Team Building Activity: Sticks, Stones & Bones

Sticks, Stones & Bones

Throughout our blogging journey, one of the ways we’re going to help you keep connected is by sharing with you team building activities you can do with your own group. We’d love to hear how this works with your group and/or see photos of it in action! This team building activity will help participants learn how to effectively communicate in order to work better as a team! 

Time Needed: 10-15 minutes

Materials: 

For each pair of participants, you need:

  • Two matching popsicle sticks (sticks)
  • Two similar small rocks or dice (stones)
  • Two matching dominos (bones)

Group Size: Any!

Activity Instructions:

  1. Have participants pair up and sit back to back.
  2. Give each pair a set of materials, making sure that each person in the pair gets one popsicle stick, one small rock or die and one domino.
  3. Have each pair decide who will be the leader for the first round. The leader starts by arranging the three items in a pattern on the ground in front of him/herself, and then describes the arrangement to his/her partner. The partner is not allowed to speak or look around while the other person is arranging and/or describing.
  4. The partner should replicate the arrangement based on their partner’s description.
  5. When completed, have partners look at each other’s patterns.
  6. Then, switch roles and begin again. Allow two minutes for each round.
  7. Process using the below questions or ones that you’ve come up with on your own.

Debrief Questions:

  1. What happened during this activity?
  2. Did the patterns turn out the same? Why or why not?
  3. How did leaders feel when they saw their partners’ patterns?
  4. How or when did problems arise?
  5. Did you and/or your partner figure out ways to communicate non-verbally?  If so, how?
  6. How does this relate to working with others in the real world?
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