Youth and Recreation Activity Resource Center
Activity and Resource Center
UNDERSTANDING ONE ANOTHER
Charles Goza
The purpose of this fellowship is to encourage dialogue between parents and youth. This could be an after-church fellowship emphasis for Christian Home Week or a way to begin or end Youth Week.
Appoint a planning committee well in advance of the fellowship to insure thorough planning and publicity. The committee should be composed of both adults and youth. Arrange for a nursery for the young children, and a children's movie for the four-year-olds through sixth grade while the fellowship is going on.
Decorations will help set the stage for a better participation and atmosphere. These may include old-fashioned decorations like coal oil lamps, patchwork quilts, and other remembrances from the past, or you may want to update the "old" decorations to remembrances from the "50's" since many parents will have grown up during that time.
Also have posters, record jackets, and other current teenage symbols.
Begin the activities by dividing everyone into family groups and giving them slips of paper and pencils. Play previously taped portions of song hits from the 50's and what is on the top 40 today as the family unit tries to identify the singer or music group. After playing portions of about 15 songs, read the answers and see which family was able to identify the most.
Following this game, select four father-daughter teams and playa panel game similar to the old "Newly-Wed Game." The daughters are sent out of the room and the fathers are asked questions pertaining to their daughters one by one. Then the girls are brought back in and asked the same set of questions. Five points are scored for each matching answer. Next the fathers are sent out and questions asked the daughters about their fathers. The fathers
are returned and the procedure is repeated.
Questions for the fathers might include the following:
1. What is your daughter's favorite music group?
2. When was the last time you two went out alone shopping, to a movie, or to eat?
3. What color are her eyes?
4. What will she say is the best vacation the family has had?
Suggested questions for the daughters are:
1. What does your father enjoy doing the most on a day off?
2. When is your parents' anniversary?
3. On your first date with a new guy will your father want to meet him before you go out?
4. What is your father's favorite color?
End the evening with group singing of a couple of choruses and refreshments. *
ALL ABOUT WORDS
Mabel King Beeker
Putting together the memories of adults, especially the older ones, and the fresh knowledge of youth
PUBLICITY OR INVITATIONS
“A word fitly spoken by youth or adults is just like some apples of gold that fit snugly into a silver frame, so an ancient writer has told.” Decorate the poster with a yellow apple or yellow apples and add the date, time, and place.
FOCAL DECORATION AND OTHER
PREPARATIONS
Using texturized aluminum foil, frame an extra-heavy piece of poster board. In the center hang several real or artificial, delicious-looking yellow apples. Under them, print: "A Word Fitly Spoken Is like Us."
Look over the activities presented here and decide what will appeal to your youth as well as your adults. List materials or equipment you will need; for example, one or more sets of anagrams or other word games if you choose them, crossword puzzles from newspapers, and so on.
WORDY ACTIVITIES
Divide the guests into teams which include both youth and adults and both males and females. If you have more than fifty people, have five to ten teams.
Ancestral words. -Give each group a pencil and paper on which to write words or sayings which they remember hearing their parents or other adults repeat; for example, "A penny saved is a penny earned."
Then each group is to act out one of the wise sayings for the other groups to guess. Use as many as possible to fill the time. Be careful to finish the activity before boredom sets in.
Sporting words. -Each team will choose an adult and a youth who are sportsmen or sports fans to compete in this contest, partners conferring on their answers.
1. One at a time, call out the following terms and ask one team to tell what sport uses that term: Accept the first correct answer.
· tee,
· shell,
· butterfly,
· puck,
· shortstop,
· T-formation,
· clay pigeon,
· spare,
shuttlecock,
· lay-up.
(Answers: golf, rowing, swimming, hockey, baseball, football, trap shooting, bowling, badminton, basketball.) Change or add to the list according to favorite sports of guests.
2. Accept the first correct answer for each of the following games:
§ What is the time division for football?
§ What is the time division for ice hockey?
§ What is the time division for boxing?
§ What is the time division for baseball?
§ What is the time division for polo?
(Answers are: quarters, periods, rounds, innings, and chukkers.)
3. Here are the nicknames of some people who made sports history. Accept the first correct answer: Who were they:
· Little Miss Poker Face?
· the Galloping Ghost?
the Yankee Clipper?
· the West Point Touchdown Twins?
the Babe? (
Answers: Helen Wills, Red Grange of Illinois, Joe DiMaggio, Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis, and Babe Ruth.)
Oft-Quoted Words.-Let each group take a turn at completing the following famous quotations with extra points if someone in the group can name the author:
1. The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of ____.
2. If eyes were made for seeing, Then Beauty is its own excuse for ____ .
3. She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry _____ .
4. How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a ______
5. Books should to one of these four ends conduce, For wisdom, piety, delight, ______
6. Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and _______
7. Look before you leap; For as you sow y’are like to ______
8. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy: For the apparel oft ______
9. Screw your courage to the sticking place, _______
10. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but ______
11. Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, / In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, For the good or __________
12. Oh, that men should put an enemy in Their mouths, to steal away their _______ .
13. Words are like leaves, and where they most abound, Much fruit of sense is rarely ______
14. The day is done, and the darkness/ Falls from the wings of night,/ As a feather is wafted downward From an eagle in _______
15. Be not the first by whom the new is tried, Nor yet the last to _______ .
16. He cast off his friends, as a huntsman his pack, For he knew, when he pleased, he could ________ .
17. For Satan finds some mischief still / _______ .
18. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are ________ in our philosophy.
19. A thing of beauty is a joy _______
20. How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is / _________
21. "An honest man's the noblest work of _________."
22. Lives of great men all remind us/ We can make our lives sublime, / And, departing, leave behind us footprints on the _________ .
23. Hope springs eternal in the ___________ breast.
24. Laughter, holding both his __________
25. “Tis pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print; A ________ a _________ although there's nothing in't,”
(Answers: (1) steel, Shakespeare; (2) being, Emerson; (3) skies, Byron; (4) naughty world, Shakespeare; (5) or use, Denham; (6) friend, Shakespeare; (7) reap, Butler; (8) proclaims the man, Shakespeare; (9) And we'll not fail, Shakespeare; (10) once, Shakespeare; (11) evil side, James R. Lowell; (12) brains!, Shakespeare; (13) found, Pope; (14) his flight, Longfellow; (15) lay the old aside, Pope; (16) whistle them back, Goldsmith; (17) For idle
hands to do, Watts; (18) dreamt of, Shakespeare; (19) forever, Keats; (20) To have a thankless child, Shakespeare; (21) God, Burns; (22) sands of time, Longfellow; (23) human, Pope; (24) sides, Milton; (25) book's, book, Byron.)
Associated inventions.-Many inventions are associated with getting the word to other people. Read each question; let the first group with a raised hand answer.
1. Who invented printing from movable type?
2. What famous inventor wired "What hath God wrought!" as the first message over his successful telegraph?
3. In 1873 what man and his sons began mass-producing the typewriter which still bears his name?
4. Who used his invention to say, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you," when he realized that the telephone he had invented would really carry his words to his assistant in another room?
5. What man, although handicapped by progressive deafness, invented both the phonograph and the movie camera?
Answers: (1) Johann Gutenberg; (2) Samuel Morse; (3) Eliphalet Remington; (4) Alexander Graham Bell; (5) Thomas A. Edison.)
Using words. -Some of the adults and youth might enjoy table games such as anagrams in which they spell words. For a variation, they might play tic-tee-toe anagrams, in which they take turns adding letters on an enlarged tic-tee-toe chart to spell words. Or, they might play domino anagrams, in which each word added begins with the last letter of the previous word. Also provide pencils, crossword puzzles, and other vocabulary-builders from newspapers and magazines.
CONVERSATION-PIECE REFRESHMENTS
Serve strawberry angel cake made by substituting frozen or fresh, mashed strawberries and their juice for the cold water in the directions for making strawberry gelatin. Pour this mixture over crumbled angel food cake covered with a light frosting of whipped topping and set your conversation pieces in the refrigerator to congeal. Frost this cake with additional whipped topping and cut it into squares before time to serve it.
MUSICAL WORDS
Arrange for the youth to provide vocal and instrumental music, using songs which carry a message for the world today. Follow these with some of the old songs sung by senior adults. Lead all in singing the chorus "For God So Loved the World," also called "John Three Sixteen," by B. B. McKinney or a similar one.
WORDS FROM THE WORD
Invite volunteers to quote favorite Bible verses. Be sure that someone quotes 2 Timothy 3: 16. Then have a previously enlisted and prepared young person to read or quote John 1:1-4, 14 and an adult to quote Matthew 28:19-20. As all bow their heads, have someone to sing softly and prayerfully "Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak." *
GONG SHOW FELLOWSHIP
Rhett G. Payne
There is a need in the local church for more youth-adult fellowships. Sure, we have youth fellowships, and we have adult fellowships. But how many of us are having fellowships involving both youth and adults?
Have your own Gong Show! At some time or another, you have probably seen that goofy, unbelievably funny, daytime TV game show, known quite popularly as "The Gong Show." And if you have, you know the show involves the presentation of the most unprofessional "talent" known to man.
The show has a host (if we might call him that), who owns more hats than Elton John has glasses. His hilarious introductions pave the way for some most unique and funny talent.
And then a panel of three celebrities decides to either "GONG" the act, or “allow” the act to be completed for a vote. Each of the celebrities vote on a scale of 1 to 10, as to how they rate the talent and the highest rating wins. The end result is both unusual talent and a fun-filled show. You would have to see it to believe it. (And if you haven't, tune in sometime for an even clearer description.)
What's the point? Well, quite frankly, youth and adults are a little hesitant to present their talent. In fact, they are very hesitant to do so. But when they understand they do not have to be totally serious, the pressure is off. So assure both groups (youth and adults) that you welcome their goofy acts as well as their legitimate acts. Then be prepared for a successful show with fun for everyone.
Enlisting of talent should be done well in advance. The youth could do the enlisting, making sure they secure youth and adult participation. Applications should be made available and a deadline should be set. Then auditions should be held selecting the best acts for the all- church fellowship. Due to a time factor, this selection process would be necessary. Finally promotion is a key factor. It will be a special fellowship if you consider it that.
A stage area would be helpful, with the host giving introductions in front of the stage. Props add a colorful factor to the fellowship. This might include a group of youth and adults making up the orchestra to play the theme song. (If there is a lack of talented musicians, a group could pantomime the instruments while a tape is being played in the background.) A large cymbal can be borrowed from the school band. This would serve as the Gong, and it should be placed directly behind the celebrities. The celebrities should be no more than four. And they should sit opposite the orchestra in front of the stage. (The orchestra would sit to the left as you face the stage, while the panel would sit to the right.)
The host for the show can be the youth minister. Then you have an excellent source for celebrities, the church staff. Since the staff will have the privilege of judging the talent, why not have the youth present a skit at intermission depicting a farcical staff meeting? This would give the staff a chance to laugh at themselves. And it is enjoyable for everyone, including the church staff.
Get your entire church together; not just the youth, not just the adults, but everyone. And have yourself a blast. You will have the church body together, they will have fun, and fellowship will happen. The Gong Show Fellowship, yours for total involvement. *
APPLE FELLOWSHIP
Marsha Eichenberg
For youth and senior adults. This fellowship can be after church. Each youth is responsible for contacting a senior adult and see they have transportation to and from the church. Divide the group into teams, no more than 20 per team. Be sure the teams are balanced equally with both youth and senior adults.
Ask each team to make up a jingle about apples. Then share them, awarding points to the best and second best. Three youth and three adults from each team compete in an apple bob (Apples hung from a string. Must bite with hands behind back.)
Give points to the first team to finish. Have five adults from each team compete in an apple peeling contest. Each player goes to a table with a sharp knife and selects an apple and begins peeling. When he breaks the peel, he must stop.
The next person on his team tries it. When all players have finished, the team with the most completely peeled apples wins. Award points for first and second places.
Five youth compete in an apple eating contest. One player per team runs to a table, sits down and devours an apple, then runs back to tag the next player.
Have each team think of as many ways to serve apples as they can.
Devotional idea: Lyman Coleman's Apple Game. Give each person an apple then pair up one senior citizen and one youth. Have them study their apple for 2 minutes. Mix all the apples on a table. Have them pick their own apple. Share with their partner one area of life where they really shine and one area that needs polish. Sing the Johnny Appleseed Prayer.
Serve apple pie, apple cake, and apple cider for refreshments. *
MUSIC ACROSS THE AGES
Jerry Chiles
As people arrive, play music from different eras. When ten to fifteen people have arrived, allow each senior citizen to choose a youth for a partner. Play twenty-five songs from different eras of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and have teams compete by guessing song titles.
Provide paper and pencils. Time: seven minutes.
After correct titles have been given, place all people in a seated circle.
Materials needed: 30 balloons and a source of music (radio or record player). Provide two or three balloons for each round, depending on size of circle. Each balloon will contain a piece of paper with a simple but funny action written on it.
(Examples: crow like a rooster, sit in the lap of the opposite sex, or act like a child.)
As the music begins, the balloons are passed. When the music stops, each person with a balloon must burst the balloon and do what is written on the paper. Time: eight minutes.
Entertain the senior adults by playing musical horsie with the youth. Six to twelve boys get on their hands and knees forming a circle, with their heads to the center. When the music is played, seven to thirteen girls (one more girl than number of boys) will march around boys. When the music stops, each girl is to get into the saddle (the boy's back). The girl without a saddle is eliminated. With each round, a boy is taken out to keep one more girl than boys.
The game may be stopped at any time or may continue until a girl is declared the winner. Time: six minutes.
When musical horsie is completed divide senior adults and youth into four groups (equal amount of youth and senior adults in each group), to play "Songs I Remember." A theme is called. (Examples: rivers, seasons, mountains, or countries) Each team must sing a song with the theme mentioned in the song. A team is eliminated when a song cannot be sung about the theme. Time: seven minutes.
REFRESHMENTS
Punch and cookies
Each youth serves a senior citizen, before serving himself.
CLOSING
Sing some old favorite choruses. (Examples: "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," "Kum Bah Yah," "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," and "Alleluia") Time: ten minutes. *
MY AUNT SALLY
Ty Morris, Jr.
TYPE
Icebreaker or general activity for youth or adults
PARTICIPANTS
A leader and approximately 6 persons
Instructions
A leader will call for 6 volunteers from the audience, preferably 3 men and 3 women. (If no one volunteers, he will select the people or ask another leader to help him choose the participants.) If the chairs have not been prearranged, the leader will ask the people to arrange their chairs in a semicircle, men and women alternating in position. The leader will position his chair on one end of the semicircle and review the first name of each person. Then he will proceed as follows. Mary (or the person's name), I'm going to tell you something and show you something. When I have finished, you tell and show Tom. Tom, then you pass it on to Judy, and so on until it reaches you, Bill (on the end)-then you call it back to me on this end. (Each person is to continue the motions all the time.) Remember, there is only one rule-please keep it moving!
OK, here we go!
(Leader Says) My Aunt Sally went to town.
Now Mary, you say, "She did, what did she buy?" (Mary repeats question).
(Leader answers) She bought a knitting needle. (Leader begins knitting motion with his hands and nods to Mary to take up the motion and pass the whole procedure on to Tom. When Bill, on the end, calls the routine back to the leader, the leader then turns to Mary and goes on.)
(Leader says) My Aunt Sally went to town. (Mary says) She did, what did she buy? (Leader answers) She bought a necker-upper. (Leader begins to raise and lower chin to indicate the new motion, being careful to continue knitting as well.
The procedure above continues with the following added motions.)
1. . .. She bought a legger-lifter. (Leader begins to lift and lower one leg while continuing knitting and nodding.)
2. . .. She bought a stander-upper. (Leader begins standing up and sitting down, continuing all other motions and hollering at the others to please keep it moving! From time to time throughout the routine he also yells at anyone who may have stopped doing anyone of the motions}
3. When Bill (on the end) calls back the stander-upper motion, the leader starts out with one more line, but this time in response to "She did, what did she buy," he shouts out, "She died!"
4. (By this time everyone in the motion group is exhausted and everyone in the room is falling out with laughter. The leader, himself exhausted, closes out by asking for a round of applause for the group.) *