Objectives:
- Ice breaker (which builds a connection between pairs)
- Participants will have to interact and adapt their communication skills to help their team member
- Participants will reflect and evaluate their performance as a pair
- Improve communication and listening skills and to highlight the importance of trust when working in a team or pair
Overview:
This physical task engages the whole person in supporting a colleague and ensuring their safety through good communication. The activity can be used at any time during the session, however it is highly effective as and ice breaker. It is a fun method to start participants communicating and is simple to deliver in an appropriate environment and can be adjusted depending upon group size, age etc. However health and safety is paramount and you must consider the appropriateness of the group and room for this challenge.
Activity:
You should initiative this activity by stressing the nature of the challenge and stressing that the safety of those involved is paramount. You can also agree across the group that “stop” can be initiated by any member of the team by raising a hand if they don’t feel that it is safe to proceed. This can be actioned by anyone and will not result in any penalties.
To run the task, gather the group outside the room and:
- Scatter furniture that can be used as obstacles but ensuring that safety is not compromised.
- Put team members into pairs and should decide amongst them who is to be blindfolded first.
- The sighted and blindfolded member should stand at one end of the room.
- Aim of the task is for the sighted individual to guide their partner across the room and giving concise information to avoid the obstacles.
- Once each team reaches the other side, the pairs are to swap roles
It could also be possible to create a preferred route or course (as seen in horse show jumping) which they need to accomplish (if you didn’t wish to use obstacles for safety or mobility reasons) which would lead the pair to particular numbers/letters indicated on the wall.
Subject specialisms could also be tested by placing knowledge based answers on the walls and asking the pairs to walk to their answer through the course (see QAARunaround for details of how to do a multiple choice but don’t mix the games in play for safety reasons).
Skill Development:
This task requires listening and communication skills and also helps builds trust and connections across the pairings. However the skill development and improved future practice comes from evaluating performance across the group and understanding how and when particular techniques were effective and what lessons that provides for the future. It is important to acknowledge fears and concerns, or frustrations between the pairings but keep the discussion to the general learning, rather than focusing upon particular experiences of individual pairings as the depth of learning will come from the lessons that can be applied in future group work or communication challenges. These lessons include clear communication; agreeing ground rules for working together; recognising the need of feedback or support; understanding the importance of clear short messages within these circumstances etc.
Resources:
- Blindfolds
- Large room - large, safe, open space
- Items that can be used as obstacles which will act as safe barriers (not fall over; not hurt if walked into – no sharp edges)