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 Outdoor Games Summer Games, Water Games, Field Games ... 
American Eagle 1-2-3Line everyone up on one side of the room, and have about 2 or 3 kids and leaders in the middle of the room. The object is for everyone to run from one side of the room to the other without being caught by those in the middle. The people in the middle have to lift whoever they can off the ground and say "American eagle 1-2-3!" before they SLOWLY LOWER them back to the ground. When the person is picked up they join the middle and it keeps going until there is 1 person left running. *Be careful as some kids can get hurt if you don't keep the middle under control (i.e. don't drop the kids on the ground). Also, make sure participants lift each other from the waist instead of underarms to avoid inappropriate contact. Added by Michael May
Amoeba RaceSupplies: Long lengths of rope AND a predetermined track/course. Divide your group in teams of at least 5 or more. The larger the team size, the more difficult it is. Tie the rope around the entire team at waist level. Make the rope as snug as possible without hurting the students. Put them on the obstacle course and turn them loose. Teams can be timed during their running of the course, or you can actually have a couple of teams race! The key is to work together as a team to accomplish a common goal. NOTE: The course can be inside or outside, just make sure the route/course is a safe one! Also, make sure it is clearly defined. It would be a significant bummer for a team to get “lost” because the course was not outlined properly. See also Blob Tag (Click Here) and Can-Can (Click Here).
Australian MegaSlide of Death!This is Slip-n-Slide on a Sand Dune! I live in a remote town in north west Australia, where it is very flat, except for the sand dunes at the beach. This led me to an idea for an awesome waterslide - a nice long piece of black plastic, some cheap bulk detergent and lots of water! This was most successful when I managed to get hold of a portable fire fighting unit (A 4X4 with large water tank and petrol water pump). Because it is built on sand, you can "mould" out the shape in the dune, then just roll the plastic down over it. We have had huge jumps, and some of my youth were able to do complete mid air somersaults! Check with local council first. Added by Johann in Australia See also Super Slip-n-Slide Relay (Click Here).
Balloon Squash OutdoorMaterials: A balloon for each player (plus extras) A few cans of shaving cream A plastic tarp Two Buckets Players should wear bathing suits or old clothes and bring a towel. Be prepared to hose them off when the game is done. Preparation: You should have one shaving cream-filled balloon per student playing, plus a few extra in case any pop. Divide players into two teams. Set up the plastic tarp, and put the bucket of cream filled balloons near the tarp. How to Play: When the signal is given, a player on each team runs over to the tarp. One leader will place a balloon on the tarp, and the player must sit on it until it pops. Then they run back and tag the next player to go. First team to be sitting down after all their balloons are squashed wins. Added by Nick Also see Balloon Squash (Click Here) and Balloon & Elastic Tangle (Click Here).
Banana Split & SlideEveryone remembers their very first slip and slide out in the yard on a hot summer day. Here's a variation. Get approximately 50 feet of plastic tarp and items that would be found on a banana split (ice cream, strawberry syrup, caramel syrup, chocolate syrup, banana pieces and maraschino cherries). Pile items on top of the tarp and spread it out. Add a little cooking oil for extra slip and slide. Have students line up and take off one at a time! We've done this with just Hershey Syrup (about 50 lbs. found in bulk at Sam's Warehouse). Had we not mixed a little oil and water with it, we wouldn't have been able to slide very well. Idea by Cristin Also see Australian MegaSlide of Death! (Click Here) and Slop-stacle Course (Click Here).
Barbarians (hyped-up Capture the Flag)Overview: Teams of 4 are competing against each other to get the other teams' gold and to capture other team's' players, and put them in your jail. Set-up/Boundaries: Using two ropes, or red surveyor's tape, divide the field into 4 sections. Each section has one prison area, which is marked off with either ducttape or surveyor's tape. Each section also has a "gold depot" which is marked using hula-hoops or tape. Each team has their own color, which is a flag strip tucked into the front of each player's pants. Every team gets an equal amount of "gold" to start the game, which is white socks, gold socks, and 1 gray work sock. Start of Game: When whistle blows, teams begin the attack. Another team can only catch you if you are in their section; likewise, you can only catch others in your own section (if you are "green" and you run into the "red" section, then you run across to the "yellow section, red can no longer capture you, but yellow now can). When you capture another team member, take their flag and report to the middle of the field to the scorekeeper, then return flag to the person in your prison. In addition to capturing opposing team players, you are also trying to get their "gold", without getting caught. You can only take 1 gold piece at a time, and if you are caught inside an opposition section, you must return gold to that team (no throwing gold into your own section). What Happens When Caught: Having your flag removed by another team player inside their section gets you caught. When this happens, you report to their prison area and can only get out of prison if a teammate tags you out, without getting caught themselves. If your teammate gets caught trying to free you, they must join you in the jail area. Once you successfully get tagged out, you and your teammate get a free passage back to your section. NOTE (the game coordinator may call "jailbreak" and free everyone in jail in all the sections at any given time, usually when there is a lop-sided number of players in prison). How the Game is Won: The game is won by accumulating points for every prisoner your teammates catch, and for each piece of "gold" left at the end of the game. You can run out of gold during the course of the game, but still get points by capturing prisoners and trying to grab other gold from enemy sections. The team with the most accumulated total points at the end is the winner. Score Keeping: White Socks- 3000 points each Gold Socks- 5000 points each Gray Socks- 10,000 points each Prisoners- 1000 each player Supplies Needed: Large, open playing area 2 Ropes (100+ feet each is ideal) 4 different colored flags, one for each section White, yellow, gray socks Bean bag fill for each sock Scorers pad and pen Duct tape and/or hula-hoops Red surveyors or caution tape Added by Shawn McKnight, Mississauga Also see Capture the Flag with Spies (Click Here).
Basketball Chinese Fire DrillGreat to play on a full-size basketball court outside or in a church with a gym (multi-purpose facility) which has two baskets. Divide the group into a number of teams that is one more than the number of baskets you have. The extra team gets a basketball. Each of the other teams is assigned a basket to defend. When the game starts, following basic basketball rules, the team with the ball attacks one of the defended baskets. If the attacking team scores a basket they take the ball with them and attack the next basket located counterclockwise in the gym. If the defending team gains possession of the ball before the attacking team scores, the defending team becomes the attacking team and moves to the next defended basket. The team that just lost the ball stays at that basket and defends it from the next attack. Repeat this pattern until time expires. For extra mayhem, pick teams so there are initially two extra teams so that there are always two baskets being attacked. Be sure your good basketball players are spread among the teams. Added by Gary Slater Also see Basketball GIGANTE (Click Here).
Bible SmugglersThis game works well if all of your kids are regular attenders. If not, don't use this game. Visitors or students new to church may feel out of place. Bible Smugglers works best outdoors, like at a camp. However, it can also work in a large facility. Materials: plastic spoons (they represent Bibles), one flashlight. Have two leaders be "missionaries." They hide somewhere with the flashlight turned on, holding it straight up. Each kid gets a "Bible" and they have to bring it to the missionaries. The Catch: They are in a foreign country and there are border guards everywhere (these are the other youth staff). If a kid gets caught by a border guard, they have to do what the guard says. The guard can be from any country (it's fun to have crazy accents), and basically their job is to get the kids to tell them the gospel message. The guards should ask questions like, "What are you doing?", "What is a Bible?" "What is the Bible about?" "Who is this Jesus?" "What happens if I believe in Jesus?", "What is Heaven?” etc. (You can throw in things like, "In my country we believe in a million gods..."). The kids get sent to jail if they answer a question wrong or if they lie (such as if you ask them what they are doing and they say, "just going for a midnight stroll"). If they explain the message well, then they can go on to find the missionaries. Once they find the missionaries, they can come back to the start (which is where the jail is located) and get more Bibles to deliver to the missionaries. When in jail, the kids have to convince the guard to let them out of jail by the same methods as getting caught by a border guard. The Point: gets kids to solidify what they've learned concerning the salvation message. Added by Candice Thiessen
Blind KickballThis is one of those "trust" games that you can finish up with a short Bible study on faith. The game is simple and would work with any group of 18+. The rules are the same as kickball (3 outs/inning, foul balls, force outs, etc.). The twist is that the students play with a partner and one is blindfolded. At bat, the seeing player kicks the ball, but the blind player runs the bases. The seeing player can run alongside and coach, but may not touch the runner. In the field, the seeing player can catch or stop the ball, but not throw or tag a runner. They CAN, however, touch their own blind partner to guide them to throw the ball or lead them to tag the runner. Players alternate being blindfolded each inning. This game is HILARIOUS to watch! (We had an audience at the public park where we were playing.) The Point: Trust, faith, helping each other along in our faith journeys. Added by David A. Steen Also see Blindfolded Obstacle Course (Click Here).
Blind Man's Beach Ball VolleyballRun a volleyball tournament using a beach ball instead of volleyball and hang a tarp over the net. The teams cannot see each other and don't always know when the ball is coming over. The beach ball makes it more fun because you don't need as much skill to hit it over the net. You might want to move the serving line closer. To make it even more interesting we connected pairs of players with two rubber bands and wrist bands. Simply connect a rubber band to a wrist band then connect the rubber bands together. If the rubber bands break the play is stopped and the other team gets a point or the serve. You can have up to twelve people on a team (if you use the wrist band connectors). Added by Kevin Konkol
Blind TagConjure up something with a circumference of about 20 feet, (such as 2 tables pushed together or rope wrapped around 4 chairs). Blindfold two people and dress them in helmet and pads for safety. Put them on opposite sides of this circle. Both must always be touching it. Designate one to be "it" and have the bystanders shout to their favorite which way to go to catch or avoid being caught by the other. Beware of high-speed collisions. One variation is to remove one of the two contestants and let everyone shout directions to the unsuspecting victim. Another variation is to have everyone silent and let the players listen for each other. Added by Young Life Also see Blind Pinball (Click Here).
Blindfold Marco Polo DogdeballBlindfold half of your staff and give them each a dodgeball. Have them stand in the middle of the play area. Assign a second staff member to each blindfolded staff to be a ball fetcher. The blindfolded staff call out "Marco" in which every kid has to respond "Polo!" The blindfolded staff try to throw the ball at the kids. If they hit one the assistant staff removes them to a designated area and then fetches the ball. Last kid remaining is the winner. Rules: If a student doesn't respond "Polo" he or she is automatically out. If a student is hit or touches a ball at all he or she is out. Also see Marshmallow Dodgeball (Click Here).
Blindfolded Obstacle CourseCreate an obstacle course (a playground works GREAT) and get your students or leaders to go in pairs. One from each pair is blindfolded, and the other will lead him or her through the obstacle course by using only their voice. The Point: Team building; a good game for a leadership event. Added by Scott Street Also see Blind Kickball (Click Here).
Blob TagOutdoor or Indoor. This game is a normal game of tag with an added twist. When "it" tags someone, the person becomes part of "it." Then the two of them must run hand in hand and catch their next victim who will join them. Last one caught by the "Blob" is the winner! Also see Amoeba Race (Click Here).
Box or BucketSilly outdoor or indoor retreat, camp, or group game. You need several (10-20) cardboard boxes (med-large), blindfolds, buckets, and water. Blindfold a group of 8-10 people. Place them among the boxes and tell they have 2 minutes to form a wall around themselves using the boxes. The wall doesn’t have to be higher than one box, but it must go completely around the group. The wall can’t have any openings larger than 3 inches. When time is up, for every gap in their wall wider than 3”, a bucket of water will be thrown on the group. Any member of the group inadvertently left outside the wall will receive his/her own bucket of water! The Point: Team building!
British BulldogGreat game to release a lot of energy in the group. Divide into two teams and have them each get to one side of the room, divided by a line down the middle. The object of this game is for teams to try to convert members of the opposite team to their own team. How? Easy. A team member runs to the opposite team's side and tries to lift an opposite team member into the air. While lifting the opposite team member you must yell "British Bulldog!" If done successfully you both have "free walk" back to the lifter's original side, who just gained a new team member. While on the opposite teams side, you of course can be lifted as well and converted to that team(if not on a free walk back). Winning team is the one that gets everyone. Note: Be careful that participants don't drop each other on the ground after lifting. Also, have participants lift each other from the waist instead of underarms to avoid inappropriate contact.
Bucket BalanceChoose two teams of four. Have the teams lie on their backs in a circle with their feet raised to meet in the middle, balancing a bucket of water on their feet. Each team member must remove his/her shoes without spilling the water. This can be a class competition. Have towels handy. Added by Young Life The Point: Teamwork.
Build Your Own SnowmanCan be played up-front with audience watching or in teams with the whole group playing. For each contestant have a bag full of assorted snowman accessories such as a hat, scarf, mittens, a carrot etc. and a pair of safety goggles, a can of shaving cream and a set of clothes to go over their clothes for protection. Each team has a designated amount of time to use the shaving cream to cover their "snowman" (the contestant) and put all of the accessories on. The team to make the nicest looking snowman wins. Lay tarp down and have towels handy. Added by Tina Ogle
Camp Cream PiesA great camp game from our friends from down under – if you’re familiar with our web site, you know that some of the wildest games come from youth workers in Aussieland! Keep’em comin’, mate! This is a camp game involving everyone and the use of the entire camp site. Lisa and her fellow youthworkers used a circus theme and says they played with students in Yr 9 & 10 (about 15-16 years old) but like all games you can modify it to suit any age group. We hid cream pies (whipped cream on paper plates) all around the camp site (in bushes, up trees etc). Then we divided the campers into 2 teams and put different colour face paint on each team to identify them. We told them that they were all clowns from opposing circuses and that someone had stolen all the cream pies they needed for their act and hidden them. The aim was to find as many cream pies as possible and get them back to their base intact. Cream pies that had obviously been dropped did not count. They also had to try to stop the other team getting pies back to their base. Leaders have specific roles and all dressed up, which was really funny. Their roles were as follows: Director/youth pastor: Ringmaster. If they catch any of the kids, the Ringmaster can do what ever he/she wants to them. Our Ringmaster was making students get him drinks, doing somersaults along the ground; the list is endless. Lion & lion tamer: We dressed the lion up (he had a tail, feather bower mane, and face painted). The lion tamer could crack a fake whip. Their role is to escort one team. If a camper from the appropriate team has a pie and is with the lion & tamer the pie cannot be taken from them. Strong man: The strong man is the escort for the other team Snack person: Wanders around with drinks, lollies and popcorn, giving it out to whoever wants it. No other role. Clowns: We had a few clowns. They had two roles: To be really annoying; if they saw someone trying to creep back to base with a cream pie they would start yelling, "I’ve found one…over here!" or start singing to them. Their second role was to take cream pies off campers they caught (to 'catch' them they sprayed them with silly string) and re-hide the pies. Base leaders: We had one per team. Their role was just to be at the base and keep track of the amount of pies that had been bought back. If you run low on pies left take them from the bases and hide them again. The team keeps their score. What we also told the leaders who were taking pies was that if the campers started to follow them to see where they re-hid the pies, to turn around and throw the pie at them. VERY funny the first time it happened. The leader had GREAT aim. This was one of the best camp-wide games I have ever played…3 years on and the campers are still talking and laughing about it. Added by Lisa in Australia
Can-CanUsually played outdoors or in a big room, but could be played in a smaller facility with smaller groups. Imagine everyone in a circle holding hands, pulling and tugging, but not letting go . . . trying to get someone else to bump into the can-can. The result looks like an amoeba trying to force one part of it's body to go somewhere it doesn't want to go! Here's how it's done: You don't want your circle to start bigger than about 25 people, so if you have a large group, have several circles going at once. All you need is a trash can. The taller the can, the better. Also, plastic ones are better than metal ones, and it's always better to find a trash can that hasn't had anything put in it (a clean one). The participants get into a circle around the trash can and hold hands. If a player touches the trash can in any way, they are out. Also, if players break their grip on one another, they are both out. Play pauses after an elimination, giving a much-needed time for players to re-firm their hand-holds. This game is tiring, and is an excellent way to tucker out ADHD jr. highers. Play until one person remains. If an elimination seems slow in coming, adding another trash can to the mix speeds up the game. This game is a huge hit, and you can usually get good video footage as students who are pulled into the can will tend to jump or try to dodge it, while not letting go of the others' hands. Added by James Conley If you don't have a gargbage can, you can use pretty much anything else that stands on its own and wouldn't damage a student who slams into/through it.
Capture the Flag with SpiesOutdoor or Big room. Same as normal Capture the Flag, except each team has a spy for the other team. Select teams with a stack of playing cards, all the blacks go on one side, red on the other. Pre-arrange the deck for the number of players. For example, if you have 20 players, make sure there are 10 black cards and 10 red. Pre-assign a "spy card", and include one of each color. We used the #7. Red #7 started with the red team, but was a really "spy" for the black team (and vice versa). During game play the spy has ONE chance to grab the flag and run it over to the other side. If he is caught, he is no longer a spy and must return to his PROPER side once freed from jail. Observe how the teams interact when they OFFER to be a flag guard...usually the boring job. To make things more interesting, we made the playing field smaller than what we're used to and placed two flags on each side (one was pre-set, the other flag was placed by the team). Only one flag has to be taken across the center line to win the game. Added by Matthew Seilback Also see Barbarians (Click Here).
Car LotThis game is played like "Sharks and Minnows." Choose a 'used car dealer' or two (put a pair of plaid pants on them for fun) and have them pick 3 different car names (ie: Honda Civic, Chevy Cavalier, and a 82 VW diesel Jetta - my personal favorite.) Each runner picks one of these 3 cars, and becomes that car. The dealer yells out a car. Each car by that name sprints across the room. When you are tagged, sit. Now you may tag future cars. The dealer may yell "Car lot!", so everyone must run at the same time. Object: Be the last car running, and become the new dealer. Submitted by Jon Talley
Car Restoration – Ghetto FlavaGot a big ol' hooptie or an ugly little junker that still runs? This isn’t really a game, but a great activity for your group. This idea was submitted by Jake & Vicki Hookham:
To pull in a couple of unchurched skaters, I invited them beforehand, got all the colors of house paint I could. We surprised the skaters and painted the car with it. I told them I needed their help to paint something big, had them all stand in the parking lot, told them to wait for me while I went to the car to get it, then brought the car. Everyone had lots of fun, and "things about God" and our church's address and slogan are plastered all over my car. The kids feel unified whenever they see it around town. Australian youth worker Chris Bowditch adds this variation: Same as above, only turn it into a two-week competition with two teams - one for each side of the car. Week One: Same "decorating" idea as above, even providing stencils for some of the students to decorate the car with. Week Two: Take the windows out and give kids turns smashing the car. Again give each team a side of the car and let them lay into it with sledgehamers and/or block splitters. This can lastat least an hour! We then used this to talk about sacrifice (it was a weak link, but it was there). The main idea was to launch the new year, and to 'smash' the students expectations about what people who are involved in a church do. Smart youth worker thought: Just make sure you let the neighbors know what's going on (otherwise they may call the police)! Also see Car Stuff (Click Here).
Car StuffExplain the game before you bring students out to the car. You could have a competition between sexes or classes. Each team has thirty seconds to get as many as possible into (not on) a small car. Also see Car Restoration - Ghetto Flava on Events page.
Catch the Dragon's TailBig room & Outdoor game; good for picnics or big gatherings. No winner or loser. Number of players: 10-30 kids Playing Site: Large open area Items needed: A large scarf or handkerchief Time: 15-45 minutes Object of the game: The first person in the line tries to catch the last person in line. All the players line up and put their hands on the waist of the person in front of them. The last person in line tucks one end of the scarf in his back pocket, belt, or waistband. The first person in lines tries to grab the scarf. When the "head" gets the "tail", he dons the scarf and becomes the new tail. The person second in line becomes the head. Variation: Form two or more teams, each being a "dragon" trying to catch the others tail.
Chariot RaceIf you have a large group (say, 200 people), just select a few groups of 4 kids to do this chariot race in front of everyone else. If you have a small group, you might want to let everyone do it. For example, if you only have 15 kids, use 3 teams of 5. Each group gets a large blanket. Each team lines up at the starting line. Two of the youth on each team are holding onto front corners of the blanket. One youth is sitting on the other end of the blanket, soon to be hanging on for dear life. At the signal, the teams race around a designated course (a large oval works well), the 2 youth in front acting as horses and the blanket acting as a chariot. The race consists of three laps. At the end of each lap, the youth rotate, so one of the people riding now pulls, and one of the pullers now rides. 3 laps allows each person to ride once and pull twice. If a rider is thrown from his chariot, the team must stop until the rider is firmly reseated. Can be played inside on carpet and outside on the grass. Added by Joshua Ellis Variation: Chariot Basketball Relay Line up all the students in 2 teams. On each team pair students up to run the relay. On "Go" the first two pairs race toward the basket. One student pulls the other student on a blanket. The rider has one shot to make a basket. The pairs switch places and race back to the start of the line and tag the next pair on their team. The team with the most baskets at the end of the time limit wins. Added by Jason Dougherty Also see Chariot Race: Australian Style (Click Here) and Indoor Bobsledding (Click Here).
Chariot Race: Australian StyleDivide your group into teams of 3. Arrange your playing area with a chair or marker at either end of your room or field. Teams must link arms, side by side. Spread the teams around the room, so they are not next to each other. The object of the game is to race around the markers in a circle - all teams in the one direction. If a team is passed by a team behind them then they are out. If any member of the teams’ arms becomes unlinked, that team is out. The team or teams (depending on time) still in at the end of your allotted time are the winners! Added by Amanda from Australia Also see Chariot Race (Click Here) on Outdoor page.
ChickletsThis game can be played with 3 or more people, preferably outside or in a big space. One person is chosen to be "it". “It” chooses a category such as flowers, cars, animals, etc. and then goes out of ear shot. The remaining players decide “what” they are for that category. (For example, if the category is flowers, then one person could be a rose, another, a daisy, and so on, with everyone choosing something different). After everyone has decided what they want to be, then they go to "it" and list “what” everyone is without naming who is which thing. For example if there was a rose, a daisy, and a sunflower playing, then one person would go to "it" and say daisy, sunflower, and rose. Then "it" would randomly choose one of the names and call that name out. For example: “It” says “Rose” and the person who chose Rose has to run away and the person who is "it" tries to catch them. If the person who is running gets tired then he/she can say the name of another thing from the list. So if Rose was running and got tired he/she could call out “daisy” and "it" would then have to go and chase “daisy.” The name can only be changed three times or poor “It” doesn’t have a chance at catching anyone. When "it" gets tired he/she can drop to the ground and yell "chicklets"! Then all the other people have to run as fast as they can and touch "It’s” head and the last one to touch “It’s” head is “It” for the next round. This game is very tiring but also very fun!
Civil WarThis is a water game that requires a small field. Divide into even teams of any size and line each team up side by side, arm length apart, about 25 yards from one another on their own Territory Line. (like opposing armies in the Civil War.) Arm each soldier with two water balloons each. Pick one team to go first, which means one team readies to "fire" while the other team has their backs turned. (This helps keep from sustaining a facial injury). The team leader then yells "Fire!" If anyone on his team wants to fire (optional) they can throw one or both of their water balloons at the opposing army. Anyone who is hit has to sit down where they get hit. No one has to throw anything. Then the tables are turned. The other team gets a chance to shoot. The first team has to turn around and the whole process is repeated. This mimics the war patterns of the Civil War, "if you shoot at me and I don't die, I'll shoot back at you." Then the Field leader (youth pastor) yells "Charge!" Both teams run at each other and try to "kill" the other players with their water balloons while trying to make it across the enemy's Territory Line. The object of the game is NOT to kill everyone on the other team by hitting them with a water balloon, but to get at least one team member across the enemy's territory line. First team that has someone to cross the enemy's Line wins. Have judges help with who wins and to determine close calls. If anyone argues with a judge, he/she is subject to water ballooning. Each time a winner is declared, a battle has been waged. 5 battles wins the war. Added by Dave
Colored Cool Whip RinseFor this game you need one container of Cool Whip per team, different colors of food dye, and a few Super Soakers. Not long before you want to run the game, mix the food coloring with the Cool Whip making each container of Cool Whip a distinct color. (Use only real Cool Whip; imitations don't stick.) Also, keep it very cold - the Cool Whip will begin to melt and not stick if it is out of the fridge too long. If you have a small group, just divide into equal sized teams. If you have a large group, bring up several teams of people. This is a two-part game. For part 1, each group paints one member of the group in Cool Whip. You can judge who looks best if you want. Part 2 is when the team rinses the Cool Whip off with the water gun. The best rinsed team wins. If indoors, use tarps. Offer a prize to the winning team. NOTE: The food color could ruin clothes. You may want to have old clothes handy for changing into before the game gets started.
Criss CrossDivide into 4 teams. Send each team into a corner. The object of the game is to see which team can get to the opposite (diagonal) corner the fastest using the designated method that the leader calls out (eg. if the leader calls out "hopping," the teams must hop to the opposite corner). This will create quite a "bottleneck" or "traffic jam" in the middle each time. Keep score of which team wins each crossing. First team to 5 wins. Good Crossing Methods: Hopping Wheel barrel (one person holding a partner's legs while they walk on hands) Crab Walk Sprint Backwards Walk Skipping Crawling You get the idea!!! Also see Criss, Cross, Crash (Click Here) and TubeMania (Click Here).
Criss, Cross, CrashSafety Note: Be very careful - if you don't use good safety precautions, this could result in injuries. Divide your crowd into two teams, each team in two groups for a relay. Line the teams up in four corners of the playing field, each team diagonal with it's partner team. Give each group 2 or 3 tubes (depending on size). The first team member of each group (4 in total) must step into the tubes, pick them up (so they look like a Michelin Man) and run diagonal to their partner team. Of course their partner team and two opposing teams are running through the same intersection so look out! First team to switch all players across the diagonal one at a time is the winner. Also see Criss Cross (Click Here) and Tubemania (Click Here).
Death BallThis game is pretty much like “Duck, Duck, Goose,” only better!! Rent a huge earth ball with a 1.5m diameter. Have your group divide into circles, have an outside circle and have a little circle on the inside of the outer circle. Place the earth ball between the 2 circles. Get the group to roll the ball in a clockwise direction around the circle. Have a leader tap the shoulder of someone in the circle...this person has to run in front of the ball around the circle and back to their spot without being hit by the earth ball! Added by Joel Rub, Australia Also see Dodgeball Doctor (Click Here), Dodgeball Dragon (Click Here), and Earthball Blowout (Click Here).
Dodge the Rolling BallsThis game requires a bunch of dodge balls, but it's really fun. First, split your large group into small groups (if you have around 50, split them into 5 groups of 10). Next make one big circle or square with all the people, and send one of the groups in the middle. The surrounding groups sit down while the group in the middle stands up. Now the surrounding groups will roll all the dodgeballs towards the group in the middle, which will try to dodge all the balls coming at them in every direction. Once they get hit they are out. The last person standing is the winner. After you have Group 1 go, have Group 2 take a turn, and so on. At the very end have all the winners come up to determine the super, ultra, mega winner. Added by Guy Mono Also see Black Light Dodgeball (Click Here) and Eternal Dodgeball (Click Here).
Dodgeball Doctor (formerly Doctor Doctor)Divide into two teams, each choosing a "doctor", or two for larger groups (their identity being secret). Just like regular Dodge-ball, use a bunch of balls that are soft and throw them at each other. When someone is hit, they must sit. Here's where the doctor, just one of the players to the other team, may touch the injured and bring them back into play. Hint: the players shouldn't just pop up when touched- this will give away the doctor. Also, we recommend a decoy touching kids as well. When the doctor is hit, the team's only hope is their skill. The object: Eliminating the opposing team, including their doctor. Added by Jon Talley Also see: Dodgeball Dragon (Click Here) Earthball Blowout (Click Here) Long Base (Click Here) Opposite Arm Dodgeball (Click Here) Sink The Bismark (Click Here) Wet Toilet Paper Dodgeball (Click Here)
Dodgeball DragonHave the entire group make a circle. Pick four to five people for each team. The first team goes into the center of the circle and forms a line by attaching their hands to the waist of the person in front of them. The people who make up the circle throw the ball at the "dragon", trying to hit the last person below the waist. Once hit, the last person returns to the outside circle and players continue to hit the new person at the end of the dragon until there is only one person left and they too are hit. A new team then goes into the middle. Time each team to see which one can last the longest. Also see: Blindfold Marco Polo Dodgeball (Click Here) Dodgeball Doctor (Click Here) Earthball Blowout (Click Here) Long Base (Click Here) Opposite Arm Dodgeball (Click Here) Sink The Bismark (Click Here) Wet Toilet Paper Dodgeball (Click Here)
Duck, Duck, DripOutdoor or Indoor game. Just like Duck, Duck, Goose except with a cup of water that the person drips, drips, drips then drops on the person they want to chase them around the circle! Added by Amy Hackman Also see Duck, Duck, Goose With a Twist (Click Here).
Duck, Duck, Goose With a TwistOutdoor or Indoor game. Play this childhood favorite just like Duck-Duck-Goose. Only, instead of just touching someone's head and saying "goose," you’ll crack an egg on their head. Gross, but good for the hair! NOTE: Either forewarn your students to wear grubby clothes, provide wet washcloths and/or towels, or have garbage bags with holes to pull over their heads. Added by Kyle Connell Also see Duck, Duck, Drip (Click Here).
Earthball BlowoutHere are several games you can play with an earthball (also called cage balls) or you could have an "Earthball Theme Night" and play them all. Where to find an earthball: Once upon a time they could be ordered from a place called GO FOR SPORTS at (800) 533-0446. Ask for a 72" cage ball. Here are a couple of web sites which sell them as well - again, look for the 72" cage ball, with the cover. Sometimes covers are sold separately (I've never purchased from these places; purchase at your own risk). Shape Up Shop.com Click Here. Once on this site go to the bottom of the screen and select "Kids and Games" and then choose "Giant Cage Balls." Wolverine Sports.com Click Here. Earth B-ball: Staff hold earth ball in air until start. There are 2 Staff referees. Students try to push/hit earth ball to back board or rim. Send kids to "penalty bleachers" for 60 seconds if they grab the earth ball or kick. Earth Crab Soccer: Same as above only in crab position and with a staff person on each sideline, knocking the ball back into play. Send kids to "penalty bleachers" for 60 seconds if they stand up or sit up at all! Steal the Earth: Line up each team on sidelines and number them. Call numbers and they try to push/hit ball to designated open wall. Staff person must hold earth ball in air after number is called until students reach it. Dodgeball: One staff person patrol the side lines - control people actually sitting out! Also see Death Ball (Click Here) Dodgeball Doctor (Click Here), and Dodgeball Dragon (Click Here).
Egg Tic Tac ToeGrab 9 staff or students prepared to get messy. Have the people get into a tic-tac-toe formation with plastic bags covering them as much as possible. (Use a tarp if indoors.) * Break students into 2 teams (one team Xs and one team Os). * Find a place where you can elevate the students way above the 9 volunteers (rooftops[careful],balconies, etc.) * Have the teams take turns trying to hit one of the 9 with an egg and mark that square accordingly. If the student misses, they miss their opportunity to claim a square. * First team to get 3 in a row, wins!! Added by Brian Esola Also see Egg Obstacle Course (Click Here) on Sick & Twisted page.
Elbow TagEveryone pairs up in a circle. Pick 2 people to start the game - one of them will be "it". “It” chases the other person around the room. They can go inside or outside of the circle but it's a good idea to try to keep them close to the circle. The person being chased tries to hook arms with one of the people who is paired up. If they hook arms before they’re tagged, then the person holding the opposite arm of the person who was being chased now becomes the one to be chased. If the person who is it tags the person they are chasing, that person becomes it and tries to tag them back (think duck, duck goose). This game has no winner but it's a blast and can be played on any time limit you want. Also, if you have someone who is having a hard time catching people, discreetly have a leader get tagged on purpose. Idea by Brian Mitchell
EliminationThis is either played outdoors in a field or in a gym. One person is designated as "it" and is given a dodgeball. "It" then chases the rest of the group throwing the ball at them. If someone is hit they must sit down where they are hit. Once the ball is thrown, anyone may grab it and become "it." If the ball is caught, the thrower must sit down and the person who caught the ball is now "it." I normally state that to sit down the ball must hit you in the air and headshots do not count. The twist is that someone who is sitting down can stand up and be back in the game if the person who hit them has to sit down. Therefore, the game does not end until 1 person ends up hitting every person (or until you call an end to the game due to time). NOTE: If you play this game outdoors, make clear boundaries so the game does not spread out too much.
Estrogen Hoop (Basketball)Great, simple time-filler involving everyone. All you need is a basketball court and a ball. Have everyone (up to 50 people) on the basketball court at once. If you have a huge group, you can have more than two teams, and play tournament/elimination style. Play normal basketball but with the following rules: 1. Only girls can shoot or score 2. No limit to how many people on the court
Eternal DodgeballDodgeball without boundaries, literally - every person for themselves. Typical rules apply - get hit, you're out; if your throw is caught, you're out. Here's the difference: when the person who gets you out gets out, you're back in. The catch: if you have the ball, you can't move (this eliminates the need for boundaries) Added by Andy Unterholzner Also see Dodgeball Doctor (Click Here), Dodgeball Dragon (Click Here), and Dodge the Rolling Balls (Click Here).
Extinction/SurvivalUsing a natural disaster theme, kids try to "survive" game without getting caught 3 times, while trying to get to different stations to receive special "stamps". Each station represents a safe zone from the disasters and cannot be penetrated by the "extinction" elements. Boundaries: An entire campground setting is best used in this game, as the more space used the better for the overall atmosphere of the game. Five stations are set-up in spread out locations around the entire campground and signs are placed in the area to identify what the station is (i.e. Bomb shelter, famine relief, hospital, etc...). Game Starts: Game begins when the "variables" are sent out into the field to await the survivors. Each person is given a card with 5 stations on it. Each player must find and go to each of the 5 stations and get the station attendant to stamp the player card. Once at the station, the survivors are safe from the variables, but can only remain at the station for 2 minutes max. The object is to safely reach the stations without getting caught by a variable person 3 times. Variables: A variable is a group of pre-selected campers or counselors who represent life-threatening disasters (i.e. tornadoes, fire, pollution, nuclear war, etc...), by wearing a hat which has the disaster taped to it. Each "variable/disaster" is given a marker and if they catch a "survivor", put an X on the back of their card. Once a "survivor" gets 3 X's on their card, they are out of the game. Variables are untouchable until a survivor has reached all 5 stations and shown the scorekeeper their completed, stamped card. Then these survivors can catch the variable and eliminate them from the game by tagging them out. Notes: It's a good idea to incorporate food and drinks into the game, as it will increase the "rewards" value. You can also try to hide the stations a little, without making it too hard to find. Game Ends: If you get caught 3 times by a variable/disaster, then you are out of the game. If someone catches a variable after they have completed all 5 stations, then the variable is out (when a player completes all 5 stations, they will be given a special mark or hat to identify them). Supplies: 10-12 hats signs for each hat (disasters, natural/man-made) pre-made card for each player with 5 stations on it special marker for variables stamps for stations station signs food items and drink (juice boxes, joe louis, timbits) other station items wide open field or campground Added by Shawn McKnight, Mississauga
Fat Bat (Wiffle Ball w/ a wading pool)A fun, outdoor version of Wiffle Ball. Home plate can be anything, but first base (the only base) is a kid's wading pool filled with water. The player steps up to bat and after they get a hit, they run and jump in the pool. The defense can throw the wiffle ball at the runner to get them out, but after they jump in the pool, they're safe. The next player bats and does the same thing, only the player that is already in the pool doesn't have to run, but once they leave the pool to try and make it back home, they cannot return to base (the pool). This gets fun when there are several people in the pool at the same time! We use the fat wiffle ball bat and a ball that doesn't hurt when students get "pegged." Added by Charlton Cupp Also see Rio Linda Wiffle Ball (Click Here).
Fish Bat (Tilapia Home Run Derby)Choose 5 contestants to be batters. Make everyone else bunch up in a group about ten yards away from your batters. Pitch a whole fish. The batter who hits it the farthest wins a prize. The guts and a lot of other gross stuff go all over the group. The person who catches the fish in the group also wins a prize. Absolutely hilarious. Safety Note: Have hand sanitizer or a sink close by for those who touch the fish. Or, provide latex gloves which can be purchased 100/box at beauty supply stores. Added by Justin Chapman
Fountains of FunItems Needed: 4 buckets (two filled with water, two empty) 4 plastic cups, each with 3 holes punched in the side. How to Play: Form 2 teams of equal numbers. Have a starting line (where the filled buckets are) and a finish line (where the empty buckets are). Team members, taking turns, race to fill their empty bucket by filling their cup and racing with the cup held over their own head. They will get WET! Game ends when 1st bucket is empty. Team with the most amount of water in the originally empty bucket wins! You cannot plug the holes with your fingers. To make this harder, add more holes. Variation: Team members pair up and must go twice to the empty bucket. They must hold hands and with cup held over the first partner's head. The second time down to the empty bucket, the cup must be held over the 2nd partner's head. Now hand it off to the next pair on your team. Added by Sheila Kitzmann Also see Human Battleships (Click Here).
Gator BallThis is a game that is a combination of hockey, soccer and football. You will need two teams, two goals marked out, and a ball. The basics of the game: You start the game out with the ball in the middle and one person from each team at the ball or "puck" in center. On "go" they have to use their hand as a hockey stick and get the ball between their legs to their team. At any point in the game, whenever the ball is on the ground it plays as soccer and whenever it is in air you can catch it and play it like football. Goalies can use their hands at any time. Added by Kristen
Geometry TestDivide into as many teams of 5-10 as you want. Explain that this is a geometry test. Play hyped music in the background. All teams begin in a circle. When you yell out a shape, they must arrange themselves into it as quickly as possible. Suggestions: straight line, square, rectangle, triangle, cone, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, cube, trapezoid. The Point: Teamwork, goals, focus Variation: “Marching Band Practice” – form into letters you call out.
Glow Stick TagSet up: You need a large field and several bright glow sticks. The neck glow sticks work great for this game. It needs to be fairly dark outside. The moon should be just enough. The game: It is just like tag only they use glow sticks. The player that is “it” will have a red glow stick and the other players will have yellow or green glow sticks. The red player must tag the green players and when he does, they trade glow sticks. "IT" always wears the red glow stick. Players must show glow sticks AT ALL TIMES! The red player must show his/hers but can hide behind things that will cover it up. The leader's role: The leaders can play, but must watch the game and make sure everyone is showing their glow sticks during play. The leader could also have more than one “it” person in the game at once. Each additional "it" must have a red glow stick, though. NOTE: Play in a safe location where there are no trip hazards!
Grab and SwatThis is our youth group's agressive version of duck duck goose. Parts needed: 1 foam noodle cut in half (you'll use both halves). 1 5 gallon pickle buckett or trash can. How to play: Have everyone stand in a circle but have them face towards the outside of the circle. Choose two youth to stand inside the circle, where the bucket is located. Give them each a noodle. The object of the game is for the student to swat someone and run back to the trash can, put the noodle in the trash can, and get back to where the person they swatted was standing, before they can grab the noodle out of the trash can and swat them back. If they are able to hit the student back, before they make it back to the spot, then the one who got swatted back is now in the mush pot, which is actually outside the circle, until someone who swats a player gets swatted back. If the student is able to swat the person, get the noodle back in the bucket, and make it back to that person's place without getting swatted back, then the other person is now "it" with the noodle. This game is great because it really wears out the students, and the noodles don't hurt the students. Added by Jeff Proctor
Hula Hoop PassGet all your participants in a circle holding each other's hands. Get someone to 'unlock' one of their hands from the circle, put a hula-hoop onto his/her hand, then reconnect with the circle. The aim of this game is to get the hula-hoop around the circle and back to where it started without the group letting go of each other's hands. Can also be played with groups against each other and a stop watch; lots of fun! Added by Jeff Montgomery
Human FoosballSupplies: A soft ball for kicking and something to mark the boundaries with...masking tape (for inside) and spray paint (for outside). Play just like the table game only with real people linked in rows. Split the kids into two teams, have a captain decide who goes in which rows and how many in each row. Each entire team faces one direction and has to stay that way. They link arms by holding the person's elbows next to them. The whole row has to stay within their boundaries like in the game, but they can slide back and forth, left and right. When you play inside you can mark the boundaries with masking tape, or if you play outside you can use paint (if acceptable) or tape or flour. If you play in a building, you need to remove pretty much everything from the room. If you play outside, it is best if you play between two buildings so that the ball stays in the game. If you play in a field, have lots of folks around to toss the ball back into play. Make sure everyone is wearing shoes, it can get a little fierce with the kicking. Stress safety and not getting out of control. Also, USE A BALL that is SOFT - we use a stuffed soccer ball, or you could use a Nerf ball. Variation: Use more than one ball at a time. Added by Eric and Cindy Scott
Human Lawn MowerDivide into two teams. Give each team two buckets. Have students run to the first bucket pre-FILLED with pancake syrup and grab a pair of scissors from the bottom (have only enough scissors for about a third or half the team. Then they run to a designated grassy area where their job is to try and cut as much grass with their scissors as possible and put it in the other bucket. Teams will have to work together with some cutting, and some picking up grass. Stop the game before students without scissors get bored. The team with the most cut grass in their bucket at the end of the game wins. Safety Note: As always, emphasize safety, instructing students to walk with scissors pointed down. "It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye!!" Added by Kissa Vaughn
Hyper Spy HuntThis game is probably best played off the church campus. This manhunt-sort-of-game puts your group in teams, forces them to work together, and promises a load of fun for all who are involved. Here is how you do it. SET-UP 1. Find a safe location with many stores and a large area. Malls, shopping centers, or even large flea markets work great. 2. Decide upon a super spy name (like Jason Bourne) but James Bond or Ethan Hunt could also be used. 3. Beforehand, secretly commission a handful of folks to be spies. They should dress up so they are not recognizable to the students. Each spy should be assigned specific zones at your chosen location so that they are spread out. Most of the youth group should know the spies in real life so that they have a chance of spotting them in their costumes. 4. Give each spy index cards with a single letter from the super spy's name. For example, Spy 1 would carry several index cards with a "B" on it, Spy 2 would carry the same number of cards with an "O" on them, Spy 3 would have cards with a “U” on them, and so on. 5. Assign an item to each spy that they will request from every team of students that spots them. (In other words, for the team to get the spy’s card, they must go and purchase some trivial item.) The items should be unique and very cheap. Also, they need to be purchased within that area. A guitar pick, a stick of incense, a pack of baseball cards, etc. Scope out the area ahead of time to come up with the items. 6. Send out your “spies” to the appropriate zones and then move on to explain rules to the teens. GAMEPLAY 1. The game is played in teams. Split the teens up into small groups, and explain the boundaries clearly. If you are in a mall, hand them a mall directory with the appropriate markings on them. 2. Let them know that they are looking for spies (that they would actually know in real life) and that they must get a clue from every spy in order to discover the super spy’s identity. (You don't necessarily have to tell them that the spies will require something of them first before they give up their clue.) 3. They must go around staying in their groups and find ALL the spies and get ALL the clues to figure out who the super spy is. Teams MUST find all spies, and not just “fill in the blanks” when they can accurately guess the secret spy’s identity. The first team back to the leader with EVERY spy found and able to provide the name of the super spy, wins. 4. When they find a spy, the spy will say, "I have a clue for you, but first you must bring me a “whatever." Again, assign cheap and unique items that will take the teens some time to find. The spies are allowed to move around within their zone, so it will take that group some time to find the spy again. NOTE: If you play in public areas, make sure you coach your group how to behave. If they are too rambunctious, they will get kicked out. Also, remember to have an agreed upon ending point (the food court, perhaps). Also, decide a playing time limit. This way, all teams are back together at the same time, regardless of whether they finished the game.
Ice Cream from HeavenLeaders get ice cream and get on top of the church and with students down at the bottom with cups and bowls the leaders DROP ice cream from the roof along with chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and cherries while the students down below try to catch it and then proceed to eat it. This is an incredible amount of fun. The only caution is that a lot of clean up is needed at the end. I'd suggest placing a huge tarp on the ground to catch at least most of the mess. Added by Chris Lambuth. Also see Banana Splits in the Mouth (Click Here) and Marshmallow Drop (Click Here).
Inner Tube StuffGet several large truck tire inner tubes. Divide into teams and see who can stand the most people within the edges of their tire tube. Variation: Hula Hoop Stuff (same thing, just with a hula hoop.) Added by Young Life
Jello TwisterBest done when it’s warm outside so people can hose down after. Get a square of cheap plastic and attach pie tins in a 4 x 4 grid by pushing a pull clip through the bottom of both the pans and plastic. Then spread out the clips under the plastic to hold them down. Fill the pie tins with already-made jello right before youth group. Be sure that you've got different colors of jello for the spinner. Have a good spinner and kids who will go for it. Play in bare feet! Suggestion: Tell the kids beforehand to bring clothes they don't mind getting stained. Added by Young Life Also see Slime Twister (Click Here) and Slop-stacle Course (Click Here).
Jello Belly FlopIn the winter, have a belly flop contest in a baby pool full of Jello. Lay a tarp over a big old mattress under the baby pool. Idea by Young Life Also see Jello Twister (Click Here).
Joust : Sick & TwistedJust like Joust (Click Here), only played outside over a baby pool filled with gross ingredients (oatmeal, instant potatoes, etc.). You can either use buckets or a 4x4 plank of sturdy wood long enough to reach across your pool. (Prop up the ends of your plank so the pool is not crushed). Two contestants with Nerf joust sticks (or pool noodles) and helmets battle on the plank to knock each other off into the pool. Lots of preparation required and safety consciousness on this one. Make sure the board doesn’t get too slippery. You might even want gymnastic mats around the pool. Play near a bathroom and have towels (or a hose) handy for clean-up. Added by Young Life
King of GoatsOutdoor or Indoor. Choose a "goat" from the group (or one from each team) and have it removed while the groups are given instructions. The crowd (one group) is instructed to stand on the sidelines and shout instructions to the goat, while the circle group (the other group) is told to form a circle holding hands. The goat is to be put in the center of the circle blindfolded. At the signal, the goat is to start chasing the circle and the circle is to move as a whole to avoid being caught. When the goat is ready to start, the circle group is instructed in his presence to move silently and to make no sound. The goat is to listen to the sideline crowd for instructions where to go to catch the circle. As soon as the start signal is given, the crowd starts shouting instructions to the goat, such as, "Go to the right, the right, now go back, straight ahead." The minute the game starts, the circle team, instructed before the goat arrived, immediately disbands and joins the crowd, leaving the goat in a an empty field. Let the goat run for a short time or until the goat guesses what is going on. Added by Young Life
Land MinesMaterials needed: blindfolds water balloons for outside styrofoam cups for inside. Set up a "mine field" by randomly placing the water balloons (or cups) in a marked section of ground. A concrete slab or basketball court works well for this. Grass also works, but you will need to set boundaries. Divide students into teams of 4 or 5. Give each team a blindfold. Put the blindfolds on one member of each team. The point of the game is for the team to get across the mine field with the fewest casualties the fastest. If a person touches a mine he/she is out (if it bursts water on them, it just makes it more fun). A quick twist can be that if a person is out, then the ref makes it known by pouring a glass of water on their head. The team members must be their eyes and tell them which way to go. The blindfolded people crossing the field must stay within the set boundaries, and only one person per team may be on the mine field at a time (so they can't lead them by touch). Team members help each other by shouting directions. Works best if mines are close together and if teams are close together. Sponsors may yell out random directions to try to throw them off. The trick is (don't tell the kids this until after it's over) for the person in the mine field to pick out a certain voice and listen to that one voice. The Point: Just like we need to listen to God's voice instead of all the voices that the world throws at us. Added by Derek
Line TagThis works great in a gym with lots of lines or an AWANA circle. Rules: -No one may step off the line. -When you are tagged, you are "dazed and confused". Sit down! -You may not go around anyone, including the dazed and confused, unless you are 'it'. -You may not cut corners; hence, you must step on the intersection of the line. 'It' tends to get tired quick, so when this happens, tell 'it' to choose a "lovely assistant" to trap people easier. Make sure the lovely assistant walks, not runs. You can also use the same concept for line basketball and line soccer, depending on your facility. Added by Jon Talley
Marshmallow Splat BallOutdoor or Indoor. Have students wear grubby clothes that can be thrown away. Divide into 4 or more teams and arm each person with a small Styrofoam plate and 4 marshmallows. Give each team captain (adult) a different color dipping sauce (we used Mustard, Red, & Green Catsup, and Chocolate Syrup, but you can use your imagination). Then map out the boundaries, and send each team to a corner of the playing field as a designated area to load up. Fill each plate with the splat substance. Then tell them to dip and on your signal begin throwing them at the other teams. The team with the most hits wins, but once the slime pellets start to fly no one cares. When they run out of marshmallows they can either pick one up from the ground, and re-dip, or run back to the supply station until the ammo runs out. When the fun was done we had a contest to see which team could pick up the most marshmallows. The prize was dumping a bottle of maple syrup over a leader's head (stolen from the 'Ten Bags of Doom'). We serve a fun God! Added by Jon Nowlin Also see Ten Bags of Doom! (Click Here).
Melon FestWatermelon Helmet Contest That's right, have each team carve a helmet (or helmets) out of watermelons. You can go for the gladiator look or more of the Darth Vador look. Team members must wear helmets throughout the event. Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest (Need I explain?) Cantaloupe Bowling Create a bowling alley in the parking lot and set up 2 liter bottles at the end. Leave the 2 liters full and give a bonus if you bust the 2 liter bottles open. Melon Armor Give each team a ball of string, a roll of duct tape, a knife, and about 5 of each melon. Have each team dress one of their team members in FULL MELON ARMOR. That's right, dress up this person in as much armor, made of melons, as humanly possible. (You might want to make the team member a guy!) Watermelon Toss You guessed it! Get your two strongest guys to do the age old egg toss (line up facing each other, toss to team mate, back up a step, toss back, and so on . . .) but with a much heavier item! CAN'T hit the ground. Last pair still tossing wins! Seedless Watermelon Eating Contest Bring 2 representatives from each team up front-- an eater and a cutter. At "Go" the cutter starts cutting watermelon for the eater to eat. Eater scarfs down as many watermelons down in a given period of time. Ultimate Cantaloupe This is just like Ultimate Frisbee . . . but with a cantaloupe! Divide into two teams, each trying to get to the opposite end zone. Instead of a kick-off, just have one team start on their side of the field. When a player catches the cantaloupe, they can take only 3 steps then they must throw/toss it. Team work their way down the field, passing to each other until a team scores. If the team's melon hits the ground, it's the other teams ball (frisbee actually).
This game requires a pool or some other large body of water. You can play this many ways- one way is to fill a pool with all kinds of melons, even a few vegetables of choice (cucumbers, squash, etc.) Then give a team a certain amount of time to retrieve the melons, vegetables, etc. Increase the degree of difficulty by doing this at night with no lights, or putting Vasoline all over the watermelon. Steal the Melon That's right. Plain ol' "Steal the Bacon" with greased watermelon in the center. (Line up two teams facing each other, number them off, call a number and that person has to grab the watermelon and get it back to their side). Also see Watermelon Polo (Click Here).
Mess MixGet 30 cut-up pieces of paper. Have 10 blank and on the other 20 put different types of “Mess” (examples: Pie in face, Syrup on head, etc.). Be prepared for a big mess by telling kids to wear old clothes, and be ready to hose them off after. Put the papers in a bucket. Pass the bucket around and tell people to get 1 piece out. Ask one person what their paper says. Whatever it says, they have to do it. Go around until everyone has been called on. The 10 with the blank pieces win a “big prize.” What’s the prize, you ask? Why, its a Big Ol' Bucket of Green Pudding over their heads! Suggested Mess items: 2 eggs smashed on head Choco Syrup on head Pie in Face Pudding on Head Cake on Head Shaving cream Hairdo Ranch Dressing Hairdo Water and Flour Slime Wild Card (Your choice) Mix of all the stuff in a slime form Peanut Butter (Gets real sticky!) Apple sauce PB and J Sandwich on head Coca Cola Butter Water Mud Honey Toothpaste Pizza Sauce Ice Cream Mayonnaise Spaghetti Syrup Ketchup Pancake Batter Added by Aaron Headly Also see Messy Message (Click Here), Messy Plexi (Click Here), and Slime Twister (Click Here).
Mud-O-WarThis gross game is played up front or in the middle of your room with 5-10 people on each team while the crowd watches. Tug-of-War in mud or through a Jello kiddy pool . . . you name it! Added by Naomi Also see Tug-O-Fish (Click Here).
Mustard TanksEach team needs 7 people. Six of the team members will form two lines of three, the two lines facing each other. The students will lock arms with the person in front of them, creating a sort of "bridge." The 7th person (needs to be the smallest person in the group) will then lay across the groups’ arms and will be handed a big plastic or squeezable container of mustard. They will then move around like tanks and shoot other tanks. Added by Stephen Dervan
Noodle Knights (aka Braveheart)Divide into 2 teams and give each player a 3 foot piece of foam noodle and a Burger King crown. One team puts the crowns on normal and the other team puts them on inside out (the crowns must be above the ears). The two teams line up about 15 or more feet away from each other, facing off. On a signal they charge and fight for a designated short period of time. A person is out when their crown is knocked off their head. The crowns can only be knocked off by the noodles (no hands, feet, tackling, or head butts!). After the time is up everyone who is out steps out of the playing area and you line up again for another skirmish. Continue until you have a winner. A great intro to this game is the jousting clip from the movie Braveheart. Added by Steve Schlange
Oil BallGet a big plastic tarp, about 20' x 25', and lay it down. Pour and smear about 5 to 6 bottles of baby oil all over the tarp. Make the outline of an oval track with about 6 cans of shaving cream. Now the goal is to "wheelbarrow" (this is when one kid stands while holding another kid's feet in the air) with the kid on the ground pushing a tennis ball with his/her head around the track twice. The first one done wins! This game does have a cost, but everyone who plays is covered when done and you'll see some great wipe-outs! Take pictures! Just make sure your church has insurance *wink* Added by Paul Butler Also see Jello Twister (Click Here).
Opposite Arm DodgeballThis game is played just like it sounds. Set up any dodgeball game that your kids like. However, make them throw with their opposite arm. It helps keep your jocks from dominating the game and also encourages the kids who are afraid of getting hit. I normally play and act really dumb trying to throw with my wrong arm. Kids laugh at me and we have a great time. Added by Ian Newton Also see Blindfold Marco Polo Dodgeball (Click Here), Dodgeball Dragon (Click Here), Earthball Blowout (Click Here), and Longbase (Click Here).
Pass The SandFor this game you’ll need a bag of soft sand and two big buckets or small plastic tubs. Divide group into 2 teams and line them up. Have the first person in each line grab a handful of sand from the container. They must pass the sand to the next player, who passes it to the next, and so on down the line. When the sand reaches the last player, he/she pours what is left of it on a plate. The team with the most sand at the end of the time limit wins the game. Added by Sarah Yang
Penguin FootballGive each person a rag about four inches wide and two feet long (sheets torn into strips work well). Each person then ties the rag securely around his knees to make running impossible; players can move only by shuffling their feet. Now divide into teams and play football using a Nerf football. The game becomes hilarious when players must hike, run, throw, and kick with their knees tied together. Variations: Of course this opens up the possibility of playing Penguin Baseball, Penguin volleyball, Penguin Soccer, and countless other games.
Pool BaseballSet up four inflatable pools in a normal four base pattern. It works best if the pools are large enough to fit at least 1/8th of your group. Between each pool, lay down strips of visquene (Slip 'n Slide) as wide as each pool. Soak those strips and squirt them with liquid soap. (Keep a hose handy) Use a balloon launcher and sponge (splash) balls for batting. Break the group into two teams of four. Play begins with one group from one team in the pool. Two kids hold the launcher and one pulls back. Once the ball is released the kids may run to the next base. Only caught balls and tags count as outs. Great camp/retreat game! Added by Aaron Kingsbury
Poor Man's Beachball VolleyballOutdoor, Big Room, or Pool. Use staff as the net (all lined up across the court with hands in the air) and play normal volleyball with a beachball. Allow as many hits per side as needed and allow as many players as needed (your whole group, in other words).
Pull Across the LineOutdoor or Indoor. Same objective as British Bulldog (Click Here), but you can't cross the center line and you convert people to your side by reaching over the line and pulling them to your side. Variation: Have someone sit down if they are pulled across.
Radioactive RenegadesThis is a “sponsor hunt” type game played at night on a retreat and takes 30 minutes to an hour (most often played outdoors, but can be played in a huge facility with lots of rooms- and lights dim). The objective is for students to “save the world” by finding all the “Renegade Rebels”. The catch is that they must find them all in order. Step One: Before the game, number off all your leaders, give them a colored felt marker and tell them to hide around the camp (or wherever you are). These hiding leaders are your “renegade rebels” the kids are trying to find. You can provide glow sticks or glow products to your students. Send them out in pairs. Step Two: Gather your group and tell them that Renegade Rebels have stolen a large amount of plutonium. The students must identify each of the renegade rebels in order to win the game. When they approach someone they think is a renegade rebel they need to ask if they are "Renegade Rebel Number One". If that happens to be the leader’s number, they make a mark with their felt tip on the student’s arm. Then the student searches for Renegade Rebel Number Two. If the leader is not the right renegade rebel they simply answer "I don't know what you're talking about," and the student keeps on searching. Step Three: Students have to search and ask until they have found all the renegade rebels in order. They will have markings for each rebel on their arm as evidence. To make it more fun and challenging you can have your rebels move around, changing hiding spots throughout the game; or you can add leaders as decoys who are not renegade rebels to fool the kids. Added by Mark Janzen Also see Communist Church (Click Here).
Rio Linda KickballA lot like normal Kickball with a bunch of backwards twists (hence the name "Rio Linda," if you've ever been there, you know exactly what I mean!) Rules:
See Rio Linda Wiffle Ball (Click Here).
Rio Linda Wiffle BallSame as Rio Linda Kickball (Click Here) (on this game list) but with a wiffle ball and bat. One Added Rule: Runners must carry the bat with them to 3rd (the first) base. If they drop the bat they are out!
Rip-off! (or Duct Tape Tag, aka Scalp)Divide into two teams. One team places a 1.5 foot long strip of duct tape horizontally on each of their backs. The other team places a 1.5 foot long strip of duct tape vertically on their back. (You can use different colored tape if you want and name the teams by the colors. i.e. Yellow vs. Black) Have teams separate in a large playing area, preferably at night. The object is to "rip off" the tape from their backs. Once their tape is removed they are out of the game. Added by Jon Henry Also see Elbow Tag (Click Here).
River CrossingThe goal of this game is to help teach your students or leaders to work together by having them work as a team to cross a "river." First, using your gym or other space, you need a place to start from (a wall, lines in the gym, etc), the "river," and then a destination. You can use assorted pieces of wood, blankets, or anything else they can stand on. Break them up into teams and have them race to the other side of the river. The rules are: everyone has to get across and no one can touch the floor or they all have to start over. The Point: Team building; a good game for a leadership event. Added by Scott Street
SardinesThis game is kind of a reverse "Hide and Go Seek." Turn out all the lights. Have one person go hide. Everyone else is “it” and looks for this person. As soon as one person finds the person hiding, he or she hides with the person. Now there are two hiding. As soon as someone else finds them, that person hides with them. You end up with a bunch of people packed like “sardines” in one hiding spot with one poor person trying to find everyone. Added by Adalis and Jonathan McKee
Scavenger Hunt With a TwistThis ain’t yer grandma’s Scavenger Hunt - but it could be! Split students into teams, assigning a youth leader to follow them around. Provide students with a list of unusual items that they need to get from people's homes or businesses. Your list could include toilet paper, a drink, a bug, soap, a kiss on the elbow, toast, a tack, etc.; stuff people normally wouldn't ask for. The bonus item is a grandmother. All of the items have to be brought back to your meeting area within a half-hour - even Grandma. You'll be surprised how many grandmas are willing to help. If possible, get someone’s grandmother from the other team without them knowing it (the team, not the grandmother)! Added by PW Fu
Seltzer MeltEach person receives an Alka-Seltzer attached to a string (make it into a necklace). For best results we divided our students into 4 "armies". The field is divided into a huge square, outside of that huge square (4 corners) each army has a home base and a huge trash can of water to refill guns. The object of the game is to melt the opposing teams Alka-Seltzer. The last team standing with the most Alka-Seltzer tablets intact wins. Hints: Make sure girls wear swim suits- they will get wet. Use discretion. Ask students to bring their own water guns (ANYTHING GOES on the squirt guns!) Added by Steve Holt Also see Alka-Seltzer On The Head Duel (Click Here).
Shaving Cream Whiffle BallBasically you just play a game of baseball with whiffle ball and bat, but before each pitch you fill the ball up with shaving cream. So as the bat hits, it splatters everywhere - as you catch the ball you get covered in shaving cream. Usually it turns into a shaving cream fight, but the kids and adults love it. Added by Tara Spradley Also see Rio Linda Wiffle Ball (Click Here) and Shaving Cream Hair-do (Click Here).
Shmallow ShootersFor this game you’ll need marshmallow blowguns made from 1-foot sections of 1-inch diameter pvc pipe (buy big lengths of it at a hardware store, not the small ones you can buy at carnivals and festivals), and plenty of s'more-sized marshmallows. Load the marshmallow into the end of the pipe (the drier the marshmallow, the better - they'll stick to the pipe if they're soft) and blow. The trick is to blow on the end the marshmallow is on - let it travel the length of the tube - we had shots spanning upwards of 30 feet! Beware: after 2-3 shots they get pretty gross. We did a variety of target-related games and then a few moments of all-out marshmallow war. Good times! Beware of choking. Before starting you may want to warn your students about choking hazards and that they need to be careful. They should inhale air before they put their mouth up to the gun. Added by Owen Sallee Also see Marshmallow Splat Ball (Click Here).
Sink the BismarkBasically, it's every man for himself dodge-ball. A group of students, 10-30, is asked to stand in a large open circle and game balls are placed sporadically (if that's a word) throughout the circle. You can pick the number of balls. I use about 5 or 6. When the leader says "Go" students run to the nearest ball and start trying to hit anyone around them. Rules:
Idea by Will Hagle; submitted by Charlie Mooney Also check out these extreme games: Blindfold Marco Polo Dodgeball (Click Here) Dodgeball Doctor (Click Here) Dodgeball Dragon (Click Here) Earthball Blowout (Click Here)
Skateboard and Plunger RaceRacers sit on skateboards and use plungers as oars in a race. Play fun music in the background. Added by Young Life
Slimy Slip & SlideTake a Slip and Slide and pour buckets of slime over it (flour, water, and green food coloring). The students slide through the slime, grab a flag at the other side and bring it back to where they started. They can only grab one flag at a time and must get as many as they can within a designated amount of time. from Fear Factor/Faith Factor on our EVENT IDEAS page (CLICK HERE)
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