Statues

Instructions:

Have the children gather in a large room. One child, who is “it” should then leave the room and count to 20.

The children then pose like statues, and the child who is “it” comes back and pretends to be a museum guide.

If the guide leaves the room, the children must choose a new pose.

When the guide spots someone moving, that child becomes a tourist and must follow the museum guide.

Anytime the guide looks at another statue you can quickly change your pose.

Continue play until only one statue is left. The last child becomes the new museum guide.

Everyday is a battle against Sin

Children have fun removing sin from their side of the battlefield.

MATERIALS:
Paper Towel Rolls, Colored Markers, Duct Tape,
Masking Tape, Ping Pong Balls

PREPARATION:
Use duct tape to secure two paper towel rolls together (end to end) to make a "sword." Or you can use empty wrapping paper rolls by themselves. You need one "sword" for each child. Use masking tape to make a line down the middle of the room. This line will separate the floor into two battlefields, one for each team. Also, use masking tape to mark off a home base corner for each team.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:
Form two teams. Give each child a "sword" made out of the paper towel rolls. Allow several minutes for the kids to decorate their swords using the colored markers.

Next, explain how the Bible is our sword. Have the children call out some sins or temptations they face each day. For example, stealing, cussing, disobeying parents, etc. As they do, throw the small balls onto the floor, making sure the balls are on both sides of the battlefield.

Give the following rules of the game:
• The object is to move any "sin balls" from your side of the battlefield to the other team's side.
• You must stand at home base in the "READY" position until you hear the word, "GO!"
• You must stay on your side of the battlefield and not cross the centerline.
• You must use only your sword to move the sin balls to the other side.
• You must stop when the leader calls out, "STOP!"
• You must use your sword wisely or it may break in half.

After saying, "GO," give the children a few minutes then yell "STOP!"
Count the number of "sin balls" on each side and pronounce the winning team of that round. Then have everyone return to the "READY" position, and play another round.

WHAT YOU WILL SAY:
This game shows us how sin attacks. Sin is always around us. We are faced with temptation every day. They never seem to go away. We can combat these evil things when we use our swords wisely. But what good is a dull sword? We must keep our swords sharp to be ready for battle.

Scatterball

Dodge ball with a twist. 

To start Throw the ball up in the air and everyone scatters. Somebody grabs the ball in the air or off the ground. Whoever has the ball can only take two steps. After two steps, the player must throw the ball — dodge ball style — at another player. If the ball hits a player, that player sits down right where they are. BUT, they can still play, they just can’t move from their seated spot.
 If a player is hit by the ball and catches it, then the throwing player sits down. At any time sitting players can snag the ball if it rolls by, and they can throw it at standing players trying to get them out. The game ends when only one player is standing. Hint: it’s a good game for larger groups but its lacking in action if you have less than 10 people. 

Everybody is it!

This is a simple game.

1. Ask everyone to spread out evenly on the playing area.

2. Once you say “go”, everyone tries to tag each other. If one person tags another person, the tagged person must sit down for the rest of the game. However, if two people tag each other at the same time, they both have to sit down.

3. The game continues until all but one person is eliminated. The last person standing wins the game.

Balloon Stomp

Summary: Pop! Try to stomp on each other's balloons. Be the only team left with your balloons intact!

Goal: Be the last team with a non-popped balloon.

Preparation:
- You'll need to play in an area where everyone can easily run around.
- At least 40 balloons* equally divided by three different colors (you might want to have extra balloons, in case some become popped before the actual game begins)
- Ribbon/Yarn, cut 1 1/2 feet long (one ribbon/yarn string for every balloon)
- Trash bag (to pick up the balloon pieces after the game)

How to Play Balloon Stomp:
1. Split everyone into equal teams and hand out the balloons, one color per team. Each person needs two balloons.

2. Each person needs to blow up their balloon, knot the balloon's end, and tie a balloon to their each of their ankles/shoes using the ribbon/yarn.

3. Once everyone is done, explain the rules: When you say “go”, the players must stomp and pop other teams’ balloons. The players can only run within the set boundaries. The players cannot use their hands. If both balloons have been popped, the player must sit out of the boundaries and is out of the game. The remaining team with at least one balloon intact wins the game.

Three Pails

This is a good game. What it takes is three containers you can use what ever you like. I personally have three outside garbage cans for this game. They were purchased new just for this game.

You have a line on the floor where the kids will stand and not cross. 15 feet from this line you place a garbage pail. Then another 5 feet away from that one you place the second. Do the same with the last can.

Now you say the first can is worth 5 points. The second is worth 10 points and the third is 15 points. You have 5 tennis balls. The idea is to get as many points as possible by throwing the balls into the cans.

Divide the kids up into teams or if the group is small have them play against each other. Keep track of the scores and add them up and the team or child with the highest score will be declared the winner.

This is a fun game to watch because some kids will always go for the big numbers and tend to miss while others will go for the lesser and most times they are the winners because the other kids will throw and try to get maximum points and end up with little to no score.

You can adjust the distance up or down to make it easier or harder. Each group of children will be different in how they throw. So the standard rule will be adjust it to you group. Change the points awarded for each can. Just do what makes the game fun to play and watch.

Of course balls will be missed and they will go everywhere so this game will get the game leaders tired running around collecting the balls! But it is fun game none the less.

A quiet night

Just want to have a quiet night and watch the kids use their brains instead. How about a building contest!

This one is a good one to use once in a while. You need to purchase some boxes of toothpicks, colors can be fun, and mini marshmallows.

Yes marshmallows. I would suggest buying enough to also have some to eat. The kids usually want to eat as much of the marshmallows as they use to build. They will eat the ones they are using whether they are clean or not so provide them some to eat. Also you might want to tell them to be careful that they don't prick themselves with the toothpicks.

The goal here is to build the tallest standing structure. If it can't stand it does not qualify. You should give it a time limit. How much time depends on how long game time is. You need time to measure and time for the kids to admire each others work.

All that they need to do is to stick the toothpicks into the marshmallows and build. It sounds easy but this game will show you the future building engineers.