Games: Christmas games

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SNOW SHOVEL RACE

5 minutes

You will need: white balloons (30+ depending on the group size); chalk or masking tape; stopwatch

Split the group into two teams and mark a line with chalk or masking tape down the centre of your room. Allocate each team one side and distribute the snowballs (balloons) evenly across the floor. Each player needs to pick up balloons and throw them over their line into another team’s area without crossing the line. Players must not kick, but use their hands as if they were scooping and shovelling snow out of the way. After two minutes, everyone must stop. Any player that doesn’t stop gets two extra balloons put into their area. Count the balloons and the team with the fewest wins.

If it’s a draw, give each team a time limit to pop as many balloons as possible. Whoever pops the most wins.

PENGUIN RACE

10 minutes

You will need: balloons (one per team); cones or markers; hoops

Split the children or young people into teams and give each team a balloon. Place a cone opposite each team at the other end of the room. The first person on each team places the balloon between their feet and either waddles or jumps to their end cone and back to their team. Then they must pass the balloon to the next person without using their hands. Once the next player has the balloon between their feet, they can take off. The first team to have taken a turn each and be sitting down is the winner. If the balloon pops, the whole team is disqualified!

If the race was too easy, add a hoop at the opposite end. At the end, they must jump into the hoop and lift it over themselves. Then they return to pass the balloon over to their teammate. Alternatively, challenge them to jump five times on the spot, but if the balloon falls out from between their feet they have to start again.

CHRISTMAS BLINDFOLD PICTIONARY

5 minutes

You will need: flip chart or big sheet of paper; pens; blindfolds

Before the session, make up lists of Christmas-themed objects, people, animals, food etc. Ideally, you want each person to have a go, so make sure each list has the correct number for all the players in each team.

Split the children or young people into teams, with a leader in each (or stay in one team if you don’t have many in your group). Give each team a piece of paper, pen and blindfold, and give each leader a list of Christmas items.

Each team needs to get through their list, with the first team to do so being the winner. The first player in each team puts on the blindfold and is told the first item on the list by the leader. They should draw the item, with the rest of the team guessing what it is. Once they get it, the blindfold is passed to the next player and so on.

Don’t make all the lists the same, so the groups can’t copy each other.

REINDEER RELAY

10 minutes

You will need: pairs of tights with the toes cut off; balloons; ribbon

Split the children or young people into threes or small groups and give the teams a pair of tights, two pieces of ribbon and the same number of balloons each. One member of the team must put the tights on their head and the aim of the game is to blow up the balloons and stuff them into the legs of the tights. Once they have made the ‘antlers’, they must tie the feet of the tights to keep the balloons in.

You can judge the winner using various criteria, for example the tallest, the first to finish or the funniest.

By the youth and children’s teams at Holy Trinity Brompton.