Tag: Games for a Few

Water balloon games are good, clean, fun with just a hint of treachery. Water Balloon Hot Potato cranks up the suspense as players pass a water balloon from hand-to-hand until the music stops. What happens next is up to the person holding the bag – of water.

Time: 10 to 20 minutes
Number of Players: five to two dozen

Rules for Water Balloon Hot Potato

Arrange players in a circle not too far apart. When the music starts give one player a water balloon to pass to her neighbor. Players continue passing the balloon in the same direction as long as the music is playing.

1. If a player pops the balloon or drops it, the player must leave the circle.

2. When the music stops the player holding the balloon is “out” and must leave the circle – unless she can lob the balloon at another player and hit him.

3. The player who gets hit must leave the circle. If the balloon misses, then the thrower is “out.”

4. The game continues until only two players are left. At this point give each player a water balloon, have them count off ten paces, turn and FIRE! Players can keep lobbing balloons until one is hit.

Set Up

No real set up is necessary, just an open space to play and willing players.

Preparation

Before the event make sure kids know water balloon games are on the agenda, dress appropriately and bring towels.

At least an hour before the game grab a few helpers and start making as many water balloons as possible. Float the balloons in a tub of water. Splurge a little and buy several water balloon nozzles.

Variation:

Try winding up the game by inviting everyone back to the circle and giving water balloons to all but one player. When the music stops, anyone not holding a balloon is out. Anyone who breaks a balloon during play is also out.

When it’s all over, let kids grab balloons and stage all-out war!

Cross-Talk

Transition to lesson time with a few questions: What makes a water balloon so refreshing on a hot summer day? Would a soda pop balloon or a chocolate milk balloon be as fun as water balloons? Why or why not? Why do you suppose Jesus offered his followers living water instead of wine, soda or milk?

How much fun can you have without laughing? What’s in Your Milk is a quick youth group game that can be played anywhere, any time. It’s best played in a group of five to twelve or so.

The object is to pick someone in the group and then try to make them laugh by tossing out random questions. The game play starts this way: one person is chosen to be “it” by asking them the question “what’s in your milk?” The person answers with a noun of any kind, let’s say her word is “calcium.” From this point on the person who is “it” must answer every question with the word “calcium.”

The group peppers “it” with as many questions as they can think of, as long as the question can be answered by the world “calcium.” The person who is “it” needs to keep a straight face every time she answers a question with her word. She can smile, but if she starts to giggle, she’s out. She then picks the next person to answer “what’s in your milk?”

Example:

“Steve, what’s in your milk?”

“Monkeys.”

“What do see in the zoo?”

“Monkeys.”

“What eats bananas?”

“Monkeys.”

“What swings in trees?”

“Monkeys.”

“What’s in your shirt?”

Steve starts to answer “monkeys” but the thought of monkeys in his shirt cracks him up and he starts laughing.

The secret is to keep the questions coming fast and furious but to keep them obvious and mundane. When you do toss out a ridiculous question it takes the person by surprise and they start to chuckle. The laughter is contagious and the whole thing can turn into a first class giggle-fest.

Yes, as Steve Hoefer says in this video below, this activity will literally have you playing with fire. But with the right group and good supervision this can be a fun and educational activity. Or not. An activity like this is best with a small group that has built some trust and accountability.

To make this activity into a game, have players compete for distance and accuracy.

Necessary disclaimer: this activity should be conducted with adequate adult supervision in an open area away from combustible materials with adequate eye protection. Never fire a rocket toward another person or animal. Discuss this activity with parents ahead of time.

Time: 20 to 45 minutes
Number of Players: one to five per adult supervisor

Rules:

Follow the instructions above for making matchstick rockets. Have each contestant make his or her own matchstick rocket.

1. Play for distance. For a smaller group have players use the same “launchpad.” For a larger group have contestants line up about four feet apart along a marked line. Make it clear that contestants do not move past the firing line until you give the signal.

2. Play for accuracy. Put a metal can a reasonable distance, about ten to fifteen feet from the launchpad. Have players take aim and fire. Award prizes to the closest contestants. Make sure nobody goes past the firing line until you give the all-clear.

Set Up

An open outdoor area such as a grass field or parking lot with no combustible materials for about 40 feet in all directions from the launchpad.

Supplies

• Book matches
• Straight pins
• Large paperclips
• Aluminum foil
• Metal can
• Safety glasses for all within 20 ft. of launchpad

Cross-Talk

Make this dangerous activity into a “teachable moment” by asking, is this activity safe or dangerous? Was it fun? Did you learn anything? What could have gone wrong? If you try this at home and set something on fire, who would be responsible? (the child would be, but also the child’s parents).

At this point you could transition to a quick study of Philemon. Philemon was a runaway slave who stole from his master and then appealed to Paul in Rome. Paul sent Philemon back to his master to ask for forgiveness. Any damages that Philemon caused where to be charged to Paul’s account. Here you can talk about how Jesus paid the penalty for our sins but we are still responsible for our actions.

Happy rocketeering!

You Might Be Interested In:

Wrapping people in toilet paper is a youth group standard. Give people an incentive to be creative and “Mummy Wrap” can a fun, interesting way to get a lesson started.

Divide into groups of three or four. Give each group one roll of toilet paper. Have each group wrap one of it’s members like a mummy. Judge the mummies according to style, creativity, neatness. Award valuable cash prizes.

Bible Applications:

Joseph, Moses, Egypt; Lazarus, Jesus, first century burial preparation; Earth stewardship: save the toilet paper and reuse it to clean up after another activity; Body life: each of us has a gift to contribute.