This is another blog for all current and future racers alike. This month our ministry is planning and running a kid’s camp in Thailand (aka best job ever). I’m only in my third month of the race but I can promise you that at some point you WILL have to plan a group game and it is nice to have some options, especially if you end up at a ministry that requires you to plan and run a camp for the entire month.
I spent four years working at a summer camp and for one of those summers I was responsible for planning everything so I have really been able to step up to the plate here as far as game ideas go. My teammates urged me to put together a resource for racers—or others who need game ideas—in the event that you need to plan a game and are stumped.
Games that require NO equipment
Finger Fencing—This is a great game to play if you just need to kill some time or as a planned activity. It is quick and versatile. In order to play, everyone will need to find a partner. Once you have your partner you will stand facing each other and will align your palms as if you were going in for a handshake. From that position you will need to lock your thumbs together. Close all of your other fingers except your pointer which should be pointing directly at your partner. This is the starting position. Someone will count the pair in and then they will begin their battle. The object of the game is to poke your partner with your finger before they can get you with theirs. It does not count if the person pokes the forearm of their partner (too easy :p). Other than that, ALL BETS ARE OFF! This can be done tournament style, one at a time, arena style, etc. Just have fun with this one!
Counselor Hunt—This game is simple. Ahead of time you would assign all of the leaders a random point value (any scale works but I usually use 50-500). The more leaders you have, the better this game is. Split the kids into two teams. While one leader explains the rules, all of the other leaders go and hide. The kids are then released to find their leaders! When a kid thinks they have found someone they must say “I see you, Sally there in the *insert hiding spot here*!” If the kid is right, the leader must come out. If the kid is wrong, the leader can stay where they are. Once a leader has been found the kid must bring them all the way back to the starting point. Someone should be keeping track of points based on which team found which counselor. The game ends when all leaders are found or when you run out of time.
Safari—This game tends to go over better with a younger age group! Ahead of time you must assign each leader to be an animal for the game. It is extra fun if the leaders dress up as their animal, but is not necessary. The animals are cheetahs, monkeys, flamingoes, and elephants. All of the animals have escaped from the zoo and the kids need to bring them back! Kids will try to catch the leaders and bring them back to a central location (they must walk them all the way back!) However, each animal has a “safe spot.” Cheetahs cannot be caught while running, monkeys cannot be caught while touching trees, flamingoes cannot be caught while standing on one leg, and elephants cannot be caught while touching water. Leaders should make sure they they are catchable at some points. To make the game last longer, a leader may instigate a JAIL BREAK and all of the caught animals will be free again. This game ends when all animals are caught.
The Blob—This is a quick game, another one that is great as a time-waster. All players begin in a field or other open area. One person is deemed “it.” That person will run around the field trying to tag others, as you are tagged you must link arms with the person who tagged you. They are now a team and try to tag others. The game ends when everyone ends up in the same line or “blob.”
Minimal Equipment Required
Capture the Flag—A backyard favorite, this one is almost always a hit. Split the group into two teams, if playing with younger kids just be sure to designate an even number of leaders on each team. It is really fun to distinguish the two teams with face paint if you have it! The play area must also be divided into two sides. A leader from each team will be given a flag (anything works, cone, designated shoe, etc.) and they should always be the ones to hide it to keep it fair. The flag should be visible from three sides so that it is actually able to be found. A team wins when they capture and bring back the other team’s flag. Typically each player will have a personal flag on their hip, if their flag gets pulled while they are on the opposing team’s side then they are out and they must report to jail where they will be given a task in order to be freed again. We just played that kids were out if they got tagged because we didn’t have enough flags.
Highlander—This game requires each player to have a flag. The group starts in a small space such as a basketball court. The purpose of the game is to pull other people’s flags without getting your own flag pulled. As you are eliminated you form a circle around those that are still playing to make the play space smaller. Last man standing wins.
California Chaos—ONLY PLAY THIS GAME WITH KIDS FIFTH GRADE OR YOUNGER OTHERWISE YOU WILL DIE. This is another leader vs. kids game and it is insanely fun. It is always a hit with kids and leaders alike. Find a stuffed animal or other similar item that can serve as the object to be captured. This is basically the golden snitch. All leaders will start in the middle as the kids circle around them. Leaders, be strategic here. Make sure the kids don’t know who is starting with the object and come up with a passing rotation (you’ll thank me later). When the game begins leaders will bust out of the middle and will run around until the kids manage to get the object from them. The game ends when the kids get the snitch. Kids will almost never get tired of this game, but leaders might 😉
Five Star General—This game is extra fun at night, but it is definitely not necessary to play at night. Prior to the game you should identify a handful of players from each of the two teams (also TBD ahead of time) to be “generals.” This should be a mix of kids and leaders. Each general is worth a different amount of points, again usually 50-500. As the directions are being explained the generals will be identified to all players so that everyone knows who to look for. As with capture the flag, it is fun for teams to be denoted by facepaint. If playing at night use two different colors of glow sticks where available. The purpose of the game is to amass points for your team by capturing as many generals as possible. Generals are captured when their personal flag has been pulled. Their captor must walk them all the way back to a central location while leaders will be waiting to mark off points. If the captor does not walk them all the way back, then they are free to keep playing. After a general is caught three times, they are no longer worth any points. The game ends whenever you want it to.
Moderate Equipment Required
Hans Koogle—This game can last as long or as short as you want it to and with the right equipment setup is relatively easy. You will need lots of balls in various sizes. Think tennis ball all the way up to exercise ball. Place all of the balls in the center of the playing field. The purpose of this game is to hit other players with the balls to get them out. Last man standing wins, however there is a twist, the size of the ball dictates how you may pick it up and throw it. Tennis balls are to be picked up between your two fists, soccer balls/volleyballs are to be picked up between your forearms, and exercise balls are picked up between your elbows. How the ball is picked up is also how it needs to be thrown. As with dodgeball you are out if your target catches the ball you have thrown BUT they must catch it as that size ball is thrown. A variation of this game is revenge mode. If you are out and your attacker gets out, you are back in. This version obviously takes longer.
Ugly Counselor/Buckets of Fun—This is actually two games but it is really fun to play them in conjunction with one another. Ugly counselor is pretty simple. Half of the leaders need to be willing to get dirty while half moderate the activity. Divide the kids up into as many teams as there are leaders participating. The kids should be given a time limit (20-30min max) and some general guidelines (i.e. nothing in the eyes and always ask your leader before using something). Kids can use whatever materials you give them: mud, sticks, leaves, sunscreen, paint, paper, shampoo, etc. to make their leaders as ugly as possible! When time is up gather everyone together again and have the group vote for the ugliest leader. The gross leaders will then leave to go get cleaned up. The remaining leaders will facilitate the next game, Buckets of Fun.
Buckets of Fun is a water game so ideally it should be played on a warm, sunny day. For this game you need four buckets and one plastic dixie cup for each kid. Place two buckets on either side of your playing field. On one side, both buckets should be filled with water and the other side both buckets should be empty. The purpose of the game is for kids to transport water in their cups from the full buckets to the empty buckets, however all of the leaders spread out in the middle of the field and try to prevent them from succeeding. This usually looks like leaders knocking the cups out of the kids hands. Usually it just breaks down into a big water fight and everyone forgets the actual game, it’s a good time 🙂
Trench Dodgeball—This is a variation of classic dodgeball. The rules are pretty much the same. Two teams, if you’re hit you’re out, if someone catches your throw you are out, no head shots. The twist with this version is what happens when you get out. There are two “trenches” in the back of the playing field on each side. When you get out you must cross over to the other team’s side to go to their trench. There are two ways back into the game: 1. If you get a dodgeball and hit a member of the opposing team from behind, you are back in and they are out. 2. If you catch a dodgeball thrown by one of your teammates from the opposite side. You may add another plot twist of you wish, the Fireball of Freedom! This is a special ball thrown to a team that is mostly in the opposite trench. A player from that team that is still in may attempt to throw it to a teammate in the trench. If their teammate catches the fireball then their entire team is back in. If not then the ball is returned to the moderator who may use their discretion about when to release it again. The game ends whenever you want it to or when an entire team is out, whichever happens first.
Steal the Bacon—This game is simple to play but requires a fair amount of equipment. Find as many balls, inner tubes, ropes, and other miscellaneous items that you can and pile them up in the center of the playing field. Divide the players into four teams having an even mix of kids and leaders and have each team stand in a corner of the field. Every team member will receive a number 1-10 (or higher if you have LOTS of players, but repeating numbers is fine). Each round the game moderator will call out a number or group of numbers and the players with that assigned number will sprint to the middle of the field. The goal is to get as many objects back to your corner as possible. You may only carry one thing at a time and you MAY steal things from other players hands, but NOT their corners. Count up the items each round and keep score. Play as many rounds as you want.
If you’ve read this far, then you are probably still desperately searching for a game idea and if that is the case then please reach out to me. This list is not exhaustive by any means, but is just a resource to get the ball rolling for you. Large group games can be a beast to plan but the fun that ensues is always worth it in my opinion. Treasure the experience!
