The Ma + Pa Handbook

I Spy: One person chooses an object in their mind and says “I Spy with my little eye something ____ (they say the color of the object).” The team then tries to guess the object about which they are thinking. Whoever guesses the object picks the next object.

The first person chooses the first word, and the next person adds a word after it. Then the following person also adds to the last part of that word. For example, the first person could say “Utah,” and the next person, “Utah Jazz.” Then the third person could say, “Jazz music,” etc.

Each person will need a large button and string. Simply thread the string through the button and tie in a knot. Put the loop over your thumbs with the disc hanging. Spin the disc around until the strings are completely twisted on both sides. Then pull the strings taut. The disc will spin rapidly as the string unwinds. When nearly unwound, release tension, but keep the string relatively straight between the thumbs. The angular momentum of the disc will cause the strings to twist again in the opposite direction. As the disc slows, pull on the string again and its direction will reverse.

***This will need to be put together prior to Trek but Pioneer children played this as they walked.

A game where one person thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the other players try to guess who or what it is by asking only “yes” and “no” questions to the person who is “it.” The game ends when the answer is guessed or when twenty questions have been asked.

One person is chosen to be the leader and he or she spells a word of his/her choice. The next person has to spell a word beginning with the last letter of the previous word and so on.

Teach your Trek family about the Willie and Martin Handcart companies by preparing your own set of questions, answers and historical information/stories.

Tie a bandana to the wagon wheels and count the number of times the bandana goes around the wheel. Determine an amount of minutes or a distance such as your current location to the next large boulder, etc. History: The pioneers wanted to keep a record of how far they traveled each day, so William Clayton tied a red flag on one of his wagon wheels and counted the times the flag went around. He was able to calculate the distance the wagon had traveled using the measurement of the wheel and the number of turns of the flag. This was a very tiring job, so Brother Clayton invented a machine that would do the counting for him. This machine, called an odometer, was connected to a wagon wheel. As the wagon wheel turned, smaller wheels inside the machine moved and measured the distance the pioneers traveled each day.

Additionally, the Trek Activities Committee will provide random trials and unique experiences for your family to overcome/complete as you walk.

There are occasions on the pioneer trek when you may find extra time on your hands. These “gaps” often occur between meals and scheduled events, or when there is some unforeseen hold-up in the scheduled events. Rather than sending your restless family off to find trouble, you can initiate one of several activities. The following is a list of some games and activities that can be used as “gap-fillers.”

States: Sit players in a circle and have everyone choose a state (or a fruit or a famous person, etc.). Go around the circle twice, having each person name their state so that the players can memorize them. IT stands in the middle with a hat or bandana and approaches a player who must name another state (belonging to another player) before IT hits them on the leg. IT must hurry to the person whose state was named and try to hit them before they can name another state. Whoever is hit on the legs before naming another’s state is IT. If a player says their own state or a state not included in the game they become IT.

Each person in a circle shares his or her most embarrassing moment.

Each person shares one of their greatest fears. When everyone has shared a fear, you should go around the circle again and ask everyone to share one of his or her greatest strengths. This activity can be processed.

In a circle, one person shares a peak experience that they have had—one that has meant a great deal to them for some reason or another. When they have completed sharing their experience, the other members of the group share their observations about that person’s outstanding characteristics. This is continued until everyone has had a chance to be “championed.”

Have some of the youth choose a story to act out from the scriptures, and have the rest of your family guess what story it is.

Each player is given 5 beans (or more depending on how long you want the game to last). All players sit in a circle and there is an empty container in the center of the circle to collect discarded beans. The object of the game is to be the first one to get rid of all your beans.

The way you can discard a bean is to tell something about yourself that you think NO one else in that circle can say about himself or herself also. (You can only say things that are actually true). For example, it is my turn and I say “I have floated in the Dead Sea.” If no one else in the circle can claim that to be true for them, then you can discard your bean. If there is someone else that can say that about himself/herself, they get to discard their bean and you cannot. (If there are multiple people in the group that can say that is true for them, all of them can discard a bean, but not the person who said it).

This pushes the players to think of unusual and unique things to tell about themselves so they don’t help another player in the circle win. For example, if you are a BYU/Ute fan, maybe think of something else to share because there could be several BYU/Ute Fans in your circle. Instead, share with the group that you have a pet named “Bubba.” You would be more likely to be the only one in the circle that could say that.

Each person has to tell at least one lie and two truths about himself or herself, and then the group has to guess which statement is a lie.

Have each person get some Skittles (or other candy), taking as many as they want. After everyone has some Skittles, each person has to tell one thing about himself or herself for each Skittle they have in their hands.

Sit in a circle with one person in the middle. The person in the middle holds a thimble full of water and says a topic, such as colors. The people in the circle each take turns saying an item from the topic. If anyone repeats an item that has already been said, they get a thimble full of water in the face and then they are IT.

The players form a circle. The first player begins the game by saying “I have a basket.” The person beside him or her asks “What’s inside?” The first player has to name something that starts with the letter a. The second person has to name an object that starts with b, and so on.

Players face the leader, who says what to do. Then they copy the actions of the leader. The leader will say “ducks fly” and flap his arms. The players also flap their arms. The leader continues with other actions like “cats meow”, “dogs bark”, etc. But the leader also tries to trick others by saying “sheep oink”. The players must remain quiet until the leader says it correctly.

Everyone sits in a circle. One player throws a handkerchief in the air and calls out one of the elements: air, earth, water, or fire. If air, water, or earth is called out, the person whom the handkerchief touches must name a creature that belongs to that element before the caller counts to ten (such as water–eel; air–falcon). If any player calls out fire, everyone must be silent because no creatures live in that element! The one with the handkerchief then tosses it and calls out another element. If an answer is incorrect, has already been named, or if time runs out, that player must forfeit. Other Ideas: Dominos, Checkers, Jacks, Hacky Sack, Cat’s Cradle

***Large Group Activities will be organized by the Trek Activities Committee.