Gotcha

This exercise very good for at the end or as energizer. You can use it for a break, to get everybody laughing. Or if there have been moments of tension or irritation in the group. It’s also a great way to end your session with laughter and joy.

Required materials

None

Arrangement

All the participant stand in a circle.

Frame

This is a game by which you have to concentrate. Your left-right coordination is also tested.

How it works

• Stick your right-hand to the right with you palm upwards.
• Place your left-forefinger on the right-hand of your neighbor.
• On 3, you try to catch your neighbors finger while trying not to get your own finger save.
• Switch right/left hand, forefinger up or down.

Differentiation

1. Let other participants count.
2. Design the rule that during the countdown everybody needs to have his palm completely open.
3. Skip 3 and fool the participants.

Evaluation

(Many times this isn’t even necessary.)

1. Did you manage to get the finger of your neighbor?
2. Did someone catch your finger?
3. Did you get better over time?

Attention points

Don’t play the game for too long, it is mostly just a fun activity.

Security check

Not necessary.

The knot

A fun energizer in which there is a lot of physical contact and people can laugh a lot is ‘The Knot’.

Give this instruction:

Stand shoulder to shoulder in a small circle.

Close the eyes, put the hands in front at the height of the shoulders.

Look with closed eyes for the hands of other people and grab them. When everyone has found two hands the eyes can be opened again.

Now the knot has to be untied WITHOUT releasing the hands!

Clap-Step-Scratch

This energy-boosting exercise takes very short, is hilarious and can let the cerebral hemispheres work together again.

How it works:

Form couples.

Each couple keeps working together so there is no change.

• Count to three together;
• First one person says: 1
• After that the other one says: 2
• Finally the first person counts again and says: 3.
• Let the participants do this for about half a minute.

Then the next phase starts:

Replace the ‘1’ by clapping in the hands. The other says: 2, then 3 and then there has to be clapped again.

Then the next phase starts:

The ’2′ is replaced by stamping with your right foot.

Then the next phase starts:

The ’3′ is replaced by ‘scratching’ at the arm of the other.

Roundcounter

Something to do in between the training is ’the roundcounter’. It’s energetic, big fun and after it’s finished people have learned a few things.

This activity promotes:

• making contact
• energy
• cooperation

Required materials


None

How does it work/Instruction

• The participants get a group assignment.
• Laat de groep in een cirkel polonaise gaan staan, zonder de handen op de schouders te leggen.
• Let the group stand in a circle  without putting the hands on the shoulders.

The instruction for the group is as following:”You have to take ten staps forward, after that you turn 180 degrees and you take nine steps back, you turn 180 degrees again and you take nine steps back, then you turn 180 degrees again and you take eight steps back, etc. etc. until you can’t take steps anymore.”

Evaluation:


One person will take the lead and count out loud. The other person will have mostly big FUN while another person wants to be guided by others and another person wonders why he/she is doing this. What did you show? What have you learnt as a group for the future?