Games

Amoeba
Amoeba is a very large game of tag. There will be one person “it” and everyone else needs to avoid that person. Once the person tags one person they link arms and continue to tag people. The amoeba will continue to grow until no one is left.

Animal Sounds

As the kids walk in hand them a folded piece of paper with the name of an animal on it (the amount of names, and the number of pieces with the same name depends on number of teams, and how large you want the teams to be), tell them not to look until you say to. When everyone has arrived put them into a boundary (if your in a gym, use the lines on the floor, if your on a field, use something VERY visible to show your boundaries). Tell the kids that they can’t step out of the boundaries. Now, tell them that each piece of paper holds a name of an animal and that there are so many other people with the same name. Tell them that they have to act out sounds and actions that would tell other team members that they are part of their team, they are not allowed to speak any words, only noises. Tell them to unfold their papers and go to it. (Never have I ever heard my kids be so loud and laugh so much!!!!)

Backpack Intro

This is like show and tell. Ahead of time ask several kids to bring backpacks full of items that describe themselves. Items could include pictures of friends, trophies they have won, or a favorite CD. Using the items in the backpack, have kids share about their lives and their family. The first week you may want to start out by doing this exercise yourself.

Been There, Done That

Have students think of something they have done fun or exciting. One at a time have the kids come forward and share their experience. If no one else in the group has done it, they get a point. If other people in the group have done it they must stand up and say “Been there, done that”. Allow the group to ask each person questions about their experience. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Black light Volleyball

How to Play: We will play volleyball with several beach balls. We will play volleyball under a lot of black lights.

Bible Scavenger Hunt

BIBLE SCAVENGER HUNT: Teams of 3-6 try to find items in the church with a list of Bible clues. Each item needs two verses for the clue – one that hints at the room, another that names (generally) the item. For instance, for the pulpit we had a verse with the word “sanctuary” and one with the word “altar.” For a phone in the 3rd grade classroom, we had a verse with the word “three” in it and a verse with the word “bell.” (Or something to that effect) Then we had a post-it note hidden in or under the item so the kids knew when they found it. I don’t know if this is original, but I made up our version of it.

Blob

The Blob begins innocently enough as a mere individual playing a game of tag. As soon as she catches someone, she joins hands with him. Now he’s part of the Blob, too, and they both set out hand-in-hand in search of victims. Everyone the Blob catches (only the outside hand on either end of the Blob can snatch at players) joins hands with it and becomes part of the lengthening protoplasmic chain. And thus the insidious Blob keeps growing. Unlike your run-of-the-mill mad scientist created Blobs, this one is not content merely to ooze along, seeking its prey. It gallops around the field, cornering stray runners and forcing them to join up. (You’ll have to agree on boundaries for this game; some people will go to any lengths to avoid meeting with an untimely end at the hands of the primordial slime).

Moreover, the Blob can split itself into parts and, with its superior communal intelligence, organize raiding parties on the lone few who have managed to escape. The thrilling climax occurs when there’s only one player left to put up a heroic last-ditch stand on behalf of humanity. But alas, there is no defense against the Blob, and humanity succumbs. (If that seems unfair, well, that’s the plot.)

Body Part Musical Chairs

Have everyone form a big circle of chairs with the chairs facing outward. Remove one chair. Have music ready. When the music starts everyone must walk around the chairs (it’s also fun if you make them jog).

When the music stops, a caller yells out a body part. Then everyone races to touch that body part to a chair, one person per chair only. If they touch a chair before the body part is called, they are out. The one person who doesn’t get a chair is also out.

To speed it up, you can remove more chairs. We usually start out simple – nose, hair, left elbow, etc. but towards the end we get more complicated – your bare feet, someone else’s left hand (they must grab one of the people who are already out). The object is to be the last one left.

Centipede Wars
How to Play: Each team will get in a line and put their hands on the team member’s shoulders in front of them. Therefore, hopefully looking like a centipede. Then the kids that make the front of the centipede have their hands free to throw dodgeballs. The centipede can dwindle down when either the person in the front or then end of the centipede is hit.

Crazy Apples
How to Play: Each team member will be given a number within his or her group. Once their number is called they will run against all the other team members with that same number to get a noodle in the middle of the room. Points will be given for certain colors of the noodles.

Double Dare (Gross)

Another one that’s been fun (even with the setup [and cleanup] involved…

It’s based on the old TV show “Double-Dare” — you set up an obstacle course for the teams to do kind of a tag-team thing. The object is to find your teams flags throughout the obstacle course and be the first ones to pin them on the youth pastor.

The typical things for the obstacle course are going over/under chairs, running through tires, etc. The fun starts when they have to dig for their flag in a huge bowl of cheap dog food mixed with water (and left standing for about 1/2 hour), dig through vats of solidified Jell-O, (even modify the bobbing for marshmallows to hold the flags for a team), have balloons covered in whipped cream that must be popped to get the flag, etc.

We’ve set it up with 4 flags per team (so there were 4 students on a team). On the word “Go” the first person completes part of the course and digs through the dog food until they find their team’s flag, then they run back to the starting line, and the second person completes part of the course (having to dig in the Jell-O for the flag. They run back and the third person goes. Once all 4 flags have been found they must attach them to the youth pastor.

Elbow Tag

Everyone splits off into two and finds a space within the play area. They then link arms. The youth leader picks a twosome as volunteers! One member of the twosome is IT and the other runs from IT. This works like a normal game of chasing except that the person who is running can grab the free arm of any person in any other twosome at any point they like. When they do this they become a part of the twosome and the original member of the twosome who was not grabbed must now run from IT and try and link up with another twosome. If IT catches the victim, then the victim becomes IT and It becomes the victim and must run and link up with another group.

Everybody’s “IT” Tag

This game is like regular tag only everyone is “it”. Everyone runs around trying to tag everyone else. When you’re tagged, you sit down. The object is to be the last person left standing.

Faith Related

Here are a couple of “faith related activities” and cool examples and stuff to do with a program on faith.

1) Do a “trust fall” where someone stands in front of you or another leader with eyes closed and arms straight out to the side and has to fall back, without stepping back, and has to have faith that you will catch them. Practice a couple of times to get the feel for it and to make sure you can be there to make the catch. Be reassuring so that they can have faith in you. It’s a hard thing for the person in front to do. Follow it up with talk about having faith in God to catch you.

2) Tell the story of the guy that was a huge fan of a acrobatic tightrope walker at the circus. (I’ll give you the quick version. feel free to embellish and ham it up a little.) He went every Saturday night to see him and cheer him on. Every Saturday, the acrobat would yell down something from the tightrope like “Do you think that I can walk backwards across the rope?” The guy below would ecstatically yell, “Yes… Yes… You are the best!!! You can do it!!!” And the acrobat would do just that. Every Saturday, the acrobat would yell down a new challenge, the guy below would yell back his support and overwhelming faith that the acrobat could do it. Then the acrobat would do it. Finally, one night, the acrobat yelled down, “Do you think I can push someone across this tightrope in a wheelbarrow?” “Yes!!! Yes!!! I know that you can do it!!!! You’re the best!!!” yelled the man… The acrobat yelled back down … “Then come on up here and hop in…” (Follow up this little ditty with some talk on the difference in saying that you “have faith” and really having faith in God. Challenge them to think “Am I willing to keep that faith when I am put to the test?”)

3) Job would be a great cross reference for faith in hard times.

4) Show the last part of “Indiana Jones – The Last Crusade” (“heads up” on that copyright jazz) where Indy has to step out onto the invisible “Bridge of Faith” and walk across it. It’s not exactly the most theological footage, but really draws the kids in. Follow it up with talk on having faith that God provides where he says that he will. My kids loved watching this. Just be sure to start showing it AFTER the part where that dude’s face melts off. That can really gross some kids out and could distract a tad. I know that I always get a little distracted when someone around me has their face melt off.

Faith Related 2

You need a strong 2×4 or similar that will not break when a kid stands on it. Send some of your youth out of the room and fill in the rest of the youth on what you will be doing. Have two to four of the strongest youth get on the ends of the 2×4 and hold the 2×4 about 6 inches off the ground. One at a time let the youth in and lead them over to the 2×4 blind fold them and have them step onto the 2×4 while holding onto your head for balance. Now tell him/her to jump off of the 2×4. Now have them step back onto the 2×4 and tell them that you are going to have the youth on the end of the 2×4’s to raise the 2×4. Now the youth on the end of the 2×4’s will kind of shake the ends like they are raising it while you bend your knees so that the person blind folded thinks that the 2×4 is really being raised. Now tell him/her to jump. The main principle behind this is that our faith in God is not a blind faith. I hope this is what you where looking for.

Find the Worm
Find the gummy worms in the pie pan full of whip cream. If you can find a jelly bean it is worth ? points.

Flying Wombats
How to Play: Each team will be given a certain territory in the room. They will have several cones to protect from being knocked over by other groups, while they try to knock other groups over. We will use dodgeballs to play, but you can only roll them. No throwing is allowed.

Fruit Relay
Use the potato in your basket and pass it to one another using only your chin.

Getting to Know You Games
1.JUST LIKE ME!

The family leaders will ask a question. The kids will have 10 seconds to yell out the answer and form a group with others who are yelling out the same answer. When they have formed their smaller groups – have them introduce themselves within that small group. If a camper does not find a “match” – allow them to ask the next question. Below are a few questions to get you started:

What’s your favorite kind of sandwich?

What’s your favorite subject in school?

What’s your favorite vacation spot?

What’s your favorite movie?

What’s the best menu item at McDonald’s?

What kind of car would you like to have?

What kind of pet do you wish you had?

2.I’VE GOT A SECRET

Have the kids find a partner within your family. Every camper will think of a secret – nothing too personal – rather just a fun fact about themselves. (Like weird foods, or middle names, or birthplaces)

By asking “yes or no” questions, partners will figure out the other’s secret – then switch roles. When everyone is finished, they will take turns introducing each other. Example – “This is my partner Chris, and his secret is that he was born in England.”

3.HUMAN BINGO

This game will be played with all of the families together. The kids will have to find people who can fill in the spaces on their bingo cards. ONLY ONE PERSON PER SPACE AND A PERSON MAY ONLY SIGN EACH CARD ONCE. The object of this is to complete the entire card.

Giddy Plungers

How to Play: It is a team relay where each child will spin around a plunger 5 times and then run around a cone holding a soccer ball in the plunger. If the ball falls out they have to start over. First team done wins.

Glowstick Foosball

Try this one on for size. It is called “Glowstick Foosball”. It is ideal for latenight or lock-ins and retreats.

– It can be played with any size group 10 – 100.

– You will need 1 – 4″ glowstick for every 3-4 people.

– Position the players in the same configuration as the table-top foosball game.

– Players are stationary within a reasonable stretch of their seat or on their knees.

– The objective is for players to maneuver the glowstick to there goal by sliding them from player to player. At times players are offense or defense depending on if they happen to control a glowstick or not.

– The glowstick cannot be thrown over a 4″ level.

– Scoring is whatever you choose i.e. 1 pt. per goal. The goal consists of an 8 ft. table laid on its side. The glowstick can hit any of the surface area to score.

– People needed to assist are sideline refs. to keep track of penalties i.e. throwing glowsticks over 4″, players out their playing zone, etc.; score keepers; and timer, this person can use the length of tunes as playing periods or can use traditional clock.

– There are by no means hard fast rules short of fun times and good sportsmanship. The typical game will take 1 hour, this includes setup and game instruction.

– One very important tip is to have all available lighting turned off. This makes the game incredibly fun with only the light sticks being seen.

Hula Hoop Relay
How many hula hoops can you put around your team mate. The most hula hoops wins. Each team gets two hula hoops and 2 minutes to get as many hula hoops around your partner as you can.

Jello Pudding Relay
Each kid gets a straw and in one breath they get as much jello pudding as they can until the pudding is gone.

Knots
Get 5 – 9 kids in a circle and have them reach across and grab other’s hands. They cannot grab their own hand no can they be holding both hands of someone else (i.e. each hand is holding someone else’s hand). Then they have to un-tangle themselves without letting go. I can always be done so don’t let them give up.

Make a Beard
One team member puts shaving cream on while the other team member tries to put as many cheetos on the beard as possible. The most cheetos wins.

Name on the Back Game
Put different names on pieces of paper and tape on to each person’s back. They can follow a theme, like Biblical names or cartoon characters or whatever. Then everyone has to go around asking yes or no questions of other people in order to find out what name is on their back.

Sardines

Kind of like Hide and Seek, but in reverse. To start, ONE person hides as the rest wait for 1 min. or so, and then everyone goes out looking for him/her. When someone finds the person who is hiding, he/she must hide there too. This continues until all have found the person who is “it.” The first person to find the one who was “it” hides in the next game. Lots of fun because everyone is jammed up together trying to hide and keep out of sight!

Skate Away
This is a relay race down to the cones and back using the skateboard. Skate down to the cone turn around and pass the skateboard to the next in line.

Three Truths and a Lie

Have the kids tell four facts about themselves. Three of them must be true and one must be false. After they have told their four things about themselves have the kids guess which one is false.

Toilet Paper relay
Over and under if it breaks you have to start over.

Tossed Salad

Have students sit in a circle of chairs facing inward, one chair for each person sitting down. Have one student stand in the middle who must make statements like: if you are wearing red. Everyone that is wearing red must get up and find a new seat. The person who cannot find a seat is the next person to make a statement. If the person in the middle says tossed salad, everyone must get up and find a new seat.

Triangle Tag

Three of the four people hold hands. The loose person is “IT”. One person of the three has to be tagged. The triangle of three runs and spins to keep that person from being tug. “IT” tries to reach across or run around the other two to tag the third person.

Wacky Way
How to Play: Each team will break up into their own groups and will choose a different runner for each round we play. We will yell out objects that the “runner” needs to bring up front. An example might be a sock. Points will be given to the teams the fastest.

What did you say?
Team members fill there mouths with marshmallows and try and say a tongue twister. Who ever is the most audible wins.

Wild Bananas
How to Play: There will be one team in the middle with all other teams around them. The teams on the outside will roll the balls in the middle and when a team member from the middle is hit they are out. We will time each team and give them points according to how long they stay in the middle. It’s like 4 corner dodgeball, but with one team in the middle.