Blind Line Up

Purpose: This activity emphasizes the importance of working together and formulating a group. As the group completes the activity, it will become clear how a leader is chosen in a group and how a plan is put into operation.

Materials:

1. 1 blindfold for each person

Activity: Divide group participants into teams of about 10 to 15 people. Have the 2 groups separate themselves from each other. Instruct each person to sit down and put on their blindfolds. To get the full effect of this activity, they should be sure that they cannot see out from under their blindfolds. The objective of this activity is for each team to form a single file line with the shortest person in the front and the tallest person in the back. You can allow them to talk while trying to line up or to make it harder you can have them complete the activity in silence. Another way to make the activity more difficult is to not break them up into groups. The more people that have to form one line, the longer and harder the activity will be.

Processing:

1. How did you feel when I told you what the activity was going to be?

2. How hard did you think this would be to accomplish? Why?

3. Did any of you get lost during the activity? How did you find the group again?

4. What problems did you have getting the line formed? Why?

5. How did leadership emerge in the group? Were they chosen? Was it just the loudest person? Was it the pushiest person?

6. How did the group know when you were done with the activity?

7. What suggestions would you have for the group if we were to repeat this activity?

8. What do you think this activity can tell us about communication?

9. What skills of communication can this activity teach us?

Activity taken from: Activities that Teach, Tom Jackson