Chain Reaction is a game that can be played in several different ways. Inspired by the popular TV game show Chain Reaction. The analogy being, we are faced with many choices in life, where are your choices leading you?
Chain Reaction is a fun, quick-thinking game that you can play at home for FHE or in a Sunday classroom. Inspired by the popular TV game show Chain Reaction, I have come up with 3 possible ways to play, all ending with the same analogy or lesson learned at the end.
A simple way to explain this game is this: You are basically connecting two-word phrases together to make a chain reaction. For example:
Japanese Food, Food Truck, Truck Stop, Stop Sign, Sign Language, and Language Arts
Would make a chain that looks like this:
JAPANESE
FOOD
TRUCK
STOP
SIGN
LANGUAGE
ARTS
Here is a FREE PDF download of 12 Chain Reactions that you can use.
3 WAYS TO PLAY
Whichever way you decide to play, be sure and explain to all the players that they are basically connecting two-word phrases together and give them the example I gave above.
1. Print out the Free PDF above. Cut up each set of chain reactions into word strips, putting each chain reaction into a separate envelope. (So 1 complete chain, a total of 7-word strips, is in each envelope) Give everyone an envelope and when you say GO everyone quickly opens their envelopes and puts their chain reaction together. See how fast each person can complete their chain reaction. *This is the quickest way to play the game if you don’t want it to take up much time and want to quickly play the game and give the analogy at the end.
2. Make 2 copies of the Free PDF above. Cut them into word strips and put them in envelopes as described above in number one. The only difference is this time you now have 2 copies of each chain reaction instead of just one. To keep track of which chain reactions in which envelopes are the same, number the envelopes giving the chain reactions that are the same, the same number. So you’ll have two envelopes with a #1, two envelopes with a #2 and so forth. Then divide up into two teams. Have one person from each team compete against each other at a time. Give them both an envelope with the same number one the outside (so they have the very same chain reaction they are trying to solve). Whichever person puts the chain reaction together first, their team gets a point. Then call up another person from each team to compete against each other and so forth.
3. For this way, you will need a chalkboard or whiteboard to play. This way also works great if you have a larger group of people and want to call upon 4-6 players (2-3 people on each team) to the front to play and the rest of the group just watches. OR you can play it this way with two larger groups playing against each other.
Flip a coin to see which team goes first or have someone from each team pick a number from 1-10 and the one that gets closest to the number you were thinking of gets to go first.
Start with one chain. Write the first word of the chain and the last word of the chain on the board with 5 lines in between like this:
JAPANESE
______
______
______
______
______
ARTS
Starting with the team that goes first, each team’s turn consists of calling for one letter in the next word above or below one of the already revealed words and then guessing the word. When the team asks for a letter in a word, you will write the next letter in that word on the board.
It is optional whether you decide to have the whole team work together to call for a letter and guess a word OR only one person from each team is allowed to call for a letter and guess a word at a time. If only one person is allowed, then rotate around so each person on each team gets a turn at some point in the game.
NEVER reveal the last letter of a word. If the last letter is all that is left and they ask for a letter for that word, that team will get no letter and will only get a chance to guess the word.
A correct word guessed, wins the team a point and they can continue calling for another letter and guessing a word. If the team is incorrect or gives no guess, it then becomes the other team’s turn.
Once you put a letter on the board, start a 10-second timer. They only have 10 seconds to make a guess. (Many times a timer is not needed if it is said beforehand that they need to quickly guess the word as soon as you have added a letter to the board)
The first team to reach 20 points wins. (You can set the winning number to higher or lower depending on how long you want the game to last)
Click HERE to watch the TV game show Chain Reaction to get an idea of how to play. The version I have explained here is a simplified version of the actual game show.
LESSON LEARNED:
In life, we are given a lot of trials or tests. The question we are faced with on a daily basis is HOW WILL WE REACT? As with this game, one word leads to another. As in life, our choices and actions lead one to another. Where are your choices leading you? Hopefully, your ultimate goal is that they will lead you to the Celestial Kingdom.
A great short video on Why God Gives Us Commandments, Click HERE
Be sure and check out these two books on Amazon that you are sure to love!
Yours Truly,
P.S. This game was used in Episode 11 of my new Teach Me to Walk in the Light podcast. Listen to Episode 11: Take My Yoke Upon You by clicking HERE.
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