Games List:

• Ah So Go :
  High Energy - (Small to Medium Group) Get the kids in a circle. This is a good game to try to wear out the kids' voices. One person starts out by saying "AH!" as loud as they can and lifting one of their hands over their head ballerina style so that their fingers point to the person on the opposite side of the arm they are pointing with. (Think the opposite of "walk like an Egyptian") The person they pointed to says "SO!" and does the same thing with their arm (going either direction). That person who gets pointed to says "GO!" and points to someone else in the circle. That person then starts over with "AH!." The person who gets pointed to has the option of crossing their arms in an X and rejecting the 'point' by shouting "NO!." Then it bounces back to the person who pointed to them. If a person messes up, they get kicked out of the circle, and their new purpose is to try to confuse the people who are playing by shouting "AH SO GO" in their ears. The game is over when there are only 2 people left.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Ambulance Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) One person is 'it', one person is the ambulance, everybody else is trying not to get tagged. When you get tagged you lose the use of one arm, then the next time you lose the other arm, then a leg. The next time you get tagged you lose both legs and sit down until the ambulance comes and touches you. The ambulance needs to make the appropriate ambulance sound effects.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Ambulators :
  High Energy - (Any Group) These are a variety of activities to focus the group and to get attention. They are also just plain fun. The leader can give a time limit to the kids in which they have to complete the activity.
  World- The kids get into a circle
  Camouflage- Every one tries to hide.
  Caterpillar- The kids line up boy, girl until one of the genders run out.
  Flood- Everybody has to get off the ground. (You can stand on rocks)
  Heat Wave- Everybody gets in a line and does the wave.
  Catch up!- Tag your cabin leader. This is good for when the kids are lagging behind.
  Dead Bug - Everybody lays down on their back and waves their arms and legs.
  Materials: None
  Author: n/a
  
• Are These Spoons Crossed? :
  Mind Game - The spoons can be substituted with anything that is handy. Hold up the spoons to the kids either crossed or uncrossed (the spoons don't really matter). Ask them whether they are crossed. They'll be flabbergasted when you are holding up two crossed spoons and you swear they aren't crossed. The trick is when some part of your body is crossed, the spoons are crossed. (preferably a noticeable one like your legs or arms, fingers don't really do the trick)
  Author: n/a
  
• Baloon Relay - Let it Blow :
  Divide group into teams Give each youth a balloon At a signal the first person on each team blows up their balloon and lets it go. They go to where their balloon landed and blow it up again. The point is to get their balloon past a certain point or to touch the opposit wall. When they do, the next player on the team does the same thing. Game is complete when all members of the team have crossed the finish line.
  Author: Sharon Solanik
  
• Black Magic :
  Mind Game -Again have one partner go away and let the kids pick an object in the room. When the other person comes back, go around the room and point at object asking, "Is this it?", "How about bob's necklace," Your partner should respond with no to each one until you point to something black. The object after the black object is the one the kids picked.
  Author: n/a
  
• Blob Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) Pick one person to be "it". When "it" tags a person the two link arms and become an ameba. The pair continues to tag people. When there are four people linked together they have the option of splitting into two groups of two. The game continues until everyone is part of the blob.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Brittish Bulldog :
  Tag - (Small to Medium Group) also known as fisher's net. Define a large open space with 2 boundaries on either side. Put the person who is "it" in the middle and the rest of the people on one end of the space. On the leader's word, everyone tries to get to the other side of the playing field. Anyone who "it" tags sits down in the place they were tagged. The kids do the same thing from the opposite side, only now the people who were tagged can tag from the place they are sitting on the floor. They can't move their rear and caution them not to trip anyone. The game continues until everyone is sitting down.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Bumpers up :
  Co-op - Separate the group into groups of two. Let the kids designate one person as the spotter, one person as the Faller. The Faller should stiffen their body, say the contract and then fall backwards. The Spotter will catch the person and gently put the person back up straight.
  Author: n/a
  
• Cahoots :
  Mind Game - This is a twist on black magic. While one partner is gone, get the kids to pick an object. When the partner comes back ask them if you are "In Cahoots." They will respond with a no. Hopefully the kids will have quieted down and are paying attention to you. Go back and forth a bit asking if you are "in Cahoots." Eventually someone will get impatient and talk. The person who talked is the new "trigger." Go around guessing objects again, but this time, guess an object on the 'trigger's" person before guessing the real object.
  Author: n/a
  
• Cartoon Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) Same idea as flamingo tag, only to stay safe you have to sit down and say the name of a cartoon.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Chaos :
  High Energy -(Large Group)- Imagine if you will a normal kickball field- Shaped exactly like softball or baseball, but there are no bats- just players who kick when they bat. Imagine the normal 2 teams playing on one field- offense, defense. Now imagine that doubled- but not 2 separate fields, 2 interwoven fields. Home 3rd Home 3rd 1st Home
  
  1st 2nd 1st 2nd 3rd Normal Kick Ball Two Field Kickball 6 outs
  
  Notice second base is the same for both fields. You could play with 4 teams. Second base could be an old tire- 1st, 3rd based could be pylons. (These work better when there are several people on a base) When the defensive pitchers pitch at the same time, they are hoping for a total of 6 outs (2 offenses, 2*3=6) a whistle person who can keep track of these outs- once there are 6 switch offence and defense. It works best if there is a person per ball to count the outs on THAT ball and then report to the whistle person. Use different colored balls. The whistle co-ordinates the pitchers to pitch at the same time. There are 3 ways a batter/kicker/runner can be out- 1. Their kick is caught in the air 2. They are tagged below the waist by a thrown ball 3. They are tagged below the waist by a held ball There are NO FORCE-OUTS!!
  
  You can play this game with anywhere from two to five fields. Get creative. The chaos happens when players run all the bases on each field- as a fielder, you can pitch, turn around and catch a ball as a center fielder. However, the runner must run to 2nd before he/she can run to the bases of other fields. A runner must run when a ball is kicked. A foul ball can be done over once, but runners run on a foul ball kick.
  Materials: Bases, As many balls as there are fields.
  Author: Bogart Nomad
  
• Chinese Numbers :
  Mind Game -Gather some random objects. (i.e. sticks, silverware, cuppies, basically anything will work.) Make some pattern on the table with them. Tell them that the pattern signifies a number and that they have to guess it. The number is however many fingers you have on the table. Keep changing up the pattern to drive them crazy.
  Author: n/a
  
• Christian musical chairs :
  High Energy - Let the kids know you are playing musical chairs. Don't mention that there is anything Christian about it. Play musical chairs as normal, only when you take out a chair the odd person out isn't out of the game. The other players just have to squish to give that person room. Eventually everyone is piled on top of one chair.
  Materials: Chairs
  Author: n/a
  
• Christmas in (name month) :
  Mixer - (Any Size Group) Throw a Christmas party! Just pretend its cold outside. :)
  Author: n/a
  
• Climb through the Hula Hoop :
  Co-op - (small to Medium Group) Everyone gets into a circle and holds hands. A hula-hoop is placed upright between two people, who each hold the hoop with one hand (it's like the hoop is another person in the circle). The goal is to get each group member though the hoop without letting go of each other or touching the hoop. In this game, you need to be sensitive to the size of individual group members.
  Author: n/a
  
• Clothespin Tag :
  Tag - (Any) This is a great game. The leader should give all of the kids five clothespins each. The object of the game is to keep clothespins off of you while putting clothespins on everyone else. Give the kids a few minutes to run around and play the game until you call them all in and recognize the kids who ended up with the fewest clothespins. For the next round, challenge the kids who ended up with the least amount to start with more clothespins than everybody else.
  Materials: Clothespins
  Author: n/a
  
• Come Back Honey :
  High Energy - (Small to Medium Group) In this game, everyone gets into a circle (with chairs). There should be one chair left over for the "it." The person who is "it" stands in the middle, and tries to sit in the empty chair. The rest of the group is moving from chair to chair (in the same direction, everyone moving either right or left). If "it" makes it into a chair, the person who was next in the chair is it. The game is given a twist; at any time, the next person moving can hit the empty chair two times and say "Come back honey" to switch the direction of movement.
  Materials: Chairs
  Author: Kristine Walsh
  
• Cookie Oven :
  Co-op - Have the group form two lines facing each other. Each group should stand shoulder to shoulder about half an arm length apart. Have the members of each line extend arms forward. Arms should be at the sides from the shoulder to the elbow and extended forward from the elbow to the hand. Palms are face up, hands open, fingers together. Extended arms of line 1 should alternate with the arms of line 2 like a zipper. The Faller will contract with the Spotters, then the Faller is to lay back gently and lay in the arms of the Spotters. The Spotters are to pass the Faller to the end of the line. A Spotter at the end is to catch the head and neck of the Faller as the "Cookie" comes out of the "Oven".
  Author: Lutheran Camp Chrysalis Challenge Course Manual
  
• Crab Soccer :
  High Energy - (Large Groups) All the participants need to take their shoes off. They are divided into two teams and sit on the floor crab style (hands by the butt, fingers facing the feet, feat touching the ground, butt off the ground). A huge beach ball is then tossed into the playing area. The goal is for the teams to kick the ball to the other side to score goals. It's fun to just kick the ball around too. You have to be careful that the ball won't float too high. A way to help this is to put a little water in the ball (not too much, or else the ball will pop).
  Materials: Big Beach Ball.
  Author: n/a
  
• Crepe paper clump :
  Co-op - The group clumps together in a huddle. The leader ties a stream of crepe paper around the group. They then must move together to a certain place, like a corner or a tree or whatever, without breaking the crepe paper. Time them and encourage them to better their times as they move.
  Author: n/a
  
• Dho-Dho-Dho :
  High Energy - (Medium Group) You need an area that is divided into two equal parts with a centerline. The players should be in 2 teams on either side of the centerline leaving a no-mans land in between them. One team chooses a player to go across the line, tag one or more players on the other side, and return safely home. Clearly that could require agility- but breath control? That's where "dho-dho-dho" comes in. Before crossing the centerline, the player who is "it" takes a deep breath. Not only must he complete his mission in one breath, but he must use that breath to repeat aloud in a steady flow "dho-dho-dho"… if members of the team can catch & hold him in their territory until they run out of breath, they've acquired a new team member. If he makes it back across the line with any part of his body, even a fingertip, all those he has tagged join their team.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Do you want to buy my donkey? :
  Mixer - (Small to Medium Group) This has the same idea as Honey if you Love Me. Only the people in the middle are a donkey and a donkey seller. The donkey seller walks up to someone and asks, "Will you buy my donkey?", the participant responds- "What can your donkey do?". The donkey seller says, "My donkey can ____," and the donkey has to do the action. (Camp appropriate of course) If the participant laughs they become the donkey and the donkey becomes the seller.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Donkey Dodge Ball :
  High Energy - (Medium Group) This game is played with the same objectives as in all dodge ball games. In this game a circle is formed and 4 people are chosen to go into the middle. The 4 people hold on to each other at the waist, forming a chain. The front and the middle protect the back of the donkey by using their bodies as a block. The players who form the circle try to hit the back end of the donkey below the waist with the ball. If someone does hit the first person of the donkey, then the thrower will join the front of the donkey and the person who was hit joins the circle.
  Materials: Ball.
  Author: n/a
  
• Dragon's Tail :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large Group) Participants line up and hold hands. Designate one end of the line as the 'head', and the other as the "tail." The goal is for the head of the line to catch the tail person without letting go of any hands. The head can weave in and out of the line as long as no one lets go of hands.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Duck Duck Goose :
  High Energy - Who hasn't played this one?
  Author: n/a
  
• Duck Waddle :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large) Divide the group into two teams. Have the participants clasp their hands behind their knees and squat down. Their goal is to get to the other side of the room walking like this without being knocked down while trying to knock down their opponents with their bodies. They cannot stand up or let go of their legs until they get to the other side. If they get knocked down or leave the "position," they are out for the rest of the game.
  Materials: None
  Author: n/a
  
• Elbow Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) The leader should have all of the kids link elbows with a partner and have them spread out in a defined area. Make one kid the runner and one the chaser. The runner runs around the space away from the chaser. The runner can link on to any of the pairs of kids. The kid that he didn't link on to (in the pair) is now the runner. (The chaser is the same) At any time the leader can call "Switch!!", and the runner and chaser switch.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Evolution :
  High Energy - (Any Sized Group) This is another big game of rock paper scissors. Players will "evolve" from ameba all the way up to some more highly evolved being of your choosing such as a cabin leader. : Everyone will start out as an ameba. (Do your best impression, we usually just crouch on the floor and walk around) The players find someone to play rock paper scissors with. Whoever wins 'evolves' into the next level, which is normally dinosaur(act that one out too). Then players have to find someone of their same level to compete with. This time if you win you evolve again, if you lose you regress into the level below your current level. You keep playing until you reach the highest level. An example progression: ameba->dinosaur->power ranger->teenage driver->camp cabin leader.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Fizzer Tag :
  Tag - (Alka-Seltzer on a string around his or her neck. The goal is to keep an Alka-Seltzer around your neck, everyone else's goal is to make it fizz off by shooting water at it. The last one with an Alka-Seltzer wins. It is against the rules to guard your target with your hands or arms.
  Materials: String, Alka-Seltzer, water guns.
  Author: n/a
  
• Flamingo Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) There are two or three 'its' (depending on the number of kids). To avoid being tagged participants should stand on right leg, hold their left leg up with their right hand, and hold their nose with their left hand and hop. This is the only way participants are safe. Participants don't have to hold this position through the whole game, only when they are in danger of being tagged. When a new "it" is chosen, the whole group needs to know.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Flip the Tarp :
  Co-op - (groups of about 8) This is a team building game where the group stands on a tarp (not too big, just enough to fit the group members). The group has to flip the tarp over without getting off the tarp or letting their feet touch the floor.
  Author: n/a
  
• Flour Game :
  Mixer - Another messy game. Pack flour into a medium size cup. Turn the cup over on the table so that the flour comes out of the cup in a (mostly) full tower. (This takes a little practice) Put a quarter on the top of the flour tower. Tell the kids that the winner is whoever can take a knife and cut the flour into the thinnest tower under the coin. This isn't really fair to them since its going to fall eventually, but don't tell them that. When the tower falls they have to retrieve the coin with their teeth!
  Materials: Flour, Medium Sized Cups, Knives, Bowl for flour.
  Author: n/a
  
• Four on a Couch :
  Indoor Game - (Small to Medium Group) This game is kind of tough to explain on paper. First, divide the group into two teams- boys vs. girls, hats vs. no-hats, etc. Then have the team sit in one huge circle, with the team members alternating. (Example- the X team and Y team would sit like this XYXYXYX YXYXYXYXY). There needs to be an empty space somewhere in the circle. Designate one part of the circle to be the "couch." This is the ultimate goal: to get 4 of your team members on the couch. (In the above example, the underlined part is the couch) Now, have everyone write his or her name on a piece of paper and drop it in a hat. Then have everyone pick a new name. You are now that person. (For example, my name is Kristine. But if I drew the name John, I am now John the whole round). Do not tell anyone whose name you have drawn. The game begins with the person to the left of the empty space calling out a name. The person who drew that name moves to the empty space. Then, the person to the left of the new empty space calls out a new name. The hard part is remembering the names of the people since nobody is their real name. The goal is to get 4 members of your team on the couch.
  Materials: Paper and Pens, Something to serve as a "Couch."
  Author: Kristine Walsh
  
• Freeze Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) One person is it, everyone else runs. If "it" touches you, you are frozen until someone else touches you to unfreeze you.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Giants, Wizards, and Elves :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large Group) This is a full body game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Separate the kids into two teams. Each team secretly decides whether they want to be a giant, wizard, or elf. Then the teams form two opposing lines and chant "GIANTS, WIZARDS, ELVES, ______(they shout which ever one they have chosen) Whenever they say one of the characters they make the sign for that character. I.e. The giants hands are far above his head, the wizards hands are out in front of him as if he is casting a spell, and an elf is crouched down. If either team wins, they chase the opposing team and try to tag them and bring them back to their side. If both teams pick the same character everyone exchanges a hug. Giants beat wizards, wizards beat elves, and elves beat giants.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Goop :
  Mixer - What a great way to make a mess! Mix water with cornstarch until it is at a consistency where it is hard when you hit it, but is a liquid when you rest your hand in it. Put food coloring in there for extra fun. It washes out of clothes and hands easily.
  Materials: Cornstarch, Water, Bowls
  Author: n/a
  
• Group Juggling :
  Mixer - (Medium to Large Group) This is a good name game. To start the game, the group gets into a circle and the leader yells the name of a member across the circle and throws a catch-able object to that person. That person then says the name of another person who has not gotten the object yet and throws the object to them. This continues until the object makes it back to the first person. The leader can then start the game again, and add more objects. The keys are that the names have to be LOUD and the kids have to work together to not drop the objects. To motivate, the leader can time the group and challenge them to beat the time. The goal is to establish a pattern to learn names.
  Materials: Something to juggle: balls, rubber chickens
  Author: n/a
  
• Hose Heads :
  High Energy - (small to Medium Group) In this game, two people square off against each other. Each is wearing a pair of panty hose on their head. At the end of the hose is an orange. The leg of the hose should be hanging off the head with the orange dangling in front of the person. The people stand face to face. The goal is to swing the hose and try and catch the other person's orange to pull the hose off their head. You cannot use your hands.
  Materials: Panty Hose Legs, Oranges.
  Author: n/a
  
• Human Knot :
  Co-op - This activity is best done in groups of 6-8 people. Have everyone stand in a circle and grab hands. It is VERY important that they don't grab the hands of the person next to them or the same person with both hands. Once everyone is attached their goal is to get "un-knotted" without letting go of any hands.
  Author: n/a
  
• Index Card Game :
  Mixer - (Any Sized Group) Everybody writes an interesting fact about him/herself on an index card. The index cards are passed in and redistributed to the group. Once the index cards are passed out, you find the person whose fact you have. In turn, you should have someone finding you. So you get to meet two people and learn something fun about them.
  Materials: Index Cards, pens.
  Author: n/a
  
• Interview with a Twist :
  Mixer - (Any) Introduce yourself to another member of the group using your name and a few things about yourself. Once you have heard you partner's name and details, you then adopt that name for your next introduction. Move around the room taking on a new name with each person that you meet until everyone is really confused. Sounds really difficult, but it gets to be fun.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Johnny Johnny :
  Mind Game -This one can drive kids crazy for days. The leader puts up their hand, fingers spread apart. Then they say "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Whooops Johnny, Whoops Johnny." Touching the tip of each finger whenever you say Johnny and sliding your finger between your outstretched fingers whenever you say whoops. It doesn't really matter what you do, as long as you stay fairly consistent and you give off the impression how you do it matters. After that clasp your hands together. Then ask the kids to repeat what you just did. Unless they clasp their hands together, they did it wrong. Repeat until they finally figure out to repeat everything you do.
  Author: n/a
  
• Kissy Print :
  Mixer - Each participant applies lipstick and kisses an index card. They put their name on the other side of the card and lay it lips up on a table. After everyone has kissed their card, the players walk around and score the best lips by making a tally mark on the lip side of the card. After the votes have been tallied, the award for best lips is presented to the winner.
  Author: n/a
  
• Ladder :
  Co-op - If you have 10 youth in your group, outline 11 squares on the ground. Have the youth stand in the squares leaving the middle square empty as shown below. Ask the youth to face the empty square. The object of this activity is to have the youth switch places on the squares. For example, the person in square #1 will be in #7 at the end of the game, and the person in #2 will be in #8, etc. So the groups will end up facing away from the empty square. Another rule for the game is that no one can move backwards in the squares. If this happens, start the game again. Also, only one person can move at a time, and the youth can only jump one person at a time into an empty space. Diagram:
  ---------------------------------------' �-----------------------------------------
  | x | | x | | x | | x | | x | | || x | | x | | x | | x | | x |
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  Author: n/a
  
• Lapsit :
  Co-op - Youth stand in a circle and turn sideways. They stand so that they are very close together and on the count of three, sit so that everyone is sitting on someone else's lap. If your group gets this pretty easily, see if they are able to walk in that position.
  Author: n/a
  
• Levitation :
  Co-op -Did you ever play a game called "Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board" when you were at slumber parties as a child? This is basically the same thing. Have a volunteer lay on the ground. Have four people line up on each side of his/her body and slide their hands palms up underneath their body so that they can lift them. One person needs to support the volunteer's head. The volunteer must cross his/her arms on their chest and keep their body stiff. At the instruction of the leader, the group will pick up the volunteer and lift them above their heads, turn them around in a half circle, and then rock them down to the ground.
  
  Levitation with a Twist- Your group must figure out a way to get all members' bodies off the ground at the same time for five seconds. The only part of the body that can touch the ground are one's hands. Once the group has their bodies off the ground, the leader counts to 5. Remember safety issues!
  Author: n/a
  
• Line Tag :
  Tag - (Any) Line tag is an awesome game for any size group from about 10-100. It's just like tag, except you can only run along the lines/arcs on the gym floor. This applies for the chaser and the chasees. If you get tagged then the chasee becomes the chasee and vice versa. It is important to point out that participants may not hop from one line to the next, they may only switch to another line if they are touching or connected by another line. This game is a blast. End it whenever everybody is worn out.
  
  Variations-
  1. You can also play this as elimination, when the one or two people (or however many) who are "it" are "it" the entire game. If they touch you, then you sit out. Last one left is the winner
  2. Another consideration is allowing or not allowing kids to pass each other on the lines. After all you would have to go off a line to pass someone who is on the line. Not allowing them to pass also puts a little more strategy and thought into this game.
  Warning: The only big thing to watch out for is when a chasee/chaser exchange occurs. Many people won't be able to see it so there is confusion about who is it. For this reason, it is useful to have one or two leaders watching the game to keep track of who the "it" is and yell it out to the group so there is less confusion.
  Materials: A gym floor.
  Author: Nate Moehring
  
• Marshmallow Baseball :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large Group) Divide the group into two teams and set up the playing area like a baseball field (it can be indoors). One team is in the outfield, the other up to bat. Give the pitcher a bag of marshmallows and the hitter a spatula. Proceed to pay baseball. (a variation would be to play inside and have everyone on his or her knees).
  Kristine Walsh
  Materials: Marshmallows, Spatulas (Or something to use as a bat), bases
  Author: n/a
  
• Monster :
  Co-op - Monster Tell the group that they must move from point A to point B letting only X number of body parts touch the ground. The leader can use their judgement to decide how many body parts can touch the ground. A good rule of thumb is half the number of people plus one.
  Author: n/a
  
• Musical Objects :
  Mixer - (Medium Group) Have your group form a circle. Ask a few people if you can borrow one of their shoes. These shoes (or whatever you choose) are now your musical objects. This game is a lot like hot potato. You can either play music or have the participants sing a short song while they pass around the objects. When the song is finished, the people have to act out whatever the leader tells them to for that round. I.E. for one round it might be power ranger, another round it might be a ballerina or a wrestler. Then you start again with the music and the passing, only this time, everyone who had a musical object at the end of the round has to do their 'action' every time they get a shoe. There is no limit to how many actions any one person might have to do.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Name Race :
  Mixer - (Small to Medium Group) Have the kids get into a circle. Tell them there are two teams in this game, the one that starts to your right and goes all the way around the circle till it gets back to you, and the one that starts at your left. It is kind of corny, but it works out. There just happens to be a world record on how fast a group of people can go around a circle and say each person's name in turn. Let the teams race each other.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• No See Em's :
  Mixer - (Small Group) The group is divided in half. Leaders hold up a tarp or blanket so that the two groups are unable to see each other. One person from each group crawls up to the tarp and puts their nose up to it. The leaders drop the tarp and the two must shout out the other person's name. The person who says the correct name first takes the other person to their team.
  Materials: A blanket or a tarp.
  Author: n/a
  
• Numbers Change :
  High Energy - (Small to Medium Group) The players are numbered 1,2,3,4..etc and are seated in a circle of chairs. The leader calls out two numbers, these players must change seats quickly while the leader tries to secure a seat. He continues until he succeeds. The one left out becomes the leader.
  Materials: None
  Author: n/a
  
• Order out of Chaos :
  Co-op - The group is blindfolded. Each member is assigned a number. Once the members are distributed in a defined area, the members must line up in order without verbal communication.
  Author: n/a
  
• Pass the Hula Hoop :
  Co-op - Have everyone get into a circle and hold hands. Place a hula-hoop through two peoples' hands. Now pass the hula-hoop all the way around the circle without letting go of anyone's hands. Add more hula-hoops to spice it up.
  Author: n/a
  
• Peanut Butter River :
  Co-op - Have the group line up shoulder to shoulder. The goal of the co-op is to get the last person from one end of the line to the other without touching the ground.
  Author: n/a
  
• People to People :
  (Any Sized Group) This is a good "get to know you" game. The participants walk around randomly singing "People to People. The leader calls out an instruction such as: "five people, elbows!" Then the participants have to find a group of five and touch elbows. Then the leader tells them to introduce themselves and answer some question about themselves such as, "What is your favorite kind of ice cream?" Once they've covered this its time to do it all over again.
  Materials: None.
  Author:
  
• Poop Deck :
  High Energy - (Medium Group) Draw (or Tape) two lines on the ground about5 feet apart, long enough to that your group could line up behind one of them. (This doesn't have to be anything exact.) The lines make three different sections
  
  Poop | Main | Quarter
  Deck | Deck | Deck
  
  The leader tells the participants which deck to go to. Give the kids some practice moving from deck to deck. Once they are comfortable with which deck is which, the contest is on. The last person to get to a deck is out of the game. The game continues until only one participant is left. Watch out for bigger kids trampling smaller ones and slippery floors.
  Materials: Tape.
  Author: n/a
  
• Question Game :
  Mixer - (Small Group) There are different variations of this game. One version is to have everyone write a question on an index card (the questions can be anything). Each person then chooses an index card and has to answer the question. The group can also take turns answering the questions. The questions can have limits or direction, depending on the goals of the group. (For instance, for training, they would be more personal, get to know you type questions about life. For a youth event, they can be questions like "where is one place you would like to visit before you turn 25?")
  Materials: Index cards and pens
  Author: Kristine Walsh
  
• Rain, Rain, Flood :
  High Energy - (Small Group) This game is a wet version of duck, duck, goose. The group sits in a circle, with one person standing outside the circle with the cup of water. He/she walks around the circle, saying "rain, rain, rain…" and sprinkling water on the heads of the people as they pass by. When the outside person shouts, "flood", then the water gets dumped on the chosen person. The drenched individual must then try to catch the "it" before "it" runs around the circle and sits in the drenched person's spot.
  Materials: Cuppies and Water.
  Author: Kristin Law
  
• Rock, Cave, Tree :
  High Energy - (Any Sized Group) This is a relay race game. Divide the kids into an appropriate number of groups depending on the size of your group. Probably no more than 10 kids in any one group. The first people in line run out about 8 feet and curl up like a rock. The next set of people run, jump over the rock and run out another 8 feet and lean over to make a cave with their body (by leaning over so that both feet and hands are on the ground). The next set of people jump over the rock, go under the cave, go out another 8 feet and make a tree. Everyone else in the line jumps over the rock, goes under the cave, around the tree, back under the cave and over the rock and then tags the next person in line to let them go. Once everyone in line has gone, the tree runs back, goes through the cave, over the rock, etc.
  Materials: None
  
  In some cases this game has been expanded to Rock, Cave, Tree, Forest, Grandma. Just use your imagination!
  Author: n/a
  
• Romeo and Juliet :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large Group) For this game, everybody but one person needs a partner. The group forms two concentric circles with one person from each pair in each circle. The other person stands in the middle. When "it" says, "go", the inner circle starts rotating clockwise while the outer circle starts rotating counterclockwise. "It" then shouts a position, and each pair must find each other and strike the selected pose. Some possible poses are: Romeo and Juliet- one partner sits on the other partner's knee; table- both people get down on hands and knees and line up side by side; or wheelbarrow- the partners get in position for a wheelbarrow race. The last pair to perform the motion is either "out" or one of them pairs up with the "it" and the other becomes the next "it".
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Secret Service :
  High Energy - (Medium Group) Also known as Assassin or Impeach the President. The group gets into a circle. The leader chooses three people, one to be the president and two to be secret service agents. They are in the middle of the circle. The rest of the group is trying to impeach the president by pegging him (or her) with a ball. The role of the secret service is to protect the president by taking hits for him and guarding him. The game works best if the ball is kept moving and flow is not interrupted. The game ends when the president is hit. Three new people are chosen.
  Materials: A Ball.
  Author: n/a
  
• Shoe Stew :
  Mixer - (Small to Medium Group) Every body takes off both shoes and puts them in a pile in the middle. Each person then takes two random shoes and puts them on (without buckling or tying, and as best they can). Then everybody has to find the two other people with the matching shoes. When one person is found, both show wearers must put their feet together, shoe to shoe. Both people continue to search for the shoes that match their other shoe. To do this they will have to twist and turn and get all tangled up.
  Materials: None.
  Author: Kristin Law
  
• Sign Game :
  Mixer - (Small Group) Get in a circle. Each youth states their name and creates a sign with their body that in some way represents them or a specific subject such as animals. After the youth share their name and sign, they must repeat the name and sign of those who have gone before. If you as the leader of the group go first and make a crazy/weird sign, it may encourage the kids to do the same.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Snaps :
  Mind Game -Convince the kids that you have a psychic link with your partner. Have one of the partners go away while the other one tells the kids to give them the name of someone famous. When the partner comes back it is time to telepathically transmit the name of that person. : How you do this: The person who knows the name says "This is a game of snaps" if they are going to start with the first name. "This is not a game of snaps" if they are starting with the last name, or "This may be a game of snaps" if the name is something like "Madonna" or "Barney", someone with only one common name. After this anything that is said is a clue. If I said "Maybe you'll get this," my partner would know that the name starts with an 'M'. Every consonant is passed on that way. For vowels you snap once for 'A', twice for 'E', three times for 'I', etc. If they haven't caught on to the person by the end of one of the first name, you can always go on to the last name (or vice versa)
  Author: Mind Games
  
• Song Burst :
  Mixer - (Medium to Large) Divide the group into teams. Make the teams small enough so that they can easily communicate. The leader will pick a topic, like "love." Each team gets 30 seconds after hearing the topic to prepare. When the leaders say "go" the first group gets 10 seconds to sing a song with the word topic ("love") in it. The teams alternate receiving 10 seconds each. The first team that is unable to think of a song loses. The teams must sing at least eight words from the song. Leaders must keep time well. Leaders can also be flexible when making the rules.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Spaghetti Taffy Architecture :
  Mixer - (Small Group) This is an awesome way to really see the dynamics of a group. Separate the group into a few smaller teams, preferably with 4 or 5 kids each. Tell the groups that they have to try to build the tallest structure given spaghetti, taffy and a few toothpicks. The structures cannot hang from the ceiling. This is great fun. Wax paper is a must.
  Materials: Spaghetti, Taffy, Toothpicks, and Wax paper.
  Author: n/a
  
• Stick Game :
  High Energy - (Small Group) This is a very entertaining game. I'm not sure if it is more fun for the people playing or for the people watching. Make sure you are in an open place with a minimum of rocks where no one is going to get hurt by falling down. Have each participant grab a stick (about a foot long) and hold it above their head with both hands. Make sure everyone spreads out. Now the participants get to spin around 20-30 times, staring at their sticks. Next they drop their sticks and attempt to jump over them. Like I said, very entertaining.
  Materials: Stick.
  Author: n/a
  
• Story with motions Game: Baby Jesus :
  Jesus! - suck thumb, lay on ground
  Mary and Joseph - 2 people link amrs
  Wise Men - 3 people kneel down facing each other and raise arms like they are giving gifts
  Angels - 4 people - 1 body, 2 wings, and a halo
  Shepherd - 5 people - 1 shepherd and 4 sheep
  
  An angel told Mary to expect a child and name him Jesus. In the cold of winter and in a far off land, Mary and Joseph began their journay. While on that journey, Mary and Joseph stopped to rest. It came time for Jesus to be born.
  Wise men had heard that Jesus would be born, so they began to make their way to Bethlehem - the place where Mary and Joseph stayed with the newborn Jesus. While the Wise men were trekking ,the shepherds were guarding their sheep. Angels came to the shepherds, telling them of Jesus' birth. Soon the shepherds and their sheep made their way to see Jesus and Mary and Joseph.
  Soon everyone was gathered at the small barn in Bethlehem- what a glorious party! Angels, shepherds, sheep, and Wise Men celebrated Jesus' birth with Mary and Joseph.
  Amen.
  Author: YARPs at Training 2002
  
• Story with motions Game: Haunted Forest :
  Forest- 5 people stand back to back with arms raised to make a big tree (all the trees together make a forest)
  Travel- 4 people march in a line
  Tent - 3 people - 2 people make a tent and one person lays down in the middle pretending to sleep
  Tree - 2 people make a sawing motion like they are cutting down a tree
  Ghost - Everybody runs around making the sound of a ghost.
  
  Note: any time someone can not find a group to be in they become a ghost
  
  One day some travelers were walking through a haunted forest. The travelers were terrified of ghosts who had been killed by fallen trees. Not being able to travel and farther that night, they pitched a tent and cut down some trees from the forest for firewood. While they were sleeping the ghosts came to haunt them in their tents. Leaving their tents, they ran out of the forest away from the ghosts.
  Author: YARPs at Training 2002
  
• Story with motions Game: Walking Casket :
  Casket: Eeeeek! Eeeek! Eeeeek!
  Monster: Thump! Thump! Thump!
  Victim: Help! Help! Help!
  Candle: Flicker. Flicker.
  Mummies: Oo-ah! Oo-ah!
  Midnight: Bong, Bong, Bong (12 times)
  Leprechaun: Ho! Ha! He!
  
  Once upon a time, there was a walking casket. I was at least a trillion years old. The casket walked by day. And the casket walked by night. Whenever it came upon an unsuspecting victim, the door sprang open and out popped a Frankenstein-like monster. The monster was horrible. So horrible, the monster spread goose bumps up and down and all over his victims. And you know how that feels. This monster was a towering creature . . . at least 100 feet tall. And he always carrieda flickering candle that burned on and on and on.
  Upon spotting a likely victim, this monster would wail and shriek something awful, paralyzing his victim with fright. Everyone was horrified. The monster actually turned his victims into mummies. Big papa and mommy mummies. This terror went on for years and years. Would it ever stop? It seemed doubtful. Then on night a strange thing happened. The casket was making its regular rounds through the cemetery at the stroke of midnight, when the casket came upon still another victim. A leprechaun, of all things. Well, thought the monster peering from his casket, here's a leprechaun I can take care of in short order. Out popped the monster from his casket. he carried on something fierce. Was the tricky little leprechaun frightened? You bet your boots he was. But the determined little leprechaun wasn't about to be scared off by this ghostly monster. Not on our life. The leprechaun was going to out-smart the monster. The leprechaun raised himself up to his full two-foot, seven inch height -- he was a real shorty - and with one mighty blow.. what did he do? Did the leprechaun strike the monster square i nthe stomach? No. Did the leprechaun kick the monster in the shins? No. Did the leprechaun clobber the monster over the head? Nope. The brave little leprechaun-- with one mighty blow-- blew out the monster's candle. That did it. Without his candle, the monster had had it. The monster vanished in a puff of smoke. From that midnight on, no one ever saw the walking casket again. Everyone was happy!
  Author: n/a
  
• Streets and Alleys :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large Group) In this game, players line up in parallel lines arms length apart, forming rows by holding out their arms. These are streets. Alleys are formed when everyone turns to the right. The leader calls out streets or alleys. There is an "it" and someone being chased throughout the streets and alleys. The leader calls out either streets or alleys. When the command is given, the players that are streets and alleys turn according to the direction. There can be more than one pair of "its" and chasees running through the streets and alleys.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• The Story :
  Mixer - (For older group, 8-10 people)- To begin "The Story," have all group members sit in a circle. Figure out a way for all people to have a word-a person, place, or thing-that will be their word for the game. (Words can be assigned on the spot by a leader, chosen ahead of time, drawn out of a hat-good way to correlate with a theme for the event. ) The leader will ask for a volunteer or begin a story himself. Each person will take a turn adding on to the story, the only requirement being that they use their word in the allotted amount of time (10-15 seconds or so). The story can progress around the circle or players could toss a ball to others to indicate who will share next. When everyone has had a turn or if things begin to go awry, the leader can put an end on the story or begin again or start "Chapter Two" to change focus.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• This is my Nose :
  Mixer - Any Sized Group) Have the kids wander around and find a partner. When you encounter someone you point to some part of your body (say you point to your nose) and say that it is your ear. Then the other person has to respond by pointing to their ear and saying it is their nose. You can also point to a body part and call it the correct thing to try to trip them up. When someone messes up, you move on to another partner.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Tick Tock :
  Co-op - Use the same idea as Bumpers up. Only this time the person is rocked like a pendulum between two people, one in front of them, one behind.
  Author: n/a
  
• Toilet Paper :
  Mixer - (Small Group) The leader tells each group member to take as much toilet paper as they need when they normally go to the rest room or alternatively the leader can just silently pass the roll around letting the kids draw their own conclusions. After everyone has taken some, the leader says "for each strip of paper, you have to tell something about yourself." (Can also be played with M&Ms or the candy stash the kids bring with them to camp.)
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Toilet Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) Basically a game of freeze tag, except when you freeze you assume the position of a toilet. To unfreeze you someone has to come sit on your knee and flush you.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Tug of War :
  High Energy - (Medium to Large Group) Separate the group into two teams. Use a long, strong rope that has a bandana or some other marking to mark the middle. Set up cones a couple of feet away from the center. Whichever group can pull the bandana across the cone boundary first, wins. Be careful of rope burns.
  Materials: Strong rope.
  Author: n/a
  
• Upset the Ark :
  High Energy - (Small to Medium Group) This game is sort of like I've Never. The group (except for one person) forms a circle and sits in chairs or pairs up and hooks elbows with their partner and forms a circle. The leader assigns each person an animal: giraffe, lion, or elephant (or whatever). The person in the middle introduces themselves to the group then says, "I like ____ (giraffes, lions, or elephants)." Everybody who is that animal must find a new chair or a new partner. The middle person also has the option of introducing himself or herself and shouting "Upset the Ark." If the middle person does this, then everybody (as in, all the animals) has to find a new chair or partner.
  Materials: Chairs.
  Author: Kristin Law
  
• Vampire Tag :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) The leader should find a safe area for people to walk around in with their eyes closed. At the beginning of the game the leader designates one person as the vampire and instructs everyone to walk around with their eyes closed and their arms in front of them like a zombie. If they are the vampire and they collide with someone they should scream. If they aren't the vampire they don't scream. If a vampire and a non-vampire collide then the non-vampire becomes a vampire. If two vampires collide then they cancel each other out and cease to be vampires. Watch out for Jr. High boys walking around with their arms stretched out at chest level.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Vegetable :
  Mixer (Small Group) The youth sit in a circle. Go around the circle with each person naming off a vegetable, none of which can be repeated. After this, one person begins by saying their vegetable twice and the name of another person's vegetable twice. The person whose vegetable was called repeats the process. The trick to this game is that once your vegetable is called you cannot show your teeth. Once you have said the names of the vegetables, you are then allowed to show your teeth.
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Water Balloon Volleyball :
  High Energy - (Medium Group) Organize the participants into two teams where everyone has a partner. Between each pair they should hold a towel so that they can catch and throw water balloons in it. Proceed with volleyball.
  Materials: Double the amount of water balloons than there are kids, Towels for each pair.
  Author: n/a
  
• What's in my Frying Pan? :
  Mind Game - There are many ways to play this and many different names it goes by. It is basically just variations on a theme. You create a rule, like double letters, and the kids have to guess what the rule is. You'd ask them "What's in my frying pan". If they respond with "eggs", you'd tell them they are right, if they said bacon, they would be wrong. Other Names: Bobby's World, Going to the Beach.
  Author: n/a
  
• Who's Triangle Is It? :
  Mind Game -(Click Click Boom, or: Squirt, Squirt)- The leader should point to the noses of three people in the group saying, "There's a triangle that goes from my nose, to bob's nose, and then to Sally's nose. Who's triangle is it?" The triangle belongs to whom ever talks first.
  Author: n/a
  
• Willow in the Wind :
  Co-op - Have your group stand in a circle except for one person. They stand in the center of the circle and lean back with their eyes closed and their arms crossed in front of their chest. The person in the middle must keep their feet firmly planted and their body straight. The other youth catch the person in the center and gently push him or her around the circle. The center person then becomes the 'willow' that is blown around in the wind. The game requires a lot of trust and a tight circle.
  Author: n/a
  
• Wizards and Gelflings :
  Tag - (Medium to Large Group) Another freeze tag type of game. "It" is the wizard. Everybody else are gelflings. If a gelfling gets tagged, he/she has to freeze and throw his/her hands up in the air while they yell in an annoying, high pitched voice- "Help me little gelflings!!! Help me!!" To 'unfreeze' them. Two gelflings have to link hands around them and circle twice (saying in the same little voice) "You're free!, You're free!."
  Materials: None.
  Author: n/a
  
• Zipper :
  Co-op - Have the kids line up in the same way they do for the Cookie Oven, only have them stand arm length apart. Set one kid at one end. After running through the contract, have the kid run through the line. The arms parting just before the runner gets to them. Make sure the kids don't clothesline each other!!
  Author: n/a