If the group is less than 100 in number, the following game can be played: 

A ball of string is handed to the leader of each team.  Upon the signal to start, the leaders, holding the end of the string, pass the ball to the next one on the team, who passes it to his neighbor, unrolling it as it goes, and so on from hand to hand, each one on the team keeping hold of the string with his right hand.  There should be string enough in the ball to reach all the way round the circle.  The ball diminishes as it is passed along.  When the ball reaches the last one in the circle he starts rewinding the string upon the ball, passes it back to the next one, who winds on the slack, and so the ball is passed, each one winding until the ball returns to the captain.  Each team will try to get the ball properly wound back into the captain’s hands first.  No one can leave his regular position in the line during the race.  If the ball has been properly wound, it will be possible to throw the same twenty-five feet to the judges, who take a position within the circle and about this distance in front of the captain.  The first one to get the ball into the hands of the judge, by means of this throw, wins the race.

In the next race five or six flags of the Allies are passed about the circle in the same way.  The flags are stuck in the ground in front of the leaders.  Upon the signal to start, the leaders pick up the first flag and start it on its way, then immediately pick up the second and start it about the circle and so on until all of the flags are in motion.  The American flag should be passed last.  When all of the flags have been returned to the leaders they run to the center of the ring.  The first one to stick the American flag up in the receptacle there placed to receive it wins the race. (Careful instruction should be given that the flags in being passed about the circle must be handed from one individual to the next so that every individual passes the flag.  Throwing is not allowed.)

See chapter on Racing Games for picnic for other suggestions.

Following these passing games the group can be broken up into smaller circles, each under the direction of a leader who has been previously instructed in the type of game he is to give to his group.  The activities of the smaller groups are to be arranged according to the age of the participants.

In dividing a group into smaller groups according to age, the leader should first have all children under twelve years of age step forward.  These should be placed in the charge of group leaders.  Next all the boys and girls from twelve to eighteen should be asked to step forward and next all those young men and women who can participate in active games.  When this last group has been called forward, those remaining will form the fourth group.

It is difficult for one leader to handle more than fifteen individuals.  If any of the groups contain more than this number, they should be subdivided, with a leader placed in charge of each subdivision.  Try as far as possible to have the two sexes equally divided in each group.  The games should be carefully selected in advance and the various leaders should have been trained for their task.  No active play program for large groups should be planned for a longer period than one hour and then frequent rest periods allowed for adults.