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Fun games to play in the snow

Winter camping is serious business. You know the routine: Dress properly, build the right kind of shelter (or buy the right kind of tent), eat the right kind of food and drink plenty of water.

Dress in layers, watch your buddies for frostbite, don’t leave your water bottle in the snow overnight, and, whatever you do, do NOT allow yourself to get wet. If you do, change into dry clothes immediately!

Yes, there are a lot of rules, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some serious fun, too. Snow camping provides a good opportunity for activities unique to this time of the year.

Here are a few activities we came up with. Can you think of more?

snowgame-550

 

TUG OF WAR

Try a tug of war with a twist — the losing team crashes through a wall of snow.

It’s easy enough to execute. Build a wall of snow at least chest high, split into two teams with hands on opposite ends of a rope and start pulling.

Overachievers will build a taller wall, get it nice and compact, then carve out a hold through which the rope can run.


snow-baseball1.jpgSNOW BASEBALL

Set up a baseball diamond with a mound of snow representing home plate and first, second and third bases. Place an empty water bottle on the top of each mound.

The “pitcher” stands in the middle of the diamond and hurls snowballs first a home plate, then around the bases. Whoever knocks down the bottles with the fewest pitches wins.


snow-racing2.jpgRACING

It’s one of the oldest sports of all time, but snow adds a whole new element. In the snow, you don’t race on your feet. Instead, try scooting on cross-country skis, sleds, skates and, if you’re really cool, your belly.

You can also try sliding down a slight incline on garbage-can lids, inner tubes, plastic flying disks or heavy cardboard.


snow-golf.jpgSNOW GOLF

Take some time to smooth out a “fairway” and a “green.” Take an open can and plant it in the snow—this is the hole.

For golf balls, use hockey pucks. For clubs, use hockey sticks or real golf clubs.


serum-race.jpgALASKA SERUM RACE

The doctor needs this serum in order to save the patient, and time is running out.

Split into patrols of two or more Scouts. Each patrol gets a sled with a rope tied to the front.

All patrols must transport the “serum” to the doctor by crossing four stations (landmarks spread across the campsite). Each patrol starts with one Scout pulling the rest on the sled. At each station, the Scouts rotate so a different one is doing the pulling.

First patrol to reach the doctor wins.

For an added twist, compete as individuals, and make the serum a cup of water filled to the brim that sits on the sled. If the serum spills, you’re done.


snow-carving1.jpgSNOW CARVING

The snowmen you built as kids aren’t good enough anymore. We demand a masterpiece.

Split into patrols and compete in a snow-carving competition. Out of a mound of snow, create a work of art. (Hint: It doesn’t have to be a sculpture of a person.)

The patrol with the most creative snow sculpture (as judged by the unbiased adult leaders) wins the competition.

59 Comments on Fun games to play in the snow

  1. minecraftmaner // January 21, 2014 at 8:10 pm // Reply

    so awesome!!!!!! So great!IT WORKS!!!

  2. It snows all the time in Indiana. I love to play in the snow!

  3. man I should try one of these games

  4. i want to try snow carving

    loosha n

  5. horse crazy! // December 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm // Reply

    nice! i wanna try the alaska serum race.

  6. blank hahaha // December 9, 2013 at 1:19 pm // Reply

    cool. me stick to building awesome snowforts though

  7. i can add one more, BIGGEST SNOWBALL FIGHT EVER!!! anyway, i can’t wait till my snow outing!!!!! :):):)

  8. Ha some things are fun

  9. Knife Xpert 157 (aka Chad 101) // October 15, 2012 at 12:47 pm // Reply

    I think snowmobiling is much funner. I have a 1994, 440 JAG Z. its an awesome sled and i cant wait to ride in 5 foot deep powder this winter! YEEHAAAA!!

  10. I wished it snowed in Pheonix:>(

  11. All the snow games sound fun but the one i want to play the most is the tug of war game………FUN……HAHAHA

  12. ๐Ÿ™‚

  13. Hi im a girl i know its weird that i read boy’s life magazine but theres no Girls life magazine oh ya and btw ill try some of these ideas its just that where i live we dont get alot of snow but today febuary 23 2011 there is WOHO cant wait

  14. Princess Feather // January 3, 2011 at 12:50 pm // Reply

    All this stuff looks like a aloy of fun can’t wait

  15. Use a snow shovel on a mound of snow and you have a catapult for your snow fort.

  16. need a sled? cut side off big box. stick in garbage bag.

    P.S. I used this in yrs B4 last. IT HAS HAPPENED, deep diver.

  17. try using a inner tube down a BIG BIG hill. its fun

  18. Most of the games are boring, so spice it up a bit!

  19. The racing is really cool but you should add more twist to it like making lanes for the sled or intertube etc. to slide on and make the lanes overlap and try to knock people out of their lanes as the lanes overlap! Try out my suggestion and if it works put it in a magazine!! You guys are awesome! Great ideas!

  20. if you want to have an ultimate snow fight battle, use a shovel to gather snow, and then pach it together to make a snow fort. Start making snowballs before your opponent does, ahead of time, so that you can have more snowballs.(Tip:NEVER EVER tell your opponent the secret!)

    • Nice idea but whats really fun is to take a 5 gallon bucket pack snow into it and stack the barrels of snow on top of one another antill at desired hight and leave 2-3 small openings to thro snowballs thru and then make a hefty roof out of snow and nw the only way you could get hit is thru the openings. (Tip- if you let the snow refreeze over night you can lay on the roof and it won’t fall!)

  21. white_light79troop65 // December 18, 2009 at 10:08 pm // Reply

    WE JUST GOT DONE BUILDING A 7 FOOT TALL SNOWMAN BUT BY MORNING HE WILL MOST LIKELY BE 4 FOOT TALL

  22. It snowed here, but not enough to go out and make 6 foot tall snowmen.

    • Down here in Maryland it snowed aton and still is ….. So excited, going to try some of these games sometime when ever it stops.

  23. awesomedudeiceman479 // August 26, 2009 at 4:16 pm // Reply

    all of these sound awesome to try

  24. Snowgolf is really fun

  25. It started to snow yesterday I can’t wait to play your games

  26. I have 10 inches at my house…

    ๐Ÿ™‚

  27. The snow just started to fall in louisiana and i am so excited! Can’t wait to play these games!

  28. We golf with a tennis ball and a real golf iron

  29. who can make the best snow angels

  30. snow ball fights

  31. thom loves it

  32. Im having the Klondike Derby tomarrow in up north Wisconsin so ill try these on my free time

  33. they look fun.

  34. Ther are lots of games you can play in the snow. I play games like Snow Revolution,

    it’s just a advanced version of a snow ball fight. I also make snow men and women in

    the snow. But before I do this I put on my snow gear.

  35. I cant find the wii image of pedro // January 27, 2008 at 6:39 pm // Reply

    Where is PEDRO with wii

  36. going to the snow tomorow !!!

  37. i agree with extreme rapper, i’ll stick to boarding.

  38. I would love to do that

    (if only it snowed in atlanta!!!!!)

  39. man there’s some pretty cool games on here.

  40. kewl…

  41. Extreme Rapper // November 4, 2007 at 2:54 pm // Reply

    ill just snowboard 8) ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ˜€ ๐Ÿ˜›

  42. iam looking forward to winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  43. I would like snow carving the best.

  44. Cant wait til I go to Klondyke

  45. i can’t wait for the snow in texas.

  46. i like it but i think it would be hard to play golf with a hockey puck try spray painting a real golf ball black

  47. troop 56 bsa guy // October 22, 2007 at 11:32 am // Reply

    wow i can not wait 4 the snow 2 fall!

  48. NOTRE DAME FAN // October 19, 2007 at 1:51 pm // Reply

    IT LOOKS LIKE FUN

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