Funny Games for Youth Groups

Why funny games work well with youth groups

Funny games can help break the ice when they suit the group. They are also useful with a group that already knows each other, because they help keep the atmosphere friendly and relaxed.

Left to themselves, young people will usually drift into small friendship groups. That is natural, but it can leave a youth group split into smaller groups that do not mix much. Games that get everyone laughing together can help people get to know others outside their usual circle.

Shared laughter also helps leaders. Seeing a leader join in a silly task can make them seem more approachable. The aim is to share a laugh without making anyone the target.

Start with Barnyard, a whole-group mixer, or try one of the short volunteer games below. These up-front games involve a few players at the front while everyone else watches and cheers. They work well as icebreakers, as a warm-up before a talk or activity, or as a light way to introduce new leaders and volunteers.

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Barnyard

Barnyard is loud and usually ends in a lot of laughter. It needs very little equipment, and you can adjust the difficulty to suit the age of your group.

To set it up, choose a few farm animals with easy, recognisable noises, such as cows, sheep, pigs, ducks and donkeys. Use one animal for each team you want. Then make small cards, each with one animal written and drawn on it. Pictures help anyone who finds reading difficult.

Make a few spare cards in case extra people turn up. Before you deal, count the people in the room and pick out only the cards you need, keeping the teams as even as possible. Tell everyone how many members each team should have.

To play:

• Shuffle the selected cards and hand one to each person face down. Ask them to look at it without showing anyone.
• Explain that nobody may speak. The only way to find their team is by making their animal's noise.
• On your signal, everyone starts making noises and moving around to find others with the same animal.
• When a team is complete, its members gather at a designated spot and signal to a leader. Agree accessible signals and routes beforehand. If you prefer to drop the race, a leader can simply confirm when all the groups are complete.

Keep eyes open and the lighting adequate throughout, as players move unpredictably and can collide. For extra difficulty, use less familiar animal sounds instead. Once teams have formed, you can keep them for the rest of the session, which is a handy way to mix up friendship groups.

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Short up-front games to try

These games use volunteers at the front of the room and need little preparation.

• Celebrity heads: Three or four players sit facing the audience, each with a name stuck to their forehead or written on a card behind them. They take turns asking yes or no questions to work out who they are. Choose names the group will actually recognise, or use fictional characters or everyday objects, and let players pass or swap.
• Hum that tune: Players hum a well-known song for their team to guess. Pick songs familiar to your group, and have a leader demonstrate first.
• Silent interview: One player answers light questions, such as favourite foods or hobbies, using only mime. Their partner explains the answers to the audience, often getting them wrong. Avoid questions about relationships, bodies, family or personal difficulties, and make sure the player is never the joke.
• Guess the noise: One volunteer sits facing away from the group. A leader points to someone, who makes an animal noise, and the volunteer guesses who it was.
• Leader challenge: Two leaders compete in a quick, silly task, such as building the tallest tower from paper cups in one minute. It is a simple way to introduce new staff.

Keep each game short. Up-front games tend to work best when they last a few minutes and finish while people are still enjoying them.

Keeping games fun and safe

Funny games only work if everyone feels comfortable.

• Make every game optional: Never push anyone to the front. Anyone can watch, take another role or stop at any point without explaining themselves publicly. Do not assume a quieter young person wants to keep score.
• Watch the tone: Step in if laughter turns into teasing or picks on someone's appearance, background or abilities.
• Adapt for inclusion: Use visual cards, quieter versions and seated play, and offer ways to join in without speaking, humming or hearing a sound. Ask participants privately what helps rather than assuming. Avoid noisy games if anyone finds loud environments difficult.
• Check food and allergies: Check any game involving food against allergy and dietary information first. Avoid games that involve stuffing the mouth with food, as these carry a choking risk.
• Assess the risks: Consider the space, the equipment and the age of the group. Your organisation may have its own template.

Follow your organisation's safeguarding and activity-safety procedures, and assess the risks of each game. Check accessibility, supervision, personal boundaries and what to do if someone becomes distressed or injured. NSPCC Learning offers safeguarding guidance and training for people who work with children and young people. The National Youth Agency, England's professional statutory regulatory body for youth work, publishes resources for youth workers. Requirements and guidance can differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check what applies where you work.

If you belong to a larger movement, such as Scouts, Girlguiding or the Boys' Brigade, check its programme ideas and safety guidance before you plan a session.

Choose games around what your group enjoys and feels comfortable with. Afterwards, take a moment to review what worked and what to change next time.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Youth Group Game Finder lets you match games to your specific group needs by filtering across age, group size, space, and activity type. Try it now →