Cy's Outdoor Games Blog

Don’t know where that name came from but this is a game for at least two people, child or adult, and requires a tennis ball along with a wall to throw it against.  The first person throws the ball against the wall.  When it comes bouncing back someone has to catch it and throw it against the wall again.  Sounds simple enough, right?  Wait.  The person catching the ball cannot drop it. Once you’ve touched the ball it can’t touch the ground.  If you catch the ball successfully and throw it against the wall the play continues until someone drops it or tries to throw it against the wall and it hits the ground first.  Here is where the game gets interesting.  If a player drops the ball, they must immediately run and tag the wall before another player picks it up and throws it against the wall.  If the first player touches the wall first, he/she is SAFE but if not they get a point.  If the second player also drops the ball they must do the same.  First to 3 points loses.

Here is a variation of the TAG that you all are familiar with. The “IT” person counts to 10 before running after everyone.  If he/she tags someone they have to make themselves into a “bridge”.  The only way for them to become “free” again is to have someone crawl under the bridge without getting tagged.  Play continues until the IT person is the only one not turned into a bridge,

Ever hear of a city-wide game festival?  Well, I ran across this report: New York’s Come Out And Play Festival which is a three day festival with a mission to encourage public games and play.  This all started in 2006 when it was founded by Peter Lee and consists of about 35 different games, all unique to me.  I’m sure if you want to start something like this in your town you will be able to come up with your own games.  Meanwhile here is a short description of a couple of the games played in New York.  One group of games is called the Neo-Cowgirl Faux Rodeo consisting of three events:  bronco buck, barrel race and hog-tie.  In the bronco buck, a bed sheet was spread on the ground and a yoga ball was positioned at one end.  The cowgirl rider balance the tops of her feet on the ball while forming a plank with the rest of her  body  and steadying herself using two palms face down on the ground.  Rustlers then held edges of the sheet and shook it until the cowgirl was bucked from her “bronco” or until she had stayed on for four whole seconds.

Another game  is Circle Rules Football in which there are two teams and the goal post is placed in the center of the field.  The field had no boundries because the play keeps the large  (Yoga) ball toward the middle.  Sorry, I don’t have more details from the article posted by Simon Carless in GameSetWatch on June 18. 2009 but I could not find him when I went to CameSetWatch.  Regardless, you can come-uo, dream-up your own games and contact vendors as sponsors and for prizes.

Actually this is a basket ball game with 21 as the winning score.  First, all players take a turn taking a foul shot to “break the ice”.  The first to “break the ice” gets 2 points and gets to go first.  Each foul shot after breaking the ice is worth 1 point.  This is not just about foul shots, however.  When the foul shooter misses the other players go for the rebound and try to score – this is where the points add up. Scoring off the rebound gets you 2 points.  If a player catches the rebound with both hands, in the air, and makes the basket without touching the ground the foul shooter goes back to zero..  But, if a player catches the rebound with one hand and makes the basket the foul shooter is out completely and must wait for the next game.  The foul shooter can only make 3 in a row.  If that happens they get the ball at the top of the key and try to make a basket against all the other players defense.