Back to the Game Square

My duties as a Sparks co-director go into full swing next Sunday with the first night of club. Part of my job for that day will be leading the games, which means being dynamic and exciting, starting with a bang. As I sit here trying to think of games that will make that goal, I can't help but remember what some of my favorites were growing up in the program. These are three of them:

Octopus

Materials needed:

• Game Square or other square or rectangular area, like one made with cones or pins.

This is a variation of tag, and I've run across similar games such as Sharks and Minnows. Start with everyone behind one side of the rectangle and one person, called the octopus, standing in the middle. When the octopus calls "Octopus!" everyone has to run to the other side without leaving the rectangle and without being tagged by the octopus. Once they're all on the other side, the octopus calls again. If a child is tagged, she stands in the spot where she was tagged and becomes "seaweed." She can then use her arms to also tag people, but her feet must remain stationary. The last untagged person wins and becomes the new octopus.

Variations:

• Have more than one octopus.

Steal the Bacon

Materials needed:

• Beanbags (or tires or tubes or any objects of equal size)
• Paper and pencil
• Whole teams
• Game Square or other square or rectangular playing area

This game is similar to the AwanaGames Beanbag Grab. Teams spread out tallest to shortest along their color line and are numbered off from the left. The game director stands to the side with the beanbags. She calls a number and tosses the beanbag into the square. Whoever received that number on each team runs in to retrieve the beanbag and carry it back across her line. If the bag is thrown across the line, it is considered "dead" and no points are awarded. If someone is tagged while in possession of the bag, the bag becomes dead. When a number is called, it should be written down to give the director an idea of which clubbers have and have not played as often.

Variations:

• Call more than one number in a play. You may just throw one bag, or the same number of bags as the amount of numbers you called (if you call 2 and 6, throw 2 bags). Players can work as a team to get a bag across the line.
• Once the bag is touched, if the toucher is tagged while in possession of the bag or not, the bag is dead.

Tails

Materials needed:

• 4-8 tails. These could be bandannas, crepe paper, strips of cloth, or braids of yarn. They need to be long enough to be easily grabbed
• Game circle or other defined playing area

This is a time-enduring game still popular at many clubs today, and quite possibly, my favorite. One clubber from each team has a tail put through his back beltloop or tucked shallowly in his waistband. The back of his shirt may have to be tucked in. When the whistle blows, he has to pull out the other team's tails without having his pulled. If his tail is pulled, or he steps outside the circle or cone perimeter, he's disqualified. The winner is the last person with his tail intact.

Variations:

• Two clubbers from each team. When it's down to four clubbers total, have them move to the center square.
• Have a leader in the center square also trying to pull out tails.
• Have the teams stand outside the circle and try to pull out tails.

What were some of your favorites as a clubber? Share them below in the comments.
Please keep our leaders, clubbers and parents in prayer as many Awana clubs across the country start in the next few weeks.

For more information about Awana Clubs International, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.