appliances cat and mouse barnyard clear the electric fence

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1 appliances Have kids form groups of 5 to 10 kids. Privately assign each group an imaginary room in a typical home, such as the living room, kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. Ask each group to select an appliance, machine, or tool in that room and create a working, moving model of the machine. The catch: They can use only their bodies and any props available in your meeting room. After a few minutes of planning, have each group act out its machine, as the other groups try to guess what it is. barnyard In an empty area with no chairs or other obstacles, give each player a folded piece of paper with the name of an animal written on it (such as pig, horse, cow, chicken, duck, dog, sheep, frog, cat, cricket, or any other animal that makes a distinct noise). Tell kids they can t say a word, but when the lights are turned out, everyone is to immediately make the sound of his or her animal. As soon as kids find someone else who is making the same noise, they will lock arms and try to find others making the same sound. When the lights come back on, have kids sit together in their groups. cat and mouse Choose one player to be the cat and another to be the mouse. The other kids will form a circle and hold hands. The mouse should be inside the circle, while the cat prowls around the outside. The cat must try to break through the circle and catch the mouse, but the players forming the circle do all they can to keep the cat out by raising or lowering their arms or standing close together. Despite all their efforts, the cat usually succeeds in ducking under their arms or forcing two players to let go of their hands. Then there is a furious chase around the inside of the circle. clear the electric fence Establish an imaginary electric fence by stretching a length of string between two stationary objects. Place the fence 3 feet above the ground, and then have kids form groups of four. Explain that group members must figure out how to get everyone in the group up and over the fence without touching it to keep from being electrocuted! Groups can use whatever they can find to help as long as it s safe, but they may not launch anyone over the fence. Grapple Games 103

2 Grapple Games crows and cranes Divide kids into two teams. Name one team Crows and the other Cranes. The two teams will line up facing each other 4 or 5 feet apart. If you say Crows, the Crows must turn around and run, with the Cranes in hot pursuit. Prolong the first part of the word, Cr-r-r-r-rows, in order to keep both teams in suspense. You may also put the names of the teams into sentences. For example, I hear the sound of cr-r-r-r-racking and cr-r-r-r-runching. A cr-r-r-r-r-acker is being eaten by a cr-r-r-r-r-r-azy Crow. If a Crane succeeds in touching a Crow before the Crow crosses a given line a set amount of feet away, that Crow is considered a member of the Cranes and must join the Cranes when play continues. dunk it Set identical trash cans at either end of the room, and mark the center of the room with tape. Use tape to make a circle 7 feet in diameter around each trash can. Divide kids into two equal groups. Play a balloon version of basketball with these restrictions: Each group can have only one goalie, only the goalie can be inside the tape circle, whoever has the balloon cannot move his or her feet, no one can touch another person, when the balloon touches the floor it goes to the other group, and both goalies must be replaced with a different group member after every goal. fetch a sketch Tape to the wall two pieces of paper for every three kids in the class. Form groups of three, and blindfold two kids in each group. Have the two blindfolded members lock one arm on either side of the unblindfolded member. Give the blindfolded people washable markers. The unblindfolded person will give directions on how to draw a common animal shape while the blindfolded members complete the drawing. When the drawings are complete, have kids form new groups and begin again. newspaper race Give each person two pieces of newspaper, one for each foot. Have kids place one piece of newspaper in front of them and step on it with their right foot. They then place the other piece of newspaper for their left foot, and so on. They can only step onto newspaper. Have kids race to a given spot using the pieces of newspaper. 104

3 on-site scavenger hunt Have kids form groups. In the center of the room, place one masking tape X for every two groups. Keep the X s several feet apart. Tell kids they re going on a visual scavenger hunt inside the meeting room. You ll read a description of an object, and then groups have to figure out what object in the room matches the description. As soon as a group knows what the object is, kids will send a representative to stand on the X. (If you re using multiple X s, continue playing until all the X s are covered.) pileup Place chairs in a circle, one chair for each member of your class. Instruct kids to sit in a chair. Explain that you ll read instructions that kids are to follow if they fit into the category described. For example, if you say, Shift two seats to the right if you were born in a state with mountains, everyone who was born in a state with mountains would move two chairs to the right, while everyone else would stay put. This will create piles of kids in some chairs and leave other chairs empty. If you decide that a group s object matches the description, you ll award points and start a new round. If not, groups will continue looking. Read the following clues one at a time. (Do not read the suggested answers in parentheses.) A face without any eyes (watch or clock) Picture of a political leader (coins or currency) A source of illumination (a flashlight, match, or illuminated watch face) A script for the movie The Ten Commandments (Bible) A star (any star shape or a picture of a movie star) A set of colored teeth (a comb) A key to thousands of books (a library card) Try to alternate between instructions that apply to everyone and those that apply to only some kids. Think up your own categories to personalize the game for your class, or use the following ideas to get you started: 2 chairs to the left if you re wearing blue 1 chair to the right if you ve ever visited Alaska 2 chairs to the left if you ve ever played a game of chess 1 chair to the left if you know when my birthday is 1 chair to the left if your room is a mess right now 2 chairs to the right if hamburger is your favorite food 1 chair to the left if you like to bowl 2 chairs to the right if you have a pet 1 chair to the right if you ve ever been in a foreign country Grapple Games 105

4 Grapple Games shifting shapes Have kids form teams of six or more. Explain that you will call out a letter of the alphabet, a number, a shape, or a symbol, and team members should line up in that shape as quickly as possible. For example, if you call out A, team members should line up to form the two long lines and one short line of an A. Teams must form letters, numbers, and symbols so the bottom of the page is closest to you, but they can form shapes however they want. silent spelling bee Have kids get into groups. Write each of the following words on a separate index card (or come up with your own): Bugs Bunny, chocolate, Superman, elephant, just kidding, and goose bumps. Pick one person in each group to take a card and spell out the word for the others in the group to guess. The catch: Kids can t use their mouths in any way. Change the spelling method for the next spellers. For example, have kids write in the air with a finger, a shoe, elbows, or heads. Or have them write it in the air backward. (If you run out of ideas, have kids suggest other ways to spell out the words.) 106

5 gift box Glue Cut on the solid outline. Fold all the interior dashed lines to form the shape of a box. Put glue on the tabs marked Glue, and attach them to the closest edge to hold the box in place. Fold over the tabs on each end and close the ends. Glue

6 nail balance Demonstrate how to place one of the nails horizontally on a flat surface with the point toward you. Place another one on top of it with the head facing to the left so that the two nails look like a cross. Add a third nail next to the last one but make the head face the opposite direction (right). Next to it place one more with the head facing to the left. Repeat the pattern until you have three nails facing right and four facing left. Place another nail across the top aligned with the bottom nail and between the heads of all seven nails. Then slowly pick up the entire bundle by the bottom nail. The heads of the horizontal nails should lock on the top as the nails hang down.

7 100 Games That Are Perfect for Preteens! The Ultimate Book of Preteen Games Have a blast! Here are 100 games preteens will love while learning to break down cliques, build relationships, explore relevant Bible truths, create thought-provoking challenges, and let loose with high-energy fun! The Ultimate Book of Preteen Games gives you nine types of games: Clumpbreakers to mix the clumps of kids into one group Clumpbuilders help kids know and understand each other Bible-in-Me Games fun and creative games based on familiar Bible stories Games for Little Clusters of Preteens for groups of 10 or less Games for Big Bunches of Preteens for groups of 10 or more Quiet Games thinking and creative ability challenges Wild & Wacky Games the name says it all Games for Special Days Christmas, School s Out, Father s Day, and more On-the-Road Games for travel by van or bus Every game comes with: Topic Connections how you can use the game Game Overview summary of action Energy Level Supplies some games need nothing but people, others need simple supplies Preparation simple setup Scripted Directions Indexed by Topic Connections. ISBN $17.99 In Canada $20.99 Order today! Visit group.com or your favorite Christian retailer.

8 Keep preteens engaged! Throw & Tell Ball: This or That? For Preteen Ministry Packed with a variety of thoughtful, humorous, and interesting questions, your preteens will have a blast with this ball! It will put kids in the silly spotlight with questions such as: Would you rather take a bath with worms or eat a live worm? Why? The ball also includes questions that ll prompt your kids to think about their faith: Would you rather be at the manger or at the empty tomb? Why? UPC $9.99 In Canada $11.49 For age 3+ only. Order today! Visit group.com or your favorite Christian retailer.