A few years ago on our mission trip, we played a game one evening called “The Awesome Game” when a different outing was cancelled. We had THE MOST HILARIOUS time, and now it has become a staple for our youth ministry on Kickoff Sunday.
Here’s what you do:
- Type up a list of different challenges — I’ll share mine below. You want these challenges to be a mix of things. You want to do some things that cause them to get to know one another, some that give good photo or video opportunities, or some that are just OBNOXIOUS.
- Cut up those pieces of papers, and put one copy in a gallon-sized plastic bag.
- Split your students up into groups (we did small groups). Give each group a bag and a time limit (anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes).
- Give some way for them to count what they’ve done — give them another bag, tell them to ball up the ones they’re done with, or put the ones they’ve done in your pocket.
- At the end of the time, the team that has done the most wins!
Here are some examples of challenges you can place in the bag:
- Make a two-minute video talking about your love for cheese
- Interrupt another Small Group completing their challenge.
- Run around for 60 seconds yelling “We won! We won!”
- Come up with a team chant
- Join in another Small Group completing their challenge
- SOMETHING STINKS! Walk around the room for 60 seconds and act like you’re trying to find the smell. Get obnoxious!
- TIME TO PROPOSE! Have two people give a two-minute proposal, with everyone else encouraging them to break up.
- Create your own “challenge” like Ice Bucket Challenge or KeKe Challenge. Make a one-minute video inviting people to take part in your challenge.
- Spell out MSM (for Middle School Ministry) on the floor by laying down!
- FORM A BAND: Sing a nursery rhyme at the top of your lungs using full air-band motions and sounds
- Go to the Ga-Ga pits outside and play one round of Ga-Ga Ball (basically–hitting the ball and not getting hit in the feet–if you get hit, you’re out!)
- Play Duck-Duck-Goose for 2 minutes
- Challenge another group to a dance battle. Battle it out for two minutes, even if they don’t participate back.
- Run up behind other players and make farting noises for an entire minute.
- I’m not crazy–you’re crazy. Create a straight jacket that one person must wear for the remainder of the game.
- Choose one person to stand on one foot for the remainder of the game
- GET ON ALL FOURS! Each person choose a different farm animal and act it out for one minute.
- MAKE A PROMO VIDEO: Choose an accent and talk about why Middle School Ministry is awesome for an entire minute.
- Each person must do 10 jumping jacks.
- Do a runway walk from one end of the Great Hall to another
- Have one person pretend like they’re underwater until the next challenge is completed
- Try to get another group to dance like robots with you.
- Each person talk to another person on your team like they’re your celebrity crush
- Pretend like your clothes itch. Scratch, roll on the floor…JUST GET IT OFF!
- Run up to another group. Narrate their challenge like a Sports Announcer
- Have everyone spin around 5 times, then walk ten steps in a straight line
- Run up to another group and tell them “YOU MADE ME CRY” and drag it out until they ask why!
- Choose one player to talk like a cat the rest of the morning.
- Run up to another group and ask them if they believe in fairies until someone says yes!
- VROOM VROOM. It’s the Indy 500! We’ll let you off with just one lap, though: run one lap around the gym.
- 1,2,3,4, I declare a thumb war! Have a thumb wars tournament. The winner gets cheered by the rest of the group!
- Go around the circle and say your FULL NAME–INCLUDING MIDDLE!
- Create a new Yoga pose and give it a name! Everyone must do the yoga pose.
- RAP TIME. One person raps while everyone else beatboxes.
- Choose a fitness instructor–lead the group in a workout routine for an entire minute!
- TIME FOR THE GREAT DEBATE: Debate for two minutes on whether you are pro-pickle or anti-pickle.
- TIME TO RAGE: Run up to another group, and start a mosh pit! (for those of you youngins…that means to jump up and down, bumping into other people)
- Pick a random object in the room and make a one-minute commercial for it.
- Start a back-rub train: Each person must rub the shoulders of the person in front of them. Once you’ve rubbed for 30 seconds, turn around and rub the other person’s shoulders.
- Start a conga line–take one lap together around the gym.
Here are some videos from our adventures:
Let me know if you try it!
Heather Lea Kenison 