Games for 12 Year Olds to Play

Octopus

• To give the 12-year-olds a bit of exercise and fun, have them play ̶0;Octopus.̶1; To begin, pick out two players from the larger group, who are now the ̶0;octopuses.̶1; Situate the octopuses in the middle of the play area and the rest of the group on one side of the area. When you shout ̶0;Octopus,̶1; the players have to run past the octopuses and make it to the other side. If an octopus tags one player, that player becomes a piece of seaweed and has to sit Indian-style on the ground near the octopuses and try to tag other players as they rush by. Continue the process until only one person̵2;the winner̵2;remains, having not ̶0;transformed̶1; into a piece of seaweed.

Double Charades

• Before the game begins, think of charades that the 12-year-olds can act out, such as titles of popular movies, animals and objects. Then, write these charades down on slips of paper, making two copies for each charade you come up with. Put each of the slips of paper into a bowl or hat. Each player has to select one of the charades and gather in a large circle. When you say ̶0;Go,̶1; the players all have to perform their charade while simultaneously trying to determine who shares their charade. The first pair that correctly discovers each other wins the game.

The Big Chief

• This game requires the 12-year-olds to use their detective skills to determine who the ̶0;Big Chief̶1; is. To begin, gather the kids around a circle, and pick one person out of the group to leave the room. As soon as that person is out of earshot, select another person to become the ̶0;Big Chief,̶1; who dictates to the rest of the group what movements to make with their bodies. The ̶0;Big Chief̶1; starts a motion, such as tapping his head, and the other players must copy him. Bring back the person who left, and have her stand in the middle of the circle. She has to try and find out who the ̶0;Big Chief̶1; is by surveying the group while the ̶0;Big Chief̶1; keeps changing the movements he makes. When the person figures out who the ̶0;Big Chief̶1; is, the ̶0;Big Chief̶1; has to leave the room, and you can continue the game with a new ̶0;Big Chief.̶1;