Games are a central part of Woodcraft Folk's educational programme. In fact, for me, the way we play games at Woodcraft remains one of the key difference between ourselves and other similar organisations. Within the Woodcraft Folk we typically play co-operative rahter than competitive games. There is a tremendous variety to be found in co-operative games but there are two things almost all co-operative games share. Firstly, players are not forced to sit out because other players are more skilled, and secondly, at the end of the game no one person (or team) will be the 'winner'.
Many of the games here come from games workshops I have run at Woodcraft Folk training events and conferences. After each event I generally produce a training pack covering the games played. Anyone who attended the session but somehow missed out on the training packs should have a look at the summaries below.
A simple game played just for fun with the player's own shoes.
| Age group: | 6 - 10 |
| Ideal numbers: | 10+ |
| Equipment required: | Shoes |
| Amount of time: | 15 mins |
Most of the fun of the game comes from getting it wrong so reviewing who has what shoe at the end of a few verses is important. Once the group gets the hang of it then introduce a sound that reverses the direction the shoes travel. If carefully timed everyone should get their shoe back. Challenge the group to achieve this.
A (fairly loose) simulation of a bat's hunting technique.
| Age group: | 6 - 12 |
| Ideal numbers: | 10 - 25 |
| Equipment required: | Two blindfolds |
| Amount of time: | 10 mins |
A duelling game played just for fun
| Age group: | 10+ |
| Ideal numbers: | 2+ |
| Equipment required: | Implement to strike the other player |
| Amount of time: | 15 mins |
Choose the implement carefully based on how viscous you expect your duellists to be. A (clean) trainer is at one end of the spectrum, a single sheet of rolled newspaper sits at the other.
Instead of forming a circle round the duellists other players can pair off so that everyone is duelling simultaneously if this suits the group better.
There are a great many other ways the players could duel. Some suggestions are as follows:
A group memory game
| Age group: | 10 - 15 |
| Ideal numbers: | 10+ |
| Equipment required: | Ball or similar projectile |
| Amount of time: | 10 mins |
This is game in unusual in that it works very well if the group do not have the rules fully explained to them before they start.
An energetic wide game best suited to playing in woodland.
| Age group: | 6 - 12 |
| Ideal numbers: | 25+ |
| Equipment required: | Clothes pegs (several per player) and rope |
| Amount of time: | 20 mins per round |
Careful selection of site is important for this game. Ideally it has a few broad paths that allow fast runners to surprise the ogres. However to be fully inclusive having bushes and small trees on one side of the central base is good. This helps other players to creep up slowly.
It is generally worth highlighting the clothes line with rip stop nylon to make it more visible. The safe zone (where the players are safe from the ogres) must be large enough for players to slow down before being dismembered by the clothes line!
The game also works on open ground (i.e. your local park) but only if it's dark.
A shoot out at the OK Coral.
| Age group: | 9 and over |
| Ideal numbers: | 10 - 20 |
| Equipment required: | None |
| Amount of time: | 10 mins |
This game is arguably not a co-operative game. Players are forced to sit out if their reactions are slow and the last man standing is the clear winner. However the game is great fun so, providing it is run carefully and it suits the group, I think it still quite suitable to play at Woodcraft.
Asking the players to provide sound effects (i.e. both players make a loud sound when they "fire") makes it easier to judge who died.
In some parts of this country this game is called Bang!