Four on a Couch

Gameplay

• 10+ Players 👥

• 10-15 Minutes ⏱️

What You’ll Need

• Chairs (enough for one more than the number of players)

• Couch or 4 designated chairs

• Small slips of paper

• Pens

• Hat or small container for drawing names

Setup

• Arrange chairs in a circle with one extra seat.

• Designate four chairs or a couch as the Couch.

• Divide players into two teams (boys vs girls, high school vs jr high, etc.)

• Seat teams in alternating chairs around the circle.

• Hand each player a slip of paper and a pen to write their first name (add last initial if needed).

• Collect all slips in a hat and let each player draw a new name. (Keep it secret!)

How to Play 4 on a Couch

• Start the Game: The player to the RIGHT of the empty seat calls out a name.

• Move: Whoever has the name called moves to the empty seat.

• Switch Names: The caller and the mover swap names (the name they are secretly holding).

• Continue Play: The new empty seat’s RIGHT neighbor calls out the next name.

• Strategize: Each team tries to maneuver their teammates onto the Couch, while remembering who is holding what name.

• No Help: Players cannot help teammates when it’s their team’s turn calling out a name (some whispering is fine between turns).

• Winning: The first team to have all four Couch seats filled with their team members wins!

Say Something Like
"Welcome to Four on a Couch! Your mission is simple: Outwit the other team, shuffle the names around, and fill the Couch with only YOUR teammates! Remember—things aren't always as they seem, so pay attention and think ahead!"

Variations

• Bible Name Version: Instead of writing your own name, each player writes the name of a Bible character (David, Esther, Paul, etc.)

• Family Name Challenge: Use parents' names if playing among siblings/families.

Disipleship Teaching Points
This game sparks memory, strategy, and teamwork—reminding players that while names and appearances can change, true identity and unity come from being on the same team spiritually.

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