Games Day – Mass Pass

The following is one of the core activities at the Adventure Center. I first learned of this initiative at Project Adventure in Beverly, Massachusetts. I find that it can be adapted to work well with everyone from at-risk youth to corporate groups. Simply by adapting the language and metaphors you use, this activity will be meaningful to many different groups of people. Enjoy!

 

MASS PASS

Props: 2 Buckets, Assorted Tossables, Large Boundary Rope

Set Up:

• Create a fairly large square (or polygon – the more sides the more interesting the challenge), 15 to 25 feet per side if a square. It is helpful, but not completely necessary, for the boundary markers to completely enclose the square. If the area is bigger than the boundary markers available, it is important that all the corners be clearly marked and easily identified.

• In one corner of the square place the resource container, and at the other opposite corner place the customer container. Place all of the objects inside the resource container (i.e. the “start” for the activity).

• A typical set up is to have a variety of tossable objects with various levels of difficulty. Each object is worth a different point total if delivered to the receiver container. An example of how to assign points might be:

• Small Foam Ball: 5 points each

• Bean Bag Animal: 10 points each

•Rubber Ring: 15 points each

• Rubber Chicken: 25 points each

• For a group of 15, ten to fifteen objects would be appropriate.

• The goal for the team is to increase their score over three successive rounds, and to maximize their score in the last round.

• The team is given a total of 45 minutes to complete the task. The time is structured; the first 25 minutes is planning and practice. After the planning session, the clock begins for the first round. Each of the three rounds has a fixed time limit to score the highest total. Depending on the size of the group, a 60-90 seconds per round is typically enough time. Between rounds, there is an additional 5-minute planning session.

Rules:

1. All objects must start inside the resource container at the beginning of every round. Each object must be handled individually.
2. Time for each round starts when the first object is removed from the container.
3. All sides of the square (or polygon) must be occupied by at least one participant.
4. Once a person has chosen a side, s/he may not switch sides within a round.
5. Each participant must touch the object after it leaves the resource bin and before it lands in the customer container.
6. Objects may not be passed to anyone to your immediate right or left, in other words the object must “skip” at least one person when it is passed.
7. Points are earned for each object that is placed successfully inside the customer container after it has journeyed through the production team.
8. Whenever an object is being passed from one side of the square to another, it always must cross over the inside of the boundary area (i.e. it cannot be passed around the corner on the outside of the perimeter of the square).
9. Any time an object is dropped it must return to the resource container to be recycled, if it is to be used in the round.
10. If an object is dropped inside the boundary markers, it may not be retrieved and is lost for the duration of that round.
11. No member of the team may step inside the perimeter boundary during a round. If such a touch occurs, all the objects must be returned to the start.

Variations:

• The time frames outlined here can be modified to suit the needs of the group and any program constraints.

• This activity is a complex variation of Group Juggling. If the group is familiar with this activity, it may have an easier time developing a workable solution.

• Depending on the skill of the group indicate that each object must have “air time,” i.e. be tossed not passed to another person.

Instructor’s Notes:

It can be helpful to print out or post these rules on a poster or flip chart so that the participants can refer to them. The rules are complex enough that many groups become confused and cannot remember everything. Posting the rules has worked well to encourage the group to review the rules as needed.