Cinco Online

by Cecile Cinco

Catch The Dragon's Tail

For several years now I’ve been handling the Family Day and the Children’s Party (Youth Day) during the Feast of Tabernacles in Baguio City (where most of the UCG-Manila attend). How I was assigned, I don’t remember well. I think I just agreed and tried despite my weaknesses: fear of mic and addressing a lot of people! I’d rather be a backstage worker! Anyway, when I took the assignment, I had to transform my mind and make the creative juice flow. That’s what I have naturally.

Over the years (about 8 or 9…forgot when I started!) I’ve had games played that were purely my own, some a variation, and some really existed but are still great games.

For all of those years, I’ve been creating party games while the current game was playing. I did not give it longer time to think the games over before the event so when the time came, I still lacked some. Good thing spontaneity is also a gift I have. When pressure-pushed, I don’t crack but create. It was only this year that I started to plan this year’s set of games. I also have someone that gave me ideas. He’s good with kids so I tapped him to co-host with me. That will be this month! The list of games are prepared but can still change at a moment’s notice, depending on the time and mood of the players.

I thought it’s about time to list them and blog about the party games that I’ve handled. They’re good for all ages. I mean, I’ve set games for all ages, not a game for all ages, though there are a few that suits all ages.

By the way, the reason I planned this year’s games is due to one game that failed last year. Catch The Dragon’s Tail is a fairly known game. We play indoors, wooden flooring. I called on the women. My mom also joined and she’s past 60 (though she doesn’t look like it). Five each team, two teams. All four anchor their hands around the waist in front of them. The foremost person is the head of the dragon and the rearmost is the tail, where a scarf is tied at the back or inserted loosely. The head of the other team will have to get the tail of the other without any team breaking themselves apart. It can be played by 2 or more teams.

As with the video above, a variation was made. The dragon gets shorter as the team’s tail got caught.

The problem with this game especially when 2 teams are left, while one is running after the other team’s tail and the other team is trying to avoid it by running the same direction, a force gets created and it’s like a whirlwind trying to explode. That’s just what happened to them last year. As a result, my mom almost hit her head on the floor, someone got her clothes torn, and someone also had her boob pop out of her shirt! Almost all fell on the floor, rolling and others got pressed over by big ones (there were 2!, 1 for each team). It happened on the 3rd set. Immediately, I cancelled the game and gave everyone a prize.

Lessons learned: Catch The Dragon’s Tail (1) is for men and (2) should be played on the grass or sand by the beach.