Stimulus Super-Amazing Fun! Yay! Games List!

ENERGY GAMES

The following games are for energizing the cast and crew.


  • Bunny-Viking-Diva


    • Usually played in a circle, the commands of "Bunny," "Viking," and "Diva" are passed from one person to another. When the command is passed to one person, that person acts out that character while the two people on the side aid the scene. For example, if someone were to pass "bunny," the person in the middle would mime the big teeth and the people on the sides would mime the ears. Different commands can be added depending on the people involved.

  • Pass the Clap


    • Another game that starts in a circle, Pass the Clap involves a leader who begins the clapping rhythm. This rhythm is passed from person to person around the circle, with each person making eye contact in passing the rhythm to the person next to them. The leader can vary the speed of the rhythm to make sure that everyone is in sync with everyone else.

  • Sound and Motion


    • This game is also played in a circle. The person starting comes up with a sound and motion (note, they do not necessarily have to be sounds that would accompany motions--such as a sneeze and an "achoo"). This sound is passed to the person next to them, with the sound and motion increasing in volume and "over-the-topness" as it finally makes its way back to the original person, who makes it the loudest and biggest. The next person then comes up with a different sound and motion. One variation of this game is that the sounds and motions build into almost a story, so by the time the last person comes up with their own sound and motion, all the previous sounds and motions are incorporated in order, making a story of sound and motion.

  • Cheesesteak's Couch Game


    • Developed during A Philadelphia Cheesesteak Story, this game MUST be played where there is an availability of couches (such as in the Green Room of Annenberg Center). The members line up and begin to run on top of the couch cushions, chasing each other in an innovated game of tag. Just don't trip!

  • 10-Second Shout


    • This game is very simple. Shout for 10 seconds. A variation of this game can also be played where the shout increases in intensity over the course of 10 seconds.

  • TV Tag


    • Just like that old game of Freeze Tag you played when you were younger, TV Tag is played along the same lines. When one person is frozen, they can only be unfrozen when another person slides between their legs, stating a TV show. Then, the frozen person is now able to continue the game. (Note, should be played in a large room).

  • Walk with Me


    • Starting in a circle, this game involves one person in the middle. This person begins to walk in a very distinct way, inviting another person to join and mimic the same walk. Once the first person has walked completely around the circle on the inside, they rejoin the circle and the second person begins a new walk (completely different), inviting someone else to join them. To invite someone to join in the walk, the person in the middle says, "So-n-So, walk with me."

  • What are you doing?


    • Starting in a circle, the person in the middle of the circle begins miming an action. Someone from outside the circle comes in and asks, "What are you doing?" Then, that person in the middle says they are doing something completely different than what they were previously doing. That second person must then mime that action. For example, if the person starting in the middle mimes reading, and the second person asks, "What are you doing?" The first person answers, "Washing dishes." Then, that second person must mime washing dishes until another person comes in and asks, "What are you doing," continuing the cycle.

  • Red Rover


    • Another childhood favorite, Red Rover starts with two teams on opposite sides of the room. The teams line up, holding hands tightly. Then, someone from one team calls out, "Red Rover, Red Rover, send so-n-so right over." Then that "so-n-so" person runs over to the line, trying to break up the bond of held-hands between the people. If the bond is broken, that person gets to choose one other person to join their line on the other side. If he/she fails to break through the line, then he/she must join the other team. Each team alternates calling people over until one team has all the people and is declared the winner.

  • Ho!


    • The members get into a circle. One person runs up to another across the circle. The two people jump in the air, slap both hands, and say, "Ho!" Then they switch places and the second person runs up to another person, slaps hands, and yells, "Ho!" A variation of this game involves more than one person running up and instigating the "Ho!"

  • Zip-Zip-Boing


    • Members start in a circle. One person starts by passing a "zip" to the person next to them. That person can either "zip" the person next to them, or they can choose to "boing," which sends the "zip" back to the original person, causing it to go in the opposite direction it started. That person can either "zip" back or "boing" back.
  • Zing-Pow-Boing


    • Similar to the above game of Zip-Zip-Boing, this game starts in a circle. The starting person can either "Zing" to the left or right. That subsequent person has three choices--to continue the "Zing" to the next person, to "Boing" and send the "Zing" back to the original person, or to "Pow" to a person across the circle. That next person has the same three choices.

  • Zip-Zap-Zop


    • This game also starts with the members in a circle. The beginning person, claps a "Zip" to anyone else in the circle. That person then claps a "Zap" to another person. That third person claps a "Zop" to another person, who starts at the beginning of the sequence by clapping a "zip" to another person in the circle. This game should be played with eye contact between the people clapping so that the others know to whom the Zip, Zap or Zop is being given. As the members get more and more comfortable, the game will get faster and fast, with no pauses or hesitations between the "zip zap zop."

  • Flee Fly Flo


    • This game should also be played in a circle. The leader person starts the verse and the others follow along. The verse goes like this:
    Flee! (other members repeat)
    Flee Fly! (other members repeat)
    Flee fly flo! (members repeat)
    Cumma-latta-cumma-latta-cumma-latta bee(f)stick (members repeat)
    Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah-nah bee(f)stick (members repeat)
    Eenie meenie exe-menie wax-emenie sala-menie (members repeat)
    Eenie meenie exe-menie wax-emenie Soooo (members repeat and fall down


  • Ring-Around-The-Rosie


    • You know the childhood game. Members hold hands and sing the following song: "Ring around the rosie, Pocket full a' posies, Ashes, ashes we all fall DOWN." Everyone falls down. Some of us here at Stimulus like to refer to this game as the "Plague Dance."

  • Bippity Bippity Bop


    • A Stimulus favorite, the instructions of this game would not do themselves justice on this page. It is best described in person, I kid you not!

  • Spontaneous Combust


    • The leader counts to ten. In those ten seconds, the members slowly curl themselves up until the 10th second when they are tightly curled up. After that 10th second (the 11th second, if you will), all members explode out of their curl, screaming and yelling as only an explosion could do.

  • Shakeout


    • The members are in a circle. They begin to shake out their arms, one by one, followed by their legs. The number of shakes is as follows: 8-4-2-1. Each limb is shaken that amount of times, going faster and faster, counting out loud each time. A variation of this game involves shaking combinations of arms at legs during each of the counts. For example, the first eight counts would be the right arm and left leg; the next would be the left arm and right leg; the next would be the right arm and leg, followed by the left arm and leg. Then, the count would move to 4 in the same fashion or combined arms and legs.

  • Gosh darn, we're energized


    • Members get in a circle and hold hands. Starting out softly, they repeat the phrase, "Gosh darn, we're energized," over and over, getting louder and more intense with each one until the energy explodes and everyone lets go of each other.

    PHYSICALITY GAMES

    The following games teach the fine art of making fools out of oneself and exaggeration of movements.



  • Improv Freeze


    • Two people improv a scene. One of the members not improving will clap and yell, "Freeze." When this happens, the improv members must freeze. Then, the person that told them to freeze will take the place of ne of the improvers, mimicing their exact position, but starting the scene in a different way than it was going before.

  • Machine Game


    • The object of this game is to form a machine will all members playing. One person starts by miming a motion and a sound. Subsequent people join, adding their own motions and sounds to the machine until everyone is a part of the machine. Instructions can be yelled, such as "Faster!" or "Slower" to encourage movement and group dynamics.

  • 4-Square Emotions


    • An imaginary quadrant system is drawn on the floor. Each quarter of the circle is assigned an emotion. They should be four distinct emotions. Then, two people begin to improv a scene on the quadrant. Whenever someone is standing in a square, their character must take on that emotion. Whenever the person moves, the emotion must change to the emotion that corresponds to the square that he/she is in.

  • Hokey Pokey


    • Oh you KNOW this!

  • Follow the Leader


    • I know you know this one, but I'll be nice and describe it. People line up in a "single-file" line, one person behind the other. The person at the front is the "leader" and everyone must follow was the leader does. After the person in front gets tired of being leader, he/she moves to the back and the second person becomes the leader...and so on.

  • Pizza, Pizza, Daddy-O!


    • Members get into a circle. Someone goes inside the middle. The members on the outside chant, "So-n-so's got a boy/girl friend! Pizza Pizza DaddyO!" The person in the middle responds, "Who told you?" And everyone chants, "Pizza Pizza Daddy-O!" Then the person in the middle says, "Like a..." (fill in that blank) and begins to mime that action while the others in the circle mimic that person, saying "Pizza-Pizza Daddy-O!" For example, if the person in the middle said, "Like a rock star," then everyone would mimic a rock star. The person in the middle take three or four "like a..." depending on what they want to do. Finally, when he/she has had enough of being in the middle, he/she says, "like so-n-so" (who is in the circle). That person then comes into the circle and the game starts again.

  • Dodgeball


    • Best played with a foam ball, the members are split into two teams. Teams take their positions on opposite sides of the room. The object of the game is get all the opposing members out. To do this, you have to hit the opposing team members with the ball without them catching the ball. If they catch the ball, the person who has thrown it is out. Hits to the face aren't allowed and don't count as an out!

    The following games are listed under this heading and are described above:
         Bunny-Viking-Diva
         Sound and Motion
         Bippity Bippity Bop
         Walk with Me

    CONCENTRATION GAMES

    The following games teach eye contact and focus.

  • Hodgy Podgy


    • Members sit in a circle, with their legs crossed. They begin by clapping out a rhythm that goes, "Hodgy-Podgy hodgy-podgy hodgy-podgy Go!" Then the first person starts to put a sentence together by saying one word. Each subsequent person adds another word--in rhythm--until a sentence is made and someone gives a concluding punctation mark--such as a period. Then, the next person continues by starting a new sentence. People are eliminated when they fail to think of a word, say their word off-beat, or stall. The rhythm can be made faster or slower, depending on the experience of the people.

  • Smile if you love me, baby


    • A favorite among *some*, this game teaches not only focus and eye-contact, it also teaches members how *NOT* to break into laughter or out of character on stage. Members sit in a circle with one person in the middle. The object of the person in the middle is to get out of the middle. The object of the players in the circle is to remain in the circle, and not go into the middle. To get out of the middle, that person must make another person in the circle smile or laugh. There are three chances per person in the circle, and the person in the middle must try up to three people on the outside. The person in the middle, without touching the person on the outside, tries to make him/her laugh by saying, "Smile if you love me, baby" in any manner. Eye contact must be kept at all times. Once this is said, that person in the circle must respond (without smiling or laughing), by saying, "I love you, baby, but I just can't smile." This goes on for three times, unless that person breaks, then he/she must go into the middle! It can be frustrating, but it tests the limits of members.

  • Deck of Cards Cocktail Game


    • First, eliminate all the Aces in the deck. Then, each member is given a card, face down. Without looking at the card, each person holds the card on his/her forehead so that others can see. After this has been done, the scene is set. All members are at a cocktail party and each person must act accordingly to each of the other members--without knowing his/her own card. However, voice is not allowed. For example, any person wearing a King is revered as a King would be, whereas someone who is wearing a 2 would be treated lowly. Each of the other cards fall into this spectrum. Whenever the members are ready, they must all line up in sequence, judging from what they have gathered about each other, without talking!

  • Shark


    • A long-standing game within the Stimulus body, recently reinstated, this game is either played in the dark or with trusting people--as the members have to close their eyes for the duration of the game. All members line up in a circle, eyes closed. The leader (who usually doesn't play the game) will pick a Shark by tapping that person on the shoulder. All the other members are Fish. After the shark has been chosen, it is announced and the leader moves all of the people into positions around the room. After this, either the lights are turned out, or people are instructed to begin the game. The person assigned Shark must kill the fish by squeezing his/her arm. Once a fish has been killed, he/she must wait ten seconds, then die (loudly, so that others can hear) and then open his/her eyes and move away from the game to where the leader is sitting. After all but one fish has been killed, the two remaining members (one shark and one fish) both become sharks and must seek each other out. The person who kills the other first is the winner. The purpose of this game is to teach focus and concentration; often on stage, members must be aware of each other's presence without having to look around and see the others. This game hones in on that skill.

    The following games fall under this heading but are described above:
         Zip-Zap-Zop
         4-Square Emotions
         Bippity Bippity Bop

    CHARACTER GAMES

    The following games encourage expression of emotion and character.

    Self-explanatory games:
         Writing Valentines
         Character Scenarios (improv)

  • 1,2,3 Game


    • This game involves improvisation. Three members are needed for this game. The first member (A) sets the scene, without words, instead using only miming and context. The second member comes in (B), and, in one sentence, establishes a relationship with A. For example, A has established the scene in a kitchen. B enters and say, "Hi, Honey, what's for dinner?" Next, A, in one sentence, establishes a conflict in the scene (Note, these sentences do not have to come one after the other. Time can be taken between each sentence). In keeping with the same example, A would say, "Why are you home so late?" And B, in one sentence, must heighten the conflict. For example, B would say, "Why are you always getting on my case?" Lastly, the third person comes in (C) and resolves the conflict. In this example, C might say, "Hi, Mom and Dad, I'm home and I got all A's on my report card." Or something to this effect. As long as a resolution comes about at the end.

    These games fall under this category but have already been described above:

         Deck of Cards Cocktail Party
         4-Square Emotions

    SELF AWARENESS GAMES

    The following games help you explore yourself and each other.

  • Expectations worksheet


    • Each member is given a piece of paper that they must divide into three sections. Each section is labelled as follows: "Me," "Me in the Show," "The Kids." Underneath each heading, members write their expectations for the semester, and what they expect to learn and gain from the experience. Once everyone is finished, they share their worksheet with everyone else.

  • M&M Game


    • This game requires a bag of M&Ms (any kind that you want). The bag is passed around a circle with each person taking some. None are to be eaten yet. For each M&M that is taken, one fact must be told about that person by him/herself. Usually, it is required that the fact be something that no one else in the circle knows, but this rule can be stricken if some members of the group already know each other pretty well.

  • Childhood Remembrance Game


    • This game can be played in a variety of ways, from telling stories about one's childhood, to drawing pictures of one's family, to relating elements of the show with childhood memories.

  • Mirror Game


    • Played in many theater groups and classes, this game involves people pairing up into groups of two. Each group of two people faces each other, with one person as the mirror and the other person is the person looking into the mirror. The "mirror" must follow the other person's movements, facial expressions, and body language, as a mirror would. Then, the people can switch positions. Once people become more experienced and more bonded, they can play a variation that involves having no leader, and the people just follow each other.

  • Trust Circle


    • This game is played with members in a very very tight circle, shoulder to shoulder. One person in the middle closes his/her eyes and puts their arms across their chest, making an "X" on his/her chest. Then he/she slowly leans in a direction, trusting that the others in the circle are going to keep him/her up and not let him/her fall through the circle.

    The following games fall into this category but have already been described above:

         Shark
         Bippity Bippity Bop
         Character Scenarios (improv)
         Zip Zap Zop
         Writing Valentines

    TEAMWORK GAMES

    The following games encourage teamwork, coordination and bonding.

  • The Beat Game


    • Members gather in a circle and a "song" is created with each person providing a beat, ala a bizarre acapella group.

    · Pass the Clap
    · The Beat Game
    · Deck of Cards cocktail party· Circle Song Game
    · Machine Game· Tossing Ball
    · Christi's Story Game· Trust Games
    · Kitty Wants a corner· Karen's Pass the Clap
    · Shark· Michelle's Get Down Game
    · Debauchery Nights · Circle Rap
    · Trust walk· Trust circle
    · Shoe Thing· Zip Zap Zop
    · Jim-a-laya or Chalolo· Sardines
    · Mirror Game· Follow the Leader

    MISCELLANY GAMES

    Games that do not fit the above catagories.

    · Gibberish Scenes· Movement Run Through
    · Exagerated Run Through· Noahs Ark - 2 people must act like animals and we guess which
    · Ultimate Frisbee· Human Band (each person is voice/sound. One person plays a song with all of them.)
    · Improv w/props (show & tell)
    · Duck Duck Smooch · Kissing Rugby (Becky)
    · What are you doing?· Sound & Motion add on
    · Memory Game (I'm going to the store) · Count to 10
    · Sing off· Hunter & Hunted
    · Imaginary Ball Toss · Boom-chic-a-boom
    · Emotion Aerobics

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