Games with Supplies:
Traffic Jam
Supplies: one large dot for
each player (can use paper, fabric, foam, etc.)
Make
a line of dots, one for each person and an extra. Teams face each other, standing one person on each dot, with
one free dot in the middle. Players can only move forward, or skip an opposing team
member (cannot skip own team member and cannot just step to a dot next to them). Teams have to completely switch ends of the line of dots. There are two teams, but it is more of a cooperative game. The second time
through, try it no talking.
Give & Take
Supplies: a straight straw
for each person, a couple of pieces of cardstock or a printed picture
Split
the group into two teams and have them line up parallel to the other team. When
the game begins, players must get a picture from one side of the room to the
other only using straws. Players must suck their straw to grasp the picture and then pass it to the
next player only using suction. No touching the picture, and no other way of
transferring the picture. Once players have possession of the picture, their
feet cannot move or team starts over. If the picture drops, team starts over.
First team to get the picture to the other side of the room wins.
Blind Minefield
Supplies: small toys or
items similar to the McDonald’s ball pit balls (about 100 or more, depending on
size of room), 4 blindfolds
Set Up: Place the items on
the floor spaced out throughout the room. Leave two ends of the room free of
items (possibly place a rope marking the edge of the “minefield” and the
unobstructed ends.) Two of the blindfolds (one of each color) are placed in the
middle or in a random spot in the middle of the minefield.
Divide
players into two teams. One player is chosen from each team to be blindfolded.
Only the blindfolded player is allowed to cross into the minefield. The team
must direct each step of the blindfolded player to reach the blindfold in the
middle of the minefield. If the blindfolded player touches any of the items in
the minefield they must return to the side and begin again. Once a team has the
blindfold they must get their teammate back out of the minefield without
touching any objects. If they do touch, the blindfold is returned and they
begin again. The first team to retrieve the blindfold wins.
Blind Rubber Band
Supplies: strings for half
the players, blindfolds for half the players, rubber band, sturdy plastic cup,
possibly tarp
Set up: tie one end of each
string around one rubber band. Fill the cup with water and place on the ground.
Mark an area 10-12 feet away from the cup.
Players
get into pairs. One player #1 in each pair puts on the blindfold and takes the end
of a 4-5’ string (can only hold the end). The other player (#2) in each pair must stand
or crouch behind their partner. The goal is to get the rubber band around the
cup as a team, pick it up, and move it to the new location without more than half of the
water spilling out. The people without blindfolds can only talk to their
partners (not other people or their partners), the blindfolded people can’t
talk, and the people without blindfolds can’t touch the string. Nobody can
touch the cup. The idea is to get everyone to pull their string at the same time to widen the rubberband, lower it as a team down around the cup, and then let the rubberband in evenly without knocking the cup over. It can get tricky and may take a few tries!
Gutter-ball
Supplies: foam pipes or PVC
pipes, marble, cup or bucket
Players
must transport a marble across the room to the bucket without touching it and
only using the pipes to direct it’s movement. Once the marble is in a pipe,
that pipe cannot move, only tilt. People cannot walk with the marble. Each
player must carry the marble at least once. You'll want to use enough pipes to stretch about halfway across the room. You want people to work together to use the pipes again and again forcing teams to work together!
Go Gum
Supplies: 1-2 packs of gum,
at least two sets of garden gloves
Set
up teams of five. Each team will receive one pair of new garden gloves and one
pack of gum (5 pieces per pack). On “go”, the first person in each team is to
put on the garden gloves, open the package of gum, pull out a piece, unwrap it,
chew it, and then pass the gloves to the next person. The first team to
complete the task wins. You can choose to have two packs of gum per team so
that they would have to go around twice.
Ice Age T-shirt
Supplies: t-shirt, possibly
a cooler
For
each team you'll need one T- shirt and one plastic storage bag. Place one
nicely folded T-shirt in each bag then pour in about 2 cups of water and freeze
all of them overnight. If this wasn't done where the event is taking place
bring the T-shirt in a cooler filled with ice to keep them frozen. Instruct the
teams that they'll be playing an Ice Breaker game. Then hand out the bagged
T-shirts to each team. On "Go" the teams will have to get their
T-shirts thawed out so that one person from their team can put the T-shirt on.
Teams will get creative in their attempts to win. They could run the shirts
underwater, put them in the microwave and even pounded the ice out of them. The
first team to come back with one person in the T-shirt is the winner.
Freeze Dodge ball
Supplies: 1-3 playground
balls
Players
scatter around an enclosed gym or room. The balls are released and anyone may
grab them. Whoever has one of the balls can move and chase the others around
the room and throw the ball at someone. If hit, the person must sit down and
freeze. If the person is not hit, anyone else may run to pick up the ball and
go after other players. Players that have been hit may tag people running near
them (they still cannot move from where they are though) and if tagged by a
frozen player, you also become frozen. To become unfrozen, players may grab one
of the balls if it rolls near enough for them to get it without moving from
their spot. Game may be played individually or in teams.
Capture the Flag
*Single Item
Supplies: two items (size of
a stuffed animal) and a large space to play
Divide
the teams and the playing area in half. Each team hides their item on their
half of the playing field. Each team tries to cross the center line, find the
other team’s item, and bring it back to their team’s side without being tagged.
If a player is tagged on the opponent’s side they must freeze where they are
and return the item if they found it to the opposing team. One of the player’s
own teammates must come and touch the player to free them to return back to
their original side. Once back on their own side the player can make another
attempt. The first team to retrieve the opposing team’s item wins.
*Multiple Items
Supplies: ten small items,
such as dive sticks, large area
Divide
playing area and teams in half. Each team puts their five items at the back of
their half in a visible spot. One area on each side is designated as a “jail”.
Each team tries to retrieve the five items from the other team’s side. If a
player is tagged while on the opposing side they must return the item and
proceed to that team’s jail. To be freed a teammate must come get to the jail
without being tagged and walk you back to your own side. Once a team has all
ten items on their side they win.
Video/Photo Scavenger Hunt
Supplies: cameras (video)
for each team, a list of items
Each
team gets a camera and a list of items or activities, each with point values.
These activities may include acts of service, ordering one fry at a fast food
restaurant-3 pts., or similar tasks. The teams then have an hour to go do as
many things on the list as they can, but in get credit the tasks must me filmed
or photographed. The team that returns on time (each minute late is a 2 point
deduction) with the most points for activities documented wins.
Over-Under Sponges
Supplies: two buckets, one
empty and one full of water
Players
line up in a straight line in front of the full bucket. The empty bucket goes
at the back of the line. Players must fill a large sponge with water and
alternate passing it over their heads or under their legs to the next player. The last player in line must squeeze the remaining water out of the sponge and into a collecting bucket. You can play with multiple sponges and have them going simultaneously or play with only one sponge and make players pass the sponge back to the
front (or you can have the last person run to the front of the line and start
the sponge again, giving everyone a chance to be at different parts of the
line). Set a time limit to see who has
the most water, or mark a line in the empty bucket and first team to fill to
that line wins.
Skittle Bowling
Supplies: bag of skittles,
bowling alley
While
bowling, make people pick a skittle before each time they bowl. Assign a method
of bowling to each color, so people have to bowl a weird way every time! It
makes people who aren’t good at bowling enjoy it as well.
Ideas
for ways to bowl:
-Granny style (through legs),
opposite hand, backwards, Fred Flinstone style, etc.
Giant Parachute
Supplies: giant parachute
(20-30 ft. diameter)
Everyone
grabs hold of a part of the edge of the parachute. Working as a team,
participants create a big bubble with the parachute, pull parachute behind each
person to create big bubble with the group inside, run in circles to rotate
parachute, etc.
Giant Twister
Supplies: giant twister tarp
(at supply warehouses or you can make your own)
Players
must remove shoes. Similar to a small-scale game of Twister, but involves more
people on the same playing tarp. Colors and body limb positions are read
according to a dial that is spun. Players must put that body limb on the right
color without falling or moving off colors they are already on. Last player to
remain upright without falling wins.
Blanket Volleyball
Supplies: Volleyball net,
picnic size blankets (one per 4-8 players), volleyball
Split
players into two teams, and within those teams split players into groups of 4
(if needed, 8). Give each group of 4 a blanket. Play begins when volleyball is
tossed into the air. Teams must catch the volleyball in one of the groups’
blankets on their team, and return it to the other team. Teams may make
multiple catches in the same turn (up to 4). The volleyball cannot touch the
ground or go out of bounds. If it does, the opposing team gets a point.
