The Mat Turn game is a great game to play when resources are limited and as a way to encourage your youth group to work as a team.
Resources
Piece of fabric, blanket or large piece of paper (mark one side with a marker or piece of paper with an X – this way you can tell when the group has turned the mat over)
The Mat Turn Rules
- Have the group stand on the mat
- Explain that using teamwork, they must turn over the mat without stepping off. If they touch the floor or another object outside the mat (e.g. a chair, table, wall, etc), they must start over from the beginning
The Mat Turn Solution
The mat can be turned over at the corner, with members of the group stepping on it as it flips over. Alternatively, a corner can be brought across the mat and stepped on little by little by group members – see an example and printable sheet here.
Suggestions
(n.b. Don’t give these hints too soon)
Suggest that by standing on one foot, they can get closer together and have ‘less’ on the mat, thereby making more room to move the mat around.
You can also use positive sounds and gestures to one or two group members who make suggestions that are correct.
The Mat Turn game is a great communication or team-building game, particularly when a youth group is forming. You can also go over Hopes And Fears at the start of a new youth group coming together.
If you like this game, you might like our other youth group game ideas.
Question: How would you use the Mat Turn game in your youth group? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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