Hobbies And Interests
Crowd Mixer
Use the face cards from several decks of playing cards with each deck having a different design for the back. Each girl chooses a card as the mixer begins. Instruct each girl to form a group by gathering with girls who have the same card-backings. Have a designated character role for each face card. Allow the girls a half-hour to create an impromptu skit and perform it for the rest of the girls. After all have presented their skits, solicit responses about their experiences of working together.
Colored -Wrapped-Candy Small Group Game
Place an assortment of candy with five different colored wrappings in a bowl. Each girl chooses five pieces of candy. Explain that each color stands for something she will share with the group. For example, let a blue-wrapped piece stand for friendship, red stand for a time of embarrassment, yellow for a time she needed encouragement, purple for a time she encouraged someone and green as a time of personal growth. Each girl chooses her favorite flavor and shares the experience dictated by the candy wrapper's color.
Purse Scavenger Hunt
This game is best suited for a group no larger than 15 girls. Give each girl 10 minutes to rummage through her purse to find five items that represent different aspects of friendship. For example, make-up may represent the face a girl may put on until she feels comfortable with a new acquaintance. As each girl shares, facilitate a discussion about friendship. Include what it takes to be a friend as well as what each girl expects from a friendship.
Build a Free-Standing Paper House
Group together four to six recently acquainted girls and give each team a stack of newspapers and a roll of masking tape. Each team has an hour to build a free-standing house large enough for one girl to sit in. At the end of the hour, have each group discuss what elements of the project made it a success or failure. Encourage each team to create an award for each girl highlighting her contribution to the project.