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Station Games

Station games can be incorporated in cross-country runs, scavenger hunts or in backyard games. Station games are also suitable for school festivals or play streets. As a rule, all players on a team can participate at each station, although sometimes only 1-2 volunteers will play.

1. Slide

   A plastic sheet about 8 meters long and 3 meters wide is generously slathered with soft soap. All players must travel this course as fast as possible while transporting various items. To make it a bit more difficult, place the plastic sheet on a slight incline. Variation: instead of running, players must crawl on all fours or crawl on the stomach without using the legs.

2. Seal Race

   Players lie on their stomachs with their arms alongside their bodies or can use slightly bent arms to move across the course.

3. Ball Passing

   A ball (tennis ball, table tennis ball or balloon) must be passed with the feet from player to player. Which group is the fastest?

4. Pencil Passing

   A pencil is placed across 2 pencils which are passed player to player. Don’t let the pencil fall off.

5. Ball Push

   2 players make a wheelbarrow. The player’s head must push a ball about 20 meters. Which team is the fastest?

6. Upper Lip – Nose Relay

   A pencil or a playing card is held between the upper lip and the nose and must be passed on to the next player. Which team is the fastest?

7. Heavy Foot

   A stone is placed on the foot and is passed foot to foot without the stone falling to the floor.

8. Sack Race

   2 players are a team, each placing a foot in a sack. Both players hold the sack firmly with their hands. Now the sack race can begin. It doesn’t matter if played as a relay or as an obstacle course, the winner is the team who can best coordinate their movements.

9. Tower of Babel With Egg Cartons

   You can find a good supply of egg cartons at the recycling center. The goal of this game is to build the highest tower possible without it falling. This game can be played as a relay or as a group project with 2 minutes time to build the tower.

   In a second variation, the player carries 5-6 egg cartons stacked up through an obstacle course or as a relay where the tower is passed on to the next runner. If an egg carton falls, it is placed back on the tower and the player continues his run.

10. Spider Web

    Use rope to make a spider web suspended between two trees. The goal is for one team member or all members of the team to go from one side of the spider web to the other. Of course the web can not be disturbed and each web opening can only be chosen once.

11. Egg Crash

    This game is played with raw eggs. Chocolate surprise eggs or at Easter time, chocolate bunnies or at Christmas time chocolate Santas can also be used. The eggs are prepared to withstand falling a few meters. As preparation material, newspaper and tape or instead of that, straws and string are used. The team with the least damaged eggs is the winner. The broken chocolate pieces can be eaten.

12. Tin Can Walk

    2 old tin cans are needed. String tied through holes in the cans are long enough so that the players can hold the cans under their feet while they walk a distance of 5-10 meters. Use a stop watch to time each player.

13. Bocce

    Bocce balls are thrown or rolled to a goal about 10 meters away. The goal is marked with various point values. Where the ball lands determines that amount of points the player receives.

14. Bow and Arrow Shoot

    Use a bow and arrow to shoot the target. Important! All players and spectators must stand behind the shooter. Only after all the arrows have been shot, can the field be entered. Make sure that behind the targets there are no windows, streets or sidewalks.

15. Something’s Smelly

    Put in 10 empty yogurt cups or film cans 10 different spices or mixtures and cover securely with tin foil. The cups are numbered. Through small holes in the tin foil, the players must decide what is in each cup.

16. Cherry Pit Spittin’

    Each person in the group gets a cherry. The pits are spit so far as possible on a marked course. All distances are added for each member on each team. The team with the longest distance is the winner.

17. Sack Hop

    The player stands in a sack and must hop through an obstacle course or a relay course and gives the sack to the next player. Keep time to see how long the whole group needs to complete the course.

18. Skiing

    2 wooden boards are tied with string to 3-4 players like skis. Together they must ski a distance of 5-15 meters there and back. Use a stop watch to track the time.

19. Change Clothes

    A pile of old clothes is needed for this game. The first player puts on a shirt, jacket, pants, socks hat and then gloves. When finished, he takes them all off and gives them to the next player. How long does it take the group to finish this task?

    If there are no old clothes available, the players can put on the clothes of the person on their left and give their clothes to the person on the right. This doesn’t work well if the players are too varied in size, i.e., too tall or too big. You don’t want a shirt to tear at the buttons.

20. Tree Trunk Throw

    Players throw an approximately 1.8 meter long tree trunk from a marked position. All values are added up. Which group threw the farthest?

21. Guess the Sound

    Various sounds (toilet flushing, traffic report tone, birds singing, running car motor, running moped motor, door slamming, etc.) are recorded on a cassette recorder. Which group can guess the most sounds correctly?

22. Bicycle Obstacle Course

    Players ride a bicycle through an obstacle course. How long does the group take to finish? How many penalty points were given for mistakes?

23. How Many Peas?

    Put a couple hundred peas, coins, or matchsticks in a pickle jar. Which group can guess the closest?

24. Three Jumps

    Starting at a marked position, players jump a total of three times. The first jump can be done with a running start or begun at the start line. Which group jumps the farthest?

25. String Up the Group

    A long string or rope is used to string up the group. The string is put through the left pant leg, through the left sleeve, through the right sleeve and then the right pant leg. The same pattern is used for each player. The string is gently pulled taught (not too tight or someone could get hurt) after each player is threaded. The total length of string for 5 players should be about 15-20 meters long. Quicker and easier is when the string is threaded through the left sleeve and out the right sleeve. Then you can use a shorter string.

26. Ball Catching Glass

    A tale tennis ball or a small rubber ball is thrown by one player. The ball is caught with a glass or a cup. How many are successfully caught out of 10 throws?

27. Apple Dunking

    A tub is filled with water and an apple is placed in it. The player must try to eat the apple without using his hands.

28. Indiaca

    Which group can play an indiaca ball the most within a certain time?

29. Newspaper Hat

    A hat must be made out of a folded newspaper and put on the player’s head – all within 60 seconds!

30. Crab Crawl

    On all fours must the layers crawl, but with stomachs facing upwards. Suitable for a relay race. How long does the group need?

31. A Stone’s Throw

    Rings or stones are thrown across a marked field with various points given for each area.

32. Tree Trunk Sawing

    A tree trunk must be sawed in half. How long does it take the group to do it?

33. Best Guess

    Many different estimation problems can be used.
    How many meters is it between tree A and tree B?
    How much does this stone weigh?
    How many peas are in this jar?
    After one minute, stop the clock – without looking.

34. Hit the Nails

    How many hits with the hammer does one need to nail 5 (10) nails into the wood?

35. The Longest Word

    The group writes a long word on a piece of paper. Numbers are not allowed. Only words found in the dictionary are allowed.

36. What’s in the Bag?

    Various objects are put into a bag or sack. Each player is allowed to reach in once and feel what’s in the bag. After all players have had a turn, the group has 60 seconds to name all the objects.

37. Remember the Objects

    20 objects are shown for about 30 seconds. Then they are covered with a cloth. The group has 60 seconds to name all the objects.

38. The Longest Hair

    One hair is taken from each member in the group. They are taped end to end on a long endless paper. Which group has the longest taped hair?

39. Blind Man’s Crawl

    A player studies a course to the goal and is then blindfolded. He then has 1-2 minutes to crawl to the goal. No help is allowed from others in the group.

40. Blind Man’s Lance

    The player is blindfolded and must jab the goal with his lance. A teammate gives instructions. The game can also be played piggyback style. The rider on top is blindfolded and must use his lance to hit a balloon or a ring that is hung in a tree. The horse under the rider gives the instructions. How long does the pair need to complete the task?

41. Balance the Board

    Various items (bowling pin, water-filled bucket or plastic water glass, action figures, etc.) are placed on a long board. Either one person or with a very long board the whole group, must carry and balance the board so that nothing falls off.

42. Rollover the Group

    The group members lie next to one and other on the floor. The last person rolls over the others and lies at the end of the line. Then the next person goes. How fast can the group travel a distance of 10-15 meters?

43. Lasso Throw

    A lasso must be thrown over a post that is about 4 meters away. The group has 10 tries to do it.

44. Bottle Exchange Using the Feet

    The bottles in a case must be placed into an empty case that is next to it. Only the feet are to be used.

45. Tea Bag Toss

    A wet tea bag is held between the teeth. With a swinging movement the tea bag is tossed as far as possible. The distances are added together. The team with the farthest distance wins.

46. Wheelbarrow Race

    Use a wheelbarrow for a race over a lengthy (obstacle – and slalom) course.

47. Case Stacking

    The group must stack as many empty beverage cases as possible within 1-2 minutes.

48. Always Wear Your Helmet

    A bicycle rider is given a helmet with a nail attached to the top. The player rides to a tree where a water balloon is hung. He must pop the balloon. Bicycle Tire Relay

    A bicycle tire is rolled through a course. Or play as a relay where the tire must be given to the player on the other side.

49. Balloon, Stick and Goal

    A balloon must be hit with a stick to travel through a course. How long is needed to reach the goal?

50. Hanging Hot Dog

    A hot dog is tied on a length of string. The player has to eat it without using his hands. Be sure to smother the hot dog with lots of ketchup and mustard.

51. Button Sewing

    5-10 buttons must be sewn on a piece of material. Every button must be sewn on securely.

52. Braiding Laces

    Use numerous laces, string or twine to make a braid. How long is it after 2 minutes?

53. Bead Threading

    How many beads can the group thread within 2 minutes?

54. Knot Making

    How long does it take the group to make a knot/s according to a diagram?

55. Hand Over Hand

    The group must use their hands to traverse a rope hung between two trees or poles. The rope should not be hung too high, but no player should be able to touch the ground with his feet.

56. Over a Rope Bridge

    The group must walk across a rope bridge. Safety measures according to the type of bridge used is necessary. Time doesn’t matter.

57. Hang It Again

    5 lengths of twine are hung tightly between two poles or two trees. Allow 30 cm between each row. 5 nails are bent to form an umbrella handle shape (hook). Hang them on the bottom row. The player takes a stick or pole with a pointed end or hook end and lifts one nail and places it on the row above until all 5 nails are one level higher. He may continue or the next teammate continues. The player must stand at least 1 meter away.

58. Box Transport

    Variation 1: Boxes must be transported. A player site on a plastic sheet and hold the box. The sheet (and player with box) is carried by 4 teammates to the goal.

    Variation 2: The boxes are catapulted from plastic sheet to plastic sheet. The teams may move forward alternately. If a box falls to the ground, the team must go back to the beginning and start again.

59. Ice Cube Race

    Each team gets an ice cube of the same size. The ice cube must be taken along as the players make a relay race or obstacle course. Who can do the most rounds before the ice cube melts away.

60. Water Bucket Goal

    Group games with water are always something special. 5-7 water buckets are filled almost to the top with water. Buckets are placed approximately 2-3 meters apart. From the starting line, a golf ball is tossed in to first bucket. The player then throws the ball from bucket number 1 to bucket number 2 and so on. Each successful throw is counted. After the last bucket is reached, the next player may begin. Variation: when a player misses a bucket he is out. The winner is the player who gets the ball in every bucket and in the right order.

61. Fill the Pool

    A small plastic pool must be filled with water. The water is gotten from a nearby brook or fountain. The group who fills the pool in the least amount of time is the winner.

    Variation: the opposing team can designate a few players to hinder the other team as they fill the pool. Around the pool a zone of 10 meters is made in which the hindering players are not allowed. This game is suitable on hot days and can degenerate into a real water fight.

62. The Drain Pipe

    10 table tennis balls must roll through an approximately 5 meter long stuck together drainpipe (available at the building supply store), each ball finding its own goal through swaying of the pipe.

    Variation: 5 jugs or containers that can hold 1 liter are placed next to each other. At the top of the pipe 5-10 liters of water are poured in. The player at the other end must guide the pipe to fill each container. Once the water starts to flow it can not be stopped and all the water must be put in at one time.

63. Water Relay

    Water from one full water bucket must be transported by spoon into an empty bucket. A certain amount of time is given. At the end of the time, the water is measured to see which team moved the most water.

64. Water Bucket Transport

    An empty water bucket is either hung from a hook on the belt or use twine to attach it to the players waist. The bucket should hang about 10cm above the ground and using the hands is not allowed. Players must go to a brook, a stream or a fountain, fill the bucket and carry it a distance of about 30 meters to a container he must fill. You may only use hands to empty the bucket. How long does it take to fill the container?

65. Wring It Out

    Water from one bucket is wrung out of a rag into a second bucket using only a rag. The second bucket is placed about 5-10 meters away. How much water can be transported within 2 minutes?

66. Lead the Cow

    Group games aren’t always easy to work out. Here is a task that doesn’t occur every day. A cow or a pair of sheep from the farmer are needed for this game. A course is laid out. Through this course the sheep or cow is lead by the group. Will the cow understand that it should always walk the same course?

67. Paddle Over the Lake

    A lake and a canoe with swim vests are needed for this game. The group paddles the canoe to the other side of the lake, collects something and brings it back to the start. How long does it take the group to complete this task?

68. Fast Typing

    A given text is typed on a typewriter by each one in the group. How many words without mistakes can be typed within 2 minutes?

69. Water Pipe Walk

    A big wide water pipe that is not dangerous is walked through, or can be integrated into a station run.

70. Log Lugging

    Group games should strengthen the groups alliance – teamwork and coordination skills are called for. In the forest a zigzag course is laid out among the trees using traffic tape. A log about 10 meters long must be carried by the entire group as fast as possible over the obstacles and around the trees without leaving the course.

71. Beach ball keep-up record

    How often can a beach ball be kept up in the air by a team without it touching the ground? No one is allowed to touch the ball 2 consecutive times.

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