energetic games

Continuing the from the craft ideas, find below some easy games using wind.

Flapping Fish
You will need: Sheets of newspaper, coloured pen, scissors, and additional old newspapers

In advance - Draw a simple fish shape on one sheet of newspaper and cut this out
Prepare a cut out fish for each team and a couple of spares in case of accidents
Organise children into equal teams and line up at one end of the room, just as for team games
Each team needs one cut out fish on the floor in front of player number one and a newspaper.
Player number one uses the newspaper to flap behind the cut out fish, to move it along the floor of the room, when they get to the end, they should do the same coming back to the team, the paper is then handed on to number two
This continues till all the players in the team have had a go.
First team finished is the winner

Blow the ball
You will need: Table tennis ball, table and a blindfold

You could play this in teams or as a group
Place the table tennis ball on the table
Blindfold one player, who then stands with their back to the table
The player takes five steps forward, turns around 3 times, then comes back to the table…
They then try to blow the ball off of the table (if they are anywhere near it!)

Tray Game
You will need: A tray and teatowel, then 10 assorted objects connected with the wind eg party blower, balloon, child’s windmill, whistle, musical instrument, model airplane, blowing bubbles, pen and paper

The traditional game where all items are placed on a tray and covered with a teatowel.
Each child/team has pen and paper
The teatowel is removed from the tray for 10 seconds, then replaced
The child/team has to remember and list as many items as possible
If this is too difficult, try increasing the time by 10 seconds, or having a second peep.
The wining child / team is the one with the most correct answers.
You could vary this by allocating points to each item, with one item having a 10 point bonus

 

 

Shoe Tag
You will need: Team games bands
Everyone tucks 2 team games bands down the back of their trousers/skirts, sticking out a bit, so that they are visible.  
Decide how long the game will last, eg 3 minutes.
On ‘go’, players run and try to grab the bands from others. When both are taken you are out. Players keep hold of any bands they collect. The winner is the last one with a band or two left or the one holding the most bands when the time ends.  
I have seen this played using shoes – it is more difficult to run and play carrying a pile of shoes.

3 legged Football
You will need: A football, 4 chairs and scarves/skipping ropes
A traditional game of football, scoring between 2 chairs at either end of the hall, but, everyone is joined to a partner (just like a three legged race, using the scarf/skipping rope). Great for co-ordination and team work.

Edible – Non Edible
You will need: List of objects (See below) and a prize
How it works:
The leader names different objects.
If the object is edible, players clap their hands in front of their body
If the object is not edible, they clap their hands behind their backs
Who ever makes a mistake is out.
Winner is the last one in

[Words could include; Ham, jam, man, roll, doll, box, fox, plane, cane, cream, dream, street, meat, feet, pill, dill, honey, and money get the idea?]

Prize – Something Edible

Popcorn
Everyone mills around in the playing area, you could be moving to music, or whatever, so long as people are mixing around.

The leader then calls out a number and an object.

Participants quickly form groups of that number, then use their bodies to make the object. For example, "2, rocking chair!" and you'll suddenly see pairs forming themselves into rocking chairs.

Once everyone's made their object and have been suitably congratulated, then it's time for more mingling and the next object!

Some guaranteed hits:
washing machine
hot air popcorn popper
toaster
car
piano
waterfall
old oak tree
eagle
elephant

You can always end with "Everyone, roller coaster!"

Trying to Get Home
Everyone stands behind their chair in a circle. Every time a player can answer 'yes' to a statement they may move to the chair on their left. If they must answer 'no', they stay where they are. (This is fun because people sometimes must stand 3 or 4 in a line before some can move on.) Try statements like these: You have a sister. You have flowers in your garden. You are in year 5. You have a blue car. You were born in another country. The first person back to their chair wins.

Late Night Scavenge
If you have a sleepover or any kind of party where you stay late organise an all night scavenger hunt!

Before the people arrive make up teams and make sure they are even. Set up a long list of certain things to find or do. Then place the items around the building. (Could be some outside if it is safe)

When the teams get their lists they can't start until a certain late time (like 11 PM) or whenever it is dark. Don't forget to give them flashlights. The teams are allowed to steal items from each other if they need to because whoever gets the most items from the list wins!

The items on the list can be actions as well as objects. The actions can be as stupid, hard, silly, funny as you want e.g. pop a balloon filled with whipped cream on another team mate's head.

The teams have a set period of time say half an hour to get and steal the things they need.
Could give each team a disposable camera for taking pictures to keep of what they did that night.

There are no rules except that nobody hurts each other on purpose.

Bus Ride Game
Set out 7 rows of chairs evenly depending on the size of your group. So, if you have 70 youth, set out 7 rows of 10 chairs. Leave some space as the young people will need this to move. The youth then sit on the chairs.

Tell them that they are traveling on a bus. The same people travel on the bus everyday of the week. Because everyone wants to sit at the front for the best view, the bus driver allocates different people different days. The front row is for Monday, the second Tuesday and so on. Tell the youth, they are sitting in the assigned rows. When you call out a day, say Wednesday, al the youth have to re-arrange themselves according to order of the days of the week. So, those who were assigned to sit in the front on Wednesday go to the front of the bus. They need to then sit in rows in day order back from that, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday etc.

Give them a couple of trial runs then tell them that you will start eliminating people who go in the wrong row, or are last to sit down. Do this until you have 2 left. The winner is determined by sitting them in the front row at the two ends. One on the left hand side the other the right. Have them turn run out of their seat starting on their side of the bus, run around the bus and sit in the chair opposite them. The first to do so is declared the winner.

Socks Game
Sadly, this is now a firm favourite at our company.
To Prepare:- Although a bit of preparation is needed. First collect together all those odd socks you keep finding when you’ve finished the washing….
keep them in a bag at church.
To play: - Divide the girls into two teams and draw a chalk line on the
floor to divide them (piece of string would do too). Place all the socks in the middle of the floor. For a timed period of two minutes, each girl may pick up one sock at a time only and throw it to the other side of the line. At the end of the two minutes the team with the least number of socks on their side of the line wins. Sounds easy, but it is more effective than a keep fit session!

Parachute Drop
Players are each given a number and stand in a circle around a chair. One player stands on the chair and drops the balloon calling a number. The player with that number has to try and catch the balloon before it reaches the ground. If they succeed they replace the player on the chair.
Could use a ball, throw into the air by the person in the middle. Person who's number is called has to catch it before it hits the ground. Can include the 'one bounce, one hand rule' if you want, i.e. players can use both hands to catch ball before it hits the ground, but if they fail and it bounces they may only use one hand to catch it before it bounces a second time.