A Fun Game! This one is brought to you by Pioneer Camp in Alberta. Get ready for a simple, yet EPIC, take on "british bulldog" that will have your campers running, yelling and fighting to the death! (But not actually...)
BRAVEHEART
Based on the Braveheart movie, and the premise that there’s a war and the underdogs need to rise up and fight, the possibilities for rallying the troupes (campers) and getting totally into the game (costumes, warpaint, even bagpipes!) are endless!
SUPPLIES
- Pinnies (Required)
Have enough so that the entire camp can be divided into two teams. Alternatively, you could use pieces of fabric, bandanas, or something similar. - Costumes (Optional)
Have some of your staff dress up in attire that would represent the Braveheart movie – kilts welcome! - Warpaint (Optional)
Really get the kids into it by preparing their faces for battle. - Props (Optional)
Be creative! Use horses if your camp has them to re-enact a rallying scene from the movie, get wooden or foam swords to bring the scene to life, or even have some background music to amp up the intensity. Go all out – the kids will love it!
OBJECT OF THE GAME
To be the last team standing.
RULES
At the beginning:
- Each player will receive a pinnie in their team’s colour. They tuck the pinnie into their pants or belt or pocket making sure to leave at least two-thirds exposed.
- Each team will line up on a field facing each other.
- A staff member (ideally one with a solid Scottish accent) asks the teams if they’re ready (and hopefully they respond with a raucous battle cry!)
“FOR FREEDOOOOOOM!”
- Teams run toward each other on the field. At this point, their goal is to pull pinnies off the players on the other team. They may never move backwards, only forwards, so when the two lines cross they will end up on opposite sides of the field.
- If a player’s pinnie is pulled, he or she is “dead” and must sit down on the field where they “died”. They are not, however, fully out of the game! While on the ground, they are able to still pull pinnies from the other team as they run by, but they may not move from where they are sitting.
Next round:
- Continue to repeat the battle cries and running at each other across the field. There will be more and more casualties which will mean that the people who are “dead” and sitting on the ground will become more and more of a threat to the runners.
Near the end:
- When there are only a few players left standing/running, tell them that there will now be no “safe zone” and that they all must continue running on the battlefield wherever they want to go until only one is left standing. Often, at this point, it’s the people on the ground who are most helpful to their team!
Reset:
- Get both teams back up and play again. This game can be played over and over again as kids that were unable to make it very far the first round will have another chance to try again.
Additional Rules
- Pinnies should be tucked into the sides (not the front).
- As a player runs, they may not cover the pinnie with their hands, hold the pinnie to their bodies, or in any other way impede another player from grabbing the pinnie.
- Players may not tie the pinnie to themselves.
- If a pinnie falls out, for whatever reason (too loose, a player from their own team grabs it, etc.) they are still “dead”.
- It is very important that players never run BACKWARDS during battle.
As a final note, this is one of those games where the more amped up you make it, and the more into it the staff are, the better it will be! So, be creative, have fun, yell loudly, and fight hard!
They may take away our lives, but they will never take away OUR FREEDOM!!!!!
