Blocks are falling, rubber bands are flying through the air, and laughter is heard. Lots of times when family comes to visit us, we like to play Army-Man Shoot-Down. We have lots of fun together.
Army-Man Shoot-Down is a game that takes bunches of army-men and heaps of building blocks. It is a game sort of like the one Dad played when he was a kid.
The manufacturing of blocks began in the late 18th century, although children played with homemade blocks and built with natural materials for many centuries before this. We use ones from our block tub that is in the game closet.
In our game each person picks out the same number of army men, and then we build castles with the blocks to hide the men behind. Each person also gets several rubber bands to shoot the castles and men down. The first rubber band was invented by Englishman Stephen Perry in 1845. That was a long time ago.
After the fun of building castles and setting up the men, the game is ready to start. Rubber bands fly everywhere, and the castles and the men start to fall. There is no turn taking, but it is a free for all. This can last for up to ten minutes or longer. The game ends when all of someone’s men are shot down. Then we rebuild and shoot down and rebuild and shoot down again and again until we get tired of playing.
Plastic green army men became especially popular in the 1950s because that’s when parents began to worry about their children playing with toys made from lead. The two- to four-inch-tall figures mostly represent infantry soldiers of the mid-20th century U.S. Army, with matching weapons and equipment.
For as long as I can remember, we have played Army-Man Shoot-Down. We are still making up different rules. One of my favorite rules is to pick an army-man from your supply to be you and when you get shot down then you can’t shoot any more rubber bands at the other team’s castles and men. The other team does not know who you are so they can’t just shoot you down, but when it happens then you’re out.
Sometimes I will build a big castle and shoot it down by myself, but it is different than when other people play with me. It is quiet when I am the only one playing. With others, it can become quite loud! One way or the other, I find that playing Army-Man Shoot-Down is enjoyable.
In our game each person picks out the same number of army men, and then we build castles with the blocks to hide the men behind. Each person also gets several rubber bands to shoot the castles and men down. The first rubber band was invented by Englishman Stephen Perry in 1845. That was a long time ago.
After the fun of building castles and setting up the men, the game is ready to start. Rubber bands fly everywhere, and the castles and the men start to fall. There is no turn taking, but it is a free for all. This can last for up to ten minutes or longer. The game ends when all of someone’s men are shot down. Then we rebuild and shoot down and rebuild and shoot down again and again until we get tired of playing.
For as long as I can remember, we have played Army-Man Shoot-Down. We are still making up different rules. One of my favorite rules is to pick an army-man from your supply to be you and when you get shot down then you can’t shoot any more rubber bands at the other team’s castles and men. The other team does not know who you are so they can’t just shoot you down, but when it happens then you’re out.
Sometimes I will build a big castle and shoot it down by myself, but it is different than when other people play with me. It is quiet when I am the only one playing. With others, it can become quite loud! One way or the other, I find that playing Army-Man Shoot-Down is enjoyable.
~Isaac
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