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Games for Kids
Apr 18, 2003

Object of the Game: Catch the person with the ring. Now they're "it".

Items Needed: 1 piece of string or yarn about 8-12 feet long. 1 ring, any kind.

Preparation: Slide the ring onto the string. Tie the string's ends to create a giant, circular loop. The ring should freely slide along the string.

Directions: Pick one person to be "it" and have them stand in the center of the string. Everyone else makes a circle around the person, and takes a hold of the string with each hand, holding the string in the air. The "it" person closes their eyes while they count to 10. The others pass the ring along the string, hiding it in their hands, and the "it" person, after counting, opens their eyes and tries to guess who has the ring. When the person's back is turned the ring can be quickly passed from person to person, either left or right. When the ring is correct discovered the person who had it is now "it".

Example: Six people are playing, five stand in a circle holding the string with the sliding ring and one is in the middle. One person has the ring in their right hand when the middle person stops counting, when that person's back is turned the player quickly slides the ring to the person on their right, who then passes the ring from their left hand to their right hand.

Note: The ring doesn't have to go the same direction, but can go left to right then right to left at any time of the game.

Object of the Game: To have lots of fun!

Items Needed: Paper and pencil (or other writing tool) for each person.

Preparation: Give each person a piece of paper and a pencil.

Directions: Have each person place their pencil on the paper and on the count of three everyone begins to draw one continuous squiggly line all over the page. Say "stop". The squiggle should only take two or three seconds. Now everyone pass their squiggle to the left. Now have each person look at their drawing for something familiar and for the next 10 minutes create that item in detail.

Example: Let's say I have a squiggle that I think looks like a dragon, so I add eyes, teeth, wings, and claws, using the already formed neck, head, and body of the squiggle. It's okay if other lines don't quite go with the picture, be creative. When time's up have everyone share their picture with the group.

Note: For continuous fun repeat, but pass the paper two to teh left, and for the third round, three to the left, etc.

Object of the Game: Not to laugh when someone is snorting in your face.

Items Needed: A few people and a timer.

Preparation: Sit in a circle and choose someone to start.

Directions: The person that starts goes in front of the person on their left and snorts until they laugh, then that person snorts in their neighbor's face. When the person laughs they are out. The winner is the last one in the circle, but there's only 30 seconds to try and get the other person to laugh!

Example: Ok here are our players their names are Jack, Jill, Jhon, and Jake. Jake goes 1st so he snorts and makes Jill laugh then Jill is out and then Jake tries to make Jhon laugh but can't because time runs out so then Jhon tries to make Jack laugh and Jack laughs so then Jhon tries to make Jake laugh and he can't and Jake tries to make Jhon laugh and Jhon laughs so then Jake wins.

Note: To make the game different each time you can have the players do something other than snort, such as squeak, meow, moo, bark, etc.

Object of the Game: Not to get caught with two ties.

Items Needed: Two Neck Ties

Preparation: Have everyone sit in a circle. Give one person one tie, and give the person sitting opposite them the other tie.

Directions: A person says go and the game begins. The Cat neck tie makes one knot and unties it and passes it to the next person in the circle as fast as they can. At the same time the Rat neck tie has to make two knots and then unties it and passes it to the next person as fast as they can. Soon the ties will catch up to each other and the person caught with both ties must get up and sing a song, bark like a dog, or something else that is silly. Then play begins again with two different players.

Example: This game has been used by the missionaries of the Nevada Las Vegas Mission in large family home evenings for investigators and member families. It has helped to break the ice and has brought fun to an evening of fellowship.

Note: The knots in the neck ties need not be tied like a real tie but just a simple knot or over-hand loop.

Object of the Game: To write nice, uplifting things about each other.

Items Needed: Paper (card-stock works well), pens, and safety pins, enough for each person playing.

Preparation: Safety pin a piece of paper onto the back of each participant and give them a pen.

Directions: Have everyone mingle around and write something nice on each person's paper. The purpose is to write things you like, admire, or enjoy about the person who's "wearing" the paper. This kind of game goes well with a lesson on charity or friendshipping. Afterwards you can have the group silently read their papers, and then ask people for their thoughts and feelings about the game.

Example: There are ten people playing, all ten receive a piece of paper which is pinned to the back of their shirt, and they receive a pen. When everyone is ready the people get up, walk around, write nice things on the papers of the other 9 participants until everyone has had a change to write something about the others, or until the time runs out.

Note: The people ended up forming long lines as they were writing on each other's backs. It's was quite funny.

Object of the Game: To pass the spoon and fork around the circle in opposite directions. There is no winner/loser, no one gets out, the object is to see which utensil gets back first. So you try to do it as fast as you can, which makes everyone laugh as people make mistakes or say the words funny.

Items Needed: One Spoon and one fork.

Preparation: Have everyone sit in a circle, close enough together to quickly pass a spoon/fork.

Directions: One person is at the head of the circle and starts by holding a spoon and a fork. The head person turns to the person on the left, hands the person the spoon and says "this is a spoon" the person receiving the spoon says "A what?" to which the head person says "a spoon" The lead person does the same thing with the fork to the person on the right. Each person in turn does the same thing to the people on their left or right respectively. They pass on the "A what?" question all the way to the lead person who answers each as it is asked. Play continues until the spoon and fork make it all the way around the circle back to the lead person.

Example: Eight people are playing and player one is the head person who takes the spoon, turns to the person on the left and says, "this is a spoon" and gives it to that person who asks, "A what?" The head person replies, "a spoon" then turns to the person on the right and says, "this is a fork," "A what?" asks the person who takes the fork, "a fork" replies the head person. While that is going on the second person has already turns to the person on the left and said, "This is a spoon," "a what?" asks the person who turns back to the head person and asks, "a what?" the head person replies, "a spoon." The person turns back to the person on their left and says, "a spoon" and hands the spoon to that person who does the same with the next person. The fork is doing the same on the other side and will continue all the way until the fork and spoon return to the head person, having been handed around the circle from each person.

Note: We have played this at family reunions, what a hoot! My dad says "fark" for fork.

Object of the Game: To guess who's the pig squeaker while being blindfolded.

Items Needed: Lots of people, a blind fold, and enough chairs for each player minus one. (If there are 10 players you need 9 chairs.)

Preparation: Place the chairs in a circle, have everyone take a seat, and blindfold the person still standing.

Directions: The person who is blindfolded is spun around until disoriented, then walks around the circle until choosing an occupied seat to stop at. After stopping the blindfolded player sits on the lap of the seated individual and says, "Squeak, Piggy, Squeak" and the person must then squeak like a pig. The blindfolded person must guess who is the squeaker is and if he/she guesses correctly the two people switch rolls. Now the squeaker becomes the blindfolded player and the game continues. If the person guesses incorrectly then he/she is sent back around for another try.

Example: Ten people are playing, nine are seated in a circle of chairs, and the tenth player is blindfolded. The tenth player is spun around, then blindly walks around the perimeter of the circle before stopping and sitting down on someone's lap. The player says, "Squeak, Piggy, Squeak" and the person who was sat on begins to squeak like a pig. The blindfolded person correctly guesses that the squeaker is player number four, so he/she removes the blindfold, takes the seat of player four, who then puts on the blindfold and is spun around. Player four sits on the lap of player eight, who after hearing the piggy squeak guesses that it is player one. Because the blindfolded player four guessed wrong he/she is now spun again and sent around the circle to sit one someone else's lap.

Note: To make the game more difficult make it a rule that the blindfolded person cannot touch the seated players with his/her hands. This way they can't guess from the clothing or other texture of something the person is wearing.

Object of the Game: To run away from "it" and lock elbows with someone else before you're tagged.

Items Needed: An open yard or field large enough to run around in. Must have a minimum of 12 people to play.

Preparation: Have everyone separate into pairs and link elbows. Then have one pair stand in the middle while the other pairs create a giant circle facing inwards. Each pair should be a few feet apart from the next pair.

Directions: Have the pair in the middle separate, choose one to be "it" and one to be the "runner". The it person must then chase the runner and try to tag them. If the runner is tagged they become "it" while the "it" person becomes the "runner". The new "it" now chases the runner. A runner can run to any pair in the game and link elbows with one of the persons, creating a group of three. The person on the far end is now the odd one and becomes the runner. If the new runner is tagged by the it person they are it. If the runner is touched by "it" AFTER linking elbows with someone they are safe, because the third person of the group is already the runner.

Example: Players one and two are linked, players three and four are linked, etc. "It" is chasing the "runner" who grabs the elbow of player one. Player two is now the "runner" and cannot link elbows with player three but runs around to player four and links elbows. Player three is now the "runner" and is tagged by "it", causing player three to become the new "it" and now must chase after the previous it who grabs player six's elbow and so on.

Note: To make the game a little more difficult make a rule that a new "runner" cannot jump to the person closest to them to grab their elbow, but must find someone else, even if it is someone two people away from them.

Object of the Game: To keep from guessing the hidden word.

Items Needed: 1 Thimble or other small container (such as the plastic cap of a pop bottle), 1 small cup or bowl of water, 1 pad of paper, and 1 pencil
Preparation: Fill the cup or bowl with water, and set on a table with the paper and pencil.

Directions: Choose one person to be "it" and have everyone else sit down in a circle. The "it" person then picks a category, such as animals, colors, clothing, etc. and tells it to the group. Then the "it" person silently picks an item from that category, writes it on the pad of paper, and turns it face down. "It" then takes the thimble and fills it with water from the cup/bowl and goes to the first person of the group who must say an item from the category. If the item is not the hidden word written on the pad "it" goes to the next person. When someone finally says the hidden word "it" splashes that person with the thimble full of water and now that person is "it".

Example: I'm "it" and I choose the category, colors, which I tell to the group. I then silently write "purple" on the pad of paper without telling anyone. I fill the thimble with water and ask player one to name a color, he says yellow, and I move to player two who says green. Player three says "purple" and I dump the thimble of water on her head. Now player three is "it" and chooses a new category.

Note: Only a small amount of water is needed, you don't want to start a water fight.

Object of the Game: To be the first to write the numbers 1 to 100.

Items Needed: 2 6-sided dice; 1 piece of paper; 1 pen

Preparation: Setup a table with the items on it. No chairs are needed. On the piece of paper write everyone's names in a column on the left, leave a few spaces per name.

Directions: Have everyone stand around the table in a circle and begin by rolling the dice. When someone rolls doubles they grab the pen and paper and begin writing next to their name the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc. all the way to 100. When someone else rolls doubles they ask for the paper and pen and begin their own list of numbers next to their name. The paper and pen pass around the circle until someone wins by reaching 100.

Example: Player one rolls doubles and begins writing next to their name: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 while player two rolls, player three rolls, player four rolls two sixes (doubles) and grabs the paper and next to their name writes 1 2 3 4 5 but player five rolled doubles and takes the paper and writes 1 2, etc.

Note: To make the game longer you can make the person put on a hat and scarf before they can write.

Object of the Game: To eat as much of the candy bar as possible before your turn is over.

Items Needed: 1 6-sided die; 1 king sized candy bar (such as a Hershey's bar); 1 butter knife; 1 fork; 1 set of gloves; newspaper; tape

Preparation: Take the unopened candy bar and heavily wrap it in newspaper, tape it in place with lots of tape so that it's tightly wrapped. Place the wrapped bar in the freezer for at least an hour. When ready place the frozen bar, gloves, knife, and fork on a table or the floor. Have everyone sit in a circle around the items.

Directions: Begin by having someone roll the die, if they roll a 1 or 6 they must put on the gloves, grab the knife and fork and try to open the candy bar with only those two items. They cannot use their teeth, hands or any other help. When the next person rolls a 1 or 6 they must remove the gloves and give them to that person who must then try to unwrap the bar. Once the bar is visible the players may try to eat the bar using the tools when it is their turn. Once the bar is completely eaten the game is over.

Example: Player one rolls a four, player two rolls a six and puts on the gloves. Player three rolls a three while player two begins to hack at the bar with only the knife and fork. Player four rolls a one and asks for the gloves which player two removes, and player five rolls a one before player four finished putting on the gloves. Player one rolls again, etc.

Note: To make the game more difficult you can include a scarf and hat that must be put on before you can begin to work on the candy bar.

Object of the Game: To stump "it" and keep from becoming "it".

Items Needed: A softly rolled newspaper or magazine. Optional: A timer.

Preparation: None

Directions: First set a time limit, perhaps 15 minutes to start. Have everyone sit in a circle. Each person chooses the name of a state. One of these states is chosen to be "it." "It" sits or stands in the middle. "It" is the person who holds the rolled newspaper. One person from the circle is chosen to go first and calls out the name of any state from the circle. "It" must try to remember who holds that name and gently whack him/her with the newspaper. However, if the state called can call out a different state before getting "whacked" then "it" must now find the new state. When "it" finally "whacks" someone in time (before that person can call out another state), the two players exchange places. "It" is now seated with the others of the circle and the state "whacked" becomes the new "it" in the center with the newspaper. The person formerly in the center and now in the circle begins the next round by calling out a state. (If one of the states accidentally calls out the state name of "it," or his/her own state name, that just gives "it" more time.)

Example: Everyone has chosen the name of a state, and "it" is ready to begin. The state New York is called and "it" tries to find and whack New York. But before New York can be found, New York calls out Alabama and "it" must now try to whack Alabama. But Alabama calls out Wyoming. This time "it" is able to find and whack Wyoming. Wyoming exchanges places with "it." "It," who is now seated in the circle, calls out the name of a state (let's say Maryland) and Wyoming (the new "it) must try to find Maryland.

Note: This game can be played with any category such as cities of the U.S., cities or countries of the world, vegetables, ice cream flavors, etc.

© Copyright 2002 - 2003 Dayspring Fellowship
Content from www.dayspringfellowshipnc.com
Dayspring Fellowship exists to equip its members in using their God-given gifts, abilities, and resources to fulfill the Great Commission, bringing Christ to Durham and the world. Three qualities that we seek after in the life of Dayspring are: authenticity, community, integrity. Three gifts we seek to offer to ourselves and others are: love, acceptance, forgiveness.