Group Games
Lynne Hughes-Guy
Ramesh Mehay
Aims of this Session
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Why Use Games
How do you run a game?
How do you build it into a programme?
What types of games
Examples of the greatest hits
Pitfalls
The booklet
The Life Cycle of a Group
Group Stage
Characteristics
(Adapted from Woodcock (1979)
The Underdeveloped
Stage
Task orientated
Poor listening skills
Low level of involvement
Leader, Individuals conform
The Experimenting
Stage
The Consolidating
Stage
The Mature Stage
Group realises difficulties
Willing to tackle them
Open & Trusting Approach
More structured
Flexibility
Improved Relationships
Trust, Openess, Honesty, Cooperation &
Constructive Confrontation
Why Use Games
• EDUCATIONAL
• GROUP DYNAMICS
• Games are fun
• Experiential learning
• Safe environment (&
Receptiveness)
• Flexibility & Relevance
• Promotes change
• Involvement
• Promotes cohesiveness
• Interpersonal skills
• Motivates
• Encourages responsibility
• Framework & Structure
Running the Game
• Game Preparation
- homework (game selection, practicalities)
• The Activity
- giving instructions
- allocating roles
- ground rules
- playing the game
• Reflection and Discussion
- importance of discussion
- phases of discussion
• Review You Facilitator Role
Reflection/Discussion
4 things
Phase 1 – expression of feelings
Phase 2 – thoughts
Phase 3 – planning for further action
Phase 4 – evaluate the game
Encouraging Participation
• Make it Fun
• Participants feel valued
• Build trust
- being listened to
- ground rules
- democratic style of
- avoid exlusion games
leadership
- feedback (give & take) • Facilitator as a model
- acceptance
• Facilitator’s personal qualities
How to build it into a
programme
talk
game
film
group work
close
game
Putting it into Practice
Icebreakers
Problem curers
Ground Rules
Openers
Activities for team building
Problems
Main teaching Activity
Evaluation & Closure Games
Brainteasers
Skill builder
Energisers
Types of Games
• Icebreakers
• Ground rule setting
games
• Energisers
• Brainteasers
•
•
•
•
Problem Curers
Skill builders
Closing Games
Evaluation games
Icebreakers (1)
The boring traditional one
What I
Learnt
Last Year
What I like
To do
The most
Important
People in
My Life
Hobies
etc…
What I hold
most dear
My
famous
3
minutes
Icebreakers (2)
•
•
•
•
Write down 5 facts about yourself.
One must be a lie
Present yourself to the others
Others have to spot the lie
Icebreakers (3)
ANIMAL FINDER
• Get some blank cards and write the name of four
different animals several times
• eg for a group of 12 : sheep x3, pig x3, cow x3,
dog x3).
• Give the cards out randomly..one to each person.
• Ask the members to find each other by making an
appropriate noise to that animal...but no speaking.
Ground Rule Games
TACADE, 1986
•
•
•
•
•
•
Listen to others
Don’t put other people down
Respect Confidentiality & Trust
Show Respect
Don’t Interrupt others
Try to accept others views
Mid Course Energisers
DONT FALL INTO THE SEA
• Lay out an appropriate number of chairs in
a circle (according to your group size).
• Get everyone to stand on the chairs.
• The chairs are safety points floating in a
sea which is full of sharks.
• The task....the group has to arrange
themselves in birth date order (day and
month only....exclude the year).
• BUT they must not fall into the sea!
Brain Teasers
• See later for examples
Problem Curers (1)
Dominant Talkers
• A Personal Talk
• Talk Limitation Exercise
Problem Curers (2)
Silent Sitters
• Challenging them
• Get them to Observe
• Using Matchsticks
Skill Builders
•
•
•
•
•
•
Team building
Communication skills
Facilitator-Presenter skills
Learning
Perception & Lateral thinking games
Self management
Lateral Thinking 1
LEFT
PRICE
Answer: the price is right!
Lateral Thinking 2
ESROH RIDING
Lateral Thinking 3
S
M
O
K
E
Lateral Thinking 4
G
E
L
E
N
I
S
F
Lateral Thinking 5
TEEXAMRM
Lateral Thinking 6
LISTING
LISTING
LISTING
LISTING
Lateral Thinking 7
FORGOTTE
Lateral Thinking 8
T P G
S P N
E I
Lateral Thinking 9
1. FEET
2. HANDS
3. FACE
Lateral Thinking 10
ME/REPEAT
Lateral Thinking 11
BONBNET
Lateral Thinking 12
PERSON
Closing Games
• Each participant is handed pieces of
paper
• Each paper has the name of other
participants
• Each participant has to write “ I am
glad I met XXX because…….”
• The pieces of paper are distributed to
the appropriate people and read when
they get home
Evaluation Games
• Lay out 5 chairs
• Inform participants which is 1 and
which is 5 (1 meaning bad, 5 good)
• Ask a question
• Participants have to stand behind the
appropriate chair
• Repeat with more questions
Pitfalls – why games don’t
work
•
•
•
•
•
Games not selectively chosen
Timing
Groups too big
Poor Briefing/Feedback rules?
Poor facilitation skills
Why are we Writing a Booklet
• Loads of books on games
• Most are boring and traditional
• This will be a collection of greatest
hits!……….real funny stuff
• Also included, activities for specific
purposes eg encouraging to talk
• For intending and established trainers
When Will It Be Ready?
• How long is a piece of string?
• No, seriously, within the next 6m
• £150-00 per book (just kidding!)
• Keep them coming in (email us)