Games? I often use games and game structures in my classes, and have a list of cooperative games that I've found useful and fun, for getting to know each other, getting energy moving, creating a shift of mood.
Writing games? Here are a few: 1) take a topic and have each person write 10 questions about it - no answers, just questions; 2) choose any one of the questions, and do 10 minutes of stream of consciousness writing about it - keep pen moving, no corrections, just continuous writing; 3) highlight the words or phrases that speak most strongly to you, look for themes, more questions, etc.; 4) ask when, who, how, where, why questions; 5) make connections between two seemingly unrelated things/topics; 6) mind-mapping.
GAMES
CONNECTING - with visual cues eg. color of eyes, hair; type of clothing; same/different
- personal preference eg. find partner who likes same kind of food, cars, music, weather, etc.
- find out 2 interesting things about each other
CONNECTING EYES circle facing inw., make eye contact with another person in circle, exchange places - many pairs can exchange at same time
BEACH BALL NAME GAME ball passed from person to person, when ball received, person says name, do until all have named themselves few times,
person who passes ball calls name of person passing to, if
forgets, asks ‘what’s your name?’
person with ball in center, calls name, throws ball, exchange places so center person now on outside, person with ball in middle add another ball + another person in middle
TEAM JUGGLE ball thrown to each person, last person throws back to person who began; throwing begins again in same order --- add another ball, and another - throwing continues to happen in same order
BEACH BALL BOOGIE ball/balloon between partners, forming train, ball to be kept betw. bodies while moving to music
FROZEN TAG freezing when touched
freezing bodypart touched but can keep running
- ‘warm’ touch unfreezes
with piggyback rescue
TUG OF PEACE rope in circle, if everyone pulls at same time, entire group should be able to stand
rope straight, people sit on opposite sides, if both sides pull evenly whole group can stand
LEANING RING circle, hands linked, alternates lean inw, & outw., then switch
GROUP PULL UPS groups of 4, sitting hands linked, pulling up to stand as a unit; then groups of 6 or 8
LAP SIT STEP tight circle, all hold waist, one step into center and all sit on each others knees --- collective actions eg. arms out to side, clap 3 X, take 3 steps forw., all touch floor on outside, take 3 steps backw.
DRAGON’S TAIL linking with arms around waist; last person cloth hanging like tail, 1st player tries to grab cloth, no part of dragon may break
LOG BALANCE all standing on log, opposites exchange places ie. first with last, second with second last, etc. - all help to make it possible
OVER UNDER BALL/BALLOON PASS standing in a line, ball passed overhead then betw. legs, alternating;
last one runs to front
BLANKET TOSS tossing balloons in blanket - beg. with 1, then more, all tossed, all caught
BALLOON BALANCE balancing balloon betw. forehead, chest, etc. and dancing to music
NOSE TO NOSE 2 players stand facing, one eyes closed tries to connect nose to partner’s nose - partner can help by breathing loudly, whistling lightly, blowing, etc.
RHYTHM PULSE in circle holding hands, one begins rhythm squeezing hand of person to R, rhythm passed around circle
--- more than one rhythm at a time?
LAUGHING CONTEST 2 players stand facing holding hands, on signal everyone begins to laugh, who can laugh hardest, longest
also in circle with all hands connected?
