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"Fantastic!" Stories & Connections (a.k.a., Human Bingo) Print-n-Play

7/19/2024

Our friend from Israel sent us a version of the Human Bingo icebreaker. Historically (for me), everyone gets a handout with a 5 by 5 grid (25 squares – the center square is a 'free' space). In each square is an experience of some kind, like, "Favorite pizza topping is pepperoni," or "Has been to Ireland," or "Rides motorcycles." To play, everyone mingles around looking for people in the crowd that have had these experiences. Once they find someone, they ask the person to sign the square.

The Objective: Collect enough signatures to get 'five in a row' vertically, horizontally, or diagonally so you can yell, "BINGO" and win the game. Or, as I've played it from time to time, get as many BINGOs as possible in the time allowed – so you can meet and connect with more people. (Search "Human Bingo" on the net for tons of examples.)

Our friend found an alternative approach to the basic Human Bingo encounter called, 'Back to Nurture Bingo' in the book, Playful Activities for Powerful Presentations (1993), by Bruce Williamson. (And I do want to find out how our friend got a hold of a copy?!)

In Williamson's version, along with some of those 'typical' icebreaker questions (e.g., "If you could live anywhere, where..."), there are prompts to life stories, like, "Describe a perfect day," "Children are," and, "What fills you with a sense of wonder?" This changes the quick-search-find-and-sign squares into little conversations.

Williamson's version also includes an additional feature that elevated this activities status for me (meaning, I'll be using this version). There are 'tasks' including in the experience. If you've ever played the task version of 52 Card Pick Up, it's like that (just not as many tasks). Check out the grey squares above to get the idea.

Stories & Connections
I was part of an open-enrolment activity training recently and thought it would be a nice audience to try this out with, so I made us a handout (below) to get us started.

You'll find the instructions included on the handout (you can see them in the header above). Here are a few things I want to tell you about the handout:

To change things up a bit, and to add some emotion (as well as, to avoid the traditional 'finality' of the word BINGO), when players do get five in a row, I've asked them (in the instructions) to yell, "Fantastic." (We had a few of these during the training – it evoked smiles.)
I added one more row to the traditional 5 by 5. By doing this, there are eight more 5 in a row possibilities.
I initially introduced the activity to the participants as a 'Soft Start" (or "Unofficial Start" if you learned this from Mark Collard). However, I decided to extend play into the entire day. By doing this, participants continued to interact with each other during breaks and lunch. And, allowed for more "Fantastics" to spontaneously erupt.

One last thought about Stories & Connections. I'd like to develop additional handouts with more focused topic (concept) stories like Leadership, Trust, Helping, Relationships, or Preferences. Then, we can be even more intentional about working on group outcomes.

Here you go!

stories_and_connections_cavert_2024.pdf
File Size:	159 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Let us know how it goes – share in the Comment section. Thanks!

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Toss-a-Lot Challenge

7/5/2024

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Recently, I've been focusing on finding and developing activities that can be done with multiple groups of eight to 12 participants, simultaneously doing the same activity over a specific amount of time.

Early Learning: Process improvement activities (do the task, for time or a score, problem solve, and do it again with a goal of improvement), and activities that cannot reach the 'end' in the time given (like this one), are good for large group team building (problem-solving) tasks. Activities where one group 'finishes' (completes the task) before other groups can cause logistical/transitional issues we might want to avoid.

This Toss-a-Lot Challenge is a mash-up of 'Up-Chuck' and '7-Up' (Rohnke activities). Once the process is explained, very little facilitation is needed throughout the task. NOTE: This is also a good activity for one group of 10 to 14 as well!

Needs & Numbers: So far, I believe this will work best with groups of 10 to 14 participants. I would go up to six groups at a time – easy enough to walk around to six groups. You'll need one safe tossable item for each person. NOTE: I use the soft 'stress' balls, but I would feel comfortable using tennis balls for this one – focus is more prevalent than chaos as far as I can tell.

Time: I've only done this specific version once – groups had 20 minutes to "see how far" they could get. (I think even in 30 minutes a group of 10 will not be able to complete 10 objects three times in a row. However, maybe some day!)

Process: Creatively form up groups of 10 to 14 and distribute the soft tossables – again, each person needs one. Use one group to demonstrate the process. Circle up one group and have all the other groups gather around the demo.

Have the (demo) group circle up, about elbow-to-elbow distance apart, and then place all of their tossables into the center of their circle. Ask one person (e.g., the person with the longest hair) to pick up one of the tossables an then step back to rejoin the circle. Here's a script example:

"Your objective, over the next 20 minutes, is to get as many of your tossable objects into your system as possible. Here's how it works. During each Round, you are required to remain in a circle formation. The tossable objects you have must be tossed, underhanded, and caught three times in a row before another object can be added to your system. An additional limit to your tossing process: the first is being in a circle, the second is tossing underhanded, this third one is that you may not toss to someone next to you – the person on your right and on your left."

"So, let's give this first object a try. The person with the object tosses to someone not next to them." [Let the toss happen.] "If it is caught, this person then tosses to someone else – not to anyone next to them, and not to the person they received it from. This is the fourth limit. Okay, let's go for the second toss." [Let this happen.]

"If the an object drops to the ground, you are required to begin the round again from zero tosses, zero catches. Let's keep going." [Work the group through the one tossable Round – three tosses and catches in a row.]

"Okay, the group has successfully caught one object, three times in a row. Now someone else in the group is invited to pick up another object from the center of the circle. This time, two objects must be tossed, AT THE SAME TIME, three times in a row for this second Round. Here's how it works. When a group is ready – most likely you will be making a plan – anyone in the group says, 'One, Two, Three, Toss!' On the word 'Toss' all objects in play – right now there is two – must be tossed. Yes, it's going to get more challenging. Let's try it." [Work with the demo group to show how the countdown goes and how the process continues or restarts.]

"Part of this activity is about integrity. When 'Toss' is called, all objects must be in the air at the same time. You decide, as a group, if you did that. If not, you must restart the Round. You don't need to go back to one object, you already earned that Round. Just go back to the start of the Round you're on."

"To continue, each Round of your system is the same. Once you toss and catch two items in a row, add a third item. After a third, add a fourth, and so on. Remember, the objective is to get as many objects as you can into your system in 20 minutes."

"Before you all start the challenge, let's review the limits you have:

Stay in a circle formation during each Round.
Tosses must be underhanded.
Tosses to the person on your left and right are now allowed.
You may not toss to the person you received the object from.

What questions do you have?"

When questions are address to clear understanding, send groups off to a good place to play in the area (keep groups close together so you don't need to walk around to far). As they get started, be sure to mingle around the groups to clarify any misunderstanding over the task. Keep the groups informed of the time remaining and keep your ears open for comments that make for good talking points (some examples below).

Variation: Using all sorts of different tossable objects – sizes and shapes – can change the dynamics of the task. A good question: When choosing an object for another Round, what did you consider?

When you're ready to discuss (ie., process) the experience, you can ask one question at a time (ideas below) and let groups talk for a couple minutes, then ask for some good takeaways from the question – popcorn out answers from each group before asking another question.

Talking Points:

How did you like your planning time – What was good about it? What could have been better?
How was the communication between group members – What did you notice that worked? What did you notice that didn't work?
What were some of the things you noticed that were holding you back – things causing some failure?
What were some of the things you noticed that lead to your success?
When things 'drop' in your lives and how would you like to handle them?

Yet another FUNdoing Beta test – let us know how this works for you and how we might change it to bring out more learnings. Leave us a Comment.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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"Fantastic!" Stories & Connections (a.k.a., Human Bingo) Print-n-Play

Toss-a-Lot Challenge

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