Objective: Establish mutual co-operation and communication between group members.
Props: Small ball (e.g. tennis ball), thin rope, paper cylinder or another object to hold the ball.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U53MvwedJKw[/embed]
Step by step instructions
- Before to start the activity, prepare the needed materials. Take a small, round ring (diameter no larger than a tennis ball) and tie 10-20 long strings to it (enough so that every member of the group will be holding a string). Lay this apparatus on the floor with the strings fanning away from the circle and a small ball (e.g. tennis ball) balanced on the ring.
- In a different part of the room, place a target of some sort – ideally a used toilet paper tube or paper towel tube, or some other narrow tower that the ball can balance on.
- The groups have to lift the ball using only the bull ring and to carry it across the room and place the ball gently on top of the target. If the target falls or the ball is dropped, the group must start over. No string may touch the ground.
Optional
- If they accomplish the task easily, a few ways to make it harder are as follows:
Have each person hold two strings instead of just one.
Have two bull rings, and have one group pass over or under the other as they move the balls.
Blindfold some of the participants.
Educator’s note: In order to facilitate the activity, ask each of the participants to come and take the end of a string, and explain the rules to them carefully. You can develop a fun story to make the exercise more interesting – for example, tell them that the ball is a barrel of highly toxic waste that they must move to a disposal facility without dropping! Make the activity fun while also stressing the importance of careful teamwork and communication.
