Ring the Liberty Bell

Make a hoop out of a wire coat hanger, leaving the hook at the top.  Attach a bell to this hook so it hangs inside the hoop.  Hang the bell/hoop from a tree branch.  Players take turns trying to throw a ball through the hoop five times.  Score can be kept for each boy or team: 3 points for ringing the bell; 2 points for going through hoop but not ringing the bell; 1 point for hitting the hoop and going through; 0 points for not going through the hoop.

Minuteman Run

Have all players stand in a circle holding hands.  One player is IT and walks around the circle, tapping each pair of clasped hands as he says this rhyme: "Red, white, blue; Out goes you!"  The pair whose hands are tapped on the word "you" drop hands and race in opposite directions.  IT takes one emptied position in the circle while the two runners race around the circle trying to get back to the last empty spot.  This establishes a new person as IT.

Citizen Test

Two teams face each other with a wide space between them.  The leader asks questions of each team, one at a time.  Ask about the Declaration of Independence, the Star Spangled Banner, national parks/treasures, your state government, etc.  A correct answer entitles the player to take one step forward.  An incorrect answer passes the question to the other team.  The team to cross the other team's starting line is the winner.

State Landings

Cut cardboard circles of different sizes to represent the states.  Suspend them from the ceiling. Make paper airplanes and let each player have three chances launching his plane at a state from about six feet away.  Set a point value on each state, the smallest being worth the most points.  The player with the highest score wins.

Red & Blue

Split up into two teams, one for each half of the field.  One team is Red and the other is Blue.  The two teams line up along the centerline and wait for the game leader to say either "Red" or "Blue".  Whichever team's name is called is the team that is now "it."  That team must try to tag as many of the other team's players before they get across the line to their own safe area.  If a player is tagged before crossing the line, they switch teams and join the team which tagged them.  If the player makes it across the line without being tagged, he stays on the team he was on.  When all players have either been tagged or are safe, both teams line up again on the centerline and play continues again with the call of either "Red" or "Blue".  When one of the teams has an overwhelming majority of players, they are declared the winners.

Pass the Map Game

Materials: 20 small pieces of paper and a map of the United States

Write North on 5 cards, South on 5 cards, East on 5 cards, and West on 5 cards.  Shuffle all 20 cards.  The first player calls out a state.  The player to his left draws one directional card and identifies a state bordering the called state, in that direction.  For example: Utah is called and south is the direction.  The card holder names Arizona as a state bordering Utah on the south.  Any bordering state to the south would be correct.  Check the map to make sure the answer is right.  Now, pass the map to the next player.  Count one point for each correct answer.  The first person to earn 10 points wins.

States and Capitals

Using heavy red construction paper or poster board, cut out 100 stars.  On one star, neatly print the name of a state; on the next, the name of its capital, and so forth.  You may wish to laminate finished cards for greater durability.  Place all cards face down on a table or other flat playing area.  Each player flips over two cards.  If the cards form a pair, the player keeps the set and takes another turn.  If the cards do not form a pair, the player lays both back on the table face down and play progresses to the next player.  Of course, a primary objective of this game is to aid players in memorizing the states and capitals.  If a player makes a match, fails to recognize it as such, and returns cards to the playing area, no other player should point out his mistake.  However, a subsequent player who noticed the match can flip both cards and claim the pair.  In other words, players need to pay attention throughout the game - not just during their turns.  When all states and capitals have been matched, the player with the most pairs wins.  You may wish to start out with just the states from your region and work toward doing all 50 states and capitals.

Paul Revere's Ride

Mark off a large playing area, at least 30' x 30'.  Divide players into two teams, the British and the Colonists.  The British stand on one end of the playing field, the Colonists on the other.  When the game begins, the Colonists will attempt to cross the playing field to reach safety just past the British starting line.  Meantime, the British try to tag them.  Tagged players are out of the game and should exit the playing field.  A referee holds up either one or two fingers to tell whether the British will attack by land or by sea.  If the British are to attack by land, they must gallop like horses.  If they are to attack by sea, they must rock from side to side like a ship as they run or walk quickly.  British soldiers who use an incorrect method of approach are also out of the game.  When all Colonists are either out of the game or safe beyond the British line, the turn ends.  Teams reverse roles (the British become the Colonists and vice versa), and a new round ensues.

Discovering America
Indianhead Council

Place the boys in a circle with a leader in the center. He should point to one of the players and ask a question about America - its history or cities or rivers - such as "Who discovered America?" And he begins counting to ten while looking at the boy to whom he points. But that boy is not the one who should answer. Rather, the thrid boy to his left should answer the question. If the right boy answers correctly, he takes over as leader. If he doesn't answer in time or if the wrong boy answers, either is out of the game.

Romp Across America Obstacle Course
Sam Houston Area Council

Statue of Liberty – Each Scout is given a small amount of foil in order to make a liberty torch.

Go West Young Man –Each Cub is given a pretend horse and runs a course that is marked by orange cones.

Crossing The Mississippi River – Swimming pool filled with water has several rocks strategically set inside; the scout crosses the pool by stepping on the rocks.

Colorado Mines – Large cardboard boxes set up in a maze and each Cub crawls through.

Gold Rush in California – Swimming pool filled with sand; there just might be a chance of finding gold!

Logging In Washington – Swimming pool with 2 x 4” board inside, symbolizing the logs.  Cubs pretend to be loggers, as the walk on the logs.

We Fought Hard For Those 50 Stars
Simon Kenton Council

Divide the group into equal teams, lined up a few feet away from the table. Place a bowl on the table for each team. Lay 50 cutout paper stars (approx. 2 inches in diameter) out on the table besides each bowl.  Give each player his own straw.  On the signal, the first player on each team, runs forward and picks up one or more stars, with one breath, by sucking on the straw.  He then carries 'the star to the bowl and drops it in.  NO HANDS.  He then runs to the next person in line and goes to the end of the line.  The first team to have all 50 stars in the bowl is the winner.  (Game can be varied to use 13 stars for a smaller group).

What State am I?
Denver Area Council

Arrange the boys in a circle and have one leave the room while group decides which state they are. When the boy returns, he asks leading questions. You may want to set a limit for the number of questions. Then choose another boy to go and have the group choose another state for him to guess.

PATRIOTIC COLORS
York Adams Area Council

Formation: Circle

The leader sits in the middle of the circle, points to a player and calls 'red'.  The player has to name an object that is red (e.g. tomato, fire engine) before the leader can count to 10 out loud.  The same object cannot be repeated.  If a player fails to think of an object before the leader has counted to ten, the two switch places.

Use the patriotic colors 'red', 'white' and 'blue'.