Project Adventure Warm-up Activities
Source: Cayuga Nature Center Facilitator Training Manual
Salute To The Sun
This is a simple stretching activity, and is a good way to start off a program. The premise
is that if the activity is done correctly, the sun will stay or come out for the program.
The activity is a variation of a Yoga stretch. It starts out by all group participants standing
on their right foot, with their left foot held up off the ground. The participants then hold
their hands, palms together, in front of their chest. While balanced on one leg, they are to
reach up to the sky as high over their heads as possible keeping their palms together.
After completing the task on the right foot, challenge the participants to repeat the
performance on their left foot, but also with their eyes closed. Tell them to concentrate on
their balance.
Back To Back
Have the participants get together with a partner. Have them sit down on the ground with
their backs to each other. Have them lock their elbows together, pull their knees up to
their chest, and pushing against each other - stand up.
Repeat the procedure in groups of four, then groups of six or eight, eventually leading up
to the entire group standing up. Two lines of back to back people works best. Variation:
Front to Front Stand Up, feet together and holding hands.
Everybody's It Tag
For this new version of tag, mark off your playing area - large enough for everyone to run
around, but small enough to keep people from getting exhausted! Explain that the
premise of the game is the title, "Everybody is it!" Everybody tries to tag everybody!
When a player is tagged, they crouch down and wait out the game. If there are any
disputes, both people are out. The game goes very quickly, so you may want to play it
more than once.
A popular variation of this game is called "Hospital Tag". In this game, when a player is
tagged, they must place a "Band Aid" (hand) on their "wound" (place where they were
tagged). If they are tagged again, they must place their other hand on the new wound.
Now they can only tag another player by gently bumping them with a hip. If they are
tagged one more time, they are out.
Yet another variation is a game called ASTEROIDS, it is simply "everybody is it", dodge
ball. This game often goes even quicker than the tag. A way to extend it is to allow
someone to reenter the game if they can pickup a ball without moving from their "out"
position.
Mirrors
This is a quick one on one, get to know each other activity. One person plays the role of a
"mirror" and copies the movements that the other person "looking into the mirror" makes.
After a short period the partners switch roles. It loosens up the whole group at the start of
a program.
Blob Tag
This is another fun version of the basic tag game. Have the group spread out within
boundaries, and select a volunteer to be “it". The game starts as does regular tag: the
person who is “it" has to tag someone. But in this game, when a person is tagged, they
become a part of "the blob" by joining hands with their tagger. Only the ends of the blob
can tag people! This continues until the blob consists of six people, at which point it is
large enough to reproduce! The blob then splits into two. This goes on until everyone has
been tagged. To keep this game from getting frustrating for a couple of tired blobs, stress
teamwork, and be sure not to make the area too large.
Walk Tag
This tag game is a partner tag game. Set up some very small boundaries for the group. No
running is allowed! Have the partners decide which of them will be the “it" person. The it
person then gives the "not it" person a head start by spinning around a couple of times or
counting to 5, or any method you choose. The "not it" person walks away and dodges in
and out of all the other people trying to keep away from their partner. If they catch each
other, they switch roles, again the "it" person gives their partner a lead. It goes on until
you feel they've had enough. It should get everyone laughing; they'll be surprised at how
hard they are breathing too!
Hog Call
For this game, the group should form two lines side by side, taking, if possible, a partner
who they do not know very well. When everyone has a partner, ask each pair to come up
with a phrase, two-part word, or two words that go together (we like to use natural words
such as: Honey & Bee, Stream & Fish),and have them assign one word or part of a word
to each person in the pair. Go down the line and have each pair call out their words,
thereby ensuring that there is no repetition within the group. The lines should then turn
and go to opposite ends of the field, switching order within the row as they go. Before
they turn around again they should close their eyes. On the word "go", everyone is to try
and find their partner by moving forward and shouting their word or half-word as loudly
as possible. When walking toward their partner, they must walk slowly and hold their
hands out in front of them.
Birthday Line-up
Inform the group that in this challenge no one is allowed to make noise for the entire
activity. Their challenge is to line up, without speaking, according to their birthdays,
running from January 1 to December 31. They can use any method of communication
except sound. You could also have the line up according to middle name (if they don't
have a middle name, they can use their first name or make up a name). Pull the resulting
line around into a circle and run through the order of birthday dates to see if they are
consecutive! There are several other variations, birthdate (month, day and year!), lineup
blind folded, pick an animal and line up alphabetically, etc.
Lap Sit
This activity is a subtle start to introducing trust into your group. Everybody should stand
in a tight circle, turn to their right, and face the back of the person in front of them. Make
the circle tighter again and make sure that it is circular. Everybody should put their hands
on the shoulders of the person in front of them, and on the count of three, sit down gently
on the lap of the person behind them. Knees should be kept together to avoid disaster! If
everyone sits at the same time, no one should fall! If this is accomplished easily, have the
group try to walk in a circle while in the lap sit position. To get out of the lap sit, have
everybody stand up together at the count of three!
Nerf Ball Name Game
Have the group form a circle. Toss a ball to one person in the group, saying your name
and their name before you throw. The ball should travel to everyone in the circle, with all
their names being called, before a second ball is introduced. Challenge the group to keep
3 or 4 balls going at once, to get everyone's name correct, and to catch all the balls
thrown to them.
Group Juggling
Form a circle. Pass a ball back and forth across the circle until everyone has had the ball
once only. Everyone must remember who they caught the ball from, and who they threw
it to next. As each person gets the ball the first time, have them raise their hand so they
don't get it again. Once everyone has received the ball, throw it around again in the same
order, but faster. Every couple of seconds add another ball!
Impulse
Stand in a circle holding hands. (This may be difficult with children who are at the age
when boys and girls don't want to touch each other, but it is worth persevering to break
down those barriers at the start of the program.) Put yourself in the group. Explain that
the idea is simple: when you feel your hand get squeezed, pass the squeeze on. Start the
impulses by squeezing the hand of the person next to you, and wait for the impulse to
come back to you on the other side. Try to do this faster. Try sending an impulse in both
directions - they will cross on the other side of the circle. Try sending lots of impulses in
both directions until everyone is confused! You can also send verbal impulses: send an
"Mm" one way and an "Ah" the other way. Have fun listening to it!
Bug Tug
If you have a group that you think can handle something silly, try this unusual version of
tug-of-war! Split the group in half, and have the two groups line up standing back to
back. Then have one group stand still while the other group takes one step to the side, so
that the people are alternating. Everyone should bend over and reach between their legs,
cross their arms, and grab a wrist of each of the two people behind them. On your signal,
each team tries to pull the other team over the imaginary line between them. This game
rarely has a definite winner, so you needn't try to decide who is victorious!
Pass The Hoop
Gather the group in a circle, and have everybody join hands. Then put a hula-hoop over
your arm, and start passing the hoop around the circle. The goal is to pass the hoop
person to person without letting go of each others hands. Once finished try with two
hoops going in opposite directions.
Yurt Circle
To further develop trust within a group, this activity encourages people to have
confidence in next to them. Have the group stand in circle and hold hands. Everybody
should-step back until their arms are straight. Have the participants count off 1-2-1-2 ...
There must be an even number of people in the group, so you may have to stand out on
this one. Explain that on the count of three, the "ones" should lean gently forward and
the "twos" lean gently back. Ideally, the opposing weights should be equalized and
everyone be supported. This activity may take a couple of attempts!
Butter Churn
Stand in a tight circle with one person in the center. Everybody in the circle puts their
palms out in front of them at shoulder height, forming a smooth wall of hands. The circle
must be braced with one foot behind and must be alert. The person in the center should
cross their arms over their chest, close their eyes, and fall slowly in any direction,
keeping their body stiff and their feet planted in the center of the circle. The group gently
passes the person around the circle for a few minutes. This activity is ideal for
determining whether the group is capable of doing the Trust Fall. If the group fools
around on this activity, and people fall or almost fall, don't risk the Trust Fall!
Moon Ball
This game/initiative requires a beach ball or nerf ball. Gather the group around you and
give one of the group members the ball. Tell the group that their goal is to hit the ball as
many times as possible without the ball hitting the ground. Count the number of hits (try
to have everyone in the group counting aloud.) After a couple of initial attempts, have the
group set a realistic goal, and
have the group continue until they reach the goal. A variation is to have the group try to
do their hits in a set sequence.
Warp Speed
This initiative requires 4 tennis balls, and a watch with either a stop watch or at least a
second hand. Form the group into a circle, and give one person all 4 balls. The groups
goal is to transfer the balls from one person to another in sequence. (ie. all balls must
follow the same sequence). This is a timed event so have who ever has the bails initially
yell "go" when he/she starts the process, and have who ever gets the balls last yell "stop"
when he/she gets the last ball. The first time is likely to take 15 to 20 seconds, encourage
the group to do it faster. Keep encouraging them on, their goal is to get the process done
in under 1 second. Don't tell them this initially, wait till they have tried several methods
and have improved their time greatly. A hint you can give is: "gravity." The best solution
is to drop the balls through a funnel of hands. A variation is that the balls start and stop
with the same person, set sequence and see how fast it can be done.