Marco Polo
- Players: 3 – 10
- Duration: 15 - 30 min
- Free to play
How to play
The classic swimming pool chase. The player who is "it" closes their eyes and calls "Marco!"; all other players in the pool must immediately answer "Polo!" Using sound alone, "it" swims toward the voices and tries to tag someone, who then becomes the new "it". If "it" suspects a player has climbed out of the water, they can call "Fish out of water!" — if correct, that player is automatically "it". Always play with a lifeguard or adult supervising.
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- 2–4 players
- 20 - 40 min
- ~$8/person
Horseshoes
Plant two stakes about 30 feet apart (closer for casual play). Players take turns pitching two horseshoes at the far stake. A ringer — the shoe wrapping the stake — scores three points; the closest shoe within a hand's width of the stake scores one. Only one player scores per round: cancel out matching throws, then count the difference. First to 21 wins. Use rubber horseshoe sets for indoor or family play. Keep bystanders well behind the pitcher.
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- 10–20 players
- 20 - 40 min
- ~$1/person
Pass packet memory
Pass the package = the package (a prize/gift) is passed around the circle and when the music stops, the person left holding the package unwraps a cape. In each layer there is a word from a sentence, which they have to memorize to put them together at the end of the game and discover the hidden phrase. Continue doing this until the end of the packet.
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- 2–10 players
- 5 - 10 min
- ~$13/person
Axe Throwing
Players take turns throwing a hatchet at a wooden target, scoring points for how close to the bull's-eye it sticks. Run it in rounds — three throws per turn — and total the scores, individually or as teams. This one is adults (or older teens with instruction) only, and safety is non-negotiable: a proper target with a clear backstop, one thrower at a time, everyone else well behind a marked line, and a sober, briefed group. A commercial axe-throwing venue handles all of this for you and makes a great team outing.
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