COOPERATIVE GAMES FILE

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COOPERATIVE GAMES FILE

• Play Hard, Play Fair, and Nobody Gets Hurt.

Compiled by Brett Schwartz
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• NAME GAMES...................6-10
• Six Degrees of Separation
• Name Wave
• Mother Elephant
• Elbow Tag
• T.E.A.M. GAMES....11-17
• Birthday game
• Thread the Needle
• Human Knot
• Frantic
• Can You get up?
• Tanks

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• GROUP LOW KEY GAMES....................18-23
• See Ya!
• Shake, Wink, Ha!
• WHO AM I?
• The Big Picture Game
• Continuous story
• GROUP Faster Pace Games..24-26
• Little Ernie
• Color Swap
• COMPETITIVE.27-37
• Claytionary
• Hawaiian Hand Clap
• Rock, Paper, Scissor Tag
• Quack-dilly-oh-so
• Vegetable Game

• Grab nGo
• Go Get The Bacon
• Screaming Toes
• Coke and Pepsi
• HOO-AH

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Leadership Games..................38-52

• Paper Plates
• Royalty
• The Great Egg Drop
• Mine Field
• Paper Tower
• The Human Knot
• Mafia

• Team Skipping
• Marshmallow Towe
• Team A Pod
• Hula-Hoop Relay
• Human Stratego
• Take A guess
• The Passing Lane

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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NAME GAMES

• Six Degrees of Separation
• Name Wave
• Mother Elephant
• Elbow Tag

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Six Degrees of Separation
Comments Name/ice breaker game get to know the
people around you.
8
Name Wave
Comments Name game go around the circle a few
times to go over names.
9
Mother Elephant
Comments Name game keeps going and makes people
pay attention.
10
Elbow Tag (w/names variation)
Comments Tag game dont allow people to link
with a group next to them.
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T.E.A.M. GAMES

• Birthday game
• Thread the Needle
• Human Knot
• Frantic
• Can You get up?
• Tanks

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Birthday Game
Comments Group ice breaker/Forming activity
does not take long
13
Thread the Needle
Comments TEAM game use more than just the
hula-hoops the pulse, etc.See if your group can
get the record time Have stop watch! Great
game!
14
Human Knot
Comments Always a great game ice breaker see
who emerges as a leader explain rules clearly.
15
FRANTIC!
Comments Very chaotic does not last long long
and messy clean up.
16
Can You Get Up?
Comments Working together as a group. Stress
that everyone should try to stand up at the same
time. Very difficult activity for some.
17
Tanks
Comments Strategic game working with teams
trust explain rules clearly can be complicated
if not demonstrated or explained correctly.
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GROUP LOW KEY GAMES

• See Ya!
• Shake, Wink, Ha!
• WHO AM I?
• The Big Picture Game
• Continuous story

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See Ya!
Comments Large group icebreaker keep ?s quick.
20
Shake, Wink, Ha!
Comments Shaking hands fun great way to get
into groups.
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WHO AM I?
Comments Have two rounds make first round easy
and the second more difficult. This works on
communication skills.
22
THE BIG PICTURE GAME
Comments Dont make it to obvious. Can use 1-10
busing both hands. Stress telling everyone that
they should not tell anyone the secret.
23
Continuous Story
Comments Fun game memory creative play as a
group. People can end a sentence as well is they
finished it.
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GROUP Faster Pace Games

• Little Ernie
• Color Swap

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Little Ernie
Comments Listening game Quick would only use
as a recess activity.
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Color Swap
Comments Fun game parachute needed, safety
issues (people are running into each other) Can
add more tasks by accomplishing something as a
team.
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COMPETITIVE

• Claytionary
• Hawaiian Hand Clap
• Rock, Paper, Scissor Tag
• Quack-dilly-oh-so
• Vegetable Game

• Grab nGo
• Go Get The Bacon
• Screaming Toes
• Coke and Pepsi
• HOO-AH

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Claytionary
Comments Competition game have cards ready and
interesting.
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Hawaiian Hand Clap
Comments Name game Elimination game, can be
exclusive to those who are bad at names.
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Rock. Paper. Scissor Tag
Comments Tag game always moving need to work
with group
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Quack-dilly-oh-so
Comments Elimination game make sure everyone is
singing and knows the song fun and song is
addicting!
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Vegetable Game
Comments When eliminated have everyone start a
new circle. Cant show teeth any time during the
game.
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Grab n' Go
Comments Good game active/high energy have
everyone in the group switch roles to keep
everyone active.
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Go Get the Bacon
Comments Can call out more than one number at
once. Listening activity. Allows for running
around as well
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Screaming Toes
Comments Quick, fun game. Can pay on the stop
to waste time. Make sure to stress that they
need to look each other in the eyes. Honesty is
a must!!
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Coke and Pepsi
Size AnyEquipment NoneSynopsis  Everyone
should get a partner.  Have each group of two
line up across from each other. One side of the
dance floor will be named Pepsi and the other
will be Coke. You then explain the object of the
game by telling them you will either be saying
Pepsi or Coke. If you say Pepsi, the Pepsi side
has to run over and sit on the Coke side. If you
say Coke, the Coke side needs to run across and
sit on Pepsi's side. If you say Dr. Pepper,
everyone will run to the center and do five
jumping jacks.  At the saying of Seven Up
everyone needs to switch sides, but the Cokes
remain cokes and the Pepsis remain Pepsi.  When
the caller says sprite everyone runs to the
middle, links arms with their partner, and spins
in two complete circles.  The final command is
freeze, and everyone must freeze.  This game is
best played with music and to add a competitive
nature this game can be played as an elimination
game.  The last person to get to the other side
is out until the last team is left.Helpful
Hints Be sure to have a wide-open space where
everyone can run around without running into each
other.  If you play elimination have those who
are eliminated act as the judges. Safety Issues
Make sure there are no hazards when running
around
Comments Fast passed game make sure to explain
rules clearly.
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HOO-AH!
Comments Elimination game game started out slow
but as a leader need to keep the pace quick.
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LEADERSHIP GAMES

• Paper Plates
• Royalty
• The Great Egg Drop
• Mine Field
• Paper Tower
• The Human Knot
• Mafia

• Team Skipping
• Marshmallow Towe
• Team A Pod
• Hula-Hoop Relay
• Human Stratego
• Take A guess
• The Passing Lane

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Paper Plates

• This is a fun game where 2 teams compete to
  touch 60 paper plates in numerical order the
  fastest. The facilitator sets up 2 sets of plates
  in this order

Only one player at a time can touch the plates.
If he makes a mistake and touches the wrong
plate, he must start back at one. Two
facilitators will observe with stop watches to
make sure the players aren't cheating and to keep
time. "Pointers" may be changed at the end of a
failed series. The first team to complete the
series under a minute wins. If both teams quickly
reach a minute with time to spare, they can race
for the quickest time.
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Royalty

• People will receive a card from a deck. They
  will not see their card and will only see the
  cards of those around them. Then everyone will be
  asked certain questions and based on the number
  on the person they are talking to (the higher the
  card, the more superior) will treat them at a
  certain level of superiority.

Equipment Deck of cards Goal To put an emphasis
on the importance of equality. To show that
although the title of someone (e.g King) may put
them on a pedestal, the group can reach full
potential when all of the group members are given
equal opportunity. An appreciation and respect
for one another. To show a simulation and have
group movement of this idea so that members will
have a better understanding. Outcomes Showing
how quick we are to judge based on people's
title. Being an active listener . Role that every
single member has to a group, no matter their
superiority
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The Great Egg Drop

• First, the class will be separated into groups
  of three to four. Each group will be given a raw
  egg, 20 straws and 30" of masking tape. The
  groups will then have 5 minutes to create a
  "shield" for the egg using only the straws and
  tape (if the facilitator sees that groups seem to
  be taking a bit too long, it is his/her
  responsibility to urge them to finish with the
  given time .At the end of the 5 minutes, the
  eggs will then be dropped from about waist level.
  The eggs which are still in-tact will continue to
  be dropped from in a higher level.
• Goal
• This activity stresses teamwork because the
  groups must work together effectively and
  efficiently to try to find the best possible way
  to protect their egg with limited resources.
  Through the activity participants should gain a
  stronger sense of teamwork and the roles people
  must take on in order to complete such an
  activity. One of the main ideals of teamwork is
  that even if a leader arises, every member has an
  opportunity to share ideas.

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Mine Field

• Goal To develop communication skills within a
  large group of people. Create an environment for
  emergent leadership, where everyone feels safe
  and important.
• Outcomes or Objectives
• 1. Respect other ideas than their own and adopt
  them (cognitive)
• 2. Reacts to others guidance with trust
  (psychomotor)
• 3. Joins with others to create a successful
  outcome (affective)
• Equipment
• An open area, enough blindfolds for entire group,
  rope, miscellaneous objects
• Instructions
• Rope off an area, Add objects to the middle,
  scattered about with enough room for a person to
• walk around them. One student is blindfolded at a
  time. The rest of the group must guide the
• person across the "mine field". Only the
  blindfolded person may be in the "mine field".
  The
• blindfolded person must pass through the "mine
  field" without touching any obstacles, leaving
  the
• area or touching a boundary if they do they must
  go back.

1. How did you feel while you were being
blindfolded? 2. Was there a certain voice (tone,
range, etc.) that you felt more comfortable
listening to than others? 3. While directing
people across the mine field, how did you
feel? 4. Did you find it difficult to have so
many people directing one? Why?
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Paper Tower

• Participants break up into groups and compete to
  build the highest tower only using
• the provided equipment. At the conclusion of the
  exercise each tower must stand for
• 30 seconds.
• Equipment
• Legal Paper and masking tape
• Time
• 2 minutes for planning 10minutes for building.
• Goal
• To foster group decision making. How well does
  your group work together and how efficient are
  you.
• Directions
• - Split up into group of 4 Of5 participants.
• - Set the appropriate tone, by stating that this
  activity is a competition.
• - Each group gets one sheet of legal paper and 6
  inches of masking tape.
• - Each group is given 2 minutes only to plan not
  build. At the end of the 2 minutes each group can
  begin to start constructing their tower's.
• - At the end of the 10 minute construction time,
  each tower must stand for 30 seconds.

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The Human Knot

• The reason for this game is for people to get to
  know each other, in other words an ice breaker.
  It tends to involve close physical proximity, and
  can also
• be used as a name game. This activity also helps
  groups to work together and allows them to focus
  on group understanding of communication,
• leadership, problem solving, teamwork, trust,
  persistence, etc.
• Goals- to untangle the human knot of arms and
  bodies
• Rules and Instructions
• STEP 1 Stand in two circles with an equal and
  even number of people.
• STEP 2 Use your right hand to grab the right
  hand of the person directly across from you, and
  at the same time introduce yourself to the person
• STEP 3 Use your left hand to grab the left hand
  of the person to the right of the person holding
  your other hand and introduce yourself to this
  person
• STEP 4 Untangle, as a group, back into one open
  circle, without letting go of hands or
  dislocating any joints. You also must use the
  persons name in the group that you are talking
  too which will make the communications more
  accurate. You are allowed to change their grip so
  it is more comfortable, but that doesn't mean you
  can do it to unclasp or reclasp to undo the knot.
• STEP 5 If group has trouble, have them perform a
  surgery this is accomplished by having the group
  decide on one set of hands breaking and rejoining
  any place they would like.
• As we solve problems we have to be aware of how
  our actions affect each other and be able to
  listen to each other
• needs and view which allows you to work together
  to solve problems in everyday life. TEAMWOHK is
  important
• and key to life.

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Mafia

• 10-12 people sit in a circle, 3 mafia members are
  assigned, 2 angels, a cop, and as
• many civilians as needed. Everyone playing closes
  their eyes and only opens them
• when the narrator says to do so. The mafia is
  trying to kill all the civilians while the
• civilians are trying to get rid of the mafia.
  After the mafia kills off someone, and the
• angels have done their investigation, a
  discussion is held. Everyone must defend their
• character and give reasons why they are not the
  mafia, lying is permitted to keep your
• identity a secret.
• Props needed decks of cards
• Goal To create a relationship with your peers
  and view relationships and
• accusations, also to use clues to solve a
  problem. In relation to the actual game, the
• goal for mafia members is to kill all civilians
  the common goal for the civilians is to kill
• all members of the mafia

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Team Skipping

• Equipment needed Long Jump ropes
• Team building exercise
• Check off each activity after completed
• ___ 1) One person jumping and another person
  jumps in.
• ___ 2) Make a cell phone call while jumping
• ___ 3) Two people jumping and one person jumps
  out
• ___ 4) Jumper puts on chapstick or lip gloss
  while jumping
• ___ 5) Make up a short chant and say it while
  jumping
• ___ 6) Put you hat on the other jumpers head.

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Marshmallow Towers

• Work together in groups to build the tallest
  tower that will remain
• standing for the time limit.
• Equipment- .Marshmallows, toothpicks, watch or
  clock.
• Time- 15 minutes
• Goal- To work on communication skills and working
  together as a group.
• Directions-
• Split into three groups of seven.
• Each group will get one bag of marshmallows and
  a container of toothpicks
• The three groups will have seven minutes to
  discuss their design and then execute their ideas
• The winning group gets the satisfaction of
  knowing that their design worked
• Questions-
• . What were the group dynamics, did leaders step
  forward, and were others compliant and
  complaisant?

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Team-A-Pod

• Goals
• This activity is designed to help students
  instill trust in one another and to let
• them understand the importance and necessity of
  teamwork. Students will
• also learn the Impliance of cooperation and when
  it is necessary.
• Procedures
• Students will be divided into teams of 7 and told
  they are on a surface where
• it can only support 5 body parts at a Time. The
  goal of the team is to get all
• the members to the designated area, without
  letting more than 5 body parts
• touch the ground at any time, if more touch, the
  group then goes back to the
• beginning. The key is to form a millipede-like
  formation composed of all of
• the group members, having all the group members
  work together for support
• and trust.

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The Hula-Hoop Relay

• Brief Description
• This is a game of competition. The group will
  form a circle by holding hands. There are two
  hula
• hoops placed in the circle by separating two
  people's hands, putting a hula hoop in, and
• reconnecting the people's hands.
• Equipment
• Two hula hoops and a stop watch.
• Time
• 2 minutes for the first relay, 1 minute for the
  next, and 3 for the last then discussion time.
• Goal
• To be competitive and to see how people
  help/enthuse other people.
• Directions
• Set an enthusiastic, energetic atmosphere
• Introduce the game and tell them it is a game of
  speed. Then say "this is a game of what?" They
  answer "speed."
• Participants cannot let go of one another's
  hands.
• Let them know it is being timed

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Human Stratego

• Played like the popular board game, two sides
  combine aspects of "Tag" and "Capture the Flag,"
  attempting to
• choose individuals with lower numerical values in
  hopes of identifying the "Flag".
• Equipment
• Two sets of numbered note cards (1-10 "Flag"),
  two colors of ribbon.
• Time
• 12 minutes (4 minutes/round) 3 minutes for
  discussion Additional time recommended for
  discussion and alternative game stipulations.
• Goal
• To promote communication amongst groups,
  encourage teamwork, and expand personal comfort
  zones.
• Directions
• Separate the group into two evenly numbered
  sides, distinguished by ribbon color.
• Randomly distribute note cards face down to
  participants. Each side should have similar
  numerical values.
• Participants "tag" members of the opposing side,
  revealing respective numerical values.
• The participant with the higher value remains in
  the game.
• The participant with the lower value must exit
  the game.

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Take A Guess

• One person leaves the room while the rest of the
  group thinks of something (person,
• place, or thing.) Then, using yesno questions,
  the person who left the room has to
• Come up with the .thing. After they have figured
  it out, reverse the entire operation.
• i.e. the one person thinks of a thing, and the
  entire group has to figure it out using
• yesno questions.
• Equipment
• Chairs, Isolation chamber (an empty classroom or
  hallway can work), and people.
• Time
• Depends on the group, but one should plan for at
  least 10-15minutes. This depends on the dynamics
  of the group.
• Goal
• To get a group to act as a whole. One person can
  not carry an entire group. Groups work best when
  everyone has an equal say. '

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The Passing Lane

• The Passing Lane is an activity meant to
  stimulate students in various aspects relating to
  leadership and development. This activity
  involves the entire class, working as a team to
  achieve one seemingly simple goal. The main goal
  of the Passing Lane is to get an object from one
  of the "passing lane" to the other. The purpose
  of the activity is to further the students'
  knowledge, attitudes, and psychomotor skills in
  relation leadership. Student learning objectives
  will be both appropriate and attainable, along
  with being observable and measurable for the
  facilitator. The objectives describe what the
  students will able to do at the end of
  instruction based on cognitive,psychomotor, and
  ffective domains as defined by Bloom's Taxonomy.
  The instructions are easy to follow and students
  should have fun with the activity, while
  learning valuable lessons about themselves and
  leadership.

• Directions
• To create a Passing Lane, have the class divide
  in half and form two parallel lines facing each
• other. The first thing the students have to do
  is reach across and join hands with two other
• students. As they are doing this, tell them that
  they should create as tight a Passing Lane as
• possible because they will have to pass things
  along. Therefore, they will not want to have a
  lot of
• gaps between their arms. Before beginning, warn
  students of any range of motion limitations. Just
  
• to be sure, ask if anyone will have any problems
  if their arms go over a specific height. Remember
  
• that two other people will be holding onto their
  arms so they will not be in complete control of
  their
• own arms. When the students are ready, start big
  and easy by passing a beach ball down the
• lane. Let them try it a few times so they get
  good at it and begin to feel comfortable. Do not
  be surprised if the ball
• goes flying outside the Passing Lane over their
  heads once in a while. This is part of the fun.
  Then switch to a
• volleyball, tennis ball, and eventually a
  golfball, letting them try each one a couple of
  times. Give each new
• ball a big build-up and asking the students to
  predict how well they will do with each new
  challenge. Have the
• students switch places periodically so they need
  to work with different people. There is no reason
  not to try to pass
• some unorthodox things, like blindfolds,
  balloons, Tupperware and rope. During the
  debrief, encourage the group to
• discuss the five questions the facilitator came
  up with in reference to them doing the Passing
  Lane.