Immobile Chopsticks (with Video)

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If you know me, you know I love team building with noodles!! Noodles are one of the most versatile activity props on the planet! My good friend and team builder Sam Sikes and I wrote a couple of books on the subject - you can find 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle and 50 More Ways... HERE. 

Immobile Chopsticks is from our book, 50 Ways... It's a variation of the classic Pipeline activity. (I've written about Pipeline Variations in the past. And, another related, called Bridges & Traits.) 

In this noodle version here, it takes two players to make the channel needed to allow the tennis ball to travel from one point to another. And, multiple pairs of noodled players to get somewhere. Here are the basic rules in this version (video below) of Immobile Chopsticks.

Rules: 

• Each player is allowed to touch/use one, and only one, noodle prop.
• Tennis balls (six of them), start 60 feet from a set of six cups (Volcano Tops) circled together - cups are open-side down. (You'll see the configuration in the video.) 
• If a tennis ball is touching a players noodle, that play may not move his/her feet in the direction of the cups. So, no tennis ball touching your noodle, you can move in any direction.  
• Only one tennis ball is allowed to touch a pair of noodles at any time.
• If a tennis ball drops to the ground/floor, this tennis ball is returned to the start (a player is allowed to pick up the ball and return it to the start). 
• When all the Volcanos (cups) have been capped, you have successfully completed the task. 

Adjustments:

• The closer the cups are together in a circle, the more challenge.
• Players can move their feet if they have their eyes closed. 
• Turn the cups over and drop the tennis balls inside (a bit easier) - if they don't let the cups tip over.   

Why I Like This Team Building Activity: 

• You can run this one with any size group - if you have enough equipment. 
• I can break the group up into smaller groups, from four to twelve in a group. 
• I can use it as a competitive activity - First, Second & Third places. 
• I can use it as a cooperative activity - "All the Volcanos in the room must be capped as soon as possible." 
• I can vary the replacement of the cups (Volcanos) - in a small or larger circle, or randomly around the room. 
• And, noodles make anything fun!! 

Let me know how it goes. Leave us a Comment below. 

​Chris Cavert, Ed.D.