In all our relationships the things we do can say can either build up or tear down. This wacky youth group game presents the same choice to teams of youth.
Islamic Finance 101 - Dr. Main Alqudah [https://www.guidancecollege.org/]
Summer Youth Camp - Knock Down, or Build Up
1. Summer Youth
Camp - Knock
Down, or Build
Up
In all our relationships
the things we do can say
can either build up or
tear down. This wacky
youth group game
presents the same choice
to teams of youth.
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2. Description
There are times when we have fun,
draw closer to one another, talk
about all kinds of things, and
experience the joy of being
together. Other times though it
seems that the things we say, or
things that are said to us seem to
hurt even more when it involves our
families.
We often hear it said that the
people we hurt the most are often
the ones that are closest to us.
There are times I wish I could have
taken back the words the moment
I’ve said them, but it’s often too
late; damage done.
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3. STACKERS
Resources
1. Plates and cups – You want an
even number of plates and
cups so they can be stacked.
Don’t use breakables ones as
they will be knocked over and
dropped. Plastic works great,
but you can also use
disposable ones. Be warned
that if they are too light, they
can be easily blown over.
2. Balls – Tennis balls work well
but you can use a smaller ball
to make the game more
difficult or a bigger one to
make it easier.
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4. 3. Instead of cups and saucers
you can use other objects but
must take into account the
weight of objects and the ball
used. A light ball won’t be
able to knock down heavy
objects. Other options include
using just cups, jenga blocks,
shoe boxes, empty food cans
(beware of sharp edges),
Pringles cans, cereal boxes,
wooden blocks, etc. The only
requirement is that the
objects must be easily
stackable by the youth.
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5. Preparation
• Create an open space in the
middle of a room or of an
outdoor area.
• Place the cups and saucers in
a pile for each team.
• Set up teams an equal
distance from the piles in the
center. The further away, the
more difficult the game
becomes.
• Give each team a ball.
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6. What to Do
1. The first person on each team
must run to the pile in the
center for his or her team in
the play area and stack all the
plates and cups. The cups and
saucers must be stacked so
that each cup rests on a
saucer, then the next cup and
saucer is placed on top,
continuing until a tower of
cups and saucers is built.
2. After the tower is built, the
youth runs back to his or her
team and tags the next
person.
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7. 3. The next person has a choice.
EITHER run straight to their
own team’s tower in the
center and unstuck and re-
stack the cups and saucers
OR
4. Toss the ball to knock down
another team’s tower. If the
ball is tossed, the next person
in line must retrieve the ball
and bring it back to the group
before the person who tossed
it can run to their tower in
the center and unstuck and
re-stack the plates and
saucers.
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8. 5. If a team’s tower is knocked
down by another team, the
person who originally
stacked that particular
tower must run to the
center and stack them again
before the next person can
go to the center and
unstuck and re-stack the
plates and saucers.
6. The first team to have
everyone on the team finish
unstacking and re-stacking
their tower wins.
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9. 7. Strategically, a team has a
choice to focus on building
their own towers or taking
time to knock down other
towers so that they slow
others down. Bear in mind
that they could knock down
more than one tower with
one throw – including their
own!
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10. Take It to the Next Level
In all our relationships the
things we do and say can either
build up or tear down. It always
seems easier to tear someone
down rather than build them
up. It takes a long time to build
someone up with positive
words, words of life, words of
blessing, but only a moment to
tear them down. And often, all
the positive that was done
before is wiped out in an
instant.
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11. We can all remember occasions
when we have personally been torn
down by someone’s hurtful words.
Most of us have been intentionally,
or unintentionally torn someone
down with our words or actions.
• Paul tells the Christians to let
no “unwholesome talk” come
out of their mouths. What are
some things that might be
called “unwholesome talk”?
Words that tear down?
• Why do people speak to others
with hurtful words?
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12. • What are some examples of
words that build up?
• Before we do or say things to
others, we need to ask
ourselves, will this build up or
tear down? Will it benefit, or
harm?
• How should we respond when
we have been hurt by words?
• How should we respond if we
have hurt others? What can
we do to make it right?
• How can we build up others
who have been hurt?
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13. Closing
Give each youth some adhesive
address labels and a something
to write with. They must write
down encouraging remarks on
the stickers and place them on
the backs of other youth with a
personal comment to encourage
them. Be sure to let the youth
know this is a time to be serious
and if they can not do it in a
meaningful, caring way you’d
rather them not participate. You
might want to have some soft
music playing while they do this.
Tell them to go build each other
up.
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14. Then ask for volunteers to come
to the front and read the words
on their back. Let the youth keep
them and ask them to place
them some place at home where
they will be reminded of the
encouraging words.
Action Point
Issue the youth a challenge to
speak positive words to at least 2
persons everyday for the next
week and then in the next
meeting ask them to share their
experiences.
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15. Scripture References
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is of good repute, if
there be any virtue, and if there is
anything worthy of praise, dwell on
these things” (Philippians 4:8)
“Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace unto the
hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)
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16. Bible Studies based on the book of Jonah
Only. This youth camp curriculum was
designed to teach the basic truths
of obedience in addition to evangelism in the
context of a Biblical character. The advantage
of going through a book and looking at one
man's story is that we see not only the
teaching but the example. It becomes much
more real!
Camp Curriculum - Whale of a Tale
-> Tell me about “Whale of a Tale”
www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/order5.html
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17. Creative Youth Ideas
Camp Bible Study Series
“Who Do You Say that I AM?”
www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/whodoyousay.html
-> Tell me about “Who Do You Say that I AM?”
Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do others
say that I am?" It was easy to answer
because it required no conviction, no
commitment, and no risk. But then he
follows that question with another, "Who
do YOU say that I am?"
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18. Live the Fruitful, Abundant Life
Jesus Promised. Great for youth camps or
weekly Youth Bible Study. There are 7
Primary Bible study Sessions in the series.
www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/fruitofthespirit.html
-> Tell me about “Fruit Of the Spirit”
Creative Youth Ideas
Youth Camp Bible Study Series
“Fruit Of the Spirit”
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19. "The Great Adventure" is western
themed Bible study series loosely based
around the song of the same name by
Steven Curtis Chapman. It was initially
written for a large Texas Church to use for
their Summer Youth Camp but has since
then proven popular around the world.
Camp Curriculum - The Great Adventure
www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/order12.html
-> Tell me about “The Great Adventure”
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