Biggest Fan – Prop Mix Version.
Activity Objective: Biggest Fan in itself is not a game or icebreaker. In its true form, it is a style or variation to be added to other games. The idea is to aid competition-type games. When someone gets out, they are to cheer for their fellow participants in a fun manner. The purpose of this write-up is to share this variation and the different types of games it can be included with for full participation all the time increasing energy and appreciation.
Facilitated Benefit: Biggest fan is a simple style or variation for games to keep the participation of your participants active while getting the group moving and mingling. Elevates the energy of the room gets everyone to meet new people, and shows sportsmanship and appreciation to fellow participants. This activity is great for starting a conference or training or returning from a break to get the group moving, heart pumping, and mingling to stay better focused for what is to come.
Group Size:25 to 100+ Works best with large groups
Time:5-10 minutes
Procedure: When individuals are playing competition games that are one on one in a large group, when a participant loses, do the following.
- Have the losing person follow the winner around the room chanting the winner’s name. It can be just chanting their name, clapping, yelling how awesome or wonder that player is or even dancing. The purpose is to elevate the energy and motivate the crowd.
- When walking around being praised, that winner will then challenge someone else. Remind them the best way to look for a new challenger is by raising their hand.
- Have two players be sure to address each other by name and handshake. Precede to playing the activity.
- If the previous winner loses, the player and all their followers switch to the new winner’s side and chant that winner’s name. This will continue until you only have two opponents facing off playing with a large crowd chanting their names.
- As the facilitator, I have found it best to control the last two players. Stop the crowd. Overplay or act out the two competitors’ final round. Ask their names from the crowd to get them cheering again. Sometimes if I have a microphone for large crowds, I even act like a ring announcer in a boxing match.
The following are games that work well to add the Biggest Fan style.
Rock, Paper, Scissor – No Prop
This traditional game is said to have originated to China in 206 BC. Though various differences have evolved in the hand shapes and what they represent, the picture below is what is familiar here in the United States.
To start the game, everyone will find a partner. Each set of partners will turn and face each other with their hands behind their backs. Simultaneously, they will announce out loud, “One, Two, Three … Shoot.” The two participants will present their hands from behind their backs and display them to each other using one of the three hand shapes detailed below in Figure A.
Figure A:
Following the rules of rock, paper, scissors (see picture above), the winner will then proceed to find another challenger. Continue the above process there are only two challengers, each with their own “Biggest Fans” cheering them own.
Spot it Cards – Simple Card Game
Needs: A deck of Spot It cards https://amzn.to/2SXR5j9
Procedure: Hand out one Spot-it card to each player. Since a Spot-it deck only has 55 cards you will need to get another set if you have more than 55 competitors.
Participants need to pair up. Upon finding someone, get face-to-face and players exchange names. Both players will have one card behind their backs. To dual, they must say together, “I declare war!” At the same time, each person revealed the symbols on their cards. The goal is to see who can find the matching symbol first. The first one to call out the correct matching symbol wins. When the winner is confirmed, both players exchange cards, raise a hand in the air, and look for someone else to contend with.
For other Spot-It games, visit my friend Chris Cavert at http://www.fundoing.com/blog/spot-it-cards-revisited to see other fun activities.
Add ‘Em Up! – No Prop
Procedure: Much like Rock, Paper, Scissors, everyone will find a partner. Each set of partners will turn and face each other with their hands behind their backs. Simultaneously, they will announce out loud, “One, Two, Three … Shoot.” The two participants will present their hands from behind their backs and display to each other their hands showing one of five fingers. The first one to add all the fingers on both hands and shout it out, wins!
Card Battle – Playing Cards
Needs: Any standard deck of playing cards. For more fun try the 8X11 Jumbo deck. Great for other activities too. https://amzn.to/2Oyl8dO
Procedure: This activity is perfect before doing another card game for team building. You need a simple deck of playing cards. Each player will receive a playing card. Please take out the jokers, they will not be used in this activity. Since a deck only has 52 cards you will need to get another set if you have more than 52 competitors. I like to use a different color backing so that during cleanup, it will be easier to sort the cards back into order.
Participants need to pair up. Have the participants stand face-to-face and players exchange names. Both players will have one card behind their backs. To dual, they must say together, “I declare war!” At the same time, each person so to reveal the face of their card. The goal is to see who can add the numbers on the cards first. For example, if a 2 of spades and an 8 of hearts is shown, 2 plus 8 is ten. Suites on the cards will not matter in this activity.
The first one to call out the correct sum wins! When the winner is confirmed, the loser will give away their card, the winner will raise a hand in the air and look for someone else to contend with. The loser will now become the biggest fan.
As a winner continues to succeed, they will have a small pile or a deck in their hands. To increase the competition, each challenger will have to shuffle the cards before declaring war. This is to keep from memorizing a card.
- Face cards like Jack, Queen, and King are worth 10.
- Aces are worth one.
Tape Battle – Roll of Masking Tape
This game is better for smaller groups. Fifteen to thirty people in size. You can do more but it will take some pre-event setup if you work if larger groups to make it go faster for getting the participants ready for play.
Have each player come to you and get a small piece of tape. Three to four inches is all you need in length. Ask the group to roll the tape back to itself with the sticking side out. The tape should make a circle. Then have them place the tape on their index finger. The key is to not place the tape on your finger like a ring. When I explain this to groups, I refer to it as cheating.
Have the group find a partner. Each set of partners will turn and face each other with their taped fingers behind their backs. Simultaneously, they will announce out loud, “One, Two, Three … Stick.” The two participants will present their fingers from behind their backs and stick their fingers to each other. They will need to pull their fingers away quickly. Doing so will cause one tape to stick to another and come off the other finger. The one to have the tape only on their finger wins!
Safety: Be aware of the obstacles around the room. Have enough space to have the group move around with ease. If in a conference room with tables, ask the group to tuck in their chairs to help with ease of movement.
Facilitation: Don’t be afraid to try out a few of these variations in games and props. I have done two or three of these games in one training. The trainings were long and were used when coming back from a long break to get the participants moving again, blood flowing, and the chance to network with others.
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