Tips to Create a More
Challenging Training for
Facilitators
When training facilitators who are professional educators or others who have experience
teaching parenting or relationship building skills, try asking for volunteers to team teach
activities on day two of the training. Participants will have an additional challenge which
will make the training more fun and interesting, trainers will have an opportunity to
observe participants’ facilitation skills, and participants often learn that the curriculum is
more challenging than it might first appear.
Volunteer teams of two or three participants can identify which activities they might be
interested in teaching. Teams can get together briefly at the end of the first day of training
to decide on roles for their activity. Trainers should plan to be available to share
materials, provide tips and answer questions. Participants will need to review the material
overnight and be prepared to teach the following day. It is helpful if participants check in
with the trainers before they teach the activity just to be sure they understand the
directions and that there are no suggested changes. Otherwise trainers end up
“correcting” them in front of the group, which can be uncomfortable.
As participants teach the activities, they may find that some of the activities are more
complicated than they might have first appeared so trainers should be prepared to offer
guidance, support and additional tips. Make sure all relevant information is covered.
The following activities have been piloted by trainers during facilitator training and seem
to work well for the purposes described above:
Youth Session 4, Traffic Jam Ice Breaker
Youth Session 4, Mystery Shape
Family Session 4, Matching Values to Action
Family Session 5, Going to Timbuktu
Family Session 5, The Listening Game
Youth Session 6, Going Fishing: What Makes a Good Friend
Family Session 6, Reaching Our Goals Game
Prepared by Pam Peterson, M.S., APSW, Family Living Educator, Door County UW-Extension, 03/2009
An EEO/Affirmative Action employer, University of Wisconsin – Extension provides equal
opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA requirements.
Directions for Participants Leading Activities
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
YOUTH SESSION 4: TRAFFICE JAM ICE BREAKER
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
YOUTH SESSION 4: MYSTERY SHAPE
Note: We have found that it works best with an odd number of participants. Try seven.
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
FAMILY SESSION 4: MATCHING VALUES TO ACTION
Note: You’ll be dividing the group into youth and parents. Contrary to what the
directions say, it often works best to give the parents the cards with the actual scenarios
written on them. The youth typically get the cards with the one-word value written on
them.
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
FAMILY SESSION 5: Going to Timbuktu
Have fun with this one! We do have 100 Grand candy bars to give out to everyone once
the group makes it to Timbuktu
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
FAMILY SESSION 5: THE LISTENING GAME
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
YOUTH SESSION SIX: GOING FISHING: WHAT MAKES A GOOD FRIEND
Please be prepared to teach the following activity tomorrow, using the directions that are
in your curriculum manual. Be sure you understand it—ask us first thing before you
leave or first thing in the morning if you don’t quite “get” how the activity works. We
have any supplies/materials you may need. Have fun!
FAMILY SESSION 6: REACHING OUR GOALS GAME
Note: you’ll make the “game board” on the floor with blue painter’s tape, which we
have. It takes a while to tape it out, so please do that early in the day before it’s time for
you to actually lead the activity. Thanks!