This is an activity that I have used for larger retreats with ABSURDLY great results. There is a little prep, but there are no supplies needed, other than a piece of paper ripped into strips, as many strips as there are people in the group. As I said, I like using this activity with larger groups.

First, write down a goofy action on each strip of paper. Some examples I’ve used are:

– “Pretend to get in a fight with yourself”
– “Go up to someone in the circle and whisper to them, “I don’t mean to alarm you, but I just wet my pants.”
– “Use your body to spell out your name.”
– “Do the Napoleon Dynamite dance.”
– “Make up a song about bananas.”

The activities should be something that might make you laugh if you saw it OR if you had to do it.
Second, one by one, people take a turn doing what their slip says in the center of the circle. When they have concluded their action, they rejoin the circle and the next person goes. If anyone in the circle laughs at any point, they are out. You continue until only one solemn youth remains. This activity is usually good for a single round per slip, meaning if you want to do a second or third round, make more slips with more actions. Because youth want to win the game, they are encouraged to be goofy, odd or strange to enhance their performance in order to cause laughter. This game creates wonderful inside jokes and connections and loosens people up for the rest of a retreat.