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 Raddon
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 Quinney
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 Ostler
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 Ostler
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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