GAMES COOP

Blind Tanks

Partnerships, one with vision blocked. The sighted partner can give directions, but not touch balls. The other partner, the “tank” can grab and throw.

Variations: communicate only by clapping, no direction words, sighted partner can/can’t be hit

Notes: energizer, debrief around communication, how to say what you mean in the chaos

Go 3

Setup: poly-dots in a circle, one person in the center

Object: don’t be in the center

Round 1: You may leave your dot whenever you wish.

Round 2: When someone leaves their dot, everyone leaves their dot.

Round 3: through some method, you make an agreement with another person to switch spots.

Debrief: risk communication, which one was difficult, which was most engaging

Group Knots

Setup: set a perimeter around a pole or tree (about 8-10’ in diameter)

Group grabs a 2nd rope (about 30’)

Without letting go of the rope and staying outside of the boundary around the tree, the group must tie an overhand knot around the tree. You can ramp up the difficulty with other knots (clove hitch, taut-line, etc.)

Unicorn tape

Setup: piece of rolled masking tape on everyone’s nose

Players touch the tape loops together and pull apart. Whoever’s tape stays is the winner. Find a new partner until one is left standing.

Sneaky Pass the Object

One person standing in the center of a circle of humans. Someone starts with a small object (coin, key, acorn). Starting person passes (or pretends to pass) the item to the person on their side. They then do the same. Person in the center gets three guesses on where the object is.

Run, Shout, Knock Yourself Out

Set a starting line and a destination. Participants can run toward it (and back) as long as they’re screaming.

Good for getting out energy

Ask about honesty (did everyone follow instructions?)

Useful for setting the tone of the day

Traffic Jam

Split the group in 2 (works with odd numbered groups too), and line them up on a poly-dot line, with one extra dot in the middle:

Group A is trying to get all the way to Group B’s side, and vice versa. People may only make the two following moves:

  1. Step forward into an empty space in front of them

  2. Step around the person in front of them into an empty space

Moves must be made one at a time, and cannot be undone. Folks may not move backwards. If the group gets stuck, everyone must start over.

Debrief: frustration, competition, how to include everyone (even those on the ends), can you repeat the success? Faster?

Alaskan King Crab Jousting

Assume crab position. Everyone mingles together and finds a partner. Still in crab position, each places one hand and one foot in the air. They put the bottom of their feet together and “joust” (attempt to knock the other over). First to put a hand or foot on the ground loses.

Pass it On

Two groups sit in lines holding hands, facing the other group. Facilitator/extra participant sits at the head of the lines with a coin. That person starts flipping the coin. On a heads, a hand squeeze is passed down the line. When the hand squeeze reaches the end of the line, they grab a ball placed within reach of both end points. The team that grabs the object wins.

Variation: hide the coin flip from everyone but the line leaders

Reflection: what do we pass on to others? What happens when we pass on a message we shouldn’t have? What were the individual and group strategies?

Pterodactyl

Don’t show your teeth. If you do, you’re out. Pass the “energy” to your right by saying “Pterodactyl” and to your left by making your best pterodactyl sound.

Factball

Stand in a circle with magnetic toes, feet spread wide. Knock a ball around until it goes through someone’s legs. That person shares an interesting fact about themselves. If it goes between two people, they figure out something they have in common.