Paranoia
Paranoia
A Fun Youth Group Game
Watch the Tutorial Video
Paranoia is a simple team competition where students try to steal bandanas from the other team while protecting their own.
Overview
Ideal # of Participants: Any Number!
Where to Play: Indoor
Age of Participants: Middle School / High School
Approximate Time to Play: 10 to 30 Minutes
Materials Needed: Bandanas (2 per player)
How to Play Paranoia
Give everyone two bandanas and split the group into two easily identifiable teams.
Normally, when you split groups into two teams, it’s helpful for one team to wear bandanas so that you can tell who’s on which team. But that won’t work for this game, so you’ll need something like boys vs. girls or light clothing vs. dark clothing.
Everyone should take their bandanas and tuck them somewhere into their clothes. Pockets work best, but you can also use your waistband, as long as at least half of the bandana is hanging out.
Steal the Other Team's Bandanas
The goal of the game is to collect as many bandanas as possible by snatching them off of the other team.
It’s hard to take someone’s bandana in a straight-up 1-versus-1 scenario, so working together with a teammate or going for a sneak attack works best.
Students will need to decide when to work together, when to defend their own bandanas, and when to make a move for an opponent’s bandanas.
Tuck Your Bandana Before Stealing Again
There is one important rule that keeps students from simply running around grabbing bandanas as quickly as possible:
You aren’t allowed to go for another bandana until you have tucked in the one you just stole.
So if you successfully steal a bandana, you need to stop and tuck it into your clothes before you can try to steal another one.
What Happens When You Lose Both Bandanas?
If at any time you lose all of your bandanas, you have to sit down on the ground.
But you aren’t out of the action yet!
Your teammates are allowed to give one of their bandanas to you, allowing you to get back into the game.
This means players need to decide whether it’s worth giving up one of their own bandanas to bring a teammate back into the action.
How to Win Paranoia
Each round lasts 5 minutes.
At the end of the round, whichever team has the most bandanas wins.
The first team to win two rounds wins the whole game!
Tips for Playing Paranoia
- Make sure teams are easy to identify. Since the bandanas are part of the game, use another obvious distinction between teams.
- Use pockets when possible. They make it easy to tuck the bandanas in while keeping enough of the bandana visible to steal.
- Remind students that bandanas need to be visible. At least half of each bandana should be hanging out.
- Encourage teamwork. Students will have a much easier time stealing bandanas when they work together.
- Keep rounds to five minutes. The short rounds keep the game fast-paced and give teams multiple opportunities to adjust their strategy.
- Watch for overly aggressive play. Remind students that the goal is to steal the bandana, not to grab or tackle the other player.
Lesson Handout
Want to make this easy to share with your volunteers or students? Download the “Paranoia” Lesson Handout (PDF) below!
Where Games Meet God's Word...
Most leaders just look for games to play, but miss their true value. When used well, games help teach your lesson, because experiential learning is by far the most effective way to teach a lesson that sticks.
If you want to see this principle in action, check out Uplift, our FREE youth group lesson that is built for engagement. It contains a fun game, but then your students’ experience from the game ties into the Christ-centered message you’ll teach.
