Supplies:
* none
Goal:
The challenge is to create a giant blob of interconnected players- or see how close you can get.
Note:
Instructions are confusing; read twice- worth the effort.
How to Play:
Have all participants gather in the playing area. Explain the rules below. Instruct them to move around within the group, shaking hands with and introducing themselves to as many people as possible. Tell them to be ready for your instructions.
At random, call out instructions. As soon as you begin to shout out instructions, everyone should listen.
Begin with easy instructions, and make it more complicated as the game goes on. The facilitator will call out a number and a body part (ie: 3 hands). Immediately, the participants should form groups, connecting themselves according to the number and body part (ie: three players with one hand touching, or two player, one with one hand and the other with two). When the groups are formed, have them leave, and move around the room again, this time, tipping hats/ nodding in greeting, and telling each other their favorite hobby. Call out a new command, this time with two different body parts affected (ie: 20 fingers and 8 feet). The trick is, the fingers that a player uses for the game must be connected to one group, while the feet must be used in another group. In other words, if you call out 2 types of body parts, the players will be part of two groups simultaneously. If you call out 3, they'll need to arrange themselves so that they fit into three groups. Because others will be surrounding them, many won't be able to make the connections. You can call those players out (after a few practice rounds), or challenge the group as a whole to see if they can make it work so that everyone is interconnected in one giant blob.
If this is too hard, change the rules so that there only needs to be one person different for each group (ie: for 5 hands, 3 feet, you can have 4 people placing a total of 5 hands together, and even though you have enough feet among you, call someone from the group next to you to help out by sticking a foot in while his hands remain with his other group).
Team Dynamics
As a team dynamics activity, cut out the initial "Mingling," and give them only one set of instructions (4 arms, 8 feet, 2 ears, 6 legs). Tell them to see how fast they can form a blob. It might take several minutes for them to arrange themselves, calling to other groups for help. You may call in a team of "doctors" from the group to move around and make suggestions- "you go there and do this." Not every combination of instructions will work perfectly, so the first attempt will be your chance to adapt it. See how close they can get, until you know what will work. Have them form a circle. Have them discuss what worked and what didn't, and make adaptations. Ask them if they can beat their time by making these changes. Have them try again a couple more times to until time runs out, or they feel successful at making the connections quickly.
* [My Invention] - inspired by "Mingle"
77) Chariot Relay*
Supplies:
* 7+ wooden poles(~1 1/2- 2 feet long) per team
* thin rope (probably 6-10 feet per group)
* 1 or more pocket knives that you know can cut the rope
How to Play:
Split group into teams (teams of 5 or more). Give each group the wooden poles. Set knives and the rope, which can be one long piece, a few feet away. Tell the groups that they will build a chariot that must be sturdy enough to carry anyone on the team. Point out the supplies, and give them 5 minutes to build a chariot. Tell them everyone must somehow be involved in making it. Let them figure out how to carry it out. If after 5 minutes, the groups aren't semi-ready, you can give them a little longer.
When the time is up, have the teams line up parallel to each other with a few feet in between. Set a destination, and tell them that the goal is to get everyone on the team to the destination and back, carrying them on the chariot. As many people as necessary can be involved in carrying the chariot, to get them back safely. If, in the end, no group gets everyone back before the chariot falls apart, the group with the most wins.
Strategy:
They can send a runner to cut the rope, a runner to bring it back, have one person give directions/keep time, have a couple build, have someone trouble-shoot. Don't tell them this, however; it's all part of the team-building experience.
If one or two people are taking over, shout out that those leading are now mute, and cannot speak, allowing others then to take the lead.
[*My Invention]
* 7+ wooden poles(~1 1/2- 2 feet long) per team
* thin rope (probably 6-10 feet per group)
* 1 or more pocket knives that you know can cut the rope
How to Play:
Split group into teams (teams of 5 or more). Give each group the wooden poles. Set knives and the rope, which can be one long piece, a few feet away. Tell the groups that they will build a chariot that must be sturdy enough to carry anyone on the team. Point out the supplies, and give them 5 minutes to build a chariot. Tell them everyone must somehow be involved in making it. Let them figure out how to carry it out. If after 5 minutes, the groups aren't semi-ready, you can give them a little longer.
When the time is up, have the teams line up parallel to each other with a few feet in between. Set a destination, and tell them that the goal is to get everyone on the team to the destination and back, carrying them on the chariot. As many people as necessary can be involved in carrying the chariot, to get them back safely. If, in the end, no group gets everyone back before the chariot falls apart, the group with the most wins.
Strategy:
They can send a runner to cut the rope, a runner to bring it back, have one person give directions/keep time, have a couple build, have someone trouble-shoot. Don't tell them this, however; it's all part of the team-building experience.
If one or two people are taking over, shout out that those leading are now mute, and cannot speak, allowing others then to take the lead.
[*My Invention]
76) Elephant Hunt (or Squeegie Hunt)*
Supplies
*colored paper
*elephant stencil (can find silouettes on the internet to use as stencils)
*scissors
Preparation
Cut out elephants (or change the animal if you wish)(I'd suggest a minimum of twenty). Hide them all around (in trees, under rocks- partly visible, etc)
How to Play
Split group into teams (cabins, classes, etc). Tell them that the elephants are endangered, and that their job is to find them, and bring them to safety. They must stay with their groups, and must be back by a given time, or they lose points. Each elephant that the team rescues is worth a point.
Alternative
A "Squeegie" is an imaginary animal. You can design it to look however you want, making only one. Hide it where it can eventually be found, but where it won't be obvious. The participants will bring back elephants, but whoever finds the squeegie, gets extra points.
2nd Alternative: make one squeegie for each team, each a different color. Each team must find the squeegie that is their team's color. Hide them together, so that each group has an equal chance. All teams that find their squeegie, get the extra points. Send a responsible adult with these groups to ensure they don't take or hide the other squeegies.
*[My Invention]
*colored paper
*elephant stencil (can find silouettes on the internet to use as stencils)
*scissors
Preparation
Cut out elephants (or change the animal if you wish)(I'd suggest a minimum of twenty). Hide them all around (in trees, under rocks- partly visible, etc)
How to Play
Split group into teams (cabins, classes, etc). Tell them that the elephants are endangered, and that their job is to find them, and bring them to safety. They must stay with their groups, and must be back by a given time, or they lose points. Each elephant that the team rescues is worth a point.
Alternative
A "Squeegie" is an imaginary animal. You can design it to look however you want, making only one. Hide it where it can eventually be found, but where it won't be obvious. The participants will bring back elephants, but whoever finds the squeegie, gets extra points.
2nd Alternative: make one squeegie for each team, each a different color. Each team must find the squeegie that is their team's color. Hide them together, so that each group has an equal chance. All teams that find their squeegie, get the extra points. Send a responsible adult with these groups to ensure they don't take or hide the other squeegies.
*[My Invention]
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