The Ninja game

Every week I'm asked if they can do the Ninja game.  They get to play it about once a month.

Like what's the time mister wolf but in the dark!  Great for 8-16+ year olds

Equipment:

A variety of different sized tables and barriers.

• Torch.
• Chair

 Where:

You're gonna need a hall for this game!

  The SETUP:

• Chair down one end with a boy or girl holding a torch sitting on it.
• Put the tables on their sides with legs facing the chair (so kids are moving towards the tops!)
• Turn the lights out for each go.

The game!

Everyone else has to make it to the chair in the dark past the tables from the opposite end.
No Running!
The kid on the chair has to shine the torch on the others and call their name.  If they get caught by the kid then they have to go back to the other end.
If they make it to the chair without getting caught - they WIN!  Then generally they get to sit on the chair.

ENJOY

Blind stumbling

                  

A game to test the communication and creativity of your group.

Equipment

• Some chairs
• Poles
• Cones
• Anything that can safely be used as an obstacle for someone blindly stumbling.

Setup

1. Split the group into 2 different rooms with an assortment of the above equipment in each.
2. Let the groups create a course   of obstacles that can be followed by a blindfolded person member  Roughly 6 obstacles should be enough to be entertaining but not take too long.
3. Get the groups to test it to prove that it's possible,
4. Send one member at a time to the opposite room blindfolding them before entrance.
5. On first entry the team who've built the course instruct the member around the course to completion.
6. Then the member who has just completed the course instructs the next participant / victim!

 For added humour if the group gets bored get the instructors to instruct around fake objects to see how far they can get the participant without them catching on.

Added interest

It can be a good time to talk about what it's like to be blind or have disabilities.  Get the group to consider things that help blind people.  For instance the floors around road crossings with lumps or stripes to alert blind people.  At the same crossings, the crossing sounds etc.   Even the lumps on keyboards and remote controls to allow for you to feel which button you're pressing.
 

For the few or for the many

"Sacrifice the few to save the many"

I was speaking to my captain the other day in terms of the numbers in our sections and the like in the calm after the storm.  We sat talking with the other officers after the company night as to how to go forward in the new year.  However something my captain said bugged me.

" Some kids are great to have in the group, but as much as we try to keep these kids, they will eventually give up."  Referring to the odd kids, the loners so to say.  Imaginative, artistic and highly creative are often major characteristics.  Sport on the other hand is not.  So when it comes to games which the others enjoy greatly, these ones often sit on the sidelines.

Of course when running the games you are often stuck to almost ignore the one.  I struggle with this concept.  When I'm not running an activity i make it my duty to encourage those whom sit aside.  The answers from them often being, "i'm no good at sports", or in some rare cases "i like it but i just want to sit out".  (Some kids really confuse me).

So unless another officer does the duty of talking to these kids I can do but shout encouragement in between running things, a task that is often unsuccessful.  I have rarely seen another officer do so, they've often tried and given up.

Sometimes you even make headway with a child, who then leaves without word. Somewhat soul destroying.

So my thoughts lie with the singular statement above.  Is it worth more to run our activities for the many, or try to do so for the few at the risk of losing the others?

Sadly, my captain may have wisdom I'm too stubborn to accept.  How about you?

Fill-in Games: Elevens

Another one for the younger lot.

Equipment:
       None!

Setup:
 Get all the kids sitting on the floor in a circle, legs pointing inwards.

The Game:

Starting with one foot the kids count to eleven for each foot.  I.e. first kid taps right foot on floor and says 1, then 2 on the left and round the circle.

The kid who is unlucky enough to be 11 takes that foot out of the game then starts with the next foot from 1 again.

That's it!!!

The winner is the person with the last foot in wins.

No idea why this game is fun but they enjoy it!

Expanding the game.

I must admit this is drawn from a more adult version with beverages but it is the natural extension. My friends would call it 21 and the same principle, but you can each say upto 3 numbers.  The person that says 21 is still in but chooses a new rule for the game.  I.e. miss 8 or make a noise instead of 12, a sign or the like.  Pretty much anything goes within reason.  This is more suited to teenagers.  Of course the target switches to wanting to say 21 to make up a rule often.  If you fail to do the right thing however you loose a life and the numbers start again with till 21 is reached and a new rule is created or someone else makes a mistake.

Fill-In games: Port Starboard

One for the younger ones!  But one of my favourites.

No equipment needed!

A very popular game for 5-10 year olds to run around like crazy!

The leader shouts Port or Starboard and the kids run left or right, simple as

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Then add extras like...

• CAPTAINS COMING - Kids salute "aye, aye captain!"
• STERN / BOW - Run forward or back
• SUBMARINE - On their back, one leg in the air like a periscope (lol)
• CLIMB THE RIGGING - pretend to be climbing
• MAN OVERBOARD - Swim
• MAN THE LIFEBOATS - row your boat
• SHARKS! - they run around screaming
• SCRUB THE DECKS - kneel down, pretending to clean the floor

I'm sure there's more but I shall add them when i think of them!  Comment if you think of any more!

This is an OUT game so the last to do the call is out and sits out of the way.

It's a great game and I hope you enjoy it!

Stepping up in Youth work to take a step back

Now I've become a more permanent placement in our city the idea of me becoming the captain of the Boys' Brigade company is being brought up more and more.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but a rapid change in the way I might work with the young people!

Currently a lieutenant, I am placed in charge of planning and running activities, especially games.  Which is testing but so worthwhile and somewhat fun in truth.
However by stepping into a captains role, in fact leads you to taking a step back in running programs.  You are then responsible for the entire night in a more supervisory role.  Expected to talk to parents where possible, to help with other issues the family might have.

On the Youth side the role is more in being a respected and trustful role model as I see it.  From speaking to other captains this often involves, depending on your style, attempting to chat with each of the young people throughout the night, inspections and devotions.  In fact one officer said he hasn't come close to running an activity for months!
I must admit that I generally attempt to do so anyway in terms of speaking to as many of them as possible when I am not running the activity.  It is something that I have enjoyed throughout my time with companies.  By getting to know the members personally a link grows and issues are far easier to deal with, although more issues often arise.

However as I'm in my early 20's and certainly childless myself, respect from parents is hard to come by unless they've seen me actually running activities which is rare.   Where a parent has little control has perplexed me at points I must admit.  Parents often appear to miss the part where I have 15 members in my charge and can deal with most situations when they only have the 2 and are still, in some cases doing it wrong!  Yet another stumbling block to be passed on my way.

But in general, I shall be shadowing the captain when possible and the training comes soon.  Whether I'm ready or even in such a position to take over is the real question.

Fill-in games - Mushroom

This game has come to be known as mushroom, don't ask me why but it is.

Yet another circle game that's got the extra benefit of helping you and the Youth learn each others names.  Which is always useful!

Equipment

Nothing but the players!  Oh and a bit of space helps.

Rules

• The game starts with one person saying their name and someone elses name.
• The person mentioned then does the same verbally passing the game around.
• The job of the person in the middle is to catch the person before they've passed it on by tapping them!
• If they succeed then that person becomes the one in the middle and whoever got them then starts the next round.
• Try not to point or look at the person you've passed to or it'll be easier for the person in the middle!
• And so on...

How to play

1. The game starts with the usual attempt at making a circle.
2. Then you start in the middle to explain the rules!
3.  Get the game going and give them a chance to get used to the game before starting to attempt to catch someone before they pass it.
4. Once they get the hang of it you can change the category.  Like simpsons characters, albeit starting to get out of date already!  Or animal names, or better noises.  It can become rather loud so why not throw in a category of signs where no noise is made but a sign with their hands (no rude ones obviously!).
5. Start again

Overall

This game is really useful for remembering names, so for new youth groups or camps but also works well when they know the game.  You can ask them to give you ideas of categories and then play with them.  Therefore really good as a fill-in game!

The Fill-in Games: SPLAT

Even in the best of Youth programmes there sometimes evolves a slight gap, in some cases becoming a gaping hole.  Perhaps the bus or transport is late to pick the kids up, or the officer running the night is now ill or maybe as simple as that activity which was meant to run for another 10 minutes or so but you miscalculated!  The point is, how do you fill the time

Well I have become the fill-in for such gaps at the Boys' Brigade and the various Youth events that have been occurring over the last few months.  For instance a trip to bowling where the taxis decided to ignore our booking and pick up from the football game instead leaving us stranded at the Church till alternatives were found.  Hence I've decided to put forth such games on here once every week or so till I run out, which I'm sure will only lead to finding out more games!  If you've got any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

SPLAT!

The first being the dramatic favourite called SPLAT!

Equipment:  Players, aside from that it's a fill-in game so nothing.

Where to play:  A good space helps, a medium sized room, hall, hill, field and so on.  Anywhere!

How to play:  

1. Get everyone in a circle with some shouting and herding and such with you in the middle.
2. Now get them into something that actually looks like a circle!
3. Show them the Splat gun - make a gun shape with you hands, putting your hands together that is, you only need one!
4. Tell them they need to make the gun and test fire it once by saying BANG!  Once you're happy that the guns are in working order you can move on.  -  Some Guns can be too quiet so need re-tuning, time to motivate some shy people!
5. Explain that whoever is in the middle has total control!
    

Right so, now the game.
The person in the middle shoots someone saying "SPLAT", that person has to duck to avoid flying bullets.
Then the players each side shoot each other saying "BANG".
 Whoever shoots first wins and the other is out!  They must attempt to die dramatically!  They then  sit down till the game is finished.
Then repeat until the last 2 people are left, the gaps by then getting bigger and bigger in the circle!  The last 2 are then ready for the Final Duel!  But first the extra rules to save arguments!


The rules of shooting

• If you don't duck in time, you get hit by the crossfire and you die instead!
• If it's too close to tell, just move on.
• If someone fires when they're not supposed to, the bullet ricochets and kills them instead!
• If they say the wrong thing, then their gun has misfired and they've failed!
• Once again Dramatic Deaths!!!

The Final Duel

Only 2 remain!  (else go back!)
They stand back to back.  You then need the magic word from beyond the graves, i.e. the other players (no Ouija board involved).  This can be anything.

Then the person from the middle starts saying words, some that sound like the magic one.  For each word, the players take a step.

The say the magic word and the duel commences with the players spinning, firing and hopefully you have a Winner!  Who then runs the next game while you get a cup of tea!

It's a great game that works with 5-18 year olds easily once they get the hang of it!