Mine Field/ Acid River

Time Needed: 20-30 minutes

Group Size: Any

Materials: Masking tape, blindfolds, random assortment of supplies (this is for the mine field of
obstacles – can be paper plates, paper cups, tissue papers, small toys, paper, pencils, plastic
eggs, etc.)

Directions: Prior to the start of the activity, make a start and finish line, approximately 12 feet
apart, with the masking tape. Scatter the random assortment of materials around the room,
between the start and finish lines. *Note: While you can use any materials for this, make sure
they are small enough to step over to ensure a safe environment.
Split your group into partner pairs. If possible, partner individuals with someone they do not know
well.
Partners will work together to get through the mine field of obstacles on the floor. One partner will
need to be blindfolded or keep his/her eyes closed and will not be allowed to talk. The other
partner is allowed to see and talk, but is not allowed to touch the other person. Have each pair
decide which role they want to play and distribute blindfolds.
Explain that the goal is for each blindfolded person to get from one side of the space to the other.
He/she must safely avoid touching the scattered materials by carefully listening to the verbal
guidance of their partner. If someone touches an item, they have to start over.
Give each pair a few minutes of planning time. Then have blindfolded partner pairs (either one at
a time or multiple depending on the group you’re working with) enter the area with the scattered
materials. Remember, the blindfolded person can’t talk; he/she must just listen and walk. The
guider can’t touch his/her partner but can speak to his/her partner. After a pair successfully
reaches the other side, swap roles and repeat the process.

Debrief Questions:
 What was this experience like?
 How did it feel?
 For the person blindfolded, what was frustrating about not being able to talk or see?
 For the person guiding, how did you feel throughout the process?
 What roles do trust, integrity and communication play in this activity?
 How does this relate to challenges we may face when working on issues important to us in our
work place?

Magic Ball (10 min)

 Participants are divided into 4/5 groups
 In the centre, a square is drawn and lots of balls of various sizes are placed (thermo balls, ping-
 pong balls, ball bearings, rubber balls, plastic balls, etc.,)
 The task for the team is to take as many balls as possible from the centre

Derivative
 Participants exhibit various behaviors like
 snatching (rebel);
 some of them are over excited & have lot of fun (entertainer);
 some help out to others (Helper)
 Learning Outcome:
 Understanding that people behave differently in a given situations, the trait which is prominent
 in them
 How to get work done amidst different people

Leg Lock Hula Hoop– Team Activity

Time:            
Approximately 15 to 20 minutes 
Participants:
Any group size
Materials needed:
Five -Seven Hula hoops, little bigger size cardboard sheet
Assemble them as similar to Olympics symbol (if required tape to stick the hula hoop
to the floor) or else we can place them at a distance (one leg distance)
Ribbons to tie legs
Instructions:
 Explain the participants that paired legs will be tied and they have to cross each hula
hoop and reach the other side , at a given point all the participants should be in the hula
hoop
 Divide the participants in to two teams
 Ask them to tie the ribbon to the paired legs i.e if the participants are 3 in a team then
if they stand in a row, first person’s right leg to be tied to the second persons left leg
and so on till the last person. So first person’s left leg and last person’s right leg are
free.
 With the same formation they have to cross the hula formation …Blue, yellow, black,
green and then red
 Burst The Balloons

Team Building Skills: Organisation, Trust, Communication

Equipment: Balloons (cheap balloons work best) and sellotape

 For Burst The Balloons each Person will need to sellotape a balloon to their right leg.
 This is best done over the top of trousers, tights or socks to avoid a painful removal.
 When the facilitator starts the exercise everyone needs to go around trying to pop other peoples
balloons using only their left foot.
 This is whilst keeping guard of their own balloon. This can be setup in teams.
 You will need different colours of balloons for each team.You can also make Burst
 The Balloons more interesting by having a balloon on each leg.

Balloon Pyramid Challenge:

Time: Approximately 15 to 20 minutes 
Participants:
 Three members as a group size
 One leader
 Two team members
Materials needed:
 One cup
 Six Balloons for each team,
 Both sided tape
 Blindfold
Instructions:
Explain the participants that they have to inflate balloons and assemble them in a pyramid
structure

 First team member – will inflate the balloons without taking the balloon
into hands ( they have to inflate the balloon by putting it in the
water/juice cup. After he inflates he will hold it with mouth… and
handover it to the Second team member who is a step ahead. Which will
be guided by the leader
 Second team member – will take it and knot it and start assembling as
soon as the first team members gives the inflated balloons as as guided by
the leader.
Whichever team completes the task first wins the game…..
Upon opening the blind folds, they see how well they have coordinated, communicated
etc
 River Crossing
Classic team puzzle that focuses on critical thinking.

 Team Puzzles
 5 - 10 min
 Mini (3–8 ppl)
 Passive
 Passive
 Develops critical thinking
 Fosters creativity
 Multiple variations
 No props
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Form small teams of 2 to 5 people.
2. Challenge each team to solve an imaginary puzzle:
3. Using a small rowboat, how can they transport a chicken, a fox and a bag of corn to the other
side of the river in as few moves as possible.
4. To govern fair-play, the solution must acknowledge three critical parameters:
– The rowboat can only carry one person and one item at any point in time.
– The fox and chicken cannot be left alone; and
– The chicken and the bag of corn cannot be left alone.
5. Describe the step-by-step solution to get all three items safely to the other side of the river.
6. Allow ample time for discussion and trial-and-error.

How To Play Narrative

This is one of those classic river-crossing conundrums which typically has only one
answer. Yet, as with so many group initiatives, the value is found in the journey and
not so much the destination.
Oh, and don’t think too hard about the circumstances – it’s hypothetical, and is
designed simply to stimulate critical thinking. That is to say, don’t ask why, it’s not
real.

Given the discussion and critical thinking required, I like to form lots of small groups
of 2 to 5 people to tackle this puzzle.

In your set-up, either ask your group to imagine five primary elements – a woman, a
rowboat, a chicken, a fox and a bag of corn – or provide some form of prop or toy to
represent each.

Explain that the woman has a dilemma – she needs to get the fox, the chicken and
the bag of corn across to the other side of a river in as few moves as possible. She
has a rowboat, but it can only carry her and one other item at a time.

Her dilemma is clear – she cannot leave the fox and the chicken alone together (the
fox will eat the chicken,) and she cannot leave the chicken with the corn (the chicken
will eat the corn.)

So, challenge your group(s) to identify a solution that gets all five elements safely to
the other side of the river. How does the woman do it?
Allow ample time for your groups to discuss their ideas and perform lots of
experiments.

Okay, here’s the solution:

To begin, the woman and the chicken cross the river together. The fox and corn are
safe together.

Once on the other side, the woman leaves the chicken and returns to the fox and
corn. She takes the fox across the river, and since she can’t leave the fox and
chicken together, she brings the chicken back with her (that’s the trick which many
groups do not think of.)

She cannot leave the chicken with the corn, so she leaves the chicken and rows the
corn across the river and leaves it with the fox.

Finally, she returns to pick up the chicken and rows across the river one last time.
Voila!

If your group enjoys tackling this problem, take a look at the Variations tab for three
more challenging puzzles.

Practical Leadership Tips

The key move of returning the chicken to the starting side (even though it had
successfully traversed the river) may open lots of valuable discussion about the
notion of taking two steps forward and one step back. Or, the notion of making
decisions for the greater good.

Expect your group to (a) lament the improbability of this situation and/or (b) suggest
a whole raft of innovative ways to keep the fox away from the chicken and the
chicken away from the corn (eg fences, sealing the bag, etc.) Applaud their creativity
and encourage them to find a solution, as hypothetical as it is.

Coupled with one or more reflection strategies, here are some sample questions you
could use to process your group’s experience after playing this simple problem-
solving team puzzle:
 Was this puzzle easy or difficult for your group to solve?
 What type of thinking was necessary to solve this problem?
 Were there any breakthroughs in your thinking? What was an example?
 How might this thinking apply to other areas of our group’s life?