 5-inch circle with a handle like the
stop signs that the crossing guards use, make out of red and green
Bristol board. To Play: Distribute a red circle and a green circle
to each Rainbow/Brownie then ask the girls questions. If the question
is right or the girls feel they should say yes, they put up the Green
circle. If the answer is no, or it is something they shouldn't do,
they raise the Red Circle. Can be used for different topics. Sample
Questions: ROAD SAFETY QUESTIONS 1. When you walk to the corner you
cross the street without stopping. NO 2. Stop, Look & Listen when
you come to the corner. YES 3. Look both ways before you cross the
street. YES 4. When your ball rolls out into the street you run after
it. NO 5. Cross the street only at the corner. YES 6. Always walk
beside your mother when you are in the grocery store parking lot.
Do not run ahead of her. YES 7. When you want to cross the street
you don't have to walk to the corner to cross. NO 8. You can cross
the street anywhere you want. NO 9. Only cross when the light is green
or you see the walk sign. YES 10. Run ahead of your mom when you are
in the Mall parking lot. NO 11. When the sign says "DON'T WALK" you
go anyway. NO 12. Stop at the corner and look both ways before you
cross the street. YES 13. Always talk to someone you do not know when
they speak to you. NO 14. Stop, Look and Run when you come to the
corner. NO 15. Never talk to strangers. YES 16. Pet a strange animal.
NO 17. Do not run out between two parked cars. YES 18. Keep your toys
in the driveway. NO 19. Playing games in the road is very dangerous.
YES 20. Run into the street after your cat. NO 21. If someone frightens
you, go immediately to a Block Parent house. YES CHALLENGE: Could
I challenge you to come up with some other topics that you could use
this same game for such as First Aid, Home Safety, My Body, etc.
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DEER
Category: Large space required! (Outdoors or a gym)
Equipment: One sheet of paper and a pen
Number of Participants: 24 and up!
Age: 7-16 years
Source: 30th Guide Company, Calgary - from Guider Jennifer
You divide the girls into two equal teams, and line them up facing
each other about 25 feet apart. (I'm making an estimate in the distance,
if this is too close together you'll know.) One team is the deer,
and the other team is the food, water, or shelter. Each round the
deer must decide whether they are hungry, thirsty or cold. If the
deer are hungry they hold their stomachs, if they are thirsty they
cup their hands and if they need shelter they hold their hands together
over their heads (tented). The other team of girls decides whether
they are food, water or shelter and they make the same symbols. The
deer turn back to the other girls, and on the count of three they
turn around with their symbol showing and the food, water or shelter
is making their symbol too (they decide as well what they'd like to
be.) The deer then run across the space and catch their food, water
or shelter. Only one deer per person. If there are more deer that
need water than there are ponds, then the deer die and stay on the
side of the necessities. The deer that get what they need, reproduce
and take their new deer with them back to the deer's team. After each
round the number of deer is counted, and recorded. Play the game about
10 times, so that the girls can see how the subsequent generations
of deer are dependent on the numbers of the previous generation. The
Guides that I played this with were quite impressed with how the numbers
went way up and then way down!
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RESPECTING OTHERS
Divide your group into two. Take one half aside and give them paper
and a pencil. Tell them they are to have conversation, or interact
with 10 people in the other group in an allotted time. Everyone in
the other half gets a sign (which I made from construction paper and
with a yarn "necklace" to place it over the head.) No-one is able
to read their own sign so they don't know what it says. Make up signs
like "Tell me I look tired", "Ignore me", "Tell me I look great",
"Call me stupid", "Treat me like your best friend" etc. There should
be a variety of positive and negative signs. ONLY the group with pencil
and paper can initiate a conversation. The group with signs must wait
for someone to talk to them. It helps if they can slip the comment
into the conversation. (i.e. A friend of mine was wearing the "Call
me stupid" sign at the Multicultural workshop. Someone came up to
her and asked her where she was from. When she said, Cardigan, they
replied, "I hear there are a lot of stupid people living in Cardigan"!)
I have to admit, if I KNEW there was someone with shaky self esteem
or very shy, I would tend to "plant" them with a positive sign. So
I might ask someone who knew the group well, if I didn't. After the
group "interacts" it is important to debrief what happened, talking
about how people treated them, how it made them feel, how they felt
if they had a negative sign and why, who had the advantages and why.
It is also important with an exercise like this that everyone know
the game ends when the game is over, and should not be used to joke
over a weekend, etc. I used the exercise in a discussion of stereotypes.
We all have invisible signs which we wear and which affect the way
people treat us. We need to examine our reactions to the way we are
treated because they can also add to the way we are treated in future.
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JOSEPHINE DOLL
Create - from a large sheet of paper (or maybe a couple of sheets
taped together)- a girl. The girl should be typical of the age group
you are working with. "dress" her with markers and/or crayons and
give her a name. Take Josephine to the next meeting and sit her in
a chair. Once the meeting begins, introduce "Josephine" to all the
girls - and say something nice about "Jo" and something - not bad,
but not so nice about "Jo". The introduction could go something like
this, "girls, I want you to meet my friend Josephine. We really have
a lot of fun together, except that sometimes she has REALLY bad breath.
When you say this, rip off a piece of Jo - and don't make it a tiny
piece. Then invite the rest of the girls to make negative comments
about Jo. They can be about her hair, her appearance, her clothing
or about her personality - it doesn't matter. Each girl as they make
the negative comment (try to make sure they don't get too negative/nasty,
they rip off a piece of "JO". Once everyone has finished with their
remarks- you can invite them to do several - you go on to the next
part of the plan. You say, "okay girls, now that we've ripped Josephine
apart - lets see if we can put "Josie" back together again." You need
to point out to them that "Josie" will never be the same - that she
now has scars that could last her a lifetime. It really gives a powerful
message to all who participate in it. It will show the girls how destructive
their behaviour can be. And, it should also create a bond, (team building)
amongst the girls. They should be able to see ( YOU MAY HAVE TO FACILITATE
A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT) how their power - although in this case a negative
power - can be pulled together, and that when channelled in a positive
direction, they can accomplish anything. I found this works in all
age groups, I know of one group who put Josephine back together so
we had to get across the fact that scars don't always show on the
outside.
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HIDDEN AGENDA
Objectives: Similar to Roles and Labels, this is an activity to see
how roles in a group play out. Group size: 7-15 Materials: Note cards
with roles on them Directions: Give each person a note card and ask
them to keep it to themselves. Have them think of ways they could
play out their role in a group situation. Give the group a task, such
as building something or brainstorming an idea for an activity. Allow
the roles to play out. Stop the role-play. Facilitate a discussion
with the following questions: What was your role? How did it affect
your participation? Are there roles among our group? How does it affect
participation?
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BELIEFS AND VALUES GAME
Theme: Values and Beliefs
Equipment: balloons and post-it notes and pencils
Game is best done with small group, 6-10 girls, Guide age and up (a
good thought provoker for adults). Give every girl a balloon and tell
her to blow it up and tie it off. Then give out 10 small post-it notes
each and ask them to write on each one, a value or belief that they
have, either personal, family, country or worldly item. They may need
a few minutes to think about this. They stick the post-its all over
their balloons. They hold on to their balloon while a leader reads
the following: You are on a Hot Air Balloon Ride. Each value or belief
is like a weight on the balloon weighing 2 Kilograms each. While on
this trip, the radio advises you that high winds are ahead of you
and you must rise up to fly over them by releasing one weight from
your basket. The view from the higher altitude is breathtaking, but
short lived. You release your helium slowly to lower you to a better
height and you release one weight in error. You are now over a large
body of water and you see very black clouds coming towards you. Quickly,
release two weights now! You realise that you are in the centre of
a storm! Severe rains are in view. You must make a decision as to
how many more weights to drop. You decide three as this will allow
you to hover above the troubled atmosphere. Release your three now.
As all balloonists know, when running out of fuel, you must keep your
height. Because you still need to travel to meet the opposite side
of the body of water, you drop two more weights. You have travelled
the globe and have survived the journey without harm. You realise
how hard it was for you to make decisions that needed quick responses
or thoughtful consideration. You can see that you have one remaining
weight with you on board. Was this particular weight chosen or did
it remain by an undecided means. Only you know that answer. Could
it be the most important value or belief to you? Would anyone like
to comment on how they chose what to release and when? Did you survive
this journey? What was your most troubled time and why? Would anyone
like to share what their final weight is? Can we look at some of the
weights that were dropped off. You might notice some that are familiar
to you and others that you did not think about at all. How important
is the last weight to you at this point after analysing the choices
you made. Have you broadened your viewpoint on your life's choices.
Discussion time. Thegirls might be rather reluctant at first to contribute
to the above questions, but with a little discussion, usually open
up and start to think about beliefs and values.
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ROLES AND LABELS
Objectives: To observe how roles can play out in a group, examine
roles people play and identify both the positive and negative aspects
of roles.
Group size: 7-15
Materials: Post-it notes with labels or other "head band type labels,
paper, tape, string and odds and ends.
Directions: Give each person a role to "wear" on their head. Ask them
not to look at it, but put it on directly. Tell the group that their
task is to build a "tower" using the materials given (paper, tape,
etc.) Ask them to treat people according to their labels. Designate
at least two observers, who will not participate in the task. Have
them begin the role-play, let it go on as long as they need to bring
out some of the roles. Stop the role-play. Facilitate a discussion
with the following questions: What did you think your label said?
How did it affect your participation? Are their labels among our group?
How does it affect participation? Potential labels to work with: "ignore
me", " act surprised", "laugh at everything I say", " none of my ideas
are good", "hang on my every word", "I confuse you", "tell me to shut
up", " treat me like a kid", etc.
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PROMISE AND LAW BRAID
Materials required: navy leather, or blue foamie, of blue felt, or
blue cardboard trefoil shape for tracing 36 " each of three colours
of wool, blue, white and yellow scissors leather punch/hole punch
Tell this story as you make the example or have each person do their
braid as you demonstrate and tell them what each step means. The trefoil
represents our three fold promise, being true to ourselves, our God/Faith
and country, helping others and accepting the Guiding Law. The wool
(yarn) is tied to the trefoil with an overhand knot which signifies
your enrolment when you first made your commitment to your Promise.
Now begin braiding all the long ends together to signify that we try
to think about our promise and Law as we go about our daily lives.
Being honest when someone asks you a difficult question, never telling
lies or making up stories, recycling, being proud of being a Guide
and respecting the wishes of others, doing things for others without
being asked, using talents and abilities, using water conservation
when brushing your teeth, face your fears and always do your best
at whatever you try, be proud of being a Guide and tell others. (These
are just examples) ask girls to give their examples) The longer we
stay in Guiding the more the Promise and Law becomes part of our every
day lives - a part of who we are. Tie another overhand knot which
represents our MOTTO - BE PREPARED. When we take advantage of the
opportunities which Guiding offers us, we will be well prepared to
cope with whatever life brings to us.
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HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT RELAY
Give each circle, patrol, (whatever your group divides into) a name
or names from the list below: 1.Robert Baden-Powell (8) 2.Agnes Baden-Powell
(3) 3.Olave Baden-Powell (4) 4.Boy Scouts (4) 5.Girl Scouts (5) 6.Girl
Guides (5) 7.Thinking Day (3) (everybody runs) The (numbers) indicate
how many times that person runs. On the word 'Thinking Day' the whole
(patrol) join hands and run together. Read the story aloud, giving
the girls time to run down the room, around a chair and back to their
Patrol), before proceeding. This game can be scored if desired. In
1907, ROBERT BADEN-POWELL, who had returned from the Boer War with
ideas for the training of boys, ran an experimental camp on Brownsea
Island. The following year, he published 'Scouting for Boys', and
all over the country boys began meeting together and calling themselves
BOY SCOUTS. In September, 1909, Scouts attended the Rally at Crystal
Palace. At the march pass, ROBERT BADEN-POWELL noticed at the back
a group of girls. "Who are you?" he asked. "We are GIRL SCOUTS", they
replied. "But there aren't any GIRL SCOUTS", Robert said. "Yes there
are, for we are they", the girls replied. ROBERT BADEN-POWELL realised
that something would have to be done for the girls, so he asked his
sister, AGNES BADEN-POWELL to organise them as GIRL GUIDES; in 1910
the first companies were registered, the first being Miss AGNES BADEN-POWELL'S
own. In 1912, ROBERT BADEN-POWELL began an eight-month tour, visiting
BOY SCOUTS in West Indies, Australia, and New Zealand. On board ship,
he met Olave St. Clair Saomes, and by the end of the journey they
were engaged. They married on October 30, 1912 and their wedding gift
from the BOY SCOUTS was a motor car, for which each Scout gave one
penny. OLAVE BADEN-POWELL quickly became involved in her husband's
Scouting Activities. By this time the country was at war and ROBERT
BADEN-POWELL had offered his services, although he was close to sixty
years of age. The King told him that his work with the BOY SCOUTS
was more important. In 1920 he was proclaimed Chief Scout of the World.
OLAVE BADEN-POWELL had been acclaimed Chief Guide in 1918. In 1926,
a French Guider made a suggestion that, since ROBERT BADEN-POWELL
and OLAVE BADEN-POWELL shared the same birthday, February 22nd, this
day was a special day to all GIRL GUIDES and GIRL SCOUTS around the
world. In 1927, THINKING DAY began to be celebrated. Following an
idea of a Belgian Guider in 1931, everyone was encouraged to give
one penny on that day towards the THINKING DAY fund. So - now you
know that Guiding began in 1910, founded by ROBERT BADEN-POWELL and
AGNES BADEN-POWELL, and that every year GIRL GUIDES and GIRL SCOUTS
throughout the world celebrate the joint birthday of ROBERT BADEN-POWELL
and his wife OLAVE BADEN POWELL on the 22nd of February, THINKING
DAY.
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CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCE FANTASY
Your family has decided that they can no longer live in Britain. There
are no jobs and the prospect of finding jobs in very slim. Your family
has discussed where to move to and because one of your neighbours
moved to India last year and was able to find a job the decision has
been made to move your family to India. They have chosen you to go
ahead, find a job and someplace for them to stay and they will follow
you in about 6 months. The day has arrived for you to leave and you
have said your good-byes to your family and friends and are now seated
on the aeroplane waiting for take off. The person sitting beside you
says: "Is this your first trip to India? You reply, "Yes" and the
person says, " what do you know about India?" 1. Write three things
you say: You have a very smooth flight to India, when you arrive at
Customs; you hand your passport to the Customers Officer. He shakes
his head, says something you do not understands, points over to another
Officer and you have to haul all your stuff over there you do not
understand anything they are saying to you. 2. What do you feel? They
finally appear to be satisfied with your passport and you are allowed
out into the people filled airport. You look all around and cannot
see anyone that even looks vaguely familiar. The family who moved
here last year are suppose to be here to pick you up. You cannot find
them. 3. What do you feel? You have waited two hours and you no idea
what you should do. You just sit and wait. You look around you at
the people in their strange clothes, with their strange language that
you cannot understand. 4. What do you feel as you look and listen?
People seem to be looking at you strangely and you begin to worry
about what to do if these people do not come soon. As the people look
at you... 5. What do you think they are thinking? The family you have
been waiting for finally arrive, full of explanations as to why they
are late. They take you to their home, which is only a very small
apartment and tell you that you are welcome to say there for a few
days until you can find a job and a place to live. 6. What do you
feel? 7. What do you want them to say? They tell you that they know
of a place that is hiring and that they will take you there the next
day to see if you can get a job. 8. What kind of job do you expect
to get? The company says yes they will hire you and that you can start
the next day. It is a shoe factory and you will be cutting out the
leather for the tops of the shoes. You are to stand at a machine,
which has very sharp blades, and if you do not move the blade very
accurately you ruin the leather and the shoe cannot be made and you
could possibly cut yourself very severely. You are not sure that you
understand exactly what to do as the person who explained your job
did not speak English very well and was very hard to understand. You
worked in an office back home and have never had to stand all day
to work. 9. Briefly list your impressions of your first day: The other
people in the factory are not very friendly and because you cannot
speak their language you are finding it difficult to make any friends.
10. List your efforts: You have been looking for a place to live,
because there is not enough room for you at your friends. You have
two choices. You can move in with a family who are from Canada or
you can move in with an Indian family. 11. Which do you choose and
why? You are taking language classes at night and trying very hard
to learn to speak their language but there are so many dialects that
you find you cannot understand anything. You try very hard but feel
you will never learn the new language. You get to work one morning
and they tell you that they have made a rule that says you must speak
their language and that you can no longer speak English at work. 12.a.
What is your first thought? 12.b. When would you find yourself breaking
the rule? Christmas is fast approaching, Your family will not be with
you for Christmas but the family you live with is very friendly and
will help you get through Christmas. 13. List two other times when
you would feel homesick?
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COMPASS GAME
Each girl brings a chair or sitter into the circle. Divide the circle
into the 8 points of the compass. Leave a clearly defined space between
each point. When each section is called, for instance, NORTH, they
stand up, turn around and then sit down. Each section does the same
thing when their compass point is mentioned. When the story teller
says WORLD, each player moves (clockwise) over one chair. Each player
should note which section they are now occupying. THE STORY -- The
Wedding A big important wedding is being held this year. The daughter
of King NORTH is being married to the son of King SOUTH. It is going
to be a very grand affair with guests from all parts of the WORLD.
From the land of the rising sun, the Emperor of the EAST and his wife,
the Empress, and from the other side of the WORLD, King and Queen
WEST with the little Prince NORTHEAST and the Princess SOUTHWEST.
The bridegroom, son of King SOUTH, has invited his cousin SOUTHEAST
to be the best man. The bride, daughter of King NORTH, has asked her
best friend, NORTHEAST, who is also a cousin of SOUTHEAST, to be Maid
of Honour. The Queen of the NORTH was very busy trying to find places
for the visitors from all over the WORLD to stay. The Emperor EAST
and his wife the Empress EAST had brought so many servants to wait
on them, that the little town was beginning to be very overcrowded.
To add to the confusion, King and Queen WEST had brought so much luggage
that it took 3 wagons to haul it to the NORTH palace. Queen NORTH
looked quite worried; where in the WORLD was she to put it all? In
the last wagon, Prince NORTHWEST and Princess SOUTHWEST had put all
their pets which they couldn't bear to leave behind. Four SOUTHWEST
cats, four big dogs (which came from the other side of the WORLD),
and a cow and a goat from the EAST. The cousins SOUTHEAST and NORTHEAST
thought they were very odd things to bring halfway across the WORLD
to a wedding. At last the great day dawned, beautiful and sunny. The
procession started to go to the NORTH Cathedral from NORTH Palace,
and people from all over the WORLD cheered. After the ceremony in
NORTH Cathedral, the procession returned to the NORTH Palace for the
wedding breakfast. First came King NORTH, with Queen SOUTH on his
arm. Next came King SOUTH with Queen NORTH. Following then came King
and Queen WEST, with Prince NORTHWEST and Princess SOUTHWEST. Looking
very grand in their silk robes were the Emperor of the EAST and the
Empress of the EAST. The guests from this part of the WORLD came next.
Cousins SOUTHEAST and NORTHEAST then appeared. Then came the moment
the whole WORLD had been waiting for. The beautiful bride, daughter
of king NORTH, and the handsome bridegroom, son of King SOUTH, were
standing in the doorway. Guests from all over the WORLD threw confetti
and rice as they ran down the steps to the famous NORTH glass coach.
After the wedding breakfast at NORTH Palace, the bride and groom left
on their honeymoon around the WORLD. Prince NORTHWEST had tied an
old boot on the back of the car, and Princess SOUTHWEST had printed
"Just Married" on the front. The whole WORLD laughed and cheered and
waved good-bye and good luck, along with Prince NORTHWEST, Princess
SOUTHWEST, Cousins NORTHEAST and SOUTHEAST, Emperor and Empress EAST,
King and Queen SOUTH, and finally King and Queen NORTH. So ends a
happy and exhausting day!
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PREDATOR/PREY
This is a complicated game but very worthwhile for teaching the girls
the basics of ecology and the food chain. In the introduction to the
game, you should talk about the relationship between herbivorous (plant
eating), omnivorous (everything-eating) and carnivorous (meat-eating)
animals. You should also talk about some possible strategies that
the three different types of animals use to survive in nature. More
will become clear as I describe the basic set-up below. Materials:
o 30 "Herbivore" life-rings (described below) o 10 "Omnivore" life-rings
o 5 "Carnivore" life-rings, o 5 water stations o 5 food stations o
45 file cards o A whistle o A watergun o brown, green and red face
paint (These instructions are for a game with 50 players... if you
have a different number of players try to keep the ratios of the different
types of animals the same.) The Set-up: The life rings basically show
each player how many lives they have left. Herbivores get 10 lives
each, omnivores 5 lives, and carnivores 2. What we found worked best
for the life rings were to take coloured pieces of Bristol board,
punch a hole in them, and thread them on to a pipe cleaner. Herbivores
got 10 green cards, omnivores got 5 brown cards, and carnivores got
2 red cards. If you wish to use this game a number of times, I recommend
waterproofing the cards with Mac-Tac. This also makes them more durable.
On each life-ring there should also be attached one white file card.
The food and water stations are easily made out of a bright piece
of construction paper or Bristol board, with the word "food" or "water"
written on them. Attached to the station sign is a crayon on a string.
Make sure that each station has a different colour crayon attached.
When the players visit the food and water stations, they mark their
file card with the crayon to prove they found it. The play area should
be as large as possible. Scatter the food and water stations throughout
the play area, and try to make at least two of them very difficult
to find. Use the face paint to mark each player and identify them
as either herbivore (green paint), omnivore (brown paint) or carnivore
(red paint). The Rules: This is a survival game. Therefore, the only
way to "win" is to still be alive at the end of the game. Each type
of animal (herbivore, omnivore and carnivore) has different needs,
which must be met in order to survive. Send the Herbivores out into
the play area first, and give them at least a 10-minute head start
on the others. The herbivores must find all the food and water stations
in order to survive. Next, send out the omnivores. They must find
all the water stations and at least two food stations. They must also
catch at least four herbivores in order to survive. Herbivores are
caught by being tagged, at which point the omnivore (or carnivore)
takes one card from their life-ring. Carnivores are sent out next.
They must find all the water stations and must catch at least ten
other animals (can be either herbivores or omnivores). At this point
you should have 5 players left, unmarked. Send four of them out as
Fire, Flood, Famine and Cold. These girls can tag any animal and take
one life-card at a time. Their goal is to kill as many animals as
possible. The last girl is given the water gun. She is Man. Man can
hunt any animal and doesn't have to tag them to catch them: if she
can hit them with water from the gun the animal is considered caught
and must give Man as many life-cards as Man requests. Man can take
all of the life-cards of any animal she catches except for the very
last one. When an animal runs out of lives, she is out of the game
and should return to the start point. Let the game run for at least
an hour, and longer if possible. At the end, call all the girls back
with the whistle. You should also have a group discussion about the
different strategies used by the players to survive. It is always
interesting to find out what strategies the survivors of the game
used, and to try and apply them to real life. For example: one time
I ran the game we had a Carnivore whose strategy was to hide by one
of the water stations, wait for other animals to come by, and ambush
them. Lions, crocodiles and other top predators often use this strategy
in nature! Neato! Variations: You can also have one player circulate
as Rabies or Disease. This girl should be equipped with a number of
yellow Bristol board cards. When she tags a player, she takes one
of their life cards and replaces it with a yellow card. When the infected
player tags another animal, she can take two life-cards, and passes
on her rabies card. Conversely, if the infected player is tagged by
another animal, she can take one of her attacker's life-cards and
passes on the rabies card. When the game is over, include in your
discussion the effects of diseases on animals. If you want to make
the game really complicated, name all your animals! For example: in
the Herbivores you can have Deer, Rabbit, Squirrel, etc., in the Omnivores
you can have Racoon, Skunk, Bear, etc., and in Carnivores you can
use Wolf, Owl, etc. As part of the survival game the players must
find the mate of their species and trade some sort of "reproduction
card". In your discussion afterwards, talk about the risks and dangers
animals must face in the wild as they try to find a mate and reproduce.
