Group Games and Initiatives
A Cornell Team and Leadership Center resource for
icebreakers, trust building activities, portable initiatives, problem
solving games and so much more.
Created by Sylvie Froncek & Matt Cowburn with additions from Matt Kager
September 2016
Updated April 2024
Games by Category
CLOSING ACTIVITIES
Appreciations
Biggest Fan (Entourage)
Chiji Cards
Golden Nugget
Gotcha
Group Knot
Group Sit
I Am About Cards
Tiny Teach
Zip Zap
COMMUNICATION
Back Art
Back to Back Drawing/Sculpture
Blindfolded Group Walk
Captain Video
Color Blind
Eyes/Body/Mouth
Helium Hoop
In The Driver’s Seat
KPM
Silent Maze
Xylophone
CONNECTIONS & DIVERSITY
Common Ground
Get Off the Bus
Linking
Speed Dating
Ubuntu
COOPERATION
Air Express
Alaskan Baseball
Alien Nation (Wolf Pack)
All Aboard
Blind/Mute Trolleys
Blind Shapes
Bodyguard
Bull Ring
Canyon Bridge
Channels
Electric Maze
Frenzy
Geodesic Factory
Goal Jumping
Helium Hoop
Indian Tag
Keep Up the Ball
KPM
Loop-de-Loop
Mafia
Magic Carpet Flip
Maze
Mission Impossible
Monster
On Your Mark
Order out of Chaos
Pass the Water
Pebble Tag
Piggy
Poison Peanut Butter
Pressure Cooker
Pyramid
Seeds You Sow
Shoe Twister
Stretch it to the Limit
Tent Building
Trolley Walk
Turnstiles
Under Over Through
Xylophone
Zoogle
FUN
Ah-So-Ka
Airplane Chair
Balloon Volleyball
Bob The Kanga
Bodyguard
Bumpity Bump Bump
Caterpillar Walk
Common Ground
Entourage
Evolution
Finger Fencing
Freeze
Gotcha
Giants/Wizards/Elves
Handkerchief Tag
Hide and Seek with Boundaries
Human Tic-Tac-Toe
Indian Tag
In the Driver’s Seat
Jedi Knight
Mafia
Mission Impossible
Monster
Ninja
Orbiter and Fall
Piggy
Rock /Paper/ Scissors
Telephone Charades
Twizzle
ICE BREAKERS
2 Truths and a Lie
Alien-Nation
Animal Sounds
Balloon Volleyball
Birthday Line up
Blanket Volleyball
Blob Tag
Bob the Kanga
Candy Game
Cards get-to-know you
Chicken Baseball
Chiji Cards
Commonalities
Entourage
Evolution
Goal Jumping
Gotcha
Group Juggle
Indian Tag
Keep the Ball Up
Minefield
Mingle Mingle (see Sorts and Mingle)
Name Toss
Name Roulette
Name Switch
Order out of Chaos
Pass no Fold
Pass it On
People to People
Piggy
Questions
Rope Inside Out Circle
Similarities and Differences
Sorts and Mingle
Stretch it to the Limit
Tiny Teach
Twizzle
Ubuntu
Zip Zap
Zoogle
INNOVATION
Chiji Cards
Pressure Cooker
Rope Inside Out Circle
Stretch it to the Limit
Under/Over/Through
NAME GAMES
2 Truths and a Lie
Birthday Line-up
Boppity Bop Bop
Drop the Tarp
Entourage
Elbow Tag
Group Juggle
Handshakes
Linking
Name Roulette
Name Snake
Name Switch
Name Toss
Wampum
NO PROPS NEEDED
2 Truths and a Dream
Ah So Ka
Appreciations
Back Art
Biggest Fan (Entourage)
Birthday Line Up
Blob Tag
Body Guard
Bumpety Bump Bump Bump
Finding the Leader
Finger Fencing (Jedi Knight)
Freeze
Get off the Bus
Golden Nugget
Gotcha
Group Knot
Group Sit
Handshakes
Hide and Seek with Boundaries
Jumping Monkeys Jump
Knee Tag
Linking
Look Down/Look Up
Monster
Name Impulse
Name Roulette
Name Snake
Name Switch
Ninja
One Word at a Time
Pass it on
People to People
Questions (Speed Dating)
Rock/Paper/Scissors
Similarities and Differences
Sorts and Mingle
Telephonbe Charades
Tiny Teach
Zip Zap
LEADERSHIP
Finding the Leader
Helium Hoop
Hot Stuff
Noodle Cube
Rope Inside Out Circle
Trolleys
Water Flip
PROBLEM SOLVING
All Aboard
Back Art
Blind Shapes
Channels
Color Blind
Electric Maze
Eyes Body Mouth
Hot Stuff
Maze
Paper Fold
Poison Peanut Butter
Popcorn
Pressure Cooker
Seeds you Sow
Turnstiles
Warp Speed
Under Over Through
Xylophone
PORTABLES
All Aboard
Bull Ring
Electric Maze
Eyes Body Mouth
Geodesic Factory
Group Juggle
Helium Hoop
Keypunch
Mission Impossible
Popcorn
Spot Crossing
Stepping Stones
Stretch it to the Limit
Trolleys
Under/Over/Through
Villages and Wells
OPENING/TONE SET ACTIVITIES
Biggest Fan
Gotcha
Handshakes
Snowball Fight
Step Together
Ubuntu
Zip Zap
TRUST
Airplane Chair
Blind Mute Trolleys
Blindfolded Group Walk
Blind Walk
In the Driver’s Seat
Minefield
Water Flip
Wind in the Willows
Table of Contents
CLOSING ACTIVITIES 2
COMMUNICATION 2
CONNECTIONS & DIVERSITY 2
COOPERATION 3
FUN 4
ICE BREAKERS 5
INNOVATION 6
NAME GAMES 6
NO PROPS NEEDED 7
LEADERSHIP 7
PROBLEM SOLVING 7
PORTABLES 8
OPENING/TONE SET ACTIVITIES 8
TRUST 8
1+2+3=20 (Turnstiles) 13
2 Truths and a Lie 13
Ah So Ka 13
Air Express 13
Airplane Chair 14
Alaskan Baseball 14
Alien Nation (Wolf Pack) 15
All Aboard 15
Animal Sounds 15
Appreciations 16
Back Art 16
Back to Back Drawing/Sculpture (Sticks, Stones and Bones) 16
Balloon Volleyball 17
Biggest Fan 17
Birthday Line-up 17
Blanket Volleyball 17
Blindfold Group Walk 18
Blind/ Mute Trolleys 18
Blind Shapes 18
Blind Walk 19
Blob Tag 19
Bob the kanga 19
Blocked Perspective 20
Body Guard (Secret Agent) 20
Bumpety Bump Bump Bump 20
Bull Ring 20
Cards get-to-know you 21
Canyon Bridge 21
Captain Video 21
Caterpillar Walk 22
Channels (Pipeline) 22
Chiji Cards 22
Color Blind 23
Common Ground 23
Corporate Connection 23
Don’t Touch Me 24
Down to One 24
Drop the Tarp 24
Electric Maze 24
Entourage (Biggest Fan) 25
Everything In 25
Evolution 25
Eyes Body Mouth 25
Finding the Leader 26
Finger Fencing 26
Freeze 26
Frenzy 27
Get Off the Bus 28
Geodesic Factory 29
Goal Jumping 29
Golden Nugget 30
Gotcha 30
Group Juggle 31
Group Jump-Rope 31
Group Knot 31
Group Sit 31
Handkerchief Tag 32
Handshakes 32
Helium Hoop 33
Hide and Seek with Boundaries 34
Hoop the Group 34
Hot Stuff 34
Human Tic-Tac-Toe 34
I Am About Cards 35
Indian Tag 35
In the Driver’s Seat 35
Jedi Knight (Finger Fencing) 36
Jumping Monkeys Jump 36
Keep the Ball Up 36
Key Punch 36
Knee Tag 37
KPM (Kinetic People Movers) (Trolleys) 37
Line Up 38
Linking 38
Look up/Look down 38
Loop-de-loop (Hoop the Group) 38
Mafia Game 39
Magic Carpet (Tarp Flip) 41
Mastermind 41
Maze 41
Minefield (Tank) 41
Mingle Mingle 42
Mission Impossible 42
Monster 42
Mouse Traps 42
Name Roulette 43
Name Snake 43
Name Switch 43
Name Toss 44
Ninja 44
Noodle Cub 44
On Your Mark 45
Orbiter and Fall 45
Order out of Chaos 45
Over, Under, Through 46
Paper Fold 46
Pass it on 46
Pass the Water 46
Pebble Tag 47
Person to Person (People to People) 47
Piggy 47
Pipeline 48
Poison Peanut Butter (Swamp Crossing or Stepping Stones) 48
Popcorn 48
Pyramid 49
Questions (Speed Dating) 49
Qwirkle 50
Raccoon Circles 50
Rock/Paper/Scissors (Giants/Wizards/Elves or Salmon/Bear/Mosquito) 50
Rope Inside Out 51
Sci-Fi Tube 51
Secret Agent 52
Seeds You Sow 52
Shoe Twister 52
Silent Maze 52
Similarities and Differences 53
Similarity Charades 53
Snowball Fight 53
Sorts and Mingle 53
Speed Dating 54
Spot Crossing 54
Step Together (Step in/Step Out) 54
Stretch it to the Limit 55
Sticks, Stones and Bones (See Back to Back Drawing) 55
Swamp Crossing 55
Telephone Charades 56
Tent Building 56
Tick Tack Toe with Cones 56
Tiny Teach 56
Trolley Walk 57
Turnstile (Group Jump) 57
Twizzle 57
Ubuntu 58
Ubuntu Mimeograph (HIGH 5) 58
Under Over Through 59
Villages and Wells 59
Volcano Extinguish (Super Chill Orb) 60
Wah 60
Wampum (It Poop) 60
Water Flip 61
Warp Speed 61
Web with Lizards 62
Wind in the Willows 62
Wolf Pack (see Alien Nation) 63
Xylophone 63
Zip Zap 63
Zoogle 64
Zoom 64
#
2 Truths and a Dream
Category: Ice breaker, Name Game
Activity: One at a time participants say two true things about themselves and one dream about
in no particular order. After each person speaks the group must decide which fact was actually a
dream.
A
Ah So Ka
see Zip Zap
Air Express
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: 3 beach balls, a net or rope that could be hung up, 3 inner tubes
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-30
Activity: This is a high-energy activity about producing results. Two teams can work this
activity from opposite ends of a volleyball court. The starting boundary is 30' feet from the net.
At the start are three beach balls. On the other side of the net are three inner tubes. The team
must get the balls over the net and onto the inner tubes in the quickest time they can, without
carrying the balls in transit, or touching the net. They are aiming for the quickest time possible.
In order to be able to claim a time as legitimate, however, they must be able to predict the time,
then meet or beat the time twice in succession. The teams can either collaborate or cooperate
in the process, or find a mix that meets everyone's needs, and produces the best result. (This
activity generates enthusiasm and creativity from everyone involved.)
Variations: Use other tossable objects.
Airplane Chair
Category: fun, trust
Equipment needed: chair, blindfolded
Ages: all
Activity: Blindfold a participant and have him/her sit in a chair. Begin to tell the story of them
flying off to some awesome location. Have other participants help you lift the chair up off the
ground (about 1 foot). Then angle the chair to mimic an airplane turning. Tell an exciting story
and all the things s/he can see below. Then the plane hits turbulence (shake the chair). Finally,
the plane crashes, and the chair is tilted forward, forcing the participant to fall out. Generally,
they land right on their feet, but a soft landing is preferred. Participants feel like they are being
lifted really high. It creates quite a sensation. Make sure everyone is quiet so the flyer can
really feel like s/he is in the airplane.
Alaskan Baseball
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: A ball that can be thrown and passed through participants legs.
Area needed: Wide open area
Number of participants: At least 10
Ages: middle-school and older because directions are difficult
Activity: Split the group into two teams. Need at least 10 players. One team throws the ball as
far away as possible. The second team chases after the ball. Once team two gets the ball, they
form a line and pass the ball to the person behind by alternating over the head and then under
the legs. Once the ball reaches the end of the line, they throw it as far away as possible while
yelling stop to team one. During that time, team one formed a circle and had one teammate run
around the circle as many times as possible before team two yelled stop. Once they hear stop,
they chase after the ball and do what team two did, while team two has one player run around
the group. They count laps as they go. There is the same number of innings as players on a
team so that every teammate should run around the group once and throw the ball once.
Alien Nation (Wolf Pack)
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: Soft throwable(s)
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 10+
Activity: One or two people start off as aliens. Two people make it easier and is a good idea if
the first person isn’t more athletic than others. As aliens, they want to make everyone else an
alien, too, by hitting them with the ball. However, once an alien is holding the ball, s/he cannot
move his/her feet. Aliens must pass the ball to move it around. Once a non-alien touches or
gets hit by the ball, s/he is also an alien. The game ends when everyone is an alien. Try to
make a boundary that challenges the group size.
Variations: Participants can change into something other than aliens.
All Aboard
Category: Problem Solving, Cooperation, Portable
Number of participants: more than 5
Ages: all
Materials: tarp
Activity: All group members get on top of a flat tarp. You tell a story about how they are flying
through outer space and land on a new planet, so they all get off. Suddenly they are being
attacked by aliens and they retreat to their ship, but it’s shrunk due to the metal eating algae.
So the tarp is now folded in half and everyone must get on so that no one’s foot is touching the
ground. They reach safety finally and all get to rest at what looks to be paradise. However, a
huge storm is approaching so they retreat to the ship again. Again, the ship has shrunk and
they must fit on again. You continue this until it no longer seems that the group will be able to
succeed. This is a good way to develop comfort with touching.
*Portable Teambuilding Activity
Animal Sounds
Category: Ice breaker
Equipment needed: Blindfolds
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: Any
Activity: Pair up two people as many times as it may take with size of group giving two people
not necessarily right next to the other animal names. Once the whole group is paired off and
given animal names they will be blindfolded. Then the group will get spread about the play
area, while remaining silent. Then when go is called the pairs must find each other.
Variations: Use other things that make noise such as instrument sounds, machine sounds, etc.
Appreciations
Category: Final activity
Activity: The group sits in a circle. The facilitator asks the participants to look at the person to
their left and think of one thing that they did well during the day, or one thing that they want to
appreciate them for. Ask someone to volunteer to start and they tell their appreciation to the
person to their left. The person receiving the compliment should be challenged not to say “thank
you” but instead just sit with the compliment and enjoy it for a moment, then they turn to the
person to their left and say how they are appreciating them form. The group continues to
compliment each other until everyone has received an appreciation.
B
Back Art
Category: Problem Solving, Communication
Number of participants: any multiple of 3
Ages: All
Materials: Paper and pencils
Activity: Split into small groups of 4 or 5. Draw a picture and show it to one member of each
group. That person returns to his/her group and they form a line. Starting at the back, the
person draws the image with his/her finger onto the person’s back in front of him/her. The
drawing gets repeated until it reaches the first person in line. That person then tries to draw the
image onto a piece of paper. Teams compare their image to the original image.
Back to Back Drawing/Sculpture (Sticks, Stones and Bones)
Category: Communication
Number of participants: multiples of 2
Ages: All
Materials: For drawing, paper and pencils. For sculpture, you need to supply the same
supplies to each partner. Materials can be anything that easily connects, like legos.
Activity: While partners are sitting back to back, one partner describes the drawing or sculpture
s/he made so that the other person can follow the directions and replicate it. The other partner
will be drawing or sculpting what they hear. This is very challenging and can be done again and
again to discuss how to improve communication.
Balloon Volleyball
Category: Ice breaker, fun
Equipment needed: Rope to make a low net, balloons
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 10-30
Activity: Split into two teams. Have each team on one side of the net. Participants lie on their
backs with heads facing the net. The facilitator throws the balloon to one team and without
getting up; they must hit the balloon over to the other side of the net. Points are sclored when
the balloon hits the ground. Players rotate.
Variations: Can be used with teens to talk about the effects of tobacco use. Arms represent
cilia in lungs. After playing for awhile, have players eliminate one arm. Discuss how it is harder
to play with fewer arms, just like it’s harder to breathe with less cilia when they are covered in
tar.
Biggest Fan
see Entourage
Birthday Line-up
Category: Icebreaker
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: Any amount
Activity: Have the group line up in order of their birthdays (month, day, and year isn't
necessary). The trick is, they can’t talk at all. You'll find they resort to sign language, nudges,
someone might try to start directing, etc.
Variations: Group could line up according to height, age, number of languages they speak,
farthest from home, how spicy you like your food, favorite musician genre alphabetically, family
pet by size, etc.
Blanket Volleyball
Category: Ice breaker
Equipment needed: Blanket (soft balls (beach balls)
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: Any
Activity: Divide group into two teams, each with a blanket held like a parachute. Toss in an
object that is volleyed from team to team using the blanket for propulsion.
Variations: Can add other objects to the blanket as well. A tarp could be used instead of a
blanket.
Blindfold Group Walk
Category: Communication, Trust
Equipment needed: Blindfolds for all group members, noise maker/drum
Activity: Blindfold group and don’t give any directions. Begin to beat the drum. The group
starts wondering if they should be doing something. Usually someone speaks up and tries to
move towards the sounds. The whole group eventually starts moving and you take them on a
walk where they should start linking up and helping each other.
Blind/ Mute Trolleys
Category: Cooperation, communication, trust
Equipment needed: Trolley set, blindfolds
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 8-20 (Depending on number of trolley sets and set up of trolleys)
Activity: Group is divided in half. The one group is brought to an area where the facilitator has
placed a set of trolleys. They are instructed that they can no longer talk due to some form of
accident, or something they ate, etc. The other half of the group is brought to a different area
and is instructed they can no longer see due to circumstances that go along with the story from
the first half of the group. The group that cannot talk have to find and lead the group that they
are not aware of at first cannot see, to the trolleys. They then have to set them up on the
trolleys and guide them through moving a short distance to a selected target. The catch is that
the group that lost their vision also does not know that the other half of the group cannot talk.
Blind Shapes
Category: Ice breaker, Problem Solving
Equipment needed: Long rope to fit around entire group, blindfolds
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 5-25
Activity: Using a large loop of rope and have the group step into the circle. The group will then
be blindfolded, and asked to push up the loop them being on the inside. Then the facilitator
calls off different shapes that the group must make with the loop.
Variations: After making the shape, the group could be asked to move a certain direction
maintaining the shape made.
Variations: Do this with blindfolds off and challenge them to make the shapes as perfect as they
can. Get a little crazy, ask them to make the outline of states, countries, etc.
Blind Walk
Category: Trust
Equipment needed: Blindfolds
Activity: Divide group into pairs with one member of each pair blindfolded. Seeing partner
leads blind partner on a walk (either silently or without touching them). The walk should be
challenging, including such obstacles as climbing over tables, crawling under chairs, walking up
or down stairs, climbing over railings, etc.
Blob Tag
Category: Icebreaker
Equipment needed: none
Area needed: Any
Number of participants: 8+
Activity: One person is “it.” They run around and try to tag people. If they tag someone they
hold hands to form a blob. Now the two of them must stay connected as they try to tag other
people. The blog of people who are “it” keeps growing until everyone has been tagged.
Variations: Every time the blob reaches 6 people the group split in two and now there are two
groups of people who are “it.”
Bob the kanga
Category: Ice breaker, Fun
Equipment needed: Object that can be passed around
Area needed: Any
Number of participants: 6-15
Activity: Group circles up. One person is placed in the middle. That person closes his or her
eyes and the circle passes bob behind their backs. When they are ready to tell the person to
open up his or her eyes they will start chanting bob the kanga keep it going keep it going, over
and over again ( this is the bob the kanga song). The person in the middle must then guess
who has the kanga. While guessing who has the kanga, the person who actually has the kanga
may hold up the kanga for the circle to see, without the person in the middle noticing. The
group then chants 1-2 times I saw the kanga I saw the kanga and carries until the person in the
middle guesses correctly. The person who was caught with the kanga is now in the middle and
the process is repeated.
Variations: Could be named for what type of animal you use for the activity, ex bob the
elephant, bob the ant, etc.
Blocked Perspective
Category: Communication
Number of participants: 3-10
Equipment needed: Blocked perspective kits with geometric shapes and images
Activity: Divide the group so that you have 2 photographers an 2-3 builders. Give the
photographers images of the final product. Lay out all the blocks for the builders. Without
showing anyone else their photographs, the photographers have to explain to the builders how
to construct the image that they have. Every photographer has a different angle and perspective
of the final product. As they work together to build the product, you may make it more complex
by saying that only the builders can speak, encouraging them to ask good questions and elicit a
yes or no response from the photographers.
The Blocked Perspective kits come with more detailed instructions.
Body Guard (Secret Agent)
Category: Fun, collaboration
Number of participants:10+
Activity: Ask the group to stand in a circle. Ask for two volunteers, and designate one of them
the President and the other the Bodyguard. The President and Bodyguard then stand in the
middle of the circle. The people on the outside of the circle are all Assassins. • The Assassins’
goal is to hit/kill the President using the ball. The Bodyguard’s goal is to protect the President by
blocking the ball from hitting the President. • If the Bodyguard somehow gains control of the ball,
the bodyguard can kill Assassins by hitting them with the ball. The Bodyguard can’t be killed. •
The Assassins throw the ball to each other (fast and focused is most successful) and try to get
the ball to an Assassin who can successfully hit and kill the President. Player cannot move their
feet when they have the ball. The Assassins should try to remain in a circle formation during the
game. • Once the President is killed, the Bodyguard becomes President, and the successful
Assassin becomes the Bodyguard. • Be careful that no one gets hurt. DISCUSSION: • What
techniques worked best for Assassins? Bodyguard and President? Was communication
important? What role did teamwork play in success? • What did it feel like to be in the center?
What did it feel like for the President to be dependent on one person for protection? • What
happened when (if) Assassins or those in center lost focus? This could also be used in activism
workshops to demonstrate the power of many people acting with a common goal (Assassins) or
how one person can make a difference (Bodyguard).
Variations:
Bumpety Bump Bump Bump
Category: Fun
Activity: All players stand in a circle with someone in the centre. The person in
the centre will choose someone in the circle to point at and will say, "Right, Bumpety Bump
Bump Bump" or "Left, Bumptey Bump Bump Bump." The person who is pointed at has to say
the name of the person to their right or left (depending upon what is asked by the person in the
centre) before the phrase is finished. If they fail to do this, they are out. The centre person is
trying to eliminate all players.
Bull Ring
Category: Cooperation, Portable
Equipment needed: Bull ring (4 inch diameter ring with 12 lengths of rope tied to it for
participants to lift and ball.
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 5-12 (per bull ring)
Activity: To carry the ball around obstacles and place it in a goal or at a goal point. The ring
consists of up to 10 tethers coming off of a washer of small hoop that a ball can be placed on.
The group must work together to keep the ball on the ring, while walking around obstacles.
Variations: Blindfold half the group
C
Candy Game
Category: Fun, Get to know you
Equipment needed: M&Ms or skittles
Number of participants: 10+
Activity: Pass out some M&M’s, Ask people to take as many as they would like. People answer
questions for each color they take. Red= What’s your favorite Book? Orange= Best vacation
you’ve ever been on. Yellow=Favorite part of your work week? Green= TV show you are
addicted to? Blue=Favorite Food? Brown=what super hero quality would you have if you could?
Canyon Bridge
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: something to balance on (a log, bench, etc.)
Number of participants: 6-30
Activity: Two groups meet on a log/bench/etc. (the bridge). The groups need to pass each
other to get to the other side of the canyon. Anyone who falls off goes to the end of their group.
Captain Video
Category: Communication
Equipment needed: None
Number of participants: 5+
Activity: This is an activity to demonstrate the challenge of communication and the
assumptions we make about options available to solve problems. One person in the group
works out a short movement sequence that everyone else in the group is to repeat. However,
each person only sees this motion demonstrated by the person who viewed it just before they
do, and then passes it along in serial sequence through the group. At the end, the Captain and
the last viewer both do the motion as they know it. Is it even vaguely the same? This fun activity
gets people to observe, discuss, and start to make connections to work, program and leadership
issues.
Cards get-to-know you
Category: Ice Breaker
Equipment needed: Deck of cards
Number of participants: Any (works better with larger group)
Activity: Everyone starts with a card. S/he finds a partner and tells the other person the same
number of things about him/herself as the number on the card. Face cards do the same
number as their partner. Then partners switch cards and find a new partner.
Caterpillar Walk
Category: Fun
Ages: younger kids
Activity: have a team form a line and sit down. Each person wraps their legs around the
person in front of them, except the first person. The caterpillar then tries to move from one point
to another using their arms and staying joined together.
Chicken Baseball
Category: Fun, ice breaker
Number of participants: 20-60
Equipment Needed: rubber chicken or pig or throwable
Activty:
First, divide the group into smaller teams of 5-10. Tell the group we are going to play some
Chicken or Pig baseball. The team that starts with the Chicken, (Rock Paper Scissors to decide)
will yell out “Chicken!” and throw the chicken. When they do, that team will form a circle and
one team member will run around that circle gaining a point for each time they go around.
Groups are told to tally and keep track of their own points and that we are trying to get the
most points. The other (potentially opposing team) will run to where the chicken was thrown
and form a line with one team member in front of the other. In order to stop the other
(potentially opposing team) from scoring points this team must pass the chicken down the line
by passing it over the first person’s head then under (or though) the legs of the next. It can be
helpful for the facilitator to call out Over! Under! Over! Under! To remind them of what they
must do and encourage them to be as quick as they can doing it. Once the chicken makes it to
the last person, that person yells out “Chicken!” and throws the chicken. The team that was
scoring points runs for the chicken and play continues for a few rounds or everyone is tired.
Generally, the groups will throw the chicken as far from the other team as possible. A way to
elevate this activity is to ask how many points each team has then combine the scores. Do the
players change their behavior? Do they continue to throw the chicken away from or towards the
other team?
Chiji Cards
The Chiji Crads can be used in lots of different ways. They are great for debriefing, and there is
a whole book of activity for ways to use them.
Category: Final Activity
Equipment needed: A deck of chiji cards
Number of participants: up to 50
Activity: Lay out all the cards face up. Ask people to pick a card that they are draw to. The
card should represent something that they learned, or something that they are taking away from
the experience. Have everyone share their card and what it represents to them. You can do this
in pairs, or you can have everyone share with the full group if you have less than 20 people.
Color Blind
Category: Communication, Problem solving
Equipment needed: Paper of different colors and shapes.
Number of participants: 8-20
Activity: This is a cross-team communication challenge in which participants are provided
partial sets of materials with the aim of identifying which specific pieces of the whole set are
missing. During this activity everyone is blindfolded, There are five sub-sets, each a different
color, and each piece in each subset is a different shape. (Participants can ask the facilitator
about a piece's color, but not about its shape.) One sub-set is split between the two teams. They
will need to collaborate to realize this fact. But with this information, they can figure out the
answer. Everyone on both teams needs to collaborate and communicate well to be successful,
particularly in the area of listening.
Variations: Could be done actually putting something together
Common Ground
Category: Fun
Objective: Create group commonalities and cohesion
Materials: paper plates or shoes or another series of objects to mark spots.
Activity: Every participant stands on an object that’s in the shape of a circle. There’s one
marker for each participant. One marker is in the middle. The middle person says something
about him/herself and everyone who shares that must leave his/her marker and find a new one
that is not adjacent to the one s/he was standing on. Whoever can’t find a marker on the
outside of the circle ends up in the middle and shares something about him/herself.
D
Don’t Touch Me
Category: Ice Breaker
Equipment needed: Poly spots or bandanas or something small that people can step on.
Number of Participants: As many people as you have spots for. No more than 50.
Activity: Ask the group to form a circle. Place the poly spot in the center of the circle, or you
could draw a circle in the dirt if you do not have a poly spot. Ask for the group to point across
the circle at their new partner. If there are an odd number of people the facilitator should jump in
so that there is an even number. The rules are fairly simple, each partnership must touch the
spot in the center without touching anyone else and each partner must end up where their
partner began. This is a timed activity. Allow for multiple rounds to get the bestest, fastest time!
It may be helpful to walk the group through the problem solving steps: ABCDE - Ask questions,
Brainstorm, Choose a Plan and Check in with the group, Do It, Evaluate. Eventually someone
will ask if they have to start in their initial positions, and of course they do not.
A common solve is for partners to stand next to one another that way groups can go around in a
circle, with a system in place, with their partner and simply stand in the spot right next to where
they started. Challenging assumptions, asking questions and thinking outside of the box are all
great debriefing points to talk about.
Drop the Tarp
Category: Name game
Equipment needed: Large tarp or opaque blanket, two chairs
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 10 or more
Activity: Split the group into two teams. Place the teams on each side of the tarp with one
chair. With two volunteers holding up the tarp, the teams pick one person to put in the chair.
When both teams are ready, the tarp is dropped and the two people in the chairs try to call out
the other person’s name first. The loser joins the other team. Repeat until there’s only one
person left on a team.
Variations: Put a ball or object on the tarp that must stay on the tarp.
E
Electric Maze
Category: Problem solving, Cooperation, Portable
Equipment needed: A large checker board set up that people can stand on.
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-30
Activity: The Maze activity is conducted on an electronic checkerboard patterned carpet and
involves one or two teams. Starting at one end, each team needs to figure out the one path
across the maze so that each person can cross without setting off an alarm. The carpet has
weight sensors that are programmed to sound if one steps on an "off-limits" square. Teams set
their own time and performance goals. Performance goals are measured by minimizing
repeated hits on alarmed squares. Each subsequent alarm from an identified square has an
incremental cost, measured in chips the team budgets for itself at the outset. If these chips are
depleted, the facilitator/banker advances a team up to ten red (debt) chips, and after these, up
to ten blue (equity) chips. The best collaboration effort between teams resulted in "0" cost - a
perfect outcome.
Entourage (Biggest Fan)
Category: Name Game, Icebreaker
Number of participants: 10+
Activity: Everyone starts off in pairs playing a game of Rock Paper Scissors or an equivalent
(such as bear, mosquito, salmon or wizards, elves, giants). As soon as there is a winner the
opponent becomes the winner’s cheer squad. Then the winner seeks out a new opponent. After
a winner is identified in that round, the latest opponent (and their cheer squad) join the winner’s
side and cheer them on in their next round. The game continues until there are 2 people still
playing, which two massive cheering squads supporting them. There is a final face off and then
everyone rallies behind the person who won the game.
Evolution
Category: Fun, Ice Breaker
Activity: Everyone starts out as an egg. They waddle around until they find a partner. Then
they play rock, paper, scissors. Whoever wins evolves into a chicken and starts flapping his/her
wings. The loser stays an egg. Then the chicken looks for another chicken and plays rock,
paper, scissors. The winner becomes a dinosaur. The loser returns to an egg. The eggs
continue to play and evolve into chickens. The dinosaurs find each other and play. Then the
winner becomes a human and the loser goes back to a chicken. The human looks for another
human and plays. The winner becomes a superhuman and completes the game. At the
beginning, make sure you create the motions for each type of being. You can only play with
other beings that are the same as you.
egg > chicken > dinosaur > human > superhuman
Eyes Body Mouth
Category: Communication, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Portable
Equipment needed: blindfolds for ⅓ of the group and an object to retrieve
Number of participants: multiples of 3 or 4
Activity: Split into groups of 3 or 4 (4 is ideal). One person is blindfolded and cannot move.
Behind them is a teammate that can’t move or talk, but can see. A third person is blindfolded,
can’t talk, but can move. The fourth person hides an object so that person 2 can see where it is.
Then person 4 becomes a spotter for person 3. Person 2 gives directions to person 1 by
tapping shoulders, touching the back, and making up other physical gestures. Person 2
interprets the gestures and tells person 3 where to move. The game ends when person 3 finds
the object. Rotate positions.
F
Finding the Leader
Category: Leadership
Activity: Have the group start as they are, do not ask them to circle up or sit down. Just ask the
participants to all get in the exact same position, every body part placed identically to everyone
else's on the team. "We can go on as soon as everyone complies."
Processing: Who was eventually copied by everyone else and why? What steps can you
identify that you went through as you attempted to conform to the same position that everyone
was in? How comfortable was it to become exactly like everyone else or to go along with the
peer pressure? Who resisted and why?
Finger Fencing
see Jedi Knight
Freeze
Category: Fun
Number of participants: 5+
Activity: Two people create a scene and start holding a conversation. An audience member
shouts “freeze.” The two people freeze and the audience member replaces one of them and
continues the scene. This goes on and on until it seems to not be as much fun.
You can give phrases to get the action going. Phrases are written ahead of time. During the
scene the facilitator says “phrase” and the person talking must pull out one of the phrases and
say it. It can make the scenes very interesting.
Variations: Have individuals come up with words, then mix the words and give them to a group.
They must create a scene using all of those things.
Variations: Give box of props and have them create a scene using all of the objects.
Frenzy
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: 5 Hula Hoops and 60-70 tennis balls.
Area needed: A large, relatively flat open space at least 30 feet square. Works indoors or out.
Number of participants: From 8-14
Objective: Highlight the value of cooperation rather than competition.
Set up:
- Arrange 4 hula hoops on the ground spread out from each other at the four corners of an
imaginary 25 foot square; place with the one in the middle (imagine the dots on the five side of a
dice).
- Place all tennis balls in the middle (neutral) hoop.
- Divide into four even teams. Avoid having 4 captains pick their people. Have each team pick a
hula-hoop and stand by it.
-Explain the object of the game: each team is trying to place all of the tennis balls in its hoop;
once you have all the balls, you win.
Rules:
- There is no throwing or tossing of the balls.
- All the balls must be out of the middle before you can take them from others hoops.
- No defending the hoops.
Facilitator Notes:
- Play will last for 3-5 minutes, at which point the participants will be out of breath and no nearer
to winning. Signal a pause and ask them to regroup with their teams and strategize for two
minutes. One group or another may come up with the creative solution (see step 3 below);
most groups, however, will try to position the people "strategically," plan for faster ball transfers,
etc.
- After two minutes, signal time, have them return to their starting positions, the Ready, Set, Go.
After another fruitless 3-5 minutes, participants will still be no nearer winning and starting to
become a little frustrated. Signal another pause, and ask them to circle up as a group and
perhaps "learn from each other." This will usually produce better results; if they need prodding,
restate the object of the game and the rules. Some person will think to suggest that the groups
work together; another might ask if the hoops can be moved (YES). In either event, you know
that the group is on the right track.
- With some planning and thinking about what you've told them, they should realize that the only
way to win (other than all of the other groups agreeing to lose -- not likely) is for them all to win,
i.e., place all of the balls in the middle hoop, then place their hoops around the balls.
G
Get Off the Bus
Category: Commonalities and Diversity
Equipment needed: none
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: At least 6 or more
Activity: Announce that the group is going to be on a bus and have them arrange themselves
behind the “driver” (facilitator) as if they are on a school bus. Tell them that they will need to get
off at every stop, but this bus has two sides, so they must get off on the appropriate side.
Pretend to drive and then when you get to your first “stop” read aloud a statement and show the
students which side they should get off on. For example you may read, “chocolate or vanilla”
and then you will indicate which side people who prefer chocolate should stand on, and which
side people who prefer vanilla should stand on. Give students a moment to acknowledge where
they are in relation to each other and then invite them back on the bus and continue. Make
about 10 stops with the group and then lead a short debrief about diversity and how you
discover it or rely on it within a group.
● Everything can be fixed/some things stay broken
● Offer a hand/ offer advice
● Ask permission/ask forgiveness
● Buy a new tool/ make do
● Winter all year/ summer all year
● I’d rather be happy/ I’d rather be right
● I’m more interested in results/ process
● Your way/the correct way
● Plan in detail/ broad strokes
● A good day is productive/ meaningful
● Chocolate/ vanilla
● Burger or beer/ fancy restaurant
● Friday night at home/ at a party
● mountain/ beach
● Sit and relax/ go and do
● Go to bed early/ stay up late
● talk/ listen
● Send a text/ call
● Watch a movie/ read a book
● Do it yourself/ ask for help
● Believe in UFOs/ no such thing
● Send an email/ write a letter
● Lone wolf/ part of the pack
● Task oriented/ people oriented
● Task oriented/ process oriented
● In the spotlight/ behind the scenes
● Glass half empty/ glass half full
● Stay local/ go away
● sympathize/ empathize
● Sit and talk/ play a game
● Board games/ electronic games
● control/ chaos
● Reply right away/ wait a bit
● What you see is what you think/ what you think is what you see
● Neat and tidy/ freeform and messy
● Black and white/ shades of grey
● Grand design/ all chance
Geodesic Factory
Category: Cooperation, Portable
Equipment needed: 4 ropes at least 12 feet in length
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: At least 6 or more
Activity: (This is a 70 minute activity)Here's a fun activity that can involve four teams together.
As the scenario goes, the team's work at the "Bucky Fuller Geodesic Factory" which produces
pyramidal geodesic structures. A representative from each team is informed that Bucky needs
the team's help to produce a part of this structure, shaped as a perfect triangle and formed from
some flexible line. During the process, everyone in the group wears protective eyewear
(blindfolds). After each team gets its perfect triangle formed, they combine it with three other
triangles from other production teams to form a perfect pyramidal structure. The four triangles
need to be the same size in order to form the pyramid. This activity is about coordinating
leadership and sharing a "vision" within and among teams to complete a project. This is a good
climactic activity in a program.
Variations: More teams can be involved to make activity more complex
Goal Jumping
Category: Cooperation, Icebreaker
Equipment needed: small piece of rope or stick
Number of participants: 4+
Activity: Facilitator lays down and rope and tells the participants to stand behind the rope and
one at a time, jump forward. After every jump, the rope or stick is moved up to mark the landing
spot of that participant and then the next person must jump from that new marker. After
everyone has gone the facilitator explains the purpose of the game. The objective is as a group
to jump as far as you can. The activity begins again and ideally the group exceeds the first
round by a significant amount.
Debrief: When we are all working towards a similar goal how do the results look? How much
better do we do when we know what we are working towards?
Golden Nugget
Category: Final Activity
Number of participants: 6+
Activity: Everyone finds an item, like a rock, or something small. This will be the “golden
nugget” that they gift to someone else. You can either have every person give a golden nugget
to the person to their left, or everyone can randomly pick someone to receive their golden
nugget. If everyone is picking someone randomly, encourage people to give a golden nugget to
everyone on the team, rather than giving multiple golden nuggets to one person.
The ”golden nugget” is something remarkable that you saw from someone else. It can be
something you appreciated, or something you learned from the or something that you want
them to know about themself. One by one, people will tell their chosen person what that
remarkable thing was, and then gift them the “golden nugget” as a symbol of what you want
them to take from the experience.
At the end, everyone should have a golden nugget.
This can also be done with pins, or something more special that people will keep after the
program. If you are using rocks as a golden nugget, please leave them in the woods (leave no
trace).
Gone Fishin’
Category: teamwork, communication
Number of participants: 10-12 ppl
Equipment needed: blocks with hooks (there’s a special kit for this activity)
Activity: In Goin’ Fishin’ participants hold onto strings that are connected to an alphabet block
that has hooks and eyes attached to it. Participants use this device to pick up shapes with hooks
and eyes attached and move the shapes to where the facilitator tells them. They can be stacked
or arranged however the facilitator wants.
Gotcha
Category: Ice breaker, Final Activity, Fun
Number of participants: 6+
Activity: Everyone stands in a circle. There is a caller. They tell everyone place their left hand
in front of the person to their left at belly button level. Then they instruct everyone to take their
right hand, point their index finger and bring it down so that it is above the flat palm of the
person to their left, pointed down into their hand. On the callers command, everyone tries to
catch the right finger of the person to their left by pinching it with their open left hand. At the
same time, everyone tries to lift their right finger before it gets capture. The command is typically
“Gotcha!” but the caller many confuse people by calling “Go” “Godzilla” “Gobstopper” or other
words that sounds like “Gotcha!”
Variations: Switch hands so that the right hand is grabbing and the left finger is being caught.
Add in the feet by having everyone put their left foot in front of the person to their left and putting
their right heel on the ground so that their right toes are hovering over the foot that is in front of
them. Change around the hands by telling people to try to grab the the finger in front of them
with their right hand which is normally the pointed finger.
Group Juggle
Category: Ice breaker, Name game
Equipment needed: Balls or tossable objects
Activity: Establish pattern of tosses including everyone in a circle. Add additional objects
periodically.
This is a good way to help a group of strangers remember at least one person's name forever.
1. Have the group stand in a circle, fairly close together.
2. Toss a ball across the circle, calling out the player's name to whom you toss it to. That player
tosses to a different player and so on until everyone has caught the ball and thrown it on once. It
should be back in your hands at this point.
3. Repeat the sequence a couple of times. Add a second bell and then a third. Add as many
balls as you want.
Variations: Make a wide circle out of doors. Use toilet paper instead of balls. Use various size
balls. Have the ball go in different directions.
Group Jump-Rope
see Turnstiles
Group Knot
Category: Final Activity
Equipment needed: None
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: No more than 10-12 people.
Activity: Have the group stand in a tight circle, with their hands in the center. Then the group
grabs other's' hands at random. The puzzle is then for the whole group to work together to get
themselves untangled. Sometimes you'll find that the group has actually formed several smaller
circles. This may get frustrating if you've formed a troublesome knot, but let them keep trying.
Variation: Could be done using rope instead of arms.
Variation: Have everyone cross their arms and then hold hands with the people on either side.
They must untangle themselves so that they are all facing into the middle with their arms
uncrossed. It is a much faster version of the group knot.
Group Sit
Category: Final Activity
Number of participants: 15+
Activity: Group forms a circle. Everyone turns sideways in the same direction. Then everyone
takes a step in to tighten the circle. At the same time, everyone tries to sit down on the lap
behind them so that everyone is sitting on someone’s lap.
H
Handkerchief Tag
Category: Fun
Equipment needed: bandanas for everyone
Area needed: large open space
Number of participants: many
Within the boundary given, have each person try to grab other people’s bandanas which are
tucked into their pants. It’s best to let everyone keep playing to make it
Handshakes
Category: Get to know you
Equipment needed: none
Number of participants: unlimited
Activity: Activity Directions
● Invite your participants to find a partner.
● Introduce your first handshake and related discussion question.
● After two minutes of discussion, tell your participants to remember who their partner is
and have them find a NEW partner.
● Introduce your second handshake and related discussion question.
● After two minutes of discussion, tell your participants to remember who their partner is
and have them find a NEW partner.
● Introduce your third handshake and related discussion question. Allow 2 minutes for the
paired discussion question.
● Give instructions for the “Handshake Frenzy.”
● Call out each of the handshakes one at a time and have participants quickly greet their
‘insert handshake name’ partner. Then after 20 seconds, or long enough that everyone
has successfully found their partner and completed their handshake, call out another
handshake.
● Continue until all three handshakes have been completed.
Three handshakes and related discussion questions:
Lumberjack handshake: Begin by giving a ‘thumbs up’ sign with your left hand. Your partner
will grab your thumb with their forefingers and give a ‘thumbs up’ sign with their thumb. Repeat
this process until all four hands are in this position. (See picture) Utilizing the same movement
as a single jack lumber saw, pretend to saw a log together. Move your arms back and forth
saying each others’ names gruffly, in a deep lumberjack voice (Michelle, Peter, Michelle, Peter).
Lumberjack handshake icebreaker discussion question: “Discuss with your Lumberjack
handshake partner something you are looking forward to in today’s program.”
Salmon handshake: Align your arms with your partner in a ‘zipper’ fashion. (See picture) The
palms of your hands should be aligned with the forearms of your partner. Gently slap your
hands back and forth against your partner’s forearms, duplicating the sound of the salmon tails
slapping against one another.
Salmon handshake icebreaker discussion question: “The plight of the salmon includes a
challenging swim upstream. Discuss with your Salmon handshake partner something that
challenges you in your current role.”
Cow handshake: One person will create udders with their hands. This person will need to lace
their fingers together with their thumbs pointing up and as far apart as possible. They will then
invert their hands so that the thumbs now point down creating the udders of the cow. (See
picture) The other partner will pretend to milk the cow by alternately squeezing their partners’
downward pointing thumbs.
Cow handshake icebreaker discussion question: “How many people did I just push outside your
comfort zone? Raise your hand to elicit a response from the group. “As leaders we often have
our comfort zone boundaries pushed. Discuss with your Cow handshake partner something
that pushes you outside your comfort zone in your current role.”
Helium Hoop
Category: Communication, Cooperation
Equipment needed: Hula hoop or long pole
Number of participants: 6- 12
Activity: the group gets in a line (pole) or circle (hula-hoop). You explain that once you let go of
the pole or hula-hoop, it’ll fly away because it’s filled with helium. The entire group positions a
finger underneath the object so it’s resting on the nail (this prevents participants from wrapping
fingers around the object). The group’s goal is to bring the object to the ground without
anyone’s finger losing contact with the object. Once you let go, the object usually flies up out of
control. Eventually a leader emerges to coordinate the group. You must watch carefully to see
whose finger loses contact because participants are usually not very honest, especially once
they get frustrated. Each time a group member loses contact, the game starts from the
beginning. Discussions can be about leadership, honesty, frustration, expectations, and many
other topics.
Hide and Seek with Boundaries
Category: Fun
Number of participants: 5 or more
Ages: all
Activity: In the woods, have everyone hide within 40 ft of the seeker. The seeker counts to 60
and then opens his/her eyes. Without moving from his/her spot, the seeker calls out who s/he
can see. Those people come back to the center. Whoever isn’t spotted stays hidden. The
seeker counts again to 60 and this time, all hiders must be within 30 ft of the seeker. The game
continues moving in closer and closer until no one is left to find.
Hoop the Group
see Loop-de-loop
Hot Stuff
Category: Leadership, Problem solving
Equipment needed: Rope for boundary line, 3-10 balls, a pedestal, blindfolds, a bucket
Activity: A "nuclear reactor" is represented by a circle on the ground, about twelve feet in
diameter. In the center is the "reactor core" with some "fuel" lying on top. A "containment device"
is located off to the side. Outside the reactor, in the "control room," are materials available to the
team. The team is informed it has about thirty minutes to contain the fuel (some balls) on the
nuclear reactor core (a pedestal) to prevent a nuclear meltdown. No one can go into the reactor
area, and must wear protective gear (blindfolds) if touching anything that does go into the
reactor. This is a "hot" activity to demonstrate the need for clear roles and responsibilities,
effective leadership, good communication, and shared problem solving to be successful. Teams
can do this activity simultaneously and potentially help each other's problem solving. Or they
can work in isolation and compare results later.
Human Tic-Tac-Toe
Category: Fun
Number of Participants: 6+
Materials: human-scale tic-tac-toe board (make from ropes)
Activity: Split into two teams. Ask a team a question. If they answer correctly, they place one
teammate on the board. Then team 2 gets asked a question. It continues until one team gets
three in a row.
I
I Am About Cards
Category: Final Activity
Equipment needed: I am about cards
Activity: These cards can be used to stimulate discussion about values, feelings, ideas,
knowledge, stories, etc. There are countless ways to use the cards. Ask a debrief question and
have participants pick a card that represents their answer. Have them show the card and
explain the connection. Ask participants about a value and have them a pick a card that
represents it and explain why. Have participants choose a card that they would like to give as a
gift to someone else. When they present the card, explain why they chose it.
Indiana Jones
Category: fun, icebreaker, energizer
Equipment needed: ball
Number of participants: medium to larger sized groups 10-20
Activity: Have the group form a circle. Every third person steps into the center of the circle
then turns and faces the larger surrounding circle. The facilitator then walks the path made by
the two circle and explains the game. I usually start by asking if anyone has seen Indiana
Jones. I quickly describe the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indiana Jones is trying to
preserve an ancient artifact but accidentally triggers a series of booby traps, the last of which, a
giant boulder chases him out of the cave. I tell the group we are going to recreate that scene as
a game here. Ask the group for a volunteer. This volunteer is Indiana Jones and will attempt to
make it three times around the circle without being tagged by the ball. Although it is best to use
a larger ball think beach ball or larger vs soccer ball it can be done with any sized ball. Play
begins by first informing the group how the ball can travel. It may go forwards or backwards
around the circle. I generally have the people forming the circle bend down with their hands
outstretched to either side and we practice passing the ball around the circle. If the ball goes
outside the circle play is paused until the ball is retrieved. Once Indiana is tagged ask for a new
volunteer. I also generally have the person who starts with the ball be opposite of where Indiana
starts.
In the Driver’s Seat
Category: Fun, Communication, Trust
Ages: middle school or older recommended
Materials: Blindfolds
Activity: Split everyone into pairs. One member of each team is blindfolded. One team is
picked to be “it”. The blindfolded it person wears a baseball cap to designate that s/he is it.
Create a boundary for all teams to stay within. On go, the “it” team is trying to tag another team
by having the blindfolded person tag another blindfolded person. The people who can see
guide their teammate. Switch up who’s blindfolded throughout the game. Also, if anyone is
unsportsmanlike, suspend them for one round. This game requires that everyone is playing
safe.
J
Jedi Knight (Finger Fencing)
Category: Fun
Activity: Pairs play this game. There are two challenges: One requires the pairs to face each
other with their palms up facing each other. Each person is trying to make the other lose
balance and move a foot. This is done by slapping hands or faking it to throw off balance. No
other body part can be touched besides hands and tugging/grabbing is not allowed. The other
challenge has pairs grab each other’s right hand and point their index finger. Like a lightsaber,
they want to strike the other person in the leg with their pointer finger. This game takes A LOT
of space to move around and can get aggressive.
Jumping Monkeys Jump
Category: Fun
Number of participants: 5 or more
Activity:
Participants spread out in an open space. The facilitator explains the rules: when the facilitator
says “Jumping Monkeys Jump,” everyone must take a two-footed jump. They can move toward
or away from other participants. Tagging can only be done with the two-footed jump – no
additional steps are allowed. If participants tag each other simultaneously, they are both out.
The game continues until one participant remains.
Variations:
1. Add a time limit to each round to increase intensity.
2. Allow participants to use different movements for tagging, such as hopping on one foot or
spinning before jumping.
K
Keep the Ball Up
Category: Icebreaker, Cooperation
Equipment needed: Beach ball(s)
Number of participants: Up to 15 (more if using multiple balls)
Activity: Using a beach ball, have group start hitting it around and trying to keep it off the
ground. Then challenge them to keep it in the air for 20 hits, or 30 hits, etc. Encourage them to
develop some strategy (such as establishing "zones", or an order, etc.) to try to keep the ball up
for as many hits as possible.
Variations: Use more than 1 beach ball, this works especially well with larger groups.
Key Punch
Category: Cooperation, problem-solving
Equipment needed: stickie notes or carpet dots labeled 1 to 30. A long piece of rope, formed
into a large circle. A piece of rope to act as a starting line. A stopwatch.
Number of participants: 6-30
Activity: Lay the rope down in a large circle. Put the carpet dots in the circle with the numbers
visible and scatter them around randomly. Lay the short piece of rope down about 15 feet away
from the circle.
The objective is to have the group tap every number, in order from 1 to 30. Everyone must touch
at least one number, only one person can be in the circle at a time. The group will be timed, so
they must complete this task as fast as possible. If more than one person enters the circle at
one time, there will be a 10-second penalty added to the total time. You will start timing the
group when the first person walks across the starting line and the time will stop when the last
person crosses the starting line.
Give the group about 7 minutes to come up with a strategy.
Everyone must start behind the starting line and walk over to the circle to begin the activity.
Reiterate that everyone must walk, not run.
Keep an eye on the circle and silently count how many times you see more than one person
enter the circle to tap numbers.
When the group has tapped all the numbered dots and returned to the starting space, tell them
what their time was, tell them how many penalties they had and then ask if they can improve
that time. You may do this activity 2 or 3 times, encouraging the group to come up with new
strategies to improve their time and performance.
Variations: To make things more complex, you may designate only two people to look at the
numbered dots beforehand and they will report back to their group members.
Another variation is to take out a number. Usually the group will not notice it immediately and
when they do they’ll have to quickly respond to this problem and decide how to proceed. That
can lead to some interesting conversations about adaptation, or blame.
Knee Tag
Category: Fun
Equipment needed: None
Number of participants: At least 2 participants per group
Activity:
1. Start by asking for a volunteer. Participants pair up, facing each other, with feet stationary but
knees free to move.
2. The goal is to tag an open knee of your partner while covering your own knees. Participants
may switch hands covering their knees to entice their partner into tagging them.
3. Set up people into groups of two and begin the first round. After a few attempts, stop the
group and introduce new rules:
a. In the second round, participants are allowed to move one foot and pivot if desired.
b. In the third round, participants can move freely and tag any open knee, not just their
partner's.
4. Allow each round to continue for a brief period before introducing the next level of freedom.
5. Facilitate a discussion after the activity:
- Ask participants about their experience with the different rounds and how the rules evolved.
- Discuss the progression from fixed and rigid rules to more open and flexible ones.
- Explore whether anyone broke the rules and what consequences, if any, were experienced.
- Connect the activity to real-life scenarios where rules may have varying levels of flexibility
and consequences.
Variations:
1. Increase the number of rounds with different levels of freedom gradually.
2. Allow participants to come up with their own variations for each round, adding creativity to the
game.
KPM (Kinetic People Movers) (Trolleys)
Category: Cooperation, communication
Equipment needed: 2 trolley sets
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-10 (Depending on number of trolley sets and set up of trolleys)
Activity: (Effective project hand-offs between teams) This activity can be done by one team, or
with several teams working together. Participants are given a set of props that are identified as a
trolley. The team needs to move the trolley along a route that goes to the end of the line and
then returns to the station. The trolley operates to an exact timetable that the team sets before
leaving the station. With multiple trolley teams, the challenge requires switching trolleys with
another team at the end point, and returning the newly acquired trolley to its original station on
the schedule set for it by the other team. The interaction produces inter-team dynamics common
to hand-off efforts between teams, especially where "just-in-time" coordination is critical.
L
Line Up
see Birthday Line Up
Linking
Category: Name Game, Icebreaker
Activity: One person initiates the activity by saying their name and a variety of other information
such as a fun fact about their family, things they are passionate about, something that is
important to them, etc. After they have stated a few things they pause and wait for someone
who shares one of the things that they said to link up with them either by holding hands, linking
at elbows or even holding onto a length of rope (making a web as people keep joining in). The
person who links must explain what the connection was, so if person 1 said “I am passionate
about ice cream” person 2 may start in by saying, “I am Louisa and I worked at a creamery in
high school, so I too am passionate about ice cream.” This person will then continue by stating
other facts about themselves and allowing someone new to link with them. The activity
continues until everyone is connected in a circle or web.
Debrief questions may include: “How did it feel when someone said something that you also
identity with?” “Were their unexpected connections?” “What connections do you want to follow
up on?”
Look up/Look down
Category: Fun, Energizer
Number of participants: 8-30
Activity: Everyone stands in a circle. The leader says “look down,” and everyone looks at their
feet. When the leader says “look up” everyone must look up into someone else’s eyes and
freeze their gaze. If the person that you look at is looking back at you, you both SCREAM and
then switch places in the circle. OR you both SCREAM and then step out of the circle.
It should be loud, chaotic and there is usually lots of laughter. The leader continues to say “look
down” and “look up” until there are just two people left playing (if you do it elimination style).
Loop-de-loop (Hoop the Group)
Category: Icebreaker/ Cooperation
Equipment needed: Hula-hoop(s)
Number of participants: Any (the more people the more difficult)
Activity: Have the group stand in a circle and hold hands. Start one hula hoop (or inner tube,
long loop of fabric, etc.) hanging over one pair of joined hands. Each person in the circle must
pass the hoop/loop over him/herself and onto the next person - without letting go of hands.
Variations: Could use 2 or 3 loop/hoops going at the same time in different directions.
M
Mafia Game
Category: Fun, Collaboration
Equipment needed: deck of cards is helpful but not needed
Number of participants: 7+
Notes: This game takes at least a half hour and is best repeated with a group because it takes
a long time to learn the game and the group dynamics.
Activity: This stationary game (originally invented by psychology student Dimitry Davidoff in
Russia, 1986) is a popular group game involving strategy and bluffing. It is good for discussing
topics such as lying, deception, trust, good versus evil, etc. or just for a fun time. There are five
roles one can play: one narrator, two members of the mafia, two members of the police (or one
the group is not large), one doctor, the remaining people are townspeople.
Setup: The narrator needs to prepare the right number of playing cards to set up the game. He
or she takes out two aces (which represent mafia), two kings (which represent police), one
queen (which represents the doctor), and several number cards (one for each of the remaining
roles to be played). Therefore, if there are 12 people playing, there would be two aces, two
kings, one queen, and seven number (non-face) cards, adding up to 12 cards. The narrator
shuffles these cards and each person randomly selects a card, without revealing his or her
identity. The person assumes the role for the round.
Roles:
Ace card: Anyone who gets an Ace card is a Mafia member. Their goal is to keep secret that
they are Mafia and blend in with the Townspeople. For them to win the game, they want to
eliminate the townspeople one by one each round but not to get eliminated (voted off) during the
day.
King card: Anyone who gets a King card is a member of the Police. These members try to
figure out who is guilty of being a Mafia and who is innocent. Thus, their goal is to help the
townspeople vote correctly in who to eliminate during the day (the good people, not the bad!).
They generally want to keep their identity secret so that the Mafia cannot eliminate them early.
Queen card: The doctor role. This optional (but recommended) role serves one purpose - to try
to protect people during the night. He or she can also be selfish and choose to protect himself
during the night.
All other cards (number cards): Townspeople. Their goal is to figure out who is a member of the
secret Mafia, and to eliminate them from the town during the day.
How to Play:
Arrange the players in a circle, with the narrator outside the circle and walking around it. Each
“day” of the game, the narrator takes the entire town through the following commands in this
order:
1. Nighttime
It is nighttime, so everyone please go to sleep.” (Everyone puts their head down and closes
their eyes)
“Mafia, please wake up.” (Only the mafia quietly opens their eyes. The ones that are still “alive”
quietly and unanimously choose a person to eliminate by pointing to someone in the group. The
narrator takes note of the person chosen.
“Mafia, please go to sleep.” (The mafia closes eyes and places their heads down again.)
“Police, please wake up.” (The member(s) of the police that are still alive open their eyes and
quietly points to one person who they suspect is a member of the Mafia.
The narrator quietly nods or shakes his or her head to indicate whether that person is indeed
Mafia.
“Police, please go to sleep.” (The member(s) of the police close their eyes and place their heads
down.)
“Doctor, please wake up and choose someone you’d like to protect.” (The doctor, if still alive,
wakes up and silently points to someone they would like to protect for that day.)
“Doctor, please go to sleep.” (The doctor closes his or her eyes and puts his/her head down.)
“It’s morning. Everyone please wake up.” (Everyone opens their eyes and raises their head.)
2. Daytime Update
The narrator announces the person who was eliminated, unless the doctor correctly selected
the person who was targeted by the Mafia for the night. The person who was eliminated MUST
quietly leave the circle. This person may not speak to anyone for the remainder of the entire
game, but he or she may now keep his/her eyes open to watch everything.
3. Daytime Discussion/Voting
The townspeople (along with the Mafia and Police who may pretend to be townspeople) then
nominate and vote on people who they suspect is a Mafia. Each person nominated may make a
defense and plead their case. The person receiving a majority vote (50% or above) is
eliminated. After someone is voted off, the day is over. The day may also end without any
eliminations if the entire group decides to do so. The day ends, and the pattern starts again
(Nighttime, Daytime Update, Daytime Discussion/Voting).
How to Win
The police or townspeople win if they successfully eliminate all mafia members. The mafia win if
they successfully eliminate all the townspeople. This group game involves lots of strategy,
knowing how and when to reveal your identity, who to trust, etc.
Variations: A variation for younger kids is known as Predator. Instead of mafia, there are
“predators,” and instead of police there are “hunters.” Usually three separate predators (lion,
wolf, bear) are chosen and they are instructed to pick up their heads separately and kill
someone (they sometimes kill each other). Also, rather than using cards, simply just tap them
while their heads are down (”If I tap you now, you are the bear.”) It makes it easier for the kids to
keep it a secret.
Magic Carpet (Tarp Flip)
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: A tarp
Activity: All group members get onto a flat tarp. The objective is to flip over the tarp without
anyone stepping off.
Variations: Have the whole group get onto the tarp. Tell them that it is their ship and it is sinking
so they need to fold it in half so that they can stay afloat longer. Group should continue to fold
the tarp until it is as small as they can manage with everyone still on or over it.
Mastermind
Category: Problem Solving
Equipment needed: Four poly spots, bandanas, or marked circles (if unavailable, draw circles
in dirt)
Number of participants: 2 or more
Activity:
1. The facilitator prepares four markers (poly spots, bandanas, or circles) and writes down four
names correlating to these markers.
2. Participants must figure out, through the process of elimination and strategy, which name
belongs to each marker.
3. The facilitator provides feedback to the group after each iteration, indicating how many
names are correct and how many are in the correct position without specifying which ones. For
example, the facilitator might say, "You have two names correct, and one is in the correct
position," or "You have four names correct, but none are in the correct position."
4. Participants continue to make guesses and receive feedback until they correctly match all
four names with their corresponding markers.
5. Optionally, the facilitator can front-load the activity with goal-setting questions, such as asking
participants how many attempts they think they will need or how long they believe it will take to
complete the task.
Variations:
1. Increase the difficulty by adding more names or markers.
2. Allow participants to write down their guesses instead of verbalizing them, adding an element
of secrecy and strategy.
3. Use symbols, colors, or other categories instead of names for a different twist on the game.
Maze
Category: Cooperation, Problem Solving
Materials: Paper plates with numbers or images on the back of them.
Activity: Write down a pattern on a piece of paper where the first number or image is in the
bottom row of a grid of paper plates (grid size should be 5x5, 6x6, or bigger for advanced
groups). The pattern should be a sequence of plates that are either adjacent or diagonal from
each other and never repeat. The whole groups tries to get the pattern through trial and error.
One person goes at a time. They step onto a plate and you tell them yes or no. If they are
correct, they take another step. If s/he is still following the pattern, you say yes. If you say no,
then they leave and another person tries. The game ends when one person successfully
finishes the pattern.
Minefield (Tank)
Category: Trust, icebreaker
Equipment needed: Rope for boundary. Cones, river stones, or anything else that could be
used as an obstacle/ mine.
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: Any (depends on how big you minefield is, and the efficiency of group
guiding each other through)
Activity: Have group discuss things that are detrimental to functioning as a group. For each
characteristic/action, throw an object into the playing space, the "minefield." Have group choose
partners. One partner is blindfolded at one end of field. The non-blindfolded partners stand at
the opposite end of the field and try to talk their partners through the minefield without running
into any of the obstacles.
Variations: Have a preset minefield already laid out. Place a few small size nets in the mine
field. Theses are spider webs that people can get stuck in and they become an obstacle.
Mingle Mingle
see Sorts and Mingle
Mission Impossible
Category: Cooperation, Fun
Equipment needed: ball of string
Area needed: A space with trees or other things that you can tie yarn to in order to make a web.
Activity: This is done with younger age groups but the older ones sometimes have a good
laugh I always do. Attach string to one end of a room tie it at different places and heights to form
a giant spider web. (Designing the web is often enjoyed the most) Depending how complex your
web is you can blindfold and then they can instruct their mates through the web to the other side
of the room. Or we play mission impossible theme tune dim the lights and have challenges to
see who can get through to the other side of the room without touching the 'laser beams'.
Monster
Category: Cooperation, Fun
Activity: Have a group travel from one spot to another. The catch is that they are only allowed
to have a certain number of hands and feet touching the ground at once, and the whole group
must have contact with one another while traveling. This could be run with two groups who
could be separated by two lanes. The number for feet and hands is best calculated by dividing
the number of people in a group by 3.
Variations: Allow fewer sets of feet and hands to touch the ground to add challenge.
Mouse Traps
Category: Trust
Equipment needed: mousetraps, blind folds
Activity: Show the group how to carefully assemble a mousetrap. Have the group split up into
pairs. Give each pair a mousetrap and a bandana (or they can just close their eyes). One
person puts on the bandana while the other sets the mousetrap. Without touching the blind
folding person, the setter tells the blindfolded person to slowly lower their hand over the
mousetrap. When they have their hand on the mousetrap they will leave it there until the setter
explains how to take it off without getting snapped (lift your hand up quickly). The setter must
coach and offer encouragement throughout the activity, especially if the blindfolded person is
really scared of the trap going off.
Switch roles.
N
Name Impulse
Category: Ice Breakers
Number of participants: 5 or more
Activity:
1. The facilitator gathers the participants and asks if everyone knows their own name.
2. Explain that the goal is to pass a "name impulse" around the circle as quickly as possible.
3. The person to the facilitator's left starts by saying their name aloud, then the person to their
left says their own name, and this continues around the circle until the person to the facilitator's
right says their name, at which point the facilitator stops the time.
4. Record the time taken to complete the impulse and share it with the group.
5. Encourage goal-setting by asking the group how fast they think they can pass the name
impulse.
6. Conduct multiple rounds passing the impulse to the left.
7. After a few rounds, switch it up with a couple of rounds passing the impulse to the right.
8. Discuss with the group which direction was faster and reflect on the experience. Emphasize
that everyone is part of the winning team.
Variations:
1. Introduce a penalty for mistakes, such as restarting the impulse if someone says the wrong
name or hesitates.
2. Add complexity by passing the impulse in reverse order, starting from the facilitator's right.
3. For larger groups, divide into smaller circles and have multiple impulses going
simultaneously.
Name Roulette
Category: Name Game
Equipment needed: Hula-hoop or rope
Number of participants: 1+
Activity: Split group into two teams. Have teams form into two separate circles. One team
member from each team should have a foot inside the circle. On go, both teams start walking in
a circle, one going clockwise, the other going counterclockwise. Each team member should
pass the hula-hoop and place one foot inside. When the facilitator says stop, one team member
from each group should have a foot inside the circle. Those two compete to see who can yell
out the other one’s name first. The loser joins the other team. Eventually one team should
dwindle down and you can stop at any point.
Name Snake
Category: Name Game
Activity: Everyone stands in a line. Person A stands across from the first person in the line
(Person B), shakes their hand (or hi-5s), they introduce themselves and then Person A takes a
step to the left to meet the next person in line, Person C. As soon as Person A moves onto
Person D, Person B joins the “snake” by stepping out of line and meeting Person B. The group
continues to step out of the line and meet people, causing a continuous clockwise rotation of
people. When one person thinks that they can name everyone in the group they call out “Stop!”
and they try to name everyone.
Name Switch
Category: Name Game
Ages: possibly all ages, but may be challenging with young kids
Activity: Everybody finds a partner. They introduce themself and respond to a question or two,
posed by the facilitator. Questions can be: what’s your favorite animal? Who’s your role model?
If you had a superhuman power, what would it be? What is the funniest/most unusual thing
that’s ever happened to you?
After the two people have shared their name and answered the questions, they will switch
identities. They move on to a new partner and repeat this process, but they introduce themself
as the person that they switched identities with. So Alice would start off talking with Juan and
then she would go talk to someone else but introduce herself as Juan. After three or four
switches, everyone comes back to the circle and introduces the person whose name they ended
up with. You require that everyone must give an answer to the questions, even if they can’t
remember. You get some pretty funny stories.
Name Toss
Category: Name game
Number of participants: 6+
Equipment needed: A throwable object
Activity: Start with one ball and the group standing in a circle. The goal is to pass the ball
around the circle, however you cannot pass to someone directly next to you. Everyone must
touch the ball one time. Participants should call out the name of the person they are passing to
and encourage the catcher to say “Thank you ____(name)” when they receive the ball. Pass the
ball around until participants learn each other’s names.
Variation: Time the activity and see how fast participants can pass the ball to everyone. If a ball
is dropped either add 10 seconds to their total time, or make them start over.
Variation: Turn the game into Group Juggle once the group knows each other’s names.
Ninja
Category: Fun
Number of participants: 4 +
Ages: possibly all ages
Activity: Stand in a circle. Everyone puts their hands in the middle of the circle and initiates the
game by yelling “hi-ya” and jumping backwards into a ninja pose. One person starts off as “it.”
They make one ninja move towards another person’s hand with the goal is slapping that person
on the hand. If they make contact, the person whose hand was slapped has to put it behind their
back, they cannot use that arm for the rest of the game. The person who is playing defense in
this moment can make one defensive move to avoid getting slap. All movements in the game
must be continuous and fluid. Whenever a move has been made, both people need to freeze in
the position their move terminated in. For example, if you made a diving move and landed with
one arm outstretched, laying on your stomach, but you didn’t make contact with someone else’s
hand, you continue to lay like that, arm outstretched until your turn comes around again. After
you have had a turn, the next person in the circle become “it.” They are allowed to try to slap
anyone’s hand. “It” person keeps moving around the circle in the same direction but everyone is
allowed to slap out of order. If people move around a bit during the game, the same “it” order
applies, even if people are no longer in their original space. The game ends when one person
remains with at least one hand still in the game. Repositioning movements without attempted
slaps are legal.
Noodle Cube
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: 12 full-sized pool noodles
Number of participants: At least 6 participants
Activity:
1. Divide participants into two teams.
2. The teams work together to create a three-dimensional cube structure using the pool
noodles. The cube should be large enough to allow participants to pass through.
3. Emphasize that the cube must be held off the ground solely by the pool noodles.
4. If the cube falls apart, it results in a reset, and the teams must rebuild the cube.
5. Once the cube is successfully constructed and held off the ground, the teams must pass all
participants through the cube.
6. Participants must pass through the cube one at a time, and once a pathway is used, it cannot
be used again.
7. Teams must strategize and communicate effectively to pass all participants through the cube
without collapsing it.
Variations:
1. Increase the difficulty by requiring participants to pass through the cube in a specific order
(e.g., shortest to tallest).
2. Time the activity to add an element of competition, with the team completing the task in the
shortest time declared the winner.
3. Introduce obstacles or challenges that participants must navigate while passing through the
cube, such as blindfolding participants or requiring them to carry objects.
Numbers Game
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: Sheets of paper with single numbers (0-9) written on them
Number of participants: At least 10 participants (split into two teams)
Activity:
1. Split the group into two teams, ensuring an equal number of participants on each team.
2. Hand out sheets of paper to each participant, with each sheet containing a single number
from 0 to 9.
3. The facilitator calls out a series of numbers (e.g., 536, 9,450, 12,985), making sure not to
repeat any numbers within the same sequence.
4. Teams race to arrange themselves to correctly display the number called out by the facilitator
using the numbers on their sheets of paper.
5. The team that successfully displays the correct number first wins that round.
6. Play multiple rounds with increasing difficulty by using longer numbers or sequences.
7. At the end, discuss teamwork, communication, and problem-solving strategies employed by
each team.
Variations:
1. Increase the challenge by having the facilitator call out sequences of numbers with
mathematical operations (e.g., 536 + 450 = ?).
2. Allow teams to strategize before each round, such as assigning roles or developing a system
for arranging themselves quickly.
3. Instead of numbers, use letters or symbols to spell out words or phrases.
O
One Word at a Time
Category: Communication
Number of participants: 3 to 5 per group
Activity:
1. Divide the participants into smaller groups of three to five people.
2. Explain that the goal is to create a story together, with each participant contributing one word
at a time.
3. Start the story by having one participant say a single word.
4. Each participant takes turns adding one word to the story, building on what has been said
before.
5. The facilitator can set a time limit for the activity or let the story naturally unfold.
6. Encourage participants to listen to each other and be flexible in creating a cohesive narrative.
7. If desired, have each group share their story with the larger group or audience.
8. After each group has shared, facilitate a discussion on the experience, focusing on creating a
shared narrative, letting go of control, and being flexible in the moment.
Variations:
1. Increase the challenge by having participants contribute one sentence at a time instead of
one word.
2. Provide a theme or prompt for the story to give it direction.
3. Allow participants to pass if they're unsure of what to say, or allow them to veto the previous
word if they feel it's necessary for the story's coherence.
On Your Mark
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: Rope for a boundary line, spots with something noticeably differentiating
effects.
Activity: (Learning from the competition to improve everyone's performance.) How fast can
your teams complete this challenge? A large game area is circled off. Inside are dozens of "hot
spots" (disks) on the ground, each one with a specific marking to distinguish its place in a
series. The challenge is for the team to make contact with each mark in series as quickly as
possible. Another team is nearby and has the same challenge, and its hot spots are also inside
the game area. Multiple play areas can be set up with two teams assigned to each. The
challenge is to achieve the fastest combined time for touching the marks, in series. The game
area with the fastest combined time wins.
Variations: As an alternative, if there is only one game area with one or two teams, participants
are challenged to meet a predetermined standard. The activity encourages out of the box
thinking for ways to create an efficient process and for cooperating across teams.
Orbiter and Fall
Category: Fun
Equipment needed: chairs or designated spots for all but one person
Number of participants: more than 6
Roles: Orbiter- This is a lot like musical chairs. There is one fewer chairs than people. The extra
person is the Sun. The other people are each assigned a planet (Mars, Jupiter, etc.) The sun
orbits around the chairs calling out the names of planets. The planet called gets up and walks
(orbits) around the chairs with the sun. When all the planets are orbiting, the facilitator yells
Blast Off. All the people scramble for a chair. The one left standing becomes the Sun.
Faller- Same as above except the people are trees (each with their own name). It is the Wind.
The leader yells fall.
Order out of Chaos
Category: Cooperation, Communication, Icebreaker
Activity: The group is blindfolded. Each member is assigned a number.
Once the members are distributed in a defined area, the members must line up in a proper
numerical order without verbal communication. Another task would be to assign each member
the name of an animal. Nonverbally, the members arrange themselves in order of size, from
largest to smallest.
Any sort of lineup activity based on a trait, without speaking or seeing, would work.
Over, Under, Through
Category: Teamwork, Collaboration, Problem Solving
Number of participants: 10-20
Equipment: Two ropes tied up between two posts or trees. One is horizontal, about 2 feet off
the ground. The other is parallel to that, about 4 feet off the ground.
Activity: There is a pattern that the group must follow. The pattern is “under, over, through” but
they don’t know this. Explain to the group that their goal is to get everyone from one side of the
ropes to the other. Let them know that you will be providing feedback and if you make a certain
sound, it means that everyone needs to start over because something is wrong.
Keep the instructions simple. Let people know that they must accomplish this task SAFELY and
you will step in if something unsafe is observed.
Usually the first person tries to climb between the ropes.
Since the pattern is “under, over, through” this would be an incorrect first move. The first person
must go under the ropes, the second person covers over the tope rope and the third person
goes through the middle of the ropes. This pattern repeats until everyone has passed to the
other side.
If someone’s body makes contact with the ropes, the whole team must go back to the beginning.
If the ropes are crossed out of sequence, everyone must go back to the beginning. If multiple
people try to go at once, everyone must go back to the beginning.
The most complex part of this is safely lifting people over the ropes. There should be spotting,
no jumping and lots of attention from the entire team to make this move happen safely. You can
pause and reset at any time if you feel that safety standards are not being met by the group.
P
Paper Fold
Category: Problem solving
Equipment needed: Newspaper (broadsheet), flipchart paper or any type of paper that would
hold up to people standing on it without ripping right away.
Area needed: Any, could be done both inside and outside.
Number of participants: 4-20
Activity: Split into teams of about 5 or 6 making sure equal distribution of size etc. If inside can
remove shoes. Give each team a sheet of newspaper (broadsheet), flipchart paper or similar;
tell them all to stand on it. Everyone off, fold in half on the long edge, and then everyone back
standing on. Keep folding in half until one of the teams is the winner. Various techniques of
standing on one leg etc, and other acrobatic tricks allowed & encouraged!”
Pass it on
Category: Icebreaker
Activity: The group forms a circle. The group starts a beat. The first person does a dance
move to the beat. Then the second person does the first person’s move and then his/hers. The
third person does the first two people’s moves and then his/her own. It continues to build until
finally, everyone in the group goes through the sequence together. This game helps the shy
kids come out. You can create themes to the dance moves, like show your favorite activity in a
dance move.
Pass the Water
Category: Cooperation
Materials: cups (one for each player), two buckets, something to fill the cups with (i.e. water)
Activity: Best to do outside. Start with a bucket of water and a group of participants lined up
behind it. The first participant scoops out the water with his/her cup and passes it backwards to
the person behind. The two people can’t touch each other’s cups and they can’t move their
feet. Person one also cannot turn around and must therefore pass blindly. The water is passed
backwards to each person in line until it reaches the last person who aims for the bucket behind
him/her. You can draw a line on the bucket to show where the water level needs to reach to end
the game…or you can just see how much they can fill. This is messy.
Pebble Tag
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: Bucket, pebble
Activity: the group forms a circle. Everyone closes their eyes and opens their hand behind
their back. One person with a pebble goes around the circle and places the pebble in
someone’s hand. Then that person says go. The person with the pebble wants to get the
pebble into the bucket before being tagged, but they are at a huge disadvantage because
everyone is around him/her, so they need to be sneaky. Everyone keeps their hands closed,
pretending they have the pebble. If someone thinks they know who has it, s/he tags that
person. If right, s/he wins. If wrong, s/he is out for the round and can’t tag anyone else. The
game ends when the person gets the pebble into the bucket, or someone tags him/her first.
The winner then starts the next round, placing the pebble into someone else’s hand. That
person does not play that round. This game works really well with the kids usually.
People to People
Category: Icebreaker
Activity: Group circles up. The facilitator then calls out a command like foot to hand or head to
toe. The group must then pair off in twos and perform the command by placing the body part
called out to the opposite one called (hand to knee etc.).
To make it more interesting, ask the group a question when they are in pairs and have them
discuss with their partner. Then call out a new pairng so that people move around. Ex. elbow to
elbow, head to toe, finger to nose…
Piggy
Category: Cooperation, icebreaker, Fun
Equipment needed: an object to retrieve such as a ball or rubber chicken
Activity: A facilitator stands at one end of the field with an object behind them. The group
starts at the other end behind a line. The facilitator counts to five with their back to the group.
The group moves towards the object while the facilitator counts. When the facilitator reaches 5,
s/he turns around and if anyone is moving, that person is sent back to the beginning (laughing,
blinking all counts). The facilitator turns around again and counts to 5 as the group moves
closer. This continues until the group picks up the object. Once the object is missing and the
facilitator turns around, s/he has one guess to figure out who is holding the object. If s/he is
right, the object returns to the facilitator and the group goes back to the start. If the facilitator is
wrong, s/he turns around again to count to five. At 5 s/he turns around and has another guess.
The rule about not moving is still in effect, so if anyone moves, then that person returns to the
beginning. If that person is holding the object, the group loses. The group wins once they get
the object back to their starting position without the facilitator guessing who has it. The object is
not allowed to be thrown. It can ONLY be passed between teammates. This requires teamwork
and strategy. Otherwise, it’s easy for the facilitator to guess who has the object.
Pipeline
Category: Collaboration, Problem Solving
Equipment needed: A small ball, materials that could be used as channels to move the sized
ball, something to mark a beginning point and an end point.
Number of participants: 4-20
Activity: (How to collaborate with former competitors when goals and accountabilities merge.)
Here’s a moving challenge that promotes interrelated teamwork. Each team is given a small
ball, and each person on the team is given a "channel" device. Each device is slightly different
from the others. The challenge is to get the ball from a designated starting point to a target point
without dropping or making physical contact with the ball. A series of related standards must
also be met for each of the channel support structures (people) that construct the channel. What
starts out as a fairly straightforward objective soon becomes a bigger challenge, as more balls
must be moved, the target moves further away, and new obstacles must be avoided. A second
team (or more) can enter the picture as teams share channel routes, targets, and even balls in
the process. This activity requires collaboration, coordination, cooperation, and tactical skill to
be successful. Engagements with other teams can produce elegant and effective solutions, or
can impede performance depending on how the groups relate with each other.
Popcorn
Category: Problem solving, Portable
Equipment needed: Bucket, enough ping pong, wiffle, and tennis balls to fill it to the brim, and
a long rope.
Area needed: flat surface for bouncing balls
Activity: Start with a bucket in the middle and a rope making a circle around the bucket with
about an 8’ diameter. All participants are outside the bucket with the balls. On go, they try to
throw and bounce all of the balls into the bucket without entering the circle. Time this and then
do another run. Ask them to make a time goal. Ask the participants to think of ways to do it
faster. Run a few trials to see if they can reach their goal.
Pressure Cooker
Category: Cooperation, Problem Solving, Innovation
Equipment needed: Keypunch kit (dots with numbers 1-30)
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-30 people
Activity: Lay out all of the dots randomly on the floor in a space that is about 10 x 10 feet. The
objective for the group is to have every person touch every number in chronological order. Only
one person can be in contact with a numbered dot at a time, so they have to be aware of one
another. This is meant to be a very open-ended task and people should be encouraged to get
creative.
Don’t give the group any time to plan. Instead, tell them that you are timing them and start your
watch. Normally they will run around and bump into one another.
Debrief the first round. How did it go? What needs to be tweaked to improve? What questions
does the group have?
If they ask, they are welcome to move the dots!
Give them 2 more chances to see how fast they can accomplish this task. It’s up to you to
decide what is allowed. Encourage creativity!
Pyramid
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: Tent poles, 2 ropes or string around 6-15 ft in length, Moveable objects
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 8-30
Activity: (This is a 90 minute activity) Two teams simultaneously perform different tasks
required to operate a single device called "The Pyramid," formed by four hinged aluminum
poles. Two sets of control strings operate a 'grabber' that hangs down from the top of the
pyramid into the center area. Each team manages one set of strings such that one team
controls the device's position while the other team controls its grabbing function. The teams
must coordinate their efforts to move and stack a set of props inside the pyramid area without
physically going inside this area. The activity can be structured many different ways. For
example, a sighted group may represent engineering expertise, with a blindfolded team
representing operators trying to implement this expertise in the field. It also provides a great tool
to practice leading across an organization.
Q
Questions (Speed Dating)
Category: Ice Breaker
Number of Participants: an even number
Activity: Make two circles of people, one inside the other (same number in each circle). The
inner circle of people face the outer circle of people. Ask a series of questions allowing the
group to discuss with their partner for about 1 minutes. After a minute have the outer circle shift
around so that everyone has a new partner, ask a new question.
Questions: -If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
-What is your favourite meal of the day and why?
-What is one family tradition or cultural tradition that is important to you?
-If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who and why?
-If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
-What is one book that you would recommend?
-What would the soundtrack to your life be?
Qwirkle
Category: Problem Solving
Equipment needed: 36-piece Qwirkle set (tiles with 6 colors and 6 shapes)
Number of participants: At least 6 participants
Activity:
1. The facilitator presents the Qwirkle tiles, all face down, and carefully scrambles them up in
front of the participants.
2. The facilitator randomly selects two tiles and places them in their pocket without showing
anyone.
3. The facilitator informs the group that their goal is to figure out which tiles are in the facilitator's
pocket.
4. Participants are invited to come up one by one to the tile pile, take two or three tiles
(depending on numbers), and return to their place in the circle.
5. Participants are instructed not to show their tiles to anyone but to describe what they see to
the group. The facilitator may define colors if needed (e.g., for color blindness).
6. Participants share the information they have about their tiles with the group, describing colors
and shapes.
7. Through the process of elimination and sharing information, the group works together to
deduce which tiles are in the facilitator's pocket.
8. Participants must make their guess about the tiles in the facilitator's pocket, being allowed
only one chance.
9. After the guess is made, the facilitator reveals the tiles in their pocket to see if the group's
deduction was correct.
10. Facilitate a debrief discussion focusing on the group's communication, problem-solving
strategies, leadership dynamics, and the importance of common language and resource
sharing.
Variations:
1. Increase the challenge by limiting the number of rounds or the amount of information
participants can share about their tiles.
2. Introduce time limits for each round to add urgency and pressure to the decision-making
process.
3. Allow participants to ask yes/no questions to the facilitator to gather additional information
about the tiles in their pocket.
R
Raccoon Circles
Category: Get to know you, problem-solving, debriefing
Equipment needed: A piece of webbing, tied in a circle so that is long enough for your entire
group to stand inside of.
Number of participants:6+
Activity: There are so many things to do with Raccoon circles! So many that there is even a
book about it! You can find a 25 page PFD about Raccoon Circle activities here:
http://www.teamworkandteamplay.com/resources/new_rc_document_2011_final.pdf
Here are a few common activities…
1. Lay the circle of webbing on the ground and have the group step inside the circle. Their
challenge is to get out of the circle by going under it. The caveat is that they cannot
make contact with the webbing with any part of their body above their waste. This is a
timed challenge! Give them some time to think about it, plan and maybe even practice.
Give the group 3 chances to improve their technique and their time.
2. Have everyone in the group stand on the outside of the webbing circle, holding the
webbing with two hands. Ask them to form a shape with the webbing. This could be a
perfect square, a trapezoid, a hexagon, a heart, etc. For an added challenge, blindfold
the entire group and have them form the shape.
3. Everyone stands outside of the webbing circle, holding the webbing. Ask the group a
question and then shuffle the webbing around while the group stands still. The facilitator
calls out “stop” and whoever is holding the knot of webbing has to respond to the
question. After they have responded they get to yell out “stop” for the next go around.
4. Lay the webbing down in a circle. Ask the group a question. Invite whoever wants to
respond to the question to step inside the circle. Go around and let the people in the
circle respond to the question and then have them step back out when they are done
speaking. This way the webbing acts as a sort of conch shell so that attention is on the
speakers.
5. Take the webbing circle and twist it every 4 feet so that you form a sort “8” shape with
about 3 loops. You can use this as a way to carry people by having a participant lay
down on the webbing and having 6 or more people hold onto the webbing and list the
person up off the group. Challenge the team to safely transport the person on the
webbing to another area. You may add in some obstacles. This is a modified version of
“beaming.”
Rock/Paper/Scissors (Giants/Wizards/Elves or Salmon/Bear/Mosquito)
Category: Fun
Equipment needed: 2 ropes or something to designate a “safe space”
Number of participants:6+
Activity: The group is taught the symbols for the game. A fist is “rock,” flat hand is “paper” and
index finger and middle finger extended with the other three fingers together in a fist is
“scissors.” Rock smashes scissors, scissor cuts paper, paper covers rock. The group is divided
into two teams and they stand on opposite sides of the rope. As a team they decide what
symbol they want to use to defeat the other team. When both groups have chosen their
sequence of hand symbols, the teams step up so they are 3 feet apart. They call out together
“rock paper scissors shoot!” and on “shoot” everyone shows the symbol that their group decided
on. The group with the winning hand symbol then starts a tag game and tries to tag the people
in the losing group. If they can tag them before they get back to their home space the people
who were tagged must join the other group. The game continues until everyone is on the same
team or when it has gone on long enough.
Variations: The group makes up body movements for giants, wizards and elves. The same
game is played. Giants smoosh elves, elves outwit wizards, wizards stun giants. Alternatively
Bear catches salmon, salmon eats mosquito, mosquito bites bear.
Rope Inside Out Circle
Category: Icebreaker
Materials: rope
Activity: Have all group members step inside the circle. Their goal is to get out of the circle by
going under it. Without using hands, or making any contact with the rope above their waist, see
how fast the entire group can move to the outside of the rope.
This is a timed activity and usually if you give the gorup three chances and encourage them to
be innovative they’ll come up with some really amazing solutions to the challenge.
S
Sci-Fi Tube
Category: Closing Activity
Equipment needed: Sci-fi tube (made by Training Wheels)
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 2-90 ppl
Activity: Everyone stands in a circle. The facilitator sets the tone for the program talking about
themes of togetherness, connection, our ability to amazing things when we work together, etc.
Then everyone is invited to hold hands with the person next to them. The facilitator holds the
silver part of the sci-fi tube. The peron next to the must also touch the silver part of the sci-fi
tube. When the circle is complete, the sci-fi tube will light up and buzz.
Let the group play round with this amazing show of energy for a moment and then disconnect to
reiterative the theme that is important for the group.
Secret Agent
see Body Guard
Seeds You Sow
Category: Problem solving, Collaboration
Equipment needed: tennis balls, golf balls, or balls no bigger than a soft ball, mats or cones,
and a rope for boundary line.
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-20
Activity: (Big goals require breakthrough thinking about collaborating to win.) This activity
focuses on the need for two teams with similar objectives and limited resources to work together
to reach a shared win. The teams start out on opposite ends of a rectangular area. Inside the
area are several dozen golf balls (seeds) scattered among several discs and cones (hot spots).
Hot spots cannot be touched while someone is in the area. Anyone inside the rectangle is
blindfolded as they gather seeds. Those outside direct. A total of forty seeds must be brought
out and touching to achieve the objective, which is to stave off world hunger. But there are not
enough seeds for both sides to be successful on their own.
Shoe Twister
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: people wearing shoes
Activity: Everyone takes off one shoe and puts it in the centre of the circle.
Everyone joins hands. On "Go", everyone gets a shoe from centre and finds the person who
owns it, and puts it back on that person without letting go of hands of people beside them.
Silent Maze
Category: Communication
Ages: older groups, this has a serious message
Materials: several long ropes, blindfolds
Activity: An enclosed space is created by tying ropes around trees or other standing objects.
There should be no gaps, so that the rope goes in a continuous circle. The group is blindfolded
elsewhere and brought to the maze. Have them duck under the rope and grab on to it once
inside. Explain that they cannot talk in the maze, but if they need help, just to raise their hand.
Stress that talking is not allowed. Also tell them to always keep a hand on the rope. Let the
group go. They will go in circles for a while before someone finally gives in to the frustration and
lets go of their ego. Once a person raises his/her hand, go in and unblindfold him/her, leading
him/her out of the circle. Continue to keep the silence. Repeat a few times that no one is
permitted to speak, but if s/he needs help, just raise a hand. Eventually everyone will raise their
hand. A discussion is very important at this point to talk about how hard it is to ask for help at
times. Talk about why it’s hard to ask for help sometimes. Then talk about why it’s important to
ask for help (sometimes you really can’t do something without help. This maze mimics that
because you can’t solve it without asking for help). Then talk about where the participants can
find help for different problems. This can cause some emotional distress. Be sure to address
this.
Similarities and Differences
Category: Ice breaker
Activity: Ask people a series of questions and have them discuss with partners.
Are you more like summer or winter? A station wagon or a sports car? A house pet or a wild
animal? Tea or coffee?
The more categories the more interesting the game.
Similarity Charades
Category: Icebreaker
Activity: Divide into smaller groups. Each group discusses their similarities and acts out for
other group to guess.
Variations: Use this activity to split groups up for program needs.
Snowball Fight
Cateogry: Get to know you
Equipment needed: paper and pens
Number of participants: 5+
Activity: Everyone writes a question on a piece of paper and then crumples it up and throws it
into the middle of the circle. Once all the snow balls are in, have a short snow ball fight and
throw them around to mix them up. Everyone now grabs a new piece of paper, opens it and
using a pen, they write a response to the question. When they you’re done, throw the paper
back ito the center and pick up a new one. Respond to as many questions as you can in a
minute. Now everyone grabs a piece of paper and either reads the question and answers
outloud, or you pass the papers around until everyone has found their paper again.
This is a great way to get some fears and concerns out in the open and share the knowledge of
the group.
Sorts and Mingle
Category: Ice Breaker
This game is great for breaking up groups so that friends don’t spend the day together.
Instructions: The first part of the game is the “Sorts” game. You will throw out two contrasting
choices and the group has to move either East or West of the room (e.g. “Do you prefer Target
or Walmart?”). Then you throw out two more choices and have them move South and North.
That way, they all have to move somewhere and can’t get “lost” in the crowd. Sorts that work
well include: movie/book; salty/sweet; dress up/casual; inside/outside; be on the stage
performing/in the audience watching, etc.
The second part, the Mingle game, is also interesting and effective as an icebreaker; you throw
out a general category and the group has to mingle around to find others that have the same
answer and they clump up. After about thirty seconds to one minute, you then have each group
call out their answer. It’s okay if someone doesn’t have anyone else who has the same answer.
Just try to avoid two groups with the same answer (means they didn’t mingle very well!) Some
examples of mingles: your favorite dessert; the type of toothpaste you use; if you could attend
one huge event (e.g. the Super Bowl, Oscars, World Series, Nascar Opening Day, etc.) what
would you choose; your least favorite chore growing up as a kid; if you could be the very best at
something, what would it be?
Variation: Call out of number between 3 and 6. Participants need to get in a group that size, so
if you say “5,” groups of 5 people should form. Once in these groups, ask a question and
participants discuss it amongst themselves for 2 minutes. Example questions may be, “where
would you like to go on vacation?” “What is your favourite season?”
Spot Crossing
Category: Cooperation, Problem Solving
Number of participants: 8-24
Equipment needed: 20 poly spots
Activity: Create a grid of poly spots. They should be
laid out in pairs so that you have two side by side,
making an X. Divide the group into 4. Every group
stands an one of the corners of the grid.
The goal is to cross the grid, only stepping on the
poly spots. You cannot skip over spots. You must
also step on one that is adjacent to your current spot
and you can go backwards if needed. However, if
you step on a spot, it has been activated. If you step
off an activated spot it will be taken out of the game.
So people must always be in contact with a spot to
keep it in the game. Usually a group will slip up and
lose a few spots right in the beginning. Then they
realize they need to talk to the people in the other groups so that they can cross.
Squat Tag
Category: Fun, Icebreaker, Cooperation
Ages: probably middle school and older
Activity: Split the group into two teams. One team forms a line with each person facing the
opposite direction. They squat down. One person from that team starts as the tagger. The
other team sends in a runner. The runner can run around the other team and in between the
squatting people. The tagger can only run around the entire group in a clockwise direction. The
tagger can switch places with another teammate at any time by tagging him/her and taking
his/her spot. The new tagger can only get up and run in the direction s/he was facing. Again,
s/he can only run clockwise. Once the tagger tags the runner, a new runner enters. Once all
runners have been tagged, the teams switch places.
Step Together (Step in/Step Out)
Category: Icebreaker, Cooperation
Number of participants: many
Activity: Have everyone stand in a circle (holding hands). The caller will announce what the
group will do. Then they will call out commands: “step in,” “step out,” “step left,” or “step right.”
First Round: Say what I say, do what I do.
Ex. If the caller says “step left,” the group repeats, “step left” as they step left.
Second Round: Say what I say, do the opposite.
Ex. If the caller says “step left,” the group says “step left” as they step right.
Third Round: Do what I say, say the opposite.
Ex. If the caller says “step left,” the group says “step right” as they step left.
Fourth Round Do and say the opposite
Ex. If the caller says “step left,” the group says “step right” as they step right.
It gets pretty chaotic as the directions get more mixed up and eventually you’ll stop the game
when things break down. A short debrief about where we get information and how we all will fail
sometimes can be a good topper to this short activity.
Stretch it to the Limit
Category: Icebreaker, Cooperation
Number of participants: 8+
Equipment needed: rope to make a circle area, pool noodle, stop watch
Activity: Have the participants stand in a roped in area that is just large enough for all of them
to stand comfortably. Place a pool noodle outside of the roped in area (as many steps away as
there are participants). The group’s job is to get the noodle and return it to the roped area. There
must be one person who maintains a connection to the roped area throughout the activity. The
group must stay connected to each other in some way (holding hands or hands to feet is fine,
but they cannot hold each other’s clothing to connect). This is a timed activity. Start timing when
the first person steps out of the roped area. Once the noodle has been retrieved and returned to
the roped area, and all the participants are standing in the roped area, stop the clock. If the
group disconnects at any point, add a 10 second time penalty to the total time. Do they activity a
few times, and every time, push the noodle out further than before. For the final rounds, the
noodle should be so far that the group will have to lay down in a chain to be long enough to
reach the noodle. This is a chance for them to problem solve under pressure and show how
they are willing to push their limits to help their group succeed.
Sticks, Stones and Bones (See Back to Back Drawing)
Stepping Stones
Category: Problem solving, Cooperation
Equipment needed: Two ropes for boundaries, bandannas
Number of participants: No more than 15-20
Activity: Draw two lines to represent the edges of the poison peanut butter. Hand group
bandannas. Group needs to get everyone safely across using only the bandannas as safety
zones.
Variations: Using too few bandannas for a continuous chain across or stating that once a
bandanna has been placed on the ground, it cannot be moved. In the second case, be sure
there are enough bandannas to make it across if placed strategically. (Must plan ahead)
T
Telephone Charades
Category: Fun
Activity: An icebreaker/stationary game in which a person acts out an action only for the next
person in line, who in turn acts out for the next person. The action becomes mutated and
usually very funny, as the last person in line tries to guess what the original clue was.
Tent Building
Category: Cooperation
Equipment: tents, blindfolds
Objective: To erect a tent within a given time period to house all members of the group.
Rules: All members but two are blindfolded. Seeing people may not move, nor may they
call people by their proper names. Considerations: Tent must be large enough to house all
members of the group. Different types of tents within the same bag makes for added
confusion and laughs. Setting: "A new type of bomb has been dropped blinding all the
people in the world except for 2 - you and you - unfortunately these 2 people are paralyzed.
You can all regain your sight and movement by getting into these super special tents within
a short time. Once inside don't touch the walls! Time is short and of essence! Go!!
Tick Tack Toe with Cones
Category: Ice Breaker
Equipment Needed: 9 cones and 9 half cones that are labeled “x” or “o” and a 3 x 3 grid drawn
on the ground
Number of participants: 2-9
This does require nine conical cones and nine half cones. Lay the conical cones out in a 3 cone
by 3 cone grid. Players are given the nine half cones, 5 of which are labeled with X’s and four
with O’s. X’s go first and place one of their X half cones on 1 of the conical cones. O’s follow with
a placement. Each placement is by a new team member. Play continues until there is a winner.
Debrief: Did someone make a mistake? Was someone just done with the activity? How does the
challenge dictate the reward?
Tiny Teach
Category: Icebreaker
Activity: Have the group partner up and share one skill with their partner. It might be a cool
shoe tying technique, or a phrase in a foreign language, a magic trick, etc.
Have the partners join another group of two. In these new groups of 4, the group must teach
each other their talents and choose one skill that they can all do. Keep having groups combine
until there are only 5 or so massive groups. Large groups present their newly shared talent to
everyone else. You can put on a bit of a show, have a stage area so that everyone can watch
the groups exhibit their talent.
Trolley Walk
Category: Cooperation, communication
Equipment needed: Trolley set
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-10 (Depending on number of trolley sets and set up of trolleys)
Activity:: Group coordinates efforts to walk while standing on wooden trolleys (long boards
with ropes to hang on to every few feet).
Variations: See Blind/ Mute Trolley or KPM
Turnstile (Group Jump)
Category: Cooperation
Equipment needed: Long rope
Ages: middle school or older
Activity: Try to get entire team through the jump rope without it hitting someone. This can be a
timed activity. To make it harder, require that the two people twirling the rope must also go
through the jump rope so people must switch with them without the jump rope stopping.
Variation:
Have a pattern in mind such as 2 people then 1 person then 2 people repeating for 20 times.
Don’t tell the group the pattern. Every time they mess up, stop spinning the jump rope. They will
have to problem solve to figure out what the pattern is.
Twizzle
Category: Icebreaker, Fun
Area needed: Open area with something that the group can walk around
Number of participants: 5-20
Activity: Players go around an object with the facilitator calling out commands. If anyone
misses a command or does something wrong they are out. Game continues until there is only
one person left.
Commands used:
Twizzle (360 degree turn)
Stop
Go
Jump
Backwards
Forwards
Variations: Add more commands to make this more interesting (crab walk, gallop, etc).
U
Ubuntu
Category: Icebreaker
Resources: Ubuntu Cards
Instructions: Hand out the Ubuntu Cards (one per person). Show them how the cards have lots
of symbols. Ask everyone to hold up their card to signal that they need a partner. Tell people to
find a partner and present their card. The goal is to be the first person to find the matching
image on the two cards. When you spot the image, point it out. Then switch cards. Hold up your
card and find another person to play with.
This can evolve into Biggest Fan/Encourage.
Ubuntu Mimeograph (HIGH 5)
Category: Icebreaker
When working on a project, we rely on team members to do their best work to
contribute to the success of the project team. If that work is not organized
and agreed on by all team members, details can be missed and distrust in team
members can fester. The object of the activity is for the team to recreate a
pattern of cards that the facilitator has created in another, out of site,
space.
Resources/Materials: You will need 2 decks of Ubuntu cards.
Set-up: Create a pattern of 10- 15 cards out in a hallway or in another room. Place some
cards single image side up and others multi image side up. Turn some sideways
or angled. Include the remainder of the deck as a part of the pattern.
Give the group the second deck of cards.
Procedure: Each team member may only leave the room to go look at the pattern of cards one
time.
They must go alone, no talking or technology allowed while in the other space.
They may not touch the cards that are a part of the pattern.
When they return, they can describe what they saw to the other group members.
Can the group recreate the pattern exactly as it is in the other space?
Facilitator tips: Snap a picture of the pattern at some point so at the end you can lay
your phone down to check the groups work before you discuss.
Reflection Ideas:
How did the group decide to organize information? Was the strategy and vision of the plan clear
for all group members?
In what ways does this activity reflect the groups typical organization? Similarities? Differences?
What lessons could be brought back to the workplace as a result of this exercise?
Saboteur Layer
Prior to playing, pass around folded up note cards to everyone and tell the group to
secretly look at the card. Tell them that if someone has an X on the inside of their card they are
the saboteur for this activity and their goal is to prevent the group from being successful. (I
never actually put an X on a card but adding this layer of distrust on the team can be a powerful
discussion point.)
Under Over Through
Category: Problem Solving, Cooperation, Portable
Equipment needed: 2 pieces of rope, at least 15 feet long
Set up: Tie the both pieces of rope between two trees or poles so that they are vertical. The first
one should be about 2 feet from the ground. The second one should be 4 feet from the ground
and parallel to the first.
Activity: Tell the group that their goal is to move everyone from one side of the rope to the
other. There is a specific way that it needs to be done but you cannot tell them. If they do
anything incorrect you will tell them, otherwise, it’s trial and error. Every time that they do
something incorrect the entire group goes back to the original side and restarts the activity.
The rules (that you don’t tell the group) are that no one can touch the rope and the group must
pass people to the other side one by one in the sequence under, over, through. That means the
first person must go under the bottom rope. The second person must pass over the top rope.
The third person needs to climb between the two ropes.
V
Villages and Wells
Category: Cooperation, problem solving, failing forward
Equipment needed: 6 dots and 9 ropes of varying length
Area needed: Anywhere
Number of participants: About 9
Set up:Lay out three blue dots (wells) and three red or orange dots (villages). Set out 9 pieces
or rope in assorted lengths.
Activity:
Every person gets one piece of rope. They can only move their piece of rope (if you have
exactly 9 people).
They must connect each village to all three wells without the ropes (pipes) overlapping. If they
ask, the ropes can go around and outside the villages and wells.
If a rope has been placed wrong, it can get moved. There are no penalties for changing a move.
This activity should last for about 15 minutes. You may encourage the group to use paper and
pencil or a white board to try out some moves before placing ropes.
Some groups come up with a creative solution to this puzzle and some never find a way to
complete it. Either way, debrief the process and the feelings that the group members had. It’s
not about succeeding. It is about problem solving, communication, creative thinking and failing
forward.
W
Wah
see Zip Zap
Wampum (It Poop)
Category: Name game
Equipment needed: Pool noodle
Area needed: Open area (indoors or outdoors)
Number of participants: No less than 5
Activity: Have group make a circle around you. You hold the pool noodle and explain the rules.
One person on the outside of the circle is going to say his/her name and then say another
person’s name that’s on the outside of the circle. The person in the middle tries to tap the
person whose name is called by hitting below the knees before that person can say his/her
name and then someone else’s name. Once a person is tapped, s/he comes into the middle of
the circle. The person who was inside the circle now goes to the outside and begins the game
again by saying his/her name and then someone else’s. The first person is immune from being
hit.
Suggestion: Do a couple trial runs before you start tapping people until everyone understands
that they must say their own name first and then someone else’s. Also, remind them that this is
not tag. No one can run.
Variations: Use other information other than names, for example favorite ice cream or sport.
These must be covered before the activity.
Water Flip
Category: Trust
Equipment needed: Cup full of water
Number of participants: At least 8 people
Activity: This is best done as a progression from lifting one person up in the air, to beaming
someone to another location and finally doing the Water Flip, which takes the most skill and
focus to achieve. One person volunteers to be lifted up for the activity. The rest of the group
stands around them and organizes themselves so that they will be able to lift the person in the
middle. Communication and consent are important when it comes to lifting someone, so have
clear communication about how lifting will occur and where the person being lifted will be
touched by the lifters.
The person standing at the head of the individual being lifted will be the leader for the rest of the
group and they communicate directly with the person being lifted. The group problem solves a
safe way to pick up the individual being lifted and then lower them carefully. After they have
succeeded the next step is to lift someone and beam them to another location. The facilitator
may create a challenging route that will force the lifters to walk over obstacles while beaming
someone.
The final stage is the Water Flip. The goal is to lift someone up so they are horizontal and then
rotate them vertical and then feet over head so that they are turned upside down (feet in the air,
head near the ground) and then rotated to finish face up, horizontal again, before be placed
back on the ground. The person being flipped is given a cup of water to hold. Their goal, while
being flipped by the group, is to keep the cup upright so that they don’t spill the water.
The facilitator should be nearby to spot as the participant is being flipped. The progression is
very important because if the group isn’t being attentive enough to safety in the first phases of
this activity, then it won’t be safe to proceed with the water flip.
This activity can take up to 30 minutes.
Warp Speed
Category: Problem Solving
Equipment needed: Balls
Area needed: Dependent upon activity
Number of participants: At least 6
Activity: Participants are challenged to continually improve the performance of passing several
balls through a set sequence that the group develops at the outset. Each time they succeed, the
challenge becomes to do the task in half the time. In order to succeed, the team members need
to change the way they are doing things. This usually is only possible if they challenge their
assumptions about how something "must" be done, realizing that many limitations are self
imposed. New ideas that work are often the result of combining several people's ideas that no
one person would come up with on their own. The message: we need each other in order to
adapt and change and become more successful in response to outside demands.
Web with Lizards
Category: Teamwork, Focus, Communication, accountability
Equipment needed: A spider web approx 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide, 16 connecting lizard puzzle pieces.
Number of participants: 6-16
Time: 7 minutes to frame the activity and have the students plan, 7 min to execute the first round, 7 minutes
to execute second round. 7 min to debrief.
Activity: Divide the group in half and assign each group to stand on one side of the web. Have them come
up with a team name if you want to foster a little bit of competitive spirit at the start. Their goal is to help
these endangered lizard species move into a more secure habitat. Every time that they safely pass a lizard
through the web they attach on a new lizard puzzle piece, slowly making longer connected chain of lizards.
The lizards cannot touch the web. The people can also not touch the web. If anything touches the web, you
have to start over with just one lizard. As you build the chain of lizards they must stay connected at all
times. If the lizards break apart, you have to start again with just one lizard.
The facilitator should pay close attention to these rules and ask the students to also be honest about any
“touches” or breaks in the lizard chain.
Give the students a time limit to see how many lizards they can move in a certain amount of time. When the
time is up, ask them to evaluate how they did and give them a second chance to beat their previous
number. If they got a little competitive, bring attention to that and ask if it helped their progress.
Wind in the Willows
Category: Trust
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: No more than 10 per circle.
Activity: A variation on trust falls involving the entire group. Group stands in a circle with one
person in the middle. Person in middle falls in any direction, trusting spotters to catch him/her
and stand him/her back up.
Variations: Multiple circles can be made if group size is more than 10.
Wolf Pack (see Alien Nation)
X
Xylophone
Category: Communication, Cooperation, problem-solving
Area needed: two small rooms or a hall way and a room
Number of participants: 4-16 people
Activity:
The Task is for teams to place 10 different sized wooden sticks placed in the right order in a
custom rack. If placed in the right order, all the sticks will be at the same level (they will have the
same height)
● Only one person at a time can leave the seminar room an go where the rack is (playing
area)
● The same person can leave a second time only when all the other team members have
been outside too (you can go outside one at a time and in turn)
● This sequence of visiting can be repeated as many time you want (no limited numbers of
visit)
● While you’re in the playing area, you’re not allowed to talk with the other members of the
team
● Once in the playing area you can do one of the two moves allowed: Put in 2 sticks OR
remove 2 sticks
● You cannot exchange the position of two sticks
● It is not allowed to move or turn the rack
● Is not allowed to look down into the rack holes, measuring in any way their depth
● Writing (or other way of recording information) is not allowed
● Teams have 40 min. to accomplish the task
Y
You Tear Me Up
Category: Ice Breaker
Equipment needed: scrap or recycled paper
Activity: Have the group form a line shoulder to shoulder across the space. Hand out three or
four pieces of paper to each team member. Instruct them that you will be giving them the same
directive three times. “Fold your piece of paper in half and tear the bottom right corner.” We
are all trying to end up with the “design” that the facilitator makes. Then the facilitator turns
their back to the group. I generally hold up my index finger and say “First directive: fold your
paper in half and tear the bottom right corner.” Pause, say “Ready for next directive?” Hold up
two fingers and say “Next directive,” “Fold your paper in half and tear the bottom right corner.”
Pause again, and say “Ready for the third directive?” Hold up three fingers and say “Fold your
paper in half and tear the bottom right corner.” Turn back to the group and have them unfold
their papers. It is reminiscent of paper snowflakes with many variations. Have enough paper to
do multiple rounds. Ask what the group can do to set themselves up for success. The only real
rule is that they can not directly watch the facilitator. They can help each other by forming a
circle to make sure everyone is doing the same thing. Electing a leader to guide the group and
checking in to make sure everyone is on the same page and doing the same actions. Common
questions from the group when they finally start asking questions is “fold it like a hamburger or
hotdog?” – lengthwise or widthwise. “Where’s the fold?” and “How big of a tear?” Answer all
questions asked getting more and more specific each time.
Z
Zip Zap
Category: Ice breaker, fun, final activity
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4 and up
Age: all
Activity: Have group form a large circle. You start in the middle and explain the rules. When
you go up to someone on the outside of the circle, point at them, and say zip, they must drop to
the ground before the people on either side of him/her zap. The two people on either side turn
to each other and strike the “pose” (usually bring one leg up and point a hand at the other
person while touching it to the forehead. You should establish this pose at the beginning and
make everyone practice). When each person strikes the pose, they also say zap. Whoever is
fastest and does both things correctly wins. The other person gets zapped and enters the circle
to zip someone else. If the person who gets zipped doesn’t drop, then s/he gets zapped by the
other people and must then go inside the circle to zip someone else.
Variations: This activity is very similar to a, so, ka and the activity wah.
Zoogle
Category: Ice breaker
Equipment needed: Stick (about 12-13 inches long, with one end either taped off or carved
into a handle about 2-3 inches long)
Area needed: Open area
Number of participants: 4-14
Activity: Using a stick with a 2-3 inch handle made on it, the group circles up and tosses the
stick to one another in no particular order. The stick must flip at least once while be tossed. If
the person did not catch the stick that person loses a limb. If the stick flipped more than once or
did not flip at all the thrower loses a limb. A person can lose up to 3 limbs then is out. Before
stepping out of the circle the one who is out must take the stick and hold it with both hands and
bow to the person who has taken him or her out.
Zoom
Category: Communication
Equipment needed: A set of Zoom or Re-Zoom images
Number of participants: 4-20
Activity: Zoom ReZoom activity is based on the picture books “Zoom” and “Re-Zoom” which
consist of 30 sequential “pictures within pictures”. The team is tasked with putting together a
story from a set of sequential images. Each person is given an image or two but is not permitted
to show it to anyone else.
They get 1 minute to study there image and then turn it face down. They must work together to
put all the images in an order that makes sense, without seeing any of the images.
Once an image has been placed in the sequence it can be moved but it can not be looked at
again, so people must remember where they place their image.
When every image card has been placed, they call get turned over and we see if the order
seems logical and correct.
