Ice Breakers and GTKY

Games you can play with balloons to get

a group having fun and working
Balloon Activities together. Includes the hilarious "Fire in
the Hole" (balloon on tummy, running at
another person, bursting the balloon).

Throw balls to others in a sequence,

using each person's name. Works
every time. Can be extended to "Warp
Group Juggle
Speed" (to see how fast the group can
throw balls through a set order to each
group member).
Fun, interactive get-to-known
activity. Ask a group to organise
Categories
themselves into smaller groups, based
on categories such as favourite colour.

Fast-moving 5 min. group activity to

get people together and focused. In a
Gotchya (Grab the
circle, right finger on next person's left
Finger)
palm. Try to grab a finger before yours
gets grabbed.

In a circle, people put their arms in and

hold someone else's hand, then try to
unravel the knot without letting go of
Human Knot
hands. Involves getting physically
close to others, stretching, laughing
and problem solving.
People write down two truths about
themselves and a lie. Then introduce
2 Truths & a Lie
the three "facts" to the rest of the group
who tries to guess which one is a lie.

Group members write personal fears

anonymously on pieces of paper which
are collected. Then each person
Fear in a Hat
randomly selects and reads someone
else's fear to the group and explains
how the person might feel. Fosters
 interpersonal empathy.

Active, fun group activity to explore

and celebrate the rich diversity of
Have You Ever?
people's past experiences. Works well
with large groups.

A group tries to create a unified story

from a set of sequential pictures. The
pictures are randomly ordered and
handed out. Each person has a picture
Zoom but cannot show it to others. Requires
patience, communication, and trying to
understand from another's point of
view in order to recreate the story's
sequence.

Participants are blindfolded and

assigned an animal. The challenge is
to use animal noises in order to meet
Animal Sounds up with other animals of same
species. Releases energy. Loud, fun,
chaotic, then gradually order and unity
emerge.

Deceptively simple teamwork

activity. Form two lines facing each
Helium Stick other. Lay a long, thin rod on
group's index fingers. Goal: Lower
to ground. Reality: It goes up!

A popular, engaging small group

activity. Equipped with a bungee
cord and rope, a group must work
Toxic Waste out how to transport a bucket of
"Toxic Waste" and tip it into the
neutralization bucket. Can be used
to highlight almost any aspect of
 teamwork or leadership.

Objects are scattered in an indoor or

outdoor place. In pairs, one person
Mine Field verbally guides his/her partner, a
blindfolded person, through the
minefield.

A group tries to create a unified story

from a set of sequential
pictures. The pictures are randomly
ordered and handed out. Each
person has a picture but cannot show
Zoom
it to others. Requires patience,
communication, and trying to
understand from another's point of
view in order to recreate the story's
sequence.

A fast paced activity that can be

modified to suit age and setting.
Each participant gets one gutter or
Pipeline/Gutter Ball half pipe tubing. The object is to
move a marble or assorted size balls
using lengths of guttering from point
A to point B without dropping them.

A powerful teambuilding exercise for

medium sized groups. Participants
Keypunch must touch the randomly placed
numbers, in sequence, within a given
time frame in multiple attempts.

A team building exercise based on

the icebreaker "Group
Juggle". Groups are challenged to
Warp Speed
juggle as fast as possible. Invite
group to "tender" a time they can
deliver.

Group activities that can be done

Balloon Activities with balloons. Promotes gentle, fun
physical movement, people getting
 to know one another, trust and
working together.

Fun, physically demanding,

competitive team activity. Several
teams pull against each other,
Multi-Way Tug-of-War
requiring communication and tactics
as well as strength to outmanoeuvre
and win.

A classic teambuilding activity in

which a group is challenged to
All Aboard! physically support one another in an
endeavor to occupy an ever
diminishing space.

"Your plane crashed...your group

Survival Scenarios needs to choose the 12 most useful
items to survive..."

Small groups design an egg package

to save an egg from breaking when
Great Egg Drop dropped. Plus a 30 second jingle to
sell their package. Followed by the
Great Egg Drop-Off.

A simple, close physical contact

group cooperation activity. The
group forms the three parts of an
Amoeba Race Amoeba: protoplasm, cell wall and
nucleus. Then the group travels,
splits into two amoebas, and the
amoeba have a race.

Group dynamics exercise. Each

person is represented by an
Group Mandala object. The objects are "caste" like
dice and group members share their
feelings and re-arrange the objects.
Helium Stick
Deceptively simple but powerful exercise for
learning how to work together and
communicate in small to medium sized groups.
Line up in two rows which face each other.
Introduce the Helium Stick- a long, thin,
lightweight rod.
Ask participants to point their index fingers
and hold their arms out.
Lay the Helium Stick down on their
fingers. Get the group to adjust their finger
heights until the Helium Stick is horizontal and everyone's index
fingers are touching the stick.
Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.
The catch: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium
Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it
must rest on top of fingers.
Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching
the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted. Let the task begin....
Warning: Particularly in the early stages, the Helium Stick has a habit
of mysteriously 'floating' up rather than coming down, causing much
laughter. A bit of clever humoring can help - e.g., act surprised and
ask what are they doing raising the Helium Stick instead of lowering
it! For added drama, jump up and pull it
down!
Participants may be confused initially about
the paradoxical behavior of the Helium
Stick.
Some groups or individuals (most often
larger size groups) after 5 to 10 minutes of
trying may be inclined to give up, believing
it not to be possible or that it is too hard.
The facilitator can offer direct suggestions
or suggest the group stops the task,
discusses their strategy, and then has
another go.
Less often, a group may appear to be succeeding too fast. In
response, be particularly vigilant about fingers not touching the pole.
 Also make sure participants lower the pole all the way onto the
ground. You can add further difficulty by adding a large washer to
each end of the stick and explain that the washers should not fall off
during the exercise, otherwise it's a restart.
Eventually the group needs to calm down, concentrate, and very
slowly, patiently lower the Helium Stick - easier said than done.

How Does it Work?

The stick does not contain helium. The secret (keep it to yourself) is
that the collective upwards pressure created by everyone's fingers
tends to be greater than the weight of the stick. As a result, the more
a group tries, the more the stick tends to 'float' upwards.

Processing Ideas
What was the initial reaction of the group?
How well did the group cope with this challenge?
What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?
What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and
weaknesses of the group?
What roles did people play?
What did each group member learn about him/her self as an
individual?
What other situations (e.g., at school, home or work) are like the
Helium Stick?
More information on Facilitation and creative debrief and processing
tools

Equipment
1 thin, light-weight, 10 ft Helium Stick with activity guide & facilitation notes

Summary
Deceptively simple teamwork activity. Form two lines facing each other. Lay
a long, thin rod on the group's index fingers. Goal: Lower to
ground. Reality: It goes up!

Group Size
8 to 12 ideal, but can be done with 6 to 14

Time
Total time ~25 mins

~5 minute briefing and set up

 ~10-15 minutes of active problem-solving (until success)
~10 minutes discussion

Toxic Waste
This is a popular, engaging small group initiative
activity which always provides a rich teamwork
challenge for about 30-45 minutes. Involves
thinking, imagination, action, fantasy, risk and an
attractive solution.
Can be done with adolescents or adults.
The challenge is to move the toxic waste contents
to the "neutralization" container using minimal equipment and maintaining a
safe distance within a time limit.
Moderately difficult - avoid using with groups who are still in the early stages
of group development. Works best towards the end of a program and/or
after the group has come together and dealt with basic teamwork issues.
Can be done indoors or outdoors; outdoors is more dramatic because water
can be used as the "toxic waste" instead of balls.

Set-Up
Use the rope to create a circle at least 8 ft in diameter on
the ground to represent the toxic waste radiation zone.
The larger the radiation zone, the more difficult the
activity.
Place the small bucket in the center of the radiation zone
and fill it with water or balls to represent the toxic waste.
Place the large neutralization bucket approximately 30 to
50 feet away. The greater the distance, the more difficult
the activity.
Put all other equipment (i.e., bungee, cords, and red herring objects
(optional)) in a pile near the rope circle.

Directions
The challenge is for the group to work out how to transfer the toxic waste
from the small bucket into the large bucket where it will be "neutralized",
using only the equipment provided and within a time frame. The waste will
blow up and destroy the world after 20 minutes if it is not neutralized.
Anyone who ventures into the radiation zone will suffer injury and possibly
even death, and spillage will create partial death and destruction. Therefore,
 the group should aim to save the world and do so without injury to any group
members.
The rope circle represents the radiation zone emanating from the toxic waste
in the bucket. Emphasize that everyone must maintain a distance (circle
radius) from the toxic waste wherever it goes, otherwise they will suffer
severe injury, such as loss of a limb or even death.
Give the group some planning time with no action e.g. 5 mins. Then start
the clock and indicate it is time for action, e.g., 15 or 20 mins.

Facilitator Notes
Toxic Waste is not an easy exercise and most groups will benefit from some
coaching along the way.
The solution involves attaching the cords to the bungee loop, then guiding
the bungee with the strings to sit around and grab the toxic waste bucket.
Then with everyone pulling on their cord and with good coordination and
care, the toxic waste bucket can be lifted, moved and tipped into the empty
neutralizing bucket.
If someone breaches the toxic waste zone, indicated by the circle, enforce an
appropriate penalty e.g., loss of limbs (hand behind back) or function (e.g.,
blindfolds if a head enters the zone) that lasts for the rest of the game. If a
whole person enters the zone, they die and must then sit out for the rest of
the activity.
If the group struggles to work out what to do, freeze the action and help
them discuss.
If the group spills the waste entirely, make a big deal about catastrophic
failure (everyone dies), invite them to discuss what went wrong and how
they can do better, then refill the container and let them have another go.
Ideas for varying the level difficulty of the activity:
o Adjust timeframe
o Adjust distance between the buckets
o Include obstacles between the buckets
o Include red herring objects in available equipment

Processing Ideas
There are invariably plenty of key communications and decisions during the
exercise that provide for fruitful debriefing.
The exercise will tend to naturally expose processes and issues related to
many aspects of teamwork, including cooperation, communication, trust,
empowerment, risk-taking, support, problem-solving, decision-making, and
leadership.
Can be videoed for subsequent analysis and debriefing.
How successful was the group? e.g., consider:
o How long did it take?
o Was there any spillage?
o Were there any injuries? (Often in the euphoria of finishing
participants will overlook their errors and seem unconcerned about
injuries and deaths caused by carelessness along the way. Make sure
there is an objective evaluation of performance - it is rarely 'perfect'.)
 How well did the group cope with this challenge? (e.g., out of 10?)
What was the initial reaction of the group?
What skills did it take for the group to be successful?
What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses
of the group?
How did the group come up with its best ideas?
What did each group member learn about him/her self as a group member?
What lessons did the group learn from this exercise which could be applied to
future situations?
More information on Facilitation and creative debrief and processing tools

Variations
Can be used as a staff selection or group assessment exercise.
Can be used with large groups (with multiple kits and divided into small
groups).
The toxic waste bucket can be used upside down, with a ball balanced on
top.
The activity can be framed in many different ways, e.g., instead of waste, it
could presented as a desirable substance, such as a life saving serum which
needs be carefully transported (suggested by Rohnke & Butler, 1995,
pp.178-179).
Divide the group into leaders and workers. Leaders can talk but not touch
equipment. Workers cannot talk but can touch equipment.
Lends itself to being metaphorically structured and isometrically framed to
suit specific training contexts (e.g., see "Computer Disinfectant" by Gass &
Priest in Gass, 1995, pp. 151-154) and "Disseminating Raw Materials (Toxic
Waste)", activity #57 in Priest & Rohnke 2000).
For added drama, the toxic waste can be floated on a platform in a swimming
pool (Priest & Rohnke 2000).
A chemical reaction can be created by putting baking soda in the
neutralization container and vinegar in the toxic waste container. When
combined, they froth.
Object Retrieval is a variation in which a group needs to retrieve a heavy
object from the middle of a circle, without touching the ground in the
surrounding circle (Rohnke, 1994).

Equipment
1 Toxic Waste kit with activity guide, facilitation notes and daypack

2 x toxic waste receptacles (1 small, 1 large bucket)

1 x rope to create a circle for the radiation zone
1 x bungee cord loop
 8 x cords
8 x pit balls or use water (to represent toxic waste)
Blindfolds (optional)
Red herring objects (optional)

Summary
Equipped with a bungee cord and rope, a group must work out how to
transport a bucket of "Toxic Waste" and tip it into the "neutralization"
bucket. Toxic Waste can be used to highlight almost any aspect of
teamwork or leadership.

Time
Total time ~30-50 minutes:
~5 minute briefing
~5 minutes group planning time, no action
~15-30 minutes of active problem-solving
~10 minutes discussion/debrief

Group Size
Group sizes of approximately 7 to 9 are ideal, but the activity can be done
with as few as 4 or as many as 12.

Links to Other Versions

Toxic Waste Dump Instructions [.doc]
The Great Mississippi Lizard Egg
Uses a bowling ball instead of liquid
[www.firststepstraining.com]

Alternative Names
Toxic Waste and several related activities go by many different names
including:
Alien Transfer
Atom Transfer
Bomb Removal
Chuck-A-Hunk
Commodore's Retreat
Computer Disinfectant
Grab-A-Hold
Great Pearl Capture
Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear Waste Transfer
Mission Possible
Object Retrieval
Object Transfer
Save the Baby
 The Great Mississippi Lizard Egg
Three Mile Island
Toxic Waste Dump

Mine Field
A popular and engaging game involving communication and trust. The task
is very flexible, works for groups of various types and sizes, and can be
adapted to youth, adults, corporate, etc.
Select an appropriate area. Go outside, if possible. Can be done inside,
even in rooms with fixed furniture (which can
become objects to be avoided).
Distribute "mines" e.g., balls or other objects
such as bowling pins, cones, foam noodles,
etc.
Establish a concentrating and caring tone for
this activity. Trust exercises require a serious
atmosphere to help develop a genuine sense
of trust and safety.
Participants operate in pairs. Consider how
the pairs are formed - it's a chance to work
on relationships. One person is blind-folded
(or keeps eyes closed) and cannot talk
(optional). The other person can see and
talk, but cannot enter the field or touch the
person.
The challenge is for each blind-folded person to walk from one side of the
field to the other, avoiding the "mines", by listening to the verbal instructions
of their partners.
Allow participants a short period (e.g., 3 minutes) of planning time to decide
on their communication commands, then begin the activity.
Be wary of blindfolded people bumping into each other. The instructor(s) can
float around the playing area to help prevent collisions.
Decide on the penalty for hitting a "mine". It could be a restart (serious
consequence) or time penalty or simply a count of hits, but without penalty.
It can help participants if you suggest that they each develop a unique
communication system. When participants swap roles, give participants
some review and planning time to refine their communication method.
Allow participants to swap over and even have several attempts, until a real,
satisfied sense of skill and competence in being able to guide a partner
through the "minefield" develops.
The activity can be conducted one pair at a time (e.g., in a therapeutic
situation), or with all pairs at once (creates a more demanding exercise due
to the extra noise/confusion).
Can be conducted as a competitive task - e.g., which pair is the quickest or
has the fewest hits?
 The facilitator plays an important role in creating an optimal level of
challenge, e.g., consider introducing more items or removing items if it
seems too easy or too hard. Also consider coaching participants with
communication methods (e.g., for younger students, hint that they could
benefit from coming up with clear commands for stop, forward, left, right,
etc.).
Be cautious about blind-folding people - it can provoke trust and care issues
and trigger post-traumatic reactions. Minimize this risk by sequencing Mine
Field within a longer program involving other get-to-know-you and trust
building activities before Mine Field.

Variations
Minefield in a Circle: Blindfolded people start on the outside of a large rope
circle, go into middle, get an item ("treasure", e.g., a small ball or bean bag),
then return to the outside; continue to see who can get the most objects
within a time period.
Metaphorical Framing: Some set ups for minefield get very elaborate and
metaphor-rich, e.g., hanging objects which metaphorically reflect the
participants' background and/or issues. For example, items which represent
drugs, peer pressure, talking with parents about the problem, etc. have been
used in a family adventure therapy program (Gillis & Simpson, 1994).
Participants can begin by trying to cross the field by themselves. In a second
round, participants can then ask someone else to help them traverse the field
by "talking" them through the field.
To increase the difficulty, you can have other people calling out. The
blindfolded person must concentrate on their partner's voice amidst all the
other voices that could distract them from the task.
Be aware that some participants may object to, or have previous traumatic
experience around the metaphor of explosive mines which have caused and
continue to cause much harm and suffering. It may be preferable to rename
the activity, for example, as an "obstacle course" or "navigation
course". Alternatively, the activity could be used to heighten awareness
about the effect of land mines on the lives of people in countries such as
Afghanistan and Nicaragua (see UNICEF information on land mines).

Processing Ideas
How much did you trust your partner (out of 10) at the start?
How much did you trust your partner (out of 10) at the end?
What is the difference between going alone and being guided by another?
What ingredients are needed when trusting and working with someone else?
What did your partner do to help you feel safe and secure?
What could your partner have done to help make you feel more safe/secure?
What communication strategies worked best?
For some more ideas, download Minefield in a Circle - Debrief (.doc)

Equipment
 Mine Field Kit with Activity Guide & facilitation notes

o Markers or lengths of rope to indicate the boundaries (e.g., 50 yard

rectangular field)
o Bowling pins or many soft objects, such as larger throwables - the
more the better
o Blind folds (can be optional)

Summary
Objects are scattered in an indoor or outdoor place. In pairs, one person
verbally guides his/her partner, whose eyes are closed or blindfolded,
through the "minefield".

Time
~20 minutes to set up
~5-10 minutes to brief
~5 minutes planning/discussion
~15-30 minutes activity
~5-30 minutes debrief

Group Size
2 to 30 is possible; works well with larger groups e.g., 16 to 24.

Keypunch
A powerful exercise for learning how to work together, communicate and seek
to improve performance in medium sized groups.
Randomly lay out up to 30 numbered markers or spots in
a set area. This forms the keypad.
Create a starting/finish point up to 10 yards beyond the
set area- the group must assemble here-hence they do
not have clear view of the keypad either before the first
attempt or in between attempts.
Briefing: The group must touch all the numbered spots as
fast as they can. The team is given five attempts and
must complete all attempts within a 30 minute window, whilst seeking to A/
complete the task and B/ if possible better their time. The group is penalized
when a number is touched out of order and if more than one person is inside
the boundary of the set area. The penalty may be, for example, that the group
must start the attempt again but the time keeps ticking for that attempt.
 Give the team 5 minutes to plan, then begin the 30 minutes count down, and
then start the timer for the first attempt. Time each attempt when they say
they are ready to begin the next one.
The team will eventually arrive at a variety of solutions including giving each
member of the team a number (or several numbers) to step on in sequence as
they run through the set area. After several attempts this 'ordering' will
become more fluid.

Variations
Use this teambuilding exercise to highlight the value of continuous
improvement.
Can be presented as a fun teambuilding initiative problem -There is a
computer virus and the team must punch in the correct code or the entire
data base will be lost!
Variation in briefing=create a greater sense of role play by shaping the story
line: a computer virus has infected the entire network of the organisation/
government and your team has been flown in to disinfect it. If more than one
person enters the 'restricted zone' then they are 'fried'...add as much detail as
you wish to enhance the atmosphere and/or build pressure.
Depending on the group, alter the total time to 45 minutes and allow 5
minutes of separate planning time in between each attempt.

Processing Ideas
What was the initial reaction of the group?
How well did the group cope with this challenge?
What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?
Did everyone listen to each others ideas?
What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses
of the group?
What roles did people play?
What did each group member learn about him/her self as an individual?
What key factor led to an improvement in time?
How motivated were participants to continually improve the time after initial
success at the task?
More information on Facilitation and creative debrief and processing tools
Equipment
20 numbered discs in mesh storage envelope with directions

30 x 5" spots with boundary rope and detailed instructions

Create a set of 20-30 non slip numbered spots or discs; boundary rope; timer
for 30 minutes count down, and timer or stop watch for timing each attempt

Summary
Participants must touch the randomly placed numbers, in sequence, within a given
time frame in multiple attempts.

Group Size
10-30 participants

Time
Total time ~40 mins

~5 minutes set up
~5 minutes initial briefing
30 mins of activity
~10 minutes discussion

Warp Speed
Warp Speed is a Group Juggle spin-off activity to focus
on problem-solving and teamwork.
Extends the common Group Juggle icebreaker/name
game to a team building exercise by asking participants
how fast they can pass the ball to everyone (including
saying names). Groups can tender a time and then try
to deliver. Push them to go even faster.
 Use the set up & instructions as for Group Juggle, but probably not
emphasizing names.
Challenge the group to see how fast it can juggle one ball around the
whole group. Time the group, and ask them to "tender" for how fast
they think they can really do it.
Explain that the tender is like a business tender - they must put in a
really good bid, but they must be able to deliver.
Allow time for discussion and planning.
Then ask them what their tender is & then ask them to deliver it.
If they make it, then ask them to think again, because they undersold
themselves. Ask them to come up with a new tender which better
reflects their capabilities as a group.
If they don't make it, then ask them to discuss what went wrong, and
say you'll give them a second chance to make their tender.
Generally requires debriefing.

Equipment
15 tossable items in mesh stuff sack with directions

Several soft balls or throwable objects-The more, the merrier!

Time
~15 minutes
Variation
Group Juggle
Summary
A team building exercise based on the icebreaker "Group Juggle". Groups
are challenged to juggle as fast as possible. Invite group to "tender" a
time they can deliver.
Multi-Way Tug-of-War Equipment
Fun, finale-type activity. Physically 4 way powerpull with
exhausting and emotionally climaxing! 20 loops for double
Works for kids through to corporate handed pulls or 40
programs. Ideal for adolescents and
loops for single
possibly youth at risk. Especially with
older adults, be careful with this activity, handed pulls by a
especially if they are unfit or if large group
overexertion is contraindicated (e.g., heart
problems).
Use for any size groups, indoor or Or make your own 4
outdoor. Ideal is way tug of war with
large group several good quality
outdoors. Pick a ropes each ~60ft+
soft location e.g.,
with attachment e.g.,
grass/beach.
In traditional 1 on 1 via knots, splicing or
tug-of-war it is ring/karabiners
mostly strength
that wins, with a few tactics. Time
In multi-way tug-of-war it is mostly tactics ~30-60 minutes
that wins, with some strength.
Lay out the ropes, etc. as shown Brief Description
in diagram below. : Fun, physically
Participants should prepare appropriately demanding,
e.g., watches and hand jewellery off. competitive team
Divide into groups and make sure the
activity. Several
groups appear to be of similar strength.
Brief group on normal tug-of-war safety teams pull against
rules, basically: each other, requiring
o no wrapping or tying rope around communication and
anyone or anything - tactics as well as
only hold rope with strength to
hands outmanoeuvre and
o watch out for rope burn
win.
on hands - let go if rope is
moving through hands
o watch out for rope burn on body -
let go if you lose footing
First command from the Tug-of-War
master is "take the strain". This is only to
take up the slack, that's all. The Tug-of-
War master makes sure the centre ring is
stable and centered. This needs strong
leadership because teams are always keen
to add extra strain!
 Second command is "Go!!"
Teams attempt to pull the center ring or
knot over their finish line. This can rarely
be achieved by strength alone and instead
will require guile. Teams can swivel to
cooperate / compete with other teams,
then switch directions, etc.
Conduct several rounds. Continue, say,
until one team earns 3 victories and the
Tug-of-War title.
Allow teams plenty of time to physically
recover and debrief/plan after each round.
Team building groups may wish to discuss
what the secrets to success were in this
activity - and whether these lessons apply
elsewhere.
All Aboard!
This activity requires working together in close physical proximity in order to
solve a practical, physical problem. It tends to emphasize group
communication, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy, as well
as issues related to physical self and physical proximity.
The activity can be run in many different ways.
Basic method: Ask the whole group to try to fit
inside a small area which can be marked by:
o small platforms, or
o circle of rope, or
o tarpaulin or blanket
When the group succeeds, decrease the area
(e.g., changing platforms, shrinking the circle,
or folding the tarp) and challenge the group
again. How far can the group go?
Cautions: Obviously people are going to need to
feel physically comfortable in order to get
physically close and be supportive of one
another. So make sure people are warmed up
and preferably have removed excessive jewellery, watches, etc.
Variations
Tarp Flip Over: With a group standing on a tarp, challenge them to turn the
tarp over without anyone touching the ground in the process. Can add a
time limit e.g., 15 mins for this activity.
Framing, e.g.,"The group must work together to ensure
everyone manages to get aboard the new management
structure. As time goes by, the team must become closer
to deal with shrinking margins and increased competition."
[www.bushsports.com.au]
Team building variation of Tarp Flip Over: the group
discusses the present state of the team and a future
desired state for the team. One side of the tarp
represents the present state, the other side the future.
Name game: The activity can be used as a name game by setting the rule
that every communication to another person must include that person's
name.

Equipment
10ft of rope for a circle or a tarpaulin or small platforms
Time
~15-20 minutes

Brief description
A classic teambuilding activity in which a group is challenged to physically
support one another in an endeavour to occupy an ever diminishing space.
Overview - Group Survival Scenario Exercise
A classic group communication and decision making exercise, with many
variations.
Works for a wide variety of ages and purposes, indoors or outdoors.
Consensus can be hard to reach, however, set the aim for all participants to
at least partially agree to each ranking on their final list.
Encourage groups to complete the task without the use of tactics such as
voting, trading in or averaging.
Watch for participants avoiding conflict or changing their minds simply to
come to agreement. Highlight these kinds of behaviors in the debrief.
An important outcome of this exercise can be learning that sometimes a bit
of give and take is necessary in order to move forwards to a solution.
Watch for over emphasis by some participants on needing 100% accurate
answers. Steer the group towards the aim of the exercise which is
heightening awareness of communication and decision making processes,
rather than over emphasis on 'getting the answers exactly right'. Display of
this need is a point of observation and one worthy of debrief.
There are two classic types of "paper & pencil" group survival scenarios
(selecting equipment and selecting people). In each case:
o Provide instructions & hand out materials
o Set a time limit (~15-30 minutes)
o Let the group go - answer questions, watch, & observe!
o Debrief
Scenario Type 1: Choose Survival Equipment

Your plane crashed...your group needs to choose the 12 most

useful items to survive...
Choose / rank equipment items in terms of their relative
survival value:
Participants choose/rank the items individually
Discuss choices/rankings in small group and come to a group consensus
Score answers against "expert" opinion
Possible scenarios:
o Lost at sea or island survival (shipwreck)
o Desert (plane crash)
o Space or Moon
Scenario Type 2: People Survival Scenario (Who will be saved?)

A nuclear bomb has been dropped...a radiation-free shelter is available, but

can only take 6 people; choose who will survive...
Choose / rank people in terms of who will get to live or die in situations
with limited survival resources:
Participants role play characters (a bit like a Murder Mystery)
Can lead to high emotions; people get intensely engaged,
particularly when choosing who will survive, and none of
the decisions are easy.
 No right answers - any so-called "correct" answers are based on debatable
values (e.g., ageism, sexism, racism)
Highlights individual's dispositions, group processes and decision making
Possible scenarios:
o Plane crash survivors
o Nuclear war shelter
o Oxygen dwindling (space, moon, mars)
o Lifeboat / Sinking ship (sea)
Variations
Appoint a time keeper in each group and encourage them to be the person
who monitors the progress of the group towards achieving consensus within
the time frame.
To emphasise individual versus group decision making, split the session into
three parts:
o Individuals make their own selections first, on paper (5-10 minutes)
o Groups (or sub-groups) then discuss and create a group decision
o Compare individual and group performances, e.g.,:
For equipment scenarios, group decisions are usually more
accurate than individual answers, helping to illustrate the
importance of collaborative group decision-making.
For people scenarios, score individuals according to how close
the group's decision was to their own selections of who is to live
and die (an indicator of each person's influence over the group).

Possible Debrief Questions

o How were decisions made?
o Who influenced the decisions and how?
o How could better decisions have been made?
o Did people listen to each other? if not why not?
o What roles did group members adopt?
o How was conflict managed?
o What kinds of behavior helped or hindered the group?
o How did people feel about the decisions?
o How satisfied was each person with the decision (ask each participant
to rate his / her satisfaction out of 10, then obtain a group average
and compare / discuss with other groups' satisfaction levels)
o What have you learnt about the functioning of this group?
o How would you do the activity differently if you were asked to do it
again?
o What situations at work/home/school do you think are like this
exercise?
Equipment
Scenario briefing (1 per group)
List of items/people (1 per person and/or visuals per group)
Expert list (number optional)
Free downloads listed below
Summary
A classic group communication & decision making exercise. People get
intensely engaged because the "survival stakes" are high and none of the
decisions are easy. Works for a wide variety of ages and purposes, indoors
or outdoors.
Group Size
5-10
Time
Total ~45-100 mins
5-10 minutes briefing
15-30 minutes exercise time
5-10 minutes scoring (for select equipment scenarios)
20-30 minutes debrief & discussion

Survival Scenarios (free)

Choose Equipment Scenarios
Plane Crash & Winter Survival Simulation Game
(classic rank 15 survival items exercise)
Lost at Sea
(short description and facilitation notes; includes description of Lost in the
Desert with items list but no answers)
Lost at Sea[.pdf]
(description of the activity with worksheets and US Coast guard answers)
Lost at Sea[.pdf]
(description plus research and academic generic theory and debriefing
material)
Lost at Sea[.pdf]
(medium-level detail with rationale)
Lost at Sea
(Rather long document but excellent facilitation notes for team building and
complete scoring notes for detailed analysis of individual and sub group
scores of 4 activities including Lost at Sea and Wilderness Survival)
Survival on the Moon
Teachers notes for 9th grade exercise in Earth Sciences
Survival on the Moon Exercise-excellent activity with worksheet & NASA
rationale with answers
Choose People Scenarios
Plane Crash Survival Scenario
(includes a link to generic notes on facilitating a group training session)
Nuclear Holocaust: Who Should Survive?

Complex Scenarios
Wilderness Survival
(involves 12 multiple choice questions about what to do in survival
situations; work individually and then in groups, receiving points for good
decisions)
Island Survival
(indepth, elaborate scenario and scoring for longer scenario exercise; well
explained for school settings)
Westward Ho!
o Westward Ho!
(classroom exercise)
o Westward Ho!
(basic computer adventure)

Great Egg Drop

Engaging and very messy small group activity (4 or 5)
as part of larger group (e.g., 20 up to 100)
Can be run as a competition between teams
Task is to build a single egg package that can sustain a
fall of 8ft (top of a supermarket shelf)
Can be used to highlight any almost aspect of
teamwork or leadership
Lends itself to building a dramatic large group scenario/finale for the
Egg Drop Off
Can include the task of presenting a 30-second advert for the egg
package. This increases the complexity of the activity.
Lends itself to production line or project management metaphors
 Equipment
For each group of approx. 4., straws, masking tape, egg and/or any other
items you want to give for creating the egg package. Can use only natural
materials - harder, but saves cost/waste.

Time
~30-45 minutes to build package
~15-30 minutes for Great Egg Drop
~15-45 minutes cleanup & debrief

Brief Description
Small groups design an egg package to save an egg from breaking when
dropped. Plus a 30 second jingle to sell their package. Followed by the
Great Egg Drop-Off.
Amoeba Race
A fun game, using a basic biology concept of a cell
Requires cooperation, competition and close physical interaction. Useful as a
simple activity to help a group get comfortable with one another.
Explain how to create an amoeba. There are 3 parts:
o a lot of protoplasm
(people who don't mind being close, gather together)
o a cell wall
(people who like to contain themselves & others, surround the
protoplasm, facing outward, linking elbows)
o a nucleus
(someone with good eyesight and the ability to keep on top of things
should be the nucleus, seated on the shoulders of some of the
protoplasm)
Once the amoeba is formed, try taking a walk through a field or around the
block. A rhythmic chant might be helpful for coordinating movements. (What
sort of sound does a one-celled creature make?)
Finally, try a little cell division. Split into two, create a second nucleus and
have an Amoeba Race.
Equipment

None

Time
Approximately 15 mins.

Brief description

A simple, close physical contact group cooperation activity. The group

forms the three parts of an Amoeba: protoplasm, cell wall and
nucleus. Then the group travels, splits into two amoebas, and the amoeba
have a race.

Group Mandala Equipment: Each

Allows symbolic group member to
exploration of group select one
structure and personal object or
dynamics, and an object from
revealing of personal feelings towards
nature, to
others
represent
Each person is represented by an
object they choose themselves; objects themselves
are then "caste" like dice Time: ~30-40
Each person then shares how he or she
minutes
feels about the position in which his or
Background
her object has landed (uses
information
psychoanalytic technique of
Description of
"projection")
Group
Through various rounds, participants
Mandala
get to modify/adjust the position of
Facilitator
their object until each individual is
notes
satisfied with where they sit in relation
to the other objects (group members)
Links to
Logistically, a simple activity; other
facilitation-wise, a potentially difficult descriptions
and challenging activity; lots of
 potential for subtle and deep group
work
Group sizes of approximately 7 to 9 are
ideal, but can be done with as few as 5
or as many as 12.

Background Information for Group Mandala

Acknowledgements: This exercise has been
adapted from an exercise facilitated by Chris
Loynes at the 10th National Outdoor Education
Conference, 1997, in Perth, Western Australia
and subsequent personal advice
(see links). Chris attributes his learning of the
learning to Roger Greenaway who provided me
with some excellent information about a similar
activity he calls Stones and a related activity
called Human Sculpture (see links).
Psychodynamics & Personal Objects: My intention in
developing this particular adaptation was to use it in
an outdoor education graduate seminar class to
facilitate within group communication and
interpersonal understanding, and to stimulate
discussion about psychodynamic theory in outdoor
education settings.

The most obvious psychodynamic principle at work is

the notion of "projection", although this is a
psychologically complex activity that is likely to elicit
several other observable psychodynamic processes
(such as ego states and interpersonal
transactions). The group had in the previous week
been introduced to background readings about
psychodynamic theory and had been challenged to
think about possible ways this theory might be seen
at applicable to outdoor education.

Students were requested to bring a small, non-

fragile object of personal significance to the
class. Note that the selection of personal objects of
significance for the exercise is likely to bring into play
the history of psychological association and meaning
that individuals have attached and invested the object
with. Thus the decision to include these objects
immediately heightens the level of psychological
investment. Using objects of personal significance
comes with associated risks and liabilities of course
and requires an appropriately supportive and trusting
atmosphere, so use this feature carefully. Using
personal objects can make for a weightier and
more sobered session than might be the case when
using readily available objects in the immediate
environment.

Surprisingly little has been written in the psychological

literature about the psychology of objects. Possibly
the key text is still Jungs Man and His Symbols,
along with a relatively recent book by
Csikszentmihalyi and Rochberg-Halton, The meaning
of things: Domestic symbols and the self which
states in the preface:

To understand what people are and what they might

become, one must understand what goes on between
people and things. What things are cherished, and
why, should become part of our knowledge of human
beings. Yet it is surprising how little we know about
what things mean to people. By and large social
scientists have neglected a full investigation of the
relationship between people and objects.

Roger Greenaway made a useful suggestion here that

it may be tricky to move from here to group

dynamics if, say, someone brings a photo of their
boyfriend, another a family photograph, another a
tiny piece of jewellery, another a goldfish in a jar ...
So each person may like to have the option of
choosing a new object when switching into group
dynamics that is more representative of their image
or role within the group.

Interesting effects might be obtained by instead

bringing a lot of set of objects from which participants
can select.
Also note that before the activity, give the group the
extra instruction that their object will be subject to
group activity, some of which will be beyond each of
their personal control, and that they will therefore lose
a certain amount of control over their object. So if
they wish they should select an alternative object for
the activity. Usually peope do not take up the offer,
but usually someone has forgotten to bring an
object. In this case, they should use something
handy, e.g., something from their bag or wallet, or a
watch or pen.

What is a Mandala?:

Mandala is Sanskrit for circle, polygon, community,

and connection. The The Concise Macquarie
Dictionary defines mandala as

a mystic symbol of the universe, in the form of a

circle enclosing a square; used chiefly by the Hindus
and Buddhists as an aid to meditation.

Mandalas, however, need not be so narrowly

defined. A Google Image Search for Mandala reveals
many traditional and contemporary mandala designs,
several of which go beyond a circle enclosing a
square. What seems to tie them together is
their patterned interconnectedness.

By the way, I don't share the title for the activity with
the students until afterwards, or possibly at all. By
leaving it nameless, it can help emphasize the
discovery of meaning via intricate patterns and
interconnectedness, both conscious and unconscious,
that seems to form even in the most rudimentary of
group structures.

Description of Group Mandala

Each of these steps should be revealed one by
one. This helps to enhance the unknowness of
the activity (and therefore, any experienced
meaning is largely socially constructed by
participants themselves).
Also note, the facilitator should consider
whether or not participate in the group - either
way can be appropriate or not, depending on
the nature of the group and the facilitator.
1. Participants in a group select a small
object. The object can be anything, from
anywhere: e.g., an object of personal
significance or collected from the outdoors
2. Standing in a circle, ask a participant for their
hat (or use some other container).
3. Place your object in the hat, and pass the hat
on to the next person who does the same.
4. Caste the objects, with some care, some
randomness (like rolling dice) (may use casting
mat, e.g., a sarong or coat, particularly if using
personally significant objects). Try to use the
floor rather than a table.
5. Ask people to look at the objects and then take
turns sharing how they feel about the place of
their object in relation to the other objects in
the group.
6. One-by-one then go around in a circle and have
each person move his/her object to a new
position, explaining to the group why it feels
more comfortable for their object to be in this
different place.
7. Ask the group to discuss and collective create
(move/shift) their objects into an ideal
arrangement.
8. Debrief: What do you think of this
activity? Why?
9. What happened in this group during this activity
from a Psychodynamic perspective?

Facilitator Notes
Participants could bring a surprising variety of
objects, for example an engagement ring, a
pocket knife, a stone bearing the inscription
inspiration, a teddy bear, necklaces and
rings, trinkets, and so on. Initially I did not ask
students to initially describe the significance of
their objects not asking this obvious question
can heighten the sense of mystery and
suspense in the activity. By the end of the
activity, the students responded favourably and
more richly to an earlier hint that we might
close the activity by sharing with others the
personal significance associated with the
object. This provided a deep, satisfying sense
of closing to the activity.
Overall, the exercise works well, but it can be a
challenge initially to process as there is often some
resistance and anxiety associated with the apparent
open-endedness of the activity.

At a critical point when a student challenged me on

the seeming pointlessness of the activity I explained
that from a psychodynamic point of view the ultimate
activity is give someone a blank piece of paper and
ask them what they see. Whatever the person replies
with would be an indicator of their inner psychological
state, because there is relatively little external
stimuli. When we give people complex activities, it
becomes difficult to distinguish what parts are to do
with the person and what parts are due to the nature
and structure of the activity itself. Thus, I suggested,
it is the very open-endedness of the activity which is
the point of the exercise from a psychodynamic point
of view. This comment appeared to serve as a
catalyst to help guide the student discussions behind
the immediate details of the activity and more or less
from this point they were able to make many
interesting connections and insights to psychology and
outdoor education.

Links to other descriptions

From Chris Loynes

1. Place the objects in the hat - or whatever- and

scatter them. What's going on in this group?
2. Can repeat - how position changes felt sense of
experience.
3. Throw - What is the personality of your object?
4. Throw - what would it be like to be your object
in this group?
5. Can be a repeat of 4.
6. Arrange the objects to represent the ideal
group.
7. If they don't move to this in 6 anyways - what,
 given the characters you have developed - is an
arrangement that represents the best this
group can be?
8. You could go on to - or introduce earlier -
objects that represent their own characters
explicitly.

It'll work well for the purposes you describe! I'd

be cautious abut it being a fix for your group's
particular dynamics but it could be a step in the
right direction. If you can I'd recommend
moving it into their own story rather than the
fiction/projection they develop especially if their
comments give you an opening in this direction.

Human Knot Equipment: None.

Time: ~15-20 minutes
a get-to-know-you
icebreaker Brief Description:
involves close Standing in a circle, group
physical proximity members reach across and
shake hands - use hand
can be used as a
connecting to a different
name game
person.
helps a group learn
about how to work The group then tries to
together unravel the "human knot"
by unthreading their
can also focus on
bodies without letting go
group understanding
of each other people's
of communication,
hands.
leadership, problem
solving, teamwork, How to Run a Human
trust, persistence, Knot Session
etc.
Set up & instructions (1st
round)
Facilitator notes
Links to other descriptions

Set up & instructions

Be aware that the activity involves close physical
proximity and touch potentially in sensitive
places! It can be used as a first activity in an
adventurous program with volunteers (e.g., the
start of an Outward Bound program). However, if
the program is less adventurous, or group members
 potentially will have significant problems with such
proximity, e.g., due to culture, or social or
psychological problems, then Human Knot could be
introduced later in a program.
Ideal group size is approximately 10, but it can be
done with anywhere from about 7 to 16. Much
higher or lower and the task doesn't really
work. The more in a group, the more difficult the
task, partly because of the complexity, and partly
because there is physically less room to move.
If there are two or more groups doing the task
simultaneously, have the groups reasonably spaced
out, so they don't feel distracted by a sense of
competition.
Ask participants to form a circle, shoulder-to-
shoulder. Encouraging/urging participants to all
stand closer can be a subtle way of helping to
prepare them for what is about to come.
Ask participants to each place a hand in the middle
of the circle and to grasp another hand.
To emphasize learning of names and get a bit of fun
going, ask participants to introduce themselves to
the person they are holding hands with.
Then ask participants to put their other hand in the
middle, grasp a different person's hand, and
introduce themselves.
Don't let participants let go of hands - some will be
tempted to think the activity might then be over -
but it is only just starting.
Explain to participants that what you'd like them to
do is untangle themselves, without letting go of
hands, into a circle.
There will be a mixture of reactions, often including
nervous laughter, fun amusement, excitement,
trepidation, strong suspicion that it can't be done,
and others who may view the task as a somewhat
sadistic or inappropriate joke. Often some group
members will have done the task before, but this
doens't really matter, each time the task is unique.
Participants may change their grip so as to more
comfortable, but they are not to unclasp and re-
clasp so as to undo the knot.
If you want name-learning emphasized, then explain
that whenever the group is talking to someone, or
about someone, that the person's first name must
be used. This usually requires supervision and
 reinforcement by the instructor, but once enforced,
is excellent for learning names. It also usually
helps the group to work together and find solution,
because their communications and more accurate
with names involved.
Stand back and see what happens.
Be prepared to see little progress for quite some
time (up to 10 minutes). However, once the initial
unfolding happens, the pace towards the final
solution usually seems to quicken.
However, because each occasion is unique, there are
also odd times when a very fast solution falls out -
too easy. In such cases, you ask a group to try the
task again - its usually a bit harder second time
around. Occasionally, the task seems too hard and
participants seem to make almost no progress. Let
them struggle for about 10 minutes, then you can
offer the group one unclasp and reclasp - they need
to discuss and decide what unclasp-reclasp would
be most useful.
Most of the time a full circle falls out, but
occasionally there are two or even three
interlocking circles. So, really the task is to sort the
knot out into its simplest structure.
Facilitator notes
A switched-on facilitator can get a lot of information
about participants in a short space of time with this
activity. For this reason, the activity is commonly
used in group-based selection processes for jobs
which involve closely working with others.
Stay at a moderate distance, allowing the group to
handle the activity with feeling like they're being
too closely observed; but maintain good hearing
contact and be ready to step in to help answer
questions or change the direction of the activity
quickly when appropriate.
Slowly wander around the circle, moving in and out
as appropriate, e.g., if you want people to use
names in every communication, then this needs to
reinforced in a friendly, but firm way, several times.
It is relatively easy to notice who's talking, who's
not, who seems comfortable, who doesn't. Also
note that sometimes the natural leaders are not in a
good position to lead - do they try to dominate
inappropriately or do they sit back appropriately
and just do what they can. Sometimes, a new
leader emerges from being in an opportune position
 in the knot. This can offer this person a significant
boost. Also, almost everyone gets a positive sense
of having played his or her part. Some people have
difficultly enjoying the activity due to their
uncomfortableness physically (e.g., obese, very tall,
or inflexible people may find the activity particularly
awkward).
It is important to provide appropriate help if the
activity proves too difficult. This might be
encouragement that it can be done (some groups
lack confidence and would give up too early),
helping a couple of people communicate to find a
solution to part of the knot, etc. Or this might be
allowing an unclasp-reclasp. How much to give is a
fine balancing act. The task should be challenging,
but especially as an initial activity, it should give the
group some initial confidence and momentum in
being able to work together to solve problems.
Often this activity speaks for itself as an
icebreaker. However, because it can be quite
challenging, and people will often have been pulled
in all sorts of directions (literally), be prepared to
have at least a short debrief, e.g. by asking "How
well did you think the group worked together?" and
"What could have been done differently?" or "What
do you think you've learned from this activity which
can be applied in future activities?"

Chair Game Equipment: 1 armless

chair per
Active, physical engaging variation on "musical person. Robust
chairs"; can entertain a group for hours kitchen chairs are
ideal.
Place chairs in a tight circle, with
the chairs touching each other. Time: ~10 to 60 mins
Brief description:
Have 1 person stand in the
Hilarious, physically
middle - there is now a vacant
engaging, strategic
chair
group
activity/game. Create
The person in the middle tries to
a tight circle of
sit in an empty seat
chairs. The person in
The group prevents the person by someone the middle tries to sit
moving seat, creating a new vacant seat in the "vacant chair",
but it keeps moving
The game moves fast -- due to the strategic because group
 "bum-shuffling" by the group, the place of the switching themselves
empty seat is in constant movement, like a into the vacant chair.
Mexican wave, changing directions, tempting,
then moving fast - or instantly appearing on the
other side if a bold cross is made by someone

Eventually the person in the middle makes a

successful lunge for a seat (it can get very
dramatic), the group member who was aiming for
the seat (group consensus) now goes in the
middle

And so on....

Description
This is a group problem solving & communication exercise
This activity involves moving marbles or different sized balls or even water
down lengths of half pipe or 1"/2"gutters. The trick? Each participant has
only one short length of pipe each, and the start and finish points can be
separated by an obstacle course!
Can be done with children of upper primary age,
teenagers and adults in a variety of settings
both indoors and outdoors.
Choose this activity when you need to energize
the group into a team, or to emphasize the
importance of each member's actions in a team.

Directions
As facilitator, you can control how hard or easy
to make this task. You can take them over
obstacles, down stairs, around trees, etc. If, for
example, the group is in the forming stage, put
only one minor obstacle in the path and create
opportunity for fairly instant experiential success
of teamwork. If the team is functioning
cohesively, make the obstacle course longer and
harder and more physically challenging in order
to deepen their experience of what they can achieve together.
Brief the participants on the start line and the finish point (a distinctive
container is helpful), and give them any extra rules you may wish to add to
the task, such as: every person must carry the marble at least once;
participants need to take turns in a certain order; or both feet must remain
on the floor at all times-get creative if you want to add challenge.
Give the group the pipes and the marble and 5 minutes planning time.
 Allow the group several attempts if you have the time and they have the
motivation, or keep it to one attempt and draw out the key points in the
debrief

Variations
Challenge the group to see how fast they can get the marble through the
obstacle course. Time the group, and ask them to "tender" for how fast they
think they can really do it. Then give them another go. Requires debriefing.
For added problem solving under pressure, do not give the pipes and marble
to the group during planning time.
Can be done indoors with a height factor involved. Explain that the marble is
stuck to a point on the wall with blue tack and their job is to 'rescue' it and
bring it down safely to a container on the floor. Use the gutters more like a
ramp, and perhaps give one less gutter than the distance. Once they are set
up, allow the marble to be released from the blue tack.
Frame the activity in terms of a new project which the team needs to
respond to both efficiently and effectively, for example: a new client with
specific needs; a tender to be put together by a deadline; or a marketing
strategy idea that needs to be put into action.

Equipment
Gutter Ball Kit or
Pipeline Kit or
Lengths of half pipe or narrow guttering, marbles or balls or can also be done
using water

Time
5 mins planning
5 mins to 30 mins action

Brief Description
A teambuilding activity where each participant gets one short length
of half pipe, and the group must work together to deliver a marble
down the pipes from start point to finish. Requires a high level of
communication and teamwork.