The Space
- A large, open area—a soccer field, for example.
- Some shade nearby (essential in warm weather).
- Fenced or otherwise bounded, to keep everyone's focus on the games.
The People
Organizers
What they do:
- Prepare everything in advance and with care.
- Present the games and serve as judges.
How many: At least one per team (see below).
How to identify them:
- Make them clearly visible: a large hat, matching shirts (with names, ideally), or colored armbands.
- Equip them with amplification—a microphone and speakers—so everyone can hear.
Teams
Size: No more than 40 people per team.
How to form them:
- Give each person a colored name card or colored scarf at the start. Teams divide by color.
- To balance the teams, make three piles of cards or scarves—one color per intended team. Have the young people draw from one pile, adults from another, parents from the third (without being too rigid about it).
Where they gather:
- Each team has a clearly marked "base": a balloon, poster, or flag in the team's color.
For team spirit, have each squad choose a name and symbol to match their color. Red could be watermelons, yellow could be sunflowers. The whole team designs and makes a banner-flag with their symbol, which can lead a opening parade—like the real Olympics.
The Games
What kind:
- Very simple ones. Games that seem silly with a few people can have huge impact with large groups.
- Clear, minimal rules.
- Explained to everyone over the speakers.
- Explained again by an organizer to each team so there's no confusion.
When to run them:
- After each team is at their base and has chosen a name and chant.
- After the opening parade (if you're doing one).
How many: Depends on your time. Plan on about thirty minutes per game—explanation plus play.
Which games:
- Look through the many published game collections (LDC, Scout manuals, Paoline books, etc.).
- Test them beforehand. A seemingly simple game can become impossible in practice.
- Avoid games that are too competitive.
- See the experience described here: Vita Fede e Luce no. 26.
- Choose games suited to your players (wheelchairs, elderly, children, getting wet) and your location (room to move, a small wooded area for treasure hunts of flowers and leaves, that sort of thing).
After
Prizes
How many: One per team. Examples: the funniest team, the unluckiest, the wettest, the fastest.
How to award them:
- Present them in a ceremony. For many people, being the center of attention for even a moment matters.
- Give something symbolic (a tricolor ribbon, a cardboard medal, a crown) and something that can be shared by all (cake, candy).
Cleanup
Who: The organizers themselves, or volunteers (give them notice ahead of time).
What to do:
- Clean the entire area you used.
- Collect all the leftover game materials and put anything you moved back in place.
How: Use plastic bags from the UN (available commercially or request them directly from the UN).
Why: Because it's the right thing to do. Next time, the people who hosted you will welcome you back.
— Barbara, 1989