The variety of games available at a camp is staggering. You can choose from Counsellor Hunt, Ship/Shore, Fresh, and Mafia to name a few. Whatever the age of your group, there is a game to suit them. And don’t forget about your own unique spin on classics. This post shares ideas on camp games for youth groups.
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Counsellor Hunt
One of the classic camp games is called Counsellor Hunt. In this game, groups of youth work together to find Counsellors and bring them back.
When they find Counsellors, they are awarded a point and can then receive notes from them. The team that finds the most Counsellors wins. This game is great fun for both the youth and the Counsellors.
This game is a favorite among campers of all ages. It can be played either during the day or at night. To play, set up a safe area, with no obvious dangers. Campers are given a list of the names of counselors to look for. They must then search through the list and try to touch the counselor first.
Flag-capture
Divide into groups and position flags far apart. The midfield line divides each team’s area. Each team must strive to capture the opposing team’s flag.
If a player leaves their territory, they’re locked, out of the game, or sent to jail. First team to return opponent’s flag to base wins. Kids adore it and can create friends by working together to reach a goal.
Showdown
Based on the NBC game show, these youth camp games involve one-minute mini-challenges. The website has at least 50 challenges.
Watch one episode to understand the game. Choose as many tasks as you wish and set up stations for youngsters. Create one-minute games that complement your youth camp theme.
Wrestling
This classic game is perfect for youth groups. To make the teams fair, split by age. Create a mud pit in the middle so the losing team falls in.
MegaDuck, Duck, Goose
This game rarely gets old. You can play with many youngsters. When apprehended, send the child to the middle of the circle.
Six kids in the middle can play Duck, Duck, Goose. Once six more are tagged, start a new game outside the middle game. If you have lots of kids, they’ll enjoy game after game. This is also an excellent technique to randomly generate youth camp groups of six.
Water-balloon-toss
Fill water balloons and pair up kids for this youth group activity. Play water balloon catch close together. Keep the water balloon from bursting is the goal.
After catching the balloon, take a huge step back. Pair up the remaining kids and let them play catch. Repeat until just one player remains.
Ship/Shore
Ship/Shore camp games for youth group members are a great way to have fun at summer camp or a youth group retreat. The game can be played indoors or outdoors. To play, simply set up a ship with two crew members and one captain.
The crew members must obey the captain’s orders and complete tasks. If they miss an order, they are out. The game can be played over until a single crew member is left standing. For a more interactive experience, have students pretend to row a boat or scrub the deck.
One of the most popular games at Ship/Shore camps is “Captain’s Coming,” which requires the children to run to the appropriate area when the captain calls out “Ship.”
This game also requires some physical activity and cooperation among campers. The kids will learn about new vocabulary while exercising their skills and keeping their minds sharp.
Players must know the four sides of the ship. This includes the starboard and port sides. Then they must follow the caller to stay alive.
Once the captain gives an instruction, the group must salute him or her. Then, they can move and continue playing the game. The goal of the game is to be the last person standing.
The Ship/Shore camp game is perfect for groups of medium to large size. There are many rules and strategies involved in this game, and it requires lots of space.
Mafia
Mafia camp games for youth groups are an old-school favorite that can be played at a summer camp or scout camp. To play this classic game, everyone will sit in a circle. Explain the rules and roles to ensure everyone understands them before the game begins.
The mafia is made up of members who are able to commit crimes. Each member has a different role. A civilian may play the role of a doctor and try to rescue a person, but they need to do it in the right way.
If a mafia member kills a civilian, they must not see the doctor. However, if a doctor saves a civilian from death, they will be saved until the next round.
This game is also fun and challenging for larger groups. The roles are more diverse, making the game more complex and fun. Participants are encouraged to use their social deduction and argumentative skills to help one another out of trouble.
For example, when Person 3 is aware of a clue given by Person 2, they yell, “Contact!”. Then, they count together until they say “Time.” If Person 3 guesses correctly, they eliminate the person, while the player who was wrong is not eliminated.
Mafia camp games for youth groups are a great way to build teamwork in the group. Players bond with each other and are sure to talk about the game hours after.
Picture This
Picture This for youth groups is a fun activity that allows students to share their thoughts on the world around them. Each student writes five things about themselves on a sheet, mixed with things that are true and made up.
The student in the center of the circle goes first, and they try to guess what the other person is writing. The students continue this activity until all the sheets are used.
Divide the group into teams of two. Assign each group members an object that is hysterical. These objects can be from a thrift store or white elephant gifts. Regardless of the type of object, the object can be any item that is bizarre.
If you’re working with a large group, you can also use several different rooms of the church. Make sure to assign an adult leader to each group. He or she will have to give questions and tasks to the youth.
Another activity for this activity involves having youth take random pictures of strangers. They can then text the photos to adults for identification. Another fun option is to create a frame for the pictures using bible verses.
Collaborative writing
When you teach collaborative writing to youth groups, you should incorporate a game that allows students to write about themselves. Using sheets that have a number 1-5 on them, youth should write down five facts about themselves.
The items they write can be true or made up. For instance, a student could write that they are an animal lover or that they love to play sports.
This game requires a small amount of yarn and masking tape per person, with 10 pieces of tape for each letter. After a group member is caught with both items, they are out of the game. Once a player is out, the youth worker can devise another fun game for them to play.