List of Games:
- Openers/Ice-Breakers
- Starters and grouping games
- Circle Games
- Teams or Groups
- Hall or Complex-wide Games
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Get-to-know-you Bingo
IO,GROUP
Get-to-know-you-bingo is a simple pre-opener
excellent for large groups of like 30 or so.
To creat a bingo card make a 5x5 grid with each
square grid being about 1.5 inches square. In
each box put questions like the ones to follow
and a blank line for an answer. Leave the middle
square free. It is good to use several versions
of the card (i.e. different arrangements of
the same or similar questions).
Sample questions or requests.
"Find someone who..."
Has never been to the west coast
Went to a concert in the last year.
Has never been skiing.
Is wearing black socks.
Plays a guitar (to any degree).
Listens to a certain radio station.
Has a brother named Mike.
Did not watch the "Cheers" final episode.
Was born in __________
Wore braces
Owns a pair of bell bottoms.
Drives a truck.
Has ears peirced twice.
Shops at _________
Is wearing sandles.
Has never flown in an airplane.
Knows who Peter Frampton is.
Is wearing a blue shirt.
Got a letter in the mail yesterday.
Works in a restaurant.
Has painted toenails.
Wears contacts.
Listens to Jazz music.
Does not like chocolate.
...
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Kevin Bacon is the Center of the Universe
IO,Single/Group
Take a list of 10 movie stars (perhaps the
one from Movie Star Scramble) any movie stars
at all. Link that person to Kevin Bacon through
movies in the least amount of steps possible.
Example:
Dustin Hoffman was in Hook with Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts was in Flat-Liners with...Kevin
Bacon!!
Bacon factor is 1. Don't count the direct
connection.
You should be able to do this with just about
any actor or actress from any time. The challange
is knowing all of the right movies and who was
in them.
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Name those Logos
I,Group/Single
Go through several magazines and cut out advertisement
symbols (ie. the 7up dot, but not the word 7up).
Paste each on the white side of a 3x5 card and
have everyone go around the room with an answer
sheet and try to identify as many of the symbols
as possible.
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Movie Star Scramble
I,Single
Scramble the names of popular Movie stars and
figures and have people figure them out.
1 uilja otsebrr
Julia Roberts
2 aridhrc eger
Richard Geer
3 ophowi globedrg Whoopi
Goldberg
4 aciemlh otanek
Michael Keaton
5 ryam tarust nerstmaos Mary
Stuart Masterson
6 etsve nrtmia
Steve Martin
7 edjoi esrfot
Jodie Foster
8 evset rnebetugtg Steve Gutenberg
9 lomyl widgrnla
Molly Ringwald
10 orairsnh rfdo
Harrison Ford
11 cinhlo naidkm
Nicole Kidman
12 elm osibng
Mel Gibson
13 imk seginrsab
Kim Basinger
14 vhyec shaec
Chevy Chase
15 mdie ormeo
Demi Moore
16 anad yvrac
Dana Carvey
17 elichelme ferifpe Michelle Pfiefer
18 nadyn vrgloe
Danny Glover
19 yaleyh lislm
Haley Mills
20 nhoj skcasuc
John Kusacs
21 acjk nisholcon Jack
Nicholson
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Name That Show Tune
I,Single
Take lines from the themes of TV shows and
write them on a paper with an answer blank below.
Here are some examples:
1. This is a story about castaways, they're
here for a long, long time...
(Gilligan's Island)
2. A story about a man named Jed, the poor mountaineer
hardly kept his family
fed...
(The Beverly Hillbillies)
3. They were four men living all together, yet
they were all alone...
(Brady Bunch)
4. One O'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock rock...
(Happy Days)
5. The ____ ______ Promises something for everyone...
(The Love Boat)
6. They're the modern stone-age family..
(Flintstone's)
7. Where everybody knows your name, and they're
always glad you came...
(Cheers)
8. Coma nd know on our door, we'll be
waiting for you...
(Three's Company)
9. On your mark get set let's go now, gotta
dream...
(Lavern & Shirley)
10. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back...
(Welcome Back Kotter)
11. We're moving on up...
(Jefferson's)
An excellent twist on this game is when you
give out the answers have everyone sing the
answers back.
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Think Hard or Hardly Think
I/O,Group/Single
Put the following on a table:
- A calendar
- The letter "K"
- A match in a bottle of water
- Jar of 16 candies
- Toothbrush
- Pitcher
- Candle
- Salt
- Fork
- Tacks
- Buttercup (Reeses?)
- the letter "N"
- Stamp
- 2 dice on a dish of dirt
- An Iron
When the guests come have the previous articals
on a table. As they come, give them the following
list. Match the statements on the list with
the items on the table.
- End of pork ("k")
- A bunch of dates (Calendar)
- A swimming match (match in the bottle)
- Sweet sixteen (Candies)
- Never borrowed, never lent (toothbrush)
- Seen at a ball game (pitcher)
- Out for the night (candle)
- The ending of a Biblical Character (Salt)
- Branching of a river (Fork)
- On of the causes of the American Revolution
(Tacks)
- A spring flower (buttercup)
- The end of ambition ("N")
- Ready to be licked (Stamp)
- A paradise on earth (dice)
- Birthplace of Burns (Iron)
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Who Am I?
I/O,Group
Pick a category such as cartoon characters,
movie stars, vegetables, etc. Pin the name of
one of these items on the back of each guest
as they arrive. Tell them that they need to
find out who they are by asking other people
for help.
The rules are:
- ask yes or no questions only
- answer yes or no questions
- no removing your own name tag to find out.
If you ask, anyone will help you find out
your identity.
If you need people seated or grouped up this
may be a good way to do it. Have place cards
at the seat of each item. Or have a few different
categories of item to guess. Then when it comes
time to group up have the cartoon characters
go here, vegetables there, etc.
*Variation: Make name tags of famous pairs
(each name separate) (they can be any type pair).
As group arrives, place one name on his/her
back. The person cannot see his own name. While
they are mingling, they may ask questions about
the person on their back (real person/character,
male/female, married/not,etc), however the other
person may only answer yes or no! The first
pair to find each other wins. It is lots of
fun, plus it gets everyone energized
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Questions
I/O, Get-to-Know-You
Three Options here:
Questions
For the 1st day. Stick a sheet of paper on everybodies
back. Now let th epeople walk around; they ask
each other a simple question like 'what is your
favourite colour' etc.The answer is written
on the sheet.
Advertisement
Write an add about yourself, describing yourself
and some peculiar habits or properties. Don't
tell too much. Now the adds are mixed and people
will guess with each piece to whom it belongs.
Questionnaires
Have them write the answer to three questions
on a piece of paper. Questions can be 'how would
you ike to re-incarnate', or 'what would you
like to do at least ONCE in your life ?' The
papers are mixed and one person takes a random
piece and tries to guess to whom it belongs.
Good guess ? A point and another try. Wrong
? The wrongly guessed person can try now.(thanks
Anoeska !)
Aura
I/O,Starter
Two people stand face to face, arms-out, palms
touching. Then, each turn around three times
and try to find each other's palms again and
return to the original position without opening
your eyes. This is a great spectator sport and
is also a riot if a whole group of pairs is
trying to do it at the same time.
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The Grouping Game
I/O,Grouping,All to Some
Author: Dan R.
This is a good game to play as a mixer. It
is a fun, fast moving game. It starts out as
everyone collects in one big group. The leader
initially calls out a number, usually a number
between two and fifteen. The number shouldn't
be more than half of the number of total participants.
When the number is called out everyone must
try to collect in a group that contains that
number of people. The group memebers should
be latching arms or have thier arms wrapped
around each other so that the leader can see
who is in the group. If someone cannot enter
a group because the number of required members
has been reached, he is out of the game. As
different numbers are successively called out
the number of participants gets smaller and
smaller. Eventually, there are less than ten
people. The last group, or winning group, should
have anywhere from two to five people.
Variation for grouping:
Don't make people go "out" of the
game. Just constantly re-group people in different
sized groups. Have everyone say something like
"mingle mingle mingle" as they mill
about together waiting for a number to be called
out. Ultimately, try to make it so that everyone
is in a group. Presto! instant, fun grouping.
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Psychic Shake
I/O,Grouping,All to Some
This game calls for as much silence as possible.
Each person decides on a number from 1 to 3.
While not saying a word, everyone in the group
wanders around shaking people hands. The number
of shakes should match the number chosen. There
will be an unmistakable moment of tension when
the numbers don't agree. But when they do the
two should silently decide how to group themselves.
Eventually, eveyone will be in three groups.
Surprisingly, the groups are often very evenly
divided. It must be something psychic.
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The Lap Game
I/O,Starter,All
This is perhaps my favorite game because of
its enjoyability and diverse possibilities.
The game is simple. Everyone in the group gets
in a circle, facing in, shoulder to shoulder*.
When the circle looks good and round everyone
should turn to their left (or right, whatever
the director chooses) and sits on the lap of
the person now behind them.
This a great game to get people into the group-game
mood. Once people are sitting (?) it is a good
time to give them all instructions as to what
is going to happen next. It is also a good rester.
*Another thing to do is while people are facing
inward, shoulder to shoulder, try to get them
to lean inward together, supported by one anothers
shoulders. This is useful because it will help
the circle get round.
Another variation: after the people have completed
the task of all sitting down in a large circle,
have them start walking! It really works.
A Different Description of the same game:
The big army of Queen Eugenie was marching to
a distant war. They wanted to take a break but
the fields were wet. So they invented this new
way of sitting. Whilst humming a soldiers marching
song they got into a circle, faces all to the
right. Then they slowly sat down on each others
knees. It seems to be more easy to sit on the
knees than on the hips/lap. Now the trick is
to start walking in a circle ! In 1978 2500
people managed, on a Spielfest (Gameparty) in
Essen (Germany).
*A variation: whilst humming a silly song,
you first walk in a circle. Then you get less
shy and hold the shoulders of the person in
front of you. For a while, you walk on this
way. But hey, you like this, so now you hold
the middle...shoulders of the person onestep
further. Then you are so close that it is pretty
easy to sit. But to keep sitting during the
walk.....
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Similarities
I/O, Starter
People sit in a circle on chairs. Everybody
has a chair except one person in the middle.
He really wants to sit ! So this person names
a property like "I have black trousers",
"I live in Amsterdam", "I have
a sister", or even "I have two eyes".
All people who can say that too have to change
seats, the rest stays seated. The person who
was in the middle will try to sit on one of
the chairs, and one person remains. This person
now asks the next question.
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Gordian Knot
I/O
Uh, people get very close here. Everybody stands
in a small circle, shoulder to shoulder. Eyes
closed. Left hands in the air, reach into the
circle, and grab someone's hand tightly. Now
all right hands seek a fist. Once everybody
is connected, let them open their eyes and try
to unravel the knot until everyone is standing
in an untwisted circle, holding hands. Good
for the group process; because people actually
touch, and they have to cooperate and listen
to each other. Lots of fun, too!
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The Mating Game
I/O,Grouping,All to 2
The group divides in two paralell lines facing
each other across the room (perhaps boys/girls
but doesn't matter). Each person is assigned
an animal whose match is accross the room somewhere.
After being given a moment of thought, everyone
in the room acts like the assigned animal and
walks (crawls, flaps, waddles, etc) accross
the room in search of their mate. No human language
is allowed. When people think they have discovered
their mate, the go to the referee. The pandemonium
proceeds until everyone has been mated.
To help with the assignment of animals perhaps
you could make two sets of animal cards to pass
out to people. In this case, the people wouldn't
need to be in paralell lines accross from each
other. They could just be in a big circle or
something.
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Stand Off
I/O,Starter,2
Two people stand face to face at one person's
arm's length. Each stand with his feet side-by-side
and together. Palms must face inward to start.
The object is to make the other lose their balance
without touching any part of their body than
the palm. Go for two out of three. You can dodge
and feint with your hands but touch no other
part of your body.
Another version is from the Martial art aikido.
Players start with palms together and must stay
together throughout play. The object is still
to make your partner lose balance but no sudden
moves are permissible.
This game can get tiring. Don't wear the guests
out before the party really starts.
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Stand-Up
I/O,Starter,2+
Sit on the ground, back-to-back with a partner,
knees bent and elbows linked. The object is
simply to stand up together. Then try it with
3. Then with 4. Then with 5... Try it with as
many people as are in the "Lap Game."
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Swat 'em or Whipped to the Gap
I/O,Starter,All
Equipment: Newspaper rolled up into swatter
Action: Group in a circle, everyone facing
in with hands behind back. "IT" walks
around the circle with the newspaper. He discretely
puts the newspaper into the hands of one of
the players. That person swats the person on
his right while the person being hit runs around
the entire circle and comes back to his original
place. The chasing person's place was taken
by the previous "it". The person with
the swatter now becomes "it". NOTE:
If the group is really large use two or three
swatters.
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Willow in the Wind
I/O,Starter,Some/All
Form a small circle of about eight persons,
shoulder to shoulder, facing in, hands outstretched
with palms facing inward. Place one foot slightly
behind the other for balance.
Place a "willow" in the middle of
the circle with feet together, arms crossed
over their chest, and eyes closed. Keeping their
feet in one place and their body straight and
relaxed they fall backward. The people forming
the circle push the "willow" gently
push her front and back, side to side, and all
around, like a willow in the wind. Perhaps the
group can make howling wind noises. Everyone
should get a turn to try it out.
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Red Handed I/O
Also called "Button, button, who's got
the button?" by my grandmother. The group
forms a circle and one person, "It",
stands in the center. The group faces in, fists
closed, palms up. IT places a marble (or button,
or other small object) into someones hand. IT
then closes her eyes. While her eyes are closed
the group passes the marble around. The idea
is to trick IT so everyone pretends to pass
the marble.
IT shouts out a word (any will do--"RED
HANDED" for example) and opens her eyes.
She then tries to guess (or catch) who has the
marble. Everyone presents their hands in the
original position (fists closed, palm up) and
IT picks a hand.
If you get caught with the marble, you become
IT. If IT failes to catch someone "Red
Handed" then she must try again.
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Human Pinball O
All but one stand in a circle, facing outwards.
Spread your legs as wide as comfortable, until
your feet are touching your neighbors' on both
sides. Everyone bends down and swings their
arms between their legs--these are the flippers.
One person stands in the middle. A ball is
released and the flippers try to hit the person
in the middle (possibly for points if you have
a use for them). Try it with several balls and
more people in the center if the group is very
large.
Careful. This game causes bad head-rush. Make
sure you take breathers.
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Pile Up I/O
Everyone sits in a chair (or possibly on the
ground) in a circle--one chair for everyone.
One person in the middle begins to ask yes or
no questions like: "Were you born in Mississippi?"
"Are you right handed?" If the players
can answer "yes" to the question,
they move one chair to the right. If the players
can answer "no" they must stay in
the same chair.
Eventually, there is a pile-up. The object
of the game is to try to get everyone in the
same seat.
Two notes. First, you may want to rule out
questions whose answer is visible like: "do
you have green eyes?" This adds an element
of challange to the game. Second, once everyone
is all "together" it may be a good
time to give them instructions for the next
activity.
*Variation:People sit ina circle on strong
chairs or benches. Everybody gets a card from
a game of cards, and remember whether it is
hearts, diamonds, club or spades. Now someone
takes a deck of cards and turns the upper card.
When it is ‘hearts’ everybody with
hearts moves one chair to the right. If that
chair is occupied you sit carefully on this
persons lap. After turning some cards, the piles
can get quite high ! (if you have somebody on
your lap you cannot move)
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Duck, Duck, Goose I/O
While sitting, standing, or kneeling in a circle,
facing in, one person goes around the circle
touching each person on the head as they pass
and saying "duck." The person on the
outside continues around the circle tapping
and saying "duck" until he decides
he's ready. He then taps someone on the head
and says "goose" and proceeds to run
around the circle. The goose must run around
the circle in the opposite direction. Both are
racing for the open spot in the circle. The
loser gets to be the caller for the next round.
A variation on this game is called "They
Flying Dutchman." In it, two people go
around the outside and say nothing. The people
in the circle hold hands. The Dutchmen tap someone's
clasped hands, breaking the chain. The Dutchman
run around the circle racing agains the two
who's hand-clasp was broken (who run in the
opposite direction). The slower team gets to
be the Dutchmen for the next round.
Variations on this game are many. You can have
them race around while hopping or skipping,
or perhaps in piggy-back. Use your imagination.
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Musical Chairs I/O
Classic Musical Chairs is played with numbers
in a circle (perhaps on chairs, perhaps on the
floor). When the music starts the players walk
around the circle, when the music stops everyone
must stop on their own number. A number is drawn
from a hat and the person on the winning number
gets a prize (or something).
A variation on this theme was given by Leah
Gibbons. She says it is fun to place obstacles
in the path (i.e. between the numbers) for the
players to crawl under, jump over, or step around.
She also suggests playing by crawling, hopping,
or skipping. Its great exercise!
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Happy Birthday: The Game I
Materials:
- 1 Pair of Gloves
- 1 Hat
- 1 Die (perhpas two dice if group is large)
- A Prize wrapped in several layers of newspaper
and boxes.
The group stands in a circle. The gloves, hat,
and wrapped box are placed in the center. someone
begins by rolling the dice. If they roll a 6,
they hurry into the middle and put on the gloves
and hat. They then start to unwrap the package.
They must move fast because the next person
to roll a 6 takes the hat off of the person
in the center. The person in the center stops
immediately and takes off the gloves, gives
them to that person, and he/she goes back to
the circle. The game continues like this until
the package is completely unwrapped and the
last person receives their prize. It's really
noisy and incredibly fun!
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What's your Name Sweetie I
Materials:
- About 6 different candies that have given
names like M&M's, Crunch, Wrigley's ,
etc.
- 1 Die (or 2 dice if the crowd is very large)
Everyone is seated on the floor in a circle.
Packaged candybars or candy are placed in the
middle of the circle. Everyone starts by saying
their own names. The leader then makes sure
that everyone knows what candy is in the middle.
someone begins by rolling the dice. If they
roll a 6, they can take one of the candies in
the middle. The die continues to go quickly
around the circle while people keep picking
up candy. When all of the candies are taken,
people then can get other people's candy.
In order to get their candy, they must state
the person's first name and the name of the
candy they hold. The person who rolls a 6 and
matches the name of the candy and the person
takes the other's candy. If they forget either
name, they miss their turn and the dice goes
to the next person and they continue to roll.
(One person can get more than one candy and
people can hide the candy behind their back).
This is a great way of getting to know people's
name and how to get your favorite candies!
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Fox and the Squirrel O
This game is more fun with a large number of
players (approx 10-20).
To set up, have everyone pair off and link
elbows with their partner. Form a wide circle,
leaving 3-4 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) between each
pair.
Choose one of the pairs to start the game.
One person is the Fox and the other is the Squirrel.
The Fox chases the Squirrel anywhere in or around
the circle until the Squirrel links elbows with
one of the pairs. As the Squirrel links elbows
with another player A in the pair, Player B
of that pair becomes the Squirrel. If the Squirrel
is tagged before linking up with another pair,
he becomes the Fox and the Fox becomes the Squirrel.
An extemely tiring and fun game of tag!
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Spit in the Ocean I/O
Materials:
The person starting off the game has the thimble
which is filled with water. This person will
think of something. For example: They will say
"I am thinking of a color." They go
around the group, which is in a circle, and
each person will guess a unique color. The object
is to not get it right. If the guess is correct,
the person in charge throws the water on them.
Then, the wet person is in charge.
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Zoom! I
The object of Zoom is to be one of two winners.
The game is played by everyone sitting in a
circle, facing in. One person begins by saying
the word "zoom" and turning to face
the person on either her right or left. The
person "zoomed" can do one of two
things. First, turn his head and look at the
next person in the circle and say "zoom",
thus continuing in the same direction. Second,
he can make a brake screeching noise (hhrrrr--or
something) and look back toward the person who
just "zoomed" her (or perhaps braked
her), thus reversing the direction of the zoom.
The game must go rapidly and with rythmn. If
someone messes up--looks the wrong direction,
says the wrong thing, or hesitates--they are
out and the circle closes in. The game continues
until there are only two left (can hardly do
it with only two).
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Murder
I/O
*Version One:
Sit in a circle. One person is the detective,
and another one is chosen (without the detective
knowing) to be the killer. Detective returns,
and the killer starts killing others by blinking
to the victims. If you are a good killer the
detective will have a hard time finding out
who it is.
Version Two:
Tear up enough pieces of paper or cards so that
there are more than there are people. Write
O's on all but one, put an X on that one. Fold
them up and put them in a hat. Have everyone
draw one, whoever gets the X is the murderer.
Methods of murder are optional: pick one and
stick with it for all the games, though, or
it can get confusing. Suggestions: sit in a
circle holding hands (this only works in the
dark or if everyone keeps their eyes closed),
and squeeze. Squeeze once, and you kill the
person sitting next to you. Twice, and the person
next to you squeezes their neighbor once and
HE dies. Get it? Or, wander around shaking hands;
the murderer taps the wrist. Those murdered
must count to 10 (to themselves), shaking hands
and acting normally, before dying. In all cases,
let them have fun dying!
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Dragon Tail Tag
O
Author: Mark Q.
Make small chains of about four people. Either
have team members hold on to each others waists
or link elbows. The end person has a flag or
tail (bandana) hanging behind them or in their
back pocket. Teams must stay linked to participate.
The object of the game is to steal other teams
tails while avoiding other teams who are trying
to steal your tail. The last team to have a
tail wins.
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Feather Tennis
I
A string is placed accross the room. Just like
volley ball, the idea is to get the feather
to fall to the floor, inbounds, on your opponent's
side of the court. Unlike volleyball, you must
blow a feather up into the air to do it. There
are no limits to the number of time passes you
can make to your team mates but each player
cannot blow more than three times in a row.
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The Flour/Dime Game
I
Author: Leanne O.
This game works best for about 6 people per
game. Just divide the people up and let them
play in their individual groups if there are
more.
- Bring about a cup of flour, a table knife,
and a dime for each group (of 6, see above).
- Pack the flour in the measuring cup very
tightly.
- Put paper over top of it and gently turn
it over so that the cup lies upside down on
the paper.
- Carefully take the cup off so that the flour
stays packed on the paper.
- Gently lay the dime on the top of the packed
flour pile.
- One person at a time cuts away at the flour
pile with the knife and must cut from the
top surface in any direction). The person
who is holding the knife when the dime drops
off the pile has to pick the dime up with
their teeth and their hands behind their back.
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The Cracker/Whistle Race
I
Author: Leanne O.
A game for as many people as you would like.
- Divide the people into two or more groups.
Line up in those groups.
- Hand out one or more crackers to each participant
in each group.
- Explain that the goal is to be the first
team to successfully eat their crackers and
whistle as soon after chewing them as possible,
beginning one person at a time per team.
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Sardines
I/O
Very easy, sort of reverse Tag. Assign a few
"police", make them stay while one
person runs off to hide. Then let the rest (but
not the police!) run off in search of the first
person. Give them a minute, then send the police
out. If caught, the runners must go back to
"jail" for a bit. The game ends when
everyone has ended up in the same place as the
first runner (it can get very cramped in there!!).
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The Assasins Variations
I/O Basically:
Having never played this game I may not be the
best at describing it, but here goes anyway.
Begin by getting all the players together, and
writing their names on a piece of paper. Have
each player choose a piece of paper, and check
to ensure that they have not drawn themselves.
The Game Begins! Their goal is to "kill"
the person whose name appears on their slip
of paper. Method of murder is optional: water
guns are popular but kissing or just saying
"bang" are also used. Once a player
has "killed" their victim, they inherit
the victim's slip of paper. This continues until
everyone has been eliminated.
Thanks to Megan
Celia Coster, an RA from the University
of Oregon for compiling the information on this
page!
Student Leader Magazine
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