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8 IDEAS FOR FAMILY/FUN NIGHTS 1. Create a questionnaire that people can use to get to know each other better. Ask some serious, funny & thought provoking questions like: "If you were not a missionary, what other job would you have liked to do?" Select some questions & answers to read to the group and let staff members guess who you’re referring to. You will be surprised about some of the answers! 2. Everyone writes a name on a piece of paper and puts it on the forehead of the person on your right. You can use any famous name, i.e. ”Nelson Mandela". The person must try to guess "who he is" by asking questions with yes/no answers. If the answer is "yes", you can ask another question, otherwise it’s the next person's turn. 3. Play "Underground Church". Write names on pieces of paper fold it up & have each staff member take one. In a group of 20 you can have approximately: 3 Policemen, 16 Christians, 1 Angel The Christians must try to meet each other & have church at least 3 people together. In this time they must really praise God, intercede, recite Scriptures or pray for the real underground church. The police must try to catch them by infiltrating or catching them while having a meeting. They must be put in "jail". The Angel can warn & encourage Christians, give them information & set them free from jail. (You may want to limit the amount of times the angel sets captives free.) You can go as far as to have an "execution" for the parties that "lose". 4. Play a game of Charades. Write down names on pieces of paper & have students or staff mimic them. You can have different categories like songs, Bible books, parables, characteristics, miracles etc. Make sure to use signals/gestures for each category. The person is not allowed to use any words to describe the name. You can also use the same words to play Pictionary. Instead of acting out the words, people must draw it. You can have different teams competing against each other. 5. Have a concert! People are normally not very excited when you announce it (in advance please!), but at the time of the concert you can feel the excitement. They can sing, do dramas, cultural dances etc! You may discover many talents! 6.If possible each person can bring something (wrapped) that they don’t want anymore. It could be anything. You could add a few things like toothpaste, soap, a comb, a sweet, teabags or anything! Put it all in a basket or some other container in the middle of the circle. The first person takes a gift & opens it. The second person opens another gift. He can decide if he wants to keep his own gift or exchange it with the first person and so forth. Everyone who opens a gift can decide whether to keep his own or to exchange with anyone else. You don’t have a choice if someone wants your gift. After all exchanges, gifts can be taken home. 7. Send 3 people out of the room. (Don’t choose people who are very shy or will be uncomfortable, rather ask for volunteers) Then tell/ read a short story with many facts & adjectives to the group. Call the first person in (Lets call him A) & someone must repeat the story to him (what he remembers) Call the next person in (B). A must repeat the story to B and then B to C. It is normally very funny to hear how the story changes & shortens. Instead of telling a story you could also do an act like "washing an elephant"; you only tell the audience what you’re doing & then only "show" it to the next one who must repeat showing it to the next person. 8. If you have different cultures represented on your base you could have a cultural evening. Persons from each culture could do a drama/cultural dance. You could dress according to your culture & bring some cultural food. Paula Berrington, YWAM Lichinga, Mozambique |