Then set up a goal for each team about 20 to 30 feet from the containers in the middle. If you are playing with “fixed” defender rules, then be sure to place a spot three feet from the goal for opposing teams to stand on.
Once set up and the rules have been explained then you can hand out one noodle for every participant.
Competition Rules of Play:
There are two sets of rules I want to give. The first is the “FUN” competition rules.
Everyone starts by the goal container. When the whistle blows, only using the noodle given… they need to retrieve the assigned balloons from the middle containers (Home Base) and bat them back to their goal only using the noodle. The first team to fill their goal with as many balloons assigned to their team after one-minute wins.
If a balloon hits the ground, it is still in play. But if you see someone use their hands or any other part of the body to move a balloon, you the facilitator need to remove that balloon from play. (It might be a good idea to have a trash bag to put the balloons in.)
Give them a minute to play for the first round and record their score. Then… in the second round, you can add defenders. When adding the defender rule it is best to give the opposing team a spot 3 feet from the goal from which to defend that team from making a goal.
For example, if you have three teams. Place two spots by each goal. Teams 1 and 2 can have one person on a dot to bat away balloons from Team 3. The same can be done for other teams’ goals. One foot must be always on the spot when knocking away other teams’ balloons.
Record the scores for round two.
If you wish to do one round that is a little harder and takes more time, then remove the defender spots and allow defenders to roam free.
Collaborative Rules of Play:
The second set of rules is for a collaborative, problem-solving piece. This is a no-defender rule here. The purpose is to see if they can work together to achieve success. To see how they handle change, play one round with the competitive rules first then do the following.
Give each team three rounds to improve time. Between each round have them huddle and see if they can find better ways to collaborate. Again, the same basic rules but with one change:
- All balloons start at “Home Base.”
- One-minute rounds.
- Be the first to fill their goal with the most noodles.
- Use noodles only.
- And… This time they are not allowed to “beat” or “hit” the balloons. They must be carried or pushed with noodles only.
Things to Consider: Think of safety here. Be sure to warn the participants to not bat at faces in this activity. Noodles can be soft but can still cause someone to get hurt if not careful.
Discovering Participants’ Perspective: Questions to ask after the game.
- What did you find most challenging about this activity?
- How do you believe the team handled the difference between a competitive round and a collaborative round?
- Did the find the tool of the noodle helpful or did you want to revert to using your hands or feet? Why or why not?
- How did the group take into consideration all the ideas about using the noodles for collaboration?
- Did you focus on just your team, or did you help other teams as well? Why or why not?