Games for UU kids and adults
Compiled and written by Dan Harper, v.1.3b
Copyright (c) 2014-2024 Dan Harper
N.B.: Most of the games on these webpages are noncompetitive games.
Contents
Introduction
Icebreakers and name games
Online games — many of which can also be played in person
Classic kid games
Fantasy games
Active games
Simulation games
Theatre games
Energy breaks
Building community in youth groups
Other sources of games and initiatives
Introduction
Games are FUN. Games have AN OUTCOME. Games are SOCIAL.
Some types of games useful with our Unitarian Universalist groups:
- Icebreaker and name games: for whenever you have a newcomer
- Classic kid games: for any age, just to have fun
- Fantasy games: unleashing fantasy and creativity
- Active games: get up and get moving
- Simulation or teaching games: learning by doing
- Theatre games: awareness of self, awareness of others
- Energy breaks: very short activities designed to regulate the group’s energy level
Every game-playing group of which I’ve been a part — from Sunday school classes with little kids to adult groups — usually has one or two games that they love best, and the group can play that game over and over again. My goal with every group is to try a bunch of games until I find at least one game we want to play over and over again. Of course I want to play lots of different games, but if there are one or two favorites, then when all other plans fail, we all know that at least we can play our favorite game.
Please note that rules of games are mutable. You may know one or more of these games with slightly different rules. The rules given here are rules that I know work, but you should feel free to change and adapt them as you wish.
For youth groups, see also the separate section on Building Community in Youth Groups. This is my adaptation of the classic model described by Denny Rydberg in his (now dated) 1985 book of the same title.
Other sources of games
“Deep Fun” by Bernie De Koven — An excellent selection of tested and tried games collected by Bernie De Koven, a game designer and self-described “fun theorist.” De Koven was one of the key figures in the New Games Foundation.
Project Adventure (PA) published a number of excellent collections of games over the years, available on their website. I own the following PA books, which I’ve found moderately useful in religious education: Silver Bullets; Quicksilver; Cowstails and Cobras.