Extreme Sharks and Minnows

Creation for Kids in Church Camps

This game helps campers to understand the constant battle between predator and prey for survival in a watery environment. The game begins with one camper (the shark) in the middle of the pool and the rest of the campers (the fish) on opposite sides of the pool. The shark commands the fish to swim across and they must try to navigate to the other side without being tagged by the shark. If they are tagged, they become a shark and can tag fish in the next round. The last person to be tagged becomes the new shark.

After one or two rounds of the standard game, start offering options to the predators and the fish. For instance, make the predator a deal that she can where flippers if she gives up use of her hands. Or make the fish a deal that they can hold onto the shark to prevent other people from being tagged if they give up the ability to swim. Play through with these variations and notice the changes in how well the predators can catch their prey.

Also, encourage the fish to move in a school, complete with directing signals from a head fish. In the pool environment, a school of fish will quickly become a mass meal for the shark, but discuss the advantages of moving in a school for fish in the oceans (See Predator/Prey for an explanation).