Yet another twist on the old youth ministry classic dodgeball.  Just in case you are sick and tired of the same old week in and week out of playing dodgeball. “

A favorite around our 5th-8th-grade ministries. 

SUPPLIES

• Dodgeballs
• Cones or a way to define a center line

Quick Explanation

A game of dodgeball where players may not be eliminated immediately but rather lose the use of the area of their body that is hit.

Set Up

• Define the playing area and the center line
• Set out dodgeballs at the center line

How to Play

• Divide students into two equal teams.
• Give the “Quick explanation,” rules and an example.
  • Say something like this as an example, “If you get hit in the arm, you lose that arm for the remainder of the game…if you get hit in the leg you lose that leg and have to hop on the remaining leg for the remainder of the game…”
• On “Go!” everyone starts playing.
• You, as the game master, may yell “Healed!” throughout the game restoring everyone back to full health.

Rules

• Use your usual “house rules” for dodgeball.
• If a player gets hit from the shoulder to their hand, they lose the use of that arm and it must be held behind their back.
• If a player gets hit from the shoulder to their hand in the other arm they lose the use of both arms and can now only “dodge”. They may NOT kick the ball.
• If a player gets hit in the leg from the hip to their feet, they lose the use of that leg and must hop on one leg.
• If a player gets hit in the other leg from the hip to their feet, they lose the use of both legs and must play on their knees.
• If a player gets hit in the head, chest or back, they are dead and out of the game.
  

Winner(s)

The winning team is the one with the last remaining player still “standing.”

DAN ISTVANIK is the 5th to 8th-grade pastor at Victory Church in Lancaster, PA. He has been working in youth ministry for over 20 years serving churches in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia. Besides serving in the local church setting he is also the youth ministry content writer for Parent Ministry.Net, along with being a contributor to a variety of other great youth ministry resources like Youthworker Journal, Group Magazine, Download Youth Ministry, and more. Additional he shares daily Jr. high/middle school ministry specific resources, and hints on his own blog “The Middle Years” at: www.middleyearsministry.com