My friend West and I led a workshop that included this tabletop mouse maze. It was super exciting with rich takeaways (see the Reflection Questions below). We used 6-foot round tables and divided the surface in quarters using blue painters tape (easier to remove at the end). Each quarter included a zig-zag maze (outlined with blue tape), three 'cat' stickers, two victor mouse traps, and an oversized yellow die – the cheese.
Below is a close up of the Traps and Cheese. We were working with adults so we chose to place the loaded mousetraps close to the cheese. The traps can be placed further away to reduce some stress if needed. We use oversized foam dice (because we had them) for the prize. The elevation made the perch higher than the traps to mitigate some of the perceived and actual risk. If you don't have the dice you could cut up some 1.5- x 1.5-inch dowel rods or or pvc for perches. The cat stickers we found at a craft store (e.g., Michael's) and the soft mice at a pet store.
The Objective: Slide the mouse through the maze unsighted, avoiding the walls, cats and traps and place it on top of the cheese in the center of the table.
Each quarter of the table was used by a pair. One person was sighted, one person had their eyes closed. The person with their eyes closed was guided by their partner through the maze, avoiding the walls (blue tape) and the cats (stickers). The mouse is slid along the table until it reaches the entrance to the traps area. Then, using detailed verbal communication, the sighted partner directs their blind partner to pick up and put the mouse on top of the cheese.
If the mouse were to fall into the trap area, without setting off a trap, the sighted partner can continue to provide directions for the safe removal of the mouse by their unsighted partner. And ultimately make a successful perch of the mouse onto the cheese.
After a maze trip, partners talk to each other about the experience, sharing what went well and what could have made the experience better. Then, partners switch roles.
TRAP WARNING: Yes, loaded mousetraps provide a heightened level of risk - use this activity with groups that exhibit good verbal communication skills. If you know how to use mousetrap activities within a teambuilding program, you could do a warm up experiences like the Mousetrap Trust Sequence (see the book Raptor, by Sam Sikes).
Possible Reflection Questions:
I hope you have the opportunity to try this one. We spent about 30 minutes with it the first time we tried. It was about 10 minutes with the frontload, 20 minutes for the activity (moving the mouse), and about 10 to ask questions about learnings.
All the best,
Chris Cavert, Ed.D.
Each quarter of the table was used by a pair. One person was sighted, one person had their eyes closed. The person with their eyes closed was guided by their partner through the maze, avoiding the walls (blue tape) and the cats (stickers). The mouse is slid along the table until it reaches the entrance to the traps area. Then, using detailed verbal communication, the sighted partner directs their blind partner to pick up and put the mouse on top of the cheese.
If the mouse were to fall into the trap area, without setting off a trap, the sighted partner can continue to provide directions for the safe removal of the mouse by their unsighted partner. And ultimately make a successful perch of the mouse onto the cheese.
After a maze trip, partners talk to each other about the experience, sharing what went well and what could have made the experience better. Then, partners switch roles.
TRAP WARNING: Yes, loaded mousetraps provide a heightened level of risk - use this activity with groups that exhibit good verbal communication skills. If you know how to use mousetrap activities within a teambuilding program, you could do a warm up experiences like the Mousetrap Trust Sequence (see the book Raptor, by Sam Sikes).
Possible Reflection Questions:
- What were some of the concerns you and your partner had with the maze before the mouse started moving? What did you discuss and address about the concerns before starting?
- What was important about the plan you had with your partner before starting? What were some of the specifics you included in your plan? Why were these specifics important?
- What were the hazards you needed to plan for? What hazards in your day-to-day life do you need to plan for?
- What concerns did you have about the loaded mouse traps? How did you address your concerns? What sort of traps are you around in your day-to-day lives? What are some of the ways you address these traps?
- If a trap was set off during the experience, how did it influence your future actions?
- How was trust related to this experience? What behaviors did your partner exhibit to build trust? What behaviors did you experience that did not build trust?
- What lessons can we take away from this experience?
I hope you have the opportunity to try this one. We spent about 30 minutes with it the first time we tried. It was about 10 minutes with the frontload, 20 minutes for the activity (moving the mouse), and about 10 to ask questions about learnings.
All the best,
Chris Cavert, Ed.D.
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