Helping Others Games |
Target Themes: All Together, Conflict Resolution, Community, Leadership, Embracing Potential
3rd grade & up – Medium group (10+)
Empowerment, Observation, Nonverbal communication, Patience
Similar to Blizzard/Silent Lineup
Have students find their path in a game which combines mazes with teamwork.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
3rd grade & up – Medium group (10+)
Empowerment, Observation, Nonverbal communication, Patience
Similar to Blizzard/Silent Lineup
Have students find their path in a game which combines mazes with teamwork.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: All Together, Helping Others, Community, Building Relationships
Choose a few people to be “it.” The game begins as normal freeze tag, but when someone is tagged, they must stand where they were tagged and hold their hands above their head simulating a banana. In order to “free” the person who was tagged, two different people must come “peel the banana” by pulling down each arm. After a couple minutes of playing, you can switch the people who are “it.”
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Choose a few people to be “it.” The game begins as normal freeze tag, but when someone is tagged, they must stand where they were tagged and hold their hands above their head simulating a banana. In order to “free” the person who was tagged, two different people must come “peel the banana” by pulling down each arm. After a couple minutes of playing, you can switch the people who are “it.”
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: Self-awareness, Leadership, All Together
Supplies: Blindfold (optional)
In this game, four to six players will be human obstacles, while the rest of the group will be split into pairs. Explain that the space will be transformed into an obstacle course that people will need to negotiate. Ask for volunteers to be the “obstacles,” then place them strategically around the room and help them to create the course. This may include stepping over a volunteer (or frozen log), crawling under a table or stepping through a hoop of some sort (ice cave), walking between two people who are standing close together (crevasse), being held in mid-air (climbing in and out of the survival tent), avoiding a person pacing back and forth (snow plow), or stopping at a station to complete a task (like singing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”). Have the remaining participants pair up, so that everyone has a buddy. Explain that there has been a terrible blizzard in the room. Some players can still see (one person in each pair), but others have become snow blind (the other person in the pair who must close their eyes or use a blindfold). Give the pairs a minute to decide which person will play each role. Have each pair line up at the beginning of the course. The game begins when the pairs navigate their way through “the blizzard.” The players who can see must lead the blinded players through both the blizzard and obstacles safely. (Depending on the group, allow the guides to lead their partners by touching them lightly on the shoulders or instruct them to use only words). Send pairs through at staggered intervals so players do not bump into each other. Remind guides to watch not only their partner but other groups, as well. The game ends when each pair has successfully completed the course.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Variation: Have the group direct people through the blizzard. Choose a volunteer to be blindfolded and help them to the starting line. Have another player/volunteer to be their “spotter” and follow them, making sure that they are safe at all times, but explain that the spotter may not give directions.Directions and help may only come from the group, who are standing at the perimeter. Begin by letting anyone give directions. When this becomes too chaotic, freeze the game and have the blindfolded player explain what was easy or hard and what she or he needs to be successful.
Supplies: Blindfold (optional)
In this game, four to six players will be human obstacles, while the rest of the group will be split into pairs. Explain that the space will be transformed into an obstacle course that people will need to negotiate. Ask for volunteers to be the “obstacles,” then place them strategically around the room and help them to create the course. This may include stepping over a volunteer (or frozen log), crawling under a table or stepping through a hoop of some sort (ice cave), walking between two people who are standing close together (crevasse), being held in mid-air (climbing in and out of the survival tent), avoiding a person pacing back and forth (snow plow), or stopping at a station to complete a task (like singing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”). Have the remaining participants pair up, so that everyone has a buddy. Explain that there has been a terrible blizzard in the room. Some players can still see (one person in each pair), but others have become snow blind (the other person in the pair who must close their eyes or use a blindfold). Give the pairs a minute to decide which person will play each role. Have each pair line up at the beginning of the course. The game begins when the pairs navigate their way through “the blizzard.” The players who can see must lead the blinded players through both the blizzard and obstacles safely. (Depending on the group, allow the guides to lead their partners by touching them lightly on the shoulders or instruct them to use only words). Send pairs through at staggered intervals so players do not bump into each other. Remind guides to watch not only their partner but other groups, as well. The game ends when each pair has successfully completed the course.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Variation: Have the group direct people through the blizzard. Choose a volunteer to be blindfolded and help them to the starting line. Have another player/volunteer to be their “spotter” and follow them, making sure that they are safe at all times, but explain that the spotter may not give directions.Directions and help may only come from the group, who are standing at the perimeter. Begin by letting anyone give directions. When this becomes too chaotic, freeze the game and have the blindfolded player explain what was easy or hard and what she or he needs to be successful.
Reviews
For younger kids (K, 1, 2), we had the guide hold one end of a scarf and the blindfolded child hold the other end. This way, they were still dependent on one another but it was less dangerous due to the age factor
Target Themes: All Together, Introductions, Our Space, Self-Awareness, Building Relationships, Helping Others, Community
Explain to participants that you will be the captain, and they are all sailing on a ship at sea. The game begins by having all participants run around the available space at random, scrambling themselves. At any time, the captain must call out an order, and the participants must follow that order (see below). If a participant fails to do the correct order or is not part of a group when a particular order is called, he/she is considered to be “overboard” and must stand to the side of the playing area. Depending on the age group, feel free to pick and choose which/how many commands will be used, or ask students to come up with their own commands!
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Commands:
Explain to participants that you will be the captain, and they are all sailing on a ship at sea. The game begins by having all participants run around the available space at random, scrambling themselves. At any time, the captain must call out an order, and the participants must follow that order (see below). If a participant fails to do the correct order or is not part of a group when a particular order is called, he/she is considered to be “overboard” and must stand to the side of the playing area. Depending on the age group, feel free to pick and choose which/how many commands will be used, or ask students to come up with their own commands!
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Commands:
- Captain’s Waltz – participants must find a partner and pretend to waltz around the room. Anyone not in a group is considered “overboard.”
- Row Boat – participants must form groups of three, stand in a line and pretend to be rowing a boat while singing “row, row, row your boat.” Anyone not in a group is considered “overboard.”
- Captain’s Table – participants must form groups of four and pretend to be sitting around a table eating dinner. Anyone not in a group is considered “overboard.”
- Starfish – participants must form groups of five, put their arms together in the center of the circle and spin around, creating the five arms of a starfish. Anyone not in a group is considered “overboard.”
- Beached Whale – participants must lie down on their backs and put their arms and legs in the air. The last participant to do so is “overboard.”
- Port – all participants must run to the left hand side of the room. Participants who move in the wrong direction are considered “overboard.”
- Starboard - all participants must run to the right hand side of the room. Participants who move in the wrong direction are considered “overboard.”
- Bow - all participants must run to the front of the room. Participants who move in the wrong direction are considered “overboard.”
- Stern - all participants must run to the back of the room. Participants who move in the wrong direction are considered “overboard.”
- Attention! – All participants must face the captain and stand at attention. Once this command is called no one may move or perform other commands until the captain says “at ease.”
Target Themes: Helping Others, Appreciation, All Together, Self-Awareness, Community, Speaking Up
Begin by explaining that there will be no actual running in this game, instead players will have to walk “heel to toe” meaning that with every step the heel of one foot must touch the toe of the other. Ask players if they know what this looks like and ask someone to demonstrate. If no one can or is willing to, facilitators should demonstrate for the group.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Explain that the playing area is the ocean and that all the players are clams (and that clams are very slow walkers). The game is played like regular tag with one person (or two if the group is large) being “it” and trying to tag the rest of the group. When a player is tagged they are “stuck in the mud” and must wave their arms in the air and squeal, “Heeeelp me!” over and over again. Two other players can free this person by standing on either side of the stuck person, linking hands, and shouting “Claaaam Free!”. When players are freeing someone, they cannot be tagged. Ask if there are any questions, choose someone to be “it” and give the group a few seconds to spread out (already walking heel-to-toe) and begin the game.
Begin by explaining that there will be no actual running in this game, instead players will have to walk “heel to toe” meaning that with every step the heel of one foot must touch the toe of the other. Ask players if they know what this looks like and ask someone to demonstrate. If no one can or is willing to, facilitators should demonstrate for the group.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Explain that the playing area is the ocean and that all the players are clams (and that clams are very slow walkers). The game is played like regular tag with one person (or two if the group is large) being “it” and trying to tag the rest of the group. When a player is tagged they are “stuck in the mud” and must wave their arms in the air and squeal, “Heeeelp me!” over and over again. Two other players can free this person by standing on either side of the stuck person, linking hands, and shouting “Claaaam Free!”. When players are freeing someone, they cannot be tagged. Ask if there are any questions, choose someone to be “it” and give the group a few seconds to spread out (already walking heel-to-toe) and begin the game.
Target Themes: Appreciation, Helping Others, Building Relationships, Peacemakers for Life, Community
Tell players they are going to be playing a game in which they will be complimenting each other. If you are playing with young children, ask if they know what a compliment is. If they already know, have them share some examples. If not, then explain the concept to them and give a few examples of compliments. Have the players sit in a circle and tell them that they are going to be passing compliments around the circle. One person will give a compliment to the person next to them, who will then say “thank you” and give a compliment to the next person and so on around the circle. Remind them that the compliments need to be sincere and start the relay. If you would like to play a second round, give players 10 seconds to find a new seat in the circle (they can’t sit next to the same person) and challenge them to say something different from the last round.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Tell players they are going to be playing a game in which they will be complimenting each other. If you are playing with young children, ask if they know what a compliment is. If they already know, have them share some examples. If not, then explain the concept to them and give a few examples of compliments. Have the players sit in a circle and tell them that they are going to be passing compliments around the circle. One person will give a compliment to the person next to them, who will then say “thank you” and give a compliment to the next person and so on around the circle. Remind them that the compliments need to be sincere and start the relay. If you would like to play a second round, give players 10 seconds to find a new seat in the circle (they can’t sit next to the same person) and challenge them to say something different from the last round.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: Our Space, All Together, Helping Others, Building Relationships, Community
Supplies: Chairs, CD player, music (or a radio)
Begin the game by having each participant grab a chair and place the chairs in a circle, facing outward. (If there isn’t enough room for a circle put the chairs back to back in two straight lines.) Explain that everyone is going to walk around the circle, and when the music stops everyone must find a seat. The first round should be a practice round, but after the first round a chair must be removed each round. Explain that each time a chair is removed it means one more player without a seat! Explain that it is the group’s job to make room for all of the players without a chair. Room can be made by squeezing multiple people onto one chair, or having people sit on each other’s knees. The game continues until the players can no longer fit everyone on the remaining chairs.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Supplies: Chairs, CD player, music (or a radio)
Begin the game by having each participant grab a chair and place the chairs in a circle, facing outward. (If there isn’t enough room for a circle put the chairs back to back in two straight lines.) Explain that everyone is going to walk around the circle, and when the music stops everyone must find a seat. The first round should be a practice round, but after the first round a chair must be removed each round. Explain that each time a chair is removed it means one more player without a seat! Explain that it is the group’s job to make room for all of the players without a chair. Room can be made by squeezing multiple people onto one chair, or having people sit on each other’s knees. The game continues until the players can no longer fit everyone on the remaining chairs.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: Safe space, Leadership, Critical thinking, Teamwork
Have the group stand in a tight circle. Tell everyone put their right hand into in the middle of the circle and grab the hand of someone else, making sure that it is not the person standing on their immediate left or right. Next, tell everyone put their left hand into the middle of the circle and grab someone else’s left hand, again making sure that it is not the person on their immediate left or right (and also making sure that they are holding the hands of two different people). To make sure that everyone is connected,have the groups quickly “pass a pulse” around the circle. When the group is well-tangled, explain that their job is to untangle themselves without letting go. Walk around the group and observe the strategies that players are using and the way different people are displaying leadership. Also, make sure that people are physically safe and mindful of each other.
Variation: Challenge the group to untangle the knot without talking.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Have the group stand in a tight circle. Tell everyone put their right hand into in the middle of the circle and grab the hand of someone else, making sure that it is not the person standing on their immediate left or right. Next, tell everyone put their left hand into the middle of the circle and grab someone else’s left hand, again making sure that it is not the person on their immediate left or right (and also making sure that they are holding the hands of two different people). To make sure that everyone is connected,have the groups quickly “pass a pulse” around the circle. When the group is well-tangled, explain that their job is to untangle themselves without letting go. Walk around the group and observe the strategies that players are using and the way different people are displaying leadership. Also, make sure that people are physically safe and mindful of each other.
Variation: Challenge the group to untangle the knot without talking.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: Community, Appreciation, Helping Others, Peacemakers for Life
Supplies: Hershey’s Kisses or other small candy (2 per player)
GET PERMISSION BEFORE GIVING YOUR STUDENTS CANDY.
Have the group sit in a circle and give each person two pieces of candy. Tell them not to eat them yet. Explain that one piece represents something that they appreciate about the group or thought the group did well and the other is something that they appreciate about themselves or something they did well. Give players a minute to think about what each of their kisses will be for and then go around the circle and have people share their kisses. Encourage everyone to share at least one of their kisses but if someone is really uncomfortable give them the option to pass. Once everyone has had a turn to share, participants may eat their kisses.
Variation: Instead of having one of the kisses be something they appreciate about the group or themselves, make it something they appreciate about another player in the circle. Have the person give their kiss to whomever they are recognizing, making sure that everyone gets one.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Supplies: Hershey’s Kisses or other small candy (2 per player)
GET PERMISSION BEFORE GIVING YOUR STUDENTS CANDY.
Have the group sit in a circle and give each person two pieces of candy. Tell them not to eat them yet. Explain that one piece represents something that they appreciate about the group or thought the group did well and the other is something that they appreciate about themselves or something they did well. Give players a minute to think about what each of their kisses will be for and then go around the circle and have people share their kisses. Encourage everyone to share at least one of their kisses but if someone is really uncomfortable give them the option to pass. Once everyone has had a turn to share, participants may eat their kisses.
Variation: Instead of having one of the kisses be something they appreciate about the group or themselves, make it something they appreciate about another player in the circle. Have the person give their kiss to whomever they are recognizing, making sure that everyone gets one.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: Our space, Self-Awareness, All Together, Helping Others, Speaking Up
Have the group stand in a circle. Explain that in this game, people will be asked to create one of three animals: a moose, an elephant, or a walrus. In order to create these animals, they must rely on the people to their left and their right. Choose three volunteers, or facilitators to demonstrate how to make the animals.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Variations:
Add new animals or objects to the game. Have fun with it! Invite players to create their own or try one of the following:
Have the group stand in a circle. Explain that in this game, people will be asked to create one of three animals: a moose, an elephant, or a walrus. In order to create these animals, they must rely on the people to their left and their right. Choose three volunteers, or facilitators to demonstrate how to make the animals.
- Moose – the person in the middle places the thumbs of their open hands to their temples, creating moose antler. However the moose has very large antlers so the people on either side hold up their hands (with fingers spread out) adjacent to the middle antlers.
- Elephant - the person in the middle sticks one arm straight out in front of them to create the trunk. The people on either side use both of their arms to create the elephant’s ears.
- Walrus – the person in the middle tucks their fists up under their neck, letting their elbows jut out to form the tusks and their fingers point down to form whiskers. The people on either side lean in and then clap their hands to the outside to create flippers.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Variations:
Add new animals or objects to the game. Have fun with it! Invite players to create their own or try one of the following:
- Rabbit. The person in the middle holds their hands curled in front of them and bounces up and down, while the people on either side hold both of their hands straight up next to the middle person’s head, forming long ears.
- Elevator. The person in the middle stands still and pretends to be pushing a button for their floor. The people on either side hold out their hands, enclosing the middle person, and move slowly to the floor, giving the impression that the elevator is moving up.
Target Themes: Our space, Embracing Potential, Teamwork, Helping Others, Appreciation, Celebrating Differences
Split the group into three teams (or a number that seems most appropriate for the group). A facilitator announces a category; each team must then nominate a single member to demonstrate their talent. At the front of the room, the nominees will perform individually. Categories can vary greatly so that everyone finds something that they’re talented at (ex: best poet, best boy band impersonation, quickest math problem solver, most unique talent, etc.).
Target Themes: Introductions, Embracing Potential, Observation, Community, Appreciating diversity, Peacemakers for Life
Supplies: index cards/name tags/ small pieces of paper, pens/markers, tape
Give each player a marker and an index card and ask them to write down five characteristics that describe them best. Examples are race, ethnicity, gender, religion, likes, dislikes, talents, hobbies, goals, achievements, and values. For younger children you can offer a prompt such as favorite food, holiday, color or something they’re good at. After everyone finishes creating their label, give them tape and have them tape their cards to their shirts and walk around the room. Tell them to look at other people’s cards and talk about what they’ve written. They can ask questions about the different things people have chosen to represent themselves or talk about the similarities and differences between them.
The idea is to give participants the chance to have conversations about their identity based on the qualities they value the most about themselves and direct people’s attention toward these aspects of their identity. After about ten minutes, bring the group back to debrief.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Supplies: index cards/name tags/ small pieces of paper, pens/markers, tape
Give each player a marker and an index card and ask them to write down five characteristics that describe them best. Examples are race, ethnicity, gender, religion, likes, dislikes, talents, hobbies, goals, achievements, and values. For younger children you can offer a prompt such as favorite food, holiday, color or something they’re good at. After everyone finishes creating their label, give them tape and have them tape their cards to their shirts and walk around the room. Tell them to look at other people’s cards and talk about what they’ve written. They can ask questions about the different things people have chosen to represent themselves or talk about the similarities and differences between them.
The idea is to give participants the chance to have conversations about their identity based on the qualities they value the most about themselves and direct people’s attention toward these aspects of their identity. After about ten minutes, bring the group back to debrief.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Target Themes: Self-reflection, Observation, Respecting differences, Empowerment
Supplies: Nametags
It’s important that you play this game once you know the group well, and leave lots of time for debrief and reflection. Prepare nametags in advance with both good and bad labels (examples: teacher’s pet, homeless, popular, good at math, wears glasses, athlete, gossip, rich, bully, etc.)
Begin by talking about the different labels people carry with them, and the positive and/or negative message these labels can send. Then give each person a label by sticking a nametag to his or her back. Once everyone has a nametag, the group should mingle, trying to figure out what label they have been given. People should act as if they are first meeting each other, and treat each other according to the labels on their backs. You might want to remind players that the way they are being treated in the game is not personal, everyone is playing a role. Give the group a couple minutes to mingle before gathering them in a circle to talk about the game. Thank players for participating and ask them to guess what their label was. When everyone has had a chance to guess, have them take their labels off and see if they were correct.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Supplies: Nametags
It’s important that you play this game once you know the group well, and leave lots of time for debrief and reflection. Prepare nametags in advance with both good and bad labels (examples: teacher’s pet, homeless, popular, good at math, wears glasses, athlete, gossip, rich, bully, etc.)
Begin by talking about the different labels people carry with them, and the positive and/or negative message these labels can send. Then give each person a label by sticking a nametag to his or her back. Once everyone has a nametag, the group should mingle, trying to figure out what label they have been given. People should act as if they are first meeting each other, and treat each other according to the labels on their backs. You might want to remind players that the way they are being treated in the game is not personal, everyone is playing a role. Give the group a couple minutes to mingle before gathering them in a circle to talk about the game. Thank players for participating and ask them to guess what their label was. When everyone has had a chance to guess, have them take their labels off and see if they were correct.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes