Beetle drive game sheet

Some player's beetles will be drawn quite rapidly other players will flounder unable to throw the correct score on the die to complete their beetle. The minute one player has completed their picture they shout Beetle and that is the end of that game.

A Beetle Drive is a mass game of beetle. Players sit around tables in groups of four. Each player has a sheet usually with 9 or 12 boxes in which to draw their beetles. On "GO" the game starts with each group of players trying furiously to complete their beetles. All players then add up the number of body parts they have added to their own beetle scoring one point for each part to a maximum of 14 for a completed beetle.

The highest scorer from each table then moves to the next table in a clockwise direction whilst the lowest scorer moves anti-clockwise. When everyone is sitting at their new tables the organiser shouts "GO" another round is played.

This continues for up to 12 rounds if time allows. Beetle makes a particularly good fundraising idea for children but the idea will work for all sorts of groups. A nice easy family fundraiser. To make money charge each player a set amount for their Beetle Sheet which only cost a few pence to print or buy. You will also have to provide a die and pencils for each table. This allowed four people, or two teams to sit to play a game. Team members sat beside each other, with one team moving anticlockwise at the end of each game along the rows.

Our caller sat on a platform at the front of the hall. We managed to fit in six rows of six squares, giving us a capacity of people. Some parents and children paired up in teams, but older children were a bit more confident playing together without adult help. The event was fairly straightforward to organise: each player needed a beetle card, divided up into games or rounds with cumulative total column.

They also needed a pencil to draw their beetle, and each table required a die and a cup to throw it from. We gave plenty of spot prizes after each game. There were also two overall prizes for the highest scores and two wooden spoons for the lowest. We played 12 games. After the eighth round, we took a break so children and parents could indulge in light refreshments.

We served tea or coffee and a traybake kindly donated by members of the PTA for the adults, and juice and a traybake for the children. It makes for a lively and sociable event Step-by-step One to two months before: Agree on a date and book your venue.

Put up posters, place leaflets in book bags and ask teachers to tell the children about your beetle drive in assembly to drum up excitement! Check the capacity of your venue, and design and print tickets. If you are also having a raffle or tombola on the night, start asking local businesses for prize donations and sponsorship. Ascertain how many volunteers you will need and put out an appeal for help. Make sure your team knows the rules so they can explain what a beetle drive is to anyone who hasn't done one before.

Check you have someone who is prepared to go on the microphone as compere! If you plan to run a bar, apply for a licence from your local authority.

Two to three weeks before: Start selling tickets. Send a letter home with a tear-off slip asking parents to include payment and state the number of beetle drive tickets required.

Appoint a team of volunteers to sell tickets face-to-face on the school gate, too. Keep people up-to-date with reminders about the cut-off date for ticket sales or let them know if you are close to selling out.

One week before: Decide if you are going to allow younger children to play with their parents as a pair little ones might not like moving around by themselves. Make sure you have all the pencils one per player and dice one per table you need.

Draw a plan of the tables so you know which way round everyone has to move. Photocopy plenty of scorecards. Purchase or book refreshments. Decide how many games you want to run before and after the refreshments and when to draw the raffle if running one.

Buy prizes - will you give a 'wooden spoon' prize for the lowest score? On the day: Set up the tables and chairs, put scorecards, templates, dice and pencils on the tables. Once everyone has arrived, explain the rules - it's fun to give the children a few practice runs at shouting out 'BEETLE!

Leave time at the end for adding up scores and sorting through the sheets to find the winner. It can get a bit chaotic with everyone moving tables, but that adds to the fun! Present the prizes, draw the raffle, count your takings and announce the amount raised.