Finding a new game or activity to spice up your activities can sometimes be challenging. Here are a couple of ideas that we have found that helps break the ice and get teens comfortable with making new friends.

Circle Round:
Go around the circle and have each person tell their name and something else. (i.e. Alison Avocado). The something else gives you a point to attach the name to. If you want, each person repeats names before them. Something aliases: Adjective that begins with same letter. Animals, fruits, cartoon characters. Anything that fits the situation. If the event has a theme, tie in to that theme.

Charade Introductions:
Have each person act out name, hometown, job, what they like to do, whatever you think of.

Orange Toss:
This gets names out there and gives them a way to work together. Start with one orange and establish a pattern with each person getting the orange. Comes back to you at end. Do it again, get everyone to call names out. Then do it with two oranges. Keep adding oranges until you have reached maximum capacity.

Big Wind Blows:
Involves light running and a chance to learn things about each other. Start with a big circle. Have each person get a marker and places it behind them. One person starts in the middle. Says their name and where they're from. Then calls "The big wind blow for people who.." and picks something like "...are at the Ranches for the first time." "Have a younger sibling." "Like to eat pizza." Options are endless. If the description applies to you, run to a new spot. The caller also runs, so a new person ends up in the middle. (You can make this harder by revolving around a theme.)

Continuums:
Allows you to gather information in an informal way. Give a statement. "I feel completely comfortable in a brand new group of people." Create a line and make on end "I totally agree" the other end, "I totally disagree". Have people line up by where they fit on the continuum. You can ask for why they put themselves where they do. Go on to a new question.

Animal noises: This is my favorite way to gather into groups. Assign animal noises secretly to each person so that you have equal number of each animal in each group. Then have them find each other by making their animal noises. Mice, pigs, cows, dogs, cats, monkeys, horses, snakes, fish, be creative.

Tag: Millions of kinds of tags. A few of the favorites:

Dragon tag: Groups of three or four holding on one behind another at the waist. Bandanna in back of last person. Each dragon tries to get the tail of others without getting gotten themselves.

Elbow Tag: Group in big circle. Hooked at elbows in twos. Chaser and chasee in middle. Chasee hooks up to a pair and 3rd person becomes chasee. When chaser tags someone, they become the chasee.

Kiwi ball: Set a boundary. One person IT, has kiwi ball (Koosh balls work great or knotted bandana). IT hits someone with the kiwi ball by tossing underhand. Now there are two ITs. ITs can't move when they have ball in hand. Pass between them to continue to get more people who all become IT also.

Hug Tag: Everyone mills around. Caller calls a number. Have to get into groups in that number. IT tries to get people who aren't in groups. Call new number.

Hug Tag 2: One person is IT in the middle of a large group. IT tries to tag other people, when IT comes close to you, you must hug the nearest person to avoid being tagged

Amoeba Tag: One person starts as IT. Runs and tags someone. Now, holding hands both are IT. Keep going until you engulf everyone. Amoeba can't break apart.

Knee Tag: Run around trying to touch behind other people's knees without getting your own tagged. No real purpose. Great way to get warm though.

Freeze Tag: Frozen when tagged. Have to be touched to be unfrozen.

Tunnel Tag: Stop when tagged. Someone has to crawl under your legs to free you.

TV Tag: Temporary safe if you squat down and scream out a TV show. Can be adapted for books, states, countries, you name it.

Knots: Groups of 10 is about right. Everyone stands in close. Reach hands into middle. Grab two different hands. Make sure it's not the people next to you. Should have a big mess. Now untangle knot without letting go of hands.

Trust Activities: All trust activities should be closely supervised with safety being the top priority. In trust activities with catching, the catchers must be taught proper positioning.

Blindwalks: One person is blindfolded and the partner leads them around. Could be to a specific destination or just investigating things with other senses.

Trust falls: One person (the faller) stands with back to partner (the catcher). The faller stands straight and leans back without moving feet. Catcher has hands out in front and catches faller, then pushes them back to standing.

Flapjacks: Two catchers stand facing each other. A faller stands in the middle with eyes closed. The catchers are in catching position and the faller falls towards one catcher. They catch and then push back to middle and then faller falls towards the other catcher.

Grass in wind: Catchers form tight, shoulder to shoulder circle. The faller stands blindfolded in the middle, arms crossed over chest, body staying straight. All catchers get in catching position. The faller falls in one direction then gets passed across and around the circle by the catchers.

If you have any resources you would like to share, please mail or e-mail them to gina@discoverybound.org.