4-H Camp Counselor Backpacks
Each set of cabin counselors will get a 4-H Camp Counselor Backpack to use during County Time.
County time is one hour on the schedule Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Campers will do quick game
rotations every 10 minutes.
During county time, you’ll meet our campers under the pavilion.
 Line them up youngest to oldest.
 Count them off in even groups.
 Staying in the shade spread out groups at least 50 feet from each other.
 Start games and rotate clockwise when it’s time.
 Assign a counselor as timekeeper each day.
Camp Counselor Backpack Inventory
1
Games & Activities for 4-H Camp Counselors
1
Camp Skits Booklet
1
Soft Sports Ball
1
Rope
5
Balloons
3
Markers
1
Pad of Sticky Notes
4
Small Stuffed Animals
1
Frisbee
1
Roll of Toilet Paper
1
Stopwatch – only in one backpack
MONDAY
Lead
Counselor
Game we’re
playing
Timekeeper
TUESDAY
Lead
Counselor
Game we’re
playing
Timekeeper
WEDNESDAY
Lead
Counselor
Game we’re
playing
Timekeeper
WEDNESDAY
Lead
Counselor
Game we’re
playing
Timekeeper
County Time Game Rotation – use this grid to plan for the hour.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Using your stopwatch, yell, “START!” After 10 minutes, yell “ROTATE!” You’ll do this until county time is over.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Using your stopwatch, yell, “START!” After 10 minutes, yell “ROTATE!” You’ll do this until county time is over.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Using your stopwatch, yell, “START!” After 10 minutes, yell “ROTATE!” You’ll do this until county time is over.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Using your stopwatch, yell, “START!” After 10 minutes, yell “ROTATE!” You’ll do this until county time is over.
Mummy Wrap
Category: Trust building
Materials: Roll of toilet paper, watch
Preparation: None
Instructions: One member of the group is designated as the mummy. The other team
members are given 5 minutes to wrap their mummy with the roll of toilet paper. They should
be careful wrapping so that the toilet paper does not separate or tear. The mummy should be
wrapped from head to toe, but with some leg movement so walking is possible. At the end of
5 minutes, wrapping stops and team members walk their mummy around the room. Care
must be taken to be sure the mummy doesn’t get hurt or bumped. Campers should gently
move their mummies. If another cabin group is working with you, a race could be held with
cabins racing their mummies.
Discussion: How does it feel to be confined and have to rely on others? What times in this
game made you nervous or worried? How careful were the campers? How can we depend on
others as well as use our skills as helpers?
Rainstorm
Category: Time filler
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Tell campers that they are about to make a rainstorm with their bodies. Gather
everyone in the circle, and then establish yourself as the leader of the rainstorm. Begin by
gently rubbing your hands together back and forth to make a soft rustling sound. This is the
misting/sprinkling part of the rainstorm. Gradually increase the intensity of the rubbing so
that the sound gets louder. Slowly, move to patting your hands against your lap to get the
sound of drizzle. Again, you will want to increase the intensity of the sound as the storm
grows. While still patting your hands against your lap, begin to move your feet up and down
to get the thunder and pouring rain. Fade out the patting on your lap and increase the speed
and loudness of your stomping to make a really big rainstorm. Let the pouring rain subside,
and let the storm drop back to a drizzle by patting your hands on your lap. As that subsides,
go back to rubbing your palms together to make the sprinkling rain.
Tip: This activity works best if nobody talks, and students simply mimic your actions. Campers
will often want to try again to make the most realistic sounding rainstorm.
Human Knot
Category: Problem-solving, team building
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Everyone stands in a circle. Tell everyone to reach across the circle and shake
hands with someone (the person cannot be standing next to them.) After shaking hands, they
should not let go of that person’s hand. Then, tell them to use their free hand to grab the free
hand of a different person – not the same person that they shook hands with the first time.
Now that the group is all knotted up, ask the campers to unravel the knot by unthreading their
bodies without letting go of each others’ hands.
Discussion: What strategies worked best for unraveling the knot? If we were to do it again,
how could we be more efficient?
My Name Is…
Category: Icebreaker, physical activity
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Gather campers in a large circle. Tell them that they must think of a movement
to accompany their name. Begin the game by demonstrating a movement with your own
name (for example, say “Peter!” and spin around once.) The next person must repeat that
name and movement, then add their own name and movement. This continues around the
circle. The last person will have to do the names and movements of everyone else in the
circle! Help prompt the campers if they have trouble remembering the names and
movements.
Discussion: Which movements and names were the easiest to remember?
Pass It On
Category: Icebreaker
Materials: Softball
Preparation: None
Instructions: Have everyone in your cabin group get in a single file line. Give the softball to
the person at the head of the line and instruct them to hold it between their elbows. They
must pass the softball down the line using only their elbows. If someone drops the softball, it
must return to the beginning of the line and start over. The goal is to get the softball to the
end of the line and then back to the front using only elbows.
Discussion: What was the most difficult part of this game? How could we make it easier?
Tips: If your group really wants a challenge, have them clench the softball between their chin
and their chest and pass it on using only their chin and their chest. Because this method has
people get in each other’s personal space, you will have to watch carefully to see if it is making
campers uncomfortable. This game is also a good team-builder and encourages groups to
work together to achieve a common goal. You may want to pair up with another cabin group
and have them race each other to see who can pass the softball the fastest.
Giants, Wizards, Elves
Category: team building, physical activity, energizer
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Before you begin, explain the three rules to the campers:
1. Giants conquer wizards. To be a giant, raise your arms high above your head.
2. Wizards conquer elves. To be a wizard, make a triangle with your arms over your head.
3. Elves conquer giants. To be an elf, place your hands alongside your ears with index
fingers extended.
Divide the campers into two teams with a space of about 4 feet between them. Direct each
team to retreat a few feet for a huddle to decide which they will be: giants, wizards, or
elves. In their huddles, each team decides what they will be, plus a backup choice. Then
they come back to their 4-feet-apart stance. On a count of three, each team yells what they
are. If one team yells "Elves!" and the other yells "Wizards!," the wizard team will chase the
elves to their safe zone (you can mark these with cones or use a tree or other found
object). Anyone who is tagged becomes part of the opposing team. If both teams yell the
same creature, they do it over using their backup choice.
Blind Shapes
Category: Problem-solving, team building
Materials: Rope, blindfolds for each camper
Preparation: You will need a large open area in which your group can move around.
Instructions: Give instructions before you hand out the blindfolds. Tell campers they will be
blindfolded, arranged into a single file line, and in their hands they will be holding onto a rope.
Once everyone is grasping the rope, they entire group must work together to form a certain
shape (a square, triangle, or oval – whatever you instruct them to form.) After they’ve heard
the directions, line them up and blindfold them. Then place the clothesline in their hands so
that each person is holding onto it with two hands. Allow them to move around the space
until they think they’ve correctly formed the shape that you requested them to make. They
can talk to each other as they work to form the shape. Once they’re done moving, go around
the room and take off their blindfolds so that they can check accuracy.
Discussion: Was it hard to form the shape when you weren’t able to see what you were doing?
Do you think the group worked well together?
Tips: If your group enjoys this game, tell them that they’re not allowed to talk to each other
when they have the blindfolds on. This takes away two of their senses and makes
communication very challenging.
Minute Mysteries
1. If a plane crashes on the border of Canada and the United States, where would the survivors be buried?
(You don’t bury survivors.)
2. If you have ten cows and all but three die, how many are left? (Three.)
3. Do they have a Fourth of July in England? (Yes.)
4. In the Old West, a man rides into town on Thursday, stays three days and rides out on Thursday.
How can this be? (Thursday is the name of his horse.)
5. There is a man walking down the road dressed entirely in black. There are no lights on anywhere and no
moon. A car with no lights on comes down the road and manages to avoid the man. How? (It’s daylight.)
6. How far can a bear run into the forest? (Halfway, then it is running out again.)
7. The person who makes it sells it. The person who buys it doesn’t need it. The person who needs it doesn’t
care. What is it? (A coffin.)
8. What gets bigger when you take away from it? (A hole.)
9. Two people are out in the desert with nothing around them, not even any tracks. One is dead and one
alive. The dead person has a full backpack and the living person has an empty one. What was in the
backpacks? (Parachutes.)
10. Spell “most.” Spell “boast.” What goes into a toaster? (Bread.)
11. Do the candles burn longer on a boy’s birthday cake or a girl’s birthday cake? (Neither, candles burn
shorter not longer.)
Rush Hour Traffic
Category: Trust game
Materials: Bandannas or blindfolds
Preparation: None
Instructions: This is trust walk adaptation. Everyone partners up and uses their bandanna as a
blindfold for one partner. The person who is the car puts on the blindfold and holds hands up
as “bumpers” right in front of shoulders, thumbs almost touching. The driver stands behind
the car, placing hands on their shoulders. The counselor plays policeman calling for “traffic
rolling,” “slow for school area,” “red light,” “freeways,” etc. The drivers respond by steering
their cars through the other traffic without touching or bumping anyone else. After awhile
groups change roles. “Beep beeping” is encouraged.
Tip: Special emphasis should be placed on caring for your car. Avoid holes, curbs, rocks, roots
as well as other people
Group Juggle
Category: Team building, energizer
Materials: 1 beanbag, several small stuffed animals
Preparation: None
Instructions: Start with everyone in a circle. Take the beanbag and toss it underhand across
the circle to someone on the other side. As you do so say, “Here John!” John says: “Thanks
Sally!” Tell them after catching it to pass it across the circle to someone who has not yet
caught it (each person only catches and throws it once.) It’s okay to ask for someone’s name
before tossing it. And, that the most important thing is to remember who they threw it to!!
Ask them to cross their arms once they have caught and tossed it so that everyone knows no
to throw it to them again. The last participant to receive the beanbag should throw it bag to
you. Once the beanbag has been tossed around to everyone and back to you, ask everyone to
“Point to the person you threw it too.” This ensures that everyone will be able to repeat the
pattern on the next round. Tell them that you’ll be going around again in the same pattern
and that it ought to go much more smoothly and quickly this time! When the beanbag gets
back to you tell everyone to give themselves a round of applause. Then announce they need
to stay very alert because things are about to get more challenging. Throw the beanbag once
again to the same person to get things started. After it has gone to another two or three
people begin pulling the other stuffed animals from your pockets/bag and tossing it, until
there are about 4 things going at one time. You’re doing a group juggle!
Tips: It’s fun to secretly stuff your pockets with the stuffed animals before the activity begins,
and start out with just one that everybody can see. This creates a funny surprise on the third
go-round when you start pulling stuffed animals out of your bag.
Towel Chicken
Category: Time-filler, energizer, ‘magic trick’
Materials: Towel
Preparation: None
Instructions: First, roll up the towel like a scroll. Fold the
scroll in half so that the rolls are on the outside and pull
each of the four corners of the towel up out of the center of
each roll so that they stick out a little. Grab each pair of
opposite corners and pull firmly away from each other. See
the diagram on the back of the card for visual instructions.
Tips: It’s always good to have some chicken jokes on hand
to go with the towel chicken trick. Suggestions are on the
back. Also, campers will probably want to lean how to make the chicken themselves, so once
you get back to your cabins teach them how to do it with their own towels.
Chicken Jokes:
Why did the rubber chicken cross the road? She wanted to stretch her legs.
What do you get when you cross a chicken with a bell? An alarm cluck.
What do you get when you cross a chicken with a pit bull? Just the pit bull.
Why did the chewing gum cross the road? Because it was stuck to the chicken.
What do you call a crazy chicken? A cuckoo cluck.
What do chickens serve at birthday parties? Coop-cakes.
Why did the chicken stay outside during the thunderstorm? Because it was ‘fowl’ weather.
Tag Variations
Category: Physical activity, time filler
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Try playing one of the following variations on the game of tag:
Blob Tag: When the tagger tags someone, they join hands to form a tagging pair. They now
chase while holding hands, moving as a "blob." When they tag someone else, that person joins
hands and becomes part of the tagging blob. The members of the tagging blob have to work
together to keep moving in the same direction to achieve their goal. Tips: Break up groups of
four into two-person blobs to minimize confusion and stepped-on toes.
Tunnel Tag: Tunnel tag is a variation on freeze tag. In freeze tag, kids "freeze" in the position
they’re in when tagged. In tunnel tag, someone has to crawl through a child’s feet to
"unfreeze" him or her so they can rejoin the game.
Vegetable/Fruit Tag: When a tagger approaches a child in this game, he or she must squat
down and say the name of a vegetable or fruit for protection. If the tagger gets you first, you
also become "it."
Band-Aid Tag: In this variation, when a child is tagged, he or she places a hand on the spot that
was tagged. The child must keep a hand on that spot for the rest of the game. If the child gets
tagged a second time, a hand must be placed on the second spot. Now the child has used up
all the band-aids. If tagged a third time, the child must go to the "hospital" (the sidelines) and
do five jumping jacks to "get well" and rejoin the game.
What Am I?
Category: Guessing game, energizer, time filler
Materials: Sticky notes, marker
Preparation: On each sticky note, write a noun. It can be a place, an object, a color, or a food.
If you want, all of the nouns can relate to a theme, such as 4-H camp. Make sure that there is
one sticky note for each camper.
Instructions: Place the sticky notes on the campers’ backs so that they cannot see their own
sticky note. Tell them that their sticky note could be a place, an object, a color, or a food.
They must walk around, go up to other campers, and ask Yes or No questions about their
sticky note. Once they guess what they are, they can sit down.
Discussion: Which were the hardest things to guess?
Tips: Don’t make the items too difficult to guess, this will make the game more frustrating
than fun.
Ship’s Captain
Category: Energizer, physical activity
Materials: None
Preparation: You will need space to move around.
Instructions: The counselor starts as the captain. The captain must call out the orders to the
rest of the players, who are the crew. If a crew member does not follow an order correctly,
they are out. (This decision is made by the captain, who is always right – for the sake of game
playing purposes.) The last player left is the new captain. Teach the action for each command
first, and once everyone has learned them you can “officially” begin the elimination. The
orders are printed on the back.
Orders
To the ship: run to the captain’s right
To the island: run to the captain’s left
Hit the deck: crouch down or lay on your stomach
Attention on deck: salute and yell “Aye, aye, captain!”
Three men in a boat: crew forms groups of three and sings Row, Row, Row Your Boat (anyone
not in a group of three is out)
The love boat: crew members grab a partner and dance (anyone without a partner is out)
Clear the deck: everyone must have their feet up off the floor
Scrub the deck: everyone on their knees scrubbing
Captain’s quarters: everyone run towards the captain
Periscope: everyone falls on their back and sticks one leg up in the air
SHARK!: everyone runs to a designated base. The last player to run to the base is eliminated
Sick turtle: everyone falls onto their backs and waves hands and feet in the air
Row the boat: everyone finds a partner, sits face to face, and pretends to row a boat
Birthday Circle
Category: Energizer, teambuilder
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Ask the group to place themselves clockwise in order of their birthday months
and days. Give more specific directions and demonstrations if your group is young or
confused.
Ultimate Frisbee
Category: Team builder, physical activity
Materials: Frisbee
Preparation: None
Instructions: Create teams with another cabin group and play a game somewhat like football
but with a Frisbee. Players can run anywhere except when they have the Frisbee. Then they
must throw it from where they are.
Elephant
Category: Energizer, icebreaker
Materials: None
Preparation: None
Instructions: Have the group form a circle. If “It” points to you, you must make a trunk with
your arms. The people on either side of you must put their hands by your ears so that the
three of you look like an elephant. Anyone who is unable to do so by the time “It” counts to
ten becomes “It.”
Rhinoceros variation: This game is played just like Elephant except that the person “It” points
to puts fists together by the noise with the outer pinkie finger extended up. During the play of
Rhinoceros, “It” may call out either “Rhinoceros” or “Elephant.”
Monkey variation: Played like Elephant and Rhinoceros, except that the person “It” points to
must scratch his or her head with the right hand while scratching the right armpit with the left
hand and making monkey noises. The people to the right and left of the person doing the
scratching must put their hands in the air and sway as if they were coconut palm trees. During
the game “It” may point and call out “Elephant, “Rhinoceros,” or “Monkey.”
Boop
Category: Team builder, physical activity
Materials: Balloon
Preparation: Blow up a balloon.
Instructions: Ask participants to hold hands in a circle. Toss a balloon into the circle. Tell the
group to do anything necessary (without hurting each other and while holding hands) to keep
the balloon from hitting the ground.
Crab football style: This variation of Boop needs no formation but does require that
participants move in crab football style. Demonstrate by sitting on the floor and then using
hands behind and feet in front to move around like a crab. Participants may kick the ball or
keep it aloft with their heads but may not use their hands.
Variations: Add more balloons.
Balloon Volley
Category: Team building, physical activity
Materials: Balloon
Preparation: Blow up the balloon before you begin the game.
Instructions: Tell your campers to gather in a circle. Give them the inflated balloon. Tell them
they must toss the balloon amongst themselves, and they cannot let it touch the ground.
There are three levels to this game.
Level One: They can pass the balloon using only their heads or shoulders.
Level Two: They can pass the balloon using only their hands or arms.
Level Three: They can pass the balloon using only their ankles or feet.
Give the teams about three to five minutes to pass the balloon at each level, and then give
them instructions to move up to the next level of volleying.
Discussion: Was it difficult to keep the balloon off the ground? Which was the hardest level?
Did you learn to anticipate the actions of the other people in your group?
Tips: Talk about working together as a team and sharing a task. The task shared in this activity
is the responsibility of keeping the balloon off the ground – everyone must help. Relate it to a
task that your group actually shares, such as setting up for a meal or cleaning up the cabin.
Fun Ideas for Leading Games
Ideas for forming partners:
 Find someone with the same eye color as you.
 Find someone who had the same thing you had for breakfast.
 Start hopping on either your left foot or right foot and find a partner who is hopping with the same
foot you are.
 Find a partner who has a different number of brothers and sisters than you do.
 Find a partner who is wearing one item of clothing the same color as yours are.
 Put either your pinky or thumb in the air. Find one other person who is doing the same thing you are,
and that person is your partner.
 Would you rather eat an apple or an orange? Find someone who would rather eat the same thing you
like.
Tips:
 Need blindfolds? Fold up bandannas and tie them around the head.
 If you have icebreakers involving M&Ms or Skittles, do those early on at camp so that they don’t melt
in your backpack and make a mess.
 Throw your towel in your backpack so that you can make a towel chicken.
 Always participate in games with your cabin groups. Try to get the adult chaperones to play too!
Artistic Genius Skit
The scene is an art show where judges are inspecting several canvases that are on display.
They comment on the brightness, color, technique, that is used on the different pictures. They
select one for the prize and comment additionally on the genius, imagination, and the beauty
of the picture. The artist is called up and the winning picture is shown to him. The painter
exclaims, "Oh, my goodness! That got in by mistake. That's the canvas that I clean my brushes
on.”
Balloon Orchestra Skit
The players in the orchestra each hold a balloon.
They blow up their balloons in unison, then let out the air in a squeak
at a time to the rhythm of some easily recognized rhythm such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or
"Jingle Bells". To end the skit all fill their balloons with air and let go at the counselor’s signal.
Important Papers Skit
A person should be chosen as “royalty” to sit on a chair on stage. They should begin by yelling
out, “Bring me my important papers.” Someone should rush on stage carrying papers of some
kid (newspapers, books, worksheets – what ever is around) and say, “Here are your important
papers!” The royalty should look at the papers and reply, “No! Those are not my important
papers.” The messenger should rush off stage. Again the royalty should yell out, “Bring me my
important papers.” Another messenger should enter with different papers and say, “Here are
your important papers.” The royalty should look at the papers and reply, “No! Those are not
my important papers.” The messenger should rush off stage. This should continue until all but
one person has entered. The last time the royalty shouts the messenger should enter carrying
a roll of toilet paper. The royalty should say, “Ahhh yes, those are my important paper.”
The Lost Quarter Skit
One person holds up a flashlight like a lamppost. Another person is crawling around on the
floor looking for something. Someone walks in and says, “Do you need some help?” Reply,
“Yeah, I lost a quarter.” The person who walked in gets down and starts looking too. Another
person comes in, “Do you need some help?” Same reply. This person also gets down to help
look. This continues until all but one person has come in. The last person enters and says, “Do
you need some help?”
“Yeah, I lost a quarter.”
“Where at?”
“Over there.”
“Why are you looking over here then?”
“Because the light is better.”
Push a Rope? Skit
All of the campers (except the one with the rope) line up in a strait line facing the audience.
Then from off stage, the camper with the rope walks right in front of them pulling the rope
behind him. Well he keeps on doing this, while the campers in the line are looking puzzled and
confused, snickering at him and pointing.
Finally after awhile, one of the lined-up campers asks the camper with rope, "Why are you
pulling that rope?"
The camper with the rope stops and looks at him and says, “Well, have you ever seen a person
push a rope before?”
The Doctor Skit
The doctor should start the skit by standing in front of the audience next to a chair or bench.
The first patient should enter and the doctor should ask, “What is wrong?” The patient should
complain of a particular symptom as they act it out. (Broken arm, stomachache, sprained
ankle, etc.) The doctor tells them to, “Sit in my magic chair.” The patient sits down and the
doctor makes some action to pretend to heal them. (Make a noise, touch the back of the
chair, etc.) The doctor then tells them, “You are healed.” The patient gets up and leaves as the
doctor pretends to take on the symptom the patient had. The next patient enters with a new
symptom. The same exchange takes place and when the patient leaves the doctor now acts
out both symptoms. This continues until all but one person has entered and left. The last
patient should come in and when the doctor asks what is wrong they say, “I have diarrhea.” As
soon as the doctor sits them in the chair and starts to heal them the doctor should run
offstage pretending they have diarrhea.
Echo Skit
The counselor announces that he has noticed an echo and he is going to try it out. The
following is a dialogue between the counselor and the echo - a camper out of sight.
Counselor: Hello
Echo: Hello
Counselor: Cheese
Counselor: Cheese
Leader: Bologna
Echo: (silence)
Leader: (to group) It must not be working now. I'll try again. (to echo) This counselor is great!
Echo: Bologna!
Dead Fly Skit
A person should walk out in front of the audience and look down. They pretend to see
something on the floor and pick it up. “Hmm, a dead fly. I’m going to rip one of its’ legs off.”
They then drop it back on the floor and walk off stage. A second person enters and stops in
the same place. When they pretend to pick up the dead fly they say, “Hmmm, a dead fly with
five legs. I’m going to pull another leg off.” They then walk away. A third person enters, stops
in the same spot, and repeats the same actions and lines, ripping off another leg. This
continues until all the legs are off. The next person says, “Hmm, a dead fly with no legs. I’m
going to rip one of its’ wings off.” After the other wing and head are off the last person should
enter. They stop in the same spot, pretend to pick something up, look at it, say, “Hmmm, a
raisin,” and pop it in their mouth as they walk away.
The Fisherman Skit
Set this up by having someone sit on a chair pretending they are fishing. Next to him should
be a large bag (garbage bag or pillowcase works) with items in it to make it look full. An
announcer should tell the audience, “This scene takes place on a frozen lake. The fisherman
has obviously been successful because look at his full bag of fish.” The first person walks on
stage and exclaims, “Wow! Look at all the fish! What is your secret?” etc. The fisherman
mumbles a reply but doesn’t open his mouth. The first person says, “I can’t understand what
you said.” While he is trying to understand the fisherman the next person walks on stage.
“Wow! What’s your secret? How did you get all these fish?” The fisherman mumbles again but
doesn’t open his mouth. This continues until the whole group is on stage. Once everyone is
there they start to get mad at the fisherman because they cannot understand him. Finally the
fisherman cups his hands under his mouth and goes, “Patooee” and says, “The secret to my
success is that you have to keep the worms warm.”
The Elevator Skit
An elevator operator announces “Ground floor” and opens the door. A passenger gets on and
begins to jiggle slightly as the elevator rises. The elevator operator announces each floor:
“First floor, women’s clothing.” She opens the door and another passenger gets on and begins
to jiggle too. Continue up through as many floors as you need to get your whole group onto
the elevator. “Second floor, men’s clothing.” “Sixth floor, kitchenware,” etc. As the elevator
rises higher and higher, the passengers jiggle more and more. The elevator stops. The
operator calls, “Top floor, last stop.” Everyone starts to jiggle like crazy. “Bathrooms!”
Everyone rushes off the elevator and races offstage toward the bathrooms. The elevator
operator shakes her head in disbelief. Suddenly she looks funny and she too, begins to jiggle.
The operator shouts, “Me too!” and rushes after them.
JC Penney Skit
Begin with one person (character A) sitting on a bench or chair on stage. Have the second
person walk onto stage examining an article of clothing, watch, etc. (These items can be props
or something the person already has.) As the person walks by, character A should say, “Hi,
how are you?” and ask, “Where did you get that new shirt?” (or item of clothing.) The person
replies, “JC Penney” and walks off stage. A third person walks onto stage examining a
different article of clothing. Character A says the same thing, “Where did you get that (what
ever piece of clothing they are looking at)?” Character B replies “JC Penney.” This continues
until all but one person has entered. The last person runs onto stage with a blanket or towel
wrapped around them. As they pass Character A asks, “Hey, who are you?” The last person
replies, “JC Penney.”
Mysterious Flying Object Skit
One person walks onstage with head titled up at an awkward angle, stops, and stares up at the
sky. The position of this person’s head should not change during the entire skit. One by one
the others walk onstage, notice this staring person, and look up to see what she is looking at.
They stay on stage the entire skit, forming a line next to the person with the crooked neck.
Once all are onstage they comment to one another: “Do you see it?” “There it goes!” “I think I
just saw it!” etc. They clearly believe something is up there and talk excitedly about the
mysterious flying object in the sky. The last person to come on stage asks the person at the
end of the line what he is looking at. That person asks the next person, “So you know what we
are looking at?” The question passes down the line, finally reaching the first person. She is still
staring up at the sky and has taken no notice of the people next to her. She is tapped on the
shoulder and asked, “Pardon me, but what is it we’re looking at?” The first person turns with
her head still tilted awkwardly and says, “Oh hi. I didn’t see you all there. I’m afraid I’ve got a
stiff neck today.”
Empty Heads Skit
The participants are lined up. The announcer explains that these remarkable people all have
empty heads. To demonstrate this the first person in line takes a huge drink of water from a
glass. His cheeks bulge out with water. He then pretends to spit the water in the ear of the
next person in line. Actually he just lets the air out of his cheeks, only pretending to have a
mouthful of water. As the “water” enters her ear, the second person balloons out her cheeks
to make it look like they are filling up with water. Practice this. It should look as if the second
person’s mouth is filling up as the first person’s mouth empties. Keep passing the “water”
down the line until it reaches the last person. The last person in line receives the “water” in
his ear, puffs up his cheeks, and spits the water into a glass. This time it is real water, for the
last person had a mouthful of water during the entire skit without letting anyone know.
It it Time Yet? Skit
Have all skit participants sit side-by-side in a row on the floor or on a bench. One leg should be
crossed over the other so everyone is sitting the same way. The person on the end should
whisper in the ear of the next person loud enough for the audience to hear, “It it time yet?”
The second person should whisper the same question to the third person, again loud enough
for the audience to hear, and so on. When the last person is asked the question they should
look at their watch. They then whisper back to the person next to them, “No, it’s not time
yet.” This should be passed down the line. When it gets to the last person with the watch they
should reply, “No, it is not time yet.” Again, the first person sighs, and re-asks the question.
On this round the person with the watch says, “Yes, it’s time.” After it has passed all the way
back to the first person the group should look at one another and all uncross their crossed leg
and cross the other leg in unison.
Gotta Go Wee Skit
All participants should line up two-by-two with one chair in front of the next. This represents
students sitting on a bus (but participants are actually standing).One person should stand in
the front, acting as the bus driver, hands on the steering wheel, etc. The person in the very
last seat should whisper loud enough for the audience to hear to the person in the “seat” next
to them, “I gotta go wee.” This message should be passed from person to person until it
reaches the driver. The drier should look over their shoulder and reply, “We don’t have time to
stop now.” This should be whispered loudly from the person in the front of the bus back to the
wee-er. The back person should wait a few seconds and in more urgency whisper to the
person next to them, “I gotta go wee.” Again the message is passed from person to person
until it reaches the driver who replies, “Not now.” This message returns to the back of the bus
and for a third time the back person says, “but I really gotta go wee.” When the message
reaches the bus driver the third time the driver should simulate hitting the breaks and opening
the bus door. The back person should rush to the front of the bus, jump out the door with
arms in the air and yell, “Wheeeeeeeee!”
Invisible Bench Skit
One person should be on stage in front of the audience to begin the skit. They should pretend
to be sitting on a bench reading a book or looking around. Person A should enter and ask,
“What are you doing?” The reply is, “I’m sitting on the invisible bench.” Person A should ask,
“Can I join you?” The reply is, “Sure.” Person A pretends to sit on the bench next to the
original person. Person B then enters and repeats the same exchange to the bench sitters. The
replies are the same and Person B joins them on the bench. This continues until all members
of the group except one are sitting on the invisible bench. The last person enters, asks, “What
are you doing?” The original person answers, “Sitting on the invisible bench.” The last person
who entered replies, “The invisible bench? I moved that last week.” All the people on the
bench fall on the floor.