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1. Work time and play time

The Cubs stand in two circles, the inner and outer circles facing one another. The outer circle are the work people, the inner circle the players.

The outer circle imitate, e.g. cobbler, housemaid, gardener, milkman, etc. The inner circle imitate, e.g. spinning tops, bowling hoops, throwing ball, etc. Each circle guesses what the other is doing.

2. Actions

The Pack is divided into two. One half (a) goes outside and the others (b) decide on an action, e.g. sit, throw. They then call in (a) and tell the Cubs that they must act something which rhymes with the word chosen (i.e. if the word “rap” is chosen, they could say that it rhymes with “trap”). If the wrong word is acted the audience hiss, and at the right word they clap.

3. Trades

Shere Khan (Akela) chases the Cubs. When a Cub is captured he must pay a penalty by acting a trade which is whispered to him by Shere Khan. If the Pack can guess what is being represented the Cub returns and another is captured.

4. x Expressions

One Cub is withdrawn from each Six and given an “emotion” which he has to represent (e.g. anger, surprise, joy). This Cub then “freezes,” and the remainder of the Pack decide what he is meant to represent, each Sixer writing down the suggestions from his Six, and a Six which is right scores a point.

Cubs in bed can whisper to Akela, who writes for them.

5. x The toy shop

Pretend to take the Cubs on a visit to a toy shop where they see toys which they wish to buy. They cannot have them all, so, on the way home, they pretend to play with what they have seen. For example, throw and catch an imaginary ball, ride a bicycle, spin a top, bowl a hoop, etc. Akela guesses what the Cubs are doing.

For bed cases:

Cubs in bed can draw the toys with which they are playing.

6. Everyday people

A Cub from each Six in turn represents someone in everyday life, e.g. mother hanging out the washing, policeman on point duty, a doctor visiting a patient, and the others guess what he is doing.

7. x The music shop

The Cubs visit a music shop and try to play the instruments, e.g. violin, piano, drum, banjo. Akela guesses what they are playing.

8. x Akela’s actions

Akela performs, say, six actions, such as “knock,” “jump,” “laugh,” etc. The Cubs write down what they think the actions are.

9. x Going for a walk

Tell a story about deciding to take Cubs for a walk on a fine but cold day. The Cubs must make themselves tidy and clothe themselves suitably. They can wash hands and face, brush and comb hair, put on uniform, coat, etc.

10. Good deeds

Each Six in turn acts a good deed in which every member of the Six takes part.

11. x Good deed stories

Akela reads or tells a short story with several good turns in it (e.g. as a short précis: “Tom’s mother had a bad headache, so Tom made her a cup of tea, helped his young brother to dress and got the breakfast, took his brother to school, on the way picking up a lady’s parcel which she had dropped,” etc.). The Sixers, helped by the others, make a note of these good deeds, then act the whole story.

12. x At the Zoo

Each Six in turn arranges a cage, with chairs, at the end of the room (or out of doors, amongst trees if possible). They then become animals or birds in the cage (e.g. lions, parrots, monkeys), and the others guess what they are meant to represent.

For bed cases:

Each Cub in turn makes the noise, and as far as possible, the actions of a bird or animal.

13. Going to town

Each Cub in turn shows how he is going to town, i.e. walking, pushing a wheelbarrow, bowling a hoop, riding on horseback, etc. Others guess what he is doing.

14. x How it is done

One Cub from each Six goes out of the room. The others choose an adverb (e.g. noisily). The Cubs come in and ask any one of the Pack to do something (e.g. “brush your boots”) and this must be done “noisily.” The first Cub to guess this word gains a point for his Six, and then others are chosen to go out.

For bed cases:

Those chosen may cover their ears until the word is decided upon. Then they must give directions for things which can be done in bed, e.g. “brush your hair.”

15. Charades

If the Cubs have not acted charades before, it is as well to begin with quite simple ones, which can be easily guessed, and when the idea has been fully grasped more difficult ones may be attempted. The following are examples of easy charades:

1. BLUEBELL

(a) A Pack Meeting

The Cubs are crayoning St. George’s and St. Patrick’s flags. They wish to do that of St Andrew, but find that they have no blue crayon, so decide to do it next time.

(b) A factory

All discuss what they are doing. A bell rings and they go off saying that it is the dinner bell

(c) Springtime in a Wood

Cubs climb trees and fish in stream. Akela suggests that they look for flowers. Some find primroses and bluebells; one finds a rarer flower, a white bluebell.

2. FIREGUARD 

(a) A bedroom

The Cubs are asleep. One of them wakes up and calls out to the other that he thinks the house is on fire. Almost immediately the fire engine comes up and they are all rescued by the firemen.

(b) A kitchen

One Cub is the mother, one a dog, and the others are the children. The mother tells the children that it is time to go to bed and says that the dog must be chained up outside in his kennel. He is led out, and one child asks why he cannot sleep indoors, to which the mother replies that he must guard the house.

(c) A sitting-room

A mother is preparing herself and some children to go out shopping. She leaves a Cub in charge of the baby and puts a fireguard in front of the fire before leaving.

3. MARKET

(a) A school

The teacher (a Sixer or Akela) is calling out the names of those present and all give imaginary names. Then a new boy comes in and the teacher asks him his name, and he replies “Mark.”

(b) A kitchen

Mother (a Sixer or Akela) is making tarts. She says aloud that she must go and fetch something. While she is away some boys come in and eat the tarts. Mother returns horrified. Asks where the tarts are. The boys say that they did not know that they could not touch them and that they “ate” them all up.

(c) A greengrocer’s stall in a market

The greengrocer sells different kinds of fruit and vegetables to Cubs who come in one after the other. Finally he is asked for something (for instance, “tomatoes”) and he says that there are none to be had in the market.

100 Special Needs Games for Boys