THE GAME: Ask players to stand in a circle and hold hands loosely. Choose a leader to send a gentle squeeze (“impulse”) traveling clockwise around the circle. Tell the group they should pass the impulse as fast as they can without skipping players and commenting on their progress. Their goal is to complete the circuit and return the impulse to the leader in as short a time as possible. For added challenge, ask players to play with their eyes closed. After hte impulse has traveled successfully around the group, try sending two simultaneously in opposite directions, returning to the leader on both sides.
VARIATION:
Have players sit cross-legged, knee-to-knee, in a circle with their hands resting on their neighbors’ knees. Choose a leader to start a gentle clockwise knee tap. Challenge the group to send the knee tap around the circle as quickly as possible with no mistakes and without talking, ending the round with the leader. Try again with a new leader. For extra challenge, try two knee taps moving in opposite directions and have players close their eyes.
GOING DEEPER:
• What, if anything, was frustrating about this game?
• What does this game teach about teamwork?
• Why is it important to stay focused to complete a task?
• What happened when the pulse went in two directions at once? How did you handle the challenge?
ASSET CATEGORIES: Support, Empowerment, Positive Values, Social Competencies
Source: Great Group Games: 175 Boredom-Busting, Zero-Prep Team Builders for All Ages
© 2007 Search Institute
