OVERVIEW: this activity is designed for a group of young people to get to know each other. It can be used at the beginning of a youth exchange or training course.

OBJECTIVES:
• to introduce the participants to each other;
• teambuilding;
• the value of inclusion.

MATERIALS: paper, colorful pens, tape (scotch)

PREPARATION: everyone has a piece of paper, pens and tape

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Ask the participants to draw a picture of themselves. Give them 5 minutes to do so.
• Ask the participants to stick the picture of someone else’s back while instructing them to walk, run, jump on one leg etc. The pictures can be moved around freely until instructed otherwise (10 minutes).
• When it is impossible to follow which picture belongs to whom, ask the group to sit down.
• Participants should try to find out who drew the pictures.
They can have a discussion about the characteristics of each other.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: encourage discussion among participants by asking questions.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: you can ask the participants to draw an additional info about themselves they like to share for example what sports they like/do etc.

OVERVIEW: This simple game helps to memorize the name of each other.

OBJECTIVES:
• to introduce the participants to each other;
• teambuilding;

MATERIALS: no special material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Ask the participants to stand in a circle.
• Ask them to think about an adjective, a verb, an object and a place that start with the letter of their names. (For example: Happy Helga helps Hugo hoover his house.)
• One person says his/her name, the next person has to introduce themselves and repeat the names.
• Each time they have to add an adjective, a verb etc…to their names.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: Check at the end of the game if everyone knows everyone’s name. Ask them whether they enjoyed the game and found it useful.

OVERVIEW: the goal of the game is to eliminate the members of the opposite team by throwing the ball at them. In this game, the participants have to cooperate with each other and plan a strategy.

OBJECTIVES:
• to improve the participants’ abilities to interact;
• to plan a strategy;
• to facilitate teamwork.

MATERIALS: at least 2 balls, benches, marker or chalk.

PREPARATION: preparing the field. The instructor needs to draw lines on the field or use benches to divide it into four sections.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Divide the participants into 2 teams;
• Each team selects an ambusher;
• The ambushers help their team by trying to eliminate the opponents from the end of the field;
• If a player is hit by the ball, he/she goes to help the ambusher. If he/she manages to eliminate someone from the opposite team, he/she can rejoin the team.
• The winner is who can eliminate all of the members of the opposite team.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: Ask the group whether they enjoyed the game, how the participants worked together, how the team members cooperated, whether they felt any limitations.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: To increase the complexity and the degree of difficulty, the activity can be played with more than 2 balls.

OVERVIEW: it is a physical exercises for children or teenagers for the purpose of warm-up before other activities.

OBJECTIVES:
• to develop physical coordination;
• to develop physical stamina

MATERIALS: no special material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• The players stand in a line;
• When the instructor says “run”, everybody starts running at maximum speed. The last person of the line needs to be the first person in the line by running in a zig-zag line between the players. The game ends when the original line is reformed.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: Ask the group whether they enjoyed the game, how they felt.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: this game brings out the competitive side of the children as they all need to run faster than everybody else.

OVERVIEW: the activity teaches children the power of teamwork.

OBJECTIVES:
• to do physical activity in a fun and enjoyable way;
• to feel everyone included in the game.

MATERIALS: big, stable pilates ball

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Ask the children to stand in a big circle. Two kids shall stand in the middle of the circle who help to keep the ball on track;
• Select one kid who will escape from the ball;
• The kids who stands in the circle and in the middle, need to push the big ball toward the running kid.
• Each children need to touch the ball, this way it strengthen the feeling of teamwork; keeps the ball in motion and controls the speed of the ball;
• If the ball touches/hits the running kid, the game starts again with a new person escaping;
• The game ends when every participant tried to run from the ball.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: Review how the activity went and then talk about issues like:
• Was it difficult to escape from the ball?
• What did you learn from this game?

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: make sure the kids do not push too hard the ball, so it cannot cause injury to the running player.

OVERVIEW: this activity is a fantastic outdoor activity for every age group. This activity develops the soft skills of the players and helps to achieve social inclusion.

OBJECTIVES:
• to develop social competences;
• team building;
• to create strategy,
• building trust.

MATERIALS: paper, markers, band

PREPARATION:
• to find a safe and big enough outdoor venue (for example a park) where the game can be played;
• to prepare the number tags: write long numbers (at least 4 digits) on a piece of paper that can be attached by a band to the forehead of the players. Use different colors for each team.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Divide the participant into 2 teams.
• Every player has to wear the number tag on their foreheads.
• Explain the rules: both teams want to conquer the land (the park), and they need to eliminate the members of the other team by reading out loud their numbers. The players are not allowed to hide the number or take off the number tag.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss with the players what strategies they used.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: you can make the game more complicated if the players have roles like soldiers, king etc. In that case, only the same roles can eliminate each other. For example a soldier cannot “kill” the king.

OVERVIEW: this activity is a simple ice-breaker that can be employed between two sedentary games.

OBJECTIVES:
• to help people focus and concentrate

MATERIALS: balloons, twine

PREPARATION:
• to blow up the balloons and attach them to the ankle of the participants. You can select some music for this activity to make it more enjoyable.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• When the music starts, the players should try to pop each others’ balloons.
• The person whose balloon is intact wins the game.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss with the players whether they feel more energetic and more content than before the game.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: do not blow the balloons full to avoid injuries.

OVERVIEW: this game stimulates cooperation and patience and reveals a lot about the players’ personality. Players start mimicing each other and it is interesting to observe who the participants start to follow or who leads the group.

OBJECTIVES:
• to encourage cooperation;
• to let player to be the leader and followers as well.

MATERIALS: no specific material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Ask the participants to form a straight line. The players stand shoulder to shoulder leaving about 2-meter distant between each other.
• Under no circumstances the players break this form.
• Players cannot speak or communicate with each other, not even with body language.
• The players have to walk in the same style, if one starts jumping, everybody have to follow.
• The group can move anywhere, to any direction keeping the form.
• The players have to pay attention to each other

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss with the players why they copied each others’ movements, why someone started leading the group etc…

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: this game works best in a city environment where the players can walk big distances without breaking the form.

OVERVIEW: this activity tests the trust between the participants and put them out of their comfort zones.

OBJECTIVES:
• to encourage cooperation;
• to build trust.

MATERIALS: no specific material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Ask the participants to form a circle;
• One person stands in the middle of the circle with closed eyes and leans against the others who very gently push him/her away to the other direction.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss and elaborate with the participants how difficult they found to trust the others that they would catch him/her and not allow to fall. Ask them that how many of them “cheated” by opening their eyes.

OVERVIEW: the aim of this activity is to get participants to use their imagination and make them understand how different situation can affect them.

OBJECTIVES:
• to encourage cooperation;
• to experience different situations.

MATERIALS: paper, marker

PREPARATION: write down different weather conditions such as sunshine, thunderstorm, wind, snow etc.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the participants into 2 teams.
• Members of the team “A” have to stand with closed eyes.
• The other team (“B”) represents the different weather conditions.
• The instructor holds up the paper to inform team “B” which weather condition to act out. They can make noises, touch the members of the other team.
• Do this exercise with both teams.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss and elaborate with the participants how they felt during the game.

OVERVIEW: the aim of this very simple game is to make participants more self-conscious, to reflect on how they behave, what impression they have on others.

OBJECTIVES:
• attention to details;
• to understand better how other people see us

MATERIALS: no specific material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Every participant has a pair;
• The pairs chats, walk etc.
• At the signal of the instructor, one of them has to “freeze”, not move at all, the other one has to observe his/her poise, face, expression etc.
• The participants have to recreate/copy each others’ poise;

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: ask the participants whether they felt uncomfortable by the staring, were they surprised by the recreated poises?

OVERVIEW: this activity is a simple ice-breaker that can be employed between two sedentary games that is ideal for every age group.

OBJECTIVES:
• to warm-up in an enjoyable way;
• to create team spirit;

MATERIALS: no specific material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Ask participants to form a circle;
• Choose one participant who will walk outside of the circle;
• The person outside of the circle taps on someone’s shoulder standing in the circle;
• They both need to start running around the circle trying to be the first to fill the gap in the circle;
• The game ends when everyone has run.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss with the group how they felt when they failed to fill the gap. Did it make them more competitive or upset them?

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: at the beginning of the game, make it clear that the person outside of the circle start running in one direction while the other one in the opposite direction to avoid crushing into each other.

OVERVIEW: an enjoyable game that perfect to entertain young children.

OBJECTIVES:
• to teach the value of teamwork and cooperation
• to create team spirit.

MATERIALS: two cones and 1 ball per group

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the participants into groups (5 people/group);
• Every group has 2 cones and a ball;
• 4 kids creates a very tight circle and place the 2 cones in the middle of the circle;
• 1 kid tries to make the cones fall by throwing the ball at the cones while the others try to protect them by constantly moving around.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: at the end of the game explain the children that they could not manage to protect the cones without each other and emphasize the importance of teamwork.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: you can use more than 1 ball to knock down the cones.

OVERVIEW: the game brings out the competitive spirit of the players and it is a good physical activity.

OBJECTIVES:
• to actively involve the participants in the game;
• to develop motors skill.

MATERIALS: 9 colorful cones

PREPARATION: arrange the cones on the field as shown below:

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the participants into 2 groups;
• Say three different colors, for example red, blue, yellow. The kids have to run from the starting cone to the cones the instructor named in that order and then back to the starting point;
• Every time the instructor names different colors.
• The team whose members were more successful wins the game.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: at the end of the game ask the players whether they wanted to win their individual turn or as a group. Discuss how their individual abilities helped the group win/lose the game.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: you can make the game more complicated if the players have to lead a ball while running to the cones.

OVERVIEW: an enjoyable game that perfect to entertain young children and works good with larger groups as well.

OBJECTIVES:
• to use sport as a tool to encourage inclusion;
• to do physical activity.

MATERIALS: any objects like tennis balls, cones, ribbons

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the group into two groups. The groups stand face-to-face in two parallel lines with a big gap between them;
• Give a number to each member of the team “A”. Do the same with team “B”.
• Everyone should have a counterpart with the same number in the opposing team.
• Place an object in the center;
• The instructor says a random number and the kids with that number from both teams try to grab the object in the center;
• The team that grabs the object faster receive a point, and the team with the highest score wins.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: at the end of the game asks questions like do they feel that they contributed to winning the game?

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: the bigger field you select, the more sport the players have to do.

OVERVIEW: This activity helps children come up with strategy and highlights the importance of cooperation.

OBJECTIVES:
• to understand the value of cooperation;
• to work together as a team.

MATERIALS: no material is needed.

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Ask the players to form a long chain by holding hands;
The person standing first is the head of the dog and the one at the end is the tail.
• The head tries to chase the tail, while the others try to stop the head without breaking the chain;
• If the head succeeds in catching the tail, the tail becomes the head, and the person at the end of the chain becomes the tail.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: discuss with the group what they had to do to prevent the head catching the tail. How was working together?

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: select a big enough space where the players can move around freely and safely.

OVERVIEW: This activity designed to put the participants into the shoes of someone living with disabilities.

OBJECTIVES:
• to improve sympathy and;
• to experience disability;
• to use different senses.

MATERIALS: balloons

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the participants into two groups;
• Each group has one or more balloons;
• Explain the players that the balloons have to stay in the air, they cannot touch the ground;
• The instructor instructs the players how to move, for example in duckwalk, with closed eyes, jumping, no using their hands etc.
• The team wins whose balloons stay in the air the longest time.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: the more balloons the participants have, the more difficult the game will be.

OVERVIEW: The guard tries to prevent the thieves from stealing the treasures around the castle. It encourages individual work while experiencing team spirit as well.

OBJECTIVES:
• to have fun;
• to experience both winning and failure.

MATERIALS: tennis/ping-pong balls, rope

PREPARATION:
• have an approximately 10 meter long rope that you attach to a tree (“castle”);
• put the balls (“treasures”) around the tree.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Choose one person who will be the guard;
• The guard need to hold on to the rope all times;
• The players try to steal the treasures while the guard tries to catch them;
• If someone is caught, he/she can join the guard;
• The person who has the most treasures/ or someone who has not been caught wins the game.

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: select a safe place where the players can run around freely.

OVERVIEW: This activity encourages participants to coordinate their movements and to cooperate with each other. This game works best with large groups.

OBJECTIVES:
• to have fun;
• to work together.

MATERIALS: ribbon/team

PREPARATION: no preparation is needed.

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the participants into groups (5 people/group).
• The groups stand in a line, touching the shoulders of each other. (“Dragons”)
• The first person in the line is the head of the dragon, the last one is the tail;
• The last person has a ribbon around his/her waist.
• The heads of dragons try to steal the ribbon from the tails.

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: Analyze the activity by asking the players to reflect on their experience. Did they like the game? How did they coordinate the movements of the dragon?

TIPS, CONSIDERATION AND SAFETY: the more people make up the dragon, the complicated the coordination of the dragon will be.

OVERVIEW: this activity lets the players individually and as a team. It stimulates creativity.

OBJECTIVES:
• to have fun;
• to work together.

MATERIALS: pen, paper

PREPARATION: no preparation needed

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Divide the participants into equal number of groups;
• Together the groups have to make a list of funny activities (for example collect as many 1 cents from strangers as possible, take a picture of a building etc).
• The groups have an hour the complete the tasks

DEBRIEFING AND EVALUATION: at the end of the game discuss with the groups where they have been, how they achieved to complete the tasks.