Here’s a recap of the day….and a great big thanks to Jay Potter for the great pictures!!!
Breakout #1 - Chris Cavert for the Newbie - Exclusively for those new to the field and looking for bedrock type stuff.
Breakout#2 - Educational session with Mike Barker of the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA) to answer questions and discuss their alternative to the ACCT.
Breakout #3 - Presentation and discussion of what the new Connecticut Challenge Course Managers (CCM) organization is all about.
Breakout#4 - Jim Cantoni presented the new sensation “Giva Geta” cards, and program ideas that use them.
PLUS - Several members and vendors had tables with news, information, books, and props to sell.
AND……Below is a recap and write-up of the Chris Cavert activities for you reading pleasure. Thanks to all who spent the day at the great 2009 CCCP Annual Conference!!
CCCP Conference, 2009
Chris Cavert Activities
Stray Tips
| Use a cowbell, train whistle, or ayyoogah horn to gather the group |
| “H-H-Hey Hey!!” by the facilitator…and everyone points their thumbs at each other and says “I-I-I-I Like Myself” gets their attention…fun. |
Opening Large Group
Stationary Greeting (Meet & Greet)
Needs & Numbers: No equipment needed. Any number of people can play.
Set Up: Have everyone ‘clump’ towards the front of the room with a little personal space to spare.
Directions: This activity is done in three rounds. The first round ask everyone to shake the hands of as many people as possible without moving their feet from the spot they’re standing. The second round let player pivot on one foot (like in basketball) to reach additional people to shake hands with. On the final round the players simply wave and make eye contact with as many people as “other” possible – focusing on the players they have not shaken hands with. Change to the next round before the “good” energy dies down.
What You Say (Meet & Greet) – POSSIBLESbag Activity Manual pg. 22
Needs & Numbers: Each player needs one standard playing card – start with the low numbers (A-6) and hand out the higher ones (7-K) if needed (A = 1; J, Q, K = 10). Any number of people can play.
Set Up: If possible, pass out the cards as players come into the program so you don’t have to take up activity time.
Directions: Skill Training: When you need a partner during this activity, raise your hand. Look for someone with his or her hand up and then get together. Once skill training is over, tell participants they will be partnering up with a variety of different people during the activity. Players will get together in pairs and first introduce each other. Then each person reveals his or her card. Then, on turn, each person tells the other things about him or her equal to the number on the card he or she is holding. For example, if I’m holding a 5, I tell my partner five things about me. Then my partner says 3 things about herself (since she has a three). After the sharing partners exchange cards and then go off to find another person to talk with (raising a hand in the air to indicate the need for a partner). Gage the energy of the group, but keep the game to about 8 to 12 minutes.
Card Groupings (Communication & a little Problem Solving) - POSSIBLESbag Activity Manual, pg. 21
Needs & Numbers: Each player needs one standard playing card. Any number can play this one.
Set Up: Hand out the cards in order to participants – Aces to Kings. (If you use multiple decks, put all the Aces together, then the twos together and so on.)
Directions: Have all the players exchange cards for about a minute before starting so they don’t know what card they have. Then have everyone look at his or her card. Ask the everyone to get together with his or her same rank (letter or number) and color (this might be pairs or groups of four or more if you used multiple decks). When everyone is in a pair or group, have them find out as many things that they have in common with each other in the next 2 minutes.
After the two minutes, have the large group exchange cards again over the next 10 seconds so players do not know what their cards are. Then, ask everyone to get into rank again with both colors together. This will be groups of four (or more if you have multiple decks). Again, ask them to find as many things in common with each other in the next two minutes.
After the two minutes, do another exchange without looking at the face of the cards. Now ask the group to get together by suits – ending up with everyone in one of four groups. Now ask each group to find one thing they have in common with each other that they can “act out” in front of the other groups. The other groups will then guess as to what the actors have in common. After about 2 minutes of planning, have each group present in turn to the other groups.
Collect the cards after the activity or let the players hold on to them for something coming up. Card Groupings are a good way to quickly get people into desired sized groups (if everyone can keep track of his or her card.
Small Group No-Prop Activities
Building a Handshake (Cooperation & Communication) - The EMPTY Bag, pg. 41
Needs & Numbers: No equipment needed. Any number can play.
Set Up: None Needed. (Best played with and even number of players.)
Directions: Pair up players and ask them to create a handshake greeting with three distinct actions – be sure to encourage everyone to practice their handshake because they will be teaching it to someone else. After a fair amount of time, mix up players – have everyone find a new partner. Each person then shares his or her handshake with this new partner and then they put together their actions to create a six-move handshake – encourage practice since they will be teaching this six-mover to someone else. Have everyone get another partner. Players teach each other their six-mover and combine them to make a twelve-move handshake.
At this point, if aren’t too many people, you can have pairs show the rest of the group their twelve-move handshake. Go around and ask for a few volunteer pairs to “show off” their shakes. Or, if you have willing players, match up another time to go for a twenty-four-move handshake experience.
Talk About: How does learning take place? All at once or in steps?
Eye Contact Partner Tag (Challenge and Fun)- The EMPTY Bag, pg. 99
Needs & Numbers: No equipment needed. I haven’t played this with more than 50 yet – let me know how it goes if you do.
Set Up: This one works best with an even number. You will also need to pair up players who are about the same height. Also, create a boundary area that isn’t too big – you don’t want a large open area where “break-away” running can take place.
Directions: The only way this one is really fair is if all players are partnered up with someone their same height – for the most part this usually works out. (If there is really a discrepancy that can’t work out, go ahead and play another tag game or warm-up.)
After everyone is pair up have every pair decide on one person to be IT. All the ITs gather in the middle of the boundary area. All the non-ITs move away from their partner somewhere out into the playing area. Start the game on “GO” – all the ITs go out to tag his or her partner by making eye contact with the partner – no touching allowed in this game. When eye contact it made the IT is transferred and the new IT person spins around two times before going off to tag his or her partner (who has moved off into the playing area).
Fair Play Rules: All non-IT players must be making eye contact with other players in the game at the same time they are trying to avoid the eye contact of their partner. So, eyes have to stay open (except for the occasional blinking) and no looking up or down during the game.
5 or 6 minutes a game is usually pretty good!
Statue Tag (Challenge, Risk Taking and Fun)
Needs & Numbers: No equipment needed except for maybe some cones to mark off a boundary area if needed. No more than 25 players for this one.
Set Up: The boundary area doesn’t need to be too defined, but you might want to set up a playing area so people are not all over the place.
Directions: First, you’ll need to choose someone to be IT – if you have 15 to 25 players, choose two people to be IT. Have everyone close their eyes. Have anyone who is willing to be IT raise his or her hand. Then go around and tap one or two people on the shoulder – these are the ITs (but no one knows who’s it just yet).
Have everyone open their eyes for the rest of the directions. Ask all the player to spread out in the playing area so everyone has their own personal space. The idea is that if you are not IT you can be safe from being tagged if you close your eyes and form some type of “sculpture” formation. If you do decide to open your eyes, even a slight peek, you can come out of your statue, but you must take at least four steps away from your spot before you can close your eyes and be safe from a tag again. In the mean time…..
The tagger(s), or the IT(s), have a special role. They too can stand in a statue position during the game, but they are allowed to peek without being required to move. This allows the IT(s) to see unsuspecting players who then can be tagged by the stealthy IT. Once the IT tags another player, the IT is no longer IT and can assume the roll of a non-IT player – a statue when eyes are closed and (at least) four steps when the eyes open.
Now, one caveat. Players, IT or non-ITs do not have to ever have their eyes closed. They can choose to walk around freely during the game at any time. Also, players are never required to open their eyes during the game – they can be safe from being tagged for the entire length of the game.
Switch, Change, and Rotate with Sounds (Cooperation & Communication) - The EMPTY Bag, pg. 46.
Needs & Numbers: For the sound variation, you’ll want five different items that make noise like percussion instruments – don’t forget you can also use your own noises like clapping and whistling. Any number can play (maybe no more than 100 people)
Set Up: Divide your large group into smaller groups of 3 or 4 people.
Directions: Here’s the summary – have each of the small groups form a single file line in front of you with enough space between each other to move around. You be teaching everyone to do a certain action based on a sound that you give them. (Let’s say you have a Cow Bell, a Train Whistle, a Referee Whistle, a Drum and a Bicycle Horn.) When you ring the Cow Bell the player in the front of the line (in each small group), moves to the back of the line – have the group practice this a couple times. (If you are using words, you say SWITCH.) Blow the Train Whistle – this means that each line turns 180 degrees to face the opposite direction. In turn the person who started in the back of the line is now the new head of the line – have the groups practice this a few times until they are facing you again. (If you are using words, this is CHANGE.) Now, hit the drum – this will mean that the person in the front of the line goes to the back and the person in the back moves up to the front. (If you’re using words, this is ROTATE.) Practice this new sound and move a few times along with the other two sounds they know. The bicycle horn will be the signal for moving forward as a group, the Referee Whistle will be the signal to stop moving. (Words for these two are GO and STOP respectively.)
After some stationary practice, start the small groups moving forward – meaning, the person in the front of the line is leader who walks around the playing area while the rest of the group follows him or her. Now, use your sounds to get the group to change people around – keep reminding them to keep moving if you haven’t blown the whistle yet.
About 5 or 6 minutes of play works well. If the group is willing, have all the players put their bumpers up while in their line and then have everyone close their eyes for some moving and changing around.
Afternoon Large Group Session
Circle Drop (Noodles) (Cooperation & Communication)
Needs & Numbers: You’ll need one mid-size noodle for each player. Any number can play if you have the room for a large circle.
Directions: Create a large open circle with all the players about three feet from each other. Have each person hold the noodle up in front of them vertically with one end of the noodle on the floor and the other end being held up by an index finger of choice. The objective is to move together as a group (one noodle to the right) with every player leaving his or her noodle – taking the finger off of it – and then “catching” the next noodle to the right with the same index finger used to hold up the original noodle.
The challenge here includes the group working together to move over, at the same time, one noodle without letting any noodles drop (or the least amount of noodles dropping). If this is too easy, have the players move over two noodles with the least amount of drops.
Talk About: Goal Setting, Helping your neighbor, Asking for what you need, Sharing strategies, Prior planning.
Noodle Partner Tag (For Fun & Warn Up)
Needs & Numbers: You’ll need one mid-size noodle for every two players. Any number can play.
Set Up: You’ll need something to mark off the boundaries like four cones of small boxes – something safe enough if there is a fall. You don’t need the boundaries too big – you want to avoid fast running during this one.
Directions: Partner up players and be sure that each pair of players has one noodle. The player with the noodle will be IT – all the ITs move to the center of the playing area. The objective of the game is for the ITs to tag their partners and only their partners – everyone else will just be the way (but this is good for the partner who isn’t IT). After the game begins, the ITs find their partner to tag – tags are only legal if made below the waist. If a legal tag is made, the tagger sets the noodle at his or her partners feet as the partner (the new IT) turns around in place two times before picking up the noodle and then seeking out his or her partner to tag back.
You don’t want to play this one longer than a couple minutes because it gets pretty tiring. Also, be very mindful of the speed that players are moving at. If there are too many close calls to call, stop the game and have everyone walk heal-toe to slow the movement down. You can surly play another game after a short rest.
See Ya (Meet & Greet) - POSSIBLESbag Activity Manual, pg. 29
Needs & Numbers: One webbing circle for every four players (or, you really don’t need any equipment. Any number can play – well, maybe no more than 100 players).
Set Up: If you use webbing, set out the webbing circles in random spots around the room at least 5 feet away from each other.
Directions: (Please refer to the POSSIBLESbag Activity Manual you received at the conference.)
For reference, this was the activity where everyone first learns a few skills - after the word, “Ready” you say, “See Ya.” After you say “See Ya” you raise your hands up over your head, wiggle all your fingers and say, “Over here, over here, over here…” until one new player joins your group.
Before you hear the word “Ready” your small group will have to decide who will be leaving – this will be determined by the quality the facilitator gives you to find. Qualities could be something like the person with the longest nail or the longest hair. Qualities could also be the person who traveled the furthest to get to the program or it could be the oldest of youngest person in the group, or the one with the largest sum of numbers in their phone number. Once the “winner” is chosen in each group, everyone waits for the facilitator to say “Ready,” followed by “See Ya” – this signals the winner of the quality to go find another group to join – remember, only one person leaves the group and only one new person joins the group.
When everyone has a new person in their group, they all discuss the answer to a questions the facilitator gives out – talk about your favorite movie, or book. Discuss your favorite vacation or meal, most memorable adventure course experience. or talk about something that could improve in your workplace or school. After the discussion the facilitator will give another quality to look for and the process repeats itself.
I like to do about 5 changes – this seems to keep the interest.
Tossing Names (Name Game)
Needs & Numbers: You’ll need a game spot (like a rope ring or poly spot) for each person and a soft tossable for every two players. This one is best played with 30 to 100 players.
Set Up: You’ll set up the activity with the group – nothing needs to be done before hand.
Directions: Divide your large group into smaller groups of about 10 players each (get the group sizes as equal as possible). Make sure every group has a game spot for each player and one tossable object for every two players in the group. For example, if there are 10 players, the group needs 10 game spots and 5 tossable object. If there are 11 players, go with 11 game spots and 5 tossable objects as well. 13 player? 13 game spots and 6 tossable objects – you get the idea.
Okay, now have each group go out into the playing area and create a double-arm circle – this is both arms out touching the fingertips of the players to the left and right. Now have all the players put their game spot under (or around if they have a rope ring) their feet. Tossable objects should then be given out to the same number of players as objects – so, no player has more than one object to start with.
Here’s how the game goes. Players in each circle begin to pass the objects to their circlemates under these rules – call out someone’s name (in the group) and then toss the object to the person called. Catching is not required. This goes on (for about thirty seconds) until the facilitator calls for a STOP (or blows a train whistle). At this point, anyone not holding an object must leave the circle they are standing in and go join another circle – standing on a spot left open by someone else that left. Now, if the only spot left open is in a circle the player left from, they are welcome to rejoin that same circle.
Call out about 5 STOPS before ending the activity. The idea here is to mix players up enough so they get to know others in the large group. Also, I like to remind the groups from time-to-time to follow the tossing rule – say a name THEN toss the object.
Group Hop (Challenge & Trust Building)
Needs & Numbers: Everyone in the group will need a non-skid game spot or a rope ring for this one. It’s also good to play on a nice level surface. Groups of about 10 players, up to 100 players can play this one.
Set Up: No set up needed – the group will help with this. However, you can get people into groups of about 10 to 12 players before hand.
Directions: This activity is done in two parts if the group is ready for the challenge. The first part is set-up and practice. The second part is the challenge.
Part One: Have each smaller group (of 10 to 12) players pick up enough safe game spots for everyone. Now, each group need to set down their game spots in a circle formation so that each spot is about 16 inches from each other. For example, if you have 12 players, you would be setting out the spots like numbers on a clock – each “number” 16 inches from the number before and after. Now have player step on to a spot facing the center of the circle. Now, have all the players turn 90 degrees to the right so they are facing the back of the person who was originally to their right – in any case, all players in a group need to be facing the same direction.
For the practice part, players will be working together to hop into the space that is directly in front of them on the floor – this is the 16 inch space between each game spot. The idea is that the groups do some sort of count to all hop together and land in the space at the same time (the count can be performed by all the groups at the same time, or each group can work on this separately. After the group hops together into the space, try another hop into the game spot in front of them. Then try another hop into the next space. Then another hop into the next game spot – this is practice. The idea is for the group to feel comfortable working together and timing the hops so they are all the same. If you are trying this on a solid surface, you are listening for everyone to land together making one sound on the floor.
Okay, if everyone is up for the challenge, have each group move their game spots towards the center of their circle so the spot are now only 6 inches apart. The challenge now will be for each group to coordinate their hop so that they are hoping directly into the next spot – yes, the one someone is already standing in. So, there is a trust factor in this activity – everyone must leave their spot so someone else is able to land in it.
Be sure to practice one hop at a time. Then, have the group try three hops in a row. Danger? Yes of course!
Word Circles (Communication & Cooperation)
Needs & Numbers: You’ll need a 18 to 20 Word Circle Puzzle for every 15 to 18 players. So far I’ve only tried this with up to five groups going at the same time.
Set Up: You’ll need to print out enough Word Circle Puzzles for the group that you have. Here is one free puzzle for you:
Deep, End, Note, Pad, Lock, Out, Box, Car, Wax, Paper, Clip, Board, Walk, On, Call, Back, Log, In, (“In” connects with “Deep”) (this is also your puzzle answer)
Directions: For a group of up to 18 players you can use the puzzle provide. Each word needs to be written on a separate index card (or printed out on paper). Each player in the group then gets one of the word cards (be sure to mix them up before handing them out). If there are less than 18 players, some can have more than one word card.
Now, there are a number of ways to facilitate the challenge. You can have the group try to solve the puzzle without talking. Or, you could have them try to solve the puzzle without players showing their word cards to each other –players can only say their words. Exchanging cards is allowed, but everyone in the group must have at least one card in their hand at all times and the cards can never touch the floor.
So, to solve the puzzle, the group must form a circle of words that matches the answer above – each card is connected to the word before it and after it in some way. Compound words, common phrases, one word made up of two words (e.g., bead, BE & AD). The answer is a circle of words all connected in a way that everyone agrees on (or that matches the answer).
Ricochet Ball
AYeeeeee!!
The group forms a circle and stands ready. You can start with one ricochet ball (or may jump to three or so). The objective is for the group to catch all the ricochet balls used after one bounce. One member of the group stands in the middle and tosses the ricochet balls into the air. All balls must hit the floor once and then be caught. If the group catches say 3 balls, twice in a row, a ball is added, and so the group attempts with 4, and so on. If the group fails just try it again. Remember the group must catch it twice in a row to add a ball. Scoring would sound like 2-0…2-1 (caught once)…2-2…(now caught twice)3-0 or whatever system you wish.
60 in 60 (Challenge & Problem Solving)
Needs & Numbers: You’ll need a Beachball, or other tossable object, for every group of 10 to 15 players. You’ll also need some masking tape or an existing line on the floor to use as a center line. This one needs at least 30 players – split into groups of 10. I’ve played this one with 10 groups of 12 players each.
Set Up: If you need to set down a center line, put down the masking tape on the floor.
Directions: This is a large group initiative that is meant to encourage collaboration and goal setting. After creating smaller groups of 10 to 12 players and giving each group an object (like a beach ball) to toss, I read the following rules to the large group as a whole and then give each group a copy of the directions to reference. Here’s is what I read:
Each group is to divide themselves in half before starting.
Each half must start on opposite side of the dividing line.
Every catch of the object you are using is worth one point. Each players in your group must make a catch before anyone catches a second time. Each player must catch a second time before anyone catches a third time, and so on.
Tosses of the object must cross the dividing line before a point can be scored.
After tossing the object (not handing off the object), the player who preformed the toss must cross the dividing line, joining the other half of the group.
I then tell the group that my role will be the timer and that the activity is divided into three rounds of one minute each. During each one minute round, teams are out to collect as many points as they can following the rules given. Before the first round everyone will have 2 minutes to plan. Before the second round teams will have 1 minute to plan. Before the third and final round, teams will have another minute to plan. After each round the facilitator will add up the scores of all the teams to obtain a large group score for the round. The large group challenge is to get the highest score possible.
Remember, this is as activity about collaboration and goal setting – we can hope collaboration takes place and we can facilitate a goal setting process if it fits within the goals of the group.
Sticky Noses (Closing Fun)
Needs & Numbers: You’ll need some masking tape for this one. Any number can play.
Set Up: Get some help to hand out three inches of masking tape to each player.
Directions: Show everyone in the group how to make a tape loop with the sticky part of the tape on the outside of the loop. I do this by wrapping the tape around the width of two of my fingers.
When everyone has a tape loop, ask them to stick the loop on the bridge of their nose so the opening of the loop is vertical – in other words, the tape looks like the basketball hoop with the foreheads as backboards. Also, ask the players not to press the tape down to the side of their nose – just leave a nice open loop off the bridge of their nose.
Everyone in now ready to play. In the end, two people will have all the tape stuck to the bridge of their noses – these two people will dual for the final wad of tape. However, this is how we get there. Players partner up – making eye contact and giving a slight ceremonial bow. Then, very carefully, the two players lean in towards each other so that their tapes connect. WARNING: This action should not include any head butts!! Okay, tapes are joined. From this point, players back away from one another resulting in one player with all the tape and the other without tape. The one without tape now becomes the cheering section of the player with the tape who then goes to challenge another player with tape. After this CAREFUL dual, the tape-less players become the taped players cheering section. This process continues (doesn’t take lone) until only two remain.
These two final players are escorted to the center ring, both surrounded by their cheering sections. A respectful bow, the lean, the tape connection and then the step back. One will remain victorious. Cheers all around and don’t forget the final picture.