Christian Cooperation Games for Kids

Communication Games

• A game that draws on communication skills can provide an attention-grabbing start to a discussion of the wise use of words. These games teach children to cooperate with each other through listening and clear speech. Games such as "fruit basket" and "water bomb" involve blindfolded players following the verbal instructions of others.

  For "fruit basket," place an assortment of fruits on a tabletop and have blindfolded players attempt to collect the fruit assigned to their teams, according to the directions of the communicating players.

  "Water bomb," as the name suggests, is an outdoor game that utilizes water balloons. Have one player wear a blindfold and a hat with a sharp point attached to the top. A second player tosses a water balloon toward the blindfolded player while a third player tells the blindfolded player in which direction to move to pop the balloon with the point on the hat. The team that bursts the most water balloons wins.

  While no player is blindfolded in the game "treasure teams," the players still need to coordinate clear communication. Hide foil-wrapped chocolate coins around the room before the children arrive. Divide the kids into teams of two and tell one player to search for coins. This player cannot pick up any coins and may not say a word during the game. The second player must respond to a non-verbal signal that the team decided upon before the start of the game. This non-verbal signal lets the second player know that his teammate has located a coin. The second player then collects the coin for the team.

Physical Teamwork

• The ability to work together is crucial to the life of the church. Team-building games that require physical cooperation allow kids to grasp the concept of working in unity. Games that call upon physical teamwork include having groups of kids to sit back-to-back and attempt to stand without using their arms for support. A variation of this game is to have children stand in a straight line while each child attempts to sit on the lap of the person standing behind him, while keeping the line intact. A third option is to have two players stand back-to-back with a balloon between them. This team must maneuver through an obstacle course together without dropping the balloon.

Social Games

• Teaching children to show sensitivity to others in social situations is not easy. However, a well-planned game can teach more in a few moments than the most persuasive children's sermon. Select one player to portray the "outsider." Make sure that this child is confident and secure enough to play this role. Instruct the rest of the players to ignore the "outsider" while enthusiastically greeting everyone else. After the game, quiz the kids on how the ostracized player must have felt and how each player felt when he ignored the "outsider."