Children & youth ministry

Jeff Holt

“Body/Part Game Night”

A night of encountering your brother and sister in Christ

Introduction:

Tonight we are playing games and having fun learning about teamwork while at the same time learning about each other. Our goal is to make everyone comfortable without feeling out of place. While everyone is part of the body each of us plays a very key part in tonight’s activities.

Ice-Breakers

Person Scavenger Hunt Bingo

Instead of creating a Bingo board with numbers, create a Bingo board of things anybody could have done or might have in their possession. Give each player a copy of the board and get them to go around asking the other players if they match any of the details on the squares. If a player does they have to sign their name in that square/s (For example, one square can be, "Find a person with 3 brothers & sisters," another can be, "find someone who forgot to brush their teeth morning"). Give players a time limit. The winner is the first person who gets a row or at the end has most names (FunandGames)

Crash
AKA: Clump

Everybody mingles, constantly moving until the leader shouts out a number. All players must then try to get into groups of that number, any group/s that don’t succeed are out.

Variation: Players find others who have things in common, such as same shoe size (FunandGames).

Group Scavenger Hunt...

Have audience break into 3 - 4 groups. 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 (funandgames).

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

<       Book mark

<       Store receipt

I Have Never

Have everyone sit in a circle except one person. The person in the middle says something that they have never done (i.e. I have never drank. Or I have never worn a dress). All the people who have never done that have to get up and find an empty seat (from someone else who just got up). The person stuck without a seat is now in the middle. This game has not time limit (FunandGames).

Shoe Pile

A good way to have new people meet everybody. Everyone takes off one of their shoes and throws it into a big pile. Then each person picks up a different shoe from the pile and finds the person it belongs to (FunandGames)

Games

“ Who am I?”

Prepare a card for each of your guest and write on it the name of a famous man or woman on arrival, pin a card on the back of each guest who must then ask questions of each other in order to find out their identity. When they succeed, the card is pinned on the front of them (The source for Youth Ministries)

Face to Face
For 11 or more players
Ages 5 to adult

One player is chosen to stand in the center, everybody else partners up and stand in a large circle with their partners next to them so they and their partners are face-to-face. 

Player in the middle calls out commands such as "face to face," "back to back," "side to side,". Players take these positions accordingly. When the person in the middle calls "All change", all the players have to find a new partner during which the person in the middle tries to get a partner. If they are successful the person left without a partner becomes the new person in the middle and starts to give commands.

Row Organizer

The reason that this game is good is because it takes no props! Just tell the crowd that each individual row is a team (make sure all rows have at least 7 or 8 people in them). Then you tell everyone to organize themselves in their row by . . . (height, birthday, shoe size, age, # of speeding tickets, etc.) First row to do it gets a point. Keep score and give the winning row a prize (The source for youth ministry)

Sit down if

Instructions:

1. 
   Ask the entire group to stand.
   
2. 
   Instruct them to sit down when the statement characterizes them and remain seated.
   
3. 
   Encourage them to be as honest as possible.
   
4. 
   If you have trouble because most are not sitting down, give them general characteristics (sit down if you are under 15, if you have on white socks, if you are in love).
   

Sit down Mixer Number 1
Sit down if:
You haven't used deodorant in a week ... two days.
You haven't won the same socks two days in a row.
You sing in the shower.
You drive a Volkswagon.
Your belly button is an outie.
You haven't taken a shower in a week.
You didn't use mouthwash today.
You are a girl and you didn't shave your legs today.
You are a guy and you didn't shave your legs today.
Sit Down Mixer Number 2
Sit down if:
Your nose is crooked
You believe each person should pay expenses on the first date.
You still suck your thumb.
Your socks don't match.
You are ticklish.
You wear baby doll pajamas.
You weigh less than 100 pounds.
You nose is running and you don't have a handkerchief.
You're going steady but you wish you weren't.
You are good-looking but not conceited.
Sit Down Mixer Number 3
Sit down if:
You have ever eaten snails.
You are cross-eyed.
Your mother still dresses you.
You use Ban deodorant.
You have never lied to your mother.
You have a hole in your sock.
Your zipper is open.
You got a traffic ticket lately.
You are on a diet

You have never stolen a street marker (The source for Youth Ministries)