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 Anywhere Games Games that don't require a big room Check out our newest anywhere games 
$1000 Bill ExchangeFor this game you need to make your own money on your computer (be sure it's clearly phony or it might be a federal offense). Give each person 10 of the bills. They are to try to win as many as possible from their peers by challenging them one on one doing one of three things: Thumb wrestling Rock, paper, scissors Flipping a coin
You must accept any challenge Sudden death, no two out of three Challenger has to have a coin and is "heads" on the coin toss. *If you are unable or don't want to make play money, see Penny Challenge (Click Here); it's similar but uses a bunch of pennies. Also see Top Dollar (Click Here).
12 Days of ChristmasNote: It is great to have a live band for this game, but it is not completely necessary. A CD and CD player will work. We told the audience to huddle together in 12 different groups. The groups can be of any size, as long as they are relatively the same size. Each group is assigned one gift from the song. For instance, a partridge in a pear tree, 9 lords a leaping, etc. As we played and sang the song “12 days of Christmas” the kids in each group had to act out what was sung in that verse as the leader pointed to them. The group needs to come up with their own actions or routines, etc. The game lasts as long as the music does, of course. You may want to give a prize to the group that comes up with the funniest, best, most original gesture for the “gift” that they are assigned.
A What?Funny game that can be played with 5-50. To start the game, tell everyone to take out a SMALL item (such as a hat, bracelet, shoelace...try not to have anybody pull out a wallet). The game starts with everyone sitting in a circle. They should look to the person on their left and all say to that person, “This is a(n)..._(item)_______.” They then turn to the person on their right and say, "A what?", then turn back to the person on the left and say, "A(n)(item)", turn again to the person on their right and say, "A what", and then say, "Oh, a(n)(item)...” Example: So lets say your item is a pencil, and the person to your right has a hat. This is what you would say: "This is a pencil…a what? A pencil…a what? A pencil…oh, a hat!" And continually pass the items until everyone is laughing their heads off, or completely messing up. Try to have the whole group say, "A what?" at the same time. It should take anywhere from 5-7 seconds to finish a sentence. If someone messes up they are removed and the circle gets smaller. Several people can be removed in one round. If no one messes up, just continue until someone does. Keep playing until the circle works down to a small number. If no one is messing up… speed up the game. And don’t forget a good principle with any game…stop the game before it drags on too long. It’s better to stop a game and have them want more than to keep playing a game after it expired long ago. Added by Kristen Wooster
ABC PopThis game is similar to a fast paced Scrabble using a balloon popping relay. Good for groups of twenty or less. First print off about 90 letters "r s t l n" 5 times , "a e i o u" 5 times, the whole alphabet once, and five lower case p's -five lower case w's and 4 *'s. (The *'s can be used as any letter, p's & w's can be flipped for d's and m's respectively). Get a pack of 100 water balloons (or as many as needed.) Insert a letter into each balloon and blow each one up. Form teams of 5 or less. Have each team compete relay style to get balloons. Each team sends one player who gets one balloon. That player brings the balloon back to the next player in line who has to pop the balloon using only their bottoms then the person who popped the balloon runs and repeats the cycle. Each team stores their letters until the end. After the last balloon is popped each team gets 7 minutes to form their words. Each team needs a roll of tape and some paper. They are trying to assemble the most words Scrabble style. Scoring: words containing 2,3,4 or 5 letters are worth the number of letters they are composed of. (ex. cat=3 good=4.) Words with six or more letters are worth 10 points. Most points wins!
Alphabet Getting to Know YouAs people enter the room, give everyone a pre-typed sheet of paper with each letter of the alphabet (x-optional) on the vertical left side. Example: A____________ B____________ C____________ D____________ Everyone attempts to find out something about others that starts with one of the letters. Examples: Jamal broke his arm in 6th grade. Alana plays basketball. Nissa’s favorite candy is Snickers. Evan’s dad is a dentist. Put the person’s name and info on a line. Cannot use the same person for more than four times. Set a 5-7 minute time limit and see who has the most. Have several (small group, have all) people share interesting discoveries about each other. The Point: Getting to Know You Also see Alphabet Pockets (Click Here).
Alphabet PocketsDivide into teams of 4 or 5. Everyone on the team searches through their own pockets, wallets, purses, etc. The group tries to come up with one possession which begins with each letter of the alphabet. The winning team is the one to have objects representing the most letters. The Point: Teamwork, cooperation, and creativity. Also see Alphabet Getting to Know You (Click Here). Added by Young Life
Alphabet SoupSplit your group into several teams. Give each team a platter and a few cans of alphabet soup, or for a less messy option, a box of Alphabits cereal. Each team must sift through the goo to spell words or make numbers. You can give points a number of ways: - words of three letters - words of four letters - words with five or more letters - Churches can give students high points for spelling spiritual words - the biggest word gets a lot of points - leaders' names get high points as well They are given a time frame to do this (maybe 5 minutes or so). No curse words or body parts. Added by Frank Salvatore
AlphabitsDepending on the size of your group this can be an all play or an upfront game. (If you have a big group, make it a short up front game...if your group is on the smaller side, the dynamics of this game lend themselves to be an all play.) Pick a letter of the alphabet and a topic, i.e. animals, cars, clothes, etc. The kids have to come up with a word that matches the topic and starts with the chosen letter. Example-letter B and the topic is animals; bison, bat, baboon, etc. continue to let everyone play. If someone gives up or takes too long they are now part of the judging team to make sure that words are not reused. Continue the game until you run out of words for the chosen letter. It’s amazing how many things the kids can come up with and how good they are at catching the repeated words.
Ankle Balloon PopGive everyone a balloon and a piece of string or yarn. Have them blow up the balloon and tie it to their ankle. Then announce that they are to try to stomp out other people's balloons while keeping their own safe. Last person with a blown up balloon wins. Note: Be sure to have some guideline regarding the length of the string that the balloon is attached to. You don't want the balloon so tight against someone's ankle that it doesn't touch ground, and you don't want anyone to have a four-foot string either.
Ape, Man, LadyThis is a variation of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Have people pair off. When the signal is given, each person strikes a pose like an ape, man, or lady. Be sure to demonstrate what each looks like ahead of time. The ape beats the lady (because King Kong took the lady), man beats the ape, the lady gets the man. Eliminate the losers and pair the winners until you get a champion. Idea from Youth For Christ Also see Egg, Chicken, Dinosaur (Click Here) and Ninja, Gun, Gorilla (Click Here).
Ask the Pastor - With A TwistAsk the Pastor - with a Twist If you are in a setting where you want to tackle a tough topic in a light and/or fun way, try this one. Give each person a pen and a post-it note (or two). Instruct each person to write down a question they would like the Pastor/Leader to answer or discuss, but might be afraid to ask out loud. After each person has written their question, the leader discreetly collects them and sticks one question on each side of something that can be rolled --such as a large cube. (I use a foam cube from Youth Specialties' "Roll a Roll" game.) The idea is that each person in the group will take a turn rolling the cube and then reading the question that is on top of the cube when it stops rolling. The "twist" is to announce that the Pastor/Leader will speak to the question, but the person who rolled the dice must give their opinion first. Others are also welcome to give their opinion before the leader gives the final response. The activity continues as time allows or until everyone has had a chance to read a question and give an opinion.
AtlasSmall group or travel game. Either in seat order or in a circle, the first person says the name of any city, river, ocean, or mountain that could be found in an atlas. The next person must say another place that starts with the last letter of the place previously said. There is a 10 second limit and no place can be repeated. Examples: Denver Rhode Island Denmark Kenya Also see Travel Alphabet Game (Click Here).
Attack of the FishUpfront or Small Group. Supplies: Two cups of Goldfish crackers and two big scoops of creamy peanut butter. Ask for two volunteers who are not allergic to peanuts. Split up teams around them (Use 3 people for each volunteer if the game is up front, and use everyone if it's being played in a small group). Set the timer and have the teams decorate the volunteers' faces as best they can. Best "attacked" face wins. Our jr. highers created looks like Goldfish glasses, oversized eyebrows, earrings, and a goatee. Very fun, very simple, and very tasty. For ambience, play the Jaws theme or music while the game is played. Added by Jason Schmock For variations of this game, see Whiteheads (Click Here) and Cheeto Face (Click Here).
AutographYou need a lot of washable markers for this one. Each girl is given a washable marker, and when time starts the girls run around autographing as many guys as they can...on the guys’ bodies. Arms, legs, face, feet, ears, neck--all are fair game. Let them run around for about 4 minutes, signing their names to boys, and then call time. The guy with the most autographs wins.
Baby Food: Hot Potato with a TwistYou could play this game with your audience, or play this game just like hot potato, with everyone sitting in a circle. The twist is you use jars of baby food. When the music starts, you begin passing the jar of baby food around the audience or circle. When the music stops, whoever is left holding the jar has to take a spoonful. We use this game for special occasions, such as Thanksgiving, and use flavors such as turkey and gravy, sweet potato, green beans, etc. *You may want to keep a garbage can nearby, just in case someone needs to throw up. Added by Brian Phillips
Back Artist - aka Touch TelephoneThis game is based on the old "telephone game" but involves touch rather than hearing. No talking is allowed. Divide the group into teams of about six each. Each team sits in a line, one behind the other. The last person is shown a simple hand-drawn picture of an object such as a house, a cat, or a Christmas tree, etc. The person who is shown the drawing then tries to draw an exact copy of it, using their fingers, on the back of the person in front of them. The drawing can only be done once. The second person then draws what they felt onto the back of the person in front of them. This continues until it gets to the person at the front of the line, that person then must draw what he or she felt, on a piece of paper. The team whose picture most resembles the original wins that round. Supplies Needed: Pre-drawn pictures for the first person on each team. Added by Young Life
Back to BackThis is the game where you start out with two people sitting back to back and they have to stand straight up without using their hands. Add one person every time they stand up successfully. Our record is ten! The students will be amazed at how it works! The Point: This is a great game for showing students what teamwork can do. It would be nearly impossible to accomplish this by oneself. Added by Greg Cates
Balance the BucketThis is a fun activity that can also double as a team work exercise as well. Split your group into teams of 5 students each. Give each team an IDENTICAL bucket that is filled to the EXACT SAME LEVEL with water. (ALL half full, or ALL 75% full, etc.) After the buckets have been filled, put them the EXACT SAME distance from a few tables (10 feet works well). Make sure the tables are the same height and that the tables are big enough to have a couple of teams working at them each. (If you have 8 teams, you will want to have 4-5 tables.) Explain to the teams that their objective is to move the bucket of water to the table using THEIR FEET ONLY and then lift it on top of the table using THEIR FEET ONLY. At no point during the exercise are they allowed to use their hands. Students make take off socks and shoes if they want to (recommended for better dexterity). The first group to get the bucket on top of the table, without using their hands, wins! RULES: If the team spills the bucket, the team must start over. If ANY team member uses their hands, the team must start over. No touching the buckets of other teams. NOTE: Obviously, you are going to want to play this game on a floor surface that does not get you fired. Tile, linoleum, wood, concrete/cement, etc works well. Remember to clean up your mess, if any.
Balloon & Elastic TangleForm teams of an even number. Prepare a balloon and a ring of elastic for each team. The elastic needs to form a circle big enough to go over a student’s body, but not so big that it’s too easy. Each teen must then keep the balloon off the ground while putting the elastic over their head, pulling their arms through and passing it down their legs and lastly taking it off from around their feet. The balloon must not touch the ground and if it does they must start again. You can also put the elastic over the feet first and play in reverse. The youth then hands the balloon and elastic to the next player. The first team finished wins. (Use elastic that you might use in pants, not hat elastic). Added by Amanda in Australia
Banana BarfHave two or three volunteers put a whole banana in their mouth, instructing them not to eat it, just hold it in their mouth. Then put a pair of panty-hose over each volunteer's head. Have them squish the banana through the tiny holes in the hose into a trash or grocery bag. This game is hilarious, because when you take the pantyhose off the students' heads, the banana still stuck in the hose is smeared across their face! Added by Elisabeth See Banana Stuff (Click Here).
Banana Splits in the MouthRecruit four hungry volunteers. Two people stand up in chairs while two others lie on the floor at their feet. People in the chairs try to make a banana split in the other persons mouth by dropping ice-cream, syrup, banana, nuts, whipping cream and finally, a cherry into the person's mouth. With larger crowds, you may want to have a live video feed, so everyone can see. Variations: Blindfold the people in the chairs. Alternate people in chairs with people on the floor. Payback time. Added by Tammy Straub Also see Banana Stuff (Click Here) and Marshmallow Drop (Click Here).
BarnyardThis is a good game to divide into teams for the day/evening. Have pre-made cards for more than enough kids. Come up with as many animals as you want teams that night(If you want four teams, have four animals). If you predict 35 kids that night make forty cards, four groups of ten. Each group of ten cards will have a particular animal written on it (so you will have 10 chicken cards, 10 cow cards, 10 donkey cards and 10 pig cards). Hand out cards randomly to the kids and tell them to not tell anyone their animal. When you give the signal, have them make the sound of their animal as loud as possible until they find their entire group. First group to totally find each other wins. This is also a great way to split your group up into teams for more games! Put a twist on the game by putting in only ONE card that says "donkey" and giving it to a very secure student (but don't tell him/her they're the only donkey). After all of the animals have found each other, there will still be one poor kid out there Hee-Hawing his head off to no avail! Also see Banana Stuff (Click Here), Clumps (Click Here), & Your Number Is Up (Click Here).
Baseball Team Quiz (MLB)Like Football Team Quiz (Click Here). For a big group, break up into groups of 4 requiring at least one person on each team to be a little baseball savvy. Pass out one copy of the following list of clues of pro-teams to each team. For small group, provide one sheet per person. (Answers in parentheses; of course you'll copy this list off without the answers.) The first team to bring their completed list to you wins (or as many as they can come up with). Give prizes to each team member (a candy bar, mug, etc.). Name the Major League Baseball Team that is described by the word puzzle. 1. Kings and queens are these_________________(Royals) 2. They’re not cowards ________________(Braves) 3. Short for Metros _________________(Mets) 4. Crimson stockings__________________(Red Sox) 5. Physical activities __________________ (Athletics) 6. Satan’s sun beams __________________ (Devil Rays) 7. Nemo’s dad ____________________ (Marlins) 8. Red birds __________________ (Cardinals) 9. Crimson, burgundy, scarlet, etc. ____________ (Reds) 10. Cheese steak sandwiches ____________________ (Phillies) 11. Striped jungle cats _______________________ (Tigers) 12. David rocks their world __________________ (Giants) 13. Elite southern cops; Walker is one ________________ (Rangers) 14. Hard to hit _______________ (Dodgers) 15. Non-colored coverings for your feet __________________ (White Sox) 16. If you won State then you might go here ________________ (Nationals) 17. They make beer _______________ (Brewers) 18. Jack Sparrow and Captain Hook _______________ (Pirates) 19. A mountain chain _______________ (Rockies) 20. Baby bears _______________ (Cubs) 21. Men of the sea _______________ (Mariners) 22. The Jetson’s dog, NASA’s fave team ____________ (Astros) 23. Black and orange birds ______________ (Orioles) 24. Native Americans ___________________ (Indians) 25. Navy, royal or baby + 10th letter of alphabet ____________ (Blue Jays) 26. Spanish for fathers ________________ (Padres) 27. Heavenly beings _______________ (Angels) 28. The North in the Civil War _____________ (Yankees) 29. A girl’s best friend on your non-front, deadly snakes ____________ (Diamond Backs) 30. They look the same _________________ (Twins) Added by Jason Schmock
Battle of The NutsMessy but simple game for groups under 50. Get a few bags of peanuts in the shell. Give every student one peanut. Have them go around and challenge each other to a BATTLE of the NUTS by simply pressing their peanuts up against each other until one of them breaks the shell. The student with their peanut still intact in their shell is the winner. When there are only two kids left standing, have them come up and battle to the finish! Play energetic music in the background. Added by Jay Kim Also see Counting Game (Click Here).
Bellybutton BasketballEither get two volunteers from the audience or use teams. Using a small fish net (used for a home aquarium) bend the handle so that it fits securely in the front of your pants. With net straight out in front, attach a rubber ball with a rubber band attached to it at the base of the net (remember those old ball and paddle games, those work best, just remove string and ball and use with fish net). Contestant must swing ball and ring net without using their hands. Fun to watch. Two points each basket! Person or team with most points wins! Added by Melanie Velaski
Bible Books Puzzle 1 (20 Hidden Books)(Note there is one abbreviation in this) Someone showed me this story and remarked that there are 20 books of the Bible hidden here. He challenged me to find them. Sure enough they're all here. Still this thing's a lulu; kept me looking so hard for the longest time. Some of you will get bogged down with facts, others are hit by them like they were some kind of revelation or something. You may get in a jam, especially since the names are not capitalized and often leap the spaces between the words. This makes it a real job to find them, but it'll provide a most fascinating few minutes for you. Yes, there are some really easy ones to spot, but don't get the big head, cause truthfully, you'll soon figure that it would take most federal judges and preachers numbers of hours to find them all. I will admit that it usually takes a minister to find one of them and that it is not uncommon for there to be loud lamentations when it is pointed out. One lady says that when she is confronted with puzzles like this, she brews a cup of tea to help her concentrate better, but then, this gal's a real pro! Verbs, nouns, and all that stuff are her thing. See how well you can compete. Relax! There really are twenty names of Bible books in this story. If you fail to find them, there's a penalty. You'll have to fly a kite, sit on a banana, hum the battle hymn of the republic, or hose a dog (a mean one). Get to it! ANSWERS: ACTS AMOS ESTHER Gal. - GALATIONS HEBREWS HOSEA JAMES JOB JUDGES KINGS LAMENTATIONS LUKE MARK NAHUM NUMBERS PETER PROVERBS REVELATION RUTH TITUS Added by Jeff E. Also see Bible Books Puzzle 2 with 25 hidden books (Click Here) & Bible Books Puzzle 3 with 30 hidden books (Click Here).
Bible Books Puzzle 2 (25 Hidden Books)Can you find twenty-five (25) books of the Bible in the paragraph, below? This is a most remarkable puzzle. Someone found it in the seat pocket on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping himself occupied for hours. One man from Illinois worked in it while fishing from his john boat. Roy Clark studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Victs mentioned it in her column once. One woman judges the job to be so involving that she brews a cup of tea to calm her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot... that's a fact. Some people will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. The truth is, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have. Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation may help. Books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. And punctuation or spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete. Remember, there are 25 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph. ANSWERS: ACTS AMOS ESTHER GENESIS HEBREWS HOSEA JAMES JOB JOEL JOHN JUDGES KINGS LAMENTATIONS LUKE MALACHI MARK MATTHEW NUMBERS PETER REVELATION ROMANS RUTH SAMUEL TIMOTHY TITUS Added by Jeff E. Also see Also see Bible Books Puzzle 1 with 20 hidden books (Click Here) and Bible Books Puzzle 3 with 30 hidden books (Click Here).
Bible Books Puzzle 3 (30 Hidden Books)Can you find thirty (30) books of the Bible hidden in the paragraph below? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much; he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his johnboat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving; she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam; especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, "The books are all right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph waiting to be found. God Bless. ANSWERS: ACTS AMOS CHRONICLES DANIEL ESTHER EXODUS GENESIS HEBREWS HOSEA JAMES JOB JOEL JOHN JUDGES KINGS LAMENTATIONS LUKE MALACHI MARK MATTHEW NAHUM NUMBERS PETER PHILEMON REVELATION ROMANS RUTH SAMUEL TIMOTHY TITUS Added by Jeff E. Also see Bible Books Puzzle 1 with 20 hidden books (Click Here) and Bible Books Puzzle 2 with 25 hidden books (Click Here).
Big Bad WolfDivide students into teams of 4-6. Give each team enough newspaper and tape to build a newspaper shelter of some kind. It must be big enough to get three team members inside. The Big Bad Wolf (youth leader) then attempts to blow the shelter down. Award prize to the best job. Afterward, have a giant paper fight. Idea from Young Life
Big BootieYou can use any size group with this game. Sit in a circle and designate someone to be the "Bootie" (or "Bum" for our cool British friends). Number everyone off (they have to remember their number). In unison everyone must clap their hands once then slap their legs. Do this during the whole game. Now to the game. At the beginning, chant and clap, "Aahhh, big bootie, big bootie, big bootie, big bootie, ohhh yehhh, big bootie” (or, "Big Bum, big bum..."). The designated "Bootie" says, "Bootie to the two!" No. 2 has to respond and say, "2 to the (any number)!" Make sure that you clap only once as you say "2 to the--!" Then slap your leg once as you say a number. Whoever claps or slaps their leg more than once as they call out a number is out! Like Zip Zap, the game may be confusing at first. But once the kids get it they can go really fast. Added by Fire Team Youth FBC Langley, OK Also see Zip Zap (Click Here) and Zip Zap Bop (Click Here).
Big Group TwisterThis game can be played with groups ranging in size from 20 to 100. You play according to the regular Twister rules and use the spinner that comes with the board game (or you can make one yourself). Go out and buy colored paper plates (red, yellow, blue, and green); six plates of each color makes one regular sized Twister playing area (you'll need one playing area for every 10 youth in your group). Use duct tape to tape the paper plates to the ground, placing the plates in the same order as found on the regular Twister playing area -- red, yellow, blue, and then green. Tips: We found that you need to place the plates a little further apart for high school students so that it's more of a challenge. Play the game exactly like the rules of the original game. The last player standing wins!!
Blind DrawGreat game for a small group. Everyone in the group is given a sheet of paper and a pen. They are given 3 minutes or more to draw what they want. But the lights are all turned out during the time of drawing. The pictures are judged and winner gets a prize. Idea from Young Life Also see Blind Shoe Grab (Click Here).
Blind FeedersCall up between 4 and 10 volunteers (depending on the size of your group) to make two-person teams. Have an apron (or garbage bag with a hole cut out for the head) and one chair for each team. The person standing behind the chair puts on a blindfold. The person sitting puts on an apron and places hands on hips. The person standing threads their arms under the seated person’s armpits. Place a bowl in one hand of the blindfolded teen and a spoon in the other. They will feed their partner (ice cream, mousse, Jello, etc.). The first team finished to the best of their ability wins! Or, you may award prizes for the messiest eaters, cleanest eaters, or the one that got the most into their partner’s mouth, etc. Added by Amanda in Australia Also see Banana Splits in the Mouth (Click Here).
Blind Shoe GrabArrange chairs in a circle. All of the Cinderellas (girls) in the group select a chair. The Prince Charmings (boys) each pick a girl and kneel in front of her. He removes her shoes and holds them in his hand. Then the girls blindfold the guys. The leader calls for the shoes and they are thrown into the middle of the circle. On the signal, the guys crawl to the center and attempt to find their Cinderella's shoes. Each girl can only shout out instructions to her prince. After finding the shoes the princes each crawl back to their Cinderella and put her shoes on correctly. Also see Shoe Pile (Click Here), Shoe Stretch (Click Here), and Shoe Tie (Click Here).
Blind Toy MasterGet 3 toddler toys that have all different shapes which have to fit through the right holes in order to get inside. Blindfold 3 volunteers and have them race to see who can finish the quickest. Challenge: Put all the pieces in one big pile. Added by Young Life Also see Blinded by Money (Click Here).
Blinded By MoneyDivide your group into pairs. Issue each pair two pennies. Have everyone form a giant circle. Place a big garbage can or cardboard box in the center. One person tilts head back and places pennies over each closed eye (Contact lens wearers be careful). The object is for each person to drop (dump) their pennies in the container, following the verbal direction of their partner, who may not touch them. The Point: Kickstarter for discussion on money, greed, priorities, friends, or hearing God’s voice. Point out the confusion that may have occurred with all the pairs going at once, crowding around the container, “blinded by money”, trying to hear their partner’s directions. Also see Penny on the Chin Mixer (Click Here).
Blindfolded Sit-UpPretend to try and convince 3 people that they can’t do a blindfolded sit-up. The first 2 are in on it. One at a time, they strain but don’t do a sit-up. The third sits up into a cream pie (his face, that is). Or, you can challenge them to do 10 sit-ups in 10 seconds, five of them with their eyes closed. Added by Young Life Also see Blindfolded Banana Feed (Click Here).
Bloody Pirates!This game is high energy, but you need a big group of kids to play it. Here’s how you do it. Quickly group all of the students into “teams” of at least 4 kids each. Then using a pirate ship captain’s dialect, explain to them that they are all on YOUR pirate ship. You will call out a certain command, and each team will work quickly to “act it out.” The team who does the best acting job, or is the quickest to comply with the “captain’s orders,” gets a point. As quickly as you can, go over the commands. Here they are. When the Captain says: "Starboard" - everyone on the team must touch the wall on the right. "Port" - everyone on the team must touch the wall on the left. "Stern" - everyone on the team must touch the back wall. "Bow" - everyone on the team must touch the front wall. "Swab the Deck" - everyone pretends to mop the floor. "Cap’n's Comin’" - everyone lines up and salutes. “Land Ahoy!" - one person steers the ship, while another on the team stands behind him and looks through a periscope. "Man overboard!" - two people get down on one knee, join hands and make a "rail" while another person pretends to fall over it with the fourth person yelling “man overboard.” "Shark infested waters" - one person in the middle, making a scared face while the other three act like sharks and swim around the person in the middle. “Row Ye Scurvy Scum!" - all 4 people sit in a straight line, one in front of the other and “row” their boat. "Ready the Cannon!" - 2 people join hands and make a circle with their arms to form the mouth of the cannon. Another person stands next to them and pretends to light the cannon. The last person has to pretend to be the cannonball shot from the cannon. "Sea Monster!" - all 4 people join hands in the center and wave their hands outside of the circle like a giant octopus. Here are a few things to keep in mind that will make this game a smash hit for your group. Remember, the faster you call it out, the crazier things will get. Also, have referees walking around to judge who is the fastest or best. And just for kicks, at the Capn’s discretion, any team is subject to have to walk the plank. If a person/team has to walk the plank, simply have a few chairs set up and then have students one-by-one walk to one end and say, “AARRR…me name is [Bob] and I's be a pirate! Keep yer hands off me booty!!" and then jump off. Award the winning pirate team with chocolate coins.
Blow Pop NecklaceBuy enough Blow Pops (Blow Pops, not cheap suckers - students have to LIKE what you use) for three times the amount of students and staff you have. Take string or yarn, cut it at arms' width and tie them to the individual "Blow Pops." You now have enough "Blow Pop" Necklaces for each student and staff to have three. As students and staff arrive, place three Blow Pop necklaces on their necks. Inform them that they can not use the word "I" until a designated time (when you usually bring things together and start). If you use the word "I" and someone catches you, they can have one of your Blow Pop necklaces. This can be quite funny because when someone catches someone else, they usually blow it by saying, "I caught you!" or, "I get one of your necklaces!" At the end of this time, give away a prize (besides Blow Pops) for the person with the most necklaces. You can also use "Ring Pops" instead of "Blow Pops."
Blowdart BasketballWe designed this game for our youth group because it works especially well as an active game that you can play in spaces with obstructions like poles in the way that prevent the space from being used for true gymnasium games. Set-Up: * Split into two equal teams and have them sit with their legs crossed facing each other. * Set up a trash can or bucket on both sides of the "playing field." * Each player will need an empty toilet paper roll which will be their blowgun. * You will also need to create several "blowdarts." We used tightly rolled and taped fabric which has the perfect weight and hardness. (With a 4 inch x 12 inch piece of fabric you can roll it up into a nice 4 inch long dart). Wrap a few pieces of duct tape around the dart on both ends to keep it together. They are simple and cheap to make. Suggestion: make 3 darts per student you anticipate to be in the game. Game Play: * Each team tries to score by blowing darts into the opposing side's trash cans. * Like basketball and soccer, some players may choose to defend their basket and others may try to score. Shooting: * The blowdarts must be blown from your blowgun. * Players who have a dart may not move from their position until they blow the dart away. Defending: * Players may block darts with their bodies and hands, but they may never leave the sitting position and their bums may never leave the ground while blocking with hands. * Other players may not block someone's tube with their hand. We made a rule that hands must stay 3 feet away from player's tubes that are shooting. Moving: Moving may only be done by using your hands to pull you around in the sitting position. Players should keep their legs crossed and locked at all times and push on the ground with their hands to wiggle and whop forward. The arms act much like crutches to move you around, but you must keep your legs crossed and together as your moving around the playing field. Rule-breaking: * Players will inevitably make illegal moves like moving their bum off the grounds to block a dart or block someone’s blowgun too close. * It is recommended that one or two leaders act as referees, and like hockey, pull the offending players out of the game for a minute or so. Scoring and Winning: * Scoring involves getting a dart into the other team's trash basket. The dart may not be thrown in, but must be blown out of the blowgun only. * When a dart goes into a team's basket, someone from that team takes the dart out and blows it back into play. * Play as long as you like. The winning team is the one with the most points. Variations: * Use two colors for the darts so that each team can only score by getting their team's color in the opposing team's basket. * For huge open spaces, implement any other movement scheme that seems suitable.
Body PartsFor this game you only need a boom box (sound system) and a fun, upbeat song. It's kind of like Musical Chairs, only more fun to MC. It works best with an even # of people. Have any "extra" be a judge, who stands on a chair for a better view. Students pair up with one standing in a circle and the other standing next to their partner outside of the circle. When the music starts, have the inner circle walk clockwise and the outer circle walk counter-clockwise. When the music stops the leader yells out two body parts (e.g. "Foot to ear!" "Nose to the inside of the elbow!" "Top of the head to the back of the knee!"). Partners scramble to get to each other and put those designated body parts together. Fun & funny game . . . just think before you yell, (e.g. don't yell "chest to head!"). See also The Big Squeeze (Click Here) and Hug Fest (Click Here).
Books of the Bible HuntThis simple game works great as a teaser or opener to a discussion on The Bible. Here is what you will want to do. Copy the FIRST paragraph to hand out to your students. Keep the SECOND paragraph that contains the answers to yourself. (Answers in the SECOND paragraph are in CAPS.) I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. This lulu kept people looking so hard for facts, and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam especially since the names of the books were not capitalized, but the truth finally struck home to numbers of readers. To others it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help find them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady said she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. Can you compete really well in this test? Relax, for there really are the names of sixteen books of the Bible in these sentences. Happy hunting! I once made a reMARK about the hidden books of the Bible. This luLU KEpt people looKING So hard for fACTS, and for others it was a REVELATION. Some were in a JAM ESpecially since the names of the books were not capitalized, but the tRUTH finally struck home to NUMBERS of readers. To others it was a real JOB. We want it to be A MOSt fascinating few moments for you. yES THERe will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require JUDGES to help find them. I will quickly admiT IT USually takes a minister to find one of them and there will be loud LAMENTATIONS when it is found. A little lady said sHE BREWS a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. Can you comPETE Really well in this test? Relax, for there really are the names of sixteen books of the Bible in these sentences. Happy hunting!
Bubble Gum SculptureMaterials: bubble gum and a towel or two This can be played as an up-front game or, with smaller groups, everyone can play. Divide your group into groups of 4 or 5. Ask for two very brave volunteers out of each group (don't tell them what they're volunteering for). Give them a plate or flat dish (we used cookie sheets). Give the rest of the groups the bubble gum, and tell them to chew as quickly as possible. Have them chew it only until it is soft, and then give it to the volunteers in their group, and start chewing the next piece. As the group is chewing, the volunteers need to be working on their sculpture. Set a time limit, say 10 minutes, and give them creative ideas of what to make- such as pizza, turtle, etc., but it has to be something difficult. When the gum chewers are through, have them step back and watch. Have someone judge the sculptures. We gave a prize (a Christian CD) to each of our winning volunteers, since they were so brave! Note: Instead of regular stick gum- such as Wrigly's, I would suggest using larger gum drops- such as Bazooka. {It's much easier to work with!} Keep it cheap, because you'll want to buy enough! Submitted by Rebecca Sapp aka Zgrrl Also see Blow Pop Challenge (Click Here) and Tootsie Roll Sculpture (Click Here).
Build a WordSmall group or travel game. The object is to spell a word of three or more letters. Each person adds a letter. The person who adds a letter that completes a whole word is out. Be very careful to notice any words. Often the second or third person will be out because they are thinking of a longer word than what they have actually added. For example, if the first person starts with an "A" and the second person is thinking of a long word like "Attribute," they'd be out by adding a "T" since that actually makes a complete word. In fact, depending on how strict you are, the person who begins with "A" may be out. If you are not quite as strict as that, you may want to say that the first two people cannot be out, just to open up the option of having a word begin with an "A" or any other two letter word. If possible, have a dictionary on hand. Also see Mad Sentence Dash (Click Here) and Sentence Game (Click Here).
Butt CharadesCut up slips of paper with words on them and put them into a bag. Break up your audience or group into two teams. Get a volunteer from each team to spell the word he/she took out of the bag by moving their hips (spelling the words with thier butts!). (Make sure they do not say a word to give away clues.) If their team (or their side of the audience) does not figure out the word after two spellings, the other team gets to guess. Make it interesting by the words you choose, try to keep it clean. We don't want any dirty butts!
CaptionsSmall group game. Break up into teams of 3-6. Give each group 5-10 random silly or unusual pictures (photos or from magazines) or project the pictures up on the screen. Each team comes up with a funny caption for each picture. After a designated time, have a representative from each team come up. One by one, hold up or project the pics and have the reps read the captions. Have either judges or the audience as judges determine whose was the most creative/funniest.
Card NinjaAll you need for this game is a deck of playing cards for every 10 students, but the addition of some sort of Chinese music (like The Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon soundtrack) playing in the background really adds to the game. Split the crowd into groups of two players each. The two players will face each other. Each player will draw (or be given) five cards. They can arrange them in any order BUT THEY CAN NOT LOOK AT THEIR CARDS! When the game leader is ready, he asks the groups to pick a number between one and ten. The student in each group that is closest to the chosen number gets to go first. At this point, just for crazy ritual sake, have them bow to each other. Now the game begins. The player who goes first presents his/her card. Then the other player presents her card. The highest card wins the duel. (5 beats 2, Queen beats Jack, Ace beats King, etc.) The player who wins the most duels out of the 5 card duels, wins the battle. If you play this tournament style, the loser would sit, and the winner would go on to face another winner. This way you can narrow the entire field down to just a couple of champions. This might help if you have a really big group. NOTE: Also, you can have each student do some silly kung fu chop or other karate move while presenting his/her card. This just helps the game take on that much needed Bruce Lee nuance that every youth group needs.
Cat TailsYou will need some strips of cloth (approx. 2-3 ft. of fabric, cloth, plastic, cord, etc...) for everyone who plays. The game is simple. Have everyone tuck the strips into the back of their pants or shorts so that approx. 2 feet of excess strip is left hanging. (Note: this works great with young children as well.) The object of the game is to pull all the other players tails off. The last one standing with their tail is the winner. Have everyone run with their hands on their head - except when grabbing a tail. This prevents people from blocking and makes them look pretty funny. Idea by Chris Dunn
Cereal Box PuzzleCut off the front panel of several cereal boxes — one for each group you've formed. Then cut up each panel into puzzle shapes- one for each person in the group. Mix together all the pieces and give one to each person and have them compete to find their cereal. Idea from Young Life Also see Cereal Box Pick Up (Click Here) and Cereal Mania (Click Here).
Chocolate Hopping RaceIn this game there are two teams with an equal number of players. Line up both teams making sure that each person on the team has a partner on the same team. In other words, each team is comprised of multiple “pairs.” Place a bowl of candy bars in a bowl about 30 feet away. Each “pair” must hold hands and hop all the way to the bowl where they tear the wrappers off the chocolates and feed each other the candy. Then they hold hands and hop back to the starting point, where another pair will start hopping. Whichever team’s “pairs” finish first wins.
Christmas Carol Quiz (New Skool)Figure out the Christmas Carol title from the clue. 1. Not here in an animal’s dish 2. Smack the Passageways 3. Move and speak towards the elevated plains 4. Yahweh sleep you happy dudes 5. Hey! The #1 angelic beings belt it out. 6. It showed up on a cloudless 12 at night 7. Shaking Chimes 8. Happiness to the planet 9. 12-25 shrubbery song 10. Get here if you’re reliable 11. Like a strainer + time when the sun is down 12. Small city of Christ’s birth song (O’ Little Town of Bethlehem) 13. Quiet non-day 14. The premier not 12th letter of the alphabet 15. XII 24hrs. of 12-25 16. Not down on the roof of the home 17. Us Trio that’s royalty from China (exist) 18. Us dream not us a happy December 25th 19. Spill the 411 on the baby 20. Small percussionist lad 21. Tim Allen’s movie character will appear in a hood 22. Song about a hoofed animal with a crimson schnozola 23. Chilled the crystallized H20 male 24. Don’t stop the winter precipitation 25. Traversing in a 4th season amazing country ANSWERS to Christmas Carol Quiz 1. Away in a Manger 2. Deck the Halls 3. Go Tell It on the Mountain 4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman 5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 6. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 7. Jingle Bells 8. Joy to the World 9. O’ Christmas Tree 10. O’ Come all Ye Faithful 11. O’ Holy Night 12. O’ Little Town of Bethlehem 13. Silent Night 14. The First Noel 15. The 12 Days of Christmas 16. Up on the Housetop 17. We 3 Kings of Orient (Are) 18. We Wish You a Merry Christmas 19. What Child is This? 20. Little Drummer Boy 21. Santa Claus is Coming to Town 22. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 23. Frosty the Snowman 24. Let it Snow 25. Walking in a Winter Wonderland Written by Jason Schmock Also see CHristmas Carol Quiz (Old Skool)(Click Here) and Christmas Wish List (Click Here).
Christmas Carol Quiz (Old Skool)Here’s a quiz you can give out at Christmas time to kill time. Name That Christmas Carol! 1. Bleached Yule 2. Castaneous-colored Seed Vesicated in a Conflagration 3. Singular Yearning for the Twin Anterior Incisors 4. Righteous Darkness 5. Arrival Time2400 hrs - WeatherCloudless 6. Loyal Followers Advance 7. Far Off in a Feeder 8. Array the Corridor 9. Bantam Male Percussionist 10. Monarchial Triad 11. Nocturnal Noiselessness 12. Jehovah Deactivate Blithe Chevaliers 13. Red Man En Route to Borough 14. Frozen Precipitation Commence 15. Proceed and Enlighten on the Pinnacle 16. The Quadruped with the Vermillion Probiscis 17. Query Regarding Identity of Descendant 18. Delight for this Planet 19. Give Attention to the Melodious Celestial Beings 20. The Dozen Festive 24 Hour Intervals Answers: (Don’t include these on the quiz . . . duh!) 1. White Christmas 2. Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire 3. All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth 4. O Holy Night 5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 6. O Come, All Ye Faithful 7. Away in a Manger 8. Deck the Hall 9. Little Drummer Boy 10. We Three Kings 11. Silent Night 12. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen 13. Santa Claus is Coming to Town 14. Let it Snow 15. Go, Tell It on the Mountain 16. Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer 17. What Child is This? 18. Joy to the World 19. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 20. The Twelve Days of Christmas For a more youthy version of this game, see Christmas Carol Quiz NEW SKOOL (Click Here) Also see Christmas Poem Mad Lib on Audience page.
Christmas: Dueling CarolersDivide into 2-4 groups. Give each group 5 minutes to come up with as many Christmas carols as they can. After time is called, each group takes turns singing part of a Christmas carol on their list. If any other group has the same carol on their list, no points are given. If no other group has the carol on their list, they get 100 points. Keep it fast paced. Groups should mark off carols already sung. Group with the most points at the end wins. Added by John Cook Also see Human Christmas Tree (Click Here).
Church Cell Phone Scavenger HuntAlmost every kid has a cell phone these days, and almost every single one of those kids bring it to youth group with them (and forget to turn it off). Here’s a fun way to incorporate their cell phones into a game you can tailor to your specific church environment. When it comes time for the game at your program, assemble everyone onto a 2-4 person team (depending on the size of your overall group). Give them a print off of the list below and tell them that they have 10 minutes to collect as many pictures of the items as they can on their cell phones. Groups can stay together or split up to save time...but only give ONE copy of the list to each team! (Before you print off the list, make sure your church has every item; if you don’t have an ice making machine, make sure to take it off this list!) The team with the most points wins. Award the first team back in the youth room an extra 40 Points IF AND ONLY IF they have EVERYTHING on your list. Make sure to synchronize everyone’s watches (or clocks on their cell phone) because ALL GROUPS MUST be back in the youth room at the 10 minute buzzer. Deduct 30 points from any team that is not back in time. You may want to have a few adult leaders spread out around the church campus giving 3, 2, and 1 minute warnings. The List 10 Pointers 1. A cross (of any kind) 2. A sound board of any size 3. A painting, or picture, or mural of Jesus 4. An adult leader making a funny face 5. The lost and found box/area 6. Youth Pastor’s office 7. A toilet 20 Pointers 1. A choir robe 2. Church sign by the road 3. An offering plate or bucket or bag 4. The driver side of a church van or bus 5. A pew 6. The baptismal pool or fount or container 30 Pointers 1. A hymnal opened to “Amazing Grace” 2. A stained glass window 3. A janitor’s closet 4. An ice making machine 5. The pulpit or lectern in the sanctuary 40 Pointers 1. An “In Memory Of…” plaque 2. A King James Version Bible 3. A filing cabinet (not in Youth Pastor’s office!!) 4. A baby crib 5. A “visitor’s only” parking sign 50 Pointers 1. An overhead projector (kickin’ it old school, baby!) 2. A set of drums or a set of congas or a set of bongos 3. Any outdoor or indoor recreational equipment (volleyball net, basketball goal, soccer field, etc) 4. A box of animal crackers or goldfish snacks NOTE: Do bear in mind that not every kid has a cell phone. No worries. As long as one team member per team has a camera phone, that's all you need! So divide teams appropriately.
Circle ChaseYou can play this game with any number of people, but if you have a large group, break them up into several groups spread out around the room. Ideally, each group will have 10 students in them, 5 on each “team.” Have one team form a TIGHT circle facing outwards. Then have the second team form a circle around the first team's circle facing inward. Hand a ball to one member of the inner circle. Then give a student at the opposite side of the outer circle a foam sword or pool noodle. The object of this game is for a person on the outer circle team to "tag" the person holding the ball with using the foam noodle. NO ONE CAN MOVE AT ALL…students must PASS the ball and sword from one to another! When you say go, the outer circle tries to "catch" the person holding the ball by tagging them with the foam sword. The inner circle tries to avoid getting tagged by passing the balloon around the circle, and out of reach of the outer circle team. Give the outer circle team one minute to tag the inner circle team. If the outer circle team succeeds, give them a point. If the inner circle team survives for one minute without being tagged, give them a point. After the first round, switch it up making the outer team become the inner team, and vice versa. Set a score to end the game on (5 points), or depending on how long you want the game to go. Enjoy! RULES: 1. You cannot hide the sword or balloon behind your back. 2. You must pass both the sword and balloon to the person immediately next to you. No tossing either object across the circle. 3. You can change direction, or hold the object, but realize you only have one minute. 4. Everyone must keep both feet planted firmly to the ground. No pivoting or leaning. (This avoids taller people from having too big an advantage.) 5. If either the balloon or sword is dropped the person who dropped it must pick it up. However, the game does not stop when someone drops the ball or sword!
ClapThis game is a variation of the old faithful "Hot/Cold" game. One person is chosen to be "it" and asked to leave the room so they can't hear or see what is going on in the room. Take about 1 minute and pick an action as a group for "it" to do when he/she returns. (A Jumping Jack, Pick Their Own Nose, etc). When "it" is given the signal to come back in the room he/she has to guess what he/she is supposed to do by walking around, touching things in the room or performing random actions. The group will clap louder and faster the closer "it" gets to completing the task. Remember there is no talking or other clues, but there will be a considerable amount of laughter, and you will be shocked at the detailed and complicated things you can get a person to do simply by clapping.
Closer To God With BalloonsBlow up about 50 medium sized round balloons in various colors. Write words or phrases that can bring you closer to God on half of the balloons with a black sharpie marker. Write words or phrases that can draw you away from God on the other half. Keep balloons separate in large garbage bags. Divide youth into two teams. Divide room with tape. Put one team on each side. Leaders keep throwing the good and bad balloons equally on each side of the net/line. Youth must pick up and read the balloons to determine if good or bad. If bad, they want to throw them on the other side. If good, they want to hold on to them. After all balloons are tossed out of bags by leaders, give your two teams a couple more minutes to play. The team with the most good after subtracting how many bad they have on the floor wins. The Point: Use with a discussion about things that can bring you closer to God vs. things that pull you away from God. Talk about the differences and how easy or difficult it is to hold on (or maintain) either. Note: Players must be holding on to the good things to count. Good things on the floor don't count. (Don't give them this hint, but we had kids stuffing the good things up their shirts; really funny.) Added by Julie Curtis
Clothespeg CrossAt the beginning of your event pass around 3-5 clothespegs for each person that arrives. During your event there is only one rule and its called the "Cross Over Rule." This rule basically states that anyone who is caught crossing their arms, legs, feet, hands, or anything else, must give up one of their pegs to the person who caught them. At the end of your event the person with the most pegs wins. They have a lot of fun catching each other!
Clothespin Bite RelayThis is set up like any relay with multiple teams, each team with 5 clothespins. Have the first person in line attach the clothespins to their shirt, clothes, or body part, run around a certain designated point and return to have the clothespins removed by the next person in line . . . with their teeth! Also see Clothespin Mixer (Click Here).
Clothespin MixerPass out about 4-5 clothespins per kid in the room and instruct them to pin them on their own sleeves. Explain that when the music begins, the object of the game is to get all clothes pins off themselves and on to someone else. Turn off lights and turn on strobes and music. (You may want to put girls on one side of room and guys on another; guys can get a little frisky sticking clothespins on girls). Explain that when the lights come on, one or two people should have about 100 pins on them - pull them up and parade the winner. At the end you won't want them playing with the pins all night during the talk, so dress a tough kid or leader up front in protective gear (motorcycle helmet with face shield, chest protector or thick jacket, turtleneck, scarf, gloves, shin guards, thick pants, etc.); and put a bulls-eye on their chest. Tell everybody to grab all their clothes pins and bring in your human target and play music as they throw or pin their clothes pins at him. Kids can't believe they are doing this, and when you stop the music, all your pins are gathered up at the front. Added by Young Life See also Clothespin Bite Relay (Click Here).
Clumps and Clumps with a TwistAny size room. Easy game used to divide your group into teams. Simply yell, "Form a group according to . . . (see suggestions below)." If you're looking for a certain number of people per team, just say, "Form a group of 7!" If you end up with a remainder, then have staff go around and divide the leftovers on teams. Variation: Once in their groups, the game leader reads a question from the list below (or write your own) and everyone in the group answers. When the majority in the crowd have answered, leader directs them to mingle again. Clumps: height, hair color, # cavities, # siblings, shirt color, number of people in your immediate family, month of birth, favorite color, grade, middle initial, school you attend. Questions: • What is your favorite cartoon (or cartoon character)? • Who do you most admire? • What animal is most like your personality? • What would you do with $100,000? • What do you hope to be doing in 10 years? Also see Keys (Click Here) & Your Number is Up (Click Here).
Communication ChallengeGive everyone a number. They have to arrange themselves in numerical order by communicating with each other without speaking or holding up fingers. They make up their own sub-language or sign-language and it often is pretty amusing. For Round Two, have people arrange themselves in order of birth or in calendar months (like the game, Mute Organization). Added by Youth For Christ Also see Inversion (Click Here) & Mute Organization (Click Here).
Count It OutGather youth into a tight circle of 5-10. (If you have more than ten,you can make this a competition game with two or three circles participating at once.) While in the circle, everyone must look down at the ground and may not raise their head to make eye contact with others in their group. The goal of this team building and communication game is to count the numbers 1 to 15 in order, with each person in the group saying at least one number. The students are not allowed to count around the circle consecutively. If two people say the same number at the same time, they must start over again at one. This may sound very easy, but it is exteremly hard in reality because you have taken away their ability to see non-verbal cues as to who is going to say the next number. It is a great game for student leadership. Added by Michelle Fessel Variation: Also try having the team go through the alphabet!
Counting GameThis can either be played up front, with everyone watching, or as a group with everyone playing. Have everyone in your group (or the people on stage) pair up and face each other. Each person holds up zero to ten fingers behind their back. On the count of three, have them pull their hands from behind their backs. The first person to yell out the correct sum of all the fingers wins. Do best two of three. Then bring the winners up front to play each other until you have a champion. See also Counting Game Variation: The Math Game (Click Here).
Counting Game Variation: The Math GameCompetitors hold just one hand behind their back, revealing the number of fingers at the signal. Whoever yells out the sum of the fingers wins the first round. For Round 2, multiply the fingers. Round 3 is the difference between the two numbers. Rotate through as many rounds as you want. For the left-brained at heart, the Championship Round has the two survivors (who you'll bring up front) square the total of the two sets of fingers. For example, Person A shows three fingers, Person B shows four, so the winning answer is 3+4 = 7 * 7=49 Added by Youth For Christ See Counting Game (Click Here).
Cricket SpitGo to your local pet store and buy a bunch of live crickets before your event. Ask for volunteers before you reveal the game. Each victim (I mean contestant) reaches in to the container of crickets and pulls out one at a time and pops the live cricket into their mouth. The object is to spit the cricket into their bucket,which is placed several feet away. This is a timed event. When the time runs out, the person with the most crickets in the bucket is the winner. We usually give the winner a prize and all contestants are given mouthwash. Supplies Needed: Two buckets Live crickets in a container Prize for the winner Mouthwash
Curly, Moe, and LarryGroups of 20-30 sit or stand in a circle. One person is in the middle and points to someone in the circle and says either “Curly,” “Mo,” or “Larry”. The person pointed to must respond with a name before the person in the middle can count out loud to ten. The name the person shouts depends on the name the person in the middle says: “Curly”: say the name of the person on your right. “Moe”: say your own name. “Larry”: say the name of the person on your left. If they succeed, the person in the middle stays and repeats the process with someone else in the circle. If they fail, they change places with the person in the middle. After a while, you may want to add a second person to the middle. After five minutes, rotate half of each group to another group, or combine two groups and put a second person in the middle. The Point: Remembering names of people in your group. Also see Newspaper Name Nail (aka Whomp'em) (Click Here).
Defend The BalloonWanna great game that provides plenty of action? This is it! All you need is a lot of balloons (about 50 per team). Make sure each team gets 50 balloons that are all the same color. (For example, if you have three teams, you need 50 yellow, 50 red, and 50 green.) If you can, make the colors represent the local school colors for a little added zeal! Each team must defend its “treasure” (their pile of same-colored balloons) while attempting to steal or destroy the other team's “treasure.” Designate a time period (1-2 minutes) to play the game. When the time ends, each team's un-popped balloons each count 100 points for them. Additionally, balloons that have been stolen from another team that are un-popped, count 200 points each! If a balloon is popped, it counts nothing. Depending on your team’s level of physicality, this can be played as a Capture the Flag style game, or just all-out full contact. Have fun with this game and make it your own, but be safe!
Do You Love Your Neighbor?You need chairs for this game. Have everyone sit in a circle. There should be one less seat than there are people, and the extra person stands in the middle. The person standing approaches someone who is seated and asks him, "Do you love your neighbor?" The seated person can answer two ways. If he says, "No," then the people seated directly next to him have to switch seats as quickly as possible so that the standing person doesn't get one. If he says, "Yes," he must add a qualifying statement such as, "But I don't like people who have blue eyes." Anyone who matches the description must get up and find a different seat. Whoever is left standing is then the "asker." Added by Sheri Blaise Also see Honey, if You Love me You'll Smile (Click Here).
Dodge Ball Variation “Danny Ball”This variation of Dodge Ball is kinda like a “last man standing” version of the hit game. It is every man for himself…or herself! Here’s how to do it. Use 3 balls per 10 kids on the court. The game begins with the dodge balls being thrown into the center of the room/gym. The students then scramble for the balls and try to throw each other out. (Remember, there are NO teams.) If hit, or their throw is caught, students must sit down EXACTLY WHERE they were hit. While sitting IN ONE SPOT, they can still collect stray dodge balls and throw out students who are still standing. If they hit someone standing then that person has to sit down and the student who hit them is up and in the game again. Students who are sitting can also try to physically tag a standing student. If they tag a student who is still up, then that student sits down, and the one who tagged them is up again. The game continues until one player is left alive. He or she is the winner! NOTE: Sitting students are not allowed to move from their sitting position, so they will have to stretch to get free balls or tag standing students. No head shots are allowed either.
Dollar SurpriseMingling game. One or two people have a dollar. Everyone goes around shaking hands. Each students with a dollar passes his/her dollar off to the tenth person he/she shakes hands with. Keep going... if you get the dollar, pass off to tenth person. When music stops, person with dollar keeps it. Added by Young Life Also see Hi, My Name Is (Click Here) and Mingle for Money (Click Here).
Egg, Chicken, DinosaurThe goal of this game is to work your way up by beating other players at Rock-Scissors-Paper to the “position” of king or queen. Everyone starts out as an egg. You find another egg and play Rock-Scissors-Paper. The winner "grows" into a chicken who finds another chicken to play against. Whoever wins "grows" into a dinosaur. The loser returns to being an egg. Once a dinosaur you must find another dinosaur to play against. If you lose you step down to a chicken. The next step is becoming a prince or princess, which of course means playing against another prince or princess. If you win you become a King or Queen and stand off to the side. If you lose you return to a dinosaur. The game is played until there is one egg, chicken, dinosaur and prince. All other players will be kings or queens. The fun in all this?: Eggs waddle on the ground in a little ball, chickens walk and squat while flapping their wings and "clicking", dinosaurs "roar" standing up. Princes/princesses "prance" around holding an imaginary scepter while kings and queens stand off to the side victoriously. Added by Brad Williams Also see Ape, Man, Lady (Click Here) and Ninja, Gun, Gorilla (Click Here).
EncoreThis is a simple game that tests kids' ability to think fast. Divide into teams (could be upper vs. lower classmen, girls vs. guys, etc.). For larger groups, you can have more than two teams. Yell out a word that is commonly found in songs (love, road, river, girl, baby, need . . . ). The teams must sing a song in unison (together) using that word. The first team to do it wins a point. Play as long as they like it.
Extreme Makeover: Cardboard Box EditionIf you've ever seen Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and thought those guys had a blast building those incredible houses, then this game is for you! You need to go to a few local appliance centers around town and collect enough refrigerator boxes for your group to use and decorate. (You will need about one big fridge box per 5 students.) Several smaller boxes would not hurt, either. Then collect lots of markers, colored paper, pens, paint, scissors, glue, staplers, poster board, and any other craft supplies you can think of. When the students show up, divide them into teams of 5 and give them these instructions: 1. Your team must build the coolest/most elaborate house possible using the supplies provided. 2. You have 45 minutes to work on your project. 3. You have to be able to give the leader a “tour” of your home when time is up, explaining what everything is. Afterward, great discussion can be had about mission work, and helping others…like the TV show does.
Fall Of FaithA youth ministry classic. Get a person to stand backward on a chair while the rest of the group prepares to catch him or her. Tell the person that they need to fall with their body as straight as possible, and with both hands across their chest, to avoid elbowing someone in the head. The Point: Team building; a good game for a leadership event. Added by Scott Street
Fashion DesignerAs an upfront game, pre-select two teams of 3 for this. For small groups, everyone can participate. Materials needed: - Tissue Paper - Tape - Pictures of high fashion models (needless to say, keep 'em appropriate) Divide up into as many groups as you want (at least 3) and give each group a model (preferably youth workers!). Then give each group a picture of a fashion model, some tissue paper, and tape and ten minutes to replicate the dress on the picture of the fashion model. When they're through, have the 'models' walk the runway for everyone to watch. Have the teams vote on who looks the most like the model they were representing. You can do this by showing what pictures they were trying to mimic on powerpoint. Added by Pollyanna Soares
Flinging Flying Cheese Ball ChallengeThis is a challenge where one side of the room competes against the other. Choose a representative from each side of the room. Have the reps come up front, then give them each a plastic spoon and a can of cheese balls. At “go,” they will have 3 minutes to fling the cheese balls, one at a time, towards the audience on their side of the room. Teams score a point each time a cheese ball is caught by an audience members’ hand. Teams can score 5 points by catching the cheese ball in their mouths! (Each side of the room needs to have a judge keeping official score.) The team with the most points at the end of the three minutes wins. NOTE: If you have a really big group, you might want to bring up 2 or 3 tossers for each side of the room. Added by Dan the Man
Football Team Quiz (NFL)This game is great for either a big or a small group. For a big group, break up into groups of 4 requiring at least one person on each team to be a football fan. Pass out one copy of the following list of clues of pro-teams to each team. For small group, provide one sheet per person. (Answers in parentheses; of course you'll copy this list off without the answers.) The first team to bring their completed list to you wins (or as many as they can come up with). Give prizes to each team member (a candy bar, mug, etc.). What are these pro football teams??? FOOTBALL (NFL) TEAM QUIZ Based on the clues, figure out the names of the NFL teams. 1. A dollar for corn (Buccaneers) 2. Native American epidermis (Redskins) 3. Sun-tanned bodies (Browns) 4. What you pay (Bills) 5. They don't dodge or male goats (Rams) 6. 747, B1B, Concorde, F15... (Jets) 7. 7 Squared (49ers) 8. David could stone them (Giants) 9. Iron workers (Steelers) 10. Black birds of prey (Falcons) 11. Norse warriors (Vikings) 12. Kodiak, black, polar, koala... (Bears) 13. Not sinners but... (Saints) 14. Red birds (Cardinals) 15. Rodeo animals (Broncos) 16. Native American Leaders (Chiefs) 17. Called bald (Eagles) 18. Ocean going birds (Seahawks) 19. Hostile invaders (Raiders) 20. Credit card users (Chargers) 21. Boxers (Packers) 22. King of beasts (Lions) 23. Look like fish, but are mammals (Dolphins) 24. One-time British enemies (Patriots) 25. American gauchos (Cowboys) 26. Certain type of tiger (Bengals) 27. Young and fast horses (Colts) 28. People from the Lone Star State (Texans) 29. Spotted cats or expensive cars (Jaguars) 30. Heavy breathers (play on phonics) (Panthers) 31. Large birds of the crow family (Ravens) 32. Remember them (Titans) Updated (Sep 2004) by Jason Schmock Also see Baseball Team Quiz (MLB) (Click Here).
French CharadesDivide into teams of 5-7 people. Have members of one team leave the room while the others think of a situation which can be acted out without words. Then bring in one person from the team that was sent out. Explain the situation he or she will be acting out. Now bring in the second person from that team. Without saying a word, Person #1 must act out the assigned plot for Person #2. Person #2 may or may not understand the charade, but he or she must subsequently act out the same situation for a third member of the team. Person#3 performs the charade for Person#4, and so on. The last person must guess the original story line. Basically, this is a game of telephone, but using only charades to communicate. Remember, all this is done in complete silence. Even the simplest charade can undergo a thorough metamorphosis after being passed down several times. If the last person cannot guess the charade, person #1 should perform it again and let the last person guess once more. Here are some classic French charade situations to spur your creativity. Charade 1: The original pantomime that you do could include the following: pull the elephant into the room on a rope; tie the rope at a stake; dip a rag in a pail and wash the side of the elephant jumping high to get all the way to the top; crawl underneath, wash his belly and legs; go to the front and wash the trunk inside and out and wash the elephant’s ears as well; and then, wash under his tail (hold your nose). Charade 2: You are a high school beauty pageant contestant, anxiously awaiting the announcement of the winner. Suddenly you hear your name! You now step forward to receive your crown and roses. Then comes you victory walk down the aisle, waving to the crowd, you encounter many misfortunes. First, you are allergic to the roses, so you begin to sneeze, but you keep on going waving and sneezing to the crowd. Then, on the way back up the aisle, your high heel breaks and you finish the walk with one heel missing! Charade 3: You're are a pregnant bird about to give birth. You must fly around the room gathering materials for your nest. Once you make your nest, you lay your egg. Then finish the charade by hatching the egg and finding a worm to feed your new baby. Added by Young Life
Fruit Basket UpsetHave group sit in a circle. You should have one less chair than you do people, so that one student is left standing up. Make sure each seat is clearly marked - use chairs or mark places with tape. Number people off, but instead of saying, "one, two, three, four, five" say "apple, banana, orange, kiwi, peach" or whatever fruit you like. The more people you have, the more groups you may want. The last person is "It" and stands in the center of the circle. "It" yells out a fruit name. Everyone with that name must exchange seats with someone else with that name. "It" tries to take one of the empty chairs before they are all taken. Whoever is left without a chair is "It". Rather than yelling a fruit name, "It" may yell "Fruit Basket Upset." Everyone must change seats. Variation: "It" may yell more than one fruit at a time. This gets more people up and moving.
Fruit SculptureBreak up into teams. Each team makes a sculpture out of the fruit given to it. Award prizes for most creative and most stable. Have hand towels and paper towels handy for clean up. Also see Banana Surgery (Click Here), Bubble Gum Sculpture (Click Here), Tootsie Roll Sculpture (Click Here), and Chocolate Tower (Click Here).
Garbage WarDivide the room into four sections by putting tape on the floor. Have a ton of newspaper and toilet paper and other "dry garbage". The object is to get all of the stuff out of your section and into the other team’s section. The Point: This might be a goofy opener for a talk on how to get "garbage" (sin, bad influences) out of our lives. Added by Young Life
Gargle a TuneBring 3 students up front. Hand them each a glass of water. Then, one at a time, show only the person doing the gargling the name of a familiar song. It could be a nursery rhyme or any other familiar song. Have the person take a drink of water and attempt to gargle the tune you have showed them. The rest of the students in the room should be listening close so they can guess the song. Be ready for water through the nose.
Getting To Know ItSplit the group into girls and guys. (Leader's are excluded, as you will be the panel of judges.) Put teams on opposite sides of the room. Dedicate one person from each group to be "it". Give each group 5 minutes to find out as much about "it" as they can. After 5 minutes, have each person go around and say something about "it". (It may be something they like, something they don't like, something have done, etc.) Once each group has had a chance to speak, the panel of judges (leaders) will ask some questions to each group. If the group can answer them, that is good and looked highly upon. After the judges are done asking questions, they will decide on who had better information about the person. It's up to you if you want to judge strictly by opinion, panel vote (holding up fingers or cards to indicate "Team 1" or "2"), or award points with the higher points winning. Encourage each group to not make all the information physical, such as hair color or eye color. Sample questions: 1. What is your favorite pizza? 2. What is your favorite kind of weather and why? 3. If you could go anywhere on a vacation for a week, where would you go? 4. What would you do with $1,000 dollars cash? 5. Share a moment in your life when you remember being the most happy. 6. Share a moment in your life when you were really mad. 7. Share an embarrassing moment? Added by Nicole The Point: Getting To Know You, Communication Also see Getting To Know You Better (Click Here).
Getting to Know You(You need a wide blanket or canvas to play this game.) Divide the kids into two teams. Put two chairs (one for each team) about 2 meters apart facing each other. Assign two people to hold the blanket up between the two chairs, so the people sitting in them can't see each other. Each team will assign somebody per turn to sit on each chair. At the count of three the 2 people holding the blanket will release it causing it to fall down and reveal who is sitting on the chairs. The two people sitting on the chairs will immediately say the name of the one opposite them. The first between the two who names the person opposite him/her scores a point. This could be played w/o chairs, if you want. The Point: Great for getting a new group of students to know each other's names. Our variation: If you have a smaller group of "regulars" have people come up with nicknames that everyone else has to remember. You can have people make up their own or choose from categories like body parts. I.e. "Twinkle Toes", "Pretty Eyes", etc.; or animal names like, "Ape", "Moose", "Kitten"; or cars; you get the idea. Submitted by Youth for Christ Also see Getting To Know It (Click Here), Getting To Know You Better (Click Here), and Identity Circle (Click Here).
Getting To Know You BetterDivide into 2 even teams. For larger groups, divide into 4 teams and have a play-off with the 2 winning teams and 2 losing teams. Give each person a blank 3x5 card (or piece of paper) and have them write 5 little known facts about themselves and sign their name. Examples: I have a pet snake; my middle name is Hortense; I was born in Mexico City; I hate pizza; the carpet in my bedroom is green. Collect all the cards and keep separate stacks for each team. The game is now ready to play. The object is for students to name the person on the card that the leader draws (from the other team’s stack of cards) in as few clues as possible. Begin by opening up the bidding between the teams, for example: "We can name that person in five clues!" or, "We can name that person in four clues!" etc. The team that wins the bidding has five seconds to guess after the reading of the appropriate number of clues. The Point: Great game for getting to know students after a summer break, an influx of new students, or if you just started leading a group. Added by Young Life Also see Getting To Know It (Click Here).
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