Life-Size Monopoly
Before we played the game with the YW, the YM used one of their night activities to make the real estate, community chest and chance cards. The real estate cards were on pieces of white paper approximately 14″ x 20″. We used colored construction paper for the colored stripe at the top. Then we wrote the name of the real estate on the white part with bold color markers or crayons. On the night of the activity, we taped the real estate squares to the gym floor.
For the chance cards, we used 8 1/2 x 1 1 sheets of paper with the actual phrases from the real game.
You may make hotels & motels but may not have time to utilize them. Use the actual monopoly money and play with the rules from the actual Monopoly game.
We used some large dice such as fuzzy ones from the auto store.
On a combined activity night with the YW, make teams by using one YM and one YW (more if needed) to where you have about 6-8 groups. You can actually have up to three on a team but I wouldn’t go over that amount. Have them share responsibilities and decision making.
The teams take turns just like the real game. It’s a fast paced game and I think it has to be to keep their interest after the initial excitement. It’s good to have two adults there to keep the kids occupied while not rolling the dice. When it’s not the team’s turn to play, maybe have the “bishop” (any other adult) go around and collect tithing and/or fast
offerings or savings for missions.
At the end tally up the money and see who won.
If stored away the “game pieces” may be used over and over.
The youth loved this activity. They were telling their parents about it when they picked them up to go home afterwards. Plus, they’re asked when we’re going to do it again. I think this showed just how much they enjoyed it. We don’t want to wear it into the ground so we’ll wait awhile to play it again. What I’d do different: I would split up the youth into classes (ages). We had approximately 15 YM and 20 YW that night (too many). It works best when the genders are mixed. They are kind of forced to “deal” with each other.
I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to respond to this request. We did the life size “Monopoly” game using a large roll (5 foot tall) paper, donated by a paper company. Each square was large enough for “a team”, as this would take a long time to play.
We taped it down on the cultural hall floor, divided it into spaces (as thegame), and substituted the names of the streets, railroads, taxes, jail, etc., for more celestial names; i.e. Tithing, missionary fund, spirit prison, etc. We had made up “blessing cards” and “choose the right” cards instead of “chance” and “community chest”. The kids minds
just raced and they really came up with some darling ideas. They sure had fun and we had popcorn for them to eat at any time which they wanted, so none were too bored waiting for their turn.
This was a game off the top of our heads. I am sure that each of your groups would be even more creative.
