For this children's church ice breaker you will need to divide the group into two teams (we do boys/girls, if the number is about even). Form a separate circle with each group and have them deposit their shoes into the center of the circle. Mix the shoes up as they return to form an even circle around the shoe pile. On your "Go!" command, they must quickly dig out and replace their proper shoes to their feet. First team to have all shoes on feet wins.
Cotton Ball Scoop
For this children's church ice breaker you will need two large bowls filled with cotton, two empty bowls, two blindfolds, and two spoons. You simply choose two participants, blindfold them, and give them 30 seconds to transfer as many cotton balls as possible into the empty bowl using only the spoon (no help from their other hand). It's hilarious because they feel like they are lifting air and often are scooping and transferring nothing at all on the spoon! The other kids really enjoy watching this one.
Bobbing for Donuts
For this children's church ice breaker you will need a donut and a piece of string for each participant. You may choose to select just a few kids to play; or if you're really brave (a.k.a. "insane" in the children's church ministry!), you might let all of them participate! You will seat half of the participants and have their partners stand behind them. The standing partner must string up a donut and hold it over the head of the sitting participant. The seated one must then eat the donut off the string ~ no hands! The trick is to not let it fall in their faces! We once did this with chocolate covered donuts (too bad we forgot the baby wipes)!
Hula Chain
For this children's church ice breaker you will need two hula hoops. This one involves *all* the kids (unless you want to hand pick ten or so from each team, if you have a really large group).
Line the kids up down opposite walls, facing each other. Have the team members hold hands, creating two long chains. Start the hula hoops at one end of each team. The object is to maneuver the hula hoop down the chain without letting go of hands. They just have to wiggle and squirm it over their arms, shoulders, and head!
Needle in a Haystack
For this children's church ice breaker you will need two bowls of rice with 20 paper clips dispersed throughout each one and two blindfolds.
My husband and I have played this, and it is really challenging! Simply put, you blindfold a representative from each team; and they have 60 seconds to find as many paper clips as possible in the bowls of rice. Have their teams cheer them on and count down with you when their time gets down to only 10 seconds left.
Air, Land, & Sea
For this children's church ice breaker you will simply need a masking tape line across the floor. Select 3 or 4 participants for each team and stand them behind the line. Explain that they are standing on "land;" but when you say "sea," they are to jump across the line, and when you say "air," they are to jump straight into the air. When they are on the "sea" side, you say "land" to make them jump backwards across the tape back onto land. If anyone touches the line or jumps the wrong way (i.e. crosses the land on "air"), they have to sit down. Give them a couple of practice runs before you begin the actual competition.
Team Work
For this children's church ice breaker you will need a small box containing two prizes, a sheet of gift wrapping paper, and scotch tape for each pair of participants. Select a six to eight students and pair them off. The couples must cooperatively wrap a gift... with one hand behind their backs! The first pair to finish gets to keep the box and its contents.
Pony Express
For this children's church ice breaker you will need two "stick" ponies -- the kind that kids straddle between their legs and gallop around on. We have nice ones with fur and buttons on their ears that cause them to make real "horsey" noises, but even a homemade one (stick with a bandana?!) would work!
Simply pick two kids and allow them to "race" on the ponies. If you really want to make it crazy, give them a more complex race track to maneuver. Encourage their teams to cheer them on!
Buzz Bomb Balloon
For this children's church ice breaker you will need a balloon for each participant (not blown up) and some type of target, which could be virtually anything. You can either let all of the children participate, or just select a few from each side (we have boys vs. girls always). Have the children stand in a circle around the target -- about 10 feet away from it -- or stand in a line with their team, facing the other team with the target in between. Each participant will blow up the balloon and pinch it shut without tying a knot. To keep from getting the balloons confused, you will either want to hand out different colors or write initials on them with a permanent marker. When you shout "Go!" (or blow your whistle, honk your bicycle horn, etc.), all of the kids will let go of their balloons. The object is for the balloon, after buzzing around in the air, to be the closest to land to the target.
Life Saver
For this children's church ice breaker you will need a Life Savers candy for each team and a toothpick for each child. You can have as many teams as you want. Line each team up so that the children are side by side. Instruct everyone to hold a toothpick in his mouth ~ no hands allowed for this game! Put a Life Saver on the toothpick up the first person in each team line. They must pass the Life Saver from toothpick to toothpick ~ no hands! First team to reach the end of the line with the Life Saver wins. Ice Breaker submitted by Robin Corpuz
Frisbee Toss
For this children's church ice breaker you will need two hula hoops and six frisbees. Suspend the hula hoops from the ceiling or have some of your workers hold them up in the air. Select a few participants from each side (girls/boys) and let each player have three chances to toss a frisbee into a hula hoop. Most total points for team wins.
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Dog Eater
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For this church icebreaker you will need a plastic bowl, cereal You have two or more kids competing. You put the bowl on the floor and put the cereal inside ...
The Wonder Ball
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Children sit in 1 big circle and quickly pass the ball (any relatively small stuffed toy can suffice)around the circle as the youth teacher/leader sings ...
Creation
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You will need a box of uncooked spaghetti and bag of small marshmallows. Give each team at least 15 sticks of spaghetti and 15 marshmallows. Tell the ...
Longest Chain
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This is the most fun game when you have alot of children. The children likes it because it involves everybody=D You split the children into two groups ...
Amoeba
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This game was a hit with the youth, so we thought we would try it with the children's church, and it turned out just as well!
All the kids get in a ...
Fruit by the Foot Race
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Pick 4 - 6 kids for each team (i.e. 4 boys and 4 girls). Give each participant a fruit roll up/fruit by the foot and have them unroll it and remove the ...
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