Playing around the World (Brownie Try-it)

''This Try-it was originally called Play. In 1999 it was renamed Playing Around the World, and in 2011 it was retired.''

Children all over the world play games. Here are some for you to try.

As with all retired Brownie Try-its, scouts need to complete 4 activities to earn the badge.

Kim's Game (England)
Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all over the world play this game. You and your friends can have fun playing it, too!

You will need: 1 or more friends At least 10 small things A scarf or piece of cloth

Put 10 things on a table. Be sure you can cover all of them with the scarf or piece of cloth. Show the players the 10 things for one minute. Then cover them up. Ask the players what was on the table. See if they can list all 10 items.


 * Juliette Low Kim's Game

Red Light, Green Light (United States of America)
Here is one of many ways to play this game: Choose someone to be "it". The person who is "it" stands at one end of the playing field, far away from the other players.</li> The other players line up along the starting line at the opposite end of the field.</li> "It" turns her back to the group and yells "green light". The players may now run toward "it".</li> When "it" yells "red light", everyone must stop running and freeze. "It" turns around right after yelling "red light". If "it" catches anyone moving, those girls go back to the starting line.</li> The game continues until someone has been able to reach and touch "it" while "it" has her back to the group.</li> That person becomes the new "it" person.</li></ol>

Sheep & Hyena (Sudan)
See if you can keep the sheep away from the hungry hyena! Get at least 10 people to play. Players join hands and form a tight circle.</li> The hyena stays outside the circle. The sheep stays inside the circle.</li> The players in the circle have to try to keep the hyena from breaking through the circle to get to the sheep. The game ends when the hyena gets the sheep or gets too tired to go after the sheep anymore.</li> Two other people become the sheep and hyena.</li></ol>

Hawks and Hens (Zimbabwe)
This is a great chasing game for times when you have lots of energy and want to run. You will need at least four people and two safety zones. One person is the hawk. All the others players are the hens.</li> The hawk stands between the safety zones and tries to catch the hens as they run back and forth from one safety zone to the other. </li> When a hen is caught, she sits on the side and watches the game.</li> <li>The last hen to be caught by the hawk becomes the next hawk.</li></ol>

Jan-Ken-Pon (Japan)
This is a game for two players. <ol><li>Two players face each other with their hands behind their backs.</li> <li>Together, they say "jan-ken-pon". On "pon" both bring a hand forward to stand for a stone (fist), paper (flat hand), or scissors (V-shaped with the index finger and middle finger).</li> <li>Stone beats scissors because it can break them. Scissors beats paper because it can cut it. Paper beats stone because paper can wrap up a stone.</li> <li>A player gets a point each time her hand beats the other's. The first player who gets seven points wins.</li></ol>