Game On

A Guide to Games for ESL’s

Objective

• Why we play games• Understand the different types of games• When to play which games• How to keep games safe• Have a number of new games to take back to

your unit

Quarter Ball

Why Play Games

• Structuring an Evening Programme– How to start and end– Time Fillers– Young people led activities

Why Play Games?

• Fun & enjoyment• Learning takes place– Learning a skill– Learning co-operation– Learning to win and lose

• Physical activity

Human Knot

Types of Games

• Discuss different types of games in groups• Some games fit into more than one category• Do you use a range of games in your section?

Types of Games

• Energetic Games– Good for beginning and end of meeting– Maybe good to break meeting up in middle– Good for games evenings, e.g. football night– Good on camp– Remember some young people might not like this

type of game

Ladders

Types of Games

• Team Games– Scouts learn co-operation & team work– Good way to build a team– Never let young people pick teams

Bucket Ball

Types of Game

• Instructional Games– Introduce or develop a skill– Be careful of age range

• Individual Games– Any game that isn’t a team game– Adapt to let someone shine

Empires

Types of Games

• Elimination Games– Can be good fun– Consider the feelings of the first few eliminated

• Quiet Games– Perfect for calming down time– Good if out and need to make up time– Some young people prefer quiet games

Jump

Types of Games

• Competitive– Great fun and good to build sense of belonging– Characterised by having a winner and a loser– Can be team or individual– Can be frustrating if the same people also win or

lose

Musical Chairs

Types of Games

• Critical Thinking Games– Generate discussion– Fit in with faiths & beliefs element of

programme

Organising Games

• Do you have the necessary equipment to run the game?

• Do you have enough Leaders to run the game?

• Do you understand the rules?– Explain the rules to the Members clearly and

simply

• Keep an eye on time

Organising Games

• Is the hall safe?• Is the equipment safe?• Maintain discipline during the game• Match your games to your explorers

Game Ideas

• Energetic• Team• Instructional• Individual• Elimination• Quiet• Competitive

Game Ideas

• Energetic– Quarter Ball– Windmills– Scarecrow Tag– Dancing, line dancing– Mini Olympics– Cricket / rounders– Circuits

Game Ideas

• Team– Football, Volleyball, bucket ball etc– Spider’s Web– Treasure hunts– Old fav’s – crab football etc– Problem solving– Human Knot

Game Ideas

• Instructional– Knots– Incident Hike– International– Lost for words– Pioneering races

Game Ideas

• Individual– Banana Republic– Playstation / 360– Truth or Dare– I’d take to space…– Ice-breakers– Strategy Games

Game Ideas

• Elimination– Traffic lights– Header / Footer– Musical Chairs

Game Ideas

• Quiet– Empires– Trading floor– Card games, casino night– Quiz

Game Ideas

• Competitive– Most team games– Games against the clock• Races to tie knots, build pioneering structures,

navigate or any other instructional type game

– Board games – chess, connect 4, scrabble– Scale up board games to real life – e.g.

monopoly around the town– Mummies

Game Ideas

• Critical Thinking Games– Paper Games – Radioactive Circle– The Chicken and The Fox – Balloon Debates

Emergency Programme Box

• What does each section need so that it can ‘wing’ a programme.

• Lucky dip bags• Treasure boxes