Archives by: Tom Bogle

Capture the Otter – Extreme Landmine Edition

Tried this with a group of 15-20. Can probably be adapted by adjusting the number of tennis balls, but can’t imagine it working well with fewer than 9 or more than 30 students.

Equipment:
1 otter (any stuffed animal, or even a sock full of marbles, will do)
5 tennis balls

One student is “it” and stands facing the wall. The rest of the youth are out in the playing area constantly passing the balls and otter around. No student may have more than one item, and you’re not allowed to hold anything.

After a few seconds, “it” yells “Stop! One thousand 1, one thousand 2!” and then turns around to face the group. All the students try to hide what they’re holding so that “it” can’t tell if they have the otter, a ball, or nothing. “It” then begins to guess who has the otter. If he calls the name of a student who has nothing, that student reveals his empty hands, and “it” keeps guessing. If “it” correctly guesses who has the otter, then that student becomes the new “it”. But if “it” guesses a student holding a tennis ball, that student yells “landmine” and all the students with balls turn and throw the balls at “it”. Students with balls cannot run toward “it” – they have to throw form where they are. “It” can duck and weave but cannot run away. Then “it” turns back to the wall and play resumes.

by Tom Bogle in All Youth, Indoor Youth Group Games Comments are off
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Piction-tear-y

Another take-off on Pictionary: I had planned to play Build A Picture but forgot my box of blocks at home, so I grabbed a stack of paper towels (any scrap paper will do) and told the kids they had to tear the paper into the shape of the word, rather than draw it. Everybody loved it!

by Tom Bogle in All Youth, Indoor Youth Group Games Comments are off
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Deep Woods Marco Polo

This is a combination of hide-and-seek, flashlight tag, and Marco Polo. It’s best when played on a moonless night in the woods. Everyone needs a flashlight. My youth love dressing in camouflage, painting their faces black, etc, but any dark clothes will do.

Divide your group into Marcos and Polos. It doesn’t really matter how many of each you start with, so I just let them choose. Most of the group will probably want to be Polos, and it works best to start off with mostly Polos.

Send the Polos out in the woods to hide. They can hide individually (best for not getting caught) or in groups of 2 or 3, but to keep things pure we don’t allow guys and girls to hide together. While hiding, they can use their flashlights if they want, but of course the Marcos can watch where they’re going, so it’s best to stumble through the woods with your light off. Once hidden, the Polos will definitely want to keep their lights off (until they get caught).

After a count of 30 (which keeps the Polos from getting too far away), the Marcos set off in pursuit with their flashlights on. But it would be too easy if they could keep their lights on all the time, so before they can yell out “Marco”, they have to turn off their lights. When someone yells “Marco” all the Marcos have to switch off their lights and keep them off until they do a slow count to 10.
Any Polo within earshot of a Marco’s call has to respond by saying “Polo” (using at least normal speaking volume) within 3 seconds of hearing “Marco.” But if a Polo sees any flashlights on, then he can just stay quiet.

A Polo is found when a Marco shines a flashlight on him at close range and says his name. (If a Polo isn’t sure the Marco really sees him, he can sit still wait for the Marco to come up and tag him.) Once found, the Polo becomes a Marco and joins in the hunt.
As the game wears on there will be more and more Marcos searching for the best-hidden Polos, who will probably become bolder yelling out “Polo” louder and louder each time they hear “Marco.”

My youth loved it and managed to find all the Polos except me. I was hiding only 50 about feet from the campsite, but I hid by myself and stayed very still. The other leaders who stayed by the fire said they heard me, but the youth finally gave up, and I eventually came out of hiding when I no longer heard anyone yelling “Marco.” (It’s a good idea to have an air horn to signal the end of the game so you don’t accidentally leave a kid hiding out in the woods all night.)

by Tom Bogle in All Youth, Outdoor Youth Group Games Comments are off
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