Space Counting
(You’ll note a few NEW features in this activity write-up,
just a precursor to what’s in store in my new online activity resource
www.playmeo.com – launching July 2012).
At A Glance
With their pointer fingers extended, two people face each other and on “GO” attempt to draw the numbers from one to thirty in the air as quickly as possible.
Benefits
A brilliant partner activity that is fun as much as it is a metaphor for many real-life situations.
- Simple to accomplish
- Generates lots of energy
- Inspires many powerful metaphors
- Lots of adaptations
What You Need
- 10 minutes
- Nil equipment
- Minimum of 2 people.
What To Do
This gem is sourced directly from my friend and mentor, Karl Rohnke, one of the most well-known (and funnest) adventure educators in the world. He ‘discovered’ this activity as he was pedalling on his exercise bike during the cool-down phase of his daily exercise regime. He challenged himself to draw the numbers of the seconds (in the air) as they ticked down from 60 in the closing minute of his morning routine. And from this humble beginning, blossomed a new partner activity…
Start by asking your group to form into pairs. Each partner should face the other and extend one of their pointer fingers in front of them (chest-height) so that the tip of their finger lies within 30cm (12”) of their partner.
From this ready position, the action begins. On “GO,” each person attempts to write the numbers 1 to 30 as quickly as they can in the air in front of them (aka space) using their pointer finger as their writing instrument of choice. The first one to reach 30 wins, and may pump their clenched fist into the air as a sign of competitive superiority.
Invite individuals to swap partners a couple of times, and then introduce a twist.
This time, invite one of the two partners to copy or imitate the movements of the other as they draw their numbers in the air. My suggested framing would sound like this “TRACE THE IDENTICAL PATH OF YOUR PARTNER’S FINGER.” Note, that I did not say “…write the number backwards” even though these are often the words that passed through their grey-matter! So, while one partner is busy writing numbers in the air, the other person is attempting to precisely follow their drawing movements.
Naturally, when one person has completed their task, they swap roles with their tracing partner.
As you may have guessed, this exercise is not as easy as it sounds. And for this purpose, I would strongly recommend that after several rounds of this and other variations described below, you debrief your group about what they observed during the activity. See below for valuable leadership and framing tips.
Leadership Tips
As with many activities, especially if there is a chance someone is not listening to you (what?), it’s always a good idea to invite a volunteer to join you in a demonstration. This choice also serves a valuable second objective – it invites someone to ‘take a risk’ which is enormously transformative in the life of a group.
Even if only for a good laugh, suggest that the competitive version of this exercise works on an ‘honour’ system. That is, if an individual feels that a particular number they have just drawn is not legible, they are honour-bound to write that number again, … or not.
With the more strenuous / focused variations, I often instruct the pairs to write from 1 to 15 or 20 at the most.
Variations
- As above, but this time the writing partner chooses to draw any ten numbers at random (between 1 and 30), but their partner’s goal is the same – to trace as best as possible the identical path of their partner’s finger. Again, process your group’s experience – Was this easier or harder to focus? Having removed the anticipation (of what number is coming up next), were you more or less successful?
- In pairs, still facing one another, each person uses their idle (non-writing) hand to grab the wrist of their partner’s drawing hand in an attempt to keep the movement of their drawing arm and hand immobile as possible. Regardless of the version, it’s considerably more difficult, right?
Framing Ideas
As with many play and adventure-based activities, I will often introduce this activity via a fun story (such as how Karl discovered this exercise on his bike) or personal experience. And then as the variations unfold, and I take the time to briefly process my group’s observations and interactions, the connections and metaphors to real life become apparent.
The results of this exercise are rich with many meaningful metaphors. You’re bound to discover more of your own, but here’s a few to start with:
- Style – not everyone performs a certain task the same way, but often gets the same result.
- Goal-setting and Focus – when I am solely focused on achieving my goal (tracing the finger of my partner), I am more successful.
- Distinguishing the actual problem – is my task to draw the numbers backwards (the brain-generated thought of ‘what I thought I heard you say’), or am I following your directions (what you actually said).
- Making assumptions – acting or making a decision based on poor information (pre-empting the shape of a particular number, or the next number in sequence).
Adapted from ‘Silver Bullets: 25th Anniversary edition’ by Karl Rohnke.
Me You You Me
(You’ll note a few NEW features in this activity write-up,
just a precursor to what’s in store in my new online activity resource
www.playmeo.com – launching July 2012).
At A Glance
Walking inside the perimeter of a circle, each person introduces his or her name and repeats the name of every other person they are greeting in a particular sequence.
Benefits
A know-your-own-name-game classic in the making
- Triggers spontaneous laughter
-
Highly interactive
- Deceptively simple
What You Need
- 5 minutes
- Nil equipment
- Recommend 10 – 20 people
What To Do
Start by asking your group to form a circle. Using your example as a demonstration, step in front of the person who was standing to your left. Shake this person’s hand, and simply say your own name. Nothing else, no “How do you do,” or “My name is…,” simply state your name. Next, whilst still shaking hands, instruct your partner to say his or her name. Pretty easy so far, but it’s not over. Here comes the fun part.
The person who first introduced him or her self (you in the case of this demonstration), now repeats (says) the name of the person they are greeting (you’re still shaking hands by the way). Again, nothing more, just repeat their name. And, to finish, your partner repeats (says) your name back to you.
That’s it, you can now unclasp sweaty hands, and move on to the next person to your right in the circle. So, if I were starting, and the name of my left-hand side neighbour was Ruby, our exchange would sound like this – “MARK,” “RUBY,” “RUBY,” “MARK.”
This exact process of back-and-forth greetings continues with each greeter (you, initially) moving to his or her right, and shaking the hands of the next person in the circle. And, as they do, this movement causes the outside of the circle (which has just been greeted) to follow behind the first person (you) effectively curling inside itself. For example, by the time you get to the third person in the circle, the first person you greeted will have joined you inside the circle and started to greet the second person in line. Get it?
In essence, everyone gets to walk on the inside of the circle and greet everyone once, and then resume their original position in the circle. At which point, every other person will greet them a second time as these folks step inside the circle and return to their original spot in the circle.
Trust me, this really is very simple, it’s just not very easy to comprehend when you are only readings words off a page. And I can almost guarantee, inside the time it takes for the first few exchanges to occur, the group will erupt in guffaws as one or more people mix up their names. It’s astonishing how often people say the wrong name at the wrong time.
Leadership Tips
You’d be mistaken to think that this exercise was all about learning names. Yes, some folks may pick up a few names, but it’s all about taking subtle risks, sharing and above all, laughing.
With especially large groups (see variation described below), as the two tails of the inner circle meet and start to pass each other, one of two events may occur – (a) the action stops because no one knows how to deal with the chaos, or (b) the group will battle on trying to successfully greet everyone per the rules. Either way, it doesn’t matter, provided you generated lots of non-threatening interaction and laughter.
Variations
- Got a large group of say 30 or 50 people? Two options (a) you can split this number into several smaller groups (and continue as above), or (b) if you would prefer to keep them all together, start the initial greetings to the left and right direction of the break in the circle at the same time. That is, you get one ‘snake’ started off to your left, and then after a few exchanges, leave the head of that snake and start a new one on the right hand side of the circle from whence you were standing. The two snakes will eventually meet in the middle and collide, and chaos will reign. But that’s OK, some groups will persist to make it work, others will just look to you and say “HELP!” Just smile.
- Exchange the use of a name with something interesting about yourself, eg honest, fun, thirty-two, Brazilian, etc. That was not meant to sound like a personal ad, but you get the idea. So, it may sound like “BUFFED,” “FINNISH,” “FINNISH,” “BUFFED.”
Framing Ideas
How often have you just been introduced to someone new, or that person told you their name, and literally three seconds later, you realise you’ve forgotten their name? It’s as if you never even heard it! Embarrassing, I know! And the truth is, most of us would prefer to avoid that person (for the rest of the party, or work shift, etc) than face the ignominy of fessing up and admitting to have forgotten that person’s name. This exercise says it’s OK to forget someone’s name, and that it’s OK to ask someone to repeat their name to remind you.
Most people are inclined to suggest that they are not very good at remembering people’s names. I don’t think this is true, but most of us would rather lower people’s expectations than face the embarrassment of getting a name wrong. This exercise re-frames this awkward social phenomenon by saying that it’s OK to ask someone to repeat their name, because this interaction says “I care to know your name”, and not that “I’m stupid and forgot.”
Sourced from ‘No Props: Great Games with No Equipment’ and adapted for use in playmeo.
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Who am I?
Hi, I'm Mark Collard.
This blog shares some of the most successful group games, team-building activities & programming tips I know.
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