Minefield
Objectives
Communication | Collaboration | Team Strategy
Group Size
Materials
Rope or orange ribbon to mark the boundaries. Cones or other random toys/objects to be obstacles. A few squeaky toys. Blindfolds
Set Up
Outline an hourglass type shape about 10-15ft long, with straight lines on ends to serve as “start” and “end” lines, and a narrow part about center. Randomly place cones or toys around in the hour glass to serve as obstacles. (Note in placing objects, go back to the end and make sure there is not easy straight path through from start to finish) Line the narrow center with cones/objects (so everyone must cross over). Leave 3 squeaky toys in there as well.
Directions
The object is to get the entire team from the “start” to the “finish” going through the minefield. Everyone must go through. While participants are in the minefield, they must be blindfolded. If a participant steps on a “mine” or on or outside the boundary line, he or she is frozen. Someone else in the field may unfreeze that person by stepping on a squeaky toy. (Participants may unfreeze more than one person, but one person may not “hover” at a squeaky toy. Teammates outside the minefield may only verbally guide the blindfolded people. They may not physically touch them!
Competition between different teams can be made by keeping score of the number of "mines" each team hits (both on the way to the finish, and while backtracking back to the start), or by keeping track of the amount of time it takes to get the whole team successfully across. If in a competition, each team should do the exercise seperately with a different "safe route" (although the facilitator should make each "safe route" similar enough to the other as to not create an advantage for one team).
