Ice Breakers and GTKY

Balloon Activities

Games you can play with balloons to

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

Group Juggle

Throw balls to others in a sequence,

using each person's name. Works
every time. Can be extended to
"Warp Speed" (to see how fast the
group can throw balls through a set
order to each group member).

Categories

Fun, interactive get-to-known activity.

Ask a group to organise themselves
into smaller groups, based on
categories such as favourite colour.

Gotchya (Grab the

Finger)

Fast-moving 5 min. group activity to

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

Human Knot

In a circle, people put their arms in

and hold someone else's hand, then
try to unravel the knot without letting
go of hands. Involves getting
physically close to others, stretching,
laughing and problem solving.

2 Truths & a Lie

People write down two truths about

themselves and a lie. Then introduce
the three "facts" to the rest of the
group who tries to guess which one is a
lie.

Fear in a Hat

Group members write personal fears

anonymously on pieces of paper
which are collected. Then each
person randomly selects and reads

someone else's fear to the group and

explains how the person might feel.
Fosters interpersonal empathy.

Have You Ever?

Active, fun group activity to explore

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

Zoom

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 it to others.
Requires patience, communication,
and trying to understand from
another's point of view in order to
recreate the story's sequence.

Animal Sounds

Participants are blindfolded and

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

Helium Stick

Deceptively simple teamwork

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

Toxic Waste

A popular, engaging small group

activity. 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. Can be used
to highlight almost any aspect of
teamwork or leadership.

Mine Field

Objects are scattered in an indoor

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

Zoom

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 it to others. Requires
patience, communication, and
trying to understand from another's
point of view in order to recreate
the story's sequence.

Pipeline/Gutter Ball

A fast paced activity that can be

modified to suit age and setting.
Each participant gets one gutter or
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.

Keypunch

A powerful teambuilding exercise

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

Warp Speed

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.

Balloon Activities

Group activities that can be done

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

Multi-Way Tug-of-War

Fun, physically demanding,

competitive team activity. Several
teams pull against each other,
requiring communication and tactics
as well as strength to
outmanoeuvre and win.

All Aboard!

A classic teambuilding activity in

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

Survival Scenarios

"Your plane crashed...your group

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

Great Egg Drop

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 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

Group dynamics exercise. Each

person is represented by an 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 3045 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.178179).

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
o

Bowling pins or many soft objects, such as larger throwables - the

more the better
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

Fun, finale-type activity. Physically

exhausting and emotionally climaxing!
Works for kids through to corporate
programs. Ideal for adolescents and

Equipment
4 way powerpull with
20 loops for double
handed pulls or 40

possibly youth at risk. Especially with

older adults, be careful with this activity,
especially if they are unfit or if
overexertion is contraindicated (e.g.,
heart problems).
Use for any size groups, indoor or
outdoor. Ideal is
large group
outdoors. Pick a
soft location e.g.,
grass/beach.
In traditional 1 on
1 tug-of-war it is
mostly strength
that wins, with a few tactics.
In multi-way tug-of-war it is mostly
tactics that wins, with some strength.
Lay out the ropes, etc. as shown
in diagram below.
Participants should prepare appropriately
e.g., watches and hand jewellery off.
Divide into groups and make sure the
groups appear to be of similar strength.
Brief group on normal tug-of-war safety
rules, basically:
o no wrapping or tying rope around
anyone or anything - only hold
rope with hands
o watch out for rope burn
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 Tugof-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.

loops for single

handed pulls by a
large group

Or make your own

4 way tug of war with
several good quality
ropes each ~60ft+
with attachment e.g.,
via knots, splicing or
ring/karabiners

Time
~30-60 minutes

Brief Description
: Fun, physically
demanding,
competitive team
activity. Several
teams pull against
each other, requiring
communication and
tactics as well as
strength to
outmanoeuvre and
win.

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
o

Desert (plane crash)

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
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

o
o
o

Who influenced the decisions and how?

How could better decisions have been made?
Did people listen to each other? if not why not?
What roles did group members adopt?
How was conflict managed?
What kinds of behavior helped or hindered the group?
How did people feel about the decisions?
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)
What have you learnt about the functioning of this group?
How would you do the activity differently if you were asked to do it
again?
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

Allows symbolic
exploration of group
structure and
dynamics, and
revealing of personal feelings towards
others
Each person is represented by an
object they choose themselves;
objects are then "caste" like dice
Each person then shares how he or
she feels about the position in which
his or her object has landed (uses
psychoanalytic technique of
"projection")
Through various rounds, participants
get to modify/adjust the position of
their object until each individual is
satisfied with where they sit in
relation to the other objects (group
members)
Logistically, a simple activity;
facilitation-wise, a potentially difficult
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

Equipment: Eac
h group member
to select one
personal object
or an object from
nature, to
represent
themselves
Time: ~30-40
minutes

Background
information
Description of
Group
Mandala
Facilitator
notes

Links to
other
description
s

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, nonfragile 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

2.
3.
4.

5.

6.

7.
8.
9.

collected from the outdoors

Standing in a circle, ask a participant for their
hat (or use some other container).
Place your object in the hat, and pass the hat
on to the next person who does the same.
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.
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.
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.
Ask the group to discuss and collective create
(move/shift) their objects into an ideal
arrangement.
Debrief: What do you think of this activity?
Why?
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 whateverand 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

a get-to-know-you
icebreaker

involves close
physical proximity

can be used as a
name game

helps a group learn

about how to work
together

can also focus on

group understanding
of communication,
leadership, problem
solving, teamwork,
trust, persistence,
etc.

Equipment: None.
Time: ~15-20 minutes
Brief Description:
Standing in a circle, group
members reach across
and shake hands - use
hand connecting to a
different person.
The group then tries to
unravel the "human knot"
by unthreading their
bodies without letting go
of each other people's
hands.
How to Run a Human
Knot Session
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-toshoulder. 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 reclasp 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

Active, physical engaging variation on "musical

chairs"; can entertain a group for hours

Place chairs in a tight circle, with

the chairs touching each other.

Have 1 person stand in the

middle - there is now a vacant
chair

The person in the middle tries to

sit in an empty seat

The group prevents the person by someone

moving seat, creating a new vacant seat

The game moves fast -- due to the strategic

"bum-shuffling" by the group, the place of the

Equipment: 1
armless chair per
person. Robust
kitchen chairs are
ideal.
Time: ~10 to 60 mins
Brief description:
Hilarious, physically
engaging, strategic
group activity/game.
Create a tight circle of
chairs. The person in
the middle tries to sit
in the "vacant chair",
but it keeps moving
because group
switching themselves
into the vacant chair.

empty seat is in constant movement, like a

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.