Quidditch

 

When playing Muggle Quidditch, we had the basic set-up of the wizarding field: 3 hoops at each end (borrowed from someone who made them using PVC pipes and hula hoops) with boundaries outlined in the grass with powdered lime.

The Rules:

• The game begins with two Chasers squaring off for a jump ball. The referee throws the Quaffle in the air and the Chaser that gets it either runs for his/her goal or throws the Quaffle to a teammate.
• Chasers score 10 points by throwing the Quaffle through one of the hoops.
• Teams must pass the Quaffle two times before attempting to score.
• When a team scores, the opposing team gets the Quaffle and the game continues.
• The Quaffle may not be ripped from a Chasers hands.
•  Beaters stay outside of the playing field and throw the bludgers at the players. No head shots.
• Only Beaters may touch the bludgers, and they may only have one bludger at a time.
• If the Beaters hit a player (Beater or Chaser) with the bludger, that player must freeze, drop any balls they are holding (not pass), and count to 10 before continuing.
•  Chasers who are frozen for 10 seconds pas still receive the Quaffle from another teammate as long as they stay in their position.
•  Each team Keeper blocks the Quaffle from going through a hoop.
• Physical contact is kept to a minimum. (No pushing, etc.)
•  If there is a foul (someone gets pushed, a Bludger hits a player in the head, etc.) a foul shot is taken from the free throw line. The Keeper defends the hoops as usual.

These are mostly taken from this site: http://summercampprogramdirector.com/harry-potter-camp-ideas-part-3-the-extras/ which did a very good job of translating the rules of the International Quidditch Association into rules that younger kids can play by. At our camp, we were also restricted by a small field and a lack of players, so we often played without seekers, or with only one Beater and two Chasers. If there is no Snitch, set a limit for when the game ends, i.e. whenever one team gets to 70 points.

We came across many different ideas for the Snitch, the most common way is for a person to be the Snitch and have a sock taped to their back that the seekers try to grab. However, within the small space of a backyard, the  Snitch would get caught way too quickly. Most of the time we just hid a small ball somewhere in the yard before the game instead. Here are some other great options:

My version of Muggle Quidditch has all the “observers” ringing the pitch … they are the “snitch pitchers” who throw the snitch (bean bag) back and forth across the field, or whatever (hide it under their shirt for a while). It means everybody is involved. -Commenter on this page:http://summercampprogramdirector.com/harry-potter-camp-ideas-part-2-the-classes/

 
We have two referees for the game. Each ref holds a small white glass gem, that we use for house points. During the game refs randomly drop the gem in the playing area. They are difficult to see.
The Seekers job is to find a gem and take it over to the “professor” that is guarding 10 paper bags weighted down with more gems. Inside one of the bags is a plush Snitch.  Once the Seeker has given their found gem to the professor he/she chooses one of the paper bags hoping that it’s the one with the Snitch. If it is the correct bag the game is over. If it is the wrong paper bag the Seeker must return the gem to one of the referees so they can place it back into play. -http://summercampprogramdirector.com/harry-potter-camp-ideas-part-3-the-extras/ 

      Two Snitches wait on the sidelines. Without warning one of them runs-like-crazy across the pitch. If the Seeker tags the Snitch before he reaches the other side, the Snitch reveals one of the coloured golf balls. If the ball matches the team colour, they get 50 points, and game play ends. If not, the play continues as before.-http://www.llemonade.com/hpgames.htm