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Game ideas with the bicycle tube

With inner tubes, or bicycle tubes you can play a lot of games with children or youth.

How many people fit into one bicycle tube?
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In the games section "bicycle tube games" all listed games actually all work with a large bicycle-, truck- or tractor tube. Unfortunately, such large tubes are increasingly difficult to obtain. I always tried to make deals with local tyre traders. Maybe taking those tubes out of the trash if they are not used anymore. With a little repair kit and a new valve of bicycle tube they are easily repaired. But what, if no bicycle tube is available?

Then you can try one or the other game using a common bicycle tube.

With some of the games it is particular important to pay attention to the safety of the players. It might help to cover the valve with a tape to avoid injures.

List of Bicycle Tube Games

How many people fit into one bicycle tube?

Every party gets one, old and defect bicycle tube. The objective is for as many as possible people to fit inside the tube.

Attention: Please take good care that nobody gets hurt. Because, if forcefully one more person wants to fit into the tube there could be pressure on the chest which in turn could lead to breathing difficulties. In other words, this game must be played fast and the youth worker needs to take good care that nothing bad happens to the participants.

Bicycle tube race

One tube is blown up, just as you would do it for your bike. Now the objective is to roll the tube a certain distance without it falling over.

Variation: As we did in the old days, using a little stick to keep the tube moving. The stick is only to be used to keep the tube rolling.

Bicycle tube race, better possible with big inner tubes.
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2-3 Race

2-3 people try to get inside the tube. Now this group of 3 has to race a certain distance. Inbuilt hurdles are another possibility.

Safety advice: Since those 3 people are crowded together and have to move at the same time, it is easy for them to fall.

Everybody through the tube

One tube is handed down from child to child. Thereby the child needs to get into the tube by pulling it over his head and then stepping out of it at the bottom. Then pass the tube on to the next person. Which team finishes first?

Variation: don’t give the group any advice on how to get through the tube, but let them work it out themselves.

Rings-cone throwing (bike tube throwing)

This game is similar to Ring Throwing, where everybody tries to throw a ring over a cone and thereby, can earn a different number of points.

Throwing, or everybody through the tube
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One participant is the designated “thrower.” All the other players are in a 2-3-meter distance to the thrower or in 1m distance to each other. The objective is to throw the tube over the head of another team member in a way so that the tube comes to rest on the ground.

Scoring: The thrower has 3 attempts. Either, each of the other players has different points, so that it is up to the thrower on which teammate he throws the tube from a certain distance, alternatively, he throws the tube on another team player in greater distance.

Variation: Instead of kids you can of course use cones or beer crates, attempting to throw the tube over those objects.

Turning tubes

A bicycle tube is placed over a 6-meter-high pole, which is anchored in the ground. The group must try to rotate the tubes. It is useful to mark the tires, (up and down) so that you can really recognize its rotation.

Tire piggyback

2 players build a piggyback team while standing inside a tube. The objective is to pick up the tube and pulling it over the head of the kid sitting on the shoulders. When this is achieved, the tube has to be thrown over a rod or cone. Which group is the fastest?

Bicycle tube Ruby

If you don’t have a Rugby ball but want to play rugby none the less, just use a bike tube. While fighting and pulling on the tube, it does happen that the tube tears apart at times.

Bicycle tube hurdle tree

The tube is fixed between two trees using ropes. How high the tube is, makes how difficult that game will be. The objective is to get through the tube from one side to the other. You can do that all by yourself or with the help of the team.

Variation: You are not allowed to touch the tube. This is only achievable with the flight role or, alternatively if another player stands before or behind the tube and holds it apparat so that the contestant can step through the tube horizontally.

Water transport

A bike tube is cut. In a relay race, the kids have to capture water in the tube (tube, creek, bucket, etc.). Now they have to run with the tube for about 30m and fill the water in a designated container. The team which gets this container filled first wins. Depending on skill, the participants will collect and lose more or less water on the way.

Pipeline

A tube is cut and serves as a pipe. Water is filled in at the top (you can use a funnel or measure cup) and on its exit, it has to go into a container in a 50 -100cm distance. It is important that the candidate does not overstep the starting line to the measuring cup.

Variation: the team has to hold 2-3 tubes back to back, trying not to lose any water.

Variation: a large marble (chestnut?) has to be pushed through the tube. Next the tube and marbles have to be handed on to the next person. Which team finishes first.