Teenage Group Games

Human Knots

• Play this game with one large group or several smaller groups. Have all teens stand in a circle and walk toward the center of the circle, getting as close as they can to one another. Each player reaches out and grabs two other players' hands, being sure no one has two of the same player's hands. Once everyone is holding hands, the group tries to back out into a circle. The teens have to go over and under each other's hands, arms and legs to get untangled without releasing their grasps. To play this as a game, have groups race against each other to see who can untangle their human knot the fastest.

Island Game

• Split the teens up into two groups or more groups if you have many teens. Explain to the groups they are going to be stranded on an island, and they have five minutes to think of the one and only item they are allowed to bring. At the end of five minutes, each player reveals the item he would take and why he would take it. Then each team has 15 minutes to discuss how they can put their items together to create other items. The team with the most creative answers wins the game.

Make it Bigger

• Divide the teams into two groups or several small groups. Give each team a package of paper clips or a roll of foil. The object of the game is for the teens to create an item with the supply they were given. Each team has 15 minutes to create an item of their choice. They must keep adding on to the item to make it bigger and better until time expires. At the end of 15 minutes, teams present their final product to adult judges. The judges announce the winner for the most creative invention.

Who is the Leader?

• Have all teens sit in a circle and tell one teen to leave the room. That player is the "it" player. The rest of the circle decides on a leader. Once they have decided, bring the "it" player back into the circle. The leader begins to do something like hop on one foot, rub his head or clap his hands. All other players have to follow the leader. The leader continues to change positions, while the other teens must follow him. The "it" player has three guesses to figure out who the leader is. If he guesses correctly, the leader is the new "it" player. If he doesn't get it right, he has to be "it" again.