We were doing a fishing-for-kids unit in our kid’s church. I had devised what I thought would be a good game for teaching our kids to work together. Basically each team member would put on a pair of hip waders run to the end of the room, get down on their hands and knees, pick up a gummy worm with their teeth, eat it and return to the next team mate who would do the same. We were hoping the kids would realize that if they helped each other on and off with the waders they would have greater success in the game!
Well, they didn’t get it so the leaders decided to show them how! I was first and my teaching partners slid the waders on me while I lay on the ground – TEAMWORK! Then I ran to the end of the room, got on my knees and picked up and ate the gummy worm. What I didn’t realize was that when kneeled down the hip waders slid down around my knees! So when stood up and ran back I realized too late that I was running too fast for my legs which were trapped at the knees by the waders! I tried to stop but I fell hard! The kids were laughing hysterically and yelling, “Do it again!”. A trip to the doctor later that week confirmed two cracked ribs and a sprained shoulder blade!!
Brett Belleque
A game we sometimes play as a time filler or ice breaker is “The First One Who Has It Game”. I will say things like… I have a sucker for the first one who can show me a holy sock..or I have a piece of candy for the first one who can show me they have a front tooth missing. Never again will I say “I have a sucker for the first one who can show me they have a tattoo that’s fading away.” I did this expecting your usual spongebob on the arm or unicorn on the hand. I was completely shocked when a little girl ran up to the front and proudly pulled her pants down in the back to expose a tatoo that had been put on the small of her back. She said,” See it’s alot like my mom’s.” She got the sucker, and I got the lesson. I won’t be asking to see the tattoos any more. We all might get to see a little more than we bargained for.