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Survivor Kickball

Survivor Kickball

A Fun Youth Group Game

Watch the Tutorial Video

  • Imagine you’re the pitcher on a kickball team, staring down the kicker. You feel confident, until you look around and realize… you’re the only one in the outfield. That’s exactly the setup for Survivor Kickball, at least to start.

Overview

Ideal # of Participants: 8 to 40

Where to Play: Indoors / Outdoors

Age of Participants: Elementary School / Middle School / High School

Approximate Time to Play: 10 to 45 Minutes

Materials Needed: Kickball, Something to use as bases

How to Play Survivor Kickball

Set up a normal kickball field with bases, and have all of your players line up to kick, except for one player who starts as the pitcher. This game is every-man-for-himself. As the kicker, your job is simple… survive.

The game plays like regular kickball, but because there’s only one person in the outfield, it shouldn’t be hard to get on base at first. To stay in the game, all you need to do is avoid the outfielder catching your kick, and avoid getting hit by the ball while running between bases. Additionally, if playing indoors, there is another way to get out: if a kicker sends the ball into the ceiling, they are automatically out.

If you successfully make it all the way around the bases, you’ve survived and get to go to the back of the line to kick again. However, if you get out, then the eliminated player joins the outfield.

As the game continues, more players join the outfield and it becomes harder and harder for remaining players to survive. Because this is a free-for-all, players may even start kicking the ball in ways that sabotage other runners who are already on base.

When you get down to three or fewer players, you may reach a point where no one is left to kick. If that happens, the player who has made it the farthest gets to return to home plate and continue the game. And if the game gets stuck in this situation for too long, you can add this rule:

  • Players must advance at least two bases to stay in

Keep playing until only one player remains. That player wins and becomes the first pitcher in the next round!

Lesson Handout

Want to make this easy to share with your volunteers or students? Download the “Survivor Kickball” 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.

Uplift

A FREE Youth Group Lesson

Complete free youth group lesson plan.

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