OPTIMIST SPARK FUN IN THE PARK
A global integration of youth and adults working together
OVERVIEW
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This Optimist International event will be staged at the club level annually where clubs can choose any date to host their event. This fun and exciting new event has been coined to target JOI and College Club members, working with adult Optimist club members. The event will further facilitate camaraderie between JOI, College Club members, adult Optimist members, and the community at large while providing an avenue for meaningful interaction and care for children with differing abilities by our Optimist members at all levels. This is undoubtedly the core function of an event of this stature and, in essence, it is a fun way of sharing our philosophy of Optimism with a wider cross-section of the children we serve globally.
ACTIVITIES TO MAKE EVENT FUN & EXCITING (Clubs select what will work best for them and add to this list of suggestions) |
FACE PAINTING
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THE FUDGE STICK CHALLENGE
This activity is a simple and fun activity that as many children and adult optimist can participate in based on the number of ice cream fudge stick and coins of varying sizes available at the organizers disposal. Items needed: • Several fudge sticks • Coins of varying sizes • Teams of two participants
How to play:
1. Children/participants should be in pairs of two
2. One participant will place fudge stick in mouth, while the other will stack the fudge stick with coins
3. Coins placed on fudge stick must be of varying sizes
4. The time keeper will determine when the 5 minutes has elapsed
5. If your coins fall off stick, you must restart. Children can be shown how to hold the golf club and how to put the golf ball. If in a close area, you can use plastic golf balls. The kids can put toward a target in the grass as in this photo they putted toward hula hoops placed in the grass. If your club owns or can borrow a portable putt-putt green mat that has a frame and a hole for children to putt toward, that is fun for the kids as well. Utilize what your club has access to without incurring extra expenses. Tug of War game Line the kids up and let the craziness start as they compete to be the strongest side.
How to play:
1. Children/participants should be in pairs of two
2. One participant will place fudge stick in mouth, while the other will stack the fudge stick with coins
3. Coins placed on fudge stick must be of varying sizes
4. The time keeper will determine when the 5 minutes has elapsed
5. If your coins fall off stick, you must restart. Children can be shown how to hold the golf club and how to put the golf ball. If in a close area, you can use plastic golf balls. The kids can put toward a target in the grass as in this photo they putted toward hula hoops placed in the grass. If your club owns or can borrow a portable putt-putt green mat that has a frame and a hole for children to putt toward, that is fun for the kids as well. Utilize what your club has access to without incurring extra expenses. Tug of War game Line the kids up and let the craziness start as they compete to be the strongest side.
GOLF PUTTING
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Children can be shown how to hold the golf club and how to put the golf ball. If in a close area, you can use plastic golf balls. The kids can put toward a target in the grass as in this photo they putted toward hula hoops placed in the grass. If your club owns or can borrow a portable putt-putt green mat that has a frame and a hole for children to putt toward, that is fun for the kids as well. Utilize what your club has access to without incurring extra expenses. Tug of War game Line the kids up and let the craziness start as they compete to be the strongest side.
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TUG OF WAR
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Tug of war is a classic birthday party game and a great kids activity to keep children active and laughing. Items needed: • A rope - the longer the better
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Doing The Activity
1. Split the children and adults evenly on either side of the rope. 2. It works best with the smaller or weaker players towards the middle and the stronger players at the ends. 3. Find a spot on the ground to mark as the middle. The objective is for one team to pull the other over the mark on the ground. 4. To start, someone yells "go" and everyone starts pulling as hard as they can ... until one team crumbles and they're all pulled across the line |
HULA HOOP GAME
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Doing the Activity
1. Gather all of the children together and present the challenge. Show them the hula hoop and ask them if they think it is big enough to fit their whole body through. Tell them that everyone in the group will have to take turns squeezing through the hula hoop. Then present the rules: 2. The whole group must stand in a circle holding hands, and they can never let go of their neighbors’ hands—if anyone lets go, the whole group must start over. 3. No one may use their hands to grab hold of the hula hoop. 4. The challenge is completed when the hula hoop returns to the same place it started, having passed all the way around the circle. 5. When your students are standing in a circle holding hands, separate two children’s hands, place the hula hoop between them and have them each reach through the hoop to hold hands again. This is the starting point. Tell them you’re going to time how long it takes for the hoop to get back to the starting point. 6. On your signal, have them start passing the hoop all the way around the circle and back to where it started. Make sure you are timing them, and share with them how long it took. Photo shows using small hula hoops to toss at “Cat in Hat” type hats as a ring toss game. |
SACK RACE
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There are numerous variations to sack racing rules. Here are just a few suggestions for you—but half of the fun of these games is putting your own spin on the rules! So get out there and be creative!
Individual Sack Race: To play you need one burlap sack for each individual participant. The more people racing, the more fun it is. 1. Participants will run to the sack, put both feet in and begin hopping toward the finish line. 2. Contestants must keep both feet in sack and at least one hand on the sack at all times. 3. The sack must remain as close to the waist as possible and should not fall below the knees. 4. The first racer to the finish line wins. Relay Race: To play you need one burlap sack for each participant or team. The more people racing, the more fun it is. 1. Each player puts both legs into sack and hops around a cone, or some marked point, and back, tagging the next person in line. 2. Then, the next person in line gets into the sack and repeats the once-around the cone course. Optimist International 3. The first team to the finish line wins. Note: The relay race can be done with individual participants or two-person teams. The two-person teams can fit both team members in the same sack, or by placing one leg each inside for the |
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“Three-Legged Race.”
Team Sack Race: To play you need one burlap sack for each team. The more teams racing, the more fun it is. 1. Start with 10 people per team (or an even number); 5 people on each side of the field (or applicable number if starting with less than 10 per team). 2. Start the race on one end and have each person tag the next in the other line. Continue until the team finishes. 3. The first team to the finish line wins. Note: The team sack race can be done with the “Three-Legged Race” rules, too. Three-Legged Race: To play you will need one burlap bag for each two-person team. The more teams racing, the more fun it is. 1. Participants stand side-by-side and put leg closest to each other in the burlap bag. 2. Together, they race to the finish line. 3. The first team to the finish line wins. Note: The “Three-Legged Race” can be done in relay race form, too. |
SPOON RACE GAME
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Material Required for Spoon Race Game:
• Spoons • Few lemonS of same size & shape. Rules: 1. Once lemon falls , the player is out. 2. After the start of the game player I not allowed to touch the spoon or lemon. 3. If no player reaches the finish line, then the player who covered the max distance is the winner. Description of Spoon Race Game: 1. Ask all player to hold the spoon in his /her hand and then put a lemon on it. 2. On start players runs with the spoon in his/her hand 3. To run without a lemon in the spoon means to break the rules. 4. The player who reaches the finish line first is the winner |
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HUMAN BINGO OR TIC TAC TOE
This game is a get-to-know-you style icebreaker.
The recommended group size is: large or extra large.
The game works best with a group of about 25 people.
It can be played indoors or outdoors.
Materials required are:
• printed bingo sheets
• pens
• Ages 12 and up
Setup for Human Bingo
The objective of this game is for people to wander around the room and to obtain the signatures of people who have the facts listed on the bingo sheet. Once a person successfully obtains a full row (5 in a row), whether horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, he or she shouts “BINGO!” and wins.
Instructions for How to Play
Pass out a sheet to each person, along with a pen. Explain the objective of the game and the following rules:
1. Each person you talk to may only sign your sheet once
2.To win, you must get signatures to form 5 in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
3. Say “Go!” and ask your participants to begin.
Once someone shouts “Bingo!” everyone returns and the person must introduce the people who signed his or her sheet.
If desired, you can ask each person to explain their fact.
This icebreaker game is fun way to get to know humorous or unique facts about people.
This game requires a little bit of setup.
Prepare a 5 by 5 table, with interesting facts written inside the boxes.
These facts can include funny or bizarre things.
For example:
• Likes anchovies
• Has been to Hawaii
• Speaks more than two languages
• Has never been on a plane
• Has more than four brothers
Be creative! You can mark the center square “FREE SPACE” like traditional bingo games.
After you have prepared the table, print out enough copies for the number of players you are expecting
The recommended group size is: large or extra large.
The game works best with a group of about 25 people.
It can be played indoors or outdoors.
Materials required are:
• printed bingo sheets
• pens
• Ages 12 and up
Setup for Human Bingo
The objective of this game is for people to wander around the room and to obtain the signatures of people who have the facts listed on the bingo sheet. Once a person successfully obtains a full row (5 in a row), whether horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, he or she shouts “BINGO!” and wins.
Instructions for How to Play
Pass out a sheet to each person, along with a pen. Explain the objective of the game and the following rules:
1. Each person you talk to may only sign your sheet once
2.To win, you must get signatures to form 5 in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
3. Say “Go!” and ask your participants to begin.
Once someone shouts “Bingo!” everyone returns and the person must introduce the people who signed his or her sheet.
If desired, you can ask each person to explain their fact.
This icebreaker game is fun way to get to know humorous or unique facts about people.
This game requires a little bit of setup.
Prepare a 5 by 5 table, with interesting facts written inside the boxes.
These facts can include funny or bizarre things.
For example:
• Likes anchovies
• Has been to Hawaii
• Speaks more than two languages
• Has never been on a plane
• Has more than four brothers
Be creative! You can mark the center square “FREE SPACE” like traditional bingo games.
After you have prepared the table, print out enough copies for the number of players you are expecting
OTHER POSSIBLE ACTIVITES
- Mini Pool
- • Duck pond game—toy ducks float in a plastic kiddie pool filled with water. They pick up a duck and check the number on the bottom and receive a prize. This is great for very young children.
- • Plinko—drop the ping pong ball in one of the plinko game columns and wait to see where it lands at the bottom then receive a small prize.
- • Board games
- • Bean bag game
- • Biscuit, cookie, or donut decorating
- • T-Shirt Designing
- • Wheelchair Basketball
- • Solve the puzzle
- • Bean Bag Game—toss beanbags at wooden target and keep points when you hit the hole. Also a standing version of bean bag game is also available and multiple holes are in the target to aim for.
- • Parachutes
- • Children’s craft table—see sample photo, your club can choose the crafts you like to do with children.
- • Fishing Fun Booth—club can create their own fishing booth and have some small prizes or books to give away. .
- • Donut, cookie, or biscuit decorating. Children decorate their item with frosting and some sprinkles and then eat their decorated treat. (Sample photo of child enjoying their creation.)
Partnerships with local businesses may be possible to help sponsor the event to assist with expense for some areas, i.e. lunch, bottles of water, special entertainment by a clown or balloon artist, etc.
Include invitations to your local police department, fire department, Red Cross, city safety department, city parks department to participate and have a booth or activity if they so desire.
The local parks department is essential to providing assistance in reserving the park for your event on a specific date in August. If a club owns a park area and clubhouse, they would not need to reserve a local park.
Be sure to invite the parents as well as this is a grave opportunity to drive growth through activities and engagement as they will have a first hand view of the philosophy of Optimist in Action
