New Games for Staying In, Week 3

While many of us are still in some version of lockdown, or at least practicing distancing, there are still quite a few New Games we can play, with a little adjusting. To play these games, we are assuming that you are doing them with the people you are living with, though as the rules of contact change in your country, you will likely be allowed to have closer contact with others.

After you’ve tried these games, vote for your favorites at the bottom of this page, then we can have a best-of and pick a winner!

We start off with some games for as few as 2 people, though in most cases there can be more than 2.

Ain’t No Flies On Us

(2 – 50+ players, low activity)

Start with two lines of people (or in this case, as few as 2 people), twenty feet apart facing each other. One line starts by taking a step toward the other and quietly, calmly, and without many gestures saying:

“There ain’t no flies on us, (me, if 2 players)
There ain’t no flies on us.
There may be flies on you guys, (eliminate “guys” if 2 players)
But there ain’t no flies on us.”

The 2nd line takes a step forward and says the same words to 1st line. They are slightly louder, less calm, and a bit more gesticulating. The lines keep alternating steps toward each other and repeating the lines until they are directly in front of each other, all the time getting louder and more animated. When lines within arms reach of one another, suggest hand shake/hug, to show no hard feelings, since there’s no flies on anyone.

This is on my Best of New Games download/DVD, click to purchase.

Emotional Numbers

(2- 10 players, low activity)

If more than 2 people, this is a circle game. Players can sit or stand. First player starts by carrying on a conversation with a second player next to her using only numbers, e.g., 25, 902, 7, 3612, while expressing emotion with tone of voice or facial/body expressions. NO OTHER WORDS ARE ALLOWED. After a brief conversation, 2nd player turns to 3rd player to start a new conversation with numbers. Repeat around circle, or with two, back to their partner.

Two Person Kickball

(2 – 50 players, high activity)

The partners have two bases, one each for the pitcher and kicker. Group can be put in 2 lines, one of pitchers and the other, kickers, if there isn’t enough equipment. When the kicker kicks the ball, the pitcher must get it wherever it goes, as long as it is forward, and return it to the kickers’ base only using her/his feet. The kicker, meanwhile, does jumping jacks or some other exercise to see how many they can do before the pitcher returns to the ball to the base. They switch places and, just for fun, see who does the most exercises.

This is on my Best Cooperative Games download/DVD, click to purchase.

Trust Falls

(2 – 50 players, moderate activity)

Everyone gets a partner about the same height and weight. If the partners are different sizes, the smaller one should not go as far away to catch their partner. Partners stand facing the same direction, the one behind closer than an arm’s length away. The person behind gets braced, one leg behind the other, both legs bent. Person in front says “Ready,” to which person behind answers “Ready.” The one in front does not fall until the one behind them answers “ready.” Person in front says “Falling,” to which the person in back replies “Fall away.” Only then does front person fall back into 2nd person’s hands. The 2nd person should start close, and after each try move back a little until either person wants to stop. The 2nd (catching) person must give the falling person full attention while this process is happening. If the catching person is not able to hold the falling person, help break their fall to the ground.

Here are some games that require a few more people. Some can be done with fewer than 5, and I’ll let you know about that, but 5 or more is better.

Group Juggle

(5 – 25 players, moderate activity)

This is a circle game. Everyone has their hands in front of them, waiting for a ball to be passed. The leader starts by passing to one person, who then throws to another person who has their hands up. After passing the ball, a player puts their hands down. The pattern ends when everyone has had the ball and it returns to the leader. Each player must remember who passed the ball to them and who they passed it to. Repeat cycle, add a ball, two, more. See how many you can add. Variations include going in reverse and going to the spot of the person you’ve just thrown to, or even moving randomly around the area. It is possible to do this with as few as 2 people, but it gets difficult very quickly when adding more balls.

This is on my Cooperative New Games Leadership download/DVD, click to purchase.

Sardines

(5-25 players, low/moderate activity)

One player hides in a place that has numerous places to hide, and after a short period of time, about a minute, others try to find him/her. When a player finds the hidden person, they hide with him/her until all find the hiding place and they all hide together until everyone finds the group. However, if you see the person/group while near someone who is also looking from those hiding but who hasn’t seen them, you might want to move on till the other person is gone and come back. Night is the best time to play this game, and you need many places to hide.

I Have A Friend Who …

(5 – 50 players, moderately active)

A circle game. There is one less chair (or place marker) than number of people playing. One person standing in the middle says “I have a friend who (for example) wears tennis shoes.” People wearing tennis shoes get up and switch chairs or place markers with each other. (You can’t sit in the same chair you just sat in, or can’t go back to the same place marker). The person left standing (who has no chair/marker) is the next leader. Other examples are: I have a friend who: plays basketball; has two brothers; has a birthday in July; is wearing red, was born in this town; is alive (if everyone doesn’t move for this one, we might have a problem).

This is on my Best Cooperative Games download/DVD, click to purchase.

If you enjoyed these, why not buy a comprehensive guide book or download video lessons.

Vote for the games you liked best here .. drag them around until your favorite is at the top, then scroll for [OK] and [done]. If you join in we’ll do this every week for a while and then do a best-of and find a winner!

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