Summary: Make knots with your arms and then untangling them to practice teamwork and problem solving!
Instructions:
- Have the group stand in a tight circle.
- Tell everyone put their right hand into in the middle of the circle and grab the hand of someone else, making sure that it is not the person standing on their immediate left or right.
- Next, tell everyone to put their left hand in the middle of the circle and grab someone else’s left hand, again making sure that it is not the person on their immediate left or right. They should also be holding hands with two different people.
- If you want, you can check that everyone is connected by having the group quickly “pass a pulse” around the circle.
- Once the group is well-tangled, explain that their job is to untangle themselves without letting go of each other’s hands
- Walk around the group and observe the strategies that players are using and the way different people are displaying leadership and teamwork. Also, make sure that people are physically safe and mindful of each other.
Debrief Questions:
- Did anyone try to step into a leadership role? How can you be a leader in this situation?
- How can you be a good team member in this game?
- What is the goal? What steps did you need to take to reach that goal?
- Is this game an individual or group effort? Did working as a team make it easier to solve the problem?
Activity Length: Short (<15 minutes)
Grade Level: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & Up
Energy Level: Medium
Group Size: Medium (5-9), Large (10+)