- Always try to explain the rules clearly with simple language and prompts.
- It is important to be fair and keep to the original rules that have been set.
- Participation is optional - some young people can be too nervous or anxious to join in straight away, so allow them to watch first. Giving permission to watch the game before getting involved could lead to further invitation and participation.
- Be aware that some young people have sensory issues (light / noise / smell). This could affect the games so get to know the group and the impact this may have.
Balloon volleyball
15 minutes
You will need: a volleyball net (or similar); inflated balloons; a volunteer to keep a tally of the score
Put the net lengthwise down the centre of the room and organise the group into two teams. Send a group to either side of the net. Each side takes it in turn to serve and to send the balloon over to the other team. Each team has three hits to return the balloon to the opposing side. If they let the balloon touch the floor, that side loses the round. The game finishes when a team successfully wins ten rounds. You can edit and adapt the rules to those best fitting your group.
Spaghetti tower
10 minutes
You will need: uncooked spaghetti; marshmallows; tape measure
Challenge the young people to make the tallest tower using only marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti. Split your group into teams and give them five minutes to create it. Make sure that materials are divided equally. At the end of the time limit, measure each tower. The towers must be free-standing, so don’t let any young people prop their tower up!
Don’t crack the egg!
15 minutes
You will need: eggs (raw, in their shells); sticky tape; ‘junk’ such as bubble wrap, paper, kitchen towels, small boxes, plastic bags; clean-up and cover-up equipment
Split the group into teams and give each team an egg and a selection of junk (try to give the same kind of junk to each team to ensure fairness!). The young people have five minutes to create a protective casing for their egg. The goal is for the egg not to break when dropped from a great height. If you want the game to get messier, take layers off and the drop the eggs again until the inevitable happens! The winner is the team with the last intact egg.
Sponge throwing
10 minutes
You will need: lots of sponges; targets - anything from large pieces of paper to bins into which the young people can throw sponges
Have enough targets for each group and set a points system for each target. The team which gets the most points is the winner. Split your groups into teams and line them up in single file. The young people or children take it in turns to aim for a target. There can be multiple levels of this game starting with dry sponges, wet sponges or even sponges covered in paint. (For added fun, you could use some leaders or young people as targets.)
Treasure hunt
10 minutes
You will need: a list of random objects already in the room
Write down or remember a list of random objects in the room and split the group into teams. Shout out an object and one member of each team has to race to find it and bring it to you. Keep a tally of who has won each round - the winning team is the one that hunts and delivers the fastest and so has the most points! Things to find could range from a chair to something as small as a white shoe lace.
Parachute games
10 minutes
You will need: a parachute
There are many games you can play with a parachute, so get online and look some up (throughtheroof.org has a great resource involving one). Here are two suggestions:
Twister: Ask a small group to stand on top of the parachute while the others stand or sit round the edge and lift and lower the chute. When the parachute settles on the ground, choose a colour and body part, for example, elbow / green. The young people on top of the parachute must then race to be the first to match up their body part with that colour.
Countdown: Make sure you know everyone’s name. Choose someone to begin the game by going beneath the parachute, while everyone else holds the edges of the chute. Lift the parachute together and then the chosen person has to shout the name of someone round the edge and swap places with them, before the chute is brought down again. This can continue by more than one person being called to go underneath the parachute.
Skittles
10 minutes
You will need: at least six skittles (or at least twelve skittles if two groups are competing); some soft balls; a score board
Set up the skittles in a triangle and have a designated bowling point. The group should take it in turns to knock down the skittles and gain individual points. If more than one group is taking part, all of the individual points can be added up, with one team coming out victorious. You can make this game more difficult by having the skittles in the middle of the room on a raised surface, with teams in different corners trying to knock down the same skittles.
By the youth and children’s teams at Holy Trinity Brompton.
