What you need

A handkerchief, a small soft toy or a rolled-up sock as the bone. Chalk or two ropes to mark the team lines.

How to play

Mark two lines about eight to ten metres apart. Put the bone on a spot exactly halfway.
Make two equal teams standing on the lines, facing each other.
Number the players of each team 1, 2, 3 and so on, so that each number has an opposite number of about the same size and age.
The leader calls a number. The two players with that number run to the middle.
Each tries to pick up the bone and carry it back over their own line without being touched by the other.
A player who gets home with the bone scores a point. A player who is tagged while holding the bone gives the point to the other team.
Players may hover, feint and circle. Nobody may touch the opponent before the bone is lifted.
Put the bone back and call another number.

The first team to ten points wins.

Play on grass or a non-slip floor, shoes on or all barefoot. Match the numbers by size so that a small child is not racing a teenager.

Two players hover for ever. After ten seconds the leader counts down from five; if nobody has picked up the bone, both return and no point is scored.
Rough tagging. A tag is a touch with an open hand on the back or arm. Pushing gives the point away.

Time the round with the party timer, make chits or random teams with the chit maker, and keep the points on the scoreboard.