Make a Scene
This is an activity for when you want to improve the team's ability to deal with uncertainty. It can make you more familiar with the fear of looking silly and help you lessen it (by exposure : ) Great activity for team bonding in an established team. It can also work as an icebreaker for a play-friendly group. As these kinds of activity can be intimidating for some, make sure participation is voluntary.
The group creates a scene with 3 people making up poses. Works for any group size over 6, but ideally around 8-12.
5 - any
5 - 15 min
High
Steps
- Round everyone up in a circle. If over 12, then split into more groups/circles.
- One volunteer (maybe you) steps into the middle of the circle, creates a pose and says out loud what, or who, they are. For example “I’m a tree”.
- A second person steps into the middle of the circle and adds their pose. For example “I’m a lumberjack”.
- A third person steps in to complete the scene with their pose. For example “I’m a rabid moose”.
- The first person picks their favourite out of the poses from the 2nd or 3rd person. The winner stays and the other two return to the circle.
- The winner strikes a new pose, and the game continues again from step 3.
Debrief
If you use the exercise as an energiser for your group, you may opt out of any debrief and continue on with your session on an ‘energy high’. If however, you are using the activity for dealing with uncertainty and the fear of looking silly, you can ask questions such as:
- Did you hesitate before you jumped into the middle to join in? If so, why?
- How did you feel about standing in the middle?
- How did you judge your performance compared to the others?
- Was it easier or harder to do it again, once you had been in the middle?
What you need
- No props needed, just a group of people open to playfulness.