source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
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Games and Contests for a varied Program
Page 2
Practical Joke Games
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Frozen T-Shirt
For this game, t-shirts must be put in a freezer the day before it is to be played. Each player gets a t-shirt. Whoever gets his t-shirt on first is the winner.
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The Biggest Joker
Using a demonstration, jokes or other ways, a player/group must make the whole group laugh. If he succeeds within 60 seconds, he gets a point. Players/teams take turns.
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The Best Yodeler
Who can yodel the best? The entire group does the judging.
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Styling
A player has 2 minutes to apply make-up to himself (or have it applied by someone else). Mustard, catsup, face cream, lipstick etc. is used as the make-up.
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Disguised
A player has 5 minutes to disguise himself (or have someone else help). The boys dress up as a woman (Marilyn Monroe, etc.), and the girls dress up like men (Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, Charles Bronson, etc.).
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The Best Minstrel Singer
Who is the best minstrel singer?
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The Human Organ
One player is selected to be the organist. The others in the group are lined up according to size, and are the organ. The organist pinches the noses of the organ to play a song (Alle meine Entchen, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, etc.). The best song wins.
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The Most Miserable Mood
Who has the most miserable temper or mood, the most horrible or awful face?
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The Biggest Laugh
Who has the biggest, best, loudest, most miserable, nastiest or most filthy laugh?
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The Wrong Step
This is a got-to-be-fun game. A player is told he has to walk over 3 bottles while blindfolded. He is allowed to try out the course 3 times to remember the distances between the bottles. He is then blindfolded. He walks over the first 2 bottles without problem. The thirds bottle is replaced with a tub of water (unknown to the player) and placed so that the player steps in it. Wet feet are certain!
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Poor Sausage
A sausage with catsup and mustard is hung from a string. How long will it take to eat the whole sausage? The player cannot use his hands.
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The Mustard muffin
A muffin is filled with mustard or pepperoni peppers and given to the player to eat. Veteran campers already know not to volunteer for this game!
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Onion Eating Contest
Who can eat an onion the fastest?
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In the Funnel
A funnel is placed in the waistband of the player. A coin is placed on his head. He must try to get the coin into the funnel. Variation: Water is poured into the funnel without the player knowing beforehand.
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Eating with Manners
How does one eat politely? 3 players show how not to eat.
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Skit
A volunteer is told to use pantomime to show how he repairs and starts his broken motorcycle. The audience is told that he is on the toilet.
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Chocolate and Soap
Two players are blindfolded and their hands must stay behind their backs. A piece of chocolate is placed on the table. The players use their mouths, noses and chins to find the chocolate. After a few rounds, the chocolate is substituted with a piece of soap.
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Feeding
Two players are blindfolded and must feed each other. When they are finished, it will be judged who is the cleanest.
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All Bananas
Two players feed each other 5 bananas. Which team wins?
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Baby Bottle
A baby bottle nipple is put on a water bottle. Who can empty the bottle the fastest? A few clever players always try to bit the nipple to make the opening larger. They must be disqualified as the nipple is damaged.
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Teeth Brushing
Two players are blindfolded and must brush each others teeth. At the end, it is judged who has the cleanest teeth.
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The Mirror Game
One player is told he is a mirror and must do what the player opposite him does. Then, different movements are made (hold up hand, combing hair, pinch the nose, kiss the mirror, etc.). Afterwards, a plate is held up and with a finger, the back of the plate is rubbed. Then using the finger, the player rubs his nose, forehead, etc.. As he does this, the players look intently into each others eyes. The mirror player doesn’t know that soot was on the back of the plate and now has soot all over his face. The judge will decide how well the player portrayed a mirror.
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Air Ride
A player is blindfolded and lays down on a board. He must feel like he is being held high above the ground. Noises are made by the audience. The players head is touched by another board to make him think he has touched the ceiling. A steward helps him disembark by giving the player his hand to hold. The steward is on his knees so that his hand is coming from below the player who has to reach down to get it.
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The Experiment
A volunteer is asked to help another player nail a glass of water to the wall. The volunteer holds the nail – the other player empties the glass of water over the volunteers head.
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Sentence Repeating
The group leader tells the group that they can’t repeat 3 sentences correctly. A few volunteers say they will try it. The first sentence is: “We have nice weather today”. The second sentence should be something a little more difficult, buy not too hard. As soon as the player repeats the second sentence, the leader says: “That was wrong”. Whoever doesn’t get it, will ask: “why?”, instead of repeating this third sentence, “That was wrong”.
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Change Clothes
Which team can change into their pajamas or bathing sits the fastest? This game should only be played at suitable gatherings or retreats.
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The Ten Cent Game
A few players are chosen. They must maneuver through an obstacle course with their hands behind their backs and carry a coin (which must not fall off) on their foreheads. At the goal, the coin is dropped into a bowl. Variation: The coin is pressed firmly against he players forehead and removed so that he thinks the coin is still on it. The winner is the player is notices or who doesn’t notice that the coin is not there.
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Dress Up
The girls dress up as boys and the boys as girls. A jury judges who wins.
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The Tower
3-4 players are sent out of the room. In the room, a pile of 3-4 chairs is made. The first player is called into the room and told: “This is a tower. Take off your shoes and jump over”. (The shoes are meant and not the tower. How long does the player take to get it? In no case should a player be allowed to jump over the chairs and possibly injure himself).
Two Man Contests
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Alligator Fight
2 players are a team, where as 1 player is a wheelbarrow, the other, the driver. A piece of cloth is tucked in the waistband of the wheelbarrow. How quickly can the opponent grab the cloth and bring it to the goal?
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Sumo Wrestling 1
Players use bed sheets or beach towels to dress as sumo wrestlers. To make it more difficult, one player can use a plastic sheet with liquid soap smeared all over.
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Sumo Wrestling 2
A ring is made using 2-3 mats or mattresses. Each player squats across from each other and then tries to make his opponent lose his balance or force him out of the ring.
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Sock Wrestling
A ring is made using 2-3 mats or mattresses. All players take off their shoes and sit around the ring. Either 1 against 1 or 2-3 fighters per team try at the same time to take off one of the opponents socks. Whoever loses a sock is out. It is recommended to use old socks.
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Helmet Off
Two players place paper hats on their heads. Using long balloons as swords, they try to hit the others hat and make it fall off.
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Crab Fight 1
Players crawl on “all fours” and make their opponents lose their balance and fall. Whoever falls, is out.
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Crab Fight 2
Players crawl on “all fours”, but with their tummies facing up. Whoever touches the ground with his backside, loses.
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Rugby for Two
Opponents sit 6-7 meters apart across from each other on chairs. Each player has his legs tied together. At the signal, the ball that is placed in the middle must be brought and put on the players chair.
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Push the Opponent
Players cross their arms in front of their chests and hop on one leg. They ram their opponent to push him out of the circle.
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Pedestal Fight
Two players sit on chairs across from each other. The loser is the player who first touches the floor.
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Push-up Contest
Two players compete by doing push-ups. The player first to fall on his stomach is the loser.
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Back Fight 1
Opponents sit back to back. The loser is the first one to lay on his stomach.
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Back Fight 2
Opponents stand back to back. The loser is the first one to lay on his stomach.
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Burned
Two opponents hold the ends of a rope. Each tries to pull the other into a circle that has been put between them.
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Thrown Out
Players try to push their opponents out of a big circle. A team of two can also play.
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Nitro
Holding a glass of water, the player must shove his opponent out of the ring without spilling any water.
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Attention! Puddles
The players sit on the ground with spread out legs. Between each players legs is a puddle. Each player tries to pull his opponent into the puddle.
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Flatfoot
Two players hold each others shoulders and try to step on the other players feet.
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Only With Light
Players must use a spoon to empty a plate of milk while their candle is burning. The players try to blow out the opponents candle as they spoon out the milk. They must stay seated and not move away.
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Attention! Creamy
Two players sit across from each other. Each holds an end of a wood stick which has been smeared with grease. Goal is to pull the opponent to you.
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Handicap
At least two teams play against each other. Two players make a pair. The pair stands back to back, either tied together or in a plastic bag (potting soil bag, potato sack). On the playing field are numerous cartons. Each team must build a tower. They may also knock down the opponents tower.
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On your Mark, Get Ready, Go
2 teams are made with pairs. The first pair of each team runs piggy-back with a broomstick towards a pile of pillows that has been placed between the two teams. The winner is the pair who knocks down a little can that is placed atop the pile first.
Higher - Farther - Faster - Better - Emptiest
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The Longest Hair
Which group has the most hair? One hair is taken from each team member a taped to a white piece of paper. Each hair is measured and added to the teams total.
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Fastest Counter
Each team has one player, or 3-4 players, who hold their hands behind their backs. They extend 1 to 10 fingers. At the signal, they show their hands all at once. The winner is the team or individual who adds up the total the fastest.
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Even Faster Counter
Played as above, but each player uses only one hand behind his back. At the signal, the hands are shown and the total of fingers is counted. In the second round, the fingers are multiplied, divided, squared, doubled, etc..
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Seal Racing
Players lie on their stomachs (the arms are either flat to the body or bent at the elbows) and move like a seal towards the goal after the signal is given. This game can also be played as a relay race inside or outside on the grass.
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Skewer Speer Throw
A small ball of modeling clay is attached to a skewer. Who can throw it the furthest?
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Balloons in the Pants
Who can stuff the most medium sized blown-up balloons in his pants? Thee team with the most balloons wins.
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Empty Heads
Which group has the biggest brain capacity? Every player has the circumference of his head measured and added to his teams total. Or the group must line up according to head size. A measuring tape is needed for each group. Of course, the biggest empty head will be announced to the group!
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The T-shirt Tower
Each team tries to get as many players on a t-shirt that has been placed on the floor.
Elimination Games
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The Fastest Team
Players sit in a circle with a pile of papers in the middle. The pile of papers is always one less than the number of players. A story is told. As soon as a predetermined word is said, the group dives into the paper pile to get a paper. The player who doesn’t get a paper is out. The last player, or the team who loses the least players, is the winner.
Who’s the Biggest, Best, Prettiest, Most Skillful
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Mission Impossible
A player is on a table. A scarf or handkerchief is placed on the floor. This scarf must be picked up using only the mouth, without the hands or feet touching the floor. The table must be held by a helper for safety reasons.
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Mission Impossible 2
The players sits on a table. Can he climb under and through the table legs without touching the floor? A helper must hold the table securely.
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Upsidedown
Who can stand on their head and drink a Coke using a straw?
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The Impossible Never Will Be True
Who can blow a table tennis ball through a funnel. You can promise the player a pizza. This cannot be done.
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The Tarzan of the Group
Who can shout the best like Tarzan and thus become the Tarzan of the group?
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The Elk
Who can make the mating call of an elk?
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Throw Up
Who can make the best throwing up noise?
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The Deer
Who can sound like a deer?
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The Wolf
Who can howl like a wolf?
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Big Mouth
The group chooses the person with the biggest mouth. Using a meter stick, the mouths are measured to see who can open their mouth the widest.
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Insect Hunters
Who is the best big game hunter? Even a big game hunter starts out small. Who can catch a spider, worm or a sow bug within 60 (120) seconds?
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Knot Trick
A rope about 1 meter long is held in the hands. Who can make a shoe tying knot with two loops the fastest? The knot must look like a tied shoe knot. A fast player can do it in two seconds. This trick can bewilder the players, but with a little practice, it works.
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Biting Dog
A rope is tied around a tree with the other end tied on the hand of a player. Inside of the radius of the rope, various articles (candy, beer coasters, etc.) are strewn on the ground. The other players try to get these articles without the dog attacking them. Time limit about 3 minutes – depending on the number of articles used and how difficult. The dog can be a player from the opposing team.
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Who is the Master Thief?
A player sits blindfolded and the legs in a straddle position. Between the legs are many objects. Who can take away the objects without being noticed?
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Sewing on the Lines
Supposedly only girls can sew. This game will test that theory. On A4 paper, make copies of a stick man. Players must use a needle and thread to sew along the lines of the man. A jury will judge the results.
Guessing – Smelling – Touching
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Mimicry
One player stands as a statue with a specific pose. A second player is blindfolded and touches the first player to find out how he is posed. The second player then assumes this pose. Which group can copy the pose the best?
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Sense of Touch
With eyes blindfolded, a player or team touches each others legs or faces.
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Who Has The Best Sense of Smell?
For this game, use yogurt cups (or film cans, or other small nontransparent bottles) filled with different spices, sauces, or beverages. (pepper, caraway seed, cloves, mustard, catsup, paprika, vinegar, wine, beer, etc.) Players smell each container through a small opening and must correctly guess its contents.
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Best Guess
A jar is filled with a few hundred dried peas, match sticks or coins. Who can make the best guess of how many are in the jar?
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Deodorant Checker
10 different deodorants are applied to strips of material or paper. A minimum of 6 scents must be correctly guessed.
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Coin Touch
Who can touch various coins in a fabric bag and guess the total value of all the coins?
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Touch and Guess
Various articles are placed in a bag. Using the hands to touch each item, the player must correctly identify each article.
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Time Estimation and Walking
Who can walk exactly 10 meters in one minute?…
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Who’s Under the Blanket
One player is sent outside of the room. One or more players his under the blanket. Will player 1 correctly who is under the blanket? When only one player hides under the blanket, the others must hid behind a wall, otherwise it would be too easy to guess who’s under the blanket.
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Guess the Length
Hang a rope and let it’s length be guessed. The group who’s guess is the closest to the actual length is the winner.
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Guess the Volume
Take a carton or box and let the group guess its volume.
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Waist Measurements
The player with the smallest and the largest waists are guessed by the group. Each player takes as much toilet paper from a roll to correspond with his guess. The winner is the player whose paper is the closest to the actual measurement.
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