source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
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Games of Trust

One partner is blind-folded and must walk through a “mine field”. Place some things to represent the mines on the playing field. The other partner tells the blind-folded partner where to walk.

How much trust is there between members of the group? Can I count on the other members of the group? Learning to trust one and other and knowing you can count on the others are important elements that encourage the group to work together as one.

Mine Fields

One partner is blind-folded and must walk through a “mine field”. Place some things to represent the mines on the playing field. The other partner tells the blind-folded partner where to walk. If he touches a mine, he’s out. Goal: Good communication is important!

Supporting Hands

The group is paired off. Each pair holds hands. One player then lays on the hands of the other players. They try to raise that player in the air, lower him to the ground, shake him, roll him from one side to the other, swing him front to back,etc. The goal of this game is that the single player feels he will not fall and feels safe.
Nature Blind Touch

Players make pairs. One person is blind-folded. He is then led by the other player through a small forest to a particular tree where he touches and rubs it. He is then led back to the starting point and the blind-fold is taken off. The player then goes back to try to find his tree. The goal of this game is for the blind to trust his partner as he leads him blind-folded.
Nature Blind Touch 2

As in Nature Blind Touch, the player is led through an area, but this time he holds on to a rope that is kept taught between the players. The goal of this game: the rope is a symbol of safety and at the same time the player can experience his other senses.
Change Sides

The group stands in a circle. Now the players go to the opposite side of the circle without touching anyone in doing so. This game can also be played with all players eyes closed. Goal: To pay attention and show courtesy to the other players.
Zigzag Circle

Everyone stands in a circle and tightly holds hands. Every second person “falls” backwards while the other players “fall” forwards. Then, players switch directions. The feet remain in a standing position and don’t move. Goal: Trust that the decision works.
Transport the Injured

Two people hold ach others hands tightly. A third person sits on their hands and is carried through an obstacle course or a route of about 500 meters long. Goal: One for all – and all for one even when the way is difficult. No one will be forgotten or abandoned.

On One Leg

A small circle is drawn on the ground. Everyone stands with one foot in the circle, holding each other tight as their upper bodies lean out. Goal: the group works as one – each person holds the other, keeping the group balanced.
Cat and Mouse

One person is a mouse, the other a cat. Both are blind-folded and have a trainer who directs them by clapping hands or snapping fingers. (The directions can be agreed on before start of play. Go, Stop, Right, Left – 1x,2x snaps or claps.) The field is marked and a mouse hole is also marked. The mouse must find the mouse hole before the cat catches it. Goal: Blind faith in dangerous situations.
Fall Back

One player lets himself fall backwards and is caught by another player. Or, one player is in the middle of a circle (about 1.5 meters wide) and falls in one direction and is caught by the others in the circle. They push that player back in a new direction, like a spinning top or pendulum. Goal: Trust, courtesy and gentle handling of the group’s members.
Leading the Blind

One person is blind-folded and is tied with four long ropes that are held by four players. The players try to guide the blind person through an obstacle course without going past the borders. No talking is allowed.
Guiding blindfolded with little or no contact

In groups of two:
1. One person is the leader, the other is blindfolded /has eyes shut and guided by the leader. Both are only allowed to make contact with the tips of all fingers. Then the leader takes the command and guides the other around the room. They should do this however they wish.
2. After they have managed to do this, and feel secure enough, they should reduce the contact down to just one ring finger or so and again guide the other around the room. The one leading should come up with a unique sound and the one being led should attempt to memorise this sound whilst being guided around.
3. Now all finger contact should be stopped and the leader should guide the other around the room just using this sound!
4. Over time the leader can reduce the frequency and volume of the noise.
5. Swap over afterwards.
6. Afterwards, the groups should exchange their thoughts on how they felt about the task- how did they feel, what was done well, what could be improved next time and what needs particular attention?
Blindfolded obstacle course

The group is split into two teams. One member of the team is blindfolded is guided through an obstacle course by the others who can only tap on the shoulders. There should be no talking.

Goal: learn to trust themselves and others; also in situations where you can hardly see anything or nothing at all.
Forest Walk

Lead a small group into the woods, blindfold them and disperse them a little in between the trees. At the beginning there should be no talking. Then, all those blindfolded should try to find each other and make their way back to the entrance point by making a chain by holding hands, and by simply trusting each other. This game is really enjoyable and increases trust within the group.
Listen to one another

The group sits in a circle, closes their eyes and remain quiet. Then one person starts and says the number 1. Then another person says „2” etc. The aim of this game is to count to a high a number as possible without two people saying the same number at the same time. If this happens (guaranteed to happen in the beginning), start again at number 1. Each person can only say one number at a time. Getting up to the number 20 in a larger group is a good achievement as you really have to listen well to one another and not just simply let loose with the counting!
Rope-bridges

Out in the open, ropes are stretched between trees. The children have to walk along these ropes with their eyes blind folded. It is important that each person walks alone and that enough space is left between one person and the next.
Sent in by Kathrin
Collective powerlessness

In preparation for this game create 5 temporary subgroups, who are assigned the numbers 1-5. Disperse the groups; all players should now move around the room to music. As soon as the music stops, the game leader/director shouts out one of the numbers between 1 & 5. All the players who were assigned this number then have the task of giving a loud cry or a call of helplessness, making themselves stiff, and as soon as helping hands are approaching, to fall to the ground (remaining as tense as possible). For all the other players, the music stopping is a sign to look to see who needs help with lightning speed, and to catch the powerless ones.