Games Descriptions (P)
Pictionary Whispers
Circle, Non-Active
Time - Medium (10 minutes)
Group Size - small (works well as a rotation)
Equipment Needed - pens and paper
Each player starts with a sheet of paper, and writes a short simple phrase at the top, which then gets passed to the next person around the circle.
The next person then draws what the phrase says, and folds the phrase behind so only the picture can be seen, and passes the picture to the next person.
The next person then writes what they think the drawing is, and folds the drawing so only the new phrase can be seen, and passes the phrase to the next person.
This continues until each paper makes it back to the person who started it, who then gets to look at how their phrase progressed.
Pie and Sauce
Circle, Icebreaker
Time - Short (5 minutes)
Group Size - any
Equipment Needed - none
The group stands in a circle, and everyone makes a “pie” with their left hand (palm open and facing up) and a “sauce bottle” with their right hand (pointer finger pointing downwards). Each person places the sauce in the pie of the person next to them, meaning each person should have their finger on the palm of the person to their right and the person on their left placing their finger on the open palm.
The aim of the game is to trap the finger of the person to your left with your palm, while pulling your right finger up so that it isn’t caught, The leader will either give a countdown or designate a codeword to trigger the game.
For example, a leader might say, “3, 2, 1, GO!” and on “GO!” everyone would simultaneously try to close their palm and raise their finger. If it is a codeword, a leader will tell the group what the word is, and then tell a story until the word is spoken.
The game can then be repeated, or people who were caught can be eliminated.
Poison Ball
Ball, Active, Running
Time - Short (5-10 minutes)
Group Size - any
Equipment Needed - markers and balls
Mark a space with cones big enough for the entire group to move around in, and as many soft plastic balls ready to use.
Start with 2 or 3 people on the outside, with everyone else in the middle. The people on the outside have to roll the balls into the middle, trying to hit people while the people in the middle try to avoid the balls. If anyone from the middle gets hit, they are out and can join in rolling balls.
The people on the outside can stand on all sides of the marked space, and eventually the last person standing inside the space wins.
Priest of the Parish
Team, Non-Active, Chairs
Time - Medium (10 minutes)
Group Size - any
Equipment Needed - chairs
Split the group up into teams of between 3 and 5. Set chairs up in rows equal to the number of teams, with half the rows facing the other half. Each team sits in a row, linking arms, with one of the rows at the front designated Team 1, Team 2 opposite them, Team 3 opposite them, and so on.
The game is based around phrases and responding in the correct manner. All players on a team have to move and speak in time, and must say the same team number they accuse. When speaking, a team stands up, and then sits down immediately when finished. A team cannot accuse the team that accused them.
The leader then begins the game by saying:
“The priest of the parish has lost his socks,” (this can be any object, often played for humour) “Some say this, and some say that, but I say it was group number 1.” (any team can be the starting team)
Team 1: “No sir not I sir!”
Leader: “Then who sir?”
Team 1: “Group number 2 sir!”
Team 2: “No sir not I sir!”
Team 1: “Then who sir?”
Team 2: “Group number 3 sir!”
Team 3: “No sir not I sir!”
This continues until a team makes a mistake, by either not saying the same team or not standing and sitting in unison. The team that made a mistake moves to the back of the group and becomes the lowest ranked team, while everyone else moves up a spot. The aim is to end the game as Team 1.
For variety, the leader can use a funny voice to start the game, which everyone must copy.
For more experienced groups, the leader can ban communicating through hand gestures, which is a common tactic, or decree that teams cannot accuse the same group twice in a row, to avoid the same groups being called.
Pulse
Team, Running
Time - Short (5 minutes)
Group size - Any
Equipment needed - None
Split the group into two teams. Each team stands in a line facing the other, holding each other’s hands, and closes their eyes.
The leader will squeeze the hands or tap the shoulders of the first member of each team, who must then pass the “pulse” down the line by squeezing the next person’s hand. Once it gets to the last person in the line, they must run and tag the leader to win the round.