Every game, sorted the way you need it.
Each one carries a lesson. Group the library by guide, by what the game is for, by the space you have or by how long you have got. Then pick a game, play it, and debrief with the questions at the bottom of the card.
Guides still to add
- Team Building Discovery Challenges
- Value Games
Leader notes
Leading a game well
- Check the game suits the age, group size, space and weather.
- Know the rules cold and lay out the equipment before you start.
- Bring everyone close, explain the rules, then demonstrate the key moment.
- Ask for questions before the first round.
- Play music to lift the energy — choose something that fits the culture and age group.
Leading a very big group
With hundreds or thousands of players who cannot move from their seats, the shape of the session changes.
- Run everything in pairs. It nearly always works.
- Use a loud voice, and make every action large enough to read from the back.
- To debrief, ask everyone to turn to the person beside them and share, then interview one or two players at the front.
The five debrief questions
Sit the group down and drop your voice. The work starts before this: watch the game closely and stay curious, because what you noticed is what makes the questions land.
Did you notice ______ in the game?Disharmony, anger, confusion, isolation, pride, selfishness. How much time passed? Was the objective reached? How many strategies were tried? Check what they noticed that you missed.
Why did these things happen?The interpretation stage. Listen for the answer that is accurate and meaningful.
Where does this happen in other areas of life? In your life?Moves them from the experience to the connection.
What needs to change in your life because of this?The anchor stage — ask for real examples. Where do you see that in life? Who do you know who feels that way? When have you experienced it? Read the Bible passage here and help them make the link.
What will you do differently from today?Where exactly will that be useful? What will you do now that you know this? If it goes quiet, let it stay quiet — wait, repeat, rephrase, be specific.
The five-question model is from Micah Jacobson and Mari Ruddy.
Adapting a game
- Adjust for the number of players, the age range or the mix of the group.
- Swap missing equipment for whatever is at hand — a large plastic lid instead of a frisbee.
- Cut the game short if it drags. Stop it and reset the rules if it turns dangerous.
- Any game can carry a discovery. Often a small change is all it takes to connect it to the Bible passage you are teaching.
Including players of all abilities
Transferring what happens in the game to real life is the point, and adapting to different abilities is part of real life. Almost any game here can include everyone.
- If a player is blind, use noisemakers to guide the play — or blindfold one player on every team.
- If a player has one arm, everyone plays one-armed.
- With deaf players, demonstrate the action and leave time for clarifying questions.
- If some players use wheelchairs, put everyone at the same level — balloon volleyball sitting down.
- Look for ways each player becomes an asset to their team, spread your attention evenly, and pair a leader one-to-one with players who need it.
Building a new game
- Combine ideas from games you already run, then brainstorm with a team.
- Develop the concept around the lesson theme and the Bible passage.
- Write out the name, rules, materials and explanation so everyone is clear.
- Ask someone who has never played to read it back to you.
- Run it with a real group, then rework it.
Adding games to this library
All the game data sits in one array near the bottom of this file, with a filled-in template above it. Copy the template, add your game, and it appears in every grouping automatically. A game can belong to more than one guide — put each one in the collections list and it will be listed in both places without being duplicated.