Have a blank flip chart or sheets of newsprint prepared with all the letters of the alphabet from A to Z. Ask participants to fill in a holiday word or phrase that starts with each letter. Here are examples for you to use. Give bonus points for the letters Q, U, V, and Z.

A. Angels
B. Bells
C. Candy Canes, candles, cranberries
D. Deck the Halls ,doves
E. Elves, Eggnog, Eight Maids a Milking
F. Food, Frankincense, five golden rings, four calling birds
G. Garland, Goose
H. Holly
I. Incense
J. Jingle Bells
K. Kwanzaa
L. Logs – as in Yule
M. Mistletoe, Menorah, Mir
N. Noel
O. Ornaments
P Peace on Earth, Partridge in a pear tree.
Q. Quiet
R Ribbons, Reindeers
S. Silent Night, Seven Swans a Swimming, Six geese a laying, Shoes, Sleigh, Santa
T. Trim, Turkey, two turtle doves, three French hens
U.
V. Venison
W. Wreaths
X. X-mas
Y. Yule tide
Z.

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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Introduction
This is a classic game that has been around for ages. The key prop for this game is an orange. Oranges, along with apples, nuts, and other fruits were the original Christmas Tree Ornaments. For many families, an orange in the Christmas stocking is still an important Christmas tradition. Oranges are also a common treat in Asia, especially around Chinese New Year when they represent prosperity for the New Year.

Game Description
Participants must pass an orange down a line of participants using only their chins.

Game Materials
A single orange for each team… you might want to have a few extra for eating afterward!

Game Preparation
None

Game Play

1. Divide the group into teams of about 5-10 persons of an almost equal guy-girl ratio. There can be an extra guy or girl for odd numbered teams.
2. Teams must stand in line, one behind the other (arranged boy, girl, boy,… or girl, boy.girl…).
3. Give the person at the front of each team an orange which he or shee must tuck under his/ her chin.
4. The orange must be passed to the next person, using only the chins. The use of hands is strictly forbidden.
5. When the orange gets to the last person, they must run to the front of the line (without dropping the orange) to win!

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

Introduction
Use this Christmas Party game involving the popular Christmas tune “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to raise the energy level and get everyone involved.

Game Description
Participants will stand up when the “Twelve Days of Christmas” verse corresponding to their birthday month is sung or heard.

Game Materials

• Song: “The 12 days of Christmas” (Can be sung or played)
• Chairs for each participant.

Game Preparation
None needed

Game Play

• Explain that Each of the “Twelve days of Christmas” corresponds to a month of the year. (For example: First day = January, Second day = February, Third day = March, etc.
• When the verse corresponding to a person’s birthday month is sung or heard, they must stand up. When the verse is finished they must sit down. They must also stand up whenever the gift for that day is sung in the chorus.
• Once you get a few verses into the song, you have people popping up and down like crazy. Great to get the energy up. By the end of the song EVERYONE is involved!
• Add a little more life by requiring participants to sing loudly for their verse and the mention of the gift in the chorus.

Take it to the Next Level
Like many Christian traditions, the secular is often mingled with the spiritual. Sometimes meanings are lost. Sometimes the meaning is revised as we get further and further away from the historical events that inspired them. While Christmas and December 25th is almost certainly NOT the actual date of Christ’s birth, it is an opportunity to celebrate the fact that Christ the Savior was sent to us more than 2000 years ago. God came down, and because of his birth, death, and resurrection our lives are forever changed. Because of his birth and what he did, we can be born again. God became flesh and suffered on the cross that we might receive a new birth and be reconciled with God. It doesn’t matter when you were born, you can be born again today if you will accept Christ into your heart.

To Note
Contrary to some stories circulating around the internet, the song is very unlikley to be a symbol or metaphor for he basic tenets of the Christian faith. Click here for for details.

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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Before the Game

• Put safety first. One preventable accident can ruin your whole day (and even the entire event!) Troubleshoot what could go wrong and try to put protections in place to prevent accidents and injuries.
• Try out the game yourself first to check that it works, so that you can check timings, confirm the necessary materials, and to ensure you can answer any questions that arise about the game play.
• Become proficient yourself first with any team games that you intend to use. This includes anyone helping you in the running of a game.
• Make sure all game instructions are clear and complete – essential for keeping control and credibility. Factor the time for instructions for the game play. Part of being prepared for a game is knowing how to explain it quickly.
• You can simplify, adapt, shorten or lengthen most games. To turn a long complex game into a quick activity or warm-up, scale down the materials, shorten the time allowed, and make the exercise easier.
• Always bring spare materials and equipment to allow for more people and breakages or loss.
• Plan your activities to move easily from game to game. For instance, if everyone is seated, then play two or three “sitting” games.
• Plan alternatives and variations and be willing to use them.

During the Game

• Get the attention of the group.
• Stand where everyone can see you. (i.e. Do not stand in the middle of a circle, but stand as part of the circle when giving instructions. If outdoors, make sure you are the one facing the sun.)
• Use other prepared adults as helpers AND participants
• Have a quick tactic planned to divide teams fast. Arrange competing teams so they are equal in strength and skill.
• Start positively and with energy. Say, “We’re going to play a game now!” rather than ask, “Do you want to play a game?” Better yet, just start giving instructions to play.
• Put the group into the correct “position” to play the game before explaining the instructions. Divide into teams, lines, circles, pairs, etc. first. This reduces confusion and allows the group to start playing sooner.
• Clearly explain the games in a step by step manner – Groups will cooperate better if they know what is going to happen.
• Demonstrate what you want them to do. Demonstrate more; talk less!
• Give just enough information to start the game. Do not try to anticipate all possible situations.
• Have a single round as a test round to be sure everyone knows how to play.
• End the game on a high. Stop the game before interest lags. It is better to have people wanting for more. Channel their enthusiasm to the next planned activity.
• Remember that the game leader may always stop the game and modify the rules if the need arises. Change the rules to meet the situation.
• Encourage players with positive feedback. Communicate honest acceptance.
• If there is something missing, improvise.
• Learn to use whatever materials are available.
• If you’re leading a game … STEP ASIDE so that participants can see each other and enjoy what is happening.
• There are times when well-planned, well-executed games do not work. Be willing to acknowledge a flop and move on. If it’s not fun or meaningful, stop!
• Don’t take yourself or your games too seriously.

Avoid

• Hot Seat Games that will produce group enjoyment at the expense of an individual.
• Games that are culturally biased and may alienate players.
• Games that require expertise and may divide the group into those who are confident and those who are
• not.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Introduction
Do we live life looking to what lies ahead or looking back?

Game Description
Students will navigate across a room looking into a mirror.

Game Materials

• Hand held mirrors (or better – rear view mirrors from a car)
• Obstacles

Game Preparation
Place obstacles randomly distributed around the the game play area

Game Play
Everyone must walk BACKWARDS from one side of the area to the other using only mirrors to see. You can do this as a relay race between teams or as individual participants.

Variations
Allow someone else to hold the mirror while a participant races forward.

Take it to the next level

• Was it difficult to move forward while looking backward? Why?
• What are some of the difficulties faced when we are focused on looking back?
• How is this activity similar to focusing on our past and future?
• What lessons can we learn?

Debrief
If you have ever driven a car, you can glance from time to time in the rear view mirror. As we move forward we regularly glance at it to keep us aware of what is behind us. The past makes us more knowledgeable and wiser. And in that regard, the past is good. But if you spend all your time looking in the rear view mirror you are sure to meet a disaster ahead. The same is true with life. We can learn some incredible lessons from looking back to the past. Someone has said that if you refuse to look to the past you are doomed to repeat it’s errors. We can learn from the past to avoid making mistakes ahead. But past failures can also prevent us from moving forward and sometimes we have difficulty seeing beyond those failures to a brighter future.

The past can be good or bad.. We can be content with our past accomplishments as easily as we can live with regret for our past mistakes. We can look back to reproduce the success we have experienced. But we cannot be content living in the past with past successes. We will never grow and move forward.

“Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” —Luke 9:62, NIV

If you have ever mowed the grass with a lawnmower and then looked back, you’ll discover that you have often mowed in a crooked line. The key to mowing a straight line is to look ahead to a target or goal and move toward it. When you are mowing the lawn it is not so bad, because you can correct it by mowing over your mistake. When plowing a field, things are different. If you have plowed a crooked furrow in the field, you have to keep plowing crooked furrows to match your first rows. A person who plows has to keep his eyes fixed straight ahead on a goal or he’ll mess up the whole field.

Paul said: “…One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Paul chose the call of God in Christ as his goal to fix his eyes upon. With our eyes fixed upon Christ we will be able to keep our life straight. Don’t focus on the Past! Look ahead! Look to Christ!

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Introduction
This is a high energy elimination game for Valentine’s Day where one couple is eliminated from play each round until there is only one couple left.

Game Description
Every time the Valentine’s day music stops, participant must pair up with their designated partner.

Game Materials

• Valentine’s Day Music – Use a few romantic tunes or famous love songs.
• Large open area for people to mingle.

Game Setup

1. All girls must stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle facing outward.
2. All the guys form a circle around them, with each guy facing his chosen partner (Valentine).
3. Make adjustments so that the inner and outer circles contain an equal number of people.
4. Girls and guys must take note of their Valentine as they will need to find each other again every time the music stops.

Game Play

1. Staying in a circle, the girls begin walking clockwise.
2. The guys walk counterclockwise, also maintaining their circle around the girls.
3. When the music stops and the leader calls out “Lovebirds on a perch”, both circles stop and the Valentine’s Day couples must immediately move to find their partners.
4. The guy must get down on one knee with the other knee extended so that the girl may sit on it. The slowest couple to assume the “Lovebird on a perch” position is eliminated.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Description
This is the traditional scavenger hunt where participants are given a list of items to retrieve and bring back within a designated time limit. The Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt consists of a list of the Valentine’s Day related objects and some rules. Variations may allow photos of an object to replace the actual object or creative substitutions. The rules may forbid the purchase of items or restrict the participants from going to their own homes or malls to collect items. Various points are assigned to the objects based upon the difficulty necessary to obtain them.

Resources
Valentine’s Day List for each team.

Preparation

• Make a photocopy of your list of items and rules for each team.
• Set a time for groups to be back then send them off to collect the items.
• Assign one adult as camera man / sponsor to be attached to each team.

Protecting Participants

1. Don’t let any youth drive – put adults in charge and don’t allow horseplay on the roads like “Chinese fire drills”. Make sure everyone wears seat-belts or take major points away if they are caught on film without them on. You could also conduct the scavenger hunt on foot. You don’t want a participant killed while speeding during your scavenger hunts.
2. Participants must obey all laws and instructions from sponsors
3. Limit the play area and place people at strategic locations if needed to ensure the safety of participants.
4. Make sure each group has a mobile phone and contact numbers for emergency.

Sample Rules

• Only one object will be counted for each item on the list.
• 500 points off for each minute after the deadline you are late.
• Words written on paper or drawings will not be counted if used instead of a place or object.
• Be respectful in everything you do.
• Stay with your sponsor at all times and obey him/ her.
• No collaborating with other teams.
• Winners will be announced after the items are tabulated.

What to do

1. Divide everyone into two or more groups and give them a time limit with which to find the items on the list.
2. The first group that returns with the all the items or the most items on the list within the limited time wins.

Suggested Valentine’s Day Items
Heart shaped balloon, Chocolate Candies, Chocolate Kiss, Red Ribbon, Red Rose, Red Carnation, Italian Dinner Menu, Cupid, Valentine’s Day Card, Something with the words “Be Mine” written on it, Candle, Calendar with Valentine’s Day on it, Red Arrow, Heart pendant, love letter written more than a year ago, Lovebird, Passion fruit, Poetry on love, Sweetheart cup, DVD movie where some is serenaded, CD with a Love Song, Red and white Stuffed Animal, Honey, Valentine’s Day Candy Heart, matching rings, wedding invitation, Wine bottle, Red Dress, Something made from lace

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

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Game Description
Can you guess the number of Valentine Candy Hearts in the bottle?

Game Materials
A glass jar filled with Valentine Candy Hearts.

Game Preparation
Count the number of Valentine Candy hearts as you put them into the glass jar.

Game Play

1. Pass the jar around as everyone is arriving and ask them to write their name and their guess at the number of Valentine Candy Hearts contained in the jar.
2. At the end of your Valentine’s Day party, give a prize to the person who’s guess is closest to the correct number.

Introduction
How high can you stack your pile of valentine candy hearts?

Game Description
In this game for a Valentine Party event, participants will try to stack a box of valentine candy hearts as high as possible. It’s not as easy as it may seem!

Game Materials

• One small box of Valentine candy hearts candy for each team. (These are the heart shaped candies with phrases like “Be Mine”, “Love”, “Kiss Me” and other Valentine’s Day phrases printed on them.)
• A timer or stopwatch

Game Preparation

1. Divide the Valentine’s Day party participants into teams.
2. Give each team a box of Valentine candy hearts.

Game Play – What to do

1. Announce the objective – to build the tallest tower using only the Valentine’s Day candy hearts you have been given. At the end of the time, the group with the tallest standing tower will win! (30 seconds to one minute should be sufficient)
2. Start the timer. Teams will rush to build their towers. But often they will get greedy and the towers will come tumbling down. Some teams may choose to stop and allow the time to run out. Others may keep going until the last minute. If a tower falls they can start over again.
3. When the timer runs out, the team with the tallest standing tower is awarded the prize.

Variations

• Play as couples or as girls against guys!
• Play such that each person, in turn must add a single heart to the tower.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Location
This game can be played on a basketball court, a soccer field, tennis court, street soccer field, or any open space. It is easiest on a field or playing space that has line markers. To create a custom sized field outdoors, use stakes and string to mark the field into rows. Also set a goal marker on each end. Indoors you can use masking tape to tape the string to the floor in lines. It also makes a nice beach game using a large beach volleyball. Just draw your lines in the sand!

Energy level
High

Description
Played like foosball (also known as table soccer) this game is a less strenuous form of soccer that almost anyone can play.

Resources
soccer ball or kickball (To slow the game down a little and made it easier to play, use a large beach volleyball field

Preparation
If the field is not marked off into lines do so in such a way that there is one goalie for each team and the other players are evenly distributed across the field. Players must stay within their marked off boundary. The more narrow the field, the less they will have to run from side to side.

What to Do

1. Divide the group into two teams.
2. Allocate the area between lines on the field so that the players are evenly distributed across the field with 2 or three players inside each area. Alternate areas between teams. All of the members of one team face toward the opposing team’s goal. (see diagram to the right) Rows can be very close or several feet apart, depending on the size of the chosen field area.
3. Players may move freely to the right or to the left, but they may not move forward or backward at any time. Players must remain inside their designated area between the two lines.
4. Play and score the game just like regular foosball. A point is scored for each time the beach ball or balloon goes over the opposing team’s goal-line or hits the wall.
5. If a ball is kicked out of bounds, it is tossed back into the game by any player.
6. A coin toss decides the 1st serve.
7. The goalie on the serving team tosses the ball into play with his hands.
8. Other players try to kick the ball into the opponents goal.
9. If a player steps out of his boundary box, the ball goes to the opposing team.
10. If a goal is scored, the team last scored upon gets the serve.
11. The opposing team also gets to serve after a ball is out of play, or after a neutral dead ball.
12. You can decide whether the goalie can use hands or not to block goals. Use of hands makes it much easier to block.
13. The first team to score 10 goals wins.

Variations

• For an indoor foosball variation using balloons and chairs see Air Foosball
• Use your table soccer / foosball table for this lesson.

Take It to the Next Level

• What is our goal as a church (or youth group / cell group)
• In our group, each of us has areas of responsibility. Sometimes these areas are shared. Our area of responsibility will be based on God’s calling, his gifts, and even our personal interests. Whenever something falls into our area, we are responsible for handling it. What is the result of someone not handling their area in this game? How does it affect others on the team? How is this similar or different to the body of Christ?
• In our own group, do we ever step into other people’s areas of responsibility? Why do we do so? What are some of the possible consequences of stepping into other people’s areas of responsibility? (They don’t have the opportunities to develop their own gifts and skills for ministry, we may neglect our own area, we burn out, we lose focus)
• What are some of the areas we need to cover in order to achieve our goal or goals as a group?
• What do you see as an area you can take responsibility for in our group? Why do you see yourself in this area? How will serving in this area help you to grow and develop your own gifts?

Action Point
Find your area and commit to covering that so that as a group we can achieve our goals!

Scripture
I Corinthians 12 – The Body of Christ

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Location
Anywhere

Energy level
Low

Description
“Can you find someone who…..?” Played with a simple list or laid out in a 5×5 Bingo grid, the object of this Christmas game / Christmas Icebreaker is to get someone at the Christmas Party to sign for each item according to the stated Christmas related criteria.

Resources
Paper and pencil for each person, Timer

Preparation
Make a list of Christmas related characteristics and statements that could be true of someone at the Christmas Party. You might also want to personalize it with very specific characteristics of some of the Christmas Party participants you already know. You can also lay it out on a B I N G O format. A 4×4 grid or a 5×5 grid works well. The objective is to fill all the spaces in a row, column or diagonal or blackout (All spaces full).

Here are some simple Christmas related possibilities.

• Born closest to Christmas Day
• Can burp to the tune of “Jingle Bells”
• Has received Socks for a Christmas gift.
• Has started Christmas shopping already.
• Has a real Christmas Tree
• Has sat on Santa’s lap before
• Likes to drink eggnog at Christmas
• Has never been ice skating
• Is wearing something red
• Has built a snowman
• Hums or sings along with Christmas Carols
• Has gone Christmas caroling
• Has more fun giving than receiving gifts at Christmas
• Love peppermint candy canes
• Would rather have ham than turkey at Christmas dinner
• Has placed a star or angel atop a Christmas Tree
• Has sent someone a Christmas card
• Has a Christmas stocking
• Likes snow
• Doesn’t mind getting clothes as Christmas gifts
• Likes to go Christmas caroling
• Can recite the first two lines of “the Night before Christmas”
• Still hasn’t finished Christmas shopping.
• Knows what’s s/he’s getting for Christmas.
• Plans to return at least one Christmas gift.
• Knows all of the names of Santa’s reindeer.
• ETC. ADD YOUR OWN

What to Do

1. Hand out the Christmas People Bingo worksheet you have prepared and a pen to each person at the Christmas Party.
2. Set the timer for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the group and how much time you have available in your Christmas party schedule.
3. Explain to the group that they will have 15 to 20 minutes to mix around and find different people that meet each of the descriptions on their Christmas worksheet.
4. In order to fill the spaces they need to find another person who matches one of the Christmas related qualities or facts listed and then have them sign their name on the appropriate square. Each person may only sign one square per sheet
5. Once a person has been identified they are to have that person fill in their name in the appropriate box. Emphasize to the group that they can not have the same person fill in more than 1 description in the Christmas Bingo grid
6. The first person to finish the Christmas Bingo should bring it to you to mark for scoring.
7. This Christmas Party game can continue until the allotted time is complete because it is common for some of the answers to be disqualified.
8. When the timer goes off, check the winner’s Christmas Bingo sheet for accuracy. The person with the most correct answers wins.
9. You might wish to consider having multiple prizes in case there is more than 1 winner.

Variation
Instead of preparing the list of Christmas related descriptions in advance, have the students at your Christmas Party create the list. “I want to find someone who….” Put all the items on a large sheet of paper or on a white board and have students number their papers and get the name beside each number.

Take It to the Next Level

• As you were mingling around during the Christmas People Bingo icebreaker do you think we have more things in common with each other than you expected? Why or why not?
• Which is more important, the things we share or the things that differentiate us? Explain.
• Are differences a strength or a weakness? Explain.
• How do all these interesting little Christmas related facts help to build relationships?
• Why is it important to know a little more about others in the group?

Action Point
It is interesting to see how many things we have in common with others while we also are so different. Most of the time in relationships, it is a matter of perspective as to whether we want to focus on the things we share in common or the differences. Choose someone you met today to form a closer relationship with this Christmas that will last into the new year!

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

Location
Indoor

Energy Level
Low

Description
Can you identify the person humming the Christmas Carol?

Resources
• A list of Christmas Carols
• A blindfold

Preparation
None

What to Do

1. Participants stand in a circle.
2. Someone is blindfolded and stands in the center of the circle.
3. The participants move slowly around the circle singing a chosen Christmas carol, rotating around the blindfolded person in the center.
4. Whoever is in the center of the circle can call “stop” at any time.
5. When the blindfolded person yells stop, the circle comes to a halt but the participants keep singing the Christmas Carol.
6. While still blindfolded, the person in the center of the circle then points to one of the participants in the outside circle and everyone else immediately stop singing.
7. The person who has been pointed at must continue to hum the melody.
8. The blindfolded person then tries to attempt to guess the name of the one who is humming.
9. If he or she is successful they exchange places otherwise the game continues.

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

Game Description
This Christmas Party game can be used with small or large groups. The key objective is to remember a long and growing list of Christmas related items.

Game Materials
No materials required.

Game Preparation
Choose a phrase for the youth to complete…

• “All I want for Christmas is….”
• “My best Christmas gift ever was…”
• “My favorite thing about Christmas is…”
• “If I could do anything this Christmas I….”

 

Game Play

1. Sit everyone in a circle. (You can also play this as a family around the Christmas Tree)
2. Start the game by saying, the chosen phrase (i.e. “All I want for Christmas is….”) then add an item you would love to have for… (i.e. “A doll”)
3. The next player must repeat what is said and then add something they are wishing for. (“All I want for Christmas is a doll and a PSP….”)
4. Each player in sequence must repeat the previous responses in the exact same order then add one of their own.
5. Players cannot add something that is already mentioned in the list.
6. If a player makes a mistake, he or she is eliminated from the game
7. The game continues around the circle until only 1 person is left.

 

Variation
When someone makes a mistake, you can choose to start over with a new list of items or continue around the circle with the same list.

Take it to the Next Level

“All I want for Christmas is….”
“My best Christmas gift ever was…”

• Is Christmas more about giving or receiving?
• What would the result be if you got what you asked for?
• Is it good to get everything we ask for? Why or why not?
• When you make out your Christmas gift, which is first priority – Who you want to give presents to, or what you want to get?
• What was the best gift you ever got for Christmas?
• What was the best gift you ever gave for Christmas? Why?

 

“My favorite thing about Christmas is…”
“If I could do anything this Christmas I….”

• What are some of your family traditions at Christmas?
• What are some of your most precious memories of Christmas? Why?
• For you, what is the true meaning of Christmas?
• What is it that makes Christmas Special?

 

Take It Spiritual

• Why are gift such an important part of Christmas around the world?
• How was Christ a gift to us?
• Why was Christ, such a special gift?
• The wisemen brought Gold, Frankincense and myrrh to the Christ child. What was the significance of these gifts?
• If you could present Jesus with any gift, what would you give to him? Why?
• What are some of the ways we could present gifts to Jesus today?

 

Action Point
Reserve a special Christmas gift for Jesus this year. You could present it to your church, to a need child, to charity, or you could do something special for someone in the name of Christ!

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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Description
Can you make the most words using the letters in the word Thanksgiving?

Resources

• Timer
• paper and pen for each participant

 

Game Play
Participants are to create as many little words as possible before the timer runs out using only the letters in the word “Thanksgiving”.

Whoever gets the most words wins!

Partial Wordlist
ag, agin, aging, against, agist, ah, aah, ahi, ai, ain, ayin, ait, akin, an, angst, ani, ankh, ant, anti, as, ash, ask, asking, at, gain, gaining, gainst, gait, gan, gas, gash, gaskin, gast, gat, gating, ghast, ghat, ghi, giant, gin, gink, gist, git, gnash, gnashing, gnat, ha, hag, haik, haint, hang, hanging, hank, hant, has, hast, hasting, hat, hating, having, hi, hin, hint, his, hisn, hist, hit, ikat, in, ink, inn, is, it, its, ka, kain, kas, kat, khan, khat, khi, ki, kiang, kin, kina, king, kist, kit, kith, kiva, knight, knish, knit, kvas, na, nag, nah, nigh, night, nit, nth, sag, sain, saint, saith, saki, sang, sangh, sank, sat, sati, satin, sating, savin, saving, sh, sha, shag, shaking, shank, shanty, shaving, shin, shining, shiv, shiva, shtik, si, sigh, sight, sighting, sign, signing, signa, sika, sin, sing, singing, sinh, sink, sinking, sit, sith, ska, skag, skat, skating, ski, skiing, skin, skint, skit, snag, snath, snit, stag, staging, staig, stain, staining, stang, stank, sting, stinging, stink, stinking, ta, tag, tain, takin, taking, tan, tang, tank, task, tasking, tav, than, thank, thanking, thin, thing, think, thinking, this, ti, tin, ting, tsk, vagi, vain, van, vang, vanish, vanishing, vas, vast, vast, vat, via, vig, viga, vina, vis, visa, vista, vita

Variation
Only allow words for which the participants know the meaning.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Game Description
This Thanksgiving Party game can be used with small or large groups. The key objective is to remember a long and growing list of Thanksgiving related items.

Game Materials
No materials required.

Game Preparation
Choose a phrase for the youth to complete…
“This thanksgiving, I am thankful for….”

While the applications would not apply, you could also use:
“At Thanksgiving Dinner, I ate…”
“My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is…”

Game Play

1. Sit everyone in a circle. (You can also play this as a family around the Thanksgiving Dinner table)
2. Start the game by saying, the chosen phrase (i.e. “This Thanksgiving I am thankful for….”) then add something you are thankful for… (i.e. “my health”)
3. The next player must repeat what is said and then add something they are thankful for. (This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my health and my parents.”)
4. Each player in sequence must repeat the previous responses in the exact same order then add one of their own.
5. Players cannot add something that is already mentioned in the list.
6. If a player makes a mistake, he or she is eliminated from the game
7. The game continues around the circle until only 1 person is left.

Variation
When someone makes a mistake, you can choose to start over with a new list of items or continue around the circle with the same list.

Take it to the Next Level

• What it easy or difficult to think of new things you were thankful for?
• Were there some things mentioned by people that were a surprise to you?
• Were there things in the list that were mentioned by other people, but that you were NOT thankful for?
• If you played this game every day, do you think your answers would change?
• If you played this game every day, do you think your life would be different? Your perspective?

Take it Spiritual

• Why is an attitude of gratefulness, of thankfulness important?
• How does an attitude of Thankfulness change us? What effect does it have on the way we approach life and other people?
• How can you cultivate the habit of being thankful in your own life?

Looking for some icebreakers that also lead into great discussions and “take things to the next level”? My eBook, “IceBreakers Ahead: Take It to the Next Level” found at http://www.creativeicebreakers.com not only provides 52 of the most world’s popular group icebreaker activities, but also includes life changing lesson ideas and questions to smoothly transition into discussions about issues common to most groups.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Introduction
Freedom of worship is not available in many nations. In fact, like the early church there are many places where the church is persecuted and Christians are not allowed to meet together publicly. Sometimes called “Communist church”, I prefer to call it persecuted church because communist countries are not the only places where the church is persecuted!

Game Description
Youth try to find the church without getting caught!

Game Materials
Flashlight and large church or educational compound. This game works best in a school or church with numerous rooms and with limited access in and out of the building. Camps work great too! It is best at night and with the lights off. There is a great little video you can use as an introduction at http://www.vimeo.com/219359

Game Preparation

1. Shut the doors to all the rooms in the building.
2. Lock selected doors and those in which youth should not enter for safety or other reasons. Unlocked doors are free to be entered by the youth.
3. Switch on a flashlight and place it in one of the open rooms, shining, but not in an obvious way. Most importantly it should not be visible from outside the room or so bright than if the door was opened it would be obvious it was there. It is best to put it in a cardboard box, shine it into a can, or cover it with a cloth so that the light is muted. The light should only be discoverable if you are really looking hard for it… i.e. it should be VERY DIFFICULT to find!

Game Play

1. The flashlight represents the church. The objective for the youth is to find the light.
2. When a youth finds the light, they are not allowed to touch it or move it, but must hide in the same room so that no one knows they are there. If someone new enters the room they must remain hidden and not reveal themselves in any way.
3. The game ends when 10 people find the light and are in the same room.
4. Leaders must patrol the building hallways, but are not allowed to enter the rooms. Their role is to catch the youth or tag them while they are in the hallways.
5. If a youth is tagged by a leader, they must go quietly and be escorted out of the building and locked out. One door to the building will be unlocked at all times but that door will change frequently. Regularly lock and unlock doors to the building. Youth must find their way back into the building.

Discussion
Great for a discussion on religious persecution!

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Place a chocolate rabbit in the center of a large circle. Players are each given one Easter egg and must stand just outside the circle. The objective is for them to take turns rolling their egg towards the chocolate rabbit in the center of the circle. The egg which gets the closest to the rabbit without touching it gets the chocolate rabbit. If they touch the rabbit, or break their egg, they are disqualified!

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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If you have ever played the online game, text twist, then you will know that the objective of that game is to make as many words as you can from the letters provided. In this variation as an Easter game, the letters used are the letters in the word “Easter.” It’s great for those events when you need a “paper and pencil” activity or a game that requires minimal physical activity. Participants can be divided into groups for more fun.

Here are the words that can be made from the letters in the word “Easter”:
are, art, ate, ear, eat, era, ere, rat, ret, sat, sea, see, ser, set, tae, tar, tea, tee, arte, arts, ears, ease, east, eats, eras, etas, rate, rats, rest, sate, sear, seat, seer, sera, sere, seta, star, tare, tars, tear, teas, tees, tree, tsar, aster, easer, eater, erase, ester, rates, reset, setae, stare, steer, tares, tears, tease, terse, trees, eaters, reseat, teaser

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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Introduction
Use this Easter game as an introduction to the empty tomb and Christ’s resurrection

Game Description
Kids will play a game where they must either be inside the tomb or outside. The leader tries to get the players to miss a jump by pointing to outside as they call out “in”, by repeating the same command, and/or changing the pace.

Game Materials
Circle of string big enough to accommodate the entire group

Game Preparation
Make a circle of string in the middle of the room. (Alternatively you can have several circles for an odd shaped room.

Game Play

1. Have the kids scatter about the room, some inside the circle or outside.
2. Yells “out of the tomb” or “in the tomb”.
3. The children must the jump “in” the circle or jump “out” of the circle based upon the instruction given.
4. If the children jump in the wrong direction or don’t jump to the other side when it’s a valid command, they are out of the game.
5. The last player in, wins the game.

Variation
As the game continues, shrink the circle on occasion so that not everyone can fit inside!

Discussion
In this game you might gotten confused about whether is was inside or outside. The disciples had the same confusion on Easter morning. Was Jesus in the tomb or out of the tomb? Its a question many people are still asking today! Scripture tells us he was no longer in the tomb. Jesus has Risen! We don’t need to be confused anymore.

Closing Application
Do you believe Jesus has risen and is no longer in the tomb? Have you placed your faith in Christ so that you also can rise with him in the future resurrection?

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

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Introduction
This variation of charades began as a TV show in which participants drew illustrations of the phrases in order for team members to guess the correct phrase. For a New Year’s Party Game, use events from the past year for items. You can still use the typical categories of charades like TV shows, Movies, books etc, but use those that were released in the previous 12 months!

Game Description
Participants split into teams of 6 or more members and try to guess the events from the illustrations that are drawn.

Game Materials
You will also need large white sheets of paper or a whiteboard and colored whiteboard markers.

Game Preparation
You will need to create a list of items relating to events, and things that were done within the past 12 months. For inspiration look to the internet, the newspaper, magazines, etc. Print them on slips of paper and put them in a bag to be drawn from during the game.

Game Play

1. Divide players into two teams.
2. High die roll decides which team will play first.
3. The first team selects a Sketcher; all other first team players are then the Guessers. The sketcher must rotate so that everyone is required to sketch a clue before someone can go again.
4. Each time a new sketcher begins, he must draw a new name or phrase.
5. The Sketcher then announces the category of the name or phrase to be sketched. For example: Books, TV Shows, etc. and begins drawing.
6. A timer is used… an hourglass can be used or a 1 minute timer. (The opposing team keeps track of the time limit.)
7. As one team sketches and guesses a name or phrase, the opposing team watches.
8. As the Sketcher sketches, the Sketcher’s teammates start shouting out what they think is being drawn. Players can guess as many times as they want. Guessing is NOT done in turn!
9. If part of a name or phrase is guessed correctly, the sketcher may write that word next to his sketch.
10. If the Sketcher’s team guesses correctly before the timer is emptied, the Sketcher’s team gets one point and marks the score on a separate sheet of paper. It is now the opposing team’s turn to sketch and guess a new name or phrase from a new card.
11. If the Sketcher’s team does not guess correctly before the timer is emptied, they do not win the point. The opposing team then gets ten seconds to make one guess to win the point. If the opposing team guesses correctly, they win the point and mark the score on a separate sheet of paper. It is then their turn to sketch and guess a new name or phrase from a new card. If the opposing team does not guess correctly, no one wins the point. It is now the opposing team’s turn to sketch and guess a new name or phrase from a new card.
12. Play alternates between teams with each phrase to be sketched.
13. At the end of game play or the end of your clues, the team with the most correct guesses wins!

Sketching Rules

• No letters, words or numbers can be drawn. Symbols such as dollar signs($), arrows, plus signs(+), etc. are acceptable. However, if part of a name or phrase is guessed correctly, you may write that word next to your sketch
• No speaking is allowed while sketching — but you may gesture to indicate whether the guess is close or off-track!
• You may draw an ear to mean “sounds like” and then sketch a rhyming word.

Discussion

• What were the key events in your personal life during the past year?
• What were some of your achievements?
• What dreams and goals did you have? Did you reach them?
• Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of last year? Did you keep them?

Closing Application
What is your vision of what the new year will look like for you? On a separate piece of paper create a picture with symbols and sketches of some things you would like to see in the upcoming year. If you want to, you can share it with someone in the group to help keep you accountable to achieve it, or if it is personal, that is also ok… Seal it away in an envelope and write the date on it. Put it someplace where you can see as a reminder of the resolution you have made for the upcoming year!

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Introduction
Can you predict what will happen in the new year? This little game gives you a chance to give a small party favor (gag gift) to each visitor to your new Year Party and generate a few laughs at the same time.

Game Description
Guest will open up a gift related to a prophecy about their future in the upcoming year.

Game Materials
Numbered Gifts and corresponding clues.

Game Preparation
Wrap the gifts and number them to match the descriptions. Guests will draw out a piece of paper and read the clue and then open the gift with the matching number. Tape the response to the gift inside the wrapped paper.
You can make up your own gag gifts, but here are some suggestions:

1. Clue: “Your wisdom will begin to show”
   Gift: “Black hair dye to cover the gray hairs”
2. Clue: “There will be unexpected revelations in the new year.”
   Gift: “Safety pins for when you have a busted zipper”
3. Clue: “You will be at a loss for words”
   Gift: “Here’s a dictionary so you can find some!”
4. Clue: “You’ll need to wipe away the results of your efforts”
   Gift: “Here’s a roll of toilet paper for a clean break!”
5. Clue: “I expect you will lose more than a few”
   Gift: “Here’s some golf balls to replace the ones you lose”
6. Clue: “Things will move a little too slow for comfort” Gift: Here’s some Chocolate Ex-Lax to make things move a little faster”
7. Clue: “You will be a little short of dough”
   Gift: “Here’s a cookie recipe and cutter”
8. Clue: “Circumstances may be a little bitter”
   Gift: “Here’s some sugar to sweeten things up”
9. Clue: “You will not quite measure up”
   Gift: Here’s a ruler to help”
10. Clue: “With great changes you will need a new yard stick”
    Gift: “Here’s a stick from my yard to help”
11. Clue: “You will need to clean up a mess!”
    Gift: “Here’s a dust pan to make it easier”
12. Clue: “You will need to release a little stress”
    Gift: “Here’s some stress relieving capsules” (Bubble wrap)
13. Clue: “You’ll need a washer and dryer”
    Gift: “Here’s a dual purpose washer or dryer” (hand towel)
14. Clue: “You will discover a great deal”
    Gift: “Here’s a deck of cards to help you learn”
15. Clue: “You will want to take a bubble bath”
    Gift: “Here’s jar of beans. Boil and eat 1 hour in advance for a natural bubble bath.”
16. Clue: “You will need to make some great calculations”
    Gift: “Here’s a pencil – use your head!”
17. Clue: “You will make more than a few mistakes.”
    Gift: “Here’s an eraser for a clean start”
18. Clue: “You will want a bigger paycheck”
    Gift: “Here’s a magnifying glass to help”
19. Clue: “everyone will believe you have lost your marbles!”
    Gift: “Now you have at least a few.” (bag of marbles)
20. Clue: “You will want to pull your hair out in furstration.”
    Gift: “Here’s a wig to hide the bald spots!”

Game Play

1. Guests draw a numbered clue from a bag and read the prophecy aloud.
2. Guest then open the matching gift and show it to everyone while reading the attached response.

Discussion

• What predictions would you like to make for yourself for the next year?
• How can you make those dreams become a reality in your life?

Closing
God’s gifts are no joke.
Read Jeremiah 29:11-14
God says that he has plans for each of us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us! Plans for a hope and a future. How do we discover these plans? He will bring them to pass when we seek him with all our heart!

Introduction
This game provides a reflection on the previous year by requiring participants to remember which month key events of that past one year occurred!

Game Description
Participants can be given photos, objects, newspaper clippings or headlines, as reminders of key events. They must identify the month that event took place.

Game Materials
photos, objects, newspaper clippings or headlines, or other reminders for events that occurred during the past 12 months.

Game Preparation
Go through old newspapers, magazines, or Internet articles from the past year. Make a list of notable things that happened, and the dates that they took place. You can list the events, read headlines, or even show object and photos for key events… You can put them into powerpoint slides and project them for everyone to see or simply call them out and show them any objects.

Game Play

1. Give each player a piece of paper and something to write with.
2. One by one, reveal the events from the past year.
3. Each player must write down what month they believe that event took place.
4. After all the events have all been revealed announce the correct answers and reward the person who had the most correct answers.

Discussion

• What was the most important event for the world in the past year? Why?
• What event will forever be etched in your mind? Why?
• What was the most important thing that happened to you during the past year? Why is it significant?

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Introduction
A traditional New Year’s Tradition is to think of something you want to change in the new year and commit yourself to it. Here are some hints for making an effective New Year’s Resolution:

1. Be realistic by setting achievable goals. Don’t set something as a resolution for which you have no control – like winning a lottery.
2. Describe your resolutions in specific terms. The more detail you provide, the more likely you are to accomplish it. Instead of “I want to improve my health” choose “I will exercise at least once a week!” or “I will only have a maximum of 1 carbonated drink each day.”
3. Break down large goals into smaller ones. For instance, instead of “I want to live a healthier lifestyle”, commit to losing weight by resolving to join a gym and eat at least one healthy meal each day”
4. Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change. If you want to lose weight, but eat to reduce stress, what other ways can you reduce stress?
5. Target things that are truly important to you. Do not choose things you think you ought to do or what others think you should do.

Game Description
Everyone writes New Years Resolutions which are randomly read by particpants. Can you guess who wrote it?

Game Materials
A slip of paper and something to write with for each guest

Game Preparation
Prepare slips of paper for people to write their resolution(s) on

Game Play

1. As each person arrives, give them a piece of paper and ask them to write down a new years resolution (which is not too personal or embarrassing)
2. Put all the new year resolutions in a bowl.
3. Each person must pick one piece of paper out of the bowl.
4. Resolutions are read, one by one and everyone must write down who they think wrote down each new years resolution.
5. The person who correctly guesses the most is the winner.

Variation
Instead of writing single resolution, participants must write down 4 resolutions (3 true and one false). Everyone tries to guess the author based on the resolutions and then try to also guess which one is false.

Discussion

• What is a change you would like to see in your life for the next year?
• How can God help you to make this change?
• What steps can you take to see this change in your life?

Closing Application
Commit yourself to this change and find someone to help keep you accountable for it and pray for you in this area of your life.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Description
It’s a common custom to hold New Year’s Parties and distribute party hats and noisemakers to the guests. In this game, the objective is to NOT be the last person wearing the party hat!

Materials
Party Hats for all participants

Game Play

1. Announce the simple objective of this game – NOT to be the last person remaining with your hat on. The only rule is that no one can take their hat off until the has has removed his or her hat. Then continue with the rest of your celebration activities!
2. As time goes by, people will take their attention off you, and even forget about the game. At that point, casually remove your hat and watch as people catch on.
3. Gradually the hats will come off, amidst snickers, smirks and giggles.
4. Eventually, one unsuspecting person will be last to notice, while everyone else gets a good laugh!
5. Serve up an appropriate forfeit (see the forfeits below), then put the hats back on and give the loser the chance to start the next game.

Funny, but fairly innocuous forfeits

• Tell your best joke in the style of the cookie monster from Sesame Street
• Make at least 3 people laugh.
• Tell a joke no one in the room has heard.
• Describe how to make a pie without talking.
• Give a l-minute talk about elephants.
• Make your funniest face
• Wear a blindfold until the next forfeit
• Wear handcuffs until the next forfeit
• Wear a straight jacket until the next forfeit

Slightly embarrassing forfeits

• Tell someone in the room how much you love them for one minute
• Pinch your nose and sing the first line of a song “Aud Lang Syne”?
• Do your favourite dance
• Hop around the room like a penguin
• Wear a tin foil skull cap until the next person gets a forfeit
• William Tell – place a wad of paper on your head… everyone else throws paper wads at it trying to be the first to knock it off.
• Get mummified (with toilet paper)
• Dance a jig.
• Yawn until you make someone else yawn.
• Read out your last SMS
• Do an impression of a squeaky toy
• Do an impression of the dog that just found a squeeky toy
• Sing and perform the actions to the “I’m a little teapot song”
• Make a marriage proposal to someone in the group

A bit wilder forfeits

• Spell out a word using your bum. Group must correctly guess the word
• Scream as loud as you can
• Howl like a werewolf
• Bark like a dog
• Do your best chicken impersonation while you make a noise like a chicken
• Crawl across the room on your knees.

Joint Forfeits (Some of the forfeits above can also be done in groups)
Air Band – Each person is assigned some imaginary instrument and required to impersonate a performer in a band, imitating not only the action of the players but the sound of the instrument as well.

CAUTION
Be cautious with forfeits. The idea is to have a little embarassment, but not too much. Know your youth and what they can handle. You might allow more sensitive youths to choose someone else from the group to do the forfeit with them. You can also do forfeits as a group at the end of an activity. When in doubt about how a person will respond, don’t do it! Also take care that forfeits don’t degenerate into acts or comments with sexual overtones.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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This makes a great icebreaker and encourages people to have conversations with strangers and people they don’t know very well throughout the whole New Year Party event.

Game Description
This New Year Party Game serves as an ongoing icebreaker which encourages everyone to initiate and engage in conversations. Because of the setup of the game, it keeps everyone involved throughout the night until the final prize is awarded just after midnight!

Game Materials
While my preference is to use silver garland leftover from Christmas to make necklaces, this New Year Party game can be played with party hats, New Year Hats, or even nametags. Check those after-Christmas sales for great discounts on silver garland! Then you can just cut it to length to make a necklace for each person.

Game Preparation
Provide enough garlands or whatever item you have substituted for the garland for everyone that will attend the party. Every guest at the New Year party is given a silver garland necklace when they arrive at the party. You can also give them party hats and noicemakers to help usher in the new Year. This game is played while people mingle during the party and the prize is awarded right after midnight.

Game Play

1. Party Guests must ask other guests any questions in which the natural answer would by “no” or have the word “know” as part of the answer.
2. If anyone uses either word (“no” or “know”) in conversation, the guest they are talking to gets to take all their silver garlands (or party hat, nametag, special sticker or whatever item you have chosen for your New Year Party.) Those wearing the greatest number of garlands become hot targets!
3. After midnight, the Party guest with the most garlands wins.
4. If a guest has lost his or her garland, he or she can still play and ask questions. They could even jump to the lead again by gaining the garlands from someone with a lot of them.

Game Discussion or Debrief
As we approach the New Year, a positive attitude and optimistic outlook will help us to make it a prosperous one. After all, as Christians, we have a lot to be hopeful for! It’s easy to get caught up in pessimism based on past mistakes, failures, and unrealised dreams and goals. But with Christ, everyday can be a new beginning! Christ came that we might have life and might have it abundantly. Jeremiah 29:11+ reminds us that God has plans for our lives, plan for a hope and a future! Instead of saying “no” to things this year, say “Yes”!

• What is something that God might ask you to in the New Year? Say “YES!” Maybe you have been saying “No” to Jesus becoming your Lord and Savior! Maybe you have been saying know to something he has placed on your heart to do?

Begin the New Year by saying “Yes” to Him and his lordship in your life. Seek God first and all God’s blessing he plans for you will be yours!

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Christmas Party Game Description
This Creative Christmas Party Idea requires participants to dress up as Santa.

Game Materials
A Christmas Santa suit should consist of a minimum of:

• Santa Hat
• Thick winter Gloves (red if possible)
• A heavy Coat (red?)
• a very large pair of black boots

Optional items:

• A large red sack stuffed with newspaper
• White cotton for a beard
• A bell to ring

Note: You can also rent two Santa costumes from a costume shop if you have the money or have one of the more adept ladies in your church sew one for you. Make sure the costume is extra large so that all your participants can easily fit into it. Whoever heard of a skinny Santa Claus?

 

Game Preparation
Lay out two sets of Christmas Santa Costumes – One for each team.

Game Play

• Line the youth, children or adult participants up into or two teams behind the starting line. Across the room are two chairs with a Santa suit laid out on each.
• At the starting signal, the first person on each team runs to the chair, puts on the Christmas Santa suit and says “Ho! Ho! Ho!”
• They then take all the items off and run back to tag the next person in line.
• Each person repeats these actions until all have had a turn being Santa.
• The team who finishes first is the winner.

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

 

Thanks to Kids Party Paradise for the inspiration for this idea. You can get everything you need for your Christmas Party from their wonderful website!”

More Christmas Resources for Youth Groups
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Game Description
The trust fall is one of the most dramatic trust games. Use this group building game to build community, teamwork, and trust within the group as members rely on the protection of the group to prevent themselves from being injured.

Game Materials

• A raised platform of some type – a stump, small wall, table, ladder, etc. The platform should be no higher than 6 feet (less than 2 meters) and at least the height of about 4 feet (about 1 meter).
• There should be 10-12 individuals standing on level ground to serve as catchers.

Game Preparation
This game requires a minimum of 10-12 persons to have appropriate protection. Impress upon participants that this is not a time for joking around, but a time to be serious and inspire trust in each other. They need to be encouraging and affirming, helping to alleviate the fear associated with trusting someone else.

Game Play

1. Begin by asking a youth to stand on the raised platform from which they will fall backward into the arms of a prepared group of spotters.
2. The person falling should keep his or her arms crossed over their chest with the palms gripping opposite shoulders. When falling they should not bend their knees as it concentrates the force of the fall on a few people making catching more difficult.
3. The two lines of catchers stand shoulder to shoulder facing one another. Hands are to the side with the inside of forearms extended, palms face up so that hands are alternated and juxtaposed in order to provide a secure landing area. It is preferablle that the catchers who are facing each other do not grasp hands. It is not necessary and a knocked head WILL result as the weight of the person falling will pull the two catchers holding hands together. If the group chooses to lock arms together, do so by gripping the wrist of the person opposite, not the hand. Do not cross arms as this can injure the falling volunteer.
4. Assign one person in the group to stand on the platform and with the volunteer about to fall or to be in very close proximity. This adult leader should make sure the faller is:
   • spacially aligned with the catchers:
   • has hands across chest in the correct position
   • tilting his or her head slightly back as a means to keep the body rigid so that they do not bend at the knees.

   He should also rearrange the spotters if there appears to be an appreciable size or strength discrepancy in opposing catchers.

5. The adult leader asks the catchers if they are ready. When they are ready they say “fall” and the person falling says “falling” and falls.

Discussion Ideas

• Trust: How did it feel be forced to rely on someone else? What fears did you have? Did you trust they would prevent you from harm? How does this relate to trusting God with our lives?
• Protection: In this game we have to protect someone in the group from injury. Do we as a group have an obligation to look out for each other? What are some of the ways we can protect each other in our lives?
• Helping Those who Fall: What are some ways we can help to catch those who fall? We are surrounded by fallen humanity who need help. How can we help? What can we do when a Christian falls?
• Reliance: In this group, the person in the center had to rely on the group. What are some of the ways we have to rely on each other in the Christian life? Do we need each other?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
Like the classic Cinderella story, in this icebreaker / crowdbreaker, guys must identify the girls by a shoe and could be used as an object lesson to discuss how we often judge people by appearances.

Game Materials

• large sheet or curtain
• twine or rope

 

Game Preparation
Suspend the sheet or curtain across the room using the twine or rope. The bottom of the sheet should be a couple of inches above the floor so that only a person’s feet are visible.

Game Play

• As each girl arrives, ask her to remove her right shoe.
• Send all the girls behind the curtain and randomly distribute the shoes among the guys.
• Line up the girls behind the sheet or curtain that has been suspended across the room. Only the girls’ feet should be visible at the bottom.
• Bring the guys in and appoint them to the task of locating the girl which matches with the shoe they have been given. Award the guys that choose correctly.
• The guy and his cinderella are then partners for the next activity.

 

Variations

1. Do the same thing with all the guys, but leave them in their socks for a smelly variation. “I recognize that odor.”
2. Mix girls and guys behind the curtain. You might call it “Cinderellas and Princes” so the guys don’t feel like they are being grouped with the girls as a “Cinderella.”

 

Optional Discussion

• How did you feel being identified by your feet?
• What are some ways that we typically identify others? (Job, school, hobbies, nationality or race, size, personality, clique, etc)
• Do we treat others differently based on their characteristics?
• Is it ok to treat different people differently?
• Do we exclude people from our youth group by our actions or attitudes?
• Is favoritism acceptable?

Closing Application
In Leviticus 19:15 it says “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” This doesn’t mean that we won’t have people we get along with better than others. It means that we do not judge others differently based upon certain characteristics. The New Testament makes it even clearer by saying that we should not judge or we will be judged (Matthew 7:1-5). In John 7:21-24, Jesus tells the people to “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” In 1 Samuel 16:7 we are told that God does not look at appearances, but the heart. We are free to choose our friends as we see fit, yet at the same time we know that Jesus, when he was upon this earth did not exclude those from his social circle because of their social status or circumstances. He welcomed sinners and tax collectors, the great as well as the lowly and everyone in between. Yet he also had the inner circle of disciples and among those a closer bond with three of them.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.
Learn More…

Game Description
In this game, participants are divided into opposing teams and must “capture their flag” to win.

Game Materials
Flag (Can be a cloth, frisbee, or almost anything easily carried by a participant)

Game preparation
This game requires a large outdoor play area such as a public park or camp setting.

Game Play

1. The playing area needs to be divided into 2 approximately equal sections (be very specific about all the boundaries!), with some sort of dividing line down the middle. The dividing line can be a sidewalk, a string across the ground, a chalked line or simply an aimginary line between two objects.
2. Divide the group into two teams.
3. Each of the 2 teams should be allowed to designate it’s own space anywhere within their area to place the flag. They must also designate a prison area for captured prisoners to remain within. Both should be out in the open (not hidden behind trees or in bushes).
4. The game is played with flags or objects that the opposing team must seize and deliver to their own area. A frisbee is easier to toss to a teammate so in order to balance that out you might want to have a rule that as soon as it touches the ground, the entire team must cross back over the central territory line before trying to retrieve it again. The object is simply to capture the flags from the other team and bring them back to your own side without getting caught.
5. Each flag has an imaginary boundary around it of 1 to 5 meters depending on how difficult you wish to make the game as a safe zone. Once a player enters the safe zone they cannot be tagged. Team members cannot enter this area to tag them.
6. Anyone tagged on the opposition side of the field becomes a prisoner (It works best if prisoners must be escorted back to the prison – this prevents one person from taking more than one prisoner at a time).
7. Prisoners may be set free by a teammate touching either the prisoner or the jail – you can choose whether one person can free a single person or is allowed to free the entire jail.
8. Once prisoners are (tagged) freed, they (and the person freeing them) get a free walk back to their side.
9. The leader may also choose to call a jail break on occasion, which would set all the prisoners free on both sides.
10. Once the flag is captured by a team and delivered to their side of the play area, the game is over.

Variation

• Have everyone wear a dark colored shirt. You can make “snow balls” (Put 2/3 cup flour in a nylon stocking (pantyhose) and tying it into a small ball.. You can get about 4 out of one leg of panty hose.) Socks can also be used but are not as effective.
• In order to capture a person from the other side youth must use the snow balls as bullets. When hit with one there is a telltale white circle on the dark colored shirts. Once a person is hit with a snow ball he is captured and must go to jail.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
Use this group building game to build community, teamwork, and trust within the group as members rely on the support of the group to prevent themselves from falling.

Game Materials
Blindfold (optional)

Game Preparation
This game requires a minimum of 8-10 persons to have an appropriate sized circle. Impress upon participants that this is not a time for joking around, but a time to be serious and inspire trust in each other. They need to be encouraging and affirming, helping to alleviate the fear associated with trusting someone else.

Game Play

1. Blindfold one volunteer or have them tightly shut their eyes.
2. The group of 8-12 people form a circle shoulder-to-shoulder around the blindfolded volunteer. Spacing is determined by crossing their arms across the chest, palms gripping opposite shoulders and facing toward the inside of the circle.
3. The blindfolded volunteer is to then to keep a stiff back and fall backward pivoting only on the heels of the feet to allow freedom of movement. The rest of the body should be kept straight.
4. Those in the circle carefully pass the volunteer around the circle using their hands as a willow gently flexing in the wind.
5. On occasion gently change the direction of the volunteer being passed around the circle. The volunteer is totally under the control of those in the circle.
6. Allow each member of the group to try being the volunteer.

Discussion Ideas

• Trust: How did it feel be forced to rely on someone else? What fears did you have? Did you trust they would prevent you from harm? How does this relate to trusting God with our lives?
• Support: In this game we have to support someone in the group. Do we as a group have an obligation to look out for each other? What are some of the ways we can support each other in our lives?
• Reliance: In this group, the person in the center had to rely on the group. What are some of the ways we have to rely on each other in the Christian life? Do we need each other?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

 

Game Description
In this relay race groups must blow and fan soap bubbles to a destination and back.

Game Materials

• Soap bubbles
• Soap wands (Bubble wands can be purchased or easily created from clothes hangers or just about any available wire.)
• Paper fans (optional)
• one pie tin or shallow pan for each group

Game Preparation
You can purchase bubble solution or make your own. To make your own you will need:

• A plastic mixing bucket
• 1 gallon distilled water. Tap water does not work too well and bubbles do last as long.
• 12 oz. of dish washing liquid (Non-Ultra Dawn Original Scent or Joy are recommended)

Here’s how:

1. Add the entire gallon of distilled water into your mixing bucket.
2. Stirring SLOWLY so as not to make lather, add in the 12 oz. of dish washing liquid
3. Gently stir in 3 tablespoons (1 oz) of glycerin
4. For longer lasting but smaller bubbles add 4 ounces more dish washing detergent 2-4 more tablespoons glycerin.

Various dish washing detergents will have different characteristics so experiment a little to get the best solution. Also, higher humidity days allow the bubbles to last longer so this is great for rainy days.

Game Play

1. Pour soap solution into 1 pie pan for each group.
2. Each team is given a soap bubble wand
3. In this relay the racer must blow a bubble and then blow or fan it across the room and back.
4. If any team’s soap bubble breaks before it can be fanned acoss the goal line, than a new bubble must be blown at the point where the last one broke.

Variations

• This can be done in pairs as well, with one person the designated bubble blower and the other responsible for fanning the bubble. In this case, the bubble blower should follow behind the person who is fanning the bubble.
• Add a stopwatch and you can have a competition to see which team’s bubble lasts the longest.
• Have a competition to see which team can blow the most unique bubble arrangement.
• Have a competition to see which team can blow the biggest bubble.

Potential Applications
This can be used as a discussion starter about the things in life that are temporary vs. eternal. Are you focused on things that will last? What things will last? (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:15-21)

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Introduction
Knowing they have a heavenly father can make children feel protected and cared for. Many children have known the loving care of earthly fathers and can easily comprehend God as a caring father. For other children, “father” isn’t a pleasant term. Some children may never see their fathers. Some fathers have mistreated their children. Use this lesson to introduce children to their loving, caring heavenly father-God. And redefine the term “father” for those children who haven’t had a good experience with their earthly fathers.

Game Description
Children will explore Fatherly qualities in God. The goal is to help children learn that God is a father who will never leave and who will always treat them with kindness and love.

Game Materials
You’ll need men’s dress-up clothes such as old shoes, jackets, shirts and ties.

Game Play

1. Invite kids to put on one or two items of the dress-up clothing that fathers wear. Give them several minutes of playtime to act like dads. Encourage responses by asking questions such as “How do fathers talk?” “What do fathers do?” “How do fathers walk?” and “What do fathers like?”
2. Have children sit in a circle.
3. Ask: Are dads always perfect?
4. Say: Our fathers are human, and sometimes they make mistakes just like we make mistakes sometimes. Today we’re going to talk about a special father who is perfect. We call God our heavenly father because he lives in heaven. God is perfect-he’ll always love us and take care of us.
5. Ask: What do you call your earthly father?
6. Say: Children in every country have special names for their fathers. You may call your father “Daddy.” A Japanese child might call his or her father “Chichi.” A German child might say “Papa.” In the Bible, Jesus called God “Abba.” Let’s sing a song to our heavenly father in all these languages. Lead children in singing “Father, I Adore You.” Each time you sing a new verse, insert the other-language words for “father”: daddy, chichi, papa and abba.

Closing Application
Close with this prayer: Father God, thank you for taking care of us. We know you are a perfect father. You love us and you’ll always take care of us. Amen.

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Game Description
Use this simulation game / structured experience to discuss the use of gifts in the church- the body of Christ.

Game Materials

• Blindfold
• Location with numerous obstacles

Game Play

1. Blindfold one participant who will be guided by the other groups through an obstacle course. This should involve climbing over/under tables, walking over a bridge (a row of chairs) or any aother creative obstacles that do not endanger anyone’s life! Of course there is a small element of risk, but that adds to the simulation.
2. Assign at least 7 other participants one of the seven spiritual gifts mentioned in Romans 12: 6-8: Prophecy, Service, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership, Mercy.
3. Give each participant time to plan how they will be involved in guiding the blindfolded person based on their gift. Then let the group meet together and discuss how they will work together to get the person safely through the obstacle course. Help them decide the role of each person based on their gifts.

Discussion

1. How did your actions contribute to the successful completion of your task?
2. What effect would the absence of your “gift” had on the outcome of this simulation?
3. What comparisons can we draw between this exercize and the use of gifts in the church- the body of Christ?

Some possible Applications

• Prophecy warns of danger if a wrong turn is taken
• Service physically guides the person
• Teaching helps provide instructions to the person guiding the blindfolded
• Exhortation provides encouragement to the group and blind-folded persons
• Leadership directs the group to get the task accomplished
• Giving provides a map or other resources
• Mercy looks potential danger and helps protect the person from a fall

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Game Description
In this relay race, participants pass a marshmallow to the end of the line using toothpicks.

Game Materials

• A large marshmallow for each team
• Toothpicks for each person

Game Play

1. The first player puts the marshmallow on his or her toothpick and then holds the toothpick with his or her teeth.
2. Players must pass the marshmallow from player to player by sticking his/her toothpick into the marshmallow and leaving it in as they pass it along.
3. Participants are not allowed to use their hands.
4. As the marshmallow is passed it accumulates one more toothpick from each player so that its difficult to insert your toothpick without getting stuck by the ones already there.
5. When the relay is finished the marshmallow is sure to remind you of a porcupine.

Optional Discussion

• What are some of the tricky situations we face in life?
• How do we handle such situations without getting hurt?
• What are some of the potential hurts when we pass the gospel on to others?
• Are the risks worth it?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
Use this group building game to build community, teamwork, and trust within the group.

Game Materials

• a board at least 6 inches wide and of a length of three feet that is strong enough to be used for a platform on which a student may stand.
• two bricks, cinder blocks, or solid wooded blocks that the board can be placed upon so that someone can place there hands beneath the board to raise it.
• Blindfold

Game Play

1. Place the board on a couple of bricks or something that raises up the ends so that two leaders can place their hands beneath the board and raise it.
2. Blindfold a volunteer and have them step on the platform.
3. A third leader must stand in front of the volunteer so that the volunteer can place their hands on the shoulders of this leader to keep their balance.
4. Tell the volunteer that you will raise them up no higher than waist level and then they will be asked to jump from the platform using the leader as a spotter to maintain their balance. (In actuality, the board only leaves the ground a few inches.)
5. The leader in front of the volunteer slowly squats making the volunteer believe they are being raised whereas in actuality they haven’t.
6. Tell the volunteer to jump, assuring them that they will not be hurt. They will be jumping only a few inches but expect to fall a few feet.
7. The feeling is eerie, and they are quite surprised. They will, of course, be falling into the waiting arms of the group.

Debrief

• What were you feeling before you jumped?
• What were your fears?
• How much did you trust the leaders / the group to protect you from harm?
• How is this activity like trusting God?
• Do you feel you can trust our group or not?
• What are some ways we can learn to trust each other?
• What responsibilities do we have to each other for support and encouragement?

Closing Application
Be someone others can trust and go to for encouragement and support.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
Each person is an angel to someone else in the youth group. Their goal is to anonymously bring blessings to a mortal (other student) by doing nice things for him/ her, by notes of encouragement, by small gifts, etc. Works great for camps and retreats as well.

Game Materials
List of Rules

Game Preparation
Gove each person a mortal. There are many ways to do this. You can match people or the easiest way is to simply drop everyone’s name in a bowl and draw one out for each participant.

Game Play

1. Make sure everyone is included
2. Set the rules
3. Set the time frame
4. At the end of the time frame, mortals try to guess the identity of their angel.

Sample Rules

• Angels are not to let anyone know the identity of their mortals. Angels may use fellow angels to help them bless a mortal.
• If a mortal believes he / she has discovered an angel’s identity it must not be revealed. This includes other student’s angels as well.
• Mortals should not degrade or bad-mouth their angels, nor should they degrade the gifts or notes they have received.
• Angels are not to spend more than $10 on a mortal
• Angels must not whine about the Mortal they have received

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

About Simulation Games
A simulation game is used to introduce youth to real life in “simulated” activites (much like an airline pilot gets to fly a simulator before the give him/her the real thing to mess up). A simulation game is a structured activity that approximates, but does not exactly reproduce, situations in every day life. They create a controlled environment in which issues can be realistically examined through personal experience. The key to simulation games is the “de-briefing” at the end, when the implications are discussed. At times the experience may be staged to look like a real event. At other times the youth are aware they are participating in a simulation.

Game Description
You can use this simulation game to lead participants into a discussion about variety of issues:

• How to better listen to God
• Trusting other people
• The effects of various influences in our lives
• Learning how to discern the love of God in a world where people deceive you.

Game Objective
The objective is for the blind folded person to walk from one side of the room to the other without touching one of the sheets of paper randomly scattered across the floor.

Game Materials
A stack of letter-size paper…about 30-50 sheets. (cool colors if you have them). One blind fold. You can also write various issues youth may face on the pieces of paper. Some examples are: premarital sex, lying, drinking, smoking, dating a non-Christian, cheating, respecting parents, speeding, stealing, peer pressure, hatred, revenge, unwillingness to forgive, making fun of others, Speaking words of discouragement, ridicule, refusing to talk to someone, drugs, pornography, lewd jokes, gossip, lust, envy, greed, addictions, anorexia, bulimia, overeating, not doing your best, etc.

Game Duration
It will take 5-10 minutes per person to do the simulation. Debrief can be adjusted depending on your requirements.

Game Preparation

1. Write one issue on each piece of paper (Optional)
2. Randomly distribute the sheets of paper across the floor.

Game Play

1. You might want to have more than one person play the game so that you can have more perspectives for the debrief. Have those awaiting their turn wait in another room with a leader so that they do not catch on to what is happening. Call them into the room one by one.
2. Before the participant enters the room, choose one youth to be the voice of the Holy Spirit. The blind folded person can not know who this person is going to be. As variations, use people they trust in some of the scenarios, and people they don’t know well in others.
3. Blindfold the participant and tell them that their goal is to reach the other side of “life” without touching the sheets of paper.
4. Line the rest of the group up along the two side walls of the room – They cannot come next to the blindfolded person, and cannot touch them. Neither can they move from their starting positions. Only the person playing the “Holy Spirit” can move along the walls.
5. The rest of your group tries to get the blind-folded person to step on the squares of paper. They can only do this by providing verbal directions to try to influence the blindfolded participant.
6. The challenge for the blindfolded person is to listen to the voices and try to discern who to follow and trust. Most of the time they will fail and listen to the wrong person.

Optional Activity
If you have written various issues on the sheets of paper, distribute them to the youth. You may want to have youth list the various influences that affect our decisions on these issues. What is God’s standard on this issue? What is the correct response when confronted with this issue?

Debrief
You can focus on a variety of issues:

• How to better listen to God: How do we recognise the voice of God in our lives? How do we know when it is God speaking, and not our own thoughts? How do we know we can trust the voice of God for guidance? What influences are strongest in your life? Why? How can we learn to better recognise God’s voice?
• Trusting other people: How do you know who to trust? Can those we trust mistakenly mislead us at times? Do we sometimes betray the trust of others accidentally or even intentionally? How can you be a positive influence in the lives of those around you?
• The effects of various influences in our lives: What are the greatest influences in your life? How much does peer pressure affect you? How can we influence our sensitivity to the influence of God’s Spirit in our lives?
• Learning how to discern the love of God in a world where people deceive you.: Why does God allow us to go through trials and struggles? Does God tempt us? How can a loving God allow such evil in the world?

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Game Description
Use your senses to identify common foods and snacks.

Game Materials
Jars of Baby food, Dark Construction Paper, adhesive Tape, Disposable Spoons (1 per participant per jar), Paper, Pens

WARNING
Be sure to check participants for any food allergies before doing this game.

Game Preparation

1. Purchase 8-10 jars of baby food, each with a different flavor.
2. Tape a piece of dark construction paper over the label of the jar so that the labels cannot be seen.
3. Number the jars.
4. Give each participant a piece of paper and pen and a spoon for each jar.

Game Play: Taste

1. Each participant will do a taste test from each baby food jar. For each jar of baby food, participants should use a clean spoon. They are only allowed a single taste from each jar.
2. Participants take a small spoonful from each jar as a sample and try to identify the food.
3. They must record their answers on paper that has been numbered to correspond with the numbers on the jars.
4. After everyone has tasted the food from the jars and recorded their answers, reveal each jar’s label.
5. The participant who correctly guessing the contens of the greatest number of jars is the winner.

Game Variation

• Taste and Touch – use small finger foods (i.e. olives, cooked (cold) spaghetti, piece of candy, cracker, barbecue potato chip, cashew nuts, breakfast cereals, croutons, grapes and other fruits, raisins, dates, dried fruits, and other small snacks) Blindfold all the participants so that they cannot see before passing around the finger foods. Answers are wispered to the leaders.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
This group of games are a great introduction for a discussion for growth and maturing in your relationship with Christ. They also make a great introduction for a lesson on Hebrews 5:12-6:3. They could also be used for a baby shower.

Game Materials

• A large towel and diaper pins for each team
• a baby bottle filled with water for each team
• a paper towel to be tucked in a shirt as a bib for each team
• chairs

Game Play

Baby Talk: When I was a child, I spoke as a child and acted as a child. Most of us have heard stories about words we mixed up as children just learning to talk. Have youth write a word on a small slip of paper that they mispronounced or used incorrectly as a child. If they don’t know of one then have them write one they have heard. I know a friend that mistakenly called “masking tape” “masculine tape.” Alternatively, have youth tell of something they did as a child. Have youth attempt to guess the words and what they were supposed to be and to guess the identity of the person who wrote it.

Diaper Relay: A person from each team must put on the diaper, tuck the bib in the shirt, place their thumb in their mouth, and waddle to the other end of the room (or if outside, a designated place) where they will get on their hands and knees (like a crawling baby) and have a fellow team member squirt a bit of water from the baby bottle into the mouth of the baby. The baby then returns and the next person repeats the same tasks. First team to have all members go through the tasks wins.

Pacifier Suck: Buy some of the candy rings – (look like a pacifier) or lolipops for everyone. First team to finish all the pacifiers wins.

Mother’s Revenge: Start by saying, “If you have ever seen a mother trying to feed a baby you will appreciate this game. Babies usually throw, spit, spill, or drool most of their food over dear mom. So now we have MOTHER’S REVENGE….” Each team should choose two volunteers. Wrap towels around the neck of one volunteer and blindfold the other. Then give the blindfolded member a jar of baby food and a spoon. The first blindfolded team member to feed the babyfood to their partner wins.

Baby Belch Relay: Each team should choose a girl to be the mother and a boy to be the baby. Have a baby bottle filled with coke or pepsi for each team. At the signal, mothers will feed the baby the contents of the bottle. When the bottle is empty, the baby boy is leaned over the shoulder while the mothers pat their backs until they produce a loud belch. First team to produce the belch wins

Make Me Laugh: Prepare the group by saying something along the lines: “It is amazing what people will do to try and entertain a baby. Even the most reserved people will make a total fool of themselves. Tough guys will ‘Goo’ and ‘Coo’ just to get a baby to smile. that’s the object of our game now.” Place the group in a circle… two persons are in the center. Together they must make someone sitting in the circle laugh. The person who laughs and the person to that persons right then end up in the center.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
Use your senses to identify common objects and items.

Game Materials
Lunch Bags, Small Household Items (depending on which senses you want to use in the game); Stapler; Paper; Pen; Marker

Game Preparation

1. Prepare several lunch bags with one item in each bag. The number of bags can be adjusted depending on the time you have to play the game. You can use items that can be found around the house – (i.e. comb, pen, etc) or items can be acccording to a specific category like office supplies, foods, tools, cosmetics, etc to suit a party theme. Fold over the top of the bag and staple closed.
2. With a marker, number the bags on the outside.

Game Play

1. Participants examine one numbered bag at a time, and try to identify the contents ONLY by feeling the them through the bag.
2. Ask participants to number their paper according to the number of bags, and record their answers next to the appropriate numbers corresponding to each bag.
3. When all the participants have identified the items, reveal what is in each bag. The winner is the participant who correctly guessed the most items.

Game Variations

• Touch – use items with various textures (i.e. hard, sandpaper, soft, bumpy, feather, cotton, fur, felt, hairbrush etc that have identifying characteristics. You can also use simple items like staplers etc) You can allow them to rech inside the bag, without looking and feel the item inside the bag or for simply objects they just feel through the bag.
• Smell – Use 2-3 tablespoons of spices, fruits, or other items with strong characteristic smells. (i.e. orange peel, pepper, cinnamon, oregano, onion, etc. These might be best in a cloth bag or punch a few very small holes in the paper bag with a needle so the scents can escape.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Description
Spruce up your next scavenger hunt or photo scavenger hunt by adding some of the items in the form of riddles. Riddles may rhyme or simply present a conundrum.

Example Riddles for your Scavenger Hunt
* Has a mouth but does not speak, has a bed but never sleeps! [River]
* What runs all day, but never walks; often murmurs, never talks; has a bed, but never sleeps; has a mouth, but never eats? [River]
* I am the white hem of the sea’s blue skirt [Sand]
* Poke your fingers in my eyes and I will open wide my jaws. Linen, cloth, quills or paper, I an greedy and devour them all. [Scissors]
* It goes up, but at the same time goes down. Up toward the sky, and down toward the ground. Come for a ride, just me and you. [See-saw]
* I’m the part of the bird that’s not in the sky. I can swim in the ocean and yet remain dry. [Shadow]
* I runs around all day then lie under the bed with my tongue hanging out. [Shoe]
* Round as a dishpan, deep as a tub, but all the water in the ocean can’t fill it up [Sieve]
* Holds water, yet is full of holes [Sponge]
* It goes up and down without moving. [Stairs]
* What has four legs, a head, and leaves? [Table]
* What needs an answer, but doesn’t ask a question? [Telephone]
* What do you serve that you cannot eat? [Tennis Ball]
* Get’s wet when drying [Towel]
* Round and around, fast feet – see them go, I’ve got lines, and blocks and people on their toes. [Track]
* Three eyes have I, all in a row; when the red one opens, all freeze. [Traffic Light]
* Goes up the chimney when down, but can’t go down the chimney when up [Umbrella]
* What goes up when the rain comes down? [Umbrella]
* I go around in circles, But always straight ahead, Never complain, No matter where I am led. [wheel]
* Two legs I have, and this will confound: only at rest do they touch the ground! [Wheelbarrow]
* It has a foot on each side and one in the middle? [Yardstick]

Create your own
Create riddles for specific locations and items specific to you church, town, or area. For example, use the riddle for a river, but then add a couple lines to indicate a specific river near your location for participants to take a photo of.

See Conducting Scavenger Hunts for help, Hints, Safety Considerations, Rules, and other useful information to make your scavenger hunt a wild success!

Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

=> Tell me more about the Creative Scavenger Hunts

Game Description
In this Mental Puzzle/ Brainteaser teams compete to see who can correctly identify the most babies from the clues given.

Game Materials
copy of this puzzle for each group

The Challenge
There are quadruplets at the nursery that got their blankets and their favorite stuffed animals mixed up. The nursery workers can’t even tell them apart. Can you find out what each of the baby’s number is, their favorite toy and the color of their blanket?

1. The babies names are Ryan, Becky, Patty and Gary.
2. Their favorite toys are beaver, porcupine, raccoon and giraffe.
3. The colors of the blankets are, blue, green, red and pink.
4. None of the babies names, favorite stuffed animal or the color of the blanket start with the same letter.
5. Baby #1 is not a girl and baby #3 is not a boy.
6. Patty does not have a red blanket and does not have the beaver.
7. Either Ryans’ blanket color or favorite stuffed animal starts with a ‘B’.
8. Becky does not like raccoons or giraffes.
9. Ryan is not baby #4 and Patty is not baby #2.
10. Becky is baby #4
11. Becky or Gary don’t have green or blue blankets.
12. Ryan and Patty don’t like porcupines or raccoons.

Puzzle/ Brainteaser Solution
The boy babies are in alphabetical order.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this crowdbreaker/icebreaker game, youth try to get someone to smile or laugh by taking on the characteristics of a kitten.

Game Materials
Chairs arranged in a circle with one less chair than participants.

Game Play

1. Everyone sits in a circle with one person in the center of the circle as the kitty. (You can also use another animal and the person in the center must take on the characteristic of that animal. )
2. The goal is for the kitty to make someone smile or laugh. The leader or the group can judge whether the person does or not.
3. The kitty slinks over to any participant in the circle and does her best loving cat imitation or some other variation. The participant the kitty crawls over to must say “Poor kitty” and pat the kitty on the head without smiling or laughing.
4. The kitty then meows while making funny faces, trying to get the other person to smile or laugh.
5. The kitty can try a maximum of 3 times, and each time the patricipant must say “Poor Kitty” and pat it on the head.
6. If the participant doesn’t smile or laugh after 3 meows, the kitty moves to another participant.
7. If the kitty succeeds, then they trade places, and there is a new kitty.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this crowdbreaker game, youth are placed into teams that don’t know each other and play a series of games with candy that has a hole in the center.

Game Materials
Lifesavers, polo mints, or any other ROUND CANDY WITH A HOLE IN THE CENTER.

Game Play

Lifesaver Relay: Give each person a toothpick to place in thier mouths. They must pass the lifesaver down the line to each person using only the toothpick in thier mouths. First team to succesfully reach the end wins.

Guess-the-Flavor Relay: Put some LifeSavers candies in a bag. Teams line up relay style about 20 feet from the bag. Blindfolded players must crawl to the bag, remove one LifeSavers candy, and try to guess the color by taste. Players get only one guess. If they are wrong they must return to their team and try again. All players on each team must correctly identify a flavor.

Ring Toss / Horseshoes: Construct two ring toss pegs by hammering a long, thin nail through a small wooden base. Kids will attempt to toss LifeSavers candies onto the nail for points. This game can also be played like horseshoes, where they compete try to get it on the peg, but if not do, the closest to the peg wins the match.

Distance Roll: The objective is to roll a LifeSavers candy along the ground the farthest. Conditions: The candy may not leave the ground and must roll on its edge.

Broom Hockey
Play regular indoor broom hockey using a LifeSavers candy as a puck. Brooms are used as hockey sticks.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Materials
List of items that can be found on an ocean beach or seashore

Preparation
Make a list of items that can be found on a beach. A list of items is provided below. Value them on their rarity. Depending on the beach and the time of the year, remove those items that cannot be found. But the beach is an amazing place. You never know what you will find! You might include points for each different kind of shell found. Some items are for a travel hunt to retrieve the items, almost all can be used for a photo scavenger hunt if you prefer that type of hunt.

Scavenger Hunt Description
Planning a trip to the beach or seaside? In this scavenger hunt you will need to find and retrieve objects that are on the beach. The team which collects the most items in the list within the designated time limit wins!

Example items you could choose
abalone shell, algae, anchor, barnacle, beach ball, beach towel, bolt, canoe, coconut, coral, crabclaw, crab, shell, driftwood, feather, fish bone, fishhook, fishing line, flipper, foam, Frisbee, glass ball, kite, largest shell, lifeguard, lighthouse, mollusk-shell, moss, nautilus shell, nut, bolt, palm frond, perfect shell, piece of a boat, piece of a sail, sailboat, rope, round shell, sand castle, sand dollar, sand-shovel, scallop shell, sea sponge, sea urchin spine, sea glass, seaweed, seed, ship, sign, smallest shell, snail shell, something metal, something plastic, something rubber, something unusual, starfish, stone worn smooth, surf board, surfer, tar

See Conducting Scavenger Hunts for help, Hints, Safety Considerations, Rules, and other useful information to make your scavenger hunt a wild success!

Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

=> Tell me more about the Creative Scavenger Hunts

Group Size: 10 to 30
Time: 30 minutes
Applications: ALIGNMENT, Listening, Roles, Group Dynamics, Problem-Solving

Materials
1. a blindfold for each participant
2. a 15-30 meter rope connected into a circle

Objective

For the group to form a perfect square / triangle with a rope while blindfolded.

Instructions
1. Blindfold the group
2. “This game is played in rounds. Each round will have a task to complete”
3. “When you move, do so slowly and with your hands out in front of you to prevent injury.”
4. “Any Questions?”

Round 1
1. Lay the rope on the ground somewhere in the middle of the group.

2. There is something in your midst you need to find. You will know it when you find it.”

3. Your objective is for everyone to be holding it.

4. Begin.

When everyone is holding the rope. Congratulate them on a job well done. Then announce round 2.

Round 2
1. You must remain blind-folded and holding the rope.
2. You have 20 minutes to make the rope into as perfect a square as you can.
3. Begin.

When the group decides that it has completed a square, allow them to remove their blindfolds and check their work. Total time to this point is 30 minutes.

Round 3
1. You must remain blind-folded and holding the rope.
2. You have 10 minutes to make the rope into as perfect of an equilateral triangle as you can. (3 equal sides)
3. Begin.

When the group decides that it has completed a perfect triangle, allow them to remove their blindfolds and check their work. Total time to this point is 40 minutes.

Facilitator Notes

You can use smaller groups and shorter ropes and make it a competition. For additional application, videotape the activity and play it back for the group(s) to see. Pause at key turning points and significant moments in the process. Invite the participants to make observations.

Debrief
General Debrief
• “What happened?”
• “Why?”
• “What changed?”
• “So What?”
• “Now What?”

“What happened?”
1. What happened?
2. How did order develop out of chaos?

“Why?”
3. What factors limited your success?
(frustration, lack of cooperation, ego/pride, weakly developed goals, lack of enthusiasm/motivation, lack of direction, lack of alignment, need for instant results, not knowing your position in the overall scheme of things, lack of teamwork)
4. What factors contributed to your eventual success?
(concentration, knowing your place in the overall scheme of things, designating clear roles for important positions like the corners, aligning yourself to those nearest you, clear expectations/rules, ability to see the “bigger picture”, encouragement, enthusiasm, clear goals, being able to deal with frustration, putting aside ego, effective leadership)

“What Changed?”
5. What did you do to bring order from the chaos?
(someone must take charge, discussion of strategy, more attentive to our position related to those around us, clear communication, keeping focused on the task, relinquish some control & power to a leader, manage frustration, play to group member strengths, share insights, cooperation, etc.)

“So What?”
6. What are the possible applications of the lessons learned from this activity to business, personal development, spiritual life, and relationships?

KEY APPLICATION: Alignment

Business
Why is it important for a team to be aligned? How do we take a group of people with different goals and directions and align them to accomplish a task? What are the key positions / people in your organization or business to help you align your team? What is the most effective way to bring someone who is out of alignment with the organizations goals and directions into alignment? Why is it sometimes important to put the group goal ahead of personal goals? How important is having a system to bringing about alignment? Clear communication? Proper planning and sticking to the plan?

Personal
What are some things that people use to find personal direction in life? What things do people use to align their lives? What are your key reference points for your life (corners)? What are you aligning your life with? How accurate are these guides? How does a sense of direction help us in the twists and turns of life and bring about order from chaos? What shape do you want your life to take? What steps will help you to shape your life to what you want to become as a person—to shape your character? What steps will it take to help you achieve what you want in life?

Spiritual
How does your faith provide direction in your life? What spiritual truths and precepts are most important for providing direction in your life? How do they help you to align your life? What area of your life is most chaotic at the moment? What area is out of alignment with the will of God? How can you bring your life back into alignment? What are the key reference points (corners) in your life? How do they help bring order to your relationship with God and others?

Relationships

Would you describe your significant relationships as chaotic or in order? Are those nearest to you helping you to discover your place in the patterns of life? If you had to describe your relationships as a shape, what shape would it be? Why? Do you have a common sense of direction with those closest to you? Is this good or bad? What are the key reference points in your relationships? What are the key characteristics and character attributes that give them shape? In what areas of your relationships would you like to have more order? More freedom?

Now What?
7. What will you do differently as a result of this activity?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Group Size: 10 to 30
Time: 20-60 minutes
Applications: Trust, Communication, Frustration, Blame, Focus, Shared Vision, Problem-solving, Commitment/Effort, Compensating for Differences

Materials
The filled stick (Really, just an ordinary 8 foot long light tent pole.)

Summary
The stick is very common team building game but one which proves difficult even if one or more participants have done it before. The stick seems to defy the laws of gravity and takes an incredible amount of well-coordinated teamwork to be successful. The basic idea is incredibly simple – lower a slim, wooden dowel to the ground all together as a team, but just as incredibly difficult to achieve. The stick rises into the air instead of getting lowered to the ground. How can that be? The team must work it out and find the solution.

Objective
Lower a thin stick to the ground as a group while everyone mains contact with their index fingers.

Instructions
1. “Form two lines facing each other and standing shoulder to shoulder.” (The lines must be close to each other –approximately 12 – 18 inches apart). 2. “Put your hands into a representation of a gun and down at your side.”
3. “On the count of 3– Quickdraw like a gunslinger from the American West!”
4. “1, 2, 3, DRAW”
5. “Good thing this isn’t the real west… I think you would have all killed each other!”
6. “Put both index fingers out zipper style (interlacing with your neighbor).”
7. Place the Stick – on top of the outstretched fingers. THIS PART IS IMPORTANT – when you place the tent pole on their fingers, do so from behind and in the middle of one of the lines ALWAYS KEEPING YOUR HAND ON TOP OF THE POLE to prevent the group from raising the pole in the air. Apply enough pressure on top of the pole to prevent the group from rising up.
8. While still holding it and putting a slight unnoticeable downward pressure, ask participants to “Please adjust your index fingers to roughly chest height so that all are touching the stick.”
9. “Your challenge is to lower the Stick to the ground. While doing so, each persons fingers must be in contact with the stick at all times.”
10. “No one may lose contact with the pole. If anyone loses contact with the stick the entire group must start again.”
11. “The starting position is with the pole at waist level.”
12. “You may not drop the pole”
13. “You must keep the sides of your index fingers touching at all times. Not the back, not your palms, and not hooking the pole with your finger. You cannot put your fingers on top of the stick. If one person’s finger comes off at any time, you start over.”
11. Release your pressure on the stick. Typically, the Stick will immediately start floating off!
12. Act surprised and ask them why they are raising the Stick instead of lowering it!

Facilitator Notes
1. When you place the stick on the group’s fingers, be sure to apply a slight downward pressure before letting them begin. This helps create the initial upward pressure that creates the ” stick.”
2. The Stick will continue to mysteriously have a habit of floating upwards rather than coming down. Often the more a group tries, the more it floats (as people get nervous their fingers jitter the Stick upwards). Participants may be confused initially about the paradoxical behavior of the Stick.
3. Its likely to take several attempts to just keep the tent pole steady (not lowering or raising).
4. Some groups or individuals (most often larger size groups) after 5 to 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, believing it to be impossible. Suggest the group stop and discuss their strategy.
5. Eventually the group needs to calm down and very slowly, patiently lower the Stick.
6. If they get really frustrated, you can suggest they might want to stop and discuss what’s happening. You can either allow them to keep trying until they get it, or stop them when they’ve had enough. It’s a judgement call.

Safety Warning
The ends of the tent pole can be dangerous if the pole starts moving quickly
and hits someone in the face. Take precautions to prevent injury.

Variations
1. Add a washer to each end of the pole. Don’t drop the washer.
2. Have people pair up and supply each pair with a very short tent pole (18 inches). Have each pair lower their own pole to the ground so they can experience success. Then have people form groups of 4 and then provide them with a tent pole just long enough for 4 people. Have the groups of 4 work together to lower the pole. Continue making bigger groups until you have everyone working together on one tent pole.

Debrief
General Debrief
• “What happened?”
• “Why?”
• “What changed?”
• “So What?”
• “Now What?”

“What happened?”
1. What happened?
The results were initially the opposite of what was desired.

“Why?”
2. What factors limited your success?
(frustration, blame, gave up, lack of focus, lack of understanding the real problem, need for instant results, Failure to adjust to differences, Too many leaders,)
3. Did everyone understood the objective and the rules?
4. Was anyone intentionally trying to sabotage the group’s objective by lifting the stick?
5. Did everyone believe the task was acheivable?
6. Did everyone sincerely want to accomplish the objective?
7. If everyone understood the Objective, and was committed to succeeding, why did the group get so far off track right away? (didn’t plan well, over compensated, thought we were doing our part, etc)
8. What factors contributed to your eventual success?
(concentration, focus, patience, gentleness, adjusting to differences in height, strength, etc, unity – not trying to outdo others, communication, encouragement, perseverance, being able to deal with frustration, effective leadership)

“What Changed?”
9. What did you do to make your objective a reality?
(someone must take charge, discussion of strategy, more attentive to our position and differences and similarities related to those around us, clear communication, patience, keeping focused on the task, following the leader, manage frustration, play to group member strengths and compensate for weaknesses, share insights, cooperation, etc.)

“So What?”
10. Share some examples of groups that they have participated in “the real world” that seemed to be comprised of committed people, but were not achieving the results that everyone wanted? What insights might this game shed on those situations?
11. What are the possible applications of the lessons learned from this activity to business, personal development, spiritual life, and relationships?

KEY APPLICATION: When the best plans go awry.

Business
This activity mirrors the business dynamic of projects starting out well, but quickly going awry. Why is that? Sometimes the best laid plans just don’t work out. Having a clear vision is one thing but making it a reality is often another. The fact that everyone understood and was committed to the vision isn’t enough. It immediately went in the OPPOSITE direction from where you were trying to go – UP! Have you experienced any parallels to real life while doing this activity. What you do as a team when plans go awry has everything to do with team work, trust and communication.

Personal
Did you establish a plan early or simply react? Reacting without a plan can make the situation worse. What are some character attributes you would like to develop in your life? What are some bad traits that you would like to put down and suppress? Sometimes in trying to suppress things in our life we achieve the opposite effect. The key is to find balance and calm to deal with those things that lead us away from our goals. What are some frustrations that you have in life? How do you put aside the frustrations so that you can have the perseverance and calm to achieve your goals?

Spiritual
Sometimes when we spiritually strive to achieve spiritual fruit in our lives, we seem to get further away from where we want to be. The key is to rest and relax in the strength of God rather than trying to do things in our own strength. What are some areas of your life that you need to simply turn over to God and let him work them out? What are some areas where you are struggling and dealing with frustration and about to give up? How can you put them into God’s hands? Scripture is filled with paradoxes: The poor in Spirit shalln be Rich. The weak are strong. What are some spiritual paradoxes in your life?

Relationships
Do the results in your relationships sometimes seem to be opposite of what you desire? Do you have a tendency to take responsibility to work together to reduce the tension and work things back to a level of calm, or do you blame and do things that create more tension in relationships? What is your typical response when you feel others are to blame for the relationship not going the way you desire? Does this response help or hinder the relationship? If you are blamed, have fingers pointing at you, how do you feel? What is your typical response? (In the game, any tiny movement or even nervousness by one person causes jitters that eases the pole up, achieving the opposite result of what was wanted.) How can you bring calm and focus to your relationships? What feelings and emotions tend to rise up, even when you are trying to put them down? Are there times you feel like giving up? What is it that keeps you focused and committed in the relationship to see it through? For success in the game you had to compensate for individual differences (suck as height, strength, etc). How important is compensating for differences to success in relationships? How important is awareness of others? Are there times that you over compensate? If we know that everyone is committed to the objective, does it make it easier to handle things that seem to act contrary to our desire?

Now What?
12. What will you do differently as a result of this activity?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Order in Chaos

Group Size: 8 or more
Time: 30 minutes.

Applications: Bridging Gaps, Communication, Active-Passive roles, group dynamics.

Materials
1. One number for each participant. Do not give the participants consecutive numbers. Skip around a little. Do not have a pattern. For example 1,2,3,4,5,8,9,11,14,17,19,20. You must always have a ‘1’ and the number that represents the number of participants in the activity.
2. One blindfold for each participant. (Optional)

Instructions
1. Create a clear space in a large area. Ensure that any dangerous objects or corners are shielded by someone so that people do not accidentally bump into them and injure themselves.
2. Give each participant a number written on a small piece of paper. They are not to share the number with anyone and are to put it away so that it cannot be seen.
3. Blindfold each participant or have them keep their eyes tightly shut.

4. Ask for questions. Ready, set, go!

Objective
The group must line themselves up in numeric order without talking or peeking.

1. After some time, tell the group that there are some missing numbers.
2. When the group believes they are in order ask them to call out their numbers as you go down the row and tap them on their shoulders. If they are correct then congratulate them. If they are incorrect ask them if they think they can fix it and allow them time to do so.

Debrief
1. What happened?

2. What communication strategies were used?

3. What difficulties did you face?

4. How did you overcome the difficulties?

5. How did you feel when you discovered some numbers were missing?

6. How did you change your strategy in light of this new information?

7. What does this game mean to you?

Facilitator Notes
1. People will find creative ways to communicate, but will become frustrated as the communication is less than perfect.

2. Additional frustration will occur when participants are unable to find the missing numbers. Some will give up. Some will find a place and then help sift others to the left or right depending on whether they are greater or lesser than the number they have.

3. Some will stand around waiting for someone else to help them find their place.

4. Some will take a leadership role and help others find their place.

5. Some will only be interested in finding the exact number to their left and right.

KEY APPLICATION: Bridging the Gaps
What do you do when faced with a gap in real life? When a task is left undone? When a person fails to do his/her part? When a vital piece of information is missing? There are two common responses: People will either step up or step back. They will step up and take responsibility to get the job done or they will step back and wait for someone else to do the job or until all the pieces are in place.

Business
When you are not given all the information you need to complete your job, how do you respond? When a series of jobs are related and someone fails to do his/her part? Are there times in business or in the workplace when you have to learn new ways to communicate? When there are gaps in communication? What lessons can this game teach us for dealing with these situations?

Personal
What do you do when your goals, objectives, dreams are not yet achievable because some piece of the puzzle is missing? When all the pieces don’t line up yet? Do you wait for something to happen or do you bridge the gaps? How do we know when to wait on God to position things and when to take action even if everything is not in place? How do you find your place in life? How do you become sure of your place in life?

Spiritual
What is your response when your spiritual direction is unclear? When God’s plan for your life seems to be missing critical pieces? Do you wait or do you respond to the limited knowledge you have been given? Do you believe God has a place for each of us in the body of Christ? How can you be sure of your place in life? How can you help others find their place?

Relationships
Are there times in relationships when you have to learn new ways to communicate? Are there gaps in communication? How do we overcome these gaps? Do you passively step back and wait for the other person to bridge the gaps or do you step up and take a proactive role to bridge them? What lessons can this game teach us for dealing with relationships?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Group Size: any number
Time: 5 minutes.
Applications: Vision, Goals, Objectives.

Materials
Pencil or Pen and sheet of paper for each participant

Activity
Say “You are going to now be given a test. Your performance on this test will determine your future in this organisation. I am going to give you a pair of words or phrases and you are to choose the correct answer from each pair and write it down.”

Read each set of choices a couple of times.
Answer any questions by simply saying “Write down the correct answer.”

1. Red or green
2. Purple or blue
3. Horizontal or Vertical
4. Stars or planets
5. 5 or 50
6. Up in the Air or Down on the ground
7. Metal or cloth

After you have finished reading the various choices, select a couple of participants and ask them read their answers out. Let them know how many they have gotten correct.

Debrief

• Ask “How did you feel about this performance test?” (frustrated, confused, didn’t make sense, not enough information, unfair)
• Ask if anybody knows the correct answers?

(The correct answers will relate to the American Flag – Change the choices based on your own national flag)

Invite the participants to imagine the national flag.

Quickly run through the choices again – with the whole group responding out loud.

DEBRIEF
What does this activity mean to you?

KEY CONCEPT: A SHARED VISION

• We tend to get frustrated when we don’t have the complete picture.
• Our choices are easy when everyone shares the same vision.
• We need to share the vision, the goal, the big picture with people when we give them tasks so that they can make the right choices when decisions arise.
• We can make the right choices by seeing which options align with the vision.

Business Application:

• Do you delegate tasks without sharing the vision of what this task will accomplish?
• How do your gifts, talents, skills and abilities contribute the the big picture in your company?

Personal Application:

• Do you have a dream, a goal for your life that guides your important decisions?
• Are your decisions decided by the whim of the moment or do they bring you closer to your dream?

Spiritual Application:

• What is your place in this world?
• Do you know the Creator’s plan for your life?

Relationships Application:

• Do you have problems with communication because you lack a shared vision?
• Do you make decisions in relationships based on your vision of what others need and want? How would this change the decisions you make?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Old Testament Men Trivia – ©2002 – Ken Sapp
1.a Who is the oldest person in the Bible?
(Methuselah). Genesis 5:27
1.b For extra points, how old was he?
( 969)
2. Who was one of the fattest men in the Old Testament?
(Eglon, King of Moab). Judges 3:17-23
3. Who put on a goatskin disguise?
This smooth-skinned man tricked his father into giving him the blessing that had been saved for his hairy elder brother Esau by putting goatskins on his hands and part of his neck.
(Jacob) Genesis 27:1-40
4. This was one of the most talented men in the Bible. He was a super strong shepherd. He killed a lion with his bare hands. He composed music and wrote poems. He killed a giant. He was Israel’s most successful king.
(King David) 1 Samuel 17
5. One of the Old Testament judges wanted God to tell him that he would save Israel. To find out, he put a fleece outside overnight. If there was dew on the fleece but not on the ground, the answer was yes. He got his answer but he still was not sure. He then asked for dew to be on the ground but not on the fleece. This happened to whom?
(Gideon) Judges 6:36-40.
6. What father almost sacrificed his own son: Abraham, David, Lot, Aaron?
(Abraham)
7. I was very old when I became a Dad, But God had promised I’d have a son, I was the Father of Many Nations, Beginning with the Jewish one, Who am I?
(Abraham)
8. I was such a little man, That I could hardly see, And so I climbed a tree that day, To see Jesus but he saw me. Who am I?
(Zacchaeus)
9. I was the first but not the last -Many have walked this earth, But I didn’t begin the same as you –
To me no one gave birth. Who am I?
(Adam)

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Game Description
Students must find the tie that has been hidden in the room.

Game Materials
a necktie. You can also cut out a small necktie and color it.

Optimal Group Size
Any size group.

Game Venue
Anyplace

Game Preparation
None

Game Play 

1. Choose one student to be the father. This student sits in a chair at the front of the room with his or her eyes closed.
2. The tie should go beneath the chair.
3. Choose another student to remove the tie and hide it somewhere in the classroom.
4. After the tie is hidden, all students call “Daddy, Daddy, come on! Let’s go! Hurry, please. We don’t want to be late!”
5. The student turns and “discovers” his or her missing tie. He or she wants to find the tie before leaving, but has only one minute in which to do it.
6. He or she may ask up to ten yes or no questions before attempting to guess the location of the tie. (Is it up high? Is it behind something? Is it near the books? etc.)
7. If he or she guesses correctly, he or she remains the father for another turn. If he or she guesses incorrectly, the student who hid the tie becomes the father.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Game Description
In this game, children must remember the business trips of father’s going through the alphabet.

Game Materials
None

Optimal Group Size
Any size group.

Game Venue
Anyplace

Game Preparation
None

Game Play 

1. Choose a student to begin.
2. This student says, “My father [Name] is leaving on a business trip, and he is going to [a city or country item beginning with the letter “a”].
3. The next student repeats, “ “My father [name] is leaving on a business trip, and he is going to [place listed by previous student for the letter “a”],” then adds and [a city or country beginningwith the letter “b”].
4. Students progress through the alphabet, adding a new city or country item each time.
5. Any student who forgets a place on Father’s itinerary is out.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Game Description
In this variation of “Mother May I?” Children ask Father rather than mother for permission

Game Materials
None

Optimal Group Size
Any size group.

Game Venue
Anyplace

Game Preparation
Establish start line and finish line.

Game Play 

1. Choose one student to be the father. This student will go to the finish line.
2. All other students must go to the start line. Explain to students on start line that their goal is to cross the finish line first; however, they must ask Father’s permission for each move they make toward the finish line.
3. For example, the first student might ask, “Father, may I take four large steps?” The next student might ask, “Father, may I make five jumps?” And so forth.
4. If Father responds, “Yes, you may,” the student may proceed. If Father replies, “No, you may not,” the student must wait until next turn and make a different request.

Holiday Collection
Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

=> Tell me more about the Holiday Collection

Game Description
In this variation of soccer or international football, youth are bound together with 3 other persons to play the game.

Game Materials
Soccerball (football) and collored strips of cloth to distinguish between teams. You may also use colored armbands or baseball caps to differentiate teams.

Optimal Group Size
Ideally a minimum of 16 persons on each team. If the group is smaller, you may want to combine them together in groups of three instead of groups of four.

Game Venue
Soccer field or large open field

Game Preparation
None

Game Play 

1. Just as a spider has eight legs, so does this soccer player.
2. Form two teams.
3. Within each team, have kids form groups of four. Give each group of four a supply of colored cloth to tie their ankles together so they form a square facing outward. They must also lock arms.
4. Play a normal game of soccer, normal rules, with each foursome acting as one player.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this classic variation of hide-and-seek, youth search for the hidden persons and then join them in their hiding place.

Game Materials
None

Optimal Group Size
Any size group.

Game Venue
Preferrable a large facility with lots of places to hide.

Game Preparation
None

Game Play 

1. Break up into teams (usually pairs or trios) until everyone is part of a group. Turn off all the lights in the building, and send one team to hide. Give them enough time to hide.
2. Then, everyone goes out to find them.
3. The purpose is to find the team hiding, and then join them. The game ends when all teams are hiding together except for the last one.
4. Then, the next to hide is the first team to find the hidden group.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this classic simulation game, youth learn that not everything has to be an “I win” “you lose” scenario. It can be win-win.

Game Materials
About 20 slips of paper, 2 pencils, sweets

Optimal Group Size
Minimum of 8 youth

Game Venue
Can be played just about anywhere.

Game Preparation
(You may want to put these on a poster or give a copy of these instructions to each team)
Divide the large groups into two smaller groups, and explain that an experiment is about to take place. Give the following instructions: Each group will have 9 chances to choose a colour: either RED or BLACK.
Choices are rewarded according to the following guidelines:

• If both groups choose BLACK – both get 3 sweets
• If both groups choose RED – both loose 3 sweets
• If one group chooses RED and the other BLACK – the group that chose RED get 5 sweets; and the group that chose BLACK loses 5

Two Requirements: (these must be stated clearly at the start):
1. Get as many sweets as possible
2. Do not hurt anybody

Game Play
Send the groups to opposite sides of the room and have them decide on their first choice. To make a choice the group simply decides on a colour and writes it on the piece of paper.
Then they present their choice to the facilitator.
The facilitator rewards the groups according to the instructions.
After the 4th or 5th round, ask if the groups want to negotiate – if they do, have them choose a negotiator and give the two negotiators a minute to decide on their strategy for the future choices. Then announce that the next round of choices will be worth three times as much. Continue the game until all rounds are complete.

Game Debrief

1. What was your group’s strategy? How did you decide what colour to choose?
2. How did you treat the “minority” voice in your group?
3. Did your group fulfil the two requirements? How?
4. Did you trust the other group?
5. Why did/didn’t you want to negotiate with the other group?
6. When did you decide to try and beat the other group?
7. To beat the other group did you have to emphasis one requirement over the other?

Conclusion
No mention was made of competition, beating or winning – this is our natural tendency! If both or one group became involved in competition even though no mention was made that the exercise was based on competition lines, suggest that this is our natural tendency to satisfy our ego through being superior to others, or for selfishness and greed. Ultimately this is the cause of poverty, war and oppression in the world. The Bible calls it sin!

Application
What are some areas of your lie where you can work together for the benefit of others so that all can win?

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this relay game, each person on a team must use a straw in thier mouth and suction to carry an object across the room and back.

Game Materials
beans or dried peas and straws for each person

Optimal Group Size
Any size group divided into teams of equal number. If a team is short a person, then have one person on that team go twice.

Game Venue
Any place with room for participants to run around.

Game Preparation
None

Game Play 

1. 1. Give each person a straw.
   2. Place a bowl of navy beans, or green peas or other small smooth round objects at the opposite side of the room.
   3. Like an aardvark sucking up ants, each person must suck through the straw so that a bean stays attached to the end and bring the bean back to his team.
   4. Any bean dropped must be retreived. You may need to reposition the bowl closer depending on how difficult you want it to be.

1. First team to each bring a pea back wins.

Game Variation
Have your participants stand or sit around a table with the bowl of beans in the center and a cup in front of each person. At the signal each person tries to remove as many beans from the bowl as possible, dropping each into his/her cup. The person to retrieve the most beans and the end of a given time wins.

Optional Game Debrief

• How is this game similar to trying to hold on to material things in life?
• What are some things you try to hold on to? What are the things you most want to have?
• At what cost would you get them?

Optional Conclusion
In this game, the things you want to hold on to, often get away. Many times the things in life we are chasing after and trying to hold on to seem to be very difficult to keep. They are always jus out of reach. or when we get them, we seem to lose them even quicker. In scripture we are told that the person who holds on to his life will lose it. The person who loses his life will find it. We are told that we should not pursue the things of this world, but the things of heaven. All the things of this world will one day pass away.

Application
What is something in your life you are holding on to, that you need to let go? Make a commitment to let go of it and place it in God’s hands this week.

Scripture
Luke 12:15-21; Matthew 10:39

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this crowdbreaker, youth will try to guess the identity of a murderer, before they are murdered.

Game Materials
Deck of playing cards, chairs arranged in a circle for 6 to 52 players. Reduce the cards to the number of players available to insure someone gets the “murder” card.

Optimal Group Size
6 or more youth

Game Venue
Open area large enough for the groups to form a circle. This game can also be played as part of a youth camp. Simply decide the boundaries of when challenges/ murders can or cannot occur. One common variation allows challenges and kills only during mealtimes.

Game Preparation
None

Game Play

1. Sit the group in a circle and pass out one card to each person, (they can not show their card to anyone else).
2. In the cards passed out there needs to be a joker. The joker is the murderer, and the murderer’s job is to kill everyone in the game. The murderer does this by winking at the others before he/she gets caught!
3. Group members can jointly issue a challenge to identify the identity of the murder. There must be two challengers. Without discussion or communication between them of any kind, on the count of three they must each point to the person they believe to be the murderer.
4. They should be careful. If they point to different people both challengers are dead and out of the game. This is true, even if one of them is correct about the identity of the murderer. If they both point to the same person, but that person is not the murderer, they are also killed.
5. When a member sees someone wink at them, they have been killed, and they need to count (silently) to 5 and say, “I’m dead” and flip their card over. Alternatively they can liven it up with a dramatic death scene.
6. If you have already been killed or died because you guessed incorrectly you can no longer guess the killer.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
This messy game has no lesson or meaning and is simply an opportunity for youth to have fun while getting a little messy with their dessert.

Game Materials
All the ingredients of an ice-cream Sundae. (A typical sundae may have ice cream, chocolate syrup, strawberry topping, candy sprinkles, banana slices, whip cream and just about anything else you want.)

Optimal Group Size
Any Number (equal number of guys/ girls works best)

Game Venue
Area for participants to lie on thier backs. If indoors, you may wish to line the floor with plastic sheets or newspaper for an easy clean-up afterward.

Game Preparation
Get all the ingredients for your Icecream Sundae.

Game Play

1. Pair up each girl with a guy.
2. The girls must make an ice cream sundae on the boys forehead with all the fixings
3. Have several couples do this at the same time and then have judges choose the best ice cream sundae.
4. If your youth are really brave provide spoons and have a follow-up race of the girls eating the Sunday they have just made.

Game Variation

1. Girls must build the ice-cream Sunday in the guy’s mouth.
2. They must drop the ice-cream and successive ingredients into the guys mouth from a specific height. The greater the distance from the guys mouth, the more messy the game.
3. First girl to successful build a Sunday in the mouth of her partner wins.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Game Description
In this classic simulation game, youth learn what it means to stand up for one’s faith and to totally trust God even in situations where they may face incredible adversity.

Game Materials
None

Optimal Group Size
Minimum of 8 youth, preferrably a larger group. (Depending on the size of the group leaders can take the roles as Romans and Angels)

Game Venue
Large facility with many rooms and lots of room for participants to run around.

Game Preparation
As a pre-game brief, read the following scenario to the youth:
“Everybody close your eyes. You are no longer at camp. You have been transported to the first century A.D., where disciples of Christ are being persecuted. You are a Christian, but you are facing opposition from the government. Anyone who publicly acknowledges that they are a Christian is condemned to be thrown to the lions. Guards wander the streets, interrogating common people in order to eliminate unwanted Christians. It is into this atmosphere that you will find yourself when you step out of this room. Today is not an ordinary day, however. There is a secret gathering of Christians in a yet-to-be-disclosed location. Your goal is to find your way to the secret location and join your brothers and sisters in this secret “underground church” meeting. Along the way you may be approached by one of the guards, who will simply ask you, “Roman or Christian?” If you reply, “Roman,” you will not be held any longer and you will be sent on your way. If you reply, “Christian,” you will be taken to a holding cell to await your fate with the lions. Picture yourself in such a society. What will you do?

WHAT THE KIDS DON’T KNOW (but you do) 

1. The location of the secret meeting (make sure it’s big enough for everybody)
2. Some of the guards (perhaps one out of five) are actually Christians and will not only set you free if you admit you are a Christian, but they will give you a hint as to where the secret meeting is.
3. Some of those who stand up for their faith and are sent to the holding cell (early in the game) will be broken free by an amazing work of the Holy Spirit (angels come and hold the guards, allowing the prisoners to go free). Those who are caught much later in the game will not be released and will be told of their untimely demise at the hands of the lions (there were martyrs, you know).

OTHER NOTES:

1. There should be at least one guard for every 5 people or so, or nobody will ever get caught.
2. The secret meeting place needs to be hidden well enough that everybody won’t find it within five minutes. Once people find the secret church, they MAY NOT LEAVE to bring others in; it is simply too dangerous.
3. The larger the playing area, the better.

Game Debrief
This is the most important part of the entire game, and it must be done in a very sensitive way:

1. Some kids will have denied their faith and might feel bad about it.
2. Others will think it was no big deal to lie about not being a Christian so they could reach their goal.
3. Others might be afraid of what might happen to them if they stand up for their faith in real life.

The debrief is an opportunity for you to really reach the kids on what it means to stand up for one’s faith and to totally trust God even in situations where they may face incredible adversity.

Optional Conclusion
In some places, peoples lives are in jeopardy today as Christians. Our lives may not be in jeopardy, but there are still pressures for us to deny our faith. If you admit you are a Christian, friends might ridicule you, You might not get that job promotion. You might be deemed as old fashioned and out of touch with today’s reality. The threats are more subtle and the consequences may seem less severe, but there are still pressures. Are you bold enough to stand up for your faith regardless of the circumstances?

Application
What is one situation that if you face this week, you will commit to take a stand for Christ?

Scripture
Mark 13:9-13, 1 Corinthians 15:58, 1 Corinthians 16:13,

MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Game Description
In this group builder, youth will learn to trust one another.

Game Materials
Blindfold (optional)

Optimal Group Size
8-12 youth. For large groups, break the group up into smaller ones of 8-12 people.

Game Venue
Open area large enough for the groups to form two lines facing each other.

Game Preparation
Preclude this game with a reminder that there should be no funny business in this game. Each person must be able to trust the group explicitely. Everything said and done must be towrd building this trust.

Game Play

1. A group of 8-12 youth line up in two lines facing each other about a body’s width apart.
2. A blindfolded volunteer lies face-up on the floor between the two lines. (Alternatively you can ask the person simply to keep thier eyes shut.)
3. The two lines then lean over and placing their hands palms up, carefully position them beneath the volunteer. Hands should be gently placed from head to foot in order to fully support the person’s body.
4. Slowly and gently raise the volunteer off the floor while gently rocking back and forth lengthwise. Imagine a “falling leaf” gently rocking back and forth as it falls from a tree.
5. The group continues to raise and rock the volunteer until he/she is lifted above their heads and then proceed to lower them back to the floor in the same manner. Repeat the activity with each member of the group.

Optional Debrief

• How did it feel as you were lifted and lowered back to the ground?
• How did you feel, placing yourself under the control of the group?
• Did you have doubts, when you began?
• What things allowed you to trust the group?
• Is trust important in a youth group?
• What are some areas that you have difficulty trusting others?

Optional Conclusion
Life is full of opportunities requiring trust. We don’t have to face life alone. Unfortunately certain experiences in our past may make it difficult to trust people. We keenly remember when trust was violated and may find it difficult to trust again. Yet, when we are in a group where we feel loveand trust, it empowers us to take risks and push ourselves beyond our comfort zone. When we know we can count on the support of others, we can try new things and test our abilities. It is this support group that is one of the most important aspects of church life. With the support of the group we can “rise to greater heights than we could on our own.”

Application
Choose one way you can be more supportive of others in the youth group this week.

Scripture
Ephesians 4:1-3; Galatians 6:2

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

This 170 page resource not only provides 52 of the world’s most popular group icebreaker activities and games, but also includes lesson ideas and discussion questions to smoothly transition into conversations about the issues common to most groups.

Click here to find out how to get your hands on this incredible resource!

Materials
List of items related to the word “Blue”

Preparation
Make a list of words that are somehow related to the color blue / or the word ‘blue’

Scavenger Hunt Desription
Are you “Singing the Blues?” In this scavenger hunt you will need to find and retrieve objects that are “Blue!” Be sure to be back at the designated time singing the blues. The team which collects the most items in the list within the designated time limit wins!

Example items you could choose
“Blues Brothers” Movie, Blue balloon, Blue bandana, Blue birthday candle, Blue block, Blue boat, Blue book, Blue bottle, Blue button, Blue candle, Blue cap, Blue car, Blue cheese, Blue collar, Blue comb, Blue crayon, Blue dish, Blue feather Boa, Blue fingernail polish on a team member’s finger, Blue fish, Blue flag, Blue food coloring, Blue game piece, Blue ginger, Blue hair, Blue hyacinth, Blue ink, Blue iris, Blue jacket, Blue jay, Blue jeans, Blue Lego piece, Blue lillipop, Blue M&M, Blue marble, Blue matchbook, Blue neon sign, Blue ocean, Blue paper, Blue party hat, Blue pasta, Blue pencil, Blue plastic fork, Blue plate, Blue primrose, Blue quilt, Blue ribbon, Blue shoelace, Blue sky, Blue soap, Blue socks, Blue spruce twig, Blue stone / gem, Blue string, Blue ticket stub, Blue toothbrush, Blue tortilla chips, Blue truck, Blue water, Bluebeard the Pirate’s picture, Blueberries, Blueberry yogurt, Bluebird, Bluebonnet wildflower, Bluefin tuna, Bluegrass music, Blueing, Bluejeans, Blueprint, Bruise, Candy wrapped in blue Foil, Someone in blue pajamas, Guy wearing blue eyeshadow, Little Boy Blue, Something with NYPD Blue on it, policeman’s autograph, Someone singing the blues

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See Conducting Scavenger Hunts for help, Hints, Safety Considerations, Rules, and other useful information to make your scavenger hunt a wild success!

Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

=> Tell me more about the Creative Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts have been popular with youth, adults, and children throughout the ages. With the recent popularity of “The Amazing Race” and reality TV shows, scavenger hunts are just as popular today as they have ever been. They can take a variety of forms, be modified with different rules, and be tailored to a variety of themes, locations, and age groups. They are great for building community, fostering team work, and generating lots of fun and excitement.

Here are some of the more common types of Scavenger Hunts.

Classic Scavenger Hunt
This is the traditional scavenger hunt where participants are given a list of items to retrieve and bring back within a designated time limit. Examples include both common and hard to find items like: a basketball, an 8 track tape, a spork, a coin with a specific date, or a postage stamp. The scavenger hunt consists of a list of the selected objects and some rules. Variations may allow photos of an object to replace the actual object or creative substitutions. The rules may forbid the purchase of items or restrict the participants from going to their own homes or malls to collect items. Various points are assigned to the objects based upon the difficulty necessary to obtain them. Themes can focus the items and add fun to the hunt. For example, a superhero scavenger hunt may require them to bring costumes, comics and other collectibles related to specific superheroes.

Destination Unknown
In this scavenger hunt, clues lead participants to a specific destination where they find a clue to the next location. Successive clues will ultimately lead them to a specific location where there is a party. Clues may be in the form of riddles or directions to follow and serve to guide participants to famous landmarks and other locations. Sometimes helpers are positioned at the various locations to hand out the next clue. In other places the clues may be hidden under a park bench or other inconspicuous locations where the public is not likely to remove them.

Find the Pieces Scavenger Hunt
Hide pieces of a jigsaw puzzle around the designated game area. This could be a school, a church, or even a local park. Instead of a puzzle you can use any machine or object that has multiple pieces. As an Example, for a Halloween party you could purchase plastic skeletons and disassemble them, hiding the bones before the party starts. Let the participants search for them and then reassemble the skeleton. Hide batteries, a tape recorder, and a cassette tape with a pre-recorded message describing the next clue. Hide chess pieces, ingredients for a meal, or even clothes and accessories. One of the activities may be to dress up as superman, but to do so they must collect several pieces of the costume which have been strategically hidden around the game area.

Information Scavenger Hunt
Instead of retrieving objects, or taking pictures, participants in this scavenger hunt must find information. It could be the date on a tombstone, the last item on a restaurant menu, the inscription on a cornerstone, or any other factual information that requires participants to visit a specific location. Victory goes to the first team to correctly collect the most answers or to the team with the most answers in the time limit.

Mystery Photo Hunt
In this scavenger hunt you scout out the location in advance with a digital camera. Take photos of textures, objects, landmarks, unspecified locations, and items from around the venue. Tightly crop them so that they are not easily identifiable. The images should be tightly cropped to a small square that only shows a portion of the object. Examples: The last few letters on a street sign, a small portion of a painting n the wall, a statue from a local park, the nose of a sculpture, the number 8 from an elevator, the intricately carved frame of a wooden door, the hose of a fire extinguisher, the handle on a cabinet, and others. Participants are then given a printout of all the photos and must identify each object and where it is located within the time limit. Online examples of this can be found at:
Mystery Photos
Close-Up

People Scavenger Hunts
In various incarnations, these scavenger hunts have groups search for people rather than objects. These could be people that participants know or total strangers. Participants can be required to get autographs, business cards, or photographs with the persons in order to prove they found them. Targets may be in disguise, dressed as certain characters from famous books, or simply roaming about a large mall.

Photo Scavenger Hunt
In this scavenger hunt, participants must take photos of their group with objects or in specific situations. The scavenger hunt format is a list of situations and objects to be included in the photos. One common variation is to include an object that must be present in every photograph such as a school mascot, a flag, a teddy bear or even something as outrageous as a couch. Participants may be given an instant 35mm camera or a digital camera. Boundaries and time limits can be used to limit the scope and duration of the game. Pictures are variously awarded points based upon meeting the stipulations of the photos and the creativity of the teams.

Pre-Arranged Scavenger Hunt
This is similar to the classic scavenger hunt, but the items are placed in the designated playing area in advance. A traditional Easter Egg is a common version of this hunt. Participants may be given a general instruction to “Find all the wrapped Christmas packages” or be given a list of specific items to find. In one variation, participants are to leave the item in place and merely note the exact location of the item. Alternatively the first team to locate the item and retrieve it will get the points. There may be more than one item hidden about the play area. You can even hide an item for each team to find. Simply color code the items with a piece of colored yard or thread. Disqualify any team that interferes with another team’s items.

Sound Scavenger Hunt
Instead of retrieving objects, students are given a tape recorder or other audio recording device and given a list of sounds to record. Sounds may include those made by objects, such as a ticking clock, ringing church bell, something announced on the radio or a radio commercial, a message from a person, animal sounds, and many others. The team that collects the most sounds from the list in the designated time is declared the winner.

Treasure Hunt
In a treasure hunt there is one final thing to search for rather than a list of items. Successive clues lead to a final destination where the treasure can be found. Teams compete against each other to solve the clues, and follow them to the treasure.

Video Scavenger Hunts
In this scavenger hunt, participants are given a list of actions and situations that must be filmed on video. Teams film video footage of themselves or other people in certain places and performing challenging and sometimes ridiculous tasks. Video is usually 30-45 seconds for each situation otherwise the time to view entries will be too long. This can be combined with community service so that some of the items might include the team raking leaves, helping someone take groceries to their car, etc.

Combination Scavenger Hunts
Combine various types of scavenger hunts together and tailor them to your theme. In this case the list will have situations to video or photograph as well as objects to retrieve, people to find, clues to solve, and facts to discover. Various items will appeal to various personalities so that everyone has fun.

See Conducting Scavenger Hunts for help, Hints, Safety Considerations, Rules, and other useful information to make your scavenger hunt a wild success!

Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

=> Tell me more about the Creative Scavenger Hunts

Materials
1. A jar filled with Jelly Beans, chocolate Easter Eggs, Easter M&M’s or other holiday candy
2. Slips of paper and a pencil

Game preparation
1. As you fill the jar, count the number of items inside the jar. You may wish to add a gift certificate or money to the jar as an additional incentive.

Game Play
1. Set this up for several weeks in the youth group. Set a series of conditions for the youth. For each condition the youth achieve they will get one chance to guess the contents of the jar. Some examples:

• Attend church service
• Attend Prayer Meeting
• Bring a friend
• Attend Sunday School
• Bring a Bible
• Attend Youth Group

On the slips of paper they can write their name and guess at the number of items in the jar.
2. At the end of the designated period or on Easter Sunday, choose from among the slips of paper the entry that is closest to the actual number without going over. In case of a tie, put all the correct entries in a hat and draw one from among them.
3. Award the jar and its contents to the winner!

Game Purpose
The objective of this game is to encourage youth attendance and specific behaviors in youth.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
1. Enough eggs for everyone in the group (Most of the eggs should be hard boiled, but include one or more raw eggs to make the game interesting.)
2. A bowl or Basket. Easter baskets work great.

Game Objective
Don’t be the one with a raw egg cracked on your head.

Game Play
1. Put all the eggs into the bowl or basket.
2. One by one students reach into the basket and the first egg they touch they must smash over their own head.
3. Hard boiled or raw there’s sure to be suspense.

The eggs can be dyed for Easter or left natural color.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
Sheet of construction paper for each participant.

Activity
Participants must rip a sheet of construction paper into the shape of an Easter Rabbit — behind their back. They are not allowed to look at their creation until it is complete. Hang the works of art up for everyone to judge. Give prizes for the best-looking Easter Bunny.

Variation
Use a cross, an easter lily, or an easter Basket as other options to replace the easter rabbit

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
None

Game Objective
Don’t Laugh!

Game Play
1. Everyone sits in a circle.
2. From this point forward, you may not show your teeth.
3. To speak, you must pull your lips inward around your teeth to hide them.
4. A question is started, related to the Easter holiday. For example, “You want to go the the Sunrise Service?” or “Would you like som Jelly Beans?”
5. The person asked then replies “I don’t know. I’ll have to ask my neighbor.” He then asks the neighbor the same question without showing his teeth.
6. This keeps going around the circle.
7. When someone’s teeth show due to laughter, he or she is out. Once it goes all the way around the circle, the next person gets to change the question. Smiling is permitted provided the teeth don’t show.
8. The choice of questions can be a source of laughter so question choice is important.
9. When asking or answering, contorting the facial muscles may be used to try to make the person next to you laugh.
10. If a question is vulgar or suggestive, the person is removed from the game.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
Sheet of paper and a tray or hard cover book for each participant.

Activity
Everyone places a tray or large book on top their head with a piece of blank paper on it. They each have a marker. Participant are to draw on the page resting on the top of their head, without looking, according to the instructions given.

Instructions might be:
1. Draw a hill.
2. Draw a cross on top of the hill.
3. Draw a man on the cross.
4. Draw a nail through each wrist and the feet.
5. Draw a crown of thorns on his head.
6. Add the words “King of the Jews” above his head

You can make the drawing as detailed or simple as you wish.

At the end of instructions, everyone removes the pictures from their heads. It can be very funny to see what they have drawn.

Scoring options
2 points for every line that crosses
1 point if your cross touched the top of the hill
1 point if your mab is on the cross
1 point for every nail that touches the man
1 point if the crown is on the man’s head
2 points if King of the Jews is readable.
ETC

Award the person with the greatest number of points the prize!

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
1. A list of items commonly associated with Easter
2. A large sheet of paper, flip chart, or a whiteboard for each team. (Classified ads also work if you use a broad tip marker.)

Activity
1. Each team selects a person to draw.
2. The person leading the game showsthe first item on his list to all those who are drawing.
3. Each returns to his/her group and tries to get the group to guess the name of the item by Drawing / Sketching ONLY.
4. No Speaking, No sound effects, especially no humming, and no gestures are allowed.
5. As soon as the group knows the item, they must write it down on a peice of paper for you to check.
6. They send the peice of paper and a new person to you.
7. If the item is correct you give the person the next item to draw.
8. The first team to complete the entire list wins the game.

Easter items related to the Biblical account:
Gray fleece or donkey (Matthew 21:2-5), Palm branch or a coat (Matthew 21:8-11), A vial of perfume (Matthew 26:7-13), A lock of hair (Matthew 26:7-13), 30 silver coins or 3 10-cent coins (Matthew 26:14-15), A strip of terry cloth fabric or towel (John 13:4-11), A communion wafer or bread (Matthew 26:17-29), A communion cup or grape (Matthew 26:17-29), , Praying hands (Mark 14:32-42), A watch (Mark 13:37), Rooster or a feather (Luke 22:61)
, Piece of rope (John 18:12), A leather whip (John 19:1), Small piece of soap (Matthew 27:20-24), A piece of scarlet cloth (Matthew 27:28), A crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29), A cross (John 19:16-22), nails (John 19:16-22), Dice (John 19:23-24), darkness or Black circle (Luke 23:44-45), sponge with vinegar (John 19:28-30), spear (John 19:32-37), A shattered or split rock (Matthew 27:51, 54), Purple cloth (Matthew 27:51), Clean linen cloth or gauze (Matthew 27:57-61), Spices (Luke 23:55-56), A stone and wax or paraffin (Matthew 27:65-66), an empty tomb (Matthew 28:5-8), Sign reading “King of the Jews”

Easter items NOT necessarily related to Biblical account:
Basket, Bells, Bonnet, Bunny Hop, Candies, Chicks, Chocolate, Chocolate Rabbit, church, Cottontail, Daffodil, Easter Card, Easter Egg, Egg Hunt, Egg Tree, Faberge, Hard Boiled egg, Hot Cross Buns, Jelly Beans, Lamb, Lilies, Marshmellows, New Clothes, Parade, Passover, Pastel Colors, Peeps, Pretzel, Rabbit, Ribbons, Spring, Straw, Sunday, Sunrise

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
Large bag of Easter Jelly Beans and a roll of paper towels. Jelly Beans should be in equal numbers for each color.

Game Preparation
1. Form two teams and assign each team one or two colors of Jelly Beans. You can have as many teams as you have colors of Jelly Beans.
2. On the floor at one end of the room, unroll a several foot long strip of paper towels. Spread the Jelly Beans randomly over the entire length of paper towels and then have the teams line up at the other end of the room.

Game Objective
The objective is to be the first team to remove all the Jelly Beans of their assigned color.

Game Play
1. One at a time, team members rush to the paper towels, and bend down and use their teeth to pick up one Jelly Bean (team colors only and no hands allowed).
2. Once they have a Jelly Bean in their teeth, they stand back up, run back to their team.
3. They must then show the candy in their mouth to the next person in line, who shouts out the color.
4. If the color’s wrong, the person must eat the candy and then go back and get another peice of candy of the correct color. When the color is correct, the person eats his/her candy and the next person goes to the paper towels and repeats the process.

Variation
Combine this with Jelly Bean Salvation for a fun Easter Gospel presentation.

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
1. A Hard-Boiled Easter Egg for each team. You might also have a few eggs as spares in case some or dropped and mutilated beyond use.
2. 2 Spoons for each team

Game Objective
Place the egg on the spoon and run to the opposite end of the room and back without dropping it.

Game Preparation
1. Divide the group into teams of an even number. If one or more teams is short a player, have a person on those teams go twice to even out the number.
2. Provide the egg and spoon to each team.

Game Play
1. Teams must place the egg on the spoon and run to the opposite side of the room and back.
2. If the egg is dropped, they must return to the starting line and begin again.
3. If the run is completed successfully the egg is passed to the next person who has the second spoon who then also runs the relay. The first person then passes the spoon to the next person in line and goes to the end of the line.
4. The first team to have all members complete the relay is the winner.

Variation
Use plastic spoons and have the participants hold the spoon in their mouths. As the egg is a little bit heavy this makes the game exceedingly more difficult.

Variation
Use a raw egg for messy fun!

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
This is a scavenger hunt type game. Hide the items from the Biblical Easter account around the room. Some should be easy to find and some more difficult. Place one on the snack table, one in a card at the table, one one a nametag, one painted on an egg, and so on! Give each person a piece of paper and a pencil, the first goal is to be the first person to locate all the items associated with easter and write their locations on the paper.

Choose from among the following items
* Gray fleece or a tiny donkey (Matthew 21:2-5)
* Palm branch (Matthew 21:8-11)
* A vial of perfume (Matthew 26:7-13)
* A lock of hair (Matthew 26:7-13)
* 30 silver coins (Matthew 26:14-15)
* A robe (John 13:4-11)
* A communion wafer or bread (Matthew 26:17-29)
* A communion cup (Matthew 26:17-29)
* Miniature praying hands (Mark 14:32-42)
* A watch or clock (Mark 13:37)
* Rooster or a feather (Luke 22:61)
* Piece of rope (John 18:12)
* A leather whip (John 19:1)
* A piece of scarlet cloth (Matthew 27:28)
* A crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29)
* A cross (John 19:16-22)
* Three flathead nails or regular nails (John 19:16-22)
* Dice (John 19:23-24)
* Vinegar (John 19:28-30)
* A spear (John 19:32-37)
* A split rock (Matthew 27:51, 54)
* Purple cloth (Matthew 27:51)

Creative Scavenger Hunts: Once Lost, Now Found

is a 160 page e-book that explains everything you need to know to easily plan your very own scavenger hunt: Item Lists, Rules, Riddles, Safety Tips, Guidelines, Scoring, Tips for Facilitators and MORE! There are more than 50 complete ideas (scavenger hunts, photo hunts, video hunts, amazing race, etc.) to use at home, around the neighborhood, at the mall, in the park, on the beach, at church, and around town!

=> Tell me more about the Creative Scavenger Hunts

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
Circle of Chairs

Game Play
1. Form a circle sitting in chairs and give (or allow each participant to choose) the name of something relating to the Easter story: crown of thorns, cross, nails, etc. “It” calls out two such items. The children / youth with these items try to exchange places before “It” can get one of their places.
2. If the person in the center is able to grab a seat, whoever is left without one must more to the center.
3. Forfeits (Optional)
* If the person calling the items calls something that no one has chosen, then they must do a forfeit.
* If the person in the middle is unable to get a place after 3 tries they must do a forfeit.
* If a person ends up in the center 3 times they must do a forfeit

For example of some of the easter items see Easter Bingo

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection

Materials
Dyed Easter eggs for each person

Game objective
Roll the Easter Egg to the finish line using only your nose.

Game Play
1. Youth must get down on their hands and knees and roll the egg across the floor using only their
noses.
2. The first one to the finish line without touching the egg with their hands is the grand champion nose roller.

Variation
Raw eggs do not roll as easily as Hard boiled eggs

Messy Fun
Some Easter Egg dyes have a tendency to rub off. You might have colored noses when you have finished!

Easter Collection
Games and Activities in celebration of Easter.

Get more than 80 creative ideas for planning a Youth Easter celebration or Easter Party. You can immediately download my best Easter Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Easter activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Easter Collection