Games are a big part of a Renaissance Rally because they provide so much energy. How should games be incorporated into the rally? The formula that seems to work best is simple:

Announce recognition – cheer for recipients – play a game – repeat!

SELECTING PARTICIPANTS

You will want to find a controlled way to select participants. There are several ways to do this;

• Select game participants from students who are standing for a recognition
• Students chosen ahead of the rally. Since Renaissance Rallies focus on celebrating students from all social groups of a school, be sure a variety of students are represented.
• Randomly give students something as they enter the Rally that they will turn in when they come to the floor for participation (i.e,  color coded card, popsicle stick with game written on it, etc)
• Hide something under random seats that indicates what game the person in that chair will participate in.

GAME TIPS

There is nothing like seeing the student body cheering fellow classmates on! Games are another important component to a Renaissance Rally.

• Plan on playing 3–4 games throughout the rally. Given the time limitations, choose games that are minute-to-win-it style. A quick search on the internet will provide you with lots of great ideas for games.
• Plan on games that involve as many people as possible — both students and staffulty! Consider using the people that are being recognized for their achievements to be the participants in the games.
• Infuse your theme into the games. Many Renaissance Rallies feature traditional games (musical chairs) with a special twist to tie to the theme.
• Games that involve music are always popular. Whether it’s a lip sync battle or dance-off, games with music create tons of excitement.
• Set up an overall class competition for the games. Keep track of what grade wins the most games and award them with a Renaissance Rally traveling trophy!

RALLY GAME SUGGESTIONS*

Hungry Hippo

• Players are in teams of two. One person lays belly-first on the wheeled scooter holding the small laundry basket. The other player on the team is to hold his/her feet and move the person on the floor. Place the small balls in a grouping in the middle of the floor. Have the teams placed at equal locations surrounding the group of balls. Say “go” and the person holding the feet of the one on the scooter pushes the person forward toward the grouping of balls. The goal is for the person with the basket to capture as many balls as possible and the teammate will bring them back to the designated side. 
• After 1-2 minutes or all the balls are gone, the team with the most balls, wins. 

Face the Cookie 

• Place a cookie on your forehead.  Using only your facial muscles, move the cookie to your mouth, no hands.
• Point for each team to get the cookie to their mouth
• Cookie drops, they are out.

Giant Tic Tac Toe Relay

• Set up hula hoops like tic tac toe 
• Students stand behind mark on opposite sides the hula hoops with a bean bag
• First student runs and places a bean bags and returns and taps the next person
• First test to get tic tac toe wins

Marshmallow Mayhem

• Pile of mini marshmallows on a table.  First Student takes a straw and sucks up a marshmallow and carries it  to a cup on another table to deposit the marshmallow. Then the next student goes.
• Team with most in the cup after a minute wins

Stack Attack

• Each team has  students in a line at a table with 36 cups in a single stack.
• On “go” the first student must stack the cups into a pyramid, then unstack them into a single stack again.  
• Once done, the next person in line does the same thing
• First team to finish, wins

Hula Hoop Relay

• 2 teams, any number of players
• Stand in line, shoulder to shoulder, holding hands
• First person steps through the hoop and passes to the next person in line without letting go
• First team to go down and back through all team members wins

Over Under

• 2 teams any number of players
• Students stand in two equal lines facing one direction
• First person on line has a ball.
• On “go”, the person passes the ball over his/her head to the next person.  
• The next person passes the ball between his/her legs
• This continues until the last person in the line has the ball.  
• First line to finish, wins

Stomp, Clap, Snap

• 2 teams, any number of players
• Players line up and face each other
• Starting at on end, the first person stomps their foot
• This continues down the line until the last person stomps.
• The last person, then claps their hands.
• This continues up the line until the first person claps
• The first person then snaps their fingers.
• This continues down the line until the last person snaps.
• Line that finishes first, wins

*Many of the tips and games in this article are from the book Ideas, Ideas, Ideas: Rally Edition by Steve Bollar and Tina Dietrich. For more tips and idea, you can order the book (item RN-111) in the RenStore.