Christian Icebreakers - Knock Down, or Build Up

Christian
Icebreakers -
Knock Down, or
Build Up
In all our relationships the
things we do can say can
either build up or tear
down. This wacky youth
group game presents the
same choice to teams of
youth.
www.CreativeYouthIdeas.com
CreativeIcebreakers.com

Description
There are times when we have
fun, draw closer to one another,
talk about all kinds of things, and
experience the joy of being
together. Other times though it
seems that the things we say, or
things that are said to us seem to
hurt even more when it involves
our families.

We often hear it said that the
people we hurt the most are
often the ones that are closest to
us. There are times I wish I could
have taken back the words the
moment I’ve said them, but it’s
often too late; damage done.
In all our relationships the things
we do can say can either build up
or tear down. This wacky youth
group game presents the same
choice to teams of youth.

STACKERS
Resources
1. Plates and cups – You want an
even number of plates and cups
so they can be stacked. Don’t
use breakables ones as they will
be knocked over and dropped.
Plastic works great, but you can
also use disposable ones. Be
warned that if they are too light,
they can be easily blown over.
2. Balls – Tennis balls work well but
you can use a smaller ball to
make the game more difficult or
a bigger one to make it easier.

3. Instead of cups and saucers
you can use other objects but
must take into account the
weight of objects and the ball
used. A light ball won’t be
able to knock down heavy
objects. Other options include
using just cups, jenga blocks,
shoe boxes, empty food cans
(beware of sharp edges),
Pringles cans, cereal boxes,
wooden blocks, etc. The only
requirement is that the
objects must be easily
stackable by the youth.

Preparation
• Create an open space in the
middle of a room or of an
outdoor area.
• Place the cups and saucers in
a pile for each team.
• Set up teams an equal
distance from the piles in the
center. The further away, the
more difficult the game
becomes.
• Give each team a ball.

What to Do
1. The first person on each
team must run to the pile in
the center for his or her
team in the play area and
stack all the plates and cups.
The cups and saucers must
be stacked so that each cup
rests on a saucer, then the
next cup and saucer is
placed on top, continuing
until a tower of cups and
saucers is built.

2. After the tower is built,
the youth runs back to his
or her team and tags the
next person.
3. The next person has a
choice. EITHER run
straight to their own
team’s tower in the
center and unstuck and
re-stack the cups and
saucers OR

4. Toss the ball to knock down
another team’s tower. If the ball is
tossed, the next person in line
must retrieve the ball and bring it
back to the group before the
person who tossed it can run to
their tower in the center and
unstuck and re-stack the plates
and saucers.
5. If a team’s tower is knocked down
by another team, the person who
originally stacked that particular
tower must run to the center and
stack them again before the next
person can go to the center and
unstuck and re-stack the plates
and saucers.

6. The first team to have
everyone on the team finish
unstucking and re-stacking
their tower wins.
7. Strategically, a team has a
choice to focus on building
their own towers or taking
time to knock down other
towers so that they slow
others down. Bear in mind
that they could knock down
more than one tower with
one throw – including their
own!

Take It to the Next Level
In all our relationships the things
we do and say can either build up
or tear down. It always seems
easier to tear someone down
rather than build them up. It
takes a long time to build
someone up with positive words,
words of life, words of blessing,
but only a moment to tear them
down. And often, all the positive
that was done before is wiped
out in an instant.

We can all remember occasions
when we have personally been torn
down by someone’s hurtful words.
Most of us have been intentionally,
or unintentionally torn someone
down with our words or actions.
• Paul tells the Christians to let
no “unwholesome talk” come
out of their mouths. What are
some things that might be
called “unwholesome talk”?
Words that tear down?
• Why do people speak to others
with hurtful words?

• What are some examples of
words that build up?
• Before we do or say things to
others, we need to ask
ourselves, will this build up or
tear down? Will it benefit, or
harm?
• How should we respond when
we have been hurt by words?
• How should we respond if we
have hurt others? What can we
do to make it right?
• How can we build up others
who have been hurt

Closing
Give each youth some adhesive
address labels and a something to
write with. They must write down
encouraging remarks on the stickers
and place them on the backs of other
youth with a personal comment to
encourage them. Be sure to let the
youth know this is a time to be
serious and if they can not do it in a
meaningful, caring way you’d rather
them not participate. You might want
to have some soft music playing while
they do this. Tell them to go build
each other up.

Then ask for volunteers to come
to the front and read the words
on their back. Let the youth keep
them and ask them to place them
some place at home where they
will be reminded of the
encouraging words.
Action Point
Issue the youth a challenge to
speak positive words to at least 2
persons everyday for the next
week and then in the next
meeting ask them to share their
experiences.

Scripture References
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is of good repute, if
there be any virtue, and if there is
anything worthy of praise, dwell on
these things” (Philippians 4:8)
“Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace unto the
hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

www.CreativeIcebreakers.com
This EBook not only provides 52 of the
world’s most popular group icebreaker
activities, but also includes lesson ideas and
questions to smoothly transition into
discussions about issues common to most
groups.
Click here to find out more!
Icebreakers Ahead: Take it to the next Level

Christian Icebreakers - Knock Down, or Build Up

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Christian Icebreakers - Knock Down, or Build Up