Pioneer Games – Have an activity where you teach the youth to play some popular pioneer games.  Here are ten popular (and easy) pioneer games you can play anywhere:

​

 

1. Drop the Handkerchief: Drop the Handkerchief is similar to Duck-Duck-Goose. Form a circle of players facing each other. The person that is "it" will go around on the outside of the circle. The person that is "it" will drop a handkerchief behind one of the other players. The person that drops the handkerchief will race around the circle in hopes they won't get caught by the person the handkerchief was dropped behind. The people around the circle has to keep checking to see if the handkerchief was dropped behind them. The person where the handkerchief was dropped picks up the handkerchief and chases after the person. The first one to sit in the empty spot wins. The one who loses will be "it" next.

2. Blindman's Bluff: The game is similar to Marco Polo and is played 2 ways. One person is blindfolded, and calls out ''Blindman's Bluff," like in Marco Polo. One person is calling “Blindman” and the other calls out “Bluff.” The person blindfolded has to locate who is calling out bluff. The second way is the person not "it" is silent. The person who is" it" has to find the other one. When they find you, they tag you and guess who it is. Then they are "it".

3. Old Sow: To begin, give each player a stick and a base marker. Use an old can as the old sow; drive a stick into the ground or use a barrel or bucket as the pen. The person who is it tries to steal another player’s base or hit the old sow into the pen. The other players try to keep the old sow from getting to the pen and at the same time protect their bases. When the old sow hits the pen, all of the players, except the person who is ‘it’, run to a designated line or fence, touching it with their sticks, and then run back to their bases.  While they are running, the person without a base has to chase the old sow and be ‘it’.  Players can steal another player’s base.

4. Circle Dodge: One team stands in a circle on the floor, and the other team stands outside the circle, throwing a soft rag ball at the players inside the circle. When a player is hit with the ball, he leaves the circle. When all the players on the team inside the circle are eliminated, the teams change places. The winning team is the one that remains in the circle for the longest period of time.

5. Fox and Geese: Mark four squares, 10 feet across each square, on the ground. Every player stands on one of the lines forming the square. A signal is given and the person who is ‘it’ has 10 seconds to touch as many players as he can. Players who are tagged sit down in the marked area. All players must stay on the line while being chased.

6. Post Office: In this game each player chooses the name of a city. One player is the postal clerk. The rest of the players sit in a circle. The clerk calls out “The mail is going from Salt Lake City to Chicago” (or any other two cities). The players who chose those cities have to exchange seats without letting the postal clerk steal either of their seats.

7. Ring Taw: Draw a large ring in the ground. Draw a smaller circle inside it and place several small marbles, called nibs, in the circle. The players crouch outside the large ring. From there, each player takes a turn flicking a large marble, called a shooter, into the circle. The goal is to knock other marbles out of the circle. Each player keeps the marbles he or she knocks out. The winner is the player with the most marbles.

8. Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button: Get a button. Leader walks around the circle with a button in folded hands pretending to drop the button in each player’s folded hands. Another player has been asked to watch this procedure. When the leader has gone to each person, the leader asks, “Button, button, who’s got the button?” The player guessing chooses someone. If after 3 guesses the player has not located the button, the guesser becomes the new leader. If he chooses correctly, then the leader remains the same and repeats the process with a new player guessing.

9. Stick Pull: This was a favorite activity of the Prophet Joseph and no one ever threw him. Equipment needed: A stick 3’ (1M) long, about 1 1/2” diameter. Two people sit on the ground facing each other, feet to feet. Both grab hold of the stick and at a signal, both pull on the stick and see if they can pull the other person from his/her sitting position. The one who remains seated the longest is the winner.

10. Ring Roll: Equipment needed: A 12-16” diameter ring (possibly a small bicycle wheel) and a 3’ long stick for each team. A clear space 80-100 feet across (25-30 M). Run as a relay. At a signal, a team member rolls the ring across the distance, using only the stick to direct it. A team member at the other side rolls it back using only the stick.

​
​And don’t overlook the old standbys: sack races, three legged races, and tag—all of which were enjoyed by pioneer youth.