Peek-A-Who

Purpose: To get to know other group participants names, develop group cohesiveness, and build group participant’s capacity to problem solve.

Materials:

1. 1 blanket or tarp that is not “see-through” per 16 – 20 participants.

Activity: Divide participants into 2 equal groups if possible. Have 2 people be the tarp or blanket holder. Their task is to hold and lower the tarp/blanket on command. Instruct both groups to choose a person who will be sitting in front of the tarp/blanket, a small distance from the rest of the group. On the count of 3, the tarp/blanket is dropped and the person near the tarp who says the name of the other person first is the winner. The loser of that round goes to the other side and joins the other team. The objective of the game is to be the 1^st to say the name of the person who is in front when the tarp/blanket is dropped.

The group must choose another person to be in front and who will attempt to say the name of the other person in front when the tarp/blanket is dropped. Then repeat the process of the activity. The leader can encourage the group to be creative to make it difficult to say the name of the person by having the person change something about their appearance in order to fool the other group (e.g., take off their glasses, change their hairstyle, change a piece of clothing).

Variation(s):

· Have 2 people from each team come up at the same time. The contest is still between the 2 people sitting across from each other. The first person to say the name of the person across from them wins the round. In this case 2 points are awarded for each round.

· Have 2 people from each team come up to the tarp/blanket at the same time. They guess the person’s name who is sitting diagonally across from them. The first person to say the name of the person who is sitting diagonally from them wins the round. Two points are awarded for each round.

· Persons going to the front of the tarp/blanket have their backs facing the tarp. This time the entire group gives the person from their team near the tarp clues without using the name of the other person. The first person to say the name of the other person near the tarp wins the round.

Processing:

1. How hard was it to say the name correctly?

2. What made it hard to say the name?

3. Was it easier to know the name when you were not the person sitting at the tarp/blanket, but just watching? Why or why not?

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4. Why is it important for you to know someone’s name?

5. How do you feel when someone calls you by name?

6. How much do you know about a person by their name?

7. Are all people named Tom the same? Explain.

8. Is knowing someone’s name enough to know very much about that person? Explain

9. What kinds of things should we know about a person before we can say that we really know them?

10. How long does it take to get to know a person? Explain.

Activity taken from:

More Activities that Teach, Tom Jackson (Blanket Drop)

MPS Ropes & Challenge Education Curriculum