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 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!
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.
Youth love to perform funny plays just as much as people like to watch them being performed! In this article I will share with you my 10 top tips for presenting a killer play, and I’m gifting you two awesome free short play scripts that you can immediately download, print, and engage kids in fun filled drama performances.
As a schoolteacher I’ve used these two plays many times over with kids as young as eight through to fifteen-year-old teens. They are short (7 or 8 minutes) and are hilarious, especially with the right actors getting into character.
These plays are perfect for class assembly performances and as a camp activity.
Here is a quick blurb on each, and the link to download. Enjoy!
Free Short Play Scripts pdf
High Noon
A slapstick comedy drama for 5 characters and a narrator. This script depicts a wild west cowboy setting where Billy the Kad kidnaps Whinny, the Lone Stanger’s girlfriend. Lone Stranger gathers a posse and pursues Billy. The action-packed drama ends in a shoot-out at high noon.
Suitable for children eight through to adults. The play takes about 7 minutes to perform. High Noon is an easy script to learn. You’ll have your team performing to an audience in no time at all!
Costumes are not necessary, but certainly enhance the presentation. It is impossible to mess this play up as it is already crazy!
Another action-packed slap stick drama for 5 characters and a Master of Ceremonies. This short play requires audience participation, enhancing the energy in the room by engaging spectators.
Mellow is a kidnapping drama play, where Grimeface Evilslime kidnaps Poppysweet Daisychain. Harvey Smiles, the hero, comes to the rescue of his sweetheart.
This is a story of sorrow, evil, love and courage. The audience will be captivated! Allow 7 or 8 minutes for the performance.
Actors should nearly always be facing the audience, making eye contact, and smiling (unless their character requires them to be different). Doing so will draw the audience in, making each listener feel personally addressed. This exudes confidence and connects the audience with each of the characters.
It is important not to focus on prompt cards, a screen, or the floor. Actors should be seeking out the eyes of spectators, deliberately engaging them.
A good idea to further engage the audience is to consider moving off stage and interacting with people in the audience.
Other ideas to engage the audience:
Asking questions of them
Tossing something into the crowd such as squirting a water pistol or throwing a bucket of confetti at them
Making a loud noise, like firing a cap gun or popping a balloon
Use real names of spectators
Single out one person in the audience and have that person the butt of the jokes, or include them into the play somehow
2. Gestures and Facial Expressions
This is especially important for slapstick comedy plays (like the free short play scripts pdf we have available for you to download).
Gestures and facial expressions emphasize the character you are playing, conveys energy, and it will spice-up the content.
Make sure gestures are appropriate and it is always good to exaggerate them, especially with slapstick plays.
Do your best to inject emotion into your acting. Your facial expressions should be friendly and open unless your character requires it to be different.
3. Props and Setting
It is usually best to not overdo the props. Having too many causes distractions and opens the risk of a prop not working to your plan. Hands free for gestures will be more effective than holding unnecessary props. Having said that, color, costumes, and key props will liven up your performance.
Designing a backdrop will add to the atmosphere. Plan where actors can come on stage and leave stage. Having a large obstacle, or a doorway backstage provides the means for actors to appear and disappear as required.
Lighting, sound effects and music can add effect and mood to the drama performance.
4. Rehearsals
Be prepared- practice makes for a perfect play. By being well prepared, you will feel more relaxed and confident in your role, and in turn allowing you to embrace your character fully.
Experiment with different ways of presenting your character (voice, gestures, actions, costume).
Rehearse in front of an audience to help you get used to your role in a public performance.
Video yourself and watch it back.
Practice in front of a mirror.
Seek feedback from others.
Practise the lines until you have it automatic (no longer requiring palm cards).
Leave costumes until the play rehearsals are well underway.
5. Confidence
By appearing confident, you convey to the audience that you know your topic and have well prepared yourself.
Try to relax and calm your nerves. Try grounding yourself before a performance by taking 2 or 3 deep slow breaths.
6. Start and Finish with a Bang!
Captivate your audience straight away by starting with a bang! Gain their attention by doing something that may shock or awe them. Some ideas to consider:
Try starting with a character arriving from the audience
Share a personal story or joke
Enter with a loud noise
Blackout the lights
Have something go wrong ‘deliberately’
Introduce your characters with them coming out one at a time
Play tension music or sound effects
Ending you play is as important as how you started. A poor ending will leave your audience uninspired. Whilst a strong ending will leave them talking-up your play.
7. Know your lines
It is always better if actors know their lines by heart. By doing so the presentation will be lively and enjoyable.
If you do require cards to keep you on track, then do not write down endless text that you will need to read. Write jot points to jog your memory.
Do your best to at least remember the beginning and ending of your presentation, allowing you the opportunity to make eye contact with your audience.
Palm cards should be inconspicuous and in plain color.
Never rush your lines, project your voice clearly and slowly. Use a characters voice embellishing the accent with intonation and expression.
8. Effective Pauses
Use pauses to emphasise a key message or key point. When done properly and deliberately, using pauses is a powerful tool to add a great deal of emphasis to your play.
Pausing is also helpful in giving you time to remember your next lines.
Confidence will exhume with deliberate pausing, and your listeners will be less likely to miss dialogue and meaning.
When the crowd laughs loudly or applauses during your act, pause for a moment so they don’t miss dialogue.
9. Where to stand?
How and where to position yourself when presenting your play is important. Always maintain regular eye contact with your audience. Therefore, avoid having your back to them. When in dialogue with other characters in the play, stand side on to the audience.
It is good to move around making full use of the stage. Come towards the front of the stage when it is your turn to speak.
If you plan to introduce the characters of the play, then have them come out to the very front of the stage. Do the same when you come together to bow and receive applause at the play conclusion.
It can enhance the performance having the narrator move onto the stage when it is time for them to speak, and off again when it is the characters turn; rather than just standing in the background.
10. Concluding Your Play
Always remember to thank and acknowledge the audience. This can be a job for the narrator.
All the actors come together at the front of the stage to bow/curtsy and receive the applause. Synchronicity with the bow/curtsy looks professional. During the applause make eye contact, smile and do not walk away until the applause is complete.
Free Short Play Scripts Final Thoughts
Have fun with the free short play scripts we have given you. Let us know how you go. Our intention is to add more fun drama plays for you to spice up your youth group or class. So, check back from time to time to see if we have.
Today is my ten-year-old daughter’s Birthday Party. Akaisha has invited her whole class to her Birthday Party down at a park near to the beach. She is super excited! We’re new to the little town of Augusta, having recently moved from the Cocos Islands, and this will be the first time for Akaisha to have friends from her school joining with our family for a celebration. In this article I share the best group games for kids’ parties that we played at Akaisha’s party.
Pre-Planning
The birthday cake is ready, party food prepared, and tables and chairs set. All that is needed are group party games and a bunch of eager kids!
Inexpensive equipment from K-Mart
Luckily, my expertise is running group games for kids. So, coming up with a selection of group games for Akaisha’s Birthday Party was easy.
We planned for Akaisha’s party to run for two and a half hours. We wanted to run a couple of shorter games right away to get the kids moving and allow them to get to know one another. Then we would stop for some food and drink. After that, we will have a longer, large group game to run the kids off their feet! Finally, we plan to sing a Happy Birthday and share a cake before the kids all head home.
Inexpensive Equipment
To be able to play these games we needed a little equipment. Cathy, Akaisha’s Mum stopped by the Big W store and bought some inexpensive soft balls, hoola hoops, marker cones and some colored plastic mats. I cut the mats up to make headbands.
So, let’s fast forward to after the party and talk about the group games we played…
Octopus Tag
First up, a game called Octopus Tag. This is a fun outdoor large group game, a little like the traditional game, British Bulldog. Only Octopus Tag is a lot less physical. This game took about 20 minutes to play with toddlers through to adults joining in.
Aim of the Game
The aim of Octopus Tag is to be the last player left in the game.
Set-up
I set up a rectangular space about 50m long and 30m wide. Someone was chosen to be the Shark. He started in the middle of the area. All the other players were the minnows (fish). They began by standing at the base line.
How to Play
The game starts, and the minnows run the field to the other end to where it is safe. The shark chases the minnows trying to tag them. The first two minnows tagged become the crabs. The crabs joins the shark’s team. Crabs may sidestep in a line back and forth from one side of the field (width) to the other. They cannot run forwards or backwards, only sideways. They try and tag minnows swimming past. There can only be two crabs.
Once all the players are safely behind the end line, they then must run back to the baseline. The shark and crabs, tag minnows. When minnows are tagged, they become octopuses. Octopuses stay glued to one spot. They have long wavey tentacles to tag any minnows swimming past.
The game continued until all minnows had been tagged! The last minnow to be tagged, became the shark for the next game. The kids loved the game and we played four rounds, then stopped for a quick drink break.
You can add other creatures to the mix if you like, for example you could have a jelly fish. A jellyfish could be two players holding hands, chasing the minnows.
Dragons’ Tails
Aim of the Game
We were straight into our next game, Dragons’ Tails. A fun 20 minute team game where dragons chase one another around trying to, either steal tails, or have opposition dragons break apart.
Set-up
This is one of the best group games for parties, as it is quick, requires strategy and team collaboration, and can be run with large groups. All you need is a tail for each of the dragons. This can be a t-shirt or a length of cloth.
I put the players into teams of about eight players. The players in each team form a dragon, similar to the Chinese festival dragons. Players hold onto the player in front of them. The front player is the head, and the rear player is the tail. The rear player tucks a tail into the back of their shorts.
How to Play
Allow a little time for dragons to plan a strategy and to have practice moving around without breaking apart.
Our game kicked off with dragons moving around the space seeking opportunities to grab a tail. If a tail is snatched, then that dragon is out of the game. In the excitement of the battles, dragons will break apart. These dragons are also out of the game.
Finally, the game will be left with two dragons battling it out. There can only be on victor! Our first game of Dragon’s Tails lasted about five minutes.
Now that the kids knew how the game works, they were better prepared for the following rounds of Dragon’s Tails. I noticed that they would each devise strategies for attack and defense.
After these two games, we stopped for a drink and party food. However, before the kids settled down for too long, we had them up and ready for our final game. This game must be my all-time favorite. It is fast moving, caters for large groups and once the kids know the game, it will run itself.
Capture the Flag
Aim of the Game
The aim of Capture the Flag is for one team to steal the flags from all the other teams. The team with all four flags, wins! Note: this is difficult to achieve, and often, no one wins the game.
Set-up
We used a large space in the park, about 50m by 50m. This worked well for our group of about 40 players. This space, I Divided into quadrants using marker cones. If you don’t have marker cones, you could use rope, shoes or beanbags. In each quadrant I marked a circle (3mX3m) and place a ball in the middle of each. The balls are called the Flags, and each team must start with one. A flag can be any object. Shoes make great flags.
Lastly with the setup, I placed a hoola-hoop (or you could use a mat) at the rear of each quadrant. These are the jails for holding captured enemy.
Divide the players into four teams and use something to identify teams. I used the colored mats that I had cut up. These were worn as either a headband or armband.
How to Play
To give you the general gist of how the game works I’ll outline the rules. Teams, each controlling a quadrant, defend their flag by tagging anyone who tries to steal it from them. When defending their flag, they do so by standing outside the defined circle where the flag is held (no doggy guarding). Whilst some team members are defending their flag, other players try to sneak into other teams’ quadrants and steal their flags. If successful they must run it back to their team and place it in their team’s flag circle. They cannot kick, throw, or pass the flag. If they are tagged whist escaping with their flag, then they simply drop it. Anyone can run in and grab it.
If a player is tagged whilst invading another team’s quadrant, they must go to that team’s jail (the hoola-hoop). They place one foot in the jail and wait to be rescued. If multiple players are in the jail, then they can link, by holding hands and form a chain from the jail.
To be rescued from jail, a player from your own team must reach you and hold your hand. They can then run you back to the safety of your team’s quadrant. If they let go of hands as they are running back to the safety of their quadrant, then they can be tagged immediately and send back to jail. A player can rescue more than one player at a time, but only players from their own team.
We played Capture the Flag for 45 minutes on a hot day. There were four-year-olds right through to adults playing. During the 45 minutes we had two winning games and the last one was called a draw. Between each game the players stopped for a quick drink, then straight back into the next round. Everyone had an awesome time!
Best Group Games for Kids’ Parties Final Thoughts…
I like to stop games whilst the kids are really enjoying it, despite protests to keep going. That way I know they’ve all had a great time and will be keen to play again another day.
Akaisha had a wonderful time sharing a fun experience with all her classmates and her family. Everyone went home tuckered out … and full of sugar!
These three kids group party games worked perfectly for the outdoor venue we had, and for the size group we had. There are many more games that would work just as well. Here is a list of some of my best group games for kids’ parties.
Wacki App has most of these games, with excellent mini demo videos that give a great visual of each game, and a written description of the game and game rules.
I’ve found that it isn’t always the loudest, the biggest or the most vocal person who is the leader amongst a group. Quite often it is the quiet ones who shine and succeed with leadership when presented with the opportunity. Here are a few of my favourite Youth Leadership Games
Chariot Races
Give each team a bundle of sturdy sticks (hockey sticks would do) and some rope (or skipping ropes).
Teams are given a set time to construct a chariot with the equipment provided. The chariot must be strong enough to hold a player’s weight.
Once constructed, teams line up with a player chosen to ride on the chariot. The rest of the team hold the chariot off the ground.
A race is set up around an oval. At about every 30m place a marker cone.
The race starts. When a team reaches a marker cone, they must swap over the chariot rider. Repeat this at every cone so that all team members have an opportunity to ride the chariot. First team to the end with an intact chariot wins!
Poison River
Have a 20m area set up as the ‘poison river’.
Teams organise themselves along one bank of the river. The aim is to get all team members to the other side, without anyone putting a foot into the poison river.
Each team is given a few small items (eg: small mat, tennis racket, small plank of wood) to use as stepping stones. These can be moved by players as they cross.
Any players who make it to the other side, remain there. One player can run the equipment back to the remaining players on the other bank.
If at any stage, someone puts a foot in the water, the whole team must go back to the start (not those who have made it to the other side). The first team to cross wins! Always good to embellish the game with a story of crocodiles, cannibals and piranhas.
Electric Fence
Best to play this team building group game is on soft grass or on a sandy beach.
For the ‘electric fence’, set up two vertical poles about 3m apart, with a string tied between them. The string needs to be about chest height of the tallest player. Do this for each team.
The aim of the challenge is for each team to get all their players over the electric fence without anyone touching it. If any member of the team touches the fence, the whole team must start again.
Sculptor
Sculptor is a fun youth leadership game.
Each team must have a sculptor. His/her job is to create a sculpture using their team as the medium. He/she moulds players into positions, whereby each player is interconnected to the other players in the team.
After a short time, sculptors must stop and explain their masterpiece to the judges. You can amp this game up by having two Sculptors per group. Wackiapp has an excellent video demonstrating this game.
For a full explanation of this epic game check out our article on SCULPTOR or watched our video demonstration.
The Leadership Game
This youth leadership game is a little hard to explain, as it has many elements. Best to view the video to get the idea. The Leadership Game is a serious game, requiring intense concentration and cooperation between players. It requires the leader to maintain calm control when placed under extreme pressure. A game like this is only suitable once a group has already established a certain level of trust. Check out the video.
Check back with us as we are sure to share a bunch more awesome youth leadership challenges that you can try out with your team.
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.
Kids playing Silent Tic Tac Toe
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.
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!
Every year, as the school Physical Education teacher, I would run a whole school Tribes Team Building Day. All the students would be divided into groups of ten, then they would be pit against one another with tribal or warrior challenges. Teams would be awarded points for completing or winning a team challenge. Here are some of the team building games for kids that I’ve used and have proven to be awesome fun!
Seven Awesome Team Building Games for kids
Team Tire Race
Set up a race using the whole length of the oval with a marker cone every 30m.
Each team, armed with a large car tire line up at a start line. The race starts and teams must pick up their tire and run towards the finish line.
A whistle is blown as teams pass the first marker cone. As soon as the whistle blows, teams drop their tires and players stand together on it. The first team to do so gets to stay where they are. All other teams must go back to the marker cone. Blow the whistle again to start the next leg of the race. As teams pass the next marker cone, blow the whistle. Again, teams drop their tires and stand united on them. Again, the first team to do so stays where they are and the other teams go back to the last marker cone they passed.
The race continues until a team successfully passes the finish line.
Water Bomb Volleyball
For this team building group game, you will need two dozen balloons filled half with water.
Next make a volleyball net with two poles and a rope. Either side of the net place a bed sheet. Teams pick up the bed sheet with each player holding an edge, stretching it out. A water balloon is tossed onto one of the sheets.
The team must work together to use the sheet to toss the water balloon over the net. The other team must catch it with their sheet, then toss it back. Points are awarded for catches and being able to send the balloon over the net, popping it on players or the ground.
Puzzle Hunt
Create a 10 piece puzzle for each team (laminate a picture and cut it into 10 pieces). Hide the pieces in the playing area. Teams race around finding the pieces to their puzzle. First team to make the puzzle wins. Hint- so teams don’t take pieces from other teams, use different back sheet colours for each puzzle.
Icy Shirt
Place an old t-shirt into a four litre bucket of water and freeze it. Do this for each team in the game. Start the game with each team taking their block of ice. They must work out how to get the t-shirt out, then have one member of the team wear it. First to do it wins! This warrior camp challenge is quite challenging!
Helium stick
This team group game requires concentration and patience. Each team is given a long length of dowel timber, or a plastic hoola-hoop. Teams stand with their index finger placed under the stick/hoop, supporting it. Teams must lower the stick/hoop to the ground without anyone losing contact with the hoop with their index finger. Another very challenging group game!
Human Log
Teams each line up along a start line. One member must be a log. They lie on the ground. All the team members must lift the log and walk him/her to the finish line 20m away. Once they get there, they all run back to the start line, chose someone else to be the log and then carry them to the finish. Repeat this for each player as the log. Any log that touches the ground, the team must go back to the start line and recarry it. The winning team is the one that carries all logs to the finish line first!
Blanket Flip
Each team sits on a blanket. The group team challenge starts and teams stand and try to manoeuvre and shuffle the blanket under their feet in an attempt to flip it over. The rule is that no feet are allowed off the blanket. First team to do so wins!
Youth Group Camp Games
All these Team Building Games are ideal to use on youth camps. They promote team collaboration, require strategy and foster leadership.
Wacki App has a bunch of these Team Building Games for Kids (great for adults too!) Check out our unique Wacki App HERE. It’s free to download.
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.
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.
