Shoot Out

Give the youth a bag of 50 balloons to blow up. After the balloons are blown up, give each of them a 1/2″ x 1-1/2′ PVC pipe, and three marshmallows or raisins with a pin stuck through the middle. Have the youth form a single line. Each player will then stuff the marshmallow “dart” into the PVC pipe, and will get a chance to take three shots at five balloons lying on the floor approximately 20′ from the firing line. The object of this game is to burst the balloons with the darts. One of the youth leaders will keep score, and another will keep five balloons in the target area at all times. Score is kept as follows: the first burst balloon = 1 point, second burst balloon = 5 points, third burst balloon = 10 points. If the shooter fails to burst any of the balloons he gets no points. If he misses on the first or second shot, but bursts a balloon on the second shot, or third shot, he only scores 1 point for the first burst balloon or 5 points for the second burst balloon. If he should burst two balloons with one shot, the score would double, e.g., first shot bursts two balloons = 2 points. Or first shot bursts one balloon = 1 point, second shot bursts two balloons = 10 points, third shot bursts one balloon = 10 points, for total of 21 points. This is much harder than it seems. The winner is the person with the highest number of points. Shooters are not allowed to load their weapons until they come to the firing line.