Energizers | Fun Youth Group Games for Kids

Fun Tag Game- Tic Tic Boom!

Trevor Energizers, Large Group Games,, Outdoor Group Games, Tag Games, Youth Camp Games, Youth Leadership Games and Challenges February 4, 2024February 4, 2024Outdoor games, Tag Games 0 Comment

Are you looking for a fun tag game to energize your team? This game has got to be one of my favorites! It is fast, energetic and easy to set up with very little equipment required.

Tic Tic Boom

To get the gist of the game simple watch the video. You’ll see the kids who live on the Cocos Islands playing this fun tag game under the palm trees and tropical sun!

Tic Tic Boom is suitable for players of any age with group size anywhere from 5 to around 30. Any more than that, it would be better to run two games simultaneously.

Equipment Required to play Tic Tic Boom

The great news is you don’t need a lot of equipment. In fact, it can be played without any! In our video we have marked out a small boundary area using marker cones and we are using a soft gator ball as a tagging tool.

It is not necessary to have a gator ball as a tagging tool. This could be substituted with a pool noodle, a rolled-up sock, a tennis ball, a teddy bear, a sneaker or a football.

The aim of the game

The winner is the last player left in the game. All those who get out, step out of the boundary to watch and to help with the counting.
How to begin this fun tag game

There are no teams, and no one is nominated as the tagger. Simply have all players enter the play area and then toss the tagging tool (ball) in. Play begins as soon as a player picks up the tagging tool and proceeds to chase the other players.

It is a good idea to have an umpire who manages the game; however, this game can be easily played with no umpire.

Fun tag game rules

The tagging tool is tossed into the play area.
As soon as a player picks it up, the count down from 10 begins. Either the game controller calls out the count down, or players themselves can. “10, 9, 8, 7…2, 1, BOOM!”
The player with the tagging tool, must try to tag another player before “BOOM!” is called.
If a player is tagged, they must immediately take the tagging tool and try to tag another player or tag the player who just tagged them.
Time is running out. Players do not want to be holding the tagging tool when “BOOM!” is called out.
The player holding the tagging tool when BOOM is called is out and must leave the play area.
The tagging tool is tossed into the play area where another player will pick it up to continue the game.
Remember the countdown doesn’t begin until a player picks up the tagging tool.
If a player steps out of the play boundary area, then he/she is out.
The game continues until all bar one player is out!

Helpful Tip for this Fun Tag Game

Encourage the players on the sidelines to help with the countdown. It keeps them involved and heightens the energy.

Other ideas for Tic Tic Boom

On a hot day, this game can be played in the swimming pool, or down at the beach in the water. You’ll need a floating tagging tool, and you should allow more time before the Boom.

The game could also be played with players partnering up. Allow partners to pass the ball between themselves. If a player gets out, then their partner is also out.

For very large groups, use two or three tagging tools at once. When BOOM is called, then all those with the tagging tools are out. Once the remaining group size gets smaller, then take away the extra tagging tools.

Final thoughts – fun tag game

Tic Tic Boom is guaranteed to wear your group out! It requires lots of energy to keep up the pace. A perfect game to build fitness and endurance. A great outdoor game for youth camps.

I’ve taught this game to school students, who during their lunch breaks, run the game on their own with their friends. You will love this fun tag game!

The Big Boss Game (Everyone Wants to Be The Boss!)

Trevor Circle Games, Energizers, Indoor Group Games, Party Group Games, Youth Camp Games December 24, 2022February 28, 2023big boss game, circle game, energizers 0 Comment

Everyone wants to be the Boss! Looking for an awesome small group circle game? Then you make like to try the Big Boss game.

Big Boss is wonderful for teaching listening and speaking skills to participants. It requires intense concentration. Without focus it will be near impossible to win the game.

The aim of the game is to be the Big Boss and to stay the Big Boss for as long as possible.

The game best suits people 8 years to adult, however, a modified version of the game can be run for younger participants.

Allow 5 minutes to explain the game and another 5 minutes to practise with the participants (takes a bit to get their heads around the game) before playing. The game runs for 15 to 30 minutes.

Once participants have become proficient at the game, it can be used as an Energizer between lessons. The Big Boss game is perfect for youth groups, camps and family parties.

Video Demonstrating the Big Boss Game

How to Play Big Boss

Preparation

Set up chairs (one for each player) in a circle facing inwards. Have one chair that is bigger than all the others. You may like to have (not a necessity) props and job labels.

Players sit in a chair. Each is assigned a job title. The Big Boss gets to have the biggest chair!

Job titles are in an order of seniority. They go as follows: Big Boss, Managing Director, Accountant, Secretary, Tea Lady, Toilet Cleaner, Unemployed (have multiples of each for more players).

How to Play

Big Boss starts by calling another player on the phone (use hand as a pretend phone) “Big Boss calling …”
The player called, must answer with their job title then call someone else, eg: “Managing Director calling Toilet Cleaner”.
Continue the game until a player fumbles.
The player that fumbles is demoted to Unemployed (move to Unemployed’s seat).
All players that were below the player being demoted get a promotion. They all move up a level and move to the next seat.
Each round always begins with Big Boss calling.

Fumbles include the following:

Saying “Um”
Being too slow to answer
Hesitation
Stuttering
Calling the person who calls them back
Answering the phone when not meant too

Note: introduce the fumbles gradually as participants get better at the game.

Playing Big Boss with younger players

Younger players will be challenged with remembering the somewhat complicated job titles. If you were to use the job titles it would help if they each wore the title on a tag attached to their shirts or hats (perhaps a headband).

An alternative is to have simpler titles such as the hierarchy in the animal kingdom: Lion, Bear, Fox, Rabbit, Mouse, Flea.

The participants may like to choose the characters for the game themselves. Another idea is to use Disney characters: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Tweedy Bird, Road Runner, Goofy etc.

Props for the Big Boss Game

People love to dress up. To help participants get into character introduce some props. Keep them simple, like one or two for each character.

Big Boss needs to look cool! Give him/her a pair of sunglasses and an important hat or tie to wear.
Managing Director is also considered to be important. He/she could wear important attire.
Accountant could wear a pair of reading glasses.
Tea Lady wear an apron or hold a tea pot.
Toilet Cleaner holds a toilet scrubber (clean one of course!)
Unemployed wears a sign ‘I need a job’.

Step Up the Difficulty

I find the more you play the Big Boss game the better the participants get… to the point where no one gets out. This is when additional conditions need to be applied to make the game difficult.

Suggestions to increase the difficulty of the game include:

Create complicated or longer job titles.
Include additional job titles.
Play the game where all participants must speak with their tongues poking out. This impedes their speech and thus messes with their concentration, causing them to make errors. Playing the game with tongues out adds a little fun to the game!

Final Thoughts

I’ve played Big Boss with many groups over the years. It has always been a favorite game for the kids (and adults too!).

I find Big Boss works best with smaller groups of between six and twelve. With larger groups, the game can become difficult to manage.

Why not give the game a try and let us know how you go with it. If you have other suggestions or variations to the game, please let us know so we can share with our audience.

Check out www.wackiapp.com for 70+ awesome youth group games

2 Epic Circle Ice Breakers (Play These Games Today!)

Trevor Circle Games, Energizers, Indoor Group Games, Party Group Games December 23, 2022February 28, 2023Circle Games, energizers, ice breakers 0 Comment

I’ve selected 2 very simple circle ice breakers you can play with your class, youth group, or team today. Simply watch our short demonstration videos below and read the game rules.

I personally like these two games, as they encourage people to step out of their comfort zones.

These are great games to help people in your group to get to know one another, or use these games as powerful energizers to break up lessons. Perfect for youth group camps!

Circle Ice Breakers Game Introductions

Name Name

This game is very easy to run. It is a fun game that can be played indoors or outdoors. Suitable for all ages with group sizes from six to twenty.

Players require focus and quick reflexes.

I Am Here

A brilliant circle game that promotes self-confidence. Students push their comfort zone by being ‘loud and proud’.

This game really works well with large groups. People of all ages can play with everyone being involved all at the same time. Beware though, the game does get a little crazy!

‘Name Name’ Circle Ice Breakers Demonstration Video

‘Name Name’ Game Rules

Aim: to tag a player before the player can call their own name and the Tagger’s name.

Form a circle with a player as ‘It’ in the middle.
‘It’ calls a name and races to tag that player before he/she can say their own name and the Tagger’s name.
If ‘It’ gets to the player before they can say the names, he/she becomes the new ‘It’.

3 Ways To Amp It Up:

‘It’ calls a player’s name and a times table question (eg Tom 3X6). The player must give the answer to 3X6 before ‘It’ tags them.
Use full names instead of just first names.
‘It’ passes a ball to the player. Player must catch the ball and then say his/her name and the name if the player who is ‘It’.

‘I Am Here’ Circle Ice Breakers Demonstration Video

‘I Am Here’ Game Rules

Aim: Players to engage in the game and step out of their comfort zones. There are no winners or losers, just participation.

Players form a circle around a chair (or mat).
One player is chosen. He/she strides out to the chair or mat and stands on it.
This player calls out loudly, “I am here”.
Then he/she calls another player’s name, pointing at them.
This new player walks out and repeats.
The game continues until everyone has had a turn.

Take the game to the next level

Encourage players to be creative with the way they announce their name. They can use weird voices, sing their name, use actions or do a little jig.

The final step with the game is to play ‘all in’.

Rather than each individual taking a turn in the circle, everyone becomes involved.

A player begins, but rather than just calling another person, they are to call two new people.
These two new people enter the circle (first player returns to the outer circle).
Both these players announce, “I am here!”.
Then both these players call two players each (then they return to the outer circle again).
The game goes on until everyone is shouting out their name in the circle and no one is left in the outer circle.

Note: the game needn’t be loud. Players could whisper names!

Final Thoughts

Circle Ice Breakers are often used as energizers. Energizers are games or activities used in group situations to raise the energy of the group. They help participants to be more alert and get to know one another, and they build confidence. There are many different energizers of varying complexity, exertion and length.

Please leave us a comment to tell us how you go with playing these games with your youth group.

For many more circle games download Wacki.

Exciting Indoor Youth Group Games (See 4 Unique Games)

Trevor Circle Games, Energizers, Indoor Group Games, Party Group Games, Team Building Games, Youth Camp Games December 31, 2020March 1, 2023Human Pinball, I Love You Honey, indoor youth group games, Poisonous Stump, Silent Tic Tac Toe 2 Comments

As a teenager, I belonged to a youth group. I took a leadership role with the younger youth in the group. Each week we met and my role was to run fun engaging group games with them. Here are some of the kid’s favourite indoor youth group games that I ran. These games make awesome energizers!

Human Pinball

A physical group game played with a ball.

Form a circle with feet touching the player’s feet next to you. One hand behind the back and the other hand is your bat. Feet spread apart are the goals. Each player has a goal. A ball is tossed in. Players bat the ball trying to shoot it between another player’s feet (their goal). If successful, that player is out! Players can also get out if the ball passes between two players, then both these players are both out. Players who get out can try and catch a stray ball on the full. If they manage to do so they can re-enter the game. Keep the game going until only two players remain.

Poisonous Stump

A fun energetic indoor youth group game. Anyone who touches the poisonous stump is out!

Form up a circle around a pile of cushions (the stump). Player all hold the wrists of the players either side of them. Game starts and players try and force another player to touch the poisonous stump, without touching it themselves. Any player who touches the stump is out and the circle reforms around the stump. Repeat the process until only one player remains!

I Love You Honey

A hilarious circle group game where players are not allowed to smile!

Players form a circle with a chosen person to start in the middle. This player holds a bunch of flowers. The player with the flowers approaches another player and presents their bunch of flowers then, using a romantic voice, says “I love you”. The player being presented the flowers must maintain a serious face and reply, “I love you too, but I’m not allowed to smile”. If this player smiles, then he/she is out. This player then takes the place of the player doing the serenading.

Silent Tic Tac Toe

Just like the pen and paper game, Naughts and Crosses, except this one is played with people (Girls vs Boys).

Set up nine chairs or nine mats with 3 rows of 3. Girls form one line and boys another. A player (say someone from the girl’s team) starts by selecting then sitting on a chair (or mat). Then a boy sits in a chair. Next a girl. Then a boy. Keep going until either the girls or the boys forms a row of three (3 boys or 3 girls). That team that forms a row of three wins the round. Repeat until one team wins five rounds to win the game. The game is called ‘Silent’ Tic Tac Toe, because players are not to speak or give any hints to team mates during the game.

Looking for more indoor youth group game ideas. Check out these Circle Games!

Plenty more fun indoor youth group games found on our Wacki App. Check out Wacki App HERE.

Sculptor, An Awesome Team Building Game! (Easy and Fun)

Trevor Educational Group Games, Energizers, Indoor Group Games, Party Group Games, Team Building Games, Youth Camp Games December 10, 2020March 1, 2023educational, team building 0 Comment

Are you looking for an awesome team building game that inspires creativity for your youth group?

Why not give Sculptor a go! A perfect game for between lessons in the classroom; as a youth camp game; or as an icebreaker for a corporate workshop. Sculptor requires small teams to cooperatively work together to create an awe-inspiring sculpture made out of people. That’s right… they are human sculptures!

The Aim of the Game

To create an awesome human sculpture.

Sculptor Game Rules

Nominate someone to be the game Leader. This person keeps time and coordinates the game. You’ll see what I mean when you check out the video below.
The Game Leader splits the players into small groups of about five or six people. Each group designates a ‘Sculptor’.
Players are given a minute to have a team meeting to plan their sculpture. Then three minutes is given to the construction of the sculpture.
Each ‘Sculptor’ manipulates their team into a sculpture.
Players must be compliant with their Sculptor and freeze into the positions they are placed in. All players must be joined somehow. The game works best with the expectation of no talking during the creative process.
When the three minutes is almost up, the Game Leader counts down from ten and sculptures remain frozen in place.
The Game Leader asks each of the Sculptors to present their sculpture to the audience. They must name their creation and explain it.
The Game Leader can score each sculpture based on creativity, presentation and complexity. Alternatively, just have fun with the game and not have scoring.

Every time I play this fun group game with kids, they get more and more creative with their masterpieces. Everyone wants a turn at being the Sculptor, so you won’t be able to stop at playing it just once.

Amp it Up!

Once the kids have the hang of the game, try playing with larger teams of about ten players, each with two Sculptors. The Sculptors work together to put their creation together. This could be extended further, with a team of sculptors who create a work of art with the whole group.

Use ‘Sculptor’ as an Educational Group Game

Sculptor can be used as an educational group game to teach a concept or idea- great for classroom teachers looking for innovative ways to impart learning with their students. Use a subject theme, such as ‘3D Shapes’ or ‘Life Cycle of an Insect’. Up the difficulty level by using abstract themes like, ‘Feelings’ or ‘Colors’. With little kids, the theme could be ‘Marine Animals’ or ‘Numbers’. It’s also fun to play Sculptor whereby scenes from a novel or picture book are created. Check out other Educational Group Games HERE.

A Team Building Game for Parties

Playing Sculptor at parties is a lot of fun, especially if you give it a funny theme such as ‘Spooks’ or ‘Candy’. For little people parties try ‘Toys’ or ‘Fairies’. To spice things up, give each team a prop that must be used creatively as part of the sculpture. This could be a teddy bear, a chair or a balloon. The sculptures could have moving parts. ‘Futuristic Inventions’ or ‘Mythical Creatures’.

There is so much you could do with the game of Sculptor. Definitely add this one to your tool box of fun group games for kids!

Check out more ideas on Team Building Group Games HERE.

View our demo video on You Tube.

5 Epic Tag Games The Kids Will Die For! (Quick Video Demos)

Trevor Energizers, Outdoor Group Games, Tag Games, Youth Camp Games November 19, 2020February 4, 2024Fun Youth Group Games, Group Games for Kids, Tag Games 0 Comment

In English, ‘tag’ most likely comes from the Middle English word tek, meaning ‘touch, slap’. In every culture of the world you’ll find tag games. I have fond memories in junior school of chasing my peers around playing Kiss Chasey. I would likely get a slap in the face if I tried that today!

Here are a few of my favourite Tag Games that you may like to play with your students or youth group.

Snow Ball

Great to play on a large playground with lots of climbing gear.

Have a bucket of tennis balls or bean bags. One player is ‘It’ . He/she gives the others a chance to run off. The player who is ‘It’ takes a tennis ball and chases after the other players.

When players are tagged, they must run to the bucket, get a tennis ball, becoming a tagger as well. The game goes on until all players have been tagged. Then reverse the game with the last player to be tagged, becoming the new tagger. This player returns their ball back to the bucket, then runs off to tag the other players. As other players are tagged, they also put their balls in the bucket and join the tagging team.

Hum Tag

A player is chosen to be ‘It’. He/she stands with their hand in the air and calls out loudly, “1, 2, 3 I am it!”. They then chase players within a boundary.

Escaping players can form a group of three, hold hands, take a deep breath and hum loudly. These three players are safe from being tagged whilst holding hands and humming. As soon as one of them runs out of hum, they must break hands and run off. Any player tagged must stand with their hand in the air and call loudly, “1, 2, 3, I am it!”. Then continue the chase.

Peg Tag

Great youth group game for larger groups. Each player attached three pegs to the back of their T-shirt. The game starts and all players run around and steal pegs from opponents’ backs. Give the tag game a time limit, and then all players count their captured pegs to see who wins. Can also play this game with velcro tail tags instead of pegs. I guess you would have to call the game ‘Tail Tag’ if you did that!

Giants, Wizards and Elves

Set up two teams. Each team has a team meeting and decides if the team is going to be either Elves, Wizards or Giants.

Once decided, teams face off in the middle of the court. Toes must be touching the opponent’s toes. The youth group leader, or teacher, counts down (3, 2, 1), then all players act out (and call out) their chosen character.

The team that has the more powerful character must chase the other team to their end zone, tagging players. Any player tagged must join the team that tagged them.

Then teams have another team meeting and select a character again to repeat the process until one team runs out of players. Giants squash Elves. Elves chew legs of Wizards. Wizards cast spell on Giants.

Dragons’ Tails

Form teams with about 6 players in each team. Each team forms up as a long dragon with the player at the front being the head and the player at the back being the tail (this player tucks a long tail out of their pants). All the players in the team must hold onto the waist of the player in front of them.

The game starts and the dragons move around and try and steal the tails from other teams. If a team loses its tail, it is out of the game. If a team breaks in two, then it is out of the game. The winner is the last dragon left in the game! This is an awesome team building game requiring strategy.

Bonus Tag Game – Tic Tic Boom!

As an added bonus, check out Tic Tic Boom! This is a fast-paced group game suitable for groups of 5 to 30 of any age group. It is a fun tag game!

Wacki App Tag Games

Wacki App has a filter that will find you the perfect tag game for the amount of time you have to play, size group and age of the players. We have over a dozen tag games ready for you to try with your youth. There are plenty more outdoor group games or indoor youth group games on this website.

Download WackiApp- Fun Youth Group Games for Kids HERE and try some of our awesome Tag Games.

Awesome Circle Games for Kids (With Quick Demo Videos)

Trevor Circle Games, Energizers, Indoor Group Games, Youth Camp Games November 18, 2020March 1, 2023Circle Games, Circle Group Games, Small Group Circle Games 0 Comment

Circle games for kids are fantastic for team building. They are usually smaller indoor group games requiring little or no equipment, can be set up super quick and are great fun!

As a classroom teacher, I like to use circle games to energize students between lessons. A teacher who fosters relationships with his/her students will have better engaged students. Remember, ‘kids don’t care what you think unless you care’. Small group circle games are an excellent tool for developing strong bonds between students and between students and their teacher.

Here Are My Top Five Circle Games for Kids

Karate Chop

Aim to be the last left in the game.

Players stand in a tight circle and take up a Karate stance, then freeze. A player starts and must chop the arm of a player either side of them.

The player being chopped must try and move their hand away to avoid being chopped. Hands freeze as soon as the move has been completed.

The next person in the circle now tries to do the same. This continues around the circle. If a player has an arm chopped, their arm is then out of the game. Lose both arms and the player is out!

This fun group game requires concentration and quick reflexes.

Bunny Bunny

Aim to be the last left in the game.

A ‘Bunny’ is chosen. He/she puts up their hands as bunny ears. The players either side put up one hand (next to Bunny) to represent one ear.

To start, the Bunny calls another player’s name by saying, “Bunny, bunny Tom”.

Tom becomes the new Bunny. He puts up his two ears, with players either side putting up one ear.

Now Tom calls the next Bunny. This continues. Players get out if they mess things up or they are too slow.

This is a great energizer game that can be played between lessons!

Bang!

Aim to be the last left in the game.

A player starts by calling another player’s name. That player must duck to the ground as fast as they can. The players either side of him/her must shoot at each other calling, “Bang!” If the player who ducked is too slow, he/she is out. If he/she did duck quickly, then the player who was slowest to shoot and call “bang” is out.

Now the player who did the ducking calls the next name.

Another fun indoor circle game that requires concentration and quick reflexes. Could also use the game for teaching times tables, instead of players shooting and calling “bang”, they call out the answer to a times table.

Jockeys Up

Aim to be the last pair left in the game.

Players form pairs, then form an inner circle and an outer circle with one player from the pair in each of the circles.

Players in the inner circle are the horses whilst the players in the outer circle are the jockeys.

The team leader calls, “Horses go”. The horses stay in their circle and gallop in a clockwise direction.

Next the leader calls, “Jockeys go”. Jockeys stay in their circle and jog in an anti-clockwise direction.

Team leader may call, “Reverse” and horses and Jockeys change direction.

Then team leader calls, “Jockeys Up!”

Quickly jockeys must find their horse partner and jump on their back. The slowest pair are out. Keep the group game going until only one pair remains.

Screaming Toes

Everyone gets out!

Team leader calls, “toes”. All players must look down and focus on another player’s toes.

Team leader counts, “1, 2, 3”. Players look up and must look straight at the person whose toes they were focussing on. If that player is looking right back at them, they must both scream as loud as they can. They are then out of the game.

Team leader calls “toes” again and the game repeats until everyone is out! This is a goofy game!

Looking for more Circle Games? Here is a selection of indoor youth group games that make great energizer games.

Wackiapp has all these circle group games, and many more! Short engaging instructional videos for you and your kids to watch, learn and play! Click HERE to check out the app.