> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thepulse.org/en/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The 50 Best Games for Youth Ministry - URL: https://thepulse.org/en/50-best-games-for-youth-ministry/ - Published: 2024-08-05T19:12:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T08:51:04.000Z - Description: Discover 50 popular group games for youth ministry. Our collection has indoor and outdoor ideas, perfect for big events, camps and retreats. - Author: Andy Fronius - Tags: Resources, #age-teens, #games-genre-knowledge, #games-genre-icebreaker, #games-genre-cooperation, #games-group-mini, #games-group-small, #games-group-medium, #games-group-large, #games-location-outdoor, #games-location-indoor, #games-material-none, #games-genre-ball, #games-genre-movement, #games-genre-board, #games-genre-puzzle, #games-genre-experiential, #games-genre-memory, #games-genre-getting-to-know, #games-genre-communication, #games-genre-running, #games-genre-reaction, #games-genre-strategy, #games-genre-hide-seek, #target-educators, #target-leaders, #context-camp, #context-youth-night We all have those moments of panic when we haven’t planned a game, or the game we planned falls completely flat. Here are the best group games from our community! ## 1\. Werewolves ****Category:** Role-playing game ****Group:** 8 to 18 ****Materials:** role cards, optional app ****Skills:** communication, strategic thinking, teamwork There is one narrator. All other players [are dealt role cards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FWerewolves%5Fof%5FMillers%5FHollow?ref=thepulse.org). Then the first night begins. At night, all players keep their eyes closed. The narrator calls up the different roles one after the other, and the players can then carry out their role. When it’s the werewolves’ turn, they choose a victim, who, unless protected or healed, is dead as soon as the village wakes up. Once all roles have been called, the night ends and the day begins. Now players can be accused of being a werewolf. In the end, a vote decides who is convicted as a werewolf. The convicted player dies and their role is revealed. This cycle repeats until either all werewolves or all villagers are dead. The surviving team wins. My insider tip is [One Night Ultimate Werewolf](https://beziergames.com/products/one-night-ultimate-werewolf?ref=thepulse.org): a version for small groups of up to 10 players. Probably the most popular game in youth ministry. It works for 3 to 10 players and comes with an app that takes over the narrator’s role. A round takes less than 10 minutes. *Game page:* [Werewolves](https://thepulse.org/en/werewolves/) 📚 ****This might help you too:** [10 Group Games I’ve Been Pulling Out of My Pocket for Years](https://thepulse.org/en/10-best-group-games/) ## 2\. Human Memory or Living Memory ****Category:** Memory and movement game ****Group:** 10+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** attention, focus Two people (or teams, for very large groups), the memory players, step outside the door (or far enough away if you’re playing outdoors). Everyone else is a memory card. That means everyone finds a partner. Each pair comes up with a move (or a sound, or both). Then all the memory cards line up in a shuffled order. The memory players are called back in. They take turns calling on two people, who each show their move and/or make their sound. If a player finds a pair, they get to keep it. (The “cards” sit down and the point is noted, or the “cards” stand off to one side near the player.) Whoever finds a pair gets another turn, just like in the card game Memory. With an odd number of people, three can go out instead. *Game page:* [Human Memory](https://thepulse.org/en/human-memory/) ## 3\. Ninja ****Category:** Movement game ****Group:** 2+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** reaction, body coordination At the start, everyone stands in a circle and puts one hand in the middle. A leader then says, “One, two, ninja!” On “ninja,” everyone jumps back once and strikes a ninja pose. That pose has to be held. Only the player who is attacking or dodging is allowed to move. A move can only be one step, one jump or one strike, not a sequence of moves and no running. The goal is to hit another player on the forearm. If you succeed, that player loses the arm, has to hold it behind their back as a fist and can’t use it anymore. When the second arm is hit, the player is dead and out. The game goes on until only one player is left, or, if it needs to be quick, the leaders can set a limit on the number of moves. *Game page:* [Ninja](https://thepulse.org/en/ninja/) ## 4\. Virus or Pattern ****Category:** Communication and guessing game ****Group:** 6 to 25 ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** logical thinking, creativity, teamwork The players stand or sit in a circle. One player leaves the room while the rest of the group agrees on a “virus”: a secret rule that determines how everyone answers. Example: Always answer for the player to your right. Once the “virus” is set, the player waiting outside is called back in and tries to decode it with yes-or-no questions. Example: “Are you wearing black shoes?” Or “Do you wear glasses?” The person asked has to answer the question correctly. But if they make a mistake, for example they say they wear glasses when that doesn’t fit the virus, the whole group shouts “Virus!” and everyone has to find a new seat. Then the questioning continues. The guesser gets three chances to state a hypothesis about the virus. If they figure it out, they win. If not, the game is over, the virus is revealed and the guesser has lost. ****Variation “Pattern”:** With an answering pattern, more complex viruses are possible, like switching from truth to lie based on certain signals. There are no limits to your creativity. **Examples:* **\- Always answer for the person across from you.* **\- When a certain player crosses their legs, answer for the person to your left.* ****Tip:** Set a time limit or give hints if it takes longer. *Game page:* [Virus](https://thepulse.org/en/virus/) ## 5\. Eye Duel or Gaze Duel ****Category:** Attention and reaction game ****Group:** 4+ (the more, the better) ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** attention, quick reaction, social interaction All players stand in a circle. The game runs on two commands. On the command “Floor!” everyone looks at the floor. On the command “Attack!” everyone looks at another player. If two gazes meet, those two players die a movie-worthy death and are out. Over the course of the game, the circle gets smaller and smaller. One or two winners remain (depending on whether the number of players is odd or even). ****Variation “Laser Eye”** Works like the standard game, with one twist: when two players’ gazes meet, each has to say the other’s name. The slower player loses the round and is out. The same goes for saying a wrong name. *Game page:* [Eye Duel](https://thepulse.org/en/eye-duel/) ## 6\. Panama ****Category:** Hide-and-seek and tag game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** wooden seesaw, 8 to 10 wooden blocks (Jenga blocks) ****Skills:** teamwork, dexterity, strategic thinking A Jenga-style tower of wooden blocks (8 to 10) is built on a wooden seesaw. One or more seekers are chosen. Then someone jumps on the seesaw so the blocks fly in all directions. Now all players have time to hide until the seekers have rebuilt the tower. When the seekers spot a player, they have to jump over the seesaw and call out “Tag, \[player’s name\]!” With two or more seekers, only the one who saw the player first is allowed to tag. A player who has been found takes a seat near the seesaw. As long as not everyone has been found, the players already caught can be freed: a free player jumps on the seesaw, and the seekers have to rebuild the tower. ![Hand-drawn sketch: a seesaw with a stack of wooden blocks on one end; arrows show the blocks flying when the other end is pushed down](https://thepulse.org/en/content/images/2026/10/Holzwippe-Panama.jpg) Panama: the wooden seesaw *Game page:* [Panama](https://thepulse.org/en/panama/) ## 7\. Joe from the Button Factory ****Category:** Movement and memory game ****Group:** 2+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** memory, coordination, sense of rhythm The players sit in a circle and follow the narrator’s instructions. “Hi, my name is Joe, and I’ve got a wife and two kids, and I work in a button factory. One day my boss came up to me and said, ‘Joe, are you busy?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Then turn this button with your right hand.’” All players do the motion and turn their right hand. The narrator repeats the text and adds a new motion with every repetition: “Then turn this button with … - your left hand.” - your right leg.” - your left leg.” - your tongue.” - your head.” With every new motion, all the body parts named before keep moving. In the end, every body part is in motion. *Game page:* [Joe from the Button Factory](https://thepulse.org/en/joe-from-the-button-factory/) 📚 ****This might help you too:** [Team-Building Games: A Free Booklet from Max7](https://thepulse.org/en/team-building-games-how-to-lead-and-debrief/) ## 8\. Human Knot ****Category:** Cooperation game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** communication, teamwork, problem-solving At the start, the players form a circle, stretch their arms out in front of them and close their eyes. Then they carefully step toward the center of the circle and grab the hands of other players, so that their arms end up in a tangle. The goal of the game is to “untie” the knot and form a circle again without letting go of anyone’s hand. The knot counts as untied once the players are standing in a circle again. *Game page:* [Human Knot](https://thepulse.org/en/human-knot/) ## 9\. Parliament ****Category:** Strategy and communication game ****Group:** 8+ ****Materials:** slips of paper with names, chairs for the circle and for “parliament” ****Skills:** strategic thinking, teamwork 1. Set up a circle of chairs, with 4 chairs placed separately: the so-called “parliament.” Add one extra chair that stays empty at the start. 2. Split all players into 2 teams and seat them alternating as much as possible. The 4 seats of parliament are taken by 2 people from each team, alternating (parliament can also be a couch, which makes it even more tempting 😁). 3. Write every player’s name on a slip of paper, shuffle the slips and hand one to each player. Everyone now has a new name, and nobody is allowed to reveal it! 🤫 4. Now the player with the empty seat on their right starts and calls a person over by name. The person who had that name on their slip changes seats, and the next player takes a turn (just like the German circle game “The Seat on My Right Is Free”). 5. The first team to fill all of parliament wins. 💡 ****Pro tip:** To make it harder, swap slips with your new left-hand neighbor every time you change seats. Takes even more focus and brainpower 🤓🤔. *Game page:* [Parliament](https://thepulse.org/en/parliament/) ## 10\. Squirt ****Category:** Reaction game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** reaction speed, attention The players form a circle. Everyone makes an imaginary squirt gun with their hand. One player goes into the middle, aims at a person and fakes a shot by saying “Squirt!” The person who has been “shot” ducks, and the two players next to them shoot at each other, saying “Squirt!” If someone hesitates or the wrong player reacts, they’re out. The game goes on until only one player is left. ****Variation:** Similar to Ha-He-Ho, there is no player in the middle. The players form a circle. Everyone makes an imaginary squirt gun with their hand. One player starts, aims at a person and fakes a shot by saying “Squirt!” The person who has been “shot” ducks, and the two players next to them shoot at each other, saying “Squirt!” Then the person who was “shot” stands up straight and aims at someone by saying “Squirt!” and the game continues in that order. Whoever reacts too late or wrongly is out. The game goes on until only two players are left. ## 11\. Coffee, Sugar, Tea ****Category:** Running and tag game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** speed, strategy, teamwork Two teams face each other in parallel lines, at least 30 feet (10 meters) apart. When the first player steps forward to start the challenge, all players on the opposing team have to hold out their hands, palms up. The challenger can then decide whether to slap the same player’s hand three times, alternate between two different players, or slap three different players’ hands. With each slap, they say one of the words “coffee,” “sugar,” “tea.” After the last word, “tea,” the challenger has to run back to their own team as fast as possible, while the player touched last tries to catch them before they reach their group. If the challenger is caught, they join the opposing team. If not, the chasing player has to join the challenger’s team. The sprint duels alternate between the teams, and the players take turns challenging in a set order. The game continues until one team has caught all its opponents. *Game page:* [Coffee, Sugar, Tea](https://thepulse.org/en/coffee-sugar-tea/) ## 12\. Shouting Duel ****Category:** Communication game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** paper and pen ****Skills:** communication The players split into two teams that face each other. One player from each team is chosen and goes to stand behind the opposing team. Each team is given a word that they have to shout so the person behind the opposing team can hear it. The player who understands the word first writes it down and races the slip of paper to the leader. *Game page:* [Shouting Duel](https://thepulse.org/en/shouting-duel/) ## 13\. Let Me See Your Crazy Chicken ****Category:** Movement and rhythm game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** creativity, coordination, group dynamics The players form a circle, and one person is chosen as the caller who leads the game. The caller shouts “Let me see your crazy chicken!” and the group answers in rhythm, “What did you say?” Then the whole thing gets louder: the caller starts again with “Let me see your crazy chicken!” and the group again with “What did you say?” After the second repetition, the caller starts grooving in rhythm: “Ooh, ah-ah-ah, ooh, ah-ah-ah, ooh, ah-ah-ah, ooh, one more time! Ooh, ah-ah-ah, ooh, ah-ah-ah, ooh, ah-ah-ah, ooh, back to line!” and adds moves that match the beat and the animal or character named, in this case a chicken. After the command “back to line,” the warm-up starts over with a different animal or character. Examples: let me see your crocodile, let me see your tree in the wind, let me see your power fries (jumping up and down in place), let me see your muscle man, and so on. All with matching moves. *Game page:* [Let Me See Your Crazy Chicken](https://thepulse.org/en/crazy-chicken/) ## 14\. Whisky Mixer ****Category:** Communication and party game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** language, humor, social interaction All players stand in a circle. One player starts. They try to make their left-hand neighbor laugh with the phrase “Whisky Mixer.” Play continues clockwise. The challenge is to vary the pronunciation or emphasis creatively so the other person cracks up. The direction can be switched to counterclockwise at any time by trying to make your right-hand neighbor laugh with “Mixed Biscuits.” That continues until a player switches direction again with “Whisky Mixer.” As soon as a player laughs (no matter which one), that player has to run one lap around the circle. The game can go on forever. *Game page:* [Whisky Mixer](https://thepulse.org/en/whisky-mixer/) ## 15\. The Empty Chair or My Chair ****Category:** Movement and reaction game ****Group:** 5+ ****Materials:** chairs (optional, but recommended) ****Skills:** attention, speed All players sit in a circle of chairs or on the floor (chairs are more comfortable), and one seat stays empty. One person starts by sliding over onto the empty seat and saying, “I’m sitting.” The next person slides over and says, “in the grass.” Then the next person slides over and says, “and waiting.” The last person slides over and says, “for \[any player’s name\].” The person named then sits down on the empty seat. Now the newly empty seat is claimed by whoever is faster (the player to its right or to its left). The person who sits down first says, “I’m sitting,” and the whole thing starts over. ****Variation with more action:** This version is also known as “My Chair,” but it can be played with the “I’m sitting in the grass …” chant as well. In “My Chair,” it works like this: all players sit in a circle of chairs while one player without a chair stands in the middle. The goal of the player in the middle is to grab an empty chair. As soon as a chair becomes free, the player to the right of the empty chair has to touch it and shout “My chair!” before sitting down. After the first and second player have done that, the third player has to touch the chair and call out another player’s name, for example “Maya’s chair!” That player then has to sit down on the named chair, which frees up their previous chair. This starts a new round in which the players try to claim the empty chair again. Whoever makes a mistake while naming or claiming chairs goes to the middle. *Game page:* [The Empty Chair](https://thepulse.org/en/empty-chair/) ## 16\. The Ball Machine ****Category:** Getting-to-know-you game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** small balls, a glass of water or something similar ****Skills:** memory, attention, team spirit All players form a circle, and a leader starts the game by throwing a ball to another player while saying their own name and the other player’s name, for example: “My name is Fiona, and I’m throwing the ball to Thomas.” Thomas catches the ball and says, “I got the ball from Fiona, my name is Thomas, and I’m throwing the ball to Jack.” This continues until everyone has caught the ball once and said their name. The goal is for everyone to learn the others’ names and remember who threw them the ball. After the first round, the leader starts the second round with the ball, and after a while throws in a second and then maybe a third ball, depending on how well the group manages to catch, throw and remember names. ****Variations** Variation 1: Throw as usual, so that everyone has had the ball and remembers whom they got it from and whom they have to throw it to. Variation 2: Simply pass the glass of water around the circle at the same time. Makes for more fun and distraction. There are no limits to the variations 😎 ## 17\. Newspaper Chase ****Category:** Movement game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** a rolled-up newspaper or a similar object ****Skills:** speed, reaction, endurance All players stand or sit side by side in a row. One player stands in front of them, holding the rolled-up 🗞 newspaper. This player gently taps three players, one after another, on the knee or hand with the newspaper. The third player tapped has to give chase. The “newspaper tapper” drops the newspaper at a spot agreed on beforehand, a little way off (a chair, for example), and tries to take the spot in the row that has just opened up. Meanwhile, the chaser tries to grab the newspaper and catch the tapper with it before they reach the gap or the empty seat. If the chaser succeeds, the tapper gets another turn. If not, the chaser becomes the new tapper, taps 3 players again, and the third one becomes the chaser. Video on Instagram: [instagram.com/reel/CaKWToMjumv](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CaKWToMjumv/?ref=thepulse.org) *Game page:* [Newspaper Chase](https://thepulse.org/en/newspaper-chase/) ## 18\. Fruit Salad ****Category:** Getting-to-know-you and movement game ****Group:** 5+ ****Materials:** chairs for all players (optional: a newspaper or an empty plastic bottle) ****Skills:** attention, speed, memory All players sit on chairs in a circle, while one player without a chair stands in the middle. This player tries to win a seat by tagging a player (with their hand, a newspaper or an empty plastic bottle) while that player is saying the name of another player or a fruit. Example: Susie starts the round. She says her own name twice and the name of another player, for example “Susie, Susie, Lara.” Lara then has to react quickly and say another name before Luke in the middle can touch her with the newspaper or bottle. If Luke touches Lara before she has named someone else, Lara has to go to the middle and Luke sits down on her chair. Luke then continues the calling: he says his own name twice and the name of another player. ****Variation “Fruit Salad”:** Every player picks a fruit for themselves, for example strawberry, plum and so on. Then the game is played as explained above. At the word “fruit salad,” everyone can switch seats at top speed, which gives the player in the middle a chance to grab a seat too. Whoever is left over goes to the middle. Rules: The same name may not be called twice in a row, and “fruit salad” may not be called twice in a row either. If you like, you can also play the game with animals or something similar. *Game page with the counting-off version:* [Fruit Salad](https://thepulse.org/en/fruit-salad/) ## 19\. The Towel Game (Steal the Bacon) ****Category:** Movement and team game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** a towel or a foam ball ****Skills:** speed, dexterity The players are split into two teams, and everyone on a team gets their own number from 1 to however many players there are. The teams line up facing each other on the playing field, with a towel or foam ball in the middle. - The leader calls a number, and the players with that number from both teams sprint to the middle of the field to grab the towel. - The goal is to snatch the towel and get it safely back to your own line without being stopped by an opponent. - Physical contact is allowed as long as it stays fair and the rules agreed on beforehand are kept (no hitting, shoving and so on). If not everyone in your group likes physical contact, you’ll find alternatives under [Games](https://thepulse.org/en/games/). - The game continues by calling different numbers in turn, so every player gets a chance to take part. ## 20\. “Enchanted Forest” ****Category:** Role-playing game ****Group:** 8 to 24 ****Materials:** role cards ****Skills:** communication, strategic thinking, teamwork Enchanted Forest is a rewritten version of “Werewolves.” The fairies live in the enchanted forest. Night after night, the trolls try to send all the fairies to the shadow realm. The roles are the same as in Werewolves. - Villagers = Fairies - Werewolves = Trolls - Witch = Witch - Cupid = Love Dwarf - Little Girl = Little Elf - Hunter = Wizard - Seer = Fortune Teller - Village flirt (house rule: spends the night at another player’s home) = Best Friend The players sit in a circle of chairs around the narrator and place their role cards on the floor in front of them without revealing their role. They close their eyes and may only wake up when the narrator wakes their role. **Night phase:** Every night, the different roles wake up one after the other. Order: - Love Dwarf (first night only) - Fortune Teller - Best Friend - Trolls - Witch - While the trolls are awake, the Little Elf may peek inconspicuously **Day phase:** During the day, all players discuss who among them might be a troll and vote on whom to banish to the shadow realm. The Wizard has the power to take one player down with him when he is eliminated. The game ends when either all trolls are eliminated (the fairies win) or the trolls outnumber the fairies (the trolls win). *Game page:* [Enchanted Forest](https://thepulse.org/en/enchanted-forest/) ## 21\. Corner Freeze Dance ****Category:** Movement and decision game ****Group:** any size ****Materials:** music player, numbered corners (optional: slips of paper for Zoom, or sheets of paper or carpet tiles) ****Skills:** decision-making, reaction speed, spatial orientation The players dance and move freely around the room while the music plays. When the music stops or at a signal, they quickly pick one of the previously numbered corners and go stand there. A leader picks a corner blind. All players in the chosen corner are out and sit down in the middle of the room. In the final round, there are only two corners to choose from. The basic idea: pick a number and stay in the game as long as possible. ****Variations** Digital/virtual: On Zoom or similar platforms, the players can write numbers on slips of paper and hold them up when the music stops. Instead of being eliminated, players earn points for surviving the rounds. Dice apps make for a fair and random choice. No contact: To avoid direct contact, each player can dance on a sheet of paper or a carpet tile. Instead of choosing corners, directions (“in front of, behind, right, left”) or positions (“on”) are used as the criteria for being out. *A similar game with its own page:* [Four Corners](https://thepulse.org/en/four-corners/) ## 22\. Nights in Palermo ****Category:** Role-playing game ****Group:** 7+ (6 roles and 1 narrator) ****Materials:** role cards ****Skills:** strategic thinking, communication skills, teamwork For “Nights in Palermo” (similar to Werewolves), you need role cards to match the number of players. Role cards: - Murderer - Police officer - Pharmacist/doctor - Townsperson - Romeo & Juliet (optional, they are townspeople) - Terrorist (optional, is a townsperson) The narrator doesn’t get a role card. The narrator is chosen before the game starts. **Night phase:** 1. **Everyone sleeps:** The narrator begins: “Night falls on Palermo, and everyone falls into a deep sleep.” All players close their eyes. 2. **The murderers wake up:** The narrator asks the murderers to open their eyes. Together they choose a victim without speaking, only through eye contact or hand signals. 3. **The police officer wakes up:** The narrator wakes the police officer, who silently points to the person they think is a murderer. 4. **The pharmacist wakes up:** The narrator wakes the pharmacist, who silently decides whom they want to “heal” that night. If they heal the murderers’ victim, that person survives the night. **Day phase:** 1. **Revealing the night:** The narrator tells what happened during the night: who was “killed,” but not who did it. The “killed” person is out and reveals their role. 2. **Special roles:** If Romeo or Juliet dies, the other one dies too. If the terrorist dies, the explosion takes the two players to their left and right down with them. 3. **Discussion and vote:** The remaining players discuss who the murderer or murderers might be and vote. The accused person or people may defend themselves. 4. **Decision:** If all murderers have been identified and are “out of the game,” the townspeople win. If all townspeople are out first, the murderers win. The game ends as soon as all murderers have been caught or all townspeople, including the police officer and the pharmacist, are dead. If the narrator can’t remember who has which role, they can write it down. ## 23\. Puking Kangaroo ****Category:** Movement and reaction game ****Group:** 7+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** quick reaction, teamwork, creativity **Goal of the game:** Don’t end up having to stand in the middle of the circle. **How to play:** 1. All players stand in a circle. 2. One person is chosen to stand in the middle as the caller. Depending on the group size, there can be several. 3. The caller points at a person in the circle (person 2). The people directly to the left and right of that person are person 1 and person 3. 4. Together, these three have to quickly act out a figure from the commands listed below. 5. If one of the three makes a mistake or reacts too slowly, they swap places with the caller. 6. The game continues until the group decides to stop. **Commands:** - **Mixer:** Person 2 stretches their arms out to the sides as the holder for the beaters. Persons 1 and 3 spin like beaters under person 2’s arms. - **Washing machine:** Persons 1 and 3 form a drum with their arms. Person 2 sticks their head in and spins it like laundry on the main wash cycle. - **Puking kangaroo:** Person 2 holds their arms in front of their belly like a kangaroo pouch. Persons 1 and 3 pretend to throw up into the pouch. - **Toaster:** Persons 1 and 3 hold hands and form the slot of a toaster. Person 2 jumps up and down like a slice of toast and shouts “Toasty!” - **James Bond (optional):** Person 2 forms a pistol with their hands and bends their knees slightly. Persons 1 and 3 swoon over them and say, “Ooh, James.” - **Streetlight (optional):** Person 2 stretches their arms out to the sides. Persons 1 and 3 pretend to be dogs peeing on the streetlight. *Game page:* [Puking Kangaroo](https://thepulse.org/en/puking-kangaroo/) ## 25\. Contactor ****Category:** Hide-and-seek game ****Group:** 5+ ****Materials:** a hula hoop or a similarly marked circle ****Skills:** observation, speed, strategy One person, the Contactor, stays inside a marked circle and tries to find the other players, who are hiding. At the start of the game, all players briefly touch the Contactor’s shoulder to kick things off. All players except the Contactor run off to hide while the Contactor counts with their eyes closed. The countdown starts at 20 seconds. After each round, the counting time gets 5 seconds shorter (15, 10, 5), until only 1 second is left or until all players have been found. After counting, the Contactor opens their eyes and looks for the hiders from inside the circle. They may not leave the circle, but they can turn around and bend down inside it to get a better look. When the Contactor spots someone, they point at the person and call them by name. Players who have been found are out and go stand at a spot agreed on beforehand. When the Contactor thinks they can’t find anyone else, they close their eyes and count backward for the same amount of time. During that time, the hiders have a chance to get back to the starting point. Anyone who doesn’t make it is out too. A really fun hide-and-seek game, because at first everyone thinks it’s impossible to hide within one second. 😉 ## 26\. High Ball ****Category:** Movement and target-throwing game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** 1 ball ****Skills:** dexterity, speed, fairness All players gather in a very tight circle in the middle. One player starts by throwing the ball into the air and calling out a player’s name. Everyone runs away except the player named, who tries to get the ball as fast as possible. Once they have the ball, they shout “Stop!” The other players then have to freeze immediately. The player with the ball may take 3 steps and try to hit one of the other players with the ball. If a player is hit, they take over the role of thrower for the next round. If nobody is hit, the original thrower tosses the ball into the air again and calls out a player’s name. *Game page:* [High Ball](https://thepulse.org/en/high-ball/) ## 27\. Activity 4D ****Category:** Communication and guessing game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** slips of paper, pens and a container for the slips ****Skills:** creativity, expression, teamwork Each player writes three words on separate slips of paper. The slips are shuffled and put into one shared pile. 💡 ****Tip:** Adjust the number of words per player to the size of the group. The group splits into two or more teams. Four rounds are played. The words stay the same in every round; only the way they are explained or acted out changes. Each round lasts until every word has been guessed once, so you might get several turns in a round, or none at all. - **Round 1, explaining:** A player draws a slip and explains the word without using the word itself. Their team tries to guess it within a set time. - **Round 2, charades:** This time the words are acted out, without using any words. - **Round 3, one word:** The player may use only a single word to get the word across to their teammates. - **Round 4, sounds:** The word is communicated through sounds only, without words or gestures. For every word guessed correctly, the team gets a point. The team with the most points at the end of the four rounds wins. Since everyone knows the words from the earlier rounds, funny inside jokes often develop that make the game especially entertaining. *Game page:* [Activity 4D](https://thepulse.org/en/activity-4d/) ## 28\. Vice Boss or King and Servant ****Category:** Rhythm and memory game ****Group:** ideal for groups of 8 or more ****Materials:** chairs for a circle ****Skills:** memory, concentration 1. All players sit in a circle of chairs. 2. The leader starts out as the “Boss,” and the “Vice” sits to their left. The player to the left of the Vice is number 1, next to them sits number 2, and so on. The last one in this row, that is, the player to the right of the Boss, is the “Dunce,” and may be called that, too. The numbers are handed out this way. Everyone remembers their number or their title. 3. The “Boss” now sets the beat: first they slap both hands on their thighs, then clap their hands once, then bring their left thumb to their left shoulder and finally their right thumb to their right shoulder. This sequence is repeated over and over. Everyone practices these moves together, slowly at first and then a little faster each time. 4. Then the “Boss” opens the game: when the left thumb is at the left shoulder, they say their own title (Boss). When the right thumb reaches the right shoulder right after that, they call another player’s number (for example 10). Number 10 then has to carry on in rhythm right away: on the next left thumb they say their own number, “10,” and on the right thumb any other player’s number, for example “4” or “Vice,” and so on. 5. Whoever makes a mistake gets to move to the “Dunce” seat, to the right of the “Boss.” To make room, everyone else has to move up a seat and so gets a new number or title. You can replace the “shoulder taps” with finger snaps! 😊 ****Variation “King and Servant”:** In this version, the “Boss” is the “King” and the “Dunce” is the “Servant.” None of the other players get a number; they are called by their names instead. ## 29\. Hide-and-Seek in the Dark ****Category:** Hide-and-seek game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** None, just “darkness” 😉 ****Skills:** strategic thinking, attention The game works like normal hide-and-seek, except that it’s played in the dark. You can play it indoors in darkened rooms or outdoors at night. Indoors: Decide which areas are allowed and which aren’t (closets and bathrooms, for example). ## 30\. Sardines ****Category:** Hide-and-seek game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** strategic thinking, attention In Sardines, only one person hides and everyone else seeks. The hiding spot shouldn’t be too small. The seekers try to find the hider individually. When a player finds the hiding spot, they quietly join in. This continues until all players have found the hiding spot. The goal is to be as inconspicuous and quiet as possible, so the remaining seekers don’t find the spot too easily. The game can be played in daylight or in the dark. *Game page:* [Sardines](https://thepulse.org/en/sardines/) ## 31\. Black Stories ****Category:** Puzzle game ****Group:** 2+ ****Materials:** cards with stories (available to buy, or find riddles online) ****Skills:** logical thinking, creativity Black Stories is a card game series with collections of tricky, dark riddle stories. Based on a short description of a scene, the goal of the game is to figure out the circumstances and events that led to the situation described. To do that, the players ask the leader questions, which the leader may only answer with “yes” or “no.” You can either order the story cards as a game or look them up online. The game is perfect for train rides, because anyone who wants to can join in and drop out at any time. *Game page:* [Black Stories](https://thepulse.org/en/black-stories/) ## 32\. Nuclear Waste ****Category:** Movement and coordination game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** a large barrel or a similar object as the “nuclear waste” ****Skills:** coordination, strategic thinking A large barrel or another large object is set up as the “nuclear waste.” All players form a circle around the “nuclear waste” and hold hands. On a starting signal, the players try to pull or push each other toward the “nuclear waste” without breaking the chain of hands. A player who touches the “nuclear waste” counts as “contaminated” and is out of the game. A player who deliberately lets go of another player’s hand is out too. The game ends when only one player, or a number of players agreed on beforehand, is left. ## 33\. Freeze! or Improv Theater ****Category:** Role-playing game, improv theater ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** creativity, spontaneity, teamwork, expression This is probably one of the coolest games, but with the wrong people it can also go completely wrong. A bit like preparing pufferfish. In this game, two players are always in the middle, acting out an improvised scene. They keep playing until someone shouts “Freeze!” Then they freeze. The player who shouted “Freeze!” takes the place of the player who has been in the scene longer and starts a completely new scene, which the other player has to join. The game continues with changing players and scenes until the group decides to end it. In improv theater, only two players are ever active at the same time. You need open, relaxed people for this one. *Game page:* [Freeze!](https://thepulse.org/en/freeze-improv-game/) ## 34\. Come with Me / Run Away ****Category:** Tag and running game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** speed, decision-making, reaction The players form a standing circle while one player walks around the outside. They tap a player on the shoulder and say either “Come with me” or “Run away.” - **Come with me:** The tapped player becomes the “catcher” and has to try to catch the player from outside the circle, with both running around the circle in the same direction. If the catcher catches up with the player, that player has to walk around the circle again and tap the next person. If they make it back before being caught, the “catcher” becomes the “tapper.” - **Run away:** Both players run around the circle in opposite directions. Whoever gets back to the gap first claims the spot in the circle. With just these two commands, the game is really easy to understand.👌🏻 ## 35\. Signs ****Category:** Communication and attention game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** a rolled-up newspaper or a plastic bottle ****Skills:** nonverbal communication, attention, reaction speed All players sit in a circle of chairs, with one player in the middle. Every player thinks up their own sign (something you can show, for example ✌🏼, 👌🏼, 😜, etc.). 💡 ****Tip:** Send the player in the middle out of the room first, so the players can learn each other’s signs. To do that, have the players show their signs one after the other. The player in the middle keeps their eyes closed while “the sign” is sent for the first time. It works like this: a player shows their own sign and then the sign of the receiver. 👌🏼➡️✌🏼 The receiver accepts “the sign” and sends it on. ✌🏼➡️😜 and so on. 😜➡️🤭, 🤭➡️👌🏼, etc. The player in the middle tries to work out where “the sign” is right now and to tag that player (with a rolled-up newspaper, for example, to avoid direct contact). Caught? Then you switch places. Tagged the wrong person? Keep guessing. At times a quiet game, because everyone has to act inconspicuously and pay close attention all the time. Sometimes suddenly very hectic, when you’ve been spotted and quickly pass the sign on. 😊 ## 36\. Power Pole ****Category:** Dexterity and strength game ****Group:** 8+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** coordination, strategy, teamwork The players form a circle and hold hands tightly. One player stands in the middle and plays the power pole. The power pole must not be touched, otherwise you get an electric shock and you’re out. The goal of the players in the circle is to pull the others into the power pole so they get a “shock” and are out. If two players let go of each other’s hands, both are out. The game ends when only two players are left. They decide the winner with “rock, paper, scissors.” The winner becomes the new power pole for the next round. *Game page:* [Power Pole](https://thepulse.org/en/power-pole/) ## 37\. Wink Murder ****Category:** Communication and attention game ****Group:** 6 to 20 ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** attention, logical thinking, nonverbal communication All players close their eyes. The leader walks around and taps players: once for the detective, twice for the murderer. The detective opens their eyes and stands in the middle of the circle. The other players keep their eyes closed until the game starts. On a signal, all players open their eyes. The murderer starts “killing” other players by winking at them. Players who get winked at by the murderer have to fall to the floor or sit down after a reasonable delay to mark their “death.” The detective watches the group and tries to identify the murderer. They have three tries to name the murderer. The game ends when the detective successfully identifies the murderer or the murderer has “killed” all the other players. ## 38\. Tongue Murder ****Category:** Communication and attention game ****Group:** 6 to 20 ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** attention, logical thinking, nonverbal communication The players stand or sit in a circle. A detective briefly leaves the room. The group chooses the tongue murderer. The detective comes back and stands in the middle. The tongue murderer starts “killing” other players by sticking their tongue out at them without the detective seeing it. The victims are welcome to die dramatically. The detective has to figure out who the murderer is and gets 3 tries. If the murderer manages to kill everyone in the circle before the detective catches them, the tongue murderer wins. But if the detective catches them, they lose. Then the round is over, and the next detective can step outside. ****Variation “Conductor”:** As in “Tongue Murder,” the detective leaves the room and the group chooses a conductor. The detective comes back. The conductor starts making moves that everyone copies. The detective has three tries to identify the conductor. If the conductor is discovered, the roles switch. If they stay undiscovered, they win and the next detective can step outside. ## 39\. Border Crossing ****Category:** Word and puzzle game ****Group:** any size, ideal for small to large groups ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** creativity, logical thinking Every player has to try to “get across the border.” To do that, you have to say single words. It’s best to stick to nouns. You go in turn, and everyone says a word. Words can be said more than once: just because Anna doesn’t make it across with a word doesn’t mean nobody else can. The leader tells each player whether they made it across the border with that word or not. The game ends when the leader gives away the answer or everyone has figured out the solution. That way, the game can also be played over several days. **The solution:** A word may only cross the border if it starts with the same letter as the first name of the player who says it. *Example:* - *Anna gets across the border with an alligator, but not with a frisbee.* - *Frank gets across the border with a frisbee, but not with a rope.* ## 40\. Ha-He-Ho ****Category:** Circle and movement game ****Group:** 7+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** reaction, coordination All players stand in a circle. One player starts by throwing both arms up with a loud “Ha!” so that their fingertips touch in the air. At the same time, the two players to their left and right “strike” at the person in the middle with their hands pressed together like an arrow, shouting “He!” Then the person in the middle “strikes” with their fingertips toward another player, shouting “Ho!” That player then starts again with “Ha!” and the matching move. The words “Ha,” “He” and “Ho” should be shouted loud enough for everyone to understand them. Anyone who shouts too late, or makes no move or the wrong move, is out. The louder you shout and the more forceful your moves, the more fun it is. Video on Instagram: [instagram.com/p/CUCw9ccjhdn](https://www.instagram.com/p/CUCw9ccjhdn/?ref=thepulse.org) ## 41\. Horse Race ****Category:** Movement and imagination game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** creativity, agility, group dynamics, auditory and kinesthetic perception All players stand in a circle. The leader guides the game with calls and moves. All players do whatever the leader demonstrates. “All horses to the starting line.” “On your mark, get set, go!” With this starting signal, all players begin slapping their thighs quickly to imitate the horses galloping. The leader calls out different actions one after the other, and the players act them out: - Jumping over an obstacle: Everyone hops up - A curve: Lean into the curve with your body - Slalom: Switch from right to left really fast - Waving to the spectators: Wave - Photographers: Pretend to hold a camera and go click, click, click - Riding through the mud: Go pft, pft, pft with your mouth and lift your feet up and down very slowly - A bridge: Beat your fists on your chest - Grandmas: Cheer with your hands from left to right and shout a high-pitched “Hey!” - Grandpas: Cheer with your hands from left to right and shout a deep “Hoy!” - Water jump: Make water noises with one finger in front of your mouth - Tunnel: Crouch down and keep slapping your thighs - Finish line: Speed up one more time, then throw your hands up and cheer loudly … and make up more of your own. ## 42\. Siren ****Category:** Circle and movement game ****Group:** 4+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** coordination, memory, group dynamics, body awareness All players stand in a circle, nobody in the middle. The leader shouts “Thumbs out!” and sticks out both thumbs. All other players in the circle copy the move. Then everyone shouts together, “Wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo!” While shouting, everyone moves the body parts activated so far (at first, just the thumbs). Then more body parts follow (foot 1, foot 2, bottom, chest, shoulders up, nose up, …). After every new body part comes the shared “wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo!” again, while all the body parts named so far keep moving. The game ends with the call “Tongue out!” after which all players shout “wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo, wee-oo!” one last time, this time with their tongues sticking out. *Game page:* [Siren](https://thepulse.org/en/siren/) ## 43\. The Double E ****Category:** Hide-and-seek game ****Group:** 5+ ****Materials:** sticks, stones, pine cones or other natural materials to mark the “double E” ****Skills:** strategic thinking, teamwork, agility, creativity Use the materials to lay out a double “E” on the ground. One player is named the seeker and counts to 30 while everyone else hides. After counting, the seeker looks for the hiders. Players who have been found gather at the counting spot. Hidden players can destroy the “E” to free the players who have been found, who then hide again. The game ends when everyone has been found or nobody wants to play anymore. The seeker can be switched during the game. ## 44\. Capture the Flag ****Category:** Strategy game ****Group:** 10+ ****Materials:** a flag or flag-like object for each team, materials to mark the playing field and the safety circle around the flag ****Skills:** teamwork, communication, agility, strategic thinking To prepare, form two teams of roughly equal strength. Then each team gets a territory, and you can easily vary its size. Each team gets a flag or something flag-like (if you don’t have a flag, you can take a stick and tie a cloth to it). The teams go to their territories and together find a place for their flag. Depending on the materials, they lay the flag on the ground, tie it to a tree or stick it into the ground, and mark a circle of 10 feet (3 meters) around the flag. The circle can also be laid out with a rope, sticks or similar objects, but most of the time it’s enough to draw a line with your shoe. When both teams are ready, the game begins. In the game, there are “runners” and “guards” or “catchers.” The runners’ job is to get into the other team’s territory, scout out the flag and, ideally, take it and bring it back to their own territory. If they pull that off, they have won the game. But the runners have to watch out: if they get tagged by a guard or catcher from the other team, they have to go back to their own territory and wait there for 10 to 30 seconds before they can play on. The guards’ or catchers’ job is to defend their own flag. They try to tag all the runners and so drive them out of their own territory to protect the flag. It’s important that the guards or catchers make sure they don’t “camp” at the flag, meaning they don’t stand too close to it, because that’s against the rules. The game is won when a team manages to bring the other team’s flag into its own territory. Other rules: - The flag has to be placed so that it’s visible from three directions. - Anyone inside the 10-foot (3-meter) safety circle can’t be tagged and is safe from the other team. - The flag may not be thrown, but it may be handed off. - If it falls to the ground while being stolen, it has to stay there, and the safety circle no longer counts. ## 45\. Pass the Bomb ****Category:** Reaction game ****Group:** 5+ ****Materials:** a small object that serves as the “bomb” ****Skills:** reaction speed, attention, physical dexterity All players stand in a circle, and one player sits in the middle with their eyes closed. An object is passed around the circle as the “bomb.” At some point, the player in the middle claps their hands: that signals the explosion. How fast that happens is up to the player in the middle. Whoever is holding the “bomb” at that moment is out and sits down. From then on, the player next to them always has to step over their legs to pass the “bomb” on. You can make it even harder by requiring a pirouette around the seated player, and so on. The last player standing gets to sit in the middle next time and set off the bomb. *Game page:* [Pass the Bomb](https://thepulse.org/en/pass-the-bomb/) ## 46\. The Emperor Likes ****Category:** Thinking and puzzle game ****Group:** 3+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** logical thinking The players’ task is to make sentences following the pattern “The emperor likes X, but he doesn’t like Y,” and in doing so to figure out the secret rule for what the emperor likes and what he doesn’t. The leader starts with the sentence “The emperor likes coffee, but he doesn’t like tea.” Taking turns, the players try to make their own sentences, which the leader judges as right (the emperor likes it) or wrong (the emperor doesn’t like it). The players share their guesses and test them by making more sentences. The goal of the game is for the players to realize that the emperor likes every word that doesn’t contain the letter “T” (as in tea) and doesn’t like words that do contain a “T” (as in tea). The game ends when the leader gives away the answer or everyone has figured out the solution. That way, the game can also be played over several days. ## 47\. Hot Potato ****Category:** Reaction and speed game ****Group:** 5+ ****Materials:** a small ball (as the “hot potato”), music player and playlist ****Skills:** reaction, coordination, attention - The players form a circle, and one player gets the ball, the “hot potato.” - The leader starts the music and runs the sound system during the game. - The players pass the “hot potato” around, either straight to their neighbor or by throwing the ball back and forth across the circle. - The ball always has to be caught. Whoever doesn’t catch the ball is out. If the potato is thrown so badly that it can’t be caught, the thrower is out. - The leader stops the music at unpredictable moments. The player holding the potato at that moment is out too. - The game ends when only one player is left. ## 48\. Pulling Turnips ****Category:** Team and cooperation game ****Group:** 12 to 50 ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** teamwork, coordination, strategic thinking Split the players into two teams: the turnips and the farmers. The turnips lie down on the floor, form a circle (with their heads toward each other), and lock arms to create a firm connection. The farmers now try to pull the turnips out of the circle by pulling on their legs. The turnips hold on and try not to get “harvested.” The game ends when the farmers have successfully “harvested” all the turnips, or after a set time. For a second round, the teams can switch roles. Video on Instagram: [instagram.com/p/CUM7UsKDnJt](https://www.instagram.com/p/CUM7UsKDnJt/?ref=thepulse.org) *Game page:* [Pulling Turnips](https://thepulse.org/en/pulling-turnips/) ## 49\. Spin the Board ****Category:** Reaction and speed game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** a large round wooden disc (like a round cutting board) ****Skills:** speed, reaction, teamwork - The players form a circle, and one stands in the middle with the wooden disc. - The player in the middle gives the disc a spin so that it turns, and calls out the name of another player. - The player called has to try to catch the disc before it falls to the floor, while their direct neighbors to the left and right try to stop them. - If the player called manages to catch the disc before it falls to the floor, they move to the middle and become the next player to spin the disc. - If the player fails, they’re out. The game ends when only four players are left. *Safety note: Make sure play stays fair and the fun comes first.* 💡 ****Tip:** To make the game more inclusive, you can adapt the rules so that the players trying to catch the disc aren’t eliminated, but get a different kind of “penalty” instead, for example a funny task. ## 50\. Charades ****Category:** Thinking and puzzle game ****Group:** 6+ ****Materials:** None ****Skills:** creativity, nonverbal communication, teamwork - The players split into two teams. - Team A picks a word or idea that a chosen player from Team B has to get across to their team through mime alone (facial expressions and gestures, no words). Creativity is welcome when choosing. Team A decides whether the “word” is a scene from a story, a particular person or an animal. - Team B has a set time (for example 2 minutes) to guess the word. If they succeed, Team B gets a point. - After each round, the role of the mime rotates within the team, so every player gets a turn. Then the guessing switches to the other team. - The game can be played for a set number of rounds or up to a certain score. *English version: October 2026* ![](https://thepulse.org/en/content/images/2026/09/Signup-1.jpg) ## Stay on the pulse. Pulse in English has just begun: ready-made material for youth leaders, parents and educators, free. We let you know when something new is out. Count me in Almost done: check your inbox and confirm the link. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.