This post includes three activities intended to help build group cohesion and create connectedness. They were shared during The Therapeutic Backpack workshop at Counselor Camp '10.
PASS THE PIG
I generally use this activity as a warm-up.
Supplies
- A rubber pig. Or, do this activity with an empty clean coffee can, a Koosh Ball, a rubber chicken, whatever you have handy!
The Activity
Have the participants sit in a circle, in chairs or on the floor/ground. Explain that the object of this activity is to pass the object all the way around the circle with no one using hands or forearms and the pig (or whatever) not being dropped. If the pig is dropped, we start over.
Once the group has successfully passed the pig all the way around the circle, consider doing the activity a second time. This time, send the pig in one direction and a second object the other way.
Processing
I usually use this as a warm-up activity and don’t spend time processing unless something obvious comes up. However, we always talk about happened during the second round when the two objects collide.
Notes
Don’t be surprised if this seemingly innocuous activity brings up some personal boundary issues.
COMMON GROUND
This is a common activity, which people know under several names. Here’s my version.
Supplies
- 1 less space markers than the number of participants (including the facilitator as a participant)
The Activity
Have participants stand in a circle, with you (the facilitator) in the middle. Pass out a space marker to each person and instruct him or her to stand on the marker. Explain that this activity is about “finding common ground with each other… The person in the middle – me to start – says something that is true for them. For example, ‘I want to find common ground with people wearing jeans.’ If this is true for you, too, you need to leave your space marker and find a new one. While you are looking for a new one, I’m also going to be looking for a space marker, because I want to get out of the middle. The person left without a space marker is the next person to look for common ground…”
I like this activity as a safe way to practice self-disclosure. With that in mind, if participants are sticking to “easy questions” (wearing white shoes, hair color, etc), I usually challenge them to engage in greater disclosure. Since I’m working in a substance abuse setting, I encourage questions such as: I want to find common ground with … people who have felt triggered in the last week; come from families with a history of drug problems, etc.
Processing
Who stuck to safe questions? Who asked riskier questions? Did anyone not leave their space marker when they should have? Why?
Notes
I always participate in Common Ground, just like I do with many activities that focus on group cohesion/connectedness. After all, I’m part of the group.
POLYSPOT SHUFFLE
This activity is basically a portable version of TP Shuffle, for those of us without a ropes course readily available.
Supplies
- 1 polyspot (or other type of space marker) per participant
- Deck of playing cards
The Activity
Have participants stand shoulder to should in a line, all facing the same direction. Pass out a space marker to each person and instruct him or her to stand on the marker. Tell the participants that their goal is to line up by height, without talking and without touching the floor/ground. In other words, they can only touch the space markers. If anyone talks or touches the floor/ground, everyone will go back to his or her original marker and the group will start over.
After the first round, have the participants line up by something less obvious, such as alphabetically by their middle name, again without talking our touching the floor. For the third and final round, give each person a playing card, with the instruction to hold it up to his or her forehead without looking at it. Have the line up in order.
Processing
I process between rounds. There is rarely much to talk about following Round 1. Round 2 processing usually focuses on problem solving. Round 3 processing usually focuses on how it was different, which was easier—relying on others or yourself.
Notes
I think even simple, cohesion-focused activities like Polyspot Shuffle can have a secondary objective of skills building. Like a lot of the activities I do, Polyspot Shuffle repeats with variations with the goal of helping participants generalize learning from one situation to a slightly different one.
