FAMILY CAMP GAMES
At A Glance
Classic group initiative to strengthen communication skills.
Benefits
Strengthens balance & agility Promotes collaboration Focus on communication fosters support
Time 15 - 20 min
Props
3 telephone poles placed horizontally and above ground using supports
People 8 -15
How To Play
In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities and spotting skills as required for this exercise.
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Ask your group to stand and balance directly atop the telephone pole with both feet.
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Objective: Challenge your group to re-arrange their positions on the pole according to a particular sequence, eg date of birth (not including the year.)
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All movements must be made whilst on top of the pole, preferably with the physical support of others.
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No other part of a person’s body (eg hands or feet) are permitted to touch the ground at any time.
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Apply an appropriate penalty if a rule is infringed (see Leadership Tips tab for options.)
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Challenge your group to complete the task in the shortest time or with as few penalties as possible.
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Allow up to 15 minutes to complete the task (or other time as will challenge your group.)
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Process your group’s experience at the conclusion of the task.
Variations
Line-Up Sequence: There are dozens of ways to ask your group to re-arrange their position on the pole, including:
– Date of birth (not including year) from 1 January to 31 December;
– Last two digits of your mobile (cell) phone number from 00 to 99;
– Height from tallest to shortest;
– Shoe size (actual, not stated size) from smallest to biggest;
– Colour of tops from lightest to darkest; etc.
TP Shuffle Jam: Start with half of your team at each end of the pole. Challenge each smaller group to pass the other team to stand on the other side.
THE WALL
At A Glance
Classic team-based challenge involving vigilant spotting.
Benefits
Physically challenging, promotes collaboration, develops spotting skills, focus on team support, multiple variations
Time 20-30 min
People 8 -15
How To Play
In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities and spotting skills as required for this exercise.
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Ask your group to stand on one side (smooth-face) of the wall.
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Objective: Challenge your group to pass every member of their team over the wall as quickly and as safely as possible.
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For safety purposes, team members can position themselves as spotters on either side of the wall at any time, ie when a participant is actively being passed over the wall, everyone is a spotter.
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No more than four people are permitted on top of the wall at any time, including the person being passed.
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Any person who is off the ground (including those positioned on the wall) must have at least one person spotting them at all times.
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Allow up to 20 minutes to complete the task (or other time as will challenge your group.)
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Process your group’s experience at the conclusion of the task.
Variations
Off-Side Rule: Your group starts on one side of the wall and no one is permitted to physically assist others on the other side until they have passed over the wall themselves. For safety purposes, you may permit spotters from any side to assist on the other but they are not entitled to physically assist the person being passed.
Rope Assist: For a somewhat simpler challenge, install a sturdy hand-rope on the front and/or back of the wall to assist participants with their ascent or descent.
Immobile Limb: Introduce the handicap of an immobilized limb to simulate a broken arm, leg, etc, for one or more of your group members, ie these appendages cannot be used at any time.
Can’t Hear You: Attempt the task non-verbally.
WALKING BOARDS
At A Glance
Classic group initiative to strengthen communication skills.
Benefits
Strengthens balance & agility, promotes collaboration and focus on communication, fosters support
Time 15-20 min
Props
2-4 boards with 3 rope handles attached to the boards
People 3-6
How To Play
In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities and spotting skills as required for this exercise.
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Ask your group to split into teams of 3
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Objective: Challenge the teams of 3 to race one another.
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Both teams will line up at a starting point and then walk the boards to a target and back.
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Each team will stand on two boards, with one leg on each board.
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While holding the rope handles, teams must work together to walk the boards to a target and back.
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If a member falls off or messes up all members must get both feet back on the boards before moving again.
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The first team to go from the starting point to the target and back to the starting point fastest wins.
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Allow up to 5 minutes to complete the task (or other time as will challenge your group.)
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Process your group’s experience at the conclusion of the task.
MONKEY AROUND
At A Glance
Classic group initiative to strengthen communication skills.
Benefits
Strengthens balance & agility, promotes collaboration and focus on communication, fosters support
Time 15-20 min
Props
8 – 15 boards hanging above the ground
People 5-20
How To Play
In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities and spotting skills as required for this exercise.
2 ways to play
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The first is to see who is the fastest to go all the way across all the hanging boards without touching the ground.
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The other way is to get your whole team to go across all the boards at the same time without anyone touching the ground.
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You can use the ropes or wire to get across as long as you do not touch the ground.
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If you are going for time, then you should have at least 2 spotters on either side of the participant to make sure they do not fall.
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If you are trying to get the whole team across at once, then team members can help each other out anyway they want as long as no one touches the ground.
THE BALANCING ACT
At A Glance
Classic group initiative to strengthen communication skills.
Benefits
Strengthens balance & agility, promotes collaboration and focus on communication, fosters support
Time 15-20 min
Props
2 wires above the ground that gradually grow further apart
People 2-4
How To Play
In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities and spotting skills as required for this exercise.
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2 people at a time and one person on each wire.
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The goal of this is to trust your partner in order to make it all the way down the wire.
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While standing on the wire, the 2 participants will start on the side where the wires are closest and try to work together to move along the wire until they reach the end. Partners must not touch the ground and if one partner does, both must start over.
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The wires move further apart as you go along, so you must lean on your partner and use balance to make it across.
BOAT RACE
At A Glance
Classic group initiative to strengthen communication skills.
Benefits
Strengthens balance & agility, promotes collaboration and focus on communication, fosters support
Time 15-20 min
Props
1 raft with a rope attached and 2 docks on either side of the lake
People 1-20
How To Play
In advance, assess your group’s physical abilities and spotting skills as required for this exercise.
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One person will start on one of the docks and the goal is to make it across the lake to the other dock, without falling in the water.
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You may use the yellow rope for balance and to pull yourself across the water. You may also let a team member stand on the opposite dock and use the rope attached to the boat to pull you across as well.
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The goal is to get every team member across the lake without falling in the water.
HUMAN FOOSBALL
How To Play
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Players must hold onto the horizontal rods with both hands at all times
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Players are not allowed to hang from the rods
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It is a foul if any player, intentionally or not, is hit with the ball above the shoulders
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Players can block the ball with their arms as long as they keep holding onto the rod
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During each period, both teams are allowed only one substitution, and they have to complete it within 15 seconds
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If the referee notices that one team is intentionally stalling play, they will be given a warning, and if it continues, a penalty kick will be given to the other team