small group activities - fun team building group activities gravity pole props: half-inch pvc tubing...
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Small Group Activities
GRAVITY POLE
PROPS: Half-inch PVC tubing
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 16 – 20
Directions:
1. Line up in two rows facing each other.
2. Introduce the Gravity Pole, a long, thin, lightweight rod (I use half-
inch PVC tubing from Home Depot). Ask participants to point their
index fingers and hold their arms out.
3. Facilitator lays the Gravity Pole gently on his or her fingers. Get
the group to adjust their finger heights until the Pole is horizontal
and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.
4. Explain that the challenge is to lower the Gravity Pole to the
ground.
5. Important: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the
Gravity Pole at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not
allowed – and no touching from the top! It must rest on top of
fingers.
6. Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Pole, the task will be restarted. Let the
task begin....
7. Warning: Particularly in the early stages, the Gravity Pole has a habit of mysteriously “floating upwards” rather
than coming down, causing much laughter. A bit of clever humor can help - e.g., act surprised and ask what are
they doing raising the Gravity Pole instead of lowering it! Participants may be confused initially about the
paradoxical behavior of the Gravity Pole.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
This activity makes terrific debrief topics such as cooperation, trust, blame, focus, teamwork, leadership.
ZOOM
PROPS: Picture book "Zoom" by Istvan Banyai. You must separate the picture pages of the book into one page sheets
and laminate, or place in clear plastic sleeves to protect them and prolong usage.
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 16 – 30
DIRECTIONS:
1. Make sure you have an equal number of laminates and
participants. Place the pages on the floor facedown, so
no one can see the pictures.
2. Allow each participant to grab a laminate and hold face
down against his or her chest. Explain that participants
may only look at their own pictures and must keep the
pictures hidden from others.
3. Now, allow everyone to look at his or her own picture.
No one else will ever see that picture but the individual.
4. It is simple: By explaining verbally what is on your
picture (and never showing it to anyone), arrange
yourselves in one straight line, according to the logical order of the pictures.
5. Participants will generally mill around, talking to others to see whether their pictures have anything in common,
usually starting in pods. Eventually, they will merge as a team, and when the group believes they have all the
pictures in order (usually after ~15 minutes), and are in one straight line, have them lay the pictures down on the
floor in a straight line.
6. Allow everyone to see the pictures and encourage participants to sort out any mistakes, to correct the order.
7. Let everyone walk around and view the pictures in sequence so they can understand the full story.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
Big picture vs. detail-oriented people, communication
styles, leadership styles, listening, clarity, strategizing,
cooperation, problem solving, etc.
LYCRA TUBE One of the most fun activities in my treasure chest of goodies!
PROPS: Nylon Lycra sold at most fabric stores, 5 yards with a width of 48 – 60 inches. Use nylon thread and stretch the
Lycra as you sew it. I cannot sew, so I hire a professional!
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: Minimum of 4
DIRECTIONS:
1. Four people must get inside of the Lycra tube
to begin the activity. Your partner is the person
across from you.
2. Each set of partners will change sides,
alternating as they go along.
3. Very important to discuss with your partner
what side you are passing, as there will be a
slight slingshot action as each person bounces
off. That is what makes it fun!
SAFETY MUST BE USED INSIDE LYCRA TUBES:
Play on a soft, grassy area, free of any obstacles. Make sure the Lycra tube is above the shoulders at all times. Observe
closely, as people may get wild and reckless.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
I do not usually debrief the Lycra Tube activity. Some activities are just pure fun. I like to use it after lunch so participants
will not nap.
Large Group Activities
SWITCH, CHANGE, ROTATE PROPS: None
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 12 – 200
DIRECTIONS:
1. You will need a large, open area for this one.
Scatter participants throughout the room, then
ask everyone to get into groups of four, and
stand in a single-file line facing in the same
direction (groups of three or five will work if there
are extras or not enough people).
2. This activity involves the facilitator giving specific
commands. The teams of four are asked to
follow the commands to the best of their ability.
3. First, you will want to practice with the small
groups standing in one place.
4. The first command is, "Switch." The player at the front of the line peels off and goes to the back of the line
(practice).
5. Next, say "Change." All four players are required to turn 180 degrees to face the opposite direction (practice).
6. Next is "Rotate." This command requires the front and back players to exchange places (practice).
7. Spend a little time practicing with each command while the groups are stationary.
8. At this point, you start the activity by adding the command, "Chug-a-lug."
9. On this command the groups start walking (it does not need to be fast) around the room within the established
boundary area in their single file line formation, the head of the line being the leader.
10. The lines may weave around, as long as each small group stays together.
11. The last command you will need to give the groups is "Freeze." This obviously stops the action, and gives the
groups all the commands they need.
Here is the ultimate challenge:
Always start with "Chug-a-lug." Then begin using the commands “Switch”, “Change” and “Rotate” as the groups walk
around. Play a little background music if possible. Give the groups enough time between calls to get into the correct
formation.
Remember:
Mix up the "commands" so the groups do not know what order they will be given! After a few minutes, the groups should
have everything down pat.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
This activity delivers excellent leadership topics, along with cooperation, teamwork, helping others, asking for help, trust
and lots more.
MOST OUTRAGEOUS PROPS: None
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 16 – 120. Teams of 2.
DIRECTIONS:
For this activity, I typically ask the boss to pair up participants the day before the event. This is done to help those who do
not know each other as well, those who need to work better together, or those who have issues with each other. This
prevents people pairing up with friends and forming cliques or alliances. I then put the list on the wall for all to see.
1. With your partner, find a quiet place in the room where you and your partner can talk. For the next few minutes, I
want you and your partner to “FIND THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS THING YOU HAVE IN COMMON!”
2. They will immediately ask what you mean by “outrageous.” Do not tell. It is up to them to decide!
3. They will soon find out that they need to ask many good questions to find the answer. During the process, you will
get lots of laughter and some frustration. For the frustrating moments, remind them to ask better questions!
4. After about 5 – 8 minutes, have them sit down next to their partner for the debrief.
5. Ask each pair to stand up and share their answers.
6. Watch the reactions of everybody as they share. It is hilarious.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
Most importantly, this activity breaks down walls and builds unity. People find out things about each other in 5 minutes
that would normally take five to 10 years!
HUMAN ZIPPER
PROPS: NONE
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 30 - 200
DIRECTIONS:
1. Ask participants to form a human gauntlet by creating two lines, facing each other. Let this “human zipper” wrap
around the room with turns and straightaways.
2. Starting at one end, each person enters the gauntlet one at a time. Every five seconds or so, send a new person.
3. Here is the catch: everyone in the human zipper line will wave his or her arms up and down the entire time! Of
course, tell them not to touch any participant walking the gauntlet. They have to time it so each arm just misses.
4. There will be lots of laughter and non-stop energy.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
During the debriefing, discuss juicy topics such as trust, trust and more trust.
FOREHEAD
PROPS: Decks of cards with Jokers.
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 30 - 200
DIRECTIONS:
For my cards, I go to Toys-R-Us and buy several large print/cartoon decks.
1. I shuffle the cards thoroughly, then place them on the floor facedown. I then ask each participant to grab a card,
NEVER looking at it, and place it on their forehead (so we can see it, and they cannot).
2. I explain they are on their honor NEVER to look at their own card. Only other people can see it. The lowest cards
are 2s, 3s and 4s, while the highest cards are Kings, Aces, and Jokers. The rest are in between.
3. Ask them to walk around the room and treat people according to their card.
4. That is it. No explanations, no questions. I time the game for about 3 – 5 minutes and observe the variety of
reactions.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
I allow them to sit down, look at their cards, and discuss their experience. You will typically hear raving comments for the
highs, average comments for the middle cards, and less-than-flattering comments for the lows.
What they hopefully realize is that we all have invisible cards on our foreheads. We allow - or not allow - people to treat us
a certain way, depending on how we treat ourselves. Juicy discussions include children in the classroom, adults in the
workplace and life in general.
BACK-TALK
PROPS: Lots of chairs, flip chart, & marker, 5X8 index cards, and Sharpie Fine Point Markers.
Number of participants: 20 - 200
Directions:
For my cards, I go to Toys-R-Us and buy several large print/cartoon decks.
1. Create teams of four people each (three or five
is okay if there are too little or too many). Have
each team sit in a line of chairs, one person
behind the other, facing the same direction (see
above photo).
2. Give the person at the front of each line five
index cards and one Sharpie marker.
3. Give the whole group the following directions:
“In a moment, I’m going to ask the last person in
the back of each team to come to the front of
the room, where they will watch me draw a
picture on the flip chart (of course facing away from the whole group).
4. “Only these people may view the picture. Once they see the picture, they return to their seats, where they will
then use their finger to draw the same picture on the back of the person sitting in front of them. That person will
then draw the picture on the person’s back in front of them, who will then draw the picture on the back of the
person in front of them, and so on.
5. “The person at the front of the line will then draw the picture on the index card using the Sharpie. Once each
team is done, we will compare final drawings with the original drawing.”
6. The first person is the only one with index cards and a Sharpie because they draw what they feel on their back
on to the paper. They then place the picture upside down on the floor, until everyone else has finished. Then,
share!
7. Important! After each round, have people rotate positions in their teams by moving up one, so everyone can get
a chance at being the first person.
8. REMEMBER: People cannot discuss the drawing itself, but they can talk.
9. REMEMBER: They can draw it on the backs as many times as they want.
GOALS & DEBRIEF:
This makes for a juicy debrief, especially when discussing how it relates to communicating in the workplace! How one
participates in this activity is exactly how one communicates at work. Ask which is more important: the giving OR receiving
of information? Groups will often discuss issues this, the importance of clarity, and how messages get turned upside-down
in short order.
Occasionally there will be a person or two who attempt to “cheat” by looking at their neighbors to see how they are doing.
I do not concern myself with this behavior because what often happens is they end up getting erroneous information (i.e.
their neighbor is doing it wrong). This provides for an interesting debriefing topic, too.
It is important for the sender to communicate in a variety of different ways because people have different learning and
communication styles. It is also the responsibility of the receiver to ask for clarity and give feedback.
VARIATIONS:
I use the following 5 pictures in this order (increasing difficulty):