Youth Games

Clan & Tribe

Tell kids that they're going to form different groups or "clans".  Ask group members to choose from the following list of animal they most identify with.  Keep choices secret.  After everyone has chosen a clan, have group members walk around silently shaking hands with everyone else in the room.  Each person should shake the number of times specified by his or her clan.  Have kids continue shaking hands until they've grouped themselves according to their clans.  Name enough clans to form small groups of five to nine members each.  For example, if you have 25 kids, name only five clans from the following list.

• Bear Clan: one shake. 
• Turtle Clan: two shakes,
• Wolf Clan: three shakes,
• Raven Clan: four shakes, etc. 

Then have kids follow the instructions for the five rounds of play described below. 

Round 1: After group members are in their clans, direct them to introduce themselves.  Then have each member tell about one beautiful place her or she has seen in the world. 

Round 2: Choose one clan to be chief clan.  Instruct the members of this clan to make sure that every clan has an equal number of members.  After the chief clan has evened up the clans, ask everyone to talk in their clans about places they have had to say good-bye to in their lives. 

Round 3: Direct each clan to trade one clan member for a member of another clan.  Then have the traded clan member ask their new clans three questions.  For example, kids may ask about hobbies, interests, or favourite foods. 

Round 4: Instruct each clan to trade two clan members for two members of another clan.  Then have the old members of each clan ask the new clan members three questions. 

Round 5: Gather the clans together and have kids share new things they learned about each other through this activity.