Lemonade

Name and Purpose

Lemonade builds teamwork, creativity, and quick thinking through charade-style acting and a chasing game.
Players practise group decision-making, physical awareness, and reading non-verbal cues in a playful, high-energy format.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 8-16 | 10-40 players | 15-25 minutes | Large outdoor field or indoor gym with room for two teams and a clear centre line

Materials

Cones, rope, or chalk to mark the centre line and two end zones (home bases)
Optional: a list of occupations written on cards for teams to draw from if they get stuck

Quick-Run Card

Two teams; each has a home base at opposite ends of the space. Mark a centre line.
Both teams huddle and secretly pick an occupation.
The team ready first walks to the centre, calling the chant. The other team walks forward and responds.
The responding team acts out their occupation; the first team guesses.
When guessed correctly, the acting team sprints back to their base. Anyone tagged before reaching base joins the other team.

Setup and Boundaries

Mark the centre line and two home bases clearly with cones or chalk before play begins
The play area should be wide enough for both teams to approach each other (roughly 20-30m between home bases)
Signal: facilitator raises a hand or blows a whistle to pause play at any time
Check the field for holes, wet patches, or debris before play begins

How to Play

Divide players into two roughly even teams. Each team goes to their home base at opposite ends of the space.
Both teams huddle and secretly decide on an occupation to act out (painters, astronauts, chefs, etc.).
The team ready first walks together toward the centre line, calling: “Where are you from?”
The other team walks forward and answers (any place name, e.g., “Canada!”).
First team: “What’s your trade?”
Second team: “Lemonade!”
First team: “Show us some if you’re not afraid!”
The second team begins acting out their occupation silently. The first team guesses.
When the first team guesses correctly, the acting team turns and sprints back to their home base.
The first team chases. Any member of the acting team tagged before reaching home base joins the chasing team for the next round.
Teams swap roles. The team that was chasing now huddles to pick their occupation.
Play continues until one team has captured all players, or the facilitator ends with a set number of rounds.
Second Circle: any player who joins the other team and prefers not to continue can take a role as a “Timekeeper” or “Occupation Suggester” for one round, then re-enter as a full player.

I-OPt Options

Start: A (Active): Jump into the huddle and share an occupation idea right away
Start: S (Support): Help your team reach a quick consensus on their occupation
Start: Q (Quiet): Listen to the huddle and nod to vote on an idea
Start: O (Observer): Watch the first round from the sideline and join at the next round swap
Mid: A (Active): Lead the acting during your team’s turn; sprint hard during the chase
Mid: S (Support): Encourage teammates during the acting and give clear signals during the chase
Mid: Q (Quiet): Act at your own pace; move toward your base at a comfortable speed
Mid: O (Observer): Step in for a round as a Timekeeper or Occupation Suggester
Late: A (Active): Lead the chant in your team’s next approach
Late: S (Support): Help newer teammates understand the chant and sequence
Late: Q (Quiet): Participate in the acting and walk rather than sprint back to base
Late: O (Observer): Join the final round or the debrief
End: A (Active): Lead a final round recap or count of how many players are on each team
End: S (Support): Help collect cones and boundary markers
End: Q (Quiet): Listen during the debrief
End: O (Observer): Share one word or moment from the game

Inclusion Adaptations

Players who prefer not to sprint may walk briskly back to base; the chasing team should walk at the same speed in this case, or the facilitator designates a “walking lane”
Players with limited mobility may take the role of “Occupation Chooser”: they whisper the occupation to the facilitator who relays it to the team, and they stay at the home base during the chase

Stewardship Moment

Cones and markers are reused every round; collect and store them after play
Reflection: “We all had to work together to keep our secret and make our idea clear without words. What does that kind of teamwork look like off the field?”

Consent

Pre-brief: “This game includes a chasing and tagging element at the end of each round. For those not comfortable being chased or tagged, walking back to base or taking the Occupation Chooser role are both great options that keep you fully in the game.”
Mid-game check: After 2-3 rounds, pause briefly. “How is everyone feeling? Thumbs up, sideways, or down.”
Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can step to the sideline at any time by raising both hands. They re-enter at the start of the next round.

Risks and Mitigation

Tagging becoming too physical: clarify in the pre-brief that tagging is a light touch on the shoulder or arm only
Uneven teams growing very uneven over time: after 4-5 rounds, offer a “trade”: one player voluntarily moves to the smaller team
Acting team not being guessed: set a 2-minute time limit; if unguessed, both teams return to base and choose a new occupation
Players arguing about whether a tag was made: facilitator has final call, always

Warm-Up Suggestions

“Sculptor and Clay”: pairs take turns shaping each other’s pose into an occupation silently
“Quick Mime”: each player mimes a job for 5 seconds; the group guesses before moving on

Debrief Questions

What? “Which occupation was hardest to act out? Why?”
So What? “What did it take for your team to agree quickly and act together?”
Now What? “When do we need to communicate clearly and quickly in real life?”

Cleanup and Reset