Activities

Activities for Grown-ups

Water Obsticle Course

• People: 20+
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 20 - 40 mins
• Materials: 1 Bucket and 4 cups per team, water, Any obsticles that you can find
• Method:
  1. divide group into teams with 4 players per team.
  2. Each team Starts with 4 empty cups. when the whisle goes they must fill the cups with water and navigate an obsticle course as fast as possible while trying not to spill anything.
  3. Once finished the course they must put the water in the bucket and the timer is stopped. A combination of the timer and the amount of water left will determine the winning group.
  4. Obsticle course ideas:
  • Stilts
  • Pushing one member on a bike
  • Going under a blanket or canvas
  • Kicking a soccerball around cones
  • Going through hoops
  • Walking a rope or plank
  • Piggy backing each other
  • Putting down water and shooting a ball into a hoop (every player)
  • Walking backwards
  • balancing the cups in some way
  • Changing cups half way through the game
  • Anything else you think may be enjoyable as well as challanging
• Additional Details:
  • Dont make the course too long or the teams waiting will get bored.
  • The first group will inevitably be the slowest, so a quicker group may need to go first.
  • Warning some groups will want to go again.
  • Good for large groups such as scouts, youth groups or church outings etc.

Question?

• People: 5-8
• Goal: Reflexes, Fun
• Time: 5 - 30 mins
• Materials: None
• Method:
  1. Get everyone in a circle so everyone can see each other.
  2. The object of the game is to ask a player a question, they in return ask a question to someone else (or the same person). The person must have eye contact with the other person so that person knows the question is for them.
  3. This goes on till one player either answers the question or hesitates to long. After a few practice tries start eliminating people.
  4. The winner is the person left after all others have pulled out.
• Additional Details:
  • To make things more difficult you can have a policy where a question can only be asked once.

Word Association?

• People: 5-8
• Goal: Reflexes, Fun
• Time: 5 - 15 mins
• Materials: None
• Method:
  1. Get everyone in a circle so everyone can see each other.
  2. One person starts of by naming an object of any kind. It can be a colour, furniture, a friut etc. The next person has to quickly name something that associates with the first object. For example if player one said blackboard the next player could say chalk or black or wood etc. The only rule in the game is that you cannot use an object that starts with the letters 'S' or 'T'.
  3. The next person then has to name something that associates with the last object. If the first object was blackboard, the 2nd chalk then the 3rd person must associate with chalk not blackboard.
  4. Slowly you elimiate players who a) take to long to answer b) use a word starting with S or T c) use a word that doesn't associate. The winner is the person left after all others have pulled out.
  5. Example:
  • Blackboard
  • Chalk
  • White
  • Black
  • Cat
  • Dog
  • Legs etc...etc
• Additional Details:
  • To make things more difficult you can other letters that cannot be used like 'E' and 'C'.

The Dictionary Game

• People: 5 or more
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 20 - 30 mins
• Materials: 1 pen and 2 pieces of paper per player, Dictionary (very large one if possible)
• Method:
  1. One person becomes chairman and in charge of the dictionary and scoring.
  2. The chairman finds a word that the players do not know the meaning of. Each player then writes down what they think the word means, trying to make their explaination sound like the dictionaries meaning. The Chairman also writes the correct answer down on a peice of paper. The papers are then collected by the chairman ready to be read out.
  3. The Chairman then reads out each explaination in no particular order. The players must then guess which statement is the true dictionary meaning.
  4. Once everyone has chosen a meaning and written it down on paper (give them numbers to make it easier eg Explaination 1) the Chairman goes around and sees who guessed what.
  5. If a person voted for another players meaning then the player whose meaning it is gets 1 point. If a player voted for the right meaning that player gets 2 points.
  6. After a few rounds the winner is the one with the most points.

3 legged Soccer

• People: 10+
• Goal: Active, Fun
• Time: 20 - 45 mins
• Materials: Leg ties, soccer ball
• Method:
  1. Pair up players and get them to tie their inner leg together (like the 3 legged race). Split pairs into 2 teams, try to get pairs of equal skill on each side.
  2. Set up goals at either end of a field. Then just like normal soccer you can only kick the ball. Normal rules apply.
  3. If one of the pair falls over the pair must stay on the ground till taged by another pair from their team.
  4. The team with the most points wins
• Additional Details:
  • To make things harder for them you can only allow them to use the inner leg (the one tied together) to kick the ball.

Family Home Evening Activities

The Saucer Trick

• People: 2 players, in a group
• Goal: Object lesson, Trick
• Time: 5 - 10 mins
• Materials: 1 Candle, 2 small tea saucers
• Principle Taught: Following the world leads to sorrow and tainting of the soul
• Method:
  1. Preperation: Out of the room light the candle and burn the underneath of 1 saucer to create a sooted area (ensure that it is well hidden from everyone).
  2. Darken the room buy having just 1 lighted candle in the centre of the room. Ask for a volunteer to help.
  3. You then think of a story or senario that the person may like to have in the future. EG Rich and famous, Marry a gorgeous husband/wife, Get a great job etc.
  4. Once they have decided on what they wish to, give them the sooted dish and you tell them that all they have to do is follow your instructions and their wish will come true.
  5. Do a sequence of strokes and turns on the dish and follow with movements across the face (this will leave black marks on the face as they do so and will not be realised until they are finished and look in a mirror.
• Additional Details:
  • Be prepared to be messy.
  • Lesson to be learned could be that if we follow the promptings of the world even for what seems good we will end up dirtying our soul, often without even knowing.
  • You may wish to have 2-3 people doing it, just make sure that they cannot see each others faces or they will realise what is happening.

Foil Cooking Activity

Make a tin foil envelope out of foil about 30cm x 60cm.

1. Fold foil in half 30 x 30cm, with silver inside.
2. Fold over sides 3 times about 5mm each time.
3. Place food inside with about 3 tablespoons of water.
4. Fold over end 5mm three times to seal it.

Food could be:

• Chops or other meat
• Potatoes, kumara, pumpkin etc
• Carrots, parsnips etc
• Peas, beans etc
• Onions, tomato or other spicy foods
• 3 or 4 tablespoons water

Cans of baked beans (with ring openers) to place in embers.

Light a fire thet will leave you embers bigger than the area of the envelopes.

When you have a big fire that will leave you plenty of embers let it die down.

Place the foil envelopes of food in the embers.

Light the fire again on top.

Takes 25 mins to cook beautifully, each envelope is like a pressure cooker.

Happy eating have fun.

-- David Redmond

Games for Kids

The Blanket Game

• People: Variable
• Goal: Co-operation, Fun
• Time: 5 - 30 mins
• Materials: 1 blanket per team
• Method:
  1. divide group into 2 teams.
  2. Have each team gather on their own blanket.
  3. They must, as a team, turn the blanket over without touching the floor.
  4. If they touch the floor they must straighten out the blanket and start over.
  5. The first team to accomplish this wins.
• Additional Details:
  • Suitable for older children and youth, the more the merrier.
  • Size of blanket depends on size of group.
  • More teams can be used if you have larger numbers.
  • For more difficulty replace blanket with a beach towel, have smaller groups and pit one group against another.

The Friendship Game

• People: 7 or more (more the merrier)
• Goal: Introductions, Fun
• Time: 5 - 10 mins
• Materials: None
• Method:
  1. Everyone gets together in a circle as close as possible in the middle of the floor.
  2. Each person puts their hands into the middle of the group and grabs hold of 2 hands (not their own).
  3. Once everyone is holding 2 hands the idea is to then untangle the circle without breaking any of the links.

Parachutes Away

• People: 3-10
• Goal: Creativity, Fun
• Time: 15 - 30 mins
• Materials: 1 paper (strong & fexible) or light cloth, Crayons, string, small weight (eg Nut or bolt) per person
• Method:
  1. Optional: Get the players to create their own colourful Parachute. Tie a string to each of the 4 corners and attach the strings to the weight.
  2. Create toy targets for players to aim at give each target a number of points to be gained if hit.
  3. Each player must launch their parachute into the air and try to land on the target.
  4. Winner is the one with the most points.
• Additional Details:
  • Great combination game, Quiet time and active time.
  • If you can this is a great game for outside, watch the wind though. Also suitable to indoors as well.
  • Additional difficulty make targets smaller or make players stand further back.

Chicken Feed

• People: 2-8
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 5 - 15 mins
• Materials: 1 pack of cards (do not expect to use them again)
• Method:
  1. All players sit around a table.
  2. The pack of cards is shuffled and the one card is selected from the middle of the pack, the card is shown to everyone and then resuffled into the pack again.
  3. The cards are dropped face up into the middle of the table and the players USING THEIR LITTLE FINGER ONLY try to find the card.
  4. The winner is the one who gets the card off the table into their lap.
  5. If a player uses anything else apart from their little finger they are disqualified.

The Tray?

• People: Variable or teams
• Goal: Co-operation, Thinking, Remembering
• Time: 5 - 10 mins
• Materials: 1 Tray, towel or cloth, 20-30 small objects, pen and paper per player/team
• Method:
  1. This game can be played as individuals or teams.
  2. Place all the objects onto the tray, Objects should be small things you can find around the house (sissors, cellotape, biscuit, pin, marble...).
  3. Place teatowel or cloth over the objects and place tray in front of everyone.
  4. Explain that you will uncover the tray for 1 minute, then the tray will be taken away. It is the players job to remember as many objects as possible in that time and write them all down.
  5. The person or team that has the most listed wins the game.
• Additional Details:
  • Suitable for older children and youth.
  • To increase difficulty you could place more objects, or decrease time.

Cat & Mouse

• People: 10+
• Goal: Energy release, Fun
• Time: 10-20 mins
• Materials: None
• Method:
  1. Every body stands in a circle, one person is the mouse and walks around the outside of the circle.
  2. The mouse taps one person on the back to indicate that they are the cat.
  3. The mouse must then run as fast as possible round the circle and get back to the space left by the cat, The cat chases the mouse and if they tap the mouse on the back then they can return to the circle. If the mouse makes it back to the space without being tapped then the cat becomes the new mouse.
• Additional Details:
  • To make it more difficult, the players can sit rather than stand.
  • Also you could increase difficulty by making them run through an obsticle course of some kind.
  • Watch for unfair behaviour when slower ones are picked on, if this is happening you could make a policy of only 3 chases per mouse.

The Cocolate Game

• People: 6+
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 10 - 20 mins
• Materials: A collection of clothes of all sizes, 1 bar of chocolate, 1 dice, knife & fork
• Method:
  1. Everyone gets into a circle.
  2. Put the collection of clothes in the middle along with the chocolate knife and fork.
  3. The dice goes from player to player until someone gets a 6. As soon as that happens that person jumps up and puts on all the clothes in the middle then picks up the knife and fork to use cutting and eatting the chocolate.
  4. The player goes until the next player gets a 6 then as quickly as possible they must take off the clothes and the next person then repeats the process.
• Additional Details:
  • Here are some ideas for clothes. Sunglasses, a hat, gumboots, a gumboot and a hi heel, gloves, a dress, watch. be creative the idea is that they look very unpractical
  • To make it difficult to get into the middle you could use 2 dice and deligate a few numbers.

Paper Plane Chase

• People: 6-14
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 5 - 10 mins
• Materials: 1 or 2 Paper darts
• Method:
  1. divide group into 2 teams.
  2. There are a couple variations of this game. Choose which way is best.
  • Draw a start line each team stands behind it. each team member throws the Paper dart, then the next team member and so forth. The winning team is either the one that gets the farest or the first back to the startline again. Each team member must run out to where the Plane landed before continuing on.
  • Draw 2 lines opporsite to each other about 10-15 metres apart, flip a coin to see which team goes first. Starting from the middle one player from the first team throws the dart in the opponents direction. Then the first player from the 2nd team goes to where it landed and throws it in the opporsite direction. The winning team is the one who crosses the other sides line first.
  • For best results the wind shouldn't be present

Hole in One!

• People: 5-10
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 5 - 10 mins
• Materials: 1 bucket, soccer ball, 1 strong stick (hockey stick would be good)
• Method:
  1. Place the bucket on its side at a fair distance away from the start line you create.
  2. Using the stick like a golf club and the soccer ball as a golf ball, each player must try to get a hole in one into the bucket. Those that do progress to the next round.
  3. The bucket is then moved back further for the next round.
  4. The rounds continue till there is only one player left.
• Additional Details:
  • To add difficulty you could use a tennis ball and a small pot of some kind

Games for Parties

Ping-Pong Blow

• People: 15-100+
• Goal: fun, stress reducer
• Time: 20min
• Need:
  1. 1 Ping-Pong ball for every 8th person
  2. 2 long pieces of string
  3. Roll of cellotape
  4. Large floor area
• Method: Everyone lies in 2 even straight rows on their stomachs with their heads facing each other and about a 1m gap between. The pieces of string are taped in two straight lines under the chins of the players. The Ping-Pong balls are placed evenly in the middle space. 1 point awarded to the team each time they blow a Ping-Pong ball over the other teams line.
• Advancement: Add more balls.

Hand Slap Coordination

• People: 15-100+
• Goal: Participation
• Time: 10min
• Need: Large floor area
• Method: Everyone sits in a large circle on the ground facing in and leans forward placing their hands between the hands of the people either side. Explain one slap means carry on in same direction, double-slap means change direction. Make the first slap and try to see how fast things can go. If someone slaps out of sequence that person looses a hand. Once both hands are lost they're out of the game and everyone moves in closer until only 2 people are left.
• Advancement: Have more than one section of slaps going at the same time.

Secret Assasins

• People: 15-30
• Goal: Bringing acquaintances closer together
• Time: 30min
• Need: Everyone seated in a circle
• Method: Have everyone close their eyes and bow their heads. Explain to everyone as you walk around the room while their eyes are closed that you are going to tap 2 people on the shoulder and that those 2 people become the secret assassins and they mustn't let anyone else know. Ask the two assassins to open their eyes while everyone else keeps their eyes closed. Ask the two assassins to select by pointing 1(or 2) person who they have decided to kill. Tell the assassins to close their eyes and bow their heads for secrecy and then tell the whole group they can open their eyes. Announce to the group the person who has died. This person is now out and does not have to close their eyes anymore but cannot vote either. Everyone (including assassins) now nominates 3 people in the group who they think is the murder. Then everyone votes. The voted person is then out. If the voted person is the assassin, everyone is told and they carry on to find the other. Carry on round by round until both assassins are found or everyone is killed.

Pulse Murder

• People: 8-20
• Goal: Bringing acquaintances closer together
• Time: 20min
• Need:
  1. Darkened room
  2. Candle in the middle if possible
  3. A small folded piece of paper for each player with only one with an "X" on it
  4. A container to hold the pieces of paper
• Method: Everyone gets into a circle. Everyone chooses a piece of paper and secretly sees if they are the murderer(has "X" or not) before folding the paper back up and putting it back into the container. Explain to everyone that someone is the murderer and that only that person can start a set of pulses. Also explain that whenever anyone feels a set of pulses(hand squeezes from a person on one side(say 5 pulses) they are to pass it on to the person on the other side with one less pulse(pass on 4). If anyone feels one squeeze then they die(are out of the circle so the people either side then join hands). At any time that someone thinks they know who it is they can make an accusation. If wrong then the accuser dies. If right then move to the next round. Everyone holds hands with the people either side and begin.
• Advancement: Have more than one murderer

Bottle Grab

• People: 12-50
• Goal: Fun, participation
• Time: 20-30min
• Need:
  1. Large plastic bottle
  2. Large sized Coin
• Method: Get everyone into 2 even teams in 2 rows facing each other(seated on chair preferred, but ground ok). The GameLeader places the bottle at one end of the 2 rows and then stands at the other end holding the coin. The GameLeader explains that if the team is able to grab the bottle before the other then it moves one step closer to winning. Explain that everyone must have their eyes closed except the person from each team sitting on the end next to the GameLeader. Those two representatives must carefully watch the GameLeader flip the coin. As soon as they see a "head" they silently squeeze the hand of their team-mate and so the message is passed down by hand squeezes silently to ones sitting at the bottle end. As soon as they feel their hand squeezed they grab the bottle. If it is grabbed correctly then the winning teams player at the coin end goes and sits at the bottle end and everyone moves up one. The winning team is the one to do a full rotation.
• Advancement: Have the team move back one if a false grab is made.

Rock Sissors Paper Invasion

• People: 10-30
• Goal: Fun, participation, tire players out
• Time: 10-20min
• Need:
  • Chairs
  • Floor space
• Method: Create an "S" shaped course using chairs. Split everyone into 2 even teams and line each team up at each open end of the "S". Explain the goal is to make your way through the "S" until you can invade(tag) the other teams fort(the chair at the furthest end of the "S"). As soon as the signal is given the players at the front of each team rush down the "S" and will meet somewhere in the middle. They quickly have a short game of "rock scissors paper". The loser has to step aside(goes to the back of their teams line while the person at the front of the loosing teams line runs forward as soon as they see that they have lost), while the winner rushes on forward down the "S" until opposed again in the same manner. The game cycles on indefinitely with points being kept only for each successful fort invasion.

Find The Item

• People: 10-30
• Goal: Get guests to know each other
• Time: 10min
• Need:
  • A small item for each guest
  • A piece of paper for each guest with all items listed on it
  • A pen each
  • Tape and safety pins to attach the items
• Method: As each guest arrives take them aside and attach the item to a part of their clothing which is not to obvious or even partly hidden. At the start of the game hand out the paper and pens and explain that they have a few minutes to circulate and to write down the name of the guest who has the item. When the time is up tell everyone to stop and count the names they have collected the person with the most correct names wins.
• Advancement: Hide the items so that a bit more searching is required.

String Collectors

• People: 10-40
• Goal: Get people friendly with their partner
• Time: 5min
• Need: 50-300 pieces of string of different lengths(and colors)
• Method: Hide the string throughout the house before anyone arrives. Carefully select who will be working together as partners. Explain that the winning teams is the one which creates the longest piece of string by tying together lots of shorter ones in 5 min.
• Advancement: Have different colored strings with different points.

Bean Barter

• People: 10-100
• Goal:Get guests to know each other
• Time: 5min
• Need: Packages of 15-20 beans(rice etc) wrapped in gladwrap(do one for each player)
• Method: Explain to the guests that the goal is to barter with others and collect the most beans. As guests circulate they secretly put a few beans into their palm and close it into a fist. When they confront another player the other player asks "Odd or even?" Once they are told and if they guess correctly then they get to take the beans. If they guess wrong they give away the beans. Both players in the pair must be given a chance at the others beans before moving on to find someone else. The person with the most beans wins.

Knock The Orange(Pop The Balloon)

• People: 10-20
• Goal: Interaction between guests
• Time: 10min
• Need: Spoons and oranges for all players
• Method: Each player has a spoon each with an orange balanced on top. The goal is to knock the other persons orange off without loosing you own. This can be done in playoffs or in a group free for all.
• Advancement: Every player ties a balloon to their ankle and tries to pop others without loosing their own.

Find Your Name

• People: 10-50
• Goal: Interaction between guests
• Time: 10min
• Need:
  • Paper to tape onto the back of each player
  • Cellotape
  • Method: Explain that the players will have 10min to circulate and to ask other players a yes/no question about the name taped to their back. The GameLeader can suggest questions like "Am I male?" etc. In each interaction each of the two players should have an answer to one question each before moving on to ask someone else. When someone has guessed who they are they can sit down. Make sure you choose names that the person is likely to know. The names can also be chosen according to the theme of the party.
• Advancement: Give the first and last players a prize each.
• Adaptation: Use a newspaper product advertisement taped to the back instead of a name. Players engage in brief conversations which will drop hints to what it is without actually saying.

Ambidexterous Answers

• People: 10-50
• Goal: Interaction between guests
• Time: 5min
• Need: Pens and paper for everyone
• Method: Hand each player a pen and a piece of paper. Explain that the winner is the one who gets the most answers on their piece of paper. The restrictions are that no one is allowed to talk and that everyone has to do all writing with the hand they don't usually use. Questions can be written on the other side of the paper than the answers if easier. Questions can be as short as you want. In each interaction each of the two players should have an answer to one question each before moving on to ask someone else. The same question cannot be asked twice.

Personal Bingo

• People: 10-40
• Goal: Get guests to lighten up
• Time: 10-20min
• Need: A semi-large piece of cardboard for each player drawn up with 9 squares
• Method: After handing everyone a card ask them to go through their pockets/purse etc and pull out 9 items(one for each square on the card). When everyone is ready the GameLeader chooses someone to start. This person holds up one item off their card and calls it out to the group. All players who have a matching item can remove that item from their card. When a player achieves the pre-selected pattern(like a straight line, four corners etc) they yell out "Bingo".
• Advancement: Award small prizes.

Sentence Mixups

• People: 20-50
• Goal: Get players to meet each other
• Time: 20min
• Need: At least twice as many cards as their are players. Each card has a word written on each side. Lots of small edible prizes(lollies).
• Method: Hand out one card to each player. Explain that they are free to mingle with anyone else but that the goal is to create sentences by combining the word on their card with other players. A sentence must have at least 5 words. As soon as a sentence is formed and passed give each person a small prize, take the old cards and hand out new cards. Players keep continually mixing until the time is up(or the prizes run out). The easiest way to make the cards is to write out full sentences and then take those words and put them onto cards(be sure to add extra linking words like a, of, the, but, or etc.
• Advancement: Use letters on the cards instead of words. The goal then is to form words of 5 or more letters.

Name Bingo

• People: 24+
• Goal: Get players to know each others names
• Time: 10min
• Need: A pre-drawn up card for each player. A pen for each player.
• Method: As each player arrives get them to sign in by putting their name on a piece of paper. Mix these papers up in a bowl. Hand out the cards. Count the number of players and make sure that the number of players exactly matches the number of squares on each card(fill any spaces with the word "Free"). Next get all players to circulate and to get each others signatures in the squares on their card. When everyone has filled up their cards start a normal game of bingo calling out the names in the bowl.
• Advancement: Award small prizes.

Dictionary

• People: 5-10
• Goal: Pass the time and get every one thinking
• Time: 20mins
• Need: A very large dictionary and pens and paper for everyone
• Method: Be sure everyone (including Game Leader) has 2 pieces of paper and a pen each. One piece is for writing down definitions and the other for keeping score. The Game Leader finds a hard word in the dictionary and first checks that no one knows it. Then everyone is given 2 mins to think up a convincing definition for that word. The Game Leader writes down the proper definition on his piece of paper and mixes it in with the ones collected from the other players. The Game Leader then reads out each definition and people vote on the one they think is the real one. If a player finds that a person vote for the defintion that they made up they get a point. Play it for a few rounds.

War

• People: 9-16
• Goal: Get everyone to know each other
• Time: 20mins
• Need: A largish room
• Method: Split all the people up into 3-4 countries (groups) of 3-4 people each. The groups should be of the same size. Each country chooses a name and a leader. The Game Leader chooses a country to begin. The country confers between themselves and chooses a country they are going to go to war with. They also secretly choose a member of that country and whisper it to the Game Leader. The Game Leader announces that " country wants to go to war with country" and gives them 3 seconds for someone in that country to stand up. The Game Leader shapes his hand into a gun and points it at the person. If it is the person that was selected the Game Leader says "Bang" and that person is out, and they get another turn. If it wasnt that person the Game Leader says "Click" and it goes to the next county's turn. The last remaining country wins.

Observations

• People:10-20 10-20
• Goal: Fill Time
• Time: 20 mins
• Need: Room, Pens and paper each
• Method: Get everyone in the room and give them a minute to observe the room. Then have them all go out for a minute and change some of the things in the room (move a chair, change the time on a clock etc). The player that records the most changes wins.
• Advancement: Can also be done on a tray.

Familiar Noises

• People: 10-20
• Goal: Fill Time
• Time: 20 mins
• Need: Room, sheet, Pens and paper each
• Method: Set up a sheet at the front of the room with a collection of objects behind it. One by one, make noises with each object (e.g. zip, egg beater etc) while hidden behind the sheet. The player that records the most correct object names wins.

Games for Teenagers

The Flour Game

• People: Variable
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 15 - 60 mins
• Materials: Newspaper, lollies or coins, Flour (lots), Container, knife
• Method:
  1. Get everyone into a circle, In the centre lay lots of paper and on a plate create a flour castle.
  2. On the top of the castle place a coin or lolly.
  3. Each player must chop a bit off the castle without dislodging the coin or lolly. Once a peice of the castle has been removed pass the knife on to the next player.
  4. When a player knocks the coin or lolly down into the flour pile, that person must retrieve it with their teeth, no hands allowed.
  5. Make sure a towel is handy to clean up and start again.
• Additional Details:
  • For more difficulty use a smaller coin.
  • You could also use a blindfold to make it more difficult.
  • Be prepared for a big mess!

Balloon Warfare

• People: 10+
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 10 - 30 mins
• Materials: Balloons
• Method:
  1. divide group into 2 teams.
  2. Have the teams sit in a line opporsite each other, with a 1-1.5 meter gap.
  3. The object of the game is to get the balloon to land behind the other teams line. The defensive line can lean back to save the balloon from hitting the floor.
  4. Each player cannot lift their Bums off the ground. Anyone caught doing so forfits that game.
  5. The first team to reach 10 wins.
• Additional Details:
  • For more difficulty add extra balloons.

Water Obsticle Course

• People: 20+
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 20 - 40 mins
• Materials: 1 Bucket and 4 cups per team, water, Any obsticles that you can find
• Method:
  1. divide group into teams with 4 players per team.
  2. Each team Starts with 4 empty cups. when the whisle goes they must fill the cups with water and navigate an obsticle course as fast as possible while trying not to spill anything.
  3. Once finished the course they must put the water in the bucket and the timer is stopped. A combination of the timer and the amount of water left will determine the winning group.
  4. Obsticle course ideas:
  • Stilts
  • Pushing one member on a bike
  • Going under a blanket or canvas
  • Kicking a soccerball around cones
  • Going through hoops
  • Walking a rope or plank
  • Piggy backing each other
  • Putting down water and shooting a ball into a hoop (every player)
  • Walking backwards
  • balancing the cups in some way
  • Changing cups half way through the game
  • Anything else you think may be enjoyable as well as challanging
• Additional Details:
  • Dont make the course too long or the teams waiting will get bored.
  • The first group will inevitably be the slowest, so a quicker group may need to go first.
  • Warning some groups will want to go again.
  • Good for large groups such as scouts, youth groups or church outings etc.

3 Legged Soccer

• People: 10+
• Goal: Active, Fun
• Time: 20 - 45 mins
• Materials: Leg ties, soccer ball
• Method:
  1. Pair up players and get them to tie their inner leg together (like the 3 legged race). Split pairs into 2 teams, try to get pairs of equal skill on each side.
  2. Set up goals at either end of a field. Then just like normal soccer you can only kick the ball. Normal rules apply.
  3. If one of the pair falls over the pair must stay on the ground till taged by another pair from their team.
  4. The team with the most points wins
• Additional Details:
  • To make things harder for them you can only allow them to use the inner leg (the one tied together) to kick the ball.

The Big Egg Throw

• People: Variable
• Goal: Catching skills, Fun
• Time: 10-20 mins
• Materials: 1 raw egg per pair (additional eggs if required)
• Method:
  1. Everyone is paired off into pairs. Each pair is given an uncooked egg. Each pair then stands 1m away from each other.
  2. On the leaders command the egg is to be thrown to the other person and then back again.
  3. Everyone then takes one large step (approximately .5 metre) and the process repeats.
  4. Once the egg breaks that pair is out of the game. If the egg lands on the ground and does not break. The throw is taken again.
  5. The pair that gets the furtherest apart wins.
• Additional Details:
  • Expect a mess, make sure everyone is allowed to get messy.
  • If eggs are to messy you can replace them with Water bombs (not as much fun though).

Hit the Deck

• People: 10+
• Goal: Very Active, Fun
• Time: 10 - 20 mins
• Materials: none
• Method:
  1. One person (an adult) is Sargent Major. The players are the sailors on a boat. The Sargent Major yells out a command and all the soldiers follow the command.
  2. After a few practice runs the person last to complete the command is out of the game. The winner is the last one left.
  3. To really make this game exciting the Sargent Major yells out command after command even before they have got to the first location.
  4. Here are some of the terms used in the game. You can make up your own as well.
  • Run to the ends of the pretend ship: Bow (front/North of ship), Stern (Back/South of ship), Starboard (Right/East side of ship), Port (left/West side of ship).
  • Captains coming: Stop where you are and present a salute.
  • Freeze: Stop where you are frozen.
  • Man the guns: Sit where you are and pretend to be fireing a machine gun.
  • Scrub the decks: Kneeling down and pretending to scrub the floors.
  • Man overboard: Hand to head as if looking for someone in the sea.
  • Man the lifeboats: Sit down and paddle frantically.
  • Climb the rigging: Pretending to climb a rope ladder.
  • Hit the Deck: Lie flat on your stomach as if a bomb raid.
  • Whatever other ideas you can come up with
• Additional Details:
  • Suitable for functions in a large hall.
  • For added difficulty you could have to Sargents calling orders to 2 different groups.

WaterBomb Warfare

• People: 14+
• Goal: Strategy, Bonding, Fun
• Time: 20 - 30 mins
• Materials: Lots and lots of waterbombs (at least 200 per 20 players more if possible)
• Method:
  1. You need a large area (50-100 metres long) preferably with trees or obsticles to make it more challanging.
  2. Divide the players into 2 teams (see below), Each team is given a flag (towel or sheet) that they are charged with protecting, this is put on a tree or rock (not tied). Each team is also given a supply of water bombs (ammo) once they run out that is it.
  3. The object of the game is to capture the opponents flag and get it back to your base without getting hit by a waterbomb.
  4. The rules are that if you are hit by a water bomb and it explodes then you have to go back to your base and count to 30 before carrying on. If you are already at your base when you are hit then you cannot partisipate for the same count. If a water bomb hits but does not break then you are still alive and can continue.
  5. A person can carry as much ammo as they wish but when they run out must go back to base to get more.
  6. The idea is for the teams to construct a strategy to win, this may involve some staying and being protectors, some being snipper fire, and some attacking.
• Additional Details:
  • Do not be supprised that most of the adults end up joining in as well.
  • You will probably loose control fairly quickly, I would recomend at least on adult at each base and another 2 if not more in the middle of the battlefield.
  • Afterwards please make sure to do a sweep of the area to collect as many waterbomb remains as possible.
  • Additionally you may wish to add food colouring (one colour each side) so you can identify when hit. Please make sure that they wear clothes that can be damaged.
  • A good bonding activity (and so you dont have to do all the work). Is to get the teams together the day before to fill up their own waterbombs. This is almost as much fun as the actual activity and gives them a chance to work together. A rule for the war could be that the ammo they create is what they get for the next day. (note: This can be a great time for the leaders to get to know the teenagers and for bonding to occur, I would highly recommend it)

Chicken Feed

• People: 2-8
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 5 - 15 mins
• Materials: 1 pack of cards (do not expect to use them again)
• Method:
  1. All players sit around a table.
  2. The pack of cards is shuffled and the one card is selected from the middle of the pack, the card is shown to everyone and then resuffled into the pack again.
  3. The cards are dropped face up into the middle of the table and the players USING THEIR LITTLE FINGER ONLY try to find the card.
  4. The winner is the one who gets the card off the table into their lap.
  5. If a player uses anything else apart from their little finger they are disqualified.

Buzz

• People: 5-15
• Goal: Maths, Fun
• Time: 10 - 15 mins
• Materials: Nothing
• Method:
  1. Sit all players in a circle.
  2. A number is chosen between 5 and 9 (7 is good).
  3. The object of the game is for everyone in the circle to say the next number as it goes around. When you get to a multiple of the number chosen they say BUZZ. They must also say BUZZ if the number has the number chosen in it EG 17 for 7.
  4. After a practice round or two you can start eliminating people if they get it wrong. The winner is the last person left.
  5. Eg 7: 1,2,3,4,5,6,buzz,8,9,10,11,12,13,buzz,15,16, buzz 18,19,20,Buzz....
• Additional Details:
  • For more difficulty you can have 2 numbers that you must buzz eg 7 and 9.
  • You could also add difficulty by making the numbers higher eg multiples of 13.

Bladder Ball

• People: 14+
• Goal: Energy Release, Fun
• Time: 10 - 20 mins
• Materials: 1 Basketball bladder (the inside of a Basketball)
• Method:
  1. Once you have freed the bladder from a basket ball (the ball will not be able to be used again) you pump it up. The ball can stretch to be almost a metre in diameter.
  2. Split players into 2 teams. design some form of goal at either end. The field should be clear of sharp sticks and about 30 metres long.
  3. The rules follow those of hand ball where you can only use a closed hand to bash the ball up and dawn the field. No one is allowed to hold it apart from a designated goalie.
  4. The winner is the team with the most points.
• Additional Details:
  • For larger groups you could have round robin system. 5-7 players per team is about right.
  • A safe way to have heaps of fun and let off steam.

The Frog Pond

• People: Large Groups
• Goal: releasing energy, Fun
• Time: 20 - 30 mins
• Materials: Large amount of space, lots of equipment to stand on(imitating lily pads)
• Method:
  1. You need a large amount of space for this game. The object of the game is to pretend the yard/gym is frog pond, objects are placed around the place which are like the lilies. The idea is that the players can only stand on the objects if they step on the ground they are out (See below for ideas on objects you could use).
  2. Also called the fox and the hare, 2 people are chosen to be the chasers (the seagulls or foxes). They chase the players and try to tag players. Each player that is tagged is taken out of the game. The chasers also have to stay on the lilypads. Anyone tagged where the chaser has cheated by stepping on the ground is allowed to escape.
  3. The winner is the last one left alive.
• Additional Details:
  • Objects that could be used in a Gym.
    • climbing ropes, vaults, mats, beams, trampolines, framework, the key of basketball court
  • Objects that could be used outside.
    • Rugs, large pieces of wood, Chairs, beams, concrete slabs and pathways, clothes line (if you dare), Blankets or sheets, trees, sandpit, climbing frames, Kids swing/slide sets, the garage roof
  • Use your imagination.
  • Not recommended for smaller children.

Games that are Quiet

LDS Who am I

• People: 5 or more
• Goal: Knowledge, guessing game
• Time: 15 - 30 mins
• Materials: pens, paper, cellotape
• Method:
  1. Form a circle and get everyone to write a name of someone famous or well known to the group. Put all names in bowl.
  2. Attach cellotape to each name, Put a name on the forehead of each player facing outwards towards the others.
  3. Each person gets a turn guessing the name on their head. They are allowed to ask one question only and the answer can only be 'YES' or 'NO'.
  4. The winner is the person that can guess who they are first.
• Additional Details:
  • Suitable for older Youth and Adults, the more the merrier.
  • To increase difficulty you could change it to what am I?

The Chain Gang

• People: Variable
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 5 - 15 mins
• Materials: Lots and lots of paperclips
• Method:
  1. This game could be played in teams or individually.
  2. Dump a huge pile of paperclips in the middle of a circle.
  3. You give everyone a minute (or more if you wish) to put together in a chain as many paperclips as possible. The winner is the person or team with the largest chain.
  4. A good game for best out of 3 or 5. At the end of the game you can link all paperclip chains together to see how big they end up being.
• Additional Details:
  • If you dont have paperclips you can make Daisy chains or out of lego bricks.

Shadows

• People: 8+
• Goal: Fun
• Time: 10 - 20 mins
• Materials: 1 white sheet, 1 Strong lamp
• Method:
  1. Hold up the sheet near the end of the room. Behind it place a chair facing the wall for the guesser to sit. At the other end of the room put the lamp.
  2. One person is nominated as the guesser per round. One by one the players walk between the lamp and the sheet and the guesser trys to guess who's shadow it is.
  3. The players try to change their shadows by hunching down and props such as wigs, toys and sticks etc.
  4. Every one gets a turn at guesser and the winner is the one who can get the most people right.
• Additional Details:
  • Let the players get creative with their disciuses using lots of props.

The Wrap Race

• People: 8+ (needs pairs)
• Goal: Co-operation, Fun
• Time: 10-15 mins
• Materials: Rope ties, present, wrapping paper (can be newspaper) & cellotape per pair
• Method:
  1. divide group into pairs. Standing next to each other the inside hands get tied together (right and left).
  2. The object of the game is for each pair to wrap the present using their free hands.
  3. The winners are the ones that get it done first.
• Additional Details:
  • For additional challange you could get them to wrap the present with several peices of wrap. The presents can then be used for pass the parcel afterwards.
  • Extra diffculty use objects that are odd shapes not so easy to wrap Eg a toy Tank, Balls, a pot etc.
  • Caution: you may wish to use scissors as well please use common sence if it is younger children playing.