Outdoor Game; All Ages; 20-30 kids
Wawa Man is probably one of my all-time favorite games! It’s a combination of Football and Capture The Flag rolled together as one.

Setup
1. Setup a field like the image below. We used lots of old tires to outline the field, jail and safe zone, but you can just as easily use cones or whatever. The jail should be small enough to be a tight fit for all the kids on one team. The safety zone should have a diameter of about 15 feet.

2. Cut a twin size sheet in half across the width.

3. Take two 4-square balls and wrap each one in half of the sheet like a lollipop wrapping, so the ball looks like the head of a cheap Halloween ghost. Bunch the sheet together underneath the ball and seal it tightly with a zip tie. When you cut the excess zip tie off, make sure there are no sharp corners or edges. Say hello to your Wawa Man.

4. Make two teams and assign each team to a side of the field.

5. Place a Wawa Man in each safety zone.

Objective: Get the other team’s Wawa man to your side of the field.

Rules
1. Once you cross the mid-way line onto the other team’s territory, you’re free game to be caught by someone on the other team and sent to jail. Determine beforehand how to catch someone. We like to play tackle with high school students, but you can also play two-hand touch, although the games take a LOT longer. (Only girls can tackle girls, but anyone can tackle a guy.)

2. Prisoners must stay in jail until one of their team members makes it safely to the jail and tags a captive teammate. Prisoners get a free walk back to their side of the field, but the valiant hero is still free to be captured.

3. If someone makes it safely across enemy territory and reaches the Wawa Man, they may stay in the safety zone for as long as they want. There is also no limit to how many teammates may occupy the safety zone together. Opponents, however, may not enter the safety zone.

4. When attempting to take the Wawa Man back to your territory, the Wawa Man must not touch the ground. If he does, he is returned back to his safety zone. The Wawa Man also cannot be passed forward, only lateraled backwards between teammates. If you are tackled/tagged outside the safety zone while holding the Wawa Man, you go to jail and the Wawa Man is returned to the safety zone.

5. Play as many rounds as you want. When it’s all over, have fun listening to all the “heroic” stories kids have to tell! The Wawa Man will become a symbol of pride and bragging rights for your group.

Bonus idea: Playing in a muddy field is the best! It’s also fun to play in the snow on a nice sunny day.

SUBMIT YOUR GAME: If you have a favorite youth group game, tell me about it. If I publish it, you’ll receive full credit, a link, lots of gratitude and a warm feeling inside that comes from sharing with others.

Posted on September 27, 2007