Number of Players: equal teams of any number
Location: open area able to accommodate the entire group
Materials: clothespins and dog biscuits

Give group members each a pinch-type clothespin to put in their mouth so the clothespin can be opened and closed with their teeth. Have each team form a straight line, with each team member down on all fours (like a dog) facing in the same direction so that they are side by side. Put dogfood or regular bowls with 10 to 12 dog biscuits in each on the floor in front of each team’s line. The first person in each team’s line must take the dog biscuits out of the bowl, one at a time, using the clothespin in his or her: mouth. The biscuits are then passed on to the next person and so on down the line. If a biscuit is dropped, the person who dropped it must pick it up with the clothespin. No hands are allowed at any time. Teams must stay in a straight line and remain on hands and knees throughout the relay. The first team to put all its biscuits in the bowl at the end of the line wins.

Icebreakers Ahead: Take It To the Next Level

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Game Description
Use this Active Game as a discussion starter for youth on the topic of “forgiveness”. What does it mean to forgive? It can also be used as an Easter related activity to introduce youth to the resurrection of Christ and the forgiveness we receive as a result of His death on the cross.

Game Materials
For each group:

• a Chair
• Three of 4 rolls of toilet paper (The cheap rough kind is just fine!)
• Upbeat, active music to create an upbeat game atmosphere for the youth.
• Optionally, you can also use a stop watch to create a sense of urgency and emphasize the issue of time and speed.

Game Preparation
You can divide the youth into teams by sex, by school, by age group, or by randomly assigning numbers. Each team of youth should have a minimum of 3 participants. A nice number is 4 youth per team. You can also call for 4 representatives from each group and have the rest of the group as spectators to cheer them on.

Game Play

1. Ask the teams or team representatives to come to the front of the room.
2. Explain that one member of each team should sit in the chair while the other three youth will attempt to completely wrap him/her with the toilet paper.
3. The goal of this game is to cover the youth that is seated in the chair completely so that no part of the body or clothing is showing.
4. The team to finish in the quickest time the winner. The Youth being wrapped must remain in place until all teams are finished and judges can verify the results.
5. If there are spectators, encourage them to cheer for their respective teams.

After the Game

1. Tell the seated youth to remain in place.
2. Examine each youth very carefully in front of the whole group. You will likely find part of an ear sticking out, or a nose, or foot, a shirt collar or something not covered.
3. Point out to all the youth what is not covered.

Game Discussion: Take it to the Next Level

In the Old Testament, one of the words we translate “forgive” (kaphar) actually means “to cover.” Just as we covered someone with the toilet paper, we are supposed to cover up whatever it is they did against us when we forgive them. We are to cover it up and put it out of sight and out of thought.

Unfortunately, many times our covering is only partial. We don’t cover up everything. There are a few little parts that we have a difficult time totally covering up. But like a wound that is not completely covered can become infected and fester, there are sometimes uncovered woulds of others which also can fester and cause decay in our relationships. It may only a small part that is uncovered, but it is just enough to remind us of the wrong they did. It is just enough to keep us from completely forgetting whatever it is they did to hurt us. It can turn into something that you might drag up later, further jeopardizing the relationship. When we cannot completely forget, we cannot completely forgive.

A friend of mind in youth ministry reminded me that in our human forgiveness we can cover the wounds, but only God can bring about true healing. And sometimes, healing takes time. But in the meantime we must still move on in life in spite of the pain and still act with forgiveness, all the while trusting God to bring about the healing we so desperately need.

When it is time to forgive someone, be sure to forgive that person completely. Cover up all of the transgression so that you can completely forgive. Matthew 6:14-15 reminds us that when we forgive others, God forgives us. Our own sins are also covered. (See also Romans 4:7-8, 1 Peter 1:18-19, I John 1:7, Psalm 85:2; Romans 4:7; I Peter 5:20) But the incredible part is that God not only covers over our sin completely, but he cleanses us from all sin and unrighteousness. He covers us in the blood of Christ and cleanses and heals us.

Take a moment to examine the relationships in your own life. Are there any relationships where you have been hurt and you have not yet forgiven the person? Are there relationships where you need to seek or grant forgiveness? Take a moment of prayer to lift these relationships and the events up to God. Place it in God’s hands for his healing and then start living as if the transgression did not occur. Start living a life of true forgiveness in your relationship with this person. Let God;s love and forgiveness cover over the transgression. Ask Him to help you to show love and forgiveness in this relationship just as he has shown love and forgiveness to us.

Easter Discussion

After playing the game, leave the pile of wrappings on the floor from all the participants. Then explain:

When Christ was in the tomb he was also wrapped up. He was covered in burial wrappings. On the cross His blood was shed that all our sins might be covered in the Blood of Christ. Forgiveness was complete.

When the women went to the tomb all they saw was a pile of wrapping, much as we see here. (Point to the pile of wrappings on the floor) But in the time of Christ the wrappings were cloth instead of paper and may have included as much as 75 pounds of spices. And interestingly, the cloth that was used to wrap his head was folded up. Jesus had not been in a rush to leave. If the body had been stolen, as some might believe, why would the wrappings be left behind. Why would the thief take the time to fold the cloth covering Christ’s head?

But the most incredible thing about the resurrection story was not the wrappings that were left behind, but instead was the fact that God’s forgiveness of us was now complete. The blood of bulls and sacrifices was never able to truly cover our sin. Only the blood of Christ, God’s only Son could do that. And the most incredible thing about it is we are not only covered, we are cleansed and we are healed. Forgiveness is complete. And because of this complete forgiveness we must also forgive others in the same way.

If you have not sought the forgiveness of Christ, Now is the time to do so. You can find complete forgiveness for all of the sin in your life.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Jesus said, “…he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Easter Collection

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Introduction
Use this Christmas Gift Exchange Game with more mature youth as a serious time of affirmation and thanks for the various members of the youth group. Include the adult sponsors as well.

Game Description
In this Christmas Gift exchange, it is affirmations that are exchanged and not actual physical gifts. It’s a very powerful way to bring your teens closer together and remind them that everyone in the group is a gift and that the greatest present you can give all year round, is to give of yourself as a blessing to others.

Game Materials

• Nicely wrap an empty box with paper, bow, and the works. (You might want to add some newspaper to the box to give it a little weight.)
• Chairs for everyone, arranged in a circle facing inward.

Game Preparation
Wrap an empty box with paper, bow, and the works.

Game Play

1. Start the game by holding up your beautifully wrapped gift. Explain that the box is filled not with a physical gift but with affirmations, encouragement, and a heart of thanks. “Tonight we are going to have a gift exchange. But as this wrapped gift is passed around, I want you to imagine it is filled with with appreciation, thankfulness and encouragement for each other. The greatest gift is not giving something from a store, but the giving of yourself. God gave himself to the world that we all might be part of His family. And We want to appreciate each person here who has given of himself as part of our own family of God. So with that said, I will begin. I would like to give this gift to John, because of his dedication and spirit of servanthood for others. Whenever there is one of us in need, John will always be there to serve us. Thanks for your gift to all of us, all year around. John, this gift is for you. Who do you want to pass this gift to and why?”
2. John accepts the gift and then names another youth that he wishes to present the gift to, along with his reasons. That person, in turn, names another youth, and so on.
3. In advance, let some of your student leaders and adult youth workers know what you have planned. They should be prepared to have some affirmations for some of the youth which may not be in the spotlight so often to make sure that everyone is included and NO ONE is left out. Youth can also thank the adult youth workers as well. It is OK if some teens get more than one affirmation, but encourage the youth to be thankful for EVERYONE in the group. For everyone is a gift to us from God!

Christmas Collection

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Introduction
In this Christmas variation of a game of dodge-ball, you can still play even if you have been eliminated.

Game Description
In typical dodge-ball fashion, players try to eliminate others by hitting them with a dodge-ball.

Game Materials
Depending on the size of the group you may want to use one snowball or several. The larger the group the more snowballs you will need. For the snowballs you can use soft white kick-balls, wadded up newspapers, or even toilet paper rolls (remove the cardboard tube). “WHITE” soccer balls also work, but can be a little painful if fully inflated. (Let out some of the air first.)

Game Preparation
Find some balls which won’t hurt you too much if you get hit in the head with them.

Game Play

• Let the youth scatter about a large open area with clearly defined boundaries. If you are inside, use a room as your play area.
• To start a game of Christmas Snowball tag, just throw one of the snowballs against any old wall or roll it to the center of the play area.
• The first person to get the snowball must plant a foot and pivot around on that foot (like in basketball) looking for someone to hit. They may not walk or run around once they have possession of the snowball. The thrower, once he tosses the snowball at someone can move freely again since he or she is no longer in possession of the snowball.
• If a person has been hit with the snowball, that person sits down on the ground at the spot where they were hit. The person that has been hit is not out of the game completely though. As long as they remain seated in their spot, they may grab any snowball that is rolling by and hit someone who is still in the game.
• If any person catches a snoqball that has been tossed, the thrower of the snowball is eliminated and must sit down. If an attempt to catch the snowball is unsuccessful, but the snowball is touched, it is considered a hit so the person who touched the snowball in an attempt to catch it is eliminated and must sit down at that spot.
• Dead players may roll the snowball to other active or eliminated players.
• The ground will eventually be covered with sitting youth.
• The winner is the last person standing.
• This is a typical dodgeball game with a twist: instead of being completely eliminated from the game and unable to participate, you can still eliminate others.

Variations

• If a sitting person successfully eliminates someone in play, they may stand up and get back into the game.
• When the person that got you out gets hit then you are able to get back up again.
• Play with partners, but holding hands. Partners are out if they break their grip. Both partners must be hit before they are frozen and must sit down together. Yet while there is still one of the pair unfrozen, the frozen partner can act as a shield, deflecting the ball.

Christmas Collection

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Materials
A gift from each participant

There are many different variations of the gift exchange at Christmas. This is merely one of them.

How gifts are exchanged:

A. Multiply the number of players by 2 or 3 depending on how large the group is and how many opportunities each person will be able to choose a gift. (Example: 10 players X 2 chances each = 20 numbers) Numbers 1 through 20 are placed in a bowl and each player takes two numbers from the bowl.

B. This determines each person’s turn to choose a gift. First #1, then #2, then #3 and so on. A player may get consecutive numbers(10, 11) or inconsecutive numbers(2, 35). All players take one turn for each number, and all players go in the order of the numbers they have picked.

C. #1 picks a present from the pile. Players choose a gift based only on the look, feel, and sound of the package. None of the gifts are opened until the game is over.

D. #2 has a choice of taking what #1 has or picking a present from the pile. Every person has to choose between taking a present from the pile or from someone else. A person can take a present from anyone that has a present, but may not take the last present from someone that has no more numbers.

E. At various times people may have several presents at the same time. That is OK. As the game continues, other people will take all of those presents away except for the last one.

F. If someone takes a present, the person who lost the present must wait until his next number comes up to get another present.

Typically, there will be lots of plotting and scheming for what people think are the best presents.

It is OK for the person that bought the present to warn a player, one time, if they think that that person really would not like the present they are taking out of the pile. Don’t tell them what it is, just warn them that they may not like it.

Wrap up? Unwrapping
None of the presents are opened until the entire game is over. Only after all of the present swapping is over, and everyone has had their turn, are any presents opened. Every player must have one present at the end of the

Christmas Collection

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