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Hat, Ball, Chicken!!!


Equipment

Large Inflatable Beach Ball
Hats
Tennis Ball or Similar
Rubber Chicken

Game Description

This is a great game for team building that I learned while on a Comedia (mime) course.

The game is best played over sucsesive meetings introducing the various elements to make it more difficult as skills improve. At the begining of a night it can help people get reved up ready to go.

The main game involves keeping a beach ball in the air. The group stand in a circle and try to keep the ball up for at least 100 touches. This figure increases as it is reached.

To increase the dificulty add the rule of only fingertips to keep the ball up, then only 1 touch per person in a row so people have to work as a team.

If the ball touches the floor or a rule is broken the count starts again from 0.

When the group are getting good there are a number of add ons to improve the challenge.

Firstly add a tennis ball. The person with the ball needs as quickly as possible gain eye contact with another player on the other side of the circle and throw the ball to them to catch. Shouting "Ball" as it is thrown or just before adds to atmosphere.

If one ball is to easy have 2 or 3 going round. This all has to happen while still keeping the beach ball in the air.

The second addon is the hat. Place a hat on one of the players. This must be taken by the person on the left and put on their head. Then again the person on their left takes the hat to put on ,and so on. If a player has a hat on their head for more than a few seconds they should cry "Hat" to remind the player next to them to take it. (Again if to simple have 2 hats going in opposite directions)

Added to keeping the ball in the air, the tennis balls being passed this makes the whole thing get that litle more hectic and only with good teamwork and communication will it work.

The final stage adds a touch of comedy into the game. When everything is working add a rubber chicken from a joke shop. This is passed in the same way as the tennis ball but with different flight tendencies and the shout "CHICKEN!!"

The noise generated can be considerable, soon the room is filled with cries of " Hat...Ball... Ball.....CHICKEN!!.... Hat.." With everyone working together, anticipating each other, this is a great way to build working relationships in a troop or pack.