Life Line
If you’re looking for some team building to use during your Youth Action Team meetings or to jazz up your National Prevention Week (May 18-24) activities, you’re in luck! This activity is more than just a team builder, it’s a great way to open up conversation about prevention, peer pressure and supporting each other.
Time Needed: 20-30 minutes
Group Size: Any, split into groups of 8-12
Materials: Rope(s), 1 per group
Directions:
Set Up
- Tie simple overhand knots in the rope so that there is one space between knots for each person in the group.
- The knots should be about five feet apart. There should be enough spaces for all the students.
- Spread the rope out on the floor so that there are no overlaps, etc.
Framing
“We all need sources of support to help us through life. The rope before you represents your life line. As you can see there are several knots in your life path. The knots represent times when you may be pressured to drink alcohol or use drugs or tobacco. With support we know that we can move through many challenges or knots in our path to a healthy life.”
Procedure
- Have students stand near the rope at a space between two knots. Be sure no one is at the very ends of the rope and that there is a knot between them and the ends.
- Tell students that the rope before them represents their life line of support and in a moment you are going to ask them to reach down and grab the rope with one hand in between two knots.
- Explain that when they grab the rope their hand will be super glued to that spot so choose their and position wisely.
- The group’s task is to untie all of the knots on the rope without anyone taking their hand off of the rope.
- They can use their other hand, talk to one another, etc. They just can’t move the hand that is “super glued” onto the rope.
Reflection:
- How were you able to make decisions and solve the problems so you could untie all the knots?
- How important is it to stay super-glued to your life line of support when dealing with pressure to drink alcohol or use drugs or tobacco?
- What are some examples of when your life line of support includes the legal and responsible use of drugs or medicines?
- What are some helpful guidelines for deciding when people are using over-the-counter drugs or medicines as healthy supports versus unhealthy coping strategies?
- Who are YOUR life lines? Ask participants to think about the people who help keep them afloat.