Children & youth ministry

Announce ahead of time that everyone should where sneakers

Icebreakers:

“Shoe message”

What you need:

Marker pen, paper, scissors, shoestrings

How to play:

To set up, cut a 3’ piece of string for each participant. Tie one end of the piece of string to the middle of the marker. Use tape to hold the knot to the middle of the marker and to help keep the string from sliding up and down. Give the other end of the piece of string to one person. Do this for each participant until everyone is holding an end of a piece of string that is attached to the marker. Tell participants to pull their strings tight until the marker is balanced vertically with the tip pointed down. Put a piece of paper under the marker. Now work together to write out "Shoe” on the paper while holding only the ends of the pieces of string (Veggie Tales).

“Shoe pile”

Everybody takes off a shoe and throws them in a pile on the floor. At the count of three, everyone has to grab a shoe from the pile, then find the person with the matching shoe on their other foot and find out their name and three things about them they didn't already know (like where they go to school or how many brothers or sisters they have). This is fun because everyone is trying to find someone while someone else is trying to find them. Works best with larger (10) groups. After everyone has found their person and asked them the questions, then go around the circle and have everyone introduce the person they talked to and tell the three things about them (Pastor)

“Group Scavenger Hunt...”

Have audience break into 3 - 4 groups according to their shoes (size, color, etc.). Leader calls out different items or activities for the groups to produce. The first group (the entire group does not have to go) to come up to the front with the item gets a point. Group with the most points at end wins.
Suggested items and activities:

<       Red (or another color) shoelace - to be removed from the shoe

<       Pen with a chewed cap

<       Penny or any coin with a certain date

<       Paper clip

<       Stamp

<       Family picture

<       Guy wearing red lipstick

<       2 people with their shoelaces tied together

<       Gum in the wrapper - MC thanks the person and then eats the gum

<       Key chain with at least 8 keys

<       Church bulletin

<       Bookmark

<       Store receipt

(EveryRule)

“Human Scavenger hunt:”

Description

Break the large group into smaller groups of about six to twelve people each. Have each group stand or sit together in a place that is separate from the other groups but of equal distance from you - the leader who stands in the middle of the room.

Read one item from the list at a time. The team who sends up a person or group of people to you first that fits the description you have just given earns a point. For example, you might say "two people who have the same middle name" and within each group the members must talk, find out if any two have the same middle name, and then quickly send those people up to you. The first group of people with the same middle name to reach you earns a point for their team. You may give a bonus point for different items if it applies - for instance, if a group has three people with the same middle name they may earn a point for this round even if they were not the first to get to you. The group with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Human Scavenger Hunt List example

1. 
   Two people who have the same first and last initial
   
2. 
   The person in your group who was born the farthest away from here
   
3. 
   Two people with the same middle name
   
4. 
   A group of people whose ages add up to 100
   
5. 
   A group of people whose shoe sizes add up to 40
   
6. 
   The person in your group who lives the closest to here
   
7. 
   A group of people who have attended school for a total of 38 years
   
8. 
   Two people with the same birthday (or birthday month)
   
9. 
   A group of people who can spell a word by putting together the first letters of their first names
   
10. 
    A group of three people who all have different colored eyes
    

Or you can make your own questions regarding your theme (EveryRule)

Shoe Prints:

Materials: Washable paint, paper, pen and paintbrushes.

Each person will get a piece of paper. With a paintbrush, they will paint the bottom of one shoe. Everyone will use the same color of paint. With the pen they will put their name at the back of the paper. A leader will hang the shoe prints on the wall and everyone will guess whose shoe print it is. Or everyone together can make a project on a large poster using different colors, instead of handprints. (igrandparents)

Games:

Shoe Box Relay

What you need: Shoe boxes (different sizes)
How to play:

Give each team one or more ordinary shoeboxes. If you have enough, give 1 to each player. Or have everyone bring their own shoebox. Players put their feet in the boxes and hoof it around the goal and back (Pratt, 1).

“Shoe Kick”

Play this game outside. Have players line up next to each other, facing the same direction. Explain that players will kick off one shoe, kicking it as far as possible.

Players may not use their hands for assistance. Let the players kick off their shoes all at the same time or one person at a time. Try loosening a shoe before kicking it if it does not come off or does not go far. See whose shoe goes the farthest, and you will have the winner.

Tips:

Younger children may not be very successful with this game, but they will

think it is very funny.

Make sure nobody is in the way of the flying shoes (Pratt, 2).