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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Drip drip drop

Head into the great outdoors for this watery version of a popular game – prepare to get wet.
Plan a session with this activity

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You’ll need

  • Paper cups
  • Towels

Before you begin

  • It’s best to play this game on a warm sunny day. You might want to play it alongside other water games.
  • Find a space outside where everyone can sit comfortably in a circle.
  • Don’t forget to do a risk assessment.
  • You may want to tell everyone to bring a change of clothes and a towel.

Play the game

  1. The person leading the game should give everyone a plastic cup with some water in. They should remind everyone not to throw water in anyone’s eyes.
  2. One person should volunteer to be the dripper. Everyone else should sit in a circle. 
  3. The dripper should walk around the outside of the circle, dripping a bit of water on everyone’s heads (they could dip their fingers in so their fingers drip on people’s heads). As they drip water on each person, they should say ‘drip’.
  4. When the dripper gets to the person they want to chase them, they should say ‘drop’, and gently touch their head (without putting any water on them).
  5. The person who was touched is now the chaser. They should take their cup of water with them as they chase the dripper around the outside of the circle. The dripper and chaser should try to be the first to sit in the free space, without spilling too much water from their cup.
  6. The person who sits down in the space should drop the water from their cup on themselves. If they really don’t want to do it, they don’t have to.
  7. The person leading the game should refill any cups that are empty.
  8. The person left standing not in a space is the dripper; they should repeat steps three to seven to play again.
  9. Everyone should keep enjoying the game until they’re all very wet.

Reflection

This activity was a chance to try something new. Had people played this game before? Had anyone played a game like it? Have people tried running with a cup of water before? Why it is tricky?

 This game was also a chance to value the outdoors. Can anyone think of other games they’d like to play outdoors with water? See if you can plan to try them out another time. Why is it fun to play games in the outdoors? You can get messier than indoors, and it’s fun to be outside.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Active games

The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.

Water games and activities

Be careful when doing activities with, in, or near water. Check surfaces and reduce the risk of slipping where possible. Make sure you have appropriate supervision for this activity.

For an extra challenge, ask two people to be dippers at once.  They could walk in opposite directions around the circle.

Anyone who really doesn’t get wet could wear a rain poncho or use an umbrella. People could choose a friend to run for them.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Beavers My Adventure Challenge Award

You could play other water based games, for example, catch with water balloons, or passing a cup of water over and under down a line. If you play team games, it could count towards the Teamwork Challenge Award.