The Camp Price is Right

This summer for our 4-H Jr. camp I put together a Price is Right event, to go along with our TV theme. I thought I would try to share a little about what all I made and how.



The idea started with Plinko, I have a friend that built a Plinko wall and he said I could use it. Then to find more games I started looking on Pinterest for ideas on how to build the Price is Right. I found some good examples of Punch an Bunch and how to make it, but that was about it to start with. Next I went to Google, found a few more ideas, like the Cliff Hanger game, but needed more. Then I went to Wikapeda and found a full list of the Price is Right games, currant and past games, with descriptions of each game (printed that out). That was very helpful, then it was going through and deciding what I thought was doable and refreshing my memory on how some of them was played. That meant next was watching videos online of the games being played. While watching them I took notes of thins on the set like colors and set ups. I also did Google Image search and printed out examples of the set and games so I could go by them when making my props.

The games I decided on doing... of course Plinko and played it two times, sicne I went through all the work to get it. Then Punch a Bunch, Cliff Hanger, Hole in One, and The Clock Game.

Plinko was easy to make, because it was already made all I did was make the Plinko sign to at the top. I thought about making the color edging to go all around it like on the show, but time didn't allow for that in the end.

The Punch a Bunch wall took more work then I thought it would, but I found instructions on Pinterest to help out with giving me an idea on how to make it. I got peace of pallet card board and cut circles out based on how many fit on the card board, the circles was the size of a paper bag opening. Then spray painted it gray and covered the holes with tissue paper. I wrote dollar amounts on paper and put them on the back of the holes, then taped the paper bags on the back. If I was to make it again I would make it a little smaller for less work, it only got three punches to it when played and I had over 20 holes.

Making the Punch a Bunch

For the Cliff Hanger game I also started with a piece of pallet card board (I get them where I work, large card board will work). After cutting an angle across the top I spray painted it gray. I printed out the numbers on yellow paper to go across the top and hand painted the mountains on the gray board. For the the yodeler man I found a printable image on a Google image search, attached it to card board with a handle under him. I also found a website online with sound clips, mp3s, of Prices is Right sounds, I found the yodeling music there. To hold the Punch a Bunch and the Cliff hanger I clipped them to light stands from my studio.

The Clock Game was nice and easy, for the most part just poster board and orange paper. I made the clock face in Photoshop and printed it in sections on orange paper. I made an arrow out of black craft foam and attached it with a paper fastener. One of my camp counselors held it and moved the arrow as the game was played.






Hole in One was the other game I made, at first I wasn't going to make it, because I didn't want to build a putt-putt. Then I found a putting green and hole at a yard sale, so that made it easier. I made the Hole in One sign out of poster board and it was two sided with Hole in Two on the back. I printed out the gulf ball and text, then for the white and yellow lines on it I used colored electrical tape. I put white lines with tape on the green part of the putting green, then made the flags for each item to be placed on the lines. The flags are out of craft foam, pipe and Styrofoam in plastic cups to hold the flags.

For all the games and signs I found a website with links to fonts that closely match those used on the game show. For the most part I designed everything to be printed out in Photoshop and Publisher.

Other things I made for the stage was the contestant stands and the final show down stands. I made both out of poster board from the dollar store and taped them to the front of the table. I used dollar store table clothes for the backdrop behind the contestant stands and cut them in to strips. For the game show "doors" I used two dollar store shower curtains and printed out the logo I made on paper and taped it to the curtains . I hung the curtains on a background stand from my photography equipment. For the big wheel I borrowed a prize wheel and decorated it (it was down last and I ran out of time to make it really pretty). I found graphics online like the dollar sign and name tag by doing Google image searches. I printed the name tags on 8.5x11 label paper and then the campers name was wrote on it in maker when their name got picked.

After games where picked and had started making them I started on the script... to do this I found a website with Transcripts from episodes of the show. I went on there and copied and pasted the games I was playing and all the other parts of the show, then went through and changed all the items, prizes, etc. to the stuff I was using, for them to bid on. For the items they would bid on most of it was stuff I found around my house, some of it was just print out and some was funny stuff just to be silly. They didn't get take home those items, but they all got prizes to take home based on there showcase. Prize was toys and candy that went along with what they was bidding on, such as match box cars and puzzles with pictures of places they could go. (if I can find a way to attach my script, I will add it later).

The adult staff the camp was "stars", one male adult staff played Drew, I put his script on cards for him to refer to. A second male adult staff was the announcer and operated the sound equipment. A female adult staff member played the role of the Barker's Beauty. I was the director and trying to take pics of it. We also had three of our last year camp counselors help with setting up and running the games.

Then it was time for the campers to come on down!