Games for Adolescent Girls

Compliment Game

• The compliment game gives girls the chance to learn which parts of themselves others admire. In a group, give each girl one piece of paper for each girl present in the group. Ask the girls to write each girl&'s name at the top of one piece of paper, and then write a list of positive characteristics for each girl. When that&'s done, compile a &'master list&' for each girl, listing all the positive characteristics the other girls wrote about her. To save time, you can also read the master list out loud instead of writing it, though it is nice to have the girls keep their lists.

Collage Making

• This is another activity that allows girls to see the good in themselves through their peers&' eyes. Provide a plethora of collage materials -- poster board, magazines, decorative stickers, glue and other creative materials. Break the group into pairs or threes (or do it individually if it is a small group) and have them create a collage that represents one of the girls not in their group. Have the girls cut out written messages, pictures and colors they feel represent that person, focusing always on the positive. When each girl has had a collage made for them, have the girls who made it present and explain it to the girl it represents.

Telephone

• This classic listening game is perfect for adolescent girls, who typically love to talk. Have the group sit in a circle. One girl tells a story -- which could be as short or long as they dare -- to the girl sitting to her left, whispering it in her ear so no one else can hear. That girl then passes the story to the girl on her left, and so on until the last girl has heard the story. She then tells the story out loud to the group. The first girl then tells the original version, which is usually much different than the end version.

Partner Drawing

• In this game, girls rely on each other&'s communication skills to draw a picture of what their partner sees. Prepare ten or more simple shape pictures, like stars, houses, triangles, etc. ahead of time. For each team of two, give one girl a drawing pad and pencil. Then have the two-person team sit back to back, and show one of the shape pictures to the girl without the drawing pad. She must explain to her partner, without saying obvious words like "triangle," what to draw.

Treasure Hunt

• Adolescent girls still have loads of energy, so it&'s good to have at least one active game in your tool box. A great group activity for almost any age group is the treasure hunt. This longtime favorite can be tailored to the interests of your group. For adolescent girls, you could set up a treasure hunt at the local mall, their favorite park or right in your neighborhood.