Initiatives

From WildWiki

SIMPLE INITIATIVES Return to Mountain Curriculum or First 3 Days at Moon Lake

The events introduce the concepts necessary for effective teamwork that are used throughout the program. These activities provide a progression of experiences in which participants learn specific teamwork and leadership skills. It should be noted that these events, as well as most all events, can be made more or less challenging through the addition and deletion of variable factors concerned with the problem solving process ("the winds of fate"). Some of these variables include: verbal communication, sight, time limitations, and physical handicapping.

• Key Facilitation Points: Team development, positive communication, appropriate risk-taking, listening, trust, support, and creativity.

All Aboard

Objective: To see how many people can get on the platform at one time (can use a small tarp). Each person must have both feet off the ground. The group must be able to hold a balanced pose for a determined amount of time.

Snake Tie

Objectives: Participants grab a hold of a long piece of rope with both hands. Facilitator then shows them a smaller model with a figure eight tied in the middle. Participants are instructed to tie that same design into their rope without letting go with their hands. Variation: Three or so parts. are outside the snake and can touch the model and try to figure out the knot. They may not touch the big snake however. Also, group still touching the big snake may not talk. Great for big picture/small picture de-brief themes.

Traffic Jam

Objective: The facilitator lays out carpet squares in a straight line on the ground. The same number of carpet squares are laid out as there are team members, plus one more. Divide team into two groups. Both face the middle, unoccupied space. The two groups must move past each other to the other end. It is illegal for anyone to move around a person who is facing the same direction or to move backward around anyone. Participants are permitted to step forward into empty spaces or to step around people who are facing them into empty spaces (one space at a time).

Minefield

Objective: Mark out a space (square or circle) in a flat area and "litter" it with obstacles (no balls). Parts. then partner up with one partner on either side of the boundary lengthwise. One partner is then "blinded" and must be directed across the minefield by his/her partner. Groups can either go one at a time or all together. Stepping on a "mine" results in some kind of consequence. Variation: put the entire group on one side and then begin handicapping them: 3 are blind, 2 are missing one leg, two missing both legs, 1 cannot speak, etc. Then as a group they must all get across successfully. Key: They can only pass through the minefield ONCE.

Blindfold Shapes

Objective: Group, holding on to a designated length of rope must form some type of shape. Easiest: Square. Harder: Circle. Hardest: Star. Tell them that when they think they have it to put it on the ground and see how they've done.

Nuclear Reactor

Objective: Using a bungee corded contraption, group must retrieve the designated object from an encircled area. Group may not enter the encircled area at any time. The only way to retrieve the "device that will save the world" is to use the bungee cord with all members pulling equally on their strand. Variations: this event is often done making half of the group blind.

Birthday Log

Objective: Given team on a log, parts. must silently re-distribute themselves based on birthday day (no years), shoe size, height, or whatever else you want to throw in.

Stepping Stones

Objective: Get from point A to point B without touching the ground. Set them up with one carpet square less their number and tell them to get to point B with all their team in the allotted time. Anyone who touches ground faces dire consequences. Someone must be touching a carpet square at all times. Carpet squares cannot move backwards. Add 3-5 feet of open space between props to mark out the distance from start to finish. Variation: Divide group in half and have them start from opposite ends.

Pipeline

Objective: Given a set of half-pipes and balls, group must move balls from point A to point B (container) without letting balls drop on ground. This initiative is fun! Place boundary marker and measure one full pace for each participant and place container. To add challenge (it’s pretty challenging as is!), set course on a dog leg, make the container hidden from view, or extend length between start and finish. All parts. must start behind line before beginning to deliver object. One person may pick up object to start delivery. No one else may touch object during delivery. During transportation the object may not stop, it may not roll backwards, it may not drop onto the ground, it may not touch another team member, the plastic pipes may not touch, and when an object is in a parts. chute they may not move their feet. If rules are broken, have to start at beginning with everyone behind line. When object is successfully delivered, group does NOT have to reassemble behind line. Objects in container do not come back out for rule infractions.