Impossible Games

I have shared these games with a variety of youth orgaization over the past 20 years,

The games are successful with three age brackets
Elementary School ages 7-10
Middle School ages 11-13
High School age 14-17

Try not to mix the groups. They play very differently.

The Impossible Games Playspace

The Playspace does not involve electronic gaming. Phones and other electronic will be off.

The Playspace provides youth with a place filled with physical challenges.

The challenges motivate youth�s thinking and cooperation. 

The Playspace is an environment where the youth sculpt the space into an engaging experience.

 The Rules Of The Games

With instructions deliberately ambiguous, the youth have to interpret the game. 

This sometimes results in players discovering how to  sabotaging the game so it is no longer fun. 

In these instances, the leader conducts a brainstorming session to add or alter the rules to reestablish the games entertaining value. 

If unsuccessful, the leader moves on by introducing the next activity.

 Three Types Of Games

Impossible Games Night has three types of games:

  • Impossible Games
  • Adaptation Games
  • Skills Games

  • Impossible Games

      These activities challenge the youth must come up with different ideas to perform simple tasks. 

    Once an idea is used, it may not be used again. 

    Variations on ideas are acceptable.

    A player must be able to tell how his/her idea is different from earlier ideas.

    Adaptation Games

      These games challenge youth to change learned behaviors about playing team sports by adding or altering something in the Playspace.  

    An example is hitting the volleyball with a balloon instead of hands.  

    Another example is playing soccer where the object of the game is to play the ball to the goalie.  

    When the goalie has controlled the ball, the goalie's team gets a point.

    Skills Games

    These activities are unusual competitions. 

    Example: Flipping spoons off the table for distance.

    Example: Flipping spoons off the table for accuracy. 

    Others skills games include:

  • Hula Hooping buckets,
  • Rolling CDs onto a piece of paper on the floor,
  • Flying plastic lids into a bucket, and
  • Tossing hanger onto a rod.