Oh, summer camp. Ask anyone who went to one a few decades back, and you’ll hear stories about games that sound half-made-up. We asked our readers about the summer camp games that they remember playing, and here are ten of them from this survey. Did you plan any of these?
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Newcomb ball
A couple of people brought up Newcomb ball like it was yesterday. This game involved using a volleyball net, but instead of bump-set-spike, kids threw the ball over. If the ball hit the ground on your side, it was a point for the other team. Thankfully, many camps used soft rubber balls so that nobody went home with bruised arms.
Mumblety-peg
One former scout described a game called “Mumblety-peg,” which sounds like a rather simple game. However, playing it was nerve-wracking. You’d toss your knife into the dirt in different little stunts, and whenever it didn’t stick, you lost the round. The unlucky loser had to pull a wooden peg from the ground with their teeth, which was apparently the “fun” part.
Drop the handkerchief
Another reader said they used to play a game known as “Drop the handkerchief.” Everyone sat in a circle singing while one runner tiptoed around behind them with a handkerchief & dropped it behind somebody. Then, there’d be a full-speed chase around the ring. If the runner made it back to the empty spot first without being tagged by the chaser, the other person was it for the next round.
Box hockey
Box hockey is a game that quite a few readers said they played. It involved putting a big wooden box shoved behind the arts shed, and every break, kids would drag out the dividers & tiny goals to play. There were two short sticks and one puck, which they smacked through the gates to score. Splinters were part of the deal.
Prisoner’s base
What do you get when you cross tag with jailbreak? Prisoner’s base, apparently. Two teams staked out bases at opposite ends of a field & runners tried to sneak in to tag opponents. Those who were caught stood in a “prison” line until a teammate freed them. However, quite a few readers said they spent more time planning rescues than actually tagging anyone.
Fox and hounds
One reader said she remembers playing fox & hounds deep in the woods. Two “foxes” ran off first and threw torn paper bits along the way. Then, after a short wait, the rest (the “hounds”) took off to track them down, and they had to figure out which paper trail to follow when it forked.
Stalk the lantern
Several readers remembered playing “Stalk the lantern” during night hikes. To play, they’d put a lantern on a stump & leave one kid guarding it while the others crawled through pine needles trying to get close. The guard kept an eye out for them. Whenever they saw the others moving, they had to go back to the start. Blow out the candle, though, and you won.
Pom-pom pullaway
The game “Pom-pom pullaway” lived or died by how loud the caller was. One camper stood in the middle, and everyone else lined up on one side of the field. The middle kid would shout, “Pom-pom pullaway,” then everyone sprinted to the opposite line & tried to avoid being tagged. Those who didn’t make it joined the middle.
Ante over
A few readers mentioned tossing a ball over a low roof while shouting, “Ante over.” If the other team caught it, they’d race around to tag you before you looped back to safety, and missed throws led to quick bounce-backs. In fact, several readers said they would knock on the roof to fake a throw & lure people out.
Game of graces
Apparently, a few readers’ grandparents played “Game of graces.” Two players each held a pair of slender sticks that were crossed like chopsticks. They’d use them to launch a wooden hoop toward the other person & catch it the same way, with the first to a set number of clean catches winning. One reader’s grandmother said the hoop ribbons always got tangled in someone’s hair.
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