Kids Ministry Idea: I (triple dog) dare you to do challenges.
An epic smell-the-shoe challenge. Indoor Sunday School. Brooklyn, NY. circa 2013.
I (triple dog) dare you to do challenges. Oh yeah, I just invoked the ‘triple dog’ dare. I’m old school like that. Whether it’s current fun Tik Tok trends or just silly challenges between adults, kids love this stuff.
The photo above illustrates exactly what I’m talking about. This was some type of challenge during the game time and whichever side (the boys or the girls) lost the game, they would have to smell (or maybe kiss?!) the other person’s stinky shoe. Like I said, silly. But the real name of the challenge game is to EX-AGGGG-ERRRR-ATE! Again, this photo is an absolutely fabulous example of that. He’s dramatically pinching his nose. He’s gasping for fresh air before leaning in for the big sniff. He’s stalling and asking for a morale boost from the boys in the crowd. He’s maybe making a fake lean in, a pretend faint, with some added hyperventilation. He’s being extra and ridiculous and it’s perfect. It’s all a part of the drama and silliness and hype so that when the moment of contact is finally made - BOOM! - it’s utter pandemonium! The kids squeal with wild cheers and the adults nearly wet their pants with laughter. It’s just good old fashioned silliness at it’s best. In fact, I call this the ‘Serious Business of Having Fun’. (I have a Kids Ministry Training workshop about this if you’re interested)
Truth be told, I’ve kissed a few shoes in my day and I’ve lived to tell the tale. I would encourage you to throw down a challenge or two during game time as well. Or really any time, there are no rules here. If you’re feeling silly and adventurous, here are a couple of quick ideas to get you started:
Deep whiff of a borrowed teenage boy’s stinky soccer cleat. (Actually, depending on the teenager, that’s near toxic level and it might kill you. Proceed with caution.)
5 second sniff of a (maybe) smelly armpit - your own or someone else’s.
10 second smell of someone’s freshly-taken-off sock. Anyone’s sock will do. Any size and color. Socks with holes are preferable, obviously.
Hand into a mystery box. Eeeek! Pull out an item blindfolded. Fill the box with anything you’ve got around: cotton balls, slime, packing peanuts, rattlesnakes. I’m just spitballing here, you’ll figure something fun out.
3 SUPER SUGGESTIONS:
Be spontaneous. Thrown down a challenge. This may or may not be an actual spontaneous on-the-spot idea, it could be talked about with your team member before the game time even starts, but for the sake of fun you can have it appear to be a spontaneous in the moment idea. “Hold on a minute here!” You would say to your team member loudly. “I’ve got a a challenge for YOU! If your boys lose this game, you have to sniff my stinky sock! I have worn them everyday this week and exercised twice a day to make them extra smelly!” There’s an acceptance of the challenge, but of course with the stipulation that if your girls lose, then YOU have to sniff their stinky sock. Once the terms are agreed upon, then the game begins.
Understand losing is all in good fun. It should go without saying, but losing a game is all in good fun. I’m competitive and I like to win, but if I lose and wind up kissing an old sock, it’s done so with a smile. What it’s really about is the fun and entertainment that the whole thing provides.
Be extra and ridiculous with the theatrics. I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much extra with this stuff. As long as you’ve got the kids laughing and they’re having a good time, and you’re also not literally running out of time before it’s time to go home, then ham it up!
