outdoor – Youth Group Games

Trash Can Game – Team Variant

The game is played out just as it is in the Trash Can Game (free-for-all), except that everyone is on one of two teams.

Form a circle around the trash can, then have a leader count everyone off 1-2-1-2-1-2…etc. The goal of each team is to work together to get the other team members to touch the trash can without touching the trash can themselves (though at times self-sacrificing can be worthwhile to take down those difficult opponents). Confusion can set in as people quickly are tagged out and players often ask others which team they are on.

by Jason McKinney in All Youth, Indoor Youth Group Games Comments are off

Bases

Overview:

Bases is a fast-paced outdoor game combining elements of ‘Capture the Flag’ (CTF), flag football, and role playing. Bring and drink plenty of water, and take a break between games to rest and collaborate. Please read the clarifying ‘Notes’ after each section for important information and tips.

Objectives for Winning:

Game: a single play-through that is won by destroying the opponent’s Home base.
Match: the combination of a few or several games, depending on the score teams have chosen.

The game is won when one team destroys their opponent’s Home base. A team receives 3 points each time they destroy their opponent’s Home base, 1 point for every opponent Field base they destroy, and 1 point for each Field base they build (even if it is later destroyed). The match is won when a team reaches the score the teams have chosen beforehand. Scores are not added up until the end of each game.

Note: Make the teams as balanced as possible, and readjust if necessary. While playing, the most important things to keep in mind are safety and honesty – both serious injury and dishonesty will ruin any game.

What You’ll Need:

People: At least 5 players per team – there is no maximum limit.

Flag Football Belts and Flags: Each player needs a belt with 2-3 removable flags that match his or her team’s color. If there are extra belts and flags, use them for the Home and Field bases. If not, you’ll need something like colored bandannas or cloth strips.

Space: At an urban, suburban, or rural setting. For safety reasons, decide if boundaries are needed and where.

Note: There are no ‘safe’ zones or areas where players are immune from having their flags stolen. With large fields or large teams, you may want to have phones so you can communicate with each other.

Player Elimination:

When all of a player’s flags are stolen, they have been eliminated, can no longer steal flags, and must ‘Recharge’ to continue playing. To Recharge, they should pick up their flags and return to a team base to put them back on. If a player has lost 1 or more flags, but not all of them, he or she can return to a base to place the flags back on.

Note: The eliminated player is responsible for finding his or her own flags. It is important that players who stole an opponents’ flags do not throw or hide them, but drop them in an obvious place or give them back to their opponent. If a player has had a flag stolen, but still has another, they should keep the unattached flag with them.

Team Bases:

Home Base: 1-3 Home flags are used to mark a team’s Home base (1-2 if the belts have just 2 flags). The the belt with flags is fastened, or just flags, are placed onto something, like a tree, that serves as the team’s Home base and acts as a Recharge location. Both teams should agree on the placement of each other’s Home flags before the match begins.

Field Base: 1-3 Field flags are used to mark a team’s Field bases (1-2 if your belts have just 2 flags). Like the Home base, these serve as Recharge locations. Before the match begins, teams choose specific locations where Field bases can be built. Field bases can only be built at these locations. There may be 1-2 Field base locations near each team’s Home base, and 1-3 somewhere near the middle of the field. We suggest selecting 2-3 total Field base locations for every 10 total players. At the beginning of each game, the base locations near each team’s Home base belong to them, and are marked by the team’s Field flags. The base locations near the middle of the field are neutral, and can be built by either team. Neutral bases need to be obvious or marked with something like a belt without flags. If a base is destroyed, either team can rebuild at the base location.

Note: When deciding what locations to use for bases, make sure they are evenly distributed across the field. Field bases that belong to teams at the beginning of the game do not count towards their game score, only those built during the game. All base flags should always be in plain sight and within reach.

Protecting Bases: To protect their Home and Field bases, a team assigns Defenders to them (see ‘Player Units’ below). A base can have 1 Defender for each of its base flags, meaning teams can assign up to 3 Defenders to a Home or Field base that has 3 base flags (if using belts with just 2 flags, teams can assign up to 2 Defenders to each base).

Destroying Bases: To destroy a base, an opponent player must remove the Home or Field flags. Players cannot remove an opponent base’s flags until all of its Defenders have been eliminated.

Player Units:

1. Attackers: Attackers wear 2 belt flags, with 1 on each side. They focus on eliminating opponents by stealing their flags or destroying their bases. Attackers may begin the game at any of the team’s Home or Field bases.

2. Defenders: Defenders have the most important role in the game. They wear 2 belt flags, with 1 on each side, but their belt is put on backwards. At the beginning of the game, each team base should have at least one Defender. Defenders steal flags, but mostly focus on building, defending, and representing their team’s bases.

Building: To build a base, a Defender places Field flags, or a belt with Field flags, onto a Field base location. Defenders should carry the belt and/or flags in their non-dominant hand. If the Defender is eliminated before building a Field base, he or she must return to the Home base with the Field flags to Recharge.

Defending & Representing:
1. A base’s original Defenders are the only players that can represent that Home or Field base. Once a base is built and its Defenders are assigned, teams cannot add base flags or Defenders to it later in the game.
2. Defenders must stay within about 5 yards of the base. If they leave the 5-yard radius, they become an Attacker, and the base loses a Defender.
3. Defenders must Recharge at a different base when eliminated to continue playing as the base’s Defender. Defenders that Recharge at a different base can return to represent it, if it hasn’t been destroyed. If they Recharge at the base they represent, including Home base, they become an Attacker or other unit. If they’ve lost some but not all of their flags, Defenders can find and replace their stolen flags at the base they are defending.

Note: Defenders can voluntarily leave the base’s 5-yard radius and become extra Attackers, Defenders of a base to be built, or other units. If there is ever any question about a 5-yard radius, use the Defender’s striding pace as a yard. When a Field base has been destroyed, the last Defender eliminated should take the Field flags back to the team’s Home base. For small teams, it’s best that no more than half your players are Defenders.

From the author: If you have any ideas, feedback, or suggestions for this game, or would like the extended rules that include more player units, I would love to hear about it: rustin2@gmail.com.

by Rustin Reed in Mid and Late Adolescents, Outdoor Youth Group Games Comments are off

Three Quadrant Volleyball

This is two volleyball games going on at once played by three teams. The two courts are set up in a line with the middle team playing on a side with normal dimensions against the two outer teams at the same time (The court is one and a half times as big as a single volleyball court since the middle area is used for both games.) You might put the better players in the middle; they need to play in both directions.

Almost everyone loved this game. Kids who don’t like any active games didn’t like this game either.

by George Fischer in Mid and Late Adolescents, Outdoor Youth Group Games Comments are off

Coneball

This game is like a combination of soccer, basketball, ultimate Frisbee, and hit the can (the carnival game)… I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it’s awesome.

Materials needed:
-a slightly deflated kickball/dodgeball
-2 2gallon buckets (like the ones they put paint in)
-2 small orange cones (about 6 inches in height.. if you don’t have cones, we used Gatorade bottles filled halfway with rocks)
-something to mark boundaries on a field (powder or spray paint)
-a field about the half the size of a soccer field (maybe not that wide)
– You will want someone who knows the rules to play referee (and you may want them to have a whistle)

This game will take some setup, but it is a great camp game. One was a favorite of my old youth group.

First you must mark two areas at opposite ends of a rectangular field (maybe half of a soccer field size). At each end of the field you need a 16 ft in diameter circles. In the center of each circle you need to place the 2 gallon drum upside down with the cone/bottle on top. The object of the game is to knock the other teams cone/bottle off of the bucket. However, the players may not step inside the circle or knock over the bucket. If this happens, the point does not count and it is the other teams ball.

To get the ball to the other side of the field, you must pass the ball from teammate to teammate (kind of like ultimate Frisbee). If the ball touches the ground, it is the other team’s ball at the place it hit the ground, and of course the ball can be intercepted. The other team may try and stop the other team from scoring, but they may not touch the other team (think like guarding another player in basketball).

There are no offsides, and “cherry-picking is allowed since it will be difficult for that to actually work.

A few other rules to be aware of:
– Players may NOT run with the ball (like in ultimate Frisbee)
– If the team on defense gets too rough with the other players, you should allow the other team to throw the ball in at the other teams end of the field.
– If the ball goes out of bounds, it is the other teams ball, and they get to throw it in from where it went out (like in basketball).
– If team A throws the ball into team B’s circle, and the ball stops INSIDE the circle, the ball is turned over to team B, and a player from team B may enter the circle to retrieve the ball. The player who retrieves it must pass it to a teammate outside the circle to continue play.
– When a team scores, the other team starts by passing the ball in from their end of the field (again like in basketball).

We usually play first team to 5 wins, but you can also have a time limit as well.

by Jared in All Youth, Outdoor Youth Group Games Comments are off

Diet Coke and Mentos Eruption

Items Needed:

Masking Tape
Ladder
Tape Measure
Sharpie
Several 2 Liters of Diet Coke and packs of Mentos
Paper, Foam Cups, Tape, Scissors, etc.
Camcorder and Tripod

This was a great game for our youth. There is some kind of science principle that makes Diet Coke erupt like a volcano when you drop Mentos in it. This only works with “diet,” not regular. The more Mentos you can drop in at once, the bigger the eruption.

Before the game, find a spot next to a wall where the Diet Coke can spill everywhere without creating a mess. Grass is good, because sidewalks and parking lots can get sticky. On this wall, make a vertical line with the masking tape. Use the tape measure to mark off 1 ft. 2 ft. 3 ft. etc. on the tape and draw thick lines at those intervals with the sharpie. You’ll need the ladder to get up high, and 9-10 ft. should be plenty. The lines need to be dark enough that your camera can see them from a safe distance away.

Divide your youth into several teams of 5 or so members. You need as many 2 liters of Diet Coke and packs of Mentos as you have teams. Give the teams 5 min. to use the paper and items to create a cone or some object to deliver the most Mentos into the bottle. Set up the first bottle in front of the tape, and position the camera a safe distance away and start recording. Let the first team go to drop their Mentos in the bottle and make an eruption. Move the used bottle away, and put another one there for the next team. Each bottle needs to be in the same place, so you may want to mark that spot with a piece of tape. After the last team, head inside to watch the footage and see which team won with the highest eruption.

by Matthew Thomas in All Youth, Outdoor Youth Group Games Comments are off

Food for Auctions!

I come from a small church, and we maybe have 8-10 youth in our core youth group. This is a great fundraiser for smaller youth groups. It tends to work better with pre-teens and teenagers.

We have a gentleman in our church who is a local auctioneer. Each year, he allows our youth group to sell the concessions during some of the auctions. Ask around; chances are there are auctions locally that need your help selling concessions. A lot of the auctions we’ve done are all-day events beginning early in the morning and lasting into the evening. A couple hundred people usually attend each auction.

We are set up prior to the auction selling coffee and donuts. Shortly after, we begin selling hot dogs, chili dogs, chips, cookies, other baked goods, and drinks (water goes well, especially during hot days!) Some local businesses will even donate items if it’s for a good cause. We ask ladies of the church to donate donuts, baked goods, cookies, and chili sauce. We also hand out tracks and invitations to church with their purchase of food.

Each person is assigned tasks during the auction: one person mans the George Foreman grill and grills hot dogs, one person prepares the chili dogs, one person is the cashier and keeps track of the money, one person is in charge of drinks, and one person hands out tracks/invitations. It’s a great time to fellowship together and invite others to our church. We spend about $300 for supplies prior to the auction, but we make anywhere between $900-$1,600 selling concessions!

by Ashley Sirbaugh in Fundraisers, Mid and Late Adolescents Comments are off

Famous Word / Place Video Scavenger Hunt

Divide your group in 2 teams. Each team heads out with an adult, a Digital Camera, some money, and the list below. Set an hour time limit when they will return and share their pictures with the group. Set up a way to project the pictures so everyone can easily see them.

Remind your groups to be polite! BEFORE they do any activity explain what they are doing to store employees and that there may be another group coming around asking to do the same thing… if they haven’t already.

Take a Picture of… (video optional)

Group & stranger inside McDonald’s doing the song "Da, Da, Da, Da, Da… I’m Lovin’ It!"
Group outside a pizza place pretending to hold a pizza saying, “Pizza, Pizza”
Group in Wal-Mart standing by a Timex Watch case and pointing to their pretend watch saying, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”. This was an old ad slogan from the 1960’s.
2 people from the group in front of video store reenacting “Luke, I am your Father” from Star Wars.
Our group with as many waitresses/waiters you can get at Applebee’s singing their birthday song.
Group member inside KFC flapping their “wings” (elbows out – thumbs tucked under arm pits) making chicken sounds then saying “Unthink what you thought about KFC”.
Someone inside Wendy’s who can remember the 1980s commercial “Where’s the beef?” and say “Where’s the beef?” as a group.
Group inside Home Depot by the batteries pretending to be the Energizer Bunny (drumming & sunglasses help) saying “Nothing outlasts the Energizer. It keeps going and going and going…”
Group & stranger inside Burger King singing the 1970s song “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders won’t upset us, all we ask is that you let use serve it your way. Have it your way, have it your way! Have it your way at Burger King.”
Group at bank singing “F R E E that spells free credit report dot com baby”.
Group & stranger in K-Mart pointing to a “Blue Light Special” sign.
4 from our group lying on a bed at a furniture store counting the Serta Mattress Sheep.
Group inside grocery store holding a gallon of milk saying “Got Milk?”
Group & stranger inside Quiznos saying “The Toasty makes it Tasty” – say it like you mean it!
Group & stranger inside Taco Bell singing “It’s all about the Roosevelt’s baby”.
Group working together to make a Christian symbol with their bodies in the grass in front of our church.
A group member being a greeter at Wal-Mart or other store with greeters – make sure to ask the regular greeter first!
A group member eating a Jimmy Johns pickle inside the restaurant.
The group helping someone fold their laundry at a laundramat.
The group and a police officer singing the theme to COPS “Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?”
Group & employee inside a Chinese restaurant holding Chop Sticks – be polite.
A SMALL team member being pushed in a Pet Supplies Plus shopping cart.
The whole group inside one car at a new or used car lot – make sure to ask first and be careful!
The group making a human pyramid in front of the library saying “Reading is FUNdamental!”
Group inside Rite-Aid with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol doing the song and motions from commercial “Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea”.
2 people in front of Cinema reenacting the line “Run Forrest, run!” from Forrest Gump.
Group outside Arby’s saying “I’m thinking Arby’s” with the thinker pose.
Group inside store holding a Dora the Explorer toy saying “Swiper no swiping!”
Group inside Wal-Mart holding a jar of Smuckers Jelly with everyone saying their slogan, “With a name like Smuckers… it has to be good”
Group flexing muscles In front of Recruiting Office or Armory Building saying, “Be all that you can be”.
Group with a mouth FULL of M&M’s saying “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”
Group at grocery store holding a box of Frosted Flakes saying “They’re great!”
Group & employee inside any Subway with big smile saying “Eat Fresh”
Group & stranger inside McDonalds singing the Whopper Song, “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.”
Group inside store holding a Band-Aid box singing “I am stuck on Band-Aid brand ‘cuz Band-Aid’s stuck on me! I am stuck on Brand-Aid brand cuz germs don’t stick on me! Cuz they hold on tight no matter what on fingers, toes, and knees. I am stuck on Band-Aid brand cuz Band-Aid helps heal me!”

by Andrea in All Youth, Scavanger Hunts Comments are off