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Try This One
group magazine: November-December, 1996
From: GROUP Magazine's November/December 1996 issue
Keywords: Turkey Talk, Masked Kid, Faux fans, Matress Surfing Try This One Crowdbreaker TURKEY TALK Have kids put on blindfolds (see "Helpful Hint" below). Tell them that to prepare for Thanksgiving, you're going to have a Turkey Talk contest. Each group member gets one turn to give his or her best imitation of a turkey gobble. By their applause, the rest of the group can vote for the loudest, longest, most realistic, and most obnoxious gobble. Tape record each gobble and play the tape after the contest. Have kids work together in pairs or trios to figure out which gobble belongs to which "turkey." Len Cuthbert Hamilton, Ontario Helpful Hint WHO'S THAT MASKED KID? Many youth group activities require blindfolds, which are expensive and often ineffective. To solve the dilemma, buy a gross of "Lone Ranger"-style, elastic-backed masks at a party supply store. Then place a piece of duct tape over each eye hole from the inside so the sticky part faces away from the eyes. This is a quick, cheap way to make dozens of long-lasting, easy-to-use blindfolds. Rick Hamilton Fort Worth, Texas Bible Study JESUS IS LIKE... Jesus often used metaphors and similes to teach lessons, and kids can use such comparisons to learn more about him. For this study, you'll need paper, pencils, a potato, newsprint, a marker, and Bibles. *The Warm-Up: Refresh kids' memories about the definitions of similes and metaphors. (Both are comparisons of two unlike things; similes use "like" or "as.") Give some examples ("My mom is busy as a bee" or "My little brother is really a squirrel"); then encourage kids to invent some creative comparisons of their own. *The Brainstorm: Give kids paper and pencils and have each one number from one to 12 down the side of a paper. *Say: Now you'll use metaphors to describe who Jesus is to you. When I say a category, write something in that category that reminds you of Jesus. Use this structure: "If Jesus were a ____, what kind would he be?" Include these categories: color, animal, shape, music, movie, type of weather, month, occupation, clothing, flower, furniture, and TV show. Afterward, allow time for kids to write a one-sentence explanation for each metaphor; for example, "Jesus is like the color blue because he is king, and blue represents royalty" and "Jesus is like the eye of a hurricane because he is peace in the midst of danger and confusion." *The Activity: Hold up the potato and have everyone stand in a circle. *Say: The first category is color. When someone tosses the hot potato to you, quickly say your metaphor, then toss it to someone else. Change categories every 30 seconds or so, and have an adult volunteer list each metaphor on newsprint during the potato toss. *The Wrap-Up: Use the list to start a discussion, asking questions such as: *How do these comparisons give a deeper understanding of who Jesus is? Which ones really ring true for you? Which ones surprise or confuse you, and why? Close by reading aloud Bible verses that describe Jesus' attributes, such as Matthew 20:34 (compassionate); John 14:31 (obedient); 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (faithful); and Hebrews 5:2 (gentle). Lance Chapman Everett, Massachusetts Game MATTRESS SURFING Form teams of six to 10 kids and give one mattress to each team. (Thin bunkbed mattresses work best and may be available from college dorms or thrift stores.) Each team must select one "surfer"; the rest of the team members are "waves." Have the waves lie down parallel to each other one to two feet apart (see diagram). Place the "surfboard" (mattress) on top of the first three waves; then have the surfer lie down on top of the board. On "go," the waves shuttle the surfer and board along by rolling (like a log roll) on the ground, with arms tucked in. As soon as one wave isn't under the board, he or she should run to the front of the wave line to "catch" the board and keep it moving to the finish line. The first team across the line with its surfer intact wins. Hint: Have a couple of adult volunteers follow the mattresses along to keep the surfers from falling. Larry Boss Olney, Maryland Fund-Raiser FAUX FANS Put your youth drama team to creative use this holiday season. Have them offer, for a small fee, instant celebrity status to kids (or adults) wanting a few minutes of fame. Drama team members acting as crazed fans can create a miniature mob scene around the "star," screaming, swooning, asking for autographs, and snapping pictures. This attracts the most attention in a public place, such as a mall, a restaurant, or when someone gets out of a car. Spectators will be impressed and wonder who's the celebrity! In addition to renting a fan club for themselves, kids can surprise their friends with star treatment for a Christmas gift. (From a Family Circle tidbit about Hollywood's Rent-a-Fan Club.) |
