The Games Challenge

Toss and Capture: Have each player stand next to each other at a table with 10 cups set out in front of each person, placed rim down. Give each player an inflated balloon. Players must toss their balloon into the air then gather as many cups as they can before catching the balloon before it hits the ground. When collecting the cups, use the first cup to slide over the second and so on until all 10 cups have been collected and are sitting as a stack. Noting this will likely take multiple throws of the balloon in the air to collect all 10 cups! The winner is the person who captures all of their cups first without dropping their balloon.

High Roller: Set this activity up on a long table. Place at least 10 plates side by side down the middle of the table. Make sure to leave a space of approximately 50cm from one end of the table before the first plate. Blu-tac or tape these in place to avoid them scattering when playing. Place a pool noodle down either side of the plates to create a barrier on each side. Blu-tac or tape these in place as well. Starting from the first plate, draw a large number 10 in the middle of the plate using a permanent marker. Draw a 20 on the next plate. Continue in this way adding a number to each plate in increments of 10 until you reach the final plate. Have participants sit at the head of the table where you left the gap. Get them to roll a large foam ball along the table and up the row of plates. Whichever plate the ball lands on will be their score. Have your participants take turns with a specified number of rolls per person, calculating the scores as you go. The person with the most points at the end wins!

Quick Dice: Have two participants sit opposite each other at a table with six cups horizontally aligned down the centre of the table with the opening facing up. Use a permanent marker to number the cups from 1 to 6. Give each participant a die and when someone says “GO” they begin to roll. When they roll a number, the participant needs to grab the corresponding numbered cup from the middle and bring it to their side of the table. If that numbered cup has already been claimed, you just need to keep rolling! The aim is to roll the die as fast as you can and grab as many cups as you can. The winner will be the person with the most cups on their side once all six have been taken.

Balance Ball: Tape one end of a long length of twine to the open rim of a paper cup. Place the cup rim down at one end of the table and have the twine running to the other end (the length of the twine needed will vary depending on the length of your table). Place a foam golf ball on top of the upturned cup and have the participant sit or stand at the table where the end of the twine is. When the clock starts, the participant grabs the twine and pulls the cup towards them, making sure the ball remains balanced on top of the cup as they do so. If the ball falls off the cup, it will be reset and taken back to the top of the table. Once the cup is pulled all the way to the participant and the ball is captured, the clock can be stopped. The participant with the fastest time wins.

Bean Bag Fishing: Have four participants sit in a circle. Place five of each colour plate (red, yellow, green and blue) onto the floor in the middle of the circle. Cut a long length of twine and tie it firmly around the middle of each coloured bean bag. Assign each participant one of the four coloured bean bags and on “GO” get them to toss their bean bag into the middle, keeping hold of the end of the twine and aiming for their matching-coloured plate. As the bean bag lands on a plate, participants carefully “reel in” the plate by pulling in the twine. The winner is the person who reels in all of their plates first.