PRAYER CANDLES

Have the entire group sit in a circle (in a darkened room or outdoors at night) with everyone holding a candle. One candle is lit, and then the person holding that candle silently or aloud prays for one other member of the group in the circle (preferably someone across the circle). After completing the prayer that person goes over to the person he or she just prayed for and lights that person’s candle, then returns to his or her seat with the lighted candle. The one whose candle was just lit then prays for another in the circle and does the same thing. This continues until all the candles are lit and the leader closes in prayer. All the candles can then be blown out simultaneously. The symbolism involved can be very meaningful.

TALK SHEETS

Here’s a great way for campers to engage in conversation in a non-threatening way. Get a roll of wide paper about four feet wide, and hang it on the wall. Provide pencils and markers and then encourage your teens to write down their feelings and comments as the week goes by. Don’t limit what they write about (although they usually will want to write about things that are happening on the camp). Tell them they can sign their names if they want, but they don’t have to.

Then encourage the teens to read the comments and respond to them if they want to. You’ll be amazed at how much the kids will help each other. Of course, kids can also write things that are just for fun. Either way, it provides an outlet for some creativity and serious thinking. By reading these talk sheets; your leaders can also get a good feel for what’s happening in your group. Make sure the sheet is located in a prominent place where kids will see it often.

CAR

Interrupt your cleaning for a mind-reading game. The game leader and mind reader are accomplices who know in advance how the game is played and what the code or trick is. Kids are to try to guess what the code or trick is. As soon as someone thinks she has figured out the code, let her try to lead the game correctly. Keep going until most kids have caught on or until you decide to reveal the code. While the mind reader is out of the room, the crowd chooses three objects, one of which is to be identified by the mind reader as the chosen object. When the mind reader returns, she is shown all three objects one by one, and then identifies the correct one. Code: When the mind reader enters the room, the leader makes a general statement that begins with one of the following three letters: C, A, or R (such as “Come on in,” “All right,” or “Ready”). A statement that begins with a “C” indicates to the mind reader that the first object shown is the chosen one; an “A” statement identifies the second object; and an “R” statement identifies the third object.

MYSTERY PERSONALITIESMYSTERY PERSONALITIES

Here’s a great way to add mystery to your camp. Select three persons to be Mystery Personalities. At each meal, give out clues to their identity. Campers then try to solve the mystery by putting together the clues and asking a lot of questions. The first person to correctly guess the identities of all three wins a prize (or points for his group). The three Mystery Personalities can be people at camp or famous people (such as Bible characters) that the teens would know. Make the clues tough. As the camp nears its end, the clues can be made easier if no one has been able to guess correctly.

FAT THIGHS RELAY

You need four to six small balloons per player and a couple of rolls of masking tape to liven up relay races for your youth group. To start, tape inflated balloons to the insides of each player’s legs, so they have to run the race bowlegged to avoid popping the balloons. The winners are those who cross the finish line with the fewest broken balloons.