Getting to Know You: Tarp Hole
To prepare for this activity, get an old tarp or an old blanket and cut several holes in it. You will also need a ball that is smaller than the holes you cut. Have the group stand around the outside of the tarp, each holding onto the edge. Have them step outwards so that there is tension on the tarp. Place the ball on the tarp with the instructions that they need to work together to not let the ball fall through the holes or roll off the tarp. They can talk to each other, but ultimately they must all work together to keep the ball from falling through the holes. If they get good with one ball, add a second one. For a younger group, you may want to not have any holes, and their goal is then to keep it from falling off the tarp. If your tarp is not large enough for your whole group, you can have multiple tarps and have the groups compete to see who can keep it rolling the longest.
To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:
Did you enjoy this game?
Was it difficult to keep the ball from falling off the tarp?
If it fell through, was it a single person’s fault or a group effort?
Could you have done this by yourself? Or with just one other person?