TICK TOCK
Materials: Two small different objects, such as a blue felt pen and a red felt pen.
Aims: Breaking the ice, concentration
Procedure: Leader has pen (or other object), passes it to his right, saying: ‚This is a tick‘. Player 1 says: ‚A what?‘ Leader repeats: ‚A tick‘. 1 then passes it on saying, ‚This is a tick‘. Player 2 says: ‚A what?‘ to player 1, who says: ‚A what?‘ to the leader. Each time the ‚What?‘ must pass all the way to the leader, and the ‚A tick‘ must pass all the way back, before the pen is passed. When this has been practiced a few times, start over, and at the same time, start another pen to the left, saying: ‚This is a tock‘ etc. Confusion is encouraged and acceptable. Let the group try, as long as desired, to return both objects to the leader without losing the flow or concentration.
FAMOUS PEOPLE
Materials: Famous names on strips of card or paper, straight pins. Could be real people (Joan of Arc), fictional (Superman), etc.
Aims: Mixing, starting conversation, ice-breaking
Procedure: As people enter, leader pins a name on each person’s back. Each one must walk around and try to find out who he is by asking yes-or-
no questions of everyone else. When he knows who he is, he pins the paper on his front and continues to help others.
Variations: Try it non-verbally. Try insisting that everyone must make statements (e.g. ‚I am alive‘), and no questions allowed.
MOVE TO THE SPOT
Aims: Introductory Movement Awareness Relaxation
Materials: Large, empty room or space
Learning to follow simple instructions, movement, warm-u for Drama P
Procedure
Leader says: ‚Find a place to stand by yourself. Now look at and concentrate on a fixed spot on the floor, somewhere across the room. Now, move to that spot in a straight line pacing yourself so as not to have to stop, while avoiding bumping into anyone.‘
Leader continues to give similar instructions, allowing time for individuals to (A) concentrate on each spot, (B) move at their own pace, and (C) settle into the new spot.
Instructions for (B) could include moving to the new spot:
backwards
in as few steps as possible
in as many steps as possible
travelling in circles
travelling in squares
using as few jumps as possible
with hands on knees, toes etc.
moving along floor without using hands
using only two out of four legs
Variations
Have group invent more instructions.
MRS O’GRADY
Who: Small Group
Where: Inside or outside in roomy area
Aids/Equipment None
Objectives: To assess social skills, ability to communicate, willingness to
participate
To encourage group bonding, relax with each other
Leaders Hints: Observe who is enthusiastic, imaginative with suggestions
Observe who seems confident, shows group spirit, who becomes competitive.
Instructions: 1. The group stands in a circle and tells the story of Mrs O’Grady and accompanies with actions:
First person: „Did you hear what happened to Mrs O’Grady?“
Second person: “ No. What happened?“
First person: „She died.“
Second person: „How did she die?“
First person: „She died with her hand on her head“ (places hand on
head)
2. The second person puts their hand on their head too, says the same
speech to the third per son and adds another action, so the person at
the end has all the different actions.
Conclusion This is a silly game intended to relax the group and begin group bonding.
TOILET PAPER GAME
Group Size 6 – 8 people is mot effective, but slightly smaller or slightly larger would also work.
Materials A roll of toilet paper per group
When and Where On arrival to an O’Camp or State Conference site where the to use group will be placed in a situation where they may need
toilet paper for the next certain period of time, but do not have access to go and buy any.
Procedure Sit down with designated group and explain to them that in all the rush, we were not aware that the site does not supply toilet paper. However, each group has one role of toilet paper until tomorrow when we go to the shop. Each group member is to then take as much toilet paper as they feel necessary to last them that amount of time.
Once each member of the group has their toilet paper, the leader explains that we do actually have toilet paper and that what each member of the group must do is tell the group one thing about themselves for each piece of paper that they have.
MAKING THE LONGEST CHAIN
Group Size 2 teams (or more) of at least 4
Materials None
Where and When A fun break inbetween activities with a group who are familiar with each other.
Procedure Tell each group that the aim of this game is to make the longest chain. The chains must be made of only the clothing currently being worn by the people in the group. The aim is that people have to strip down as far as possible to make the longest chain.
The team with the longest chain of clothing wins.
SCRAMBLED EGGS
Group Size 6 and up
Materials Chairs for everyone but one person
Where and When A good game to get to know people or in between sessions when working with a small to middle sized group. A bonus in some instances as no close physical contact is involved.
Procedure Seat your group in a circle, but make sure that there is one less chair then the number of people on the group. You stand in the middle of the circle to begin the activity.
Explain that you are going to call out a sentence and anyone to whom the sentence applies must get up and change chairs. It is not possible to move to the chair on either side of their present position. Your aim is to occupy one of the vacant places before someone else, so that you are no longer the person in the middle.
Then the person who has been caught in the middle must think up a sentence that will cause others to change chairs, so that he/she can get to a chair first.
Examples of sentences that can be called out – „All those wearing watches.“ „All those who had breakfast this morning.“ „All those with blue eyes.“ When „scrambled eggs“ is called out, everyone must change chairs.
BE IT
Group Size Any size
Materials None
Time 5 minutes
Where and When Use to break the workload, to use up excess energy, as a getting to know you activity.
Procedure 1. Ask the participants to spread out around the room so that they have plenty of space to swing their arms about
2. Explain that the activity they are about to do is called „Be It“ and is involves a bit of imagination and letting go of your inhibitions.
3. Then explain that you are going to name a series of objects, and each time they should try to shape their bodies into the form of that object.
Variations For a group that is more comfortable with each other, ask them to make a noise as well as an action.
Suggested Ideas Banana
Tree
Snail
Bulldozer
Elephant
Telephone
Vacuum Cleaner
Paper Weight
Food Vending Machine
CAN I COME TO THE PARTY?
Who: Small groups (separated into pairs)
Where: Enough room for the group to form a large circle
Objectives: To learn from observation
To communicate non-verbally
To motivate and energise the group
Leaders‘ Hints: Observe how participants react to the cues
Do those who don’t understand become frustrated, determined or “give up”?
Instructions: 1. The leaders need to decide the criterion for coming to the party. This can vary and have any degree of difficulty. You may invite:
– Those who are wearing clothing ending with a consonant
– Those who have their feet crossed when they are to be invited
– Those who ask when you have your feet crossed
– Those who ask you addressing you by name
2. Sit participants in a circle and explain that you are going to hold a party to which they may or may not be able to come. Invite them to ask if they can come to the party. Use the criterion agreed upon, start the game.
3. You can give hints, such as “No you can’t come wearing a bra, but you can come in suspenders” (!)
4. When the criterion has been guessed, invite one of the group to be the “party host”.
Conclusion: This is another activity involving learning through observation. By exercising these skills, we become better at learning from those cues that people give us.
MEMORY GAME
Who: Small teams of people (say 3-5 in each)
Where: A room large enough for each team to be able to sit in a circle.
Aids A blanket
A number of objects (eg a book, a spoon, a phone etc)
Pen / Paper / Score Sheet
Objectives Simple memory test
Leaders Hints Nil
Instructions Place 10-15 objects under the blanket
Everybody has 5 seconds to look at them
Then people individually write down what they saw
Next collectively write down the objects (within each team)
Remove blanket and check that all items were identified
If time remaining replace blanket and ask each team to draw a map of objects as laid out under than blanket.
Variation If too easy, ask for more details eg title of book, colour of spoon
Conclusion Non-threatening team game for new members
THE WORLD
Who: Small groups, no real limit on the total number
Where: A room
Aids Large sheets of paper
An atlas (for the judges)
Pens for each group
Score Sheet
Objectives To informally test people’s general knowledge of world geography
Leaders Hints Nil
Instructions Draw a map of the world, showing the borders of each country and the location of the capital, but not the names of the countries or the capitals
See how many countries and capitals each group can identify in a given time period (say 10 minutes)
Award 1 point for each country, 1 point for each capital (accuracy is up to the judges)
Conclusion A good game for breaking a large group up into small teams. Particularly useful for AIESEC, since at the end of the exercise you can identify which of the countries are AIESEC Member Countries.
TEAM HOPSCOTCH
Who: Small groups
Where: Outside on a cement (or other hard) surface
Aids Chalk, Stones
Objectives To have fun
Leaders Hints Be careful to explain the rules carefully
Instructions The whole team must travel up and down the hopscotch “board”. Each team must do several laps or several games, depending on the time allowed.
Each player uses a flat stone; player tosses the stone into square one, then hops over it as far as he/she can ie into square 2,3 etc. Player turns and hops back to square one to retrieve stone, then hops back to square they landed in and throws stone into next square. Process is repeated until person has travelled up and back.
Each team member takes a turn.
If stone does not land in appropriate square, or player hops into square containing stone of if player touches the ground with hand of foot they must start again.
Conclusion Good team game, may be used in mini-olympics.
TRAIN GAME
Who: Large groups (approx 20)
Where: Inside or Outside
Aids Nil
Objectives To get people to mix
To have the person in the centre of the circle try to catch the train
Leaders Hints Appoint your most vocal people as stations and crossings
Instructions Group stands in circle with hands joined
One person stands in the middle of the circle
The train moves by a squeeze of the hand, so if a person feels a squeeze of the hand on the left side, they must squeeze the hand of the person on their right side
Appoint a few people around the circle to be crossings (these people shout “ding-a-ling” as the train passes through them) and stations (these people shout “Toot” as the train passes through, and they also have the power to change the direction the train is travelling)
The person in the middle catches the train by pointing at a person who has received the train on one side but has not passed it on to the other side of them.
Conclusion A good game for groups of people who know each other well enough to feel comfortable holding hands, or for groups who are beginning to be bonded (eg new directors at a national conference)
ANIMAL NOISES
Who: The more the merrier (at least 20)
Where: In a large room or outside
Aids Animal names on slips of paper
Blindfolds if you have them
Objectives To communicate with others without using normal everyday words
Leaders Hints Nil
Instructions Each person is given a piece of paper with the name of an animal on it eg cow, horse, goat, owl, elephant, dog, and turkey. The number of animals you use is up to you, but you want to use each animal at least 4 or 5 times.
Everyone has to close their eyes (or be blindfolded) and by making the noise of their animal, find the other cows, horses etc, keeping their eyes closed all the time.
Variations For large groups, just give inform each person of their animal verbally.
Conclusion Sit back and laugh
WINK MURDER
Who: A group of people (preferably 15 – 25)
Where: Inside a room big enough for everyone to walk around
Objectives To learn from observation
Instructions Everyone sits in a circle and covers their eyes.
You choose a murderer (unknown to others) by tapping them on the head
Everyone uncovers their eyes and starts to walk around so that they frequently pass each other.
The murderer may kill anyone by winking at him or her. If a person receives a wink he/she must wait for 5 seconds and then fall to the ground (shouting “aaagh!” on the way down). That person is now dead and cannot participate in the rest of the game.
If a person spots another person winking at someone, he may accuse that person of being the murderer, by pointing at the accused & saying, “I think X is the murderer”.
After the accusation has been made, the accuser must have someone else back up his or her claim. If not, the accuser must withdraw from the game. The suspect does not have to comment.
A murderer is caught if he/she is accused correctly by tow people, and a new game starts.
If an accuser and a supporter are both wrong, they must both withdraw from the game.
Conclusion A good game for a group of strangers, or even friends!
WHO’S CHANGING THE MOVEMENT
Who: Groups of people (approx 20)
Where: Enough room to sit in a circle, inside or outside
Aids Nil
Objectives To test people’s powers of observation
Leaders Hints Nil
Instructions Groups sit in a circle facing inwards, one person per group leaves the room. The others decide who will be the leader.
The person comes back into the room and stands in the middle.
The leader makes a series of movements eg scratching head, waving arms, lifting leg up and down, bending forward etc and the others in the group have to copy the movements.
The person in the middle, by carefully watching the change of the movements has to guess whom the leader is.
Conclusion Good for strangers or friends.