
Here are 3 great games from XP3 Students:
Game #1: Desire
Here’s a simple way to prove that we all have wants and desires. You probably have quite a few trash cans lying around your church, so gather a few to use in this game. (If you don’t have trash cans or if the ones you have are not usable, you could also use buckets or any other container that you think might work.)
Designate a starting point for the game, and from that line measure out five feet and place a trash can. From there, measure another five feet past that and place another trash can. Continue this process creating a line of trash cans at equal distances apart.
Select a student to throw an object into the trash cans. You could use a ball, frisbee or even a stuffed animal. Place a prize in each of the trash cans with better prizes toward the end. Make the last prize a BIG one! If the student makes the first trash can, he or she is awarded a prize, something small like school pencils. They can either sit down with their prize, or wager it against their next shot. If they make the next trash can, they win the better prize but if they miss they go home empty-handed. Most students will keep risking it for the best prize. This game helps illustrate that we are usually not satisfied with our surface level desires.
Games #2: Pudding Face
Here’s a fun game to play that involves a “filter” of sorts. Buy and prepare some instant pudding and also purchase a pack of large pantyhose that you could place over students’ faces. We suggest chocolate or vanilla pudding (depending on which color would contrast with the pantyhose), but any flavor will do. Select a few students to play the game and have them place the pantyhose over their entire head. Give them each a plate full of pudding and tell them they have to eat the pudding through the pantyhose. The first to finish their plate will be the winner. Why not award the winner with some delicious pudding? You may want a few paper towels around and a camera standing by. You may also want to place some trash bags on the floor to make cleanup easier.
Games #3: Trash Wars
This game is incredibly simple and a lot of fun—but it does take a little time to clean it up. All you need to play is a large stack of newspapers. Divide your group into two teams and place the two teams on opposing sides, similar to how you start a game of dodgeball. Give each team an equal stack of newspapers and when you say, “Go,” all they have to do is crumple up the paper and try to get it over to the other side. The object is to keep picking up trash from your side and flinging it over to the other. At the end of the time given, whichever team has less trash on their side of the room is the winning team. If you’re worried about the mess, you could reward the first team to bag all their trash from their side. GAME ON!
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