Madagascar Rescue

May 26, 2010 by
Filed under: Problem-Solving 

A creative group initiative that combines many problems into one.

At A Glance

A group standing on a large tarp must first manage to flip the tarp upside-down without touching the ground, and then rescue a series of objects strewn around them.

What You Need

  • A large tarp (preferably non-rip material)
  • One “stepping stone” per person
  • Bunch of objects, such as soft toy animals

What To Do

This initiative is a classic example of how much fun it can be to combine two or more individual problem-solving activities into one. In this case, I am adding Turn A New Leaf to Stepping Stones.

Start by placing the large tarp (approx 2m x 3m works well for 15 people) on the floor, and randomly distributing a bunch of soft toys around the area. Now, ask your group to stand on the tarp entirely, that is, no overlapping of feet or other body parts. Distribute a piece of driftwood (stepping stone) to each person.

Set the scene by describing that the group is standing on the underside of a capsized ship which was bound for Madagascar (ie think of popular animated movie of same name). The ship was full of exotic animals, and sadly, they have now been tipped into the ocean, and will drown within 30 minutes (or other seemingly appropriate time-frame).

Explain that the group’s first task is to upright their vessel, and then, to rescue all of the animals using the drift wood they have been supplied.

In an effort to flip the tarp, the group is not permitted to step off or touch the ground at any time. Without giving too much away, most solutions normally involve twisting the tarp at one end and moving people from one side to the flipped-side. Dispense whatever penalty for outside touches seems reasonable, but I normally require the group to start over.

Then, upon uprighting the ship, the group’s next task is to rescue the strewn animals. Again, no one is permitted to step into the ocean (ground), but may use the drift wood (stepping stones) to traverse the area safely. But, two rules apply – every stepping stone MUST maintain total physical contact with the group at all times (ie if a stone is left untouched for even a split-second, for example, between steps) that stone will sink (ie it is removed from the game), and if someone happens to touch (or fall) into the ocean, they must return to the ship. Note, if a person should “fall” (requiring them to return to the ship) and no one else is touching the stepping stone at the time the first person fell, that piece of drift wood is also removed from the game. Yeah, I know, it’s brutal!

Clearly, there are tons of opportunities for teamwork, communication, leadership and problem-solving skills to be exhibited here. Game continues until all of the animals have been safely rescued, or… all of the stepping stones have sunk!

Variations

  • Extending the scenario, explain that owing to tidal patterns, some animals may “drift” (ie change their location) relative to the ship at any time. Alter the tides at your discretion.
  • Use a tarp that is too difficult to flip with everyone standing on it. This will invite the group to be creative, to discover perhaps that some members of the group will have to float on their drift wood (stepping stones) until the ship is righted.
  • Rather than a higgly-piggly distribution of animals, place them in a zig-zag formation away “behind” the ship. Or, place the animals in an upside-down Y shape requiring the group to split left and right perhaps to complete the rescue.

(with thanks, and adapted from David Wright, NS, Canada)

If you know of a cool variation to this exercise, please add a comment…

Tags: , ,

Comments

6 Comments on Madagascar Rescue

  • Tracy Montgomery on Mon, 31st May 2010 9:37 am

HI Mark,

Love the Madagascar game. I use similar activity at sports clubs when I run Todd Story Program (www.toddstory.com.au) to demonstrate team building. Just using tarp. Its amazing to be able to point out how they support each other to not “fall off”. In the Todd Story program I encourage young people to watch out for their mates and the Tarp activity is great one for that.
Thank you for always sharing your games. I’m sure there are many people besides me who use your ideas.
Regards,
Tracy Montgomery

  • Cate Richards on Thu, 26th Aug 2010 6:54 pm

Hi Mark,

This sounds like a great game, I am looking forward to trying it with a group very soon.

Do you have any suggestions for the material of the stepping stones? For eg would CD disks or heavy paper plates work or do they need to be something more robust like rubber car mats or the like? Is the idea that more than one person can be on the stepping stone at a time?

Could you do it so that people have to hold hands if they venture out from the boat?

Sounds like fun, keep up the good work, I can highly recommend your books to others,

Cheers, Cate

Hey Cate, thanks for the feedback. I use wooden blocks, and while they are brilliantly robust, they are heavy to carry around. I’ve just returned from a working trip in the US, where I saw really stiff poly-etha foam (name??) used as stepping stones, which seems much better esp cos they are light and durable. Whatever you use, I suggest the stones have some elevation off the floor/ground so that it is really clear if someone touches into the “no-go zone.” Yes, more than one person can be on a stone at a time. And yes, I totally encourage participants to hold hands, etc to assist them to negotiate the distance. Have FUNN, Mark

  • Marietta Stalcup on Sun, 11th Dec 2011 1:40 am

Mark

This sounds like the perfect exercise to achieve my objectives. A couple of questions: What size team have you found to be most impactful? I have 45 in total, but will obviously break them into smaller groups. I was thinking 5 groups of 9. Is that reasonable size?

Thanks
Marietta

  • Marietta Stalcup on Sun, 11th Dec 2011 1:41 am

Mark

Sorry, one more question. How long do you plan for just completing the exercise itself, not including set up an debrief?

marietta

Hi Marietta, thnaks for your questions… the team size really does depend on the size of your sheet on which they are standing. However, by law of averages, I aim for 12-15 people. So, with 45 people, I’d have 3 teams at the most, but I like your idea of smaller teams. Naturally, the younger they are, the smaller the team I woudl make. As for the time it takes a group to complete the task – again, depends on a number of factors, (age of group, how far the items are spread, etc), but I’d suggest about 20mins for the execution when all is going well. Add to that the briefing and the processing time…. have FUNN :-)

Hi, please share something of value to others here...





  • Who am I?

    I love to lead ice-breakers, group games and team-building

    Hi, I'm Mark Collard.

    This blog shares some of the most successful group games, team-building activities & programming tips I know.

    --| FREE ACTIVITY eBOOK |--

    ice-breakers, group games and team-building

    Enter your name and email address in the form below to receive a FREE 30 page ebook which features ten of the BEST ice-breakers & group games I know!





    Email Address
    First Name
    Confirm Email

    Where Did You
    Hear About
    This eBook?













    Share: Tell others about this site...




    @markcollard