We are asking that each person coming on TREK decorate a bucket with people from their ancestry. These people can be ancestors they feel connected to, or family members that have inspired them, or ancestors that they found and did the work for! Each youth family member should be given the opportunity to share their bucket story sometime along the trail, or back in camp. Youth that do not have the opportunity to share their story along the trail should be given the opportunity at some time during family time. It will be even more meaningful if youth with specific pioneer heritage share this experience. The person/persons on the buckets will be the person they are trekking for and thinking about on TREK.
Along the trail there will be many stopping and waiting times. Bishops will have pioneer stories ready to share at any given moment, but it is also nice to mix in some fun games. The following is a list of some games and activities that can be used as gap filler.
We often claim that everything on a Pioneer Trek has a purpose. One of the purposes is to have good old-fashion fun – the pioneers certainly did when they could. There are occasions on the trek when you will find extra time on your hands. These “gaps” often occur between meals and scheduled events, or when there is some unforeseen delay in the trek. Rather than spend your time trying to coral your restless family you can initiate one of several activities. Past experience has shown that it is important that you have several of these “gap fillers” up your sleeve. Keeping the youth busy and having fun can make the difference between a successful experience and a mediocre one.
Wink-um: Pairs of players form a circle with the girls sitting and the guys kneeling behind them (or visa versa). There is one empty spot where there is one person behind but no person in front. This person kneeling winks at one of the sitting people. The person sitting then tries to run to the empty spot, while the person kneeling tries to detain her. If the person escapes there is a new winker, if the person sitting does not escape – the same person winks again. The people kneeling behind must keep their hands down to the sides until the person sitting in front moves. The people behind can not watch the winker, only the head of the person sitting in front of them.
Do You Love Your Neighbor: Players stand in a circle-formation with one person in the middle. The middle person is “IT”. “IT” asks one of the people in the circle, “Do you love your neighbor?” If the player answers yes, the players on each side of him must switch places before “IT” can take their place. If the player answers NO, he must then say whom he does love. He will say something like ” NO, but I love everyone wearing blue.” Then everyone wearing blue must switch places before IT can take their place. The person left without a place is the new IT.
States: Sit players in a circle and have everyone choose a state (or fruit or famous person, etc.), Go around the circle twice, having each person name their state so that the players can memorize them. “IT” stands in the middle with a rolled up newspaper and approaches a player who must name another state (one that belongs to someone in the circle) before IT hits them on the head. It must hurry to the person whose state was named and try to hit them before they can name another state. Whoever is hit on the head before naming another’s state is IT. If a player says their own state or a state not in the group they become IT.
Tangle: Stand in a tight circle. Have everyone put their hands in the middle and instruct them to join hands with someone else. No one should join two hands with the same person. Now, without letting go the group must become untangled.
Person to Person: Everyone has a partner. Players mingle about the area until the leader calls a command. When a command is given the players must find their partner and follow the command. For example, if the leader calls “nose to hand” players must find their partner and touch their partner’s nose with their hand. Any combinations of body parts within reason may be called. The last pair to find their partner and follow the command is eliminated. Play is continued until only one pair remains.
Strength and Fears: Each person in a circle shares one of their greatest fears. When everyone has shared a fear you should go around the circle again and ask every one of his or her greatest strengths.
Champion the Cause: In a circle, one person shares a peak experience that they have had, one that meant a great deal to them for some reason or another. When they have completed sharing their experience, the other members of the family share their observations about that person’s outstanding characteristics. This is continued until everyone has had a chance to be “Championed”.
If I Had A Million Dollars: Ask each member of the family what they would do if they were suddenly given a million dollars. You can ask them where they would go if they could travel, or who they would like to meet, what they would accomplish, who they would help etc.
Ninja: The players stand in a circle and strike a “ninja” pose. Then the person who is ”it” has one move to try and touch another person in the circle. (They may unfreeze for one move to dodge.) Play continues around the circle in a clockwise pattern. If you are touched you are out and the play continues until one person is left.