Accessible Group Games

Hi friends,
I've updated my accessible group games/ice breakers/team building activities list with some of these new favorite games. A lot of people ask what my secret is to these games. It's really simple actually. I just watch a lot of YouTube group games/ice breakers/team games (or group games websites) and look for games that can easily be modified for our kids. I'm posting some of my favorite ones so you don't have to watch hours of YouTube videos.

I always like to think about how the ECC supports these games. For example, during the holidays I will look for popular holiday minute to win it games and teach those games to my students. The way they can participate more in holiday parties.

Social themes, nonverbal body language, communication, etc. are all big things I look for to incorporate. These are all areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum. I also love games like Human Ladder where you can put yourself out there and really accomplish something (really builds that self-determination!). So many of my students have been so proud of themselves after they have gotten across the ladder. They have to incorporate so much communication, body awareness, etc. with these types of games. I have posted on Human Ladder before (look for my outdoor ed posts).

I stay away from messy games or games that really require you to be overly silly. I stay away from really messy games because they can get easily complicated. The same for games that require really silly body positions (like the empty tissue box on your bum and you have to shake out the tennis balls). Those type of games, although fun, can easily go another way and become a little bit more humiliating rather than exciting. Now I am sure some people play them just fine but it is my experience that they "toe the line" with making people feel really awkward. Many of my students already feel awkward and the point of these games are inclusion so it is my personal choice to steer clear of them.

Here are some of my favorite games that require little equipment and get a lot of ECC bang for my buck while playing them:

Five minute handshake game

Objective: teach different handshakes; personal space; how to give a good handshake (teach the difference between silly, business and friend types of handshakes)

Watch the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV9C3CUd8jQ

Ritz cracker down your face

Objective: use your face to get a cracker from your forehead (down your face) to your mouth

Watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgNWpnxRBGI&list=RDWgNWpnxRBGI&index=1 (speed up to :41 to see this game)

Chocolate unicorn:

Objective: balance as many chocolate donuts on your forehead (player tilts head back to while partner places donuts on forehead)

Bowl on head game:

Objective: scoop marshamellows from a bowl (on table) to a bowl on your head.

Watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgNWpnxRBGI&list=RDWgNWpnxRBGI&index=1 (speed up to 2:37 to see this game)

Pass the wooden spoon with your feet group game

Objective: Pass the wooden spoon using your feet only around a circle.

Watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgNWpnxRBGI&list=RDWgNWpnxRBGI&index=1 (speed up to 4:48 to see this game)

Zip Zap Zop

Objective: helps with attention and voice intonation. Modification: I always have students say name + zip, zap or zop. For example, Zip-Monica, Zap-Chandler, Zop-Ross….

Watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-7jmkiSKUk

Hot Seat

Objective: Get to know someone by asking questions. One student sits in front of the group in the “hot seat” and everyone asks questions. You cannot repeat questions. This game is great because it teaches students to listen to each other and learn to ask meaningful questions to get meaningful information.

Wrap the present using potholders with a partner! (Doesn't have to be for just the holiday season!)

Objective: This is a twist that I made on the popular Christmas present game. Instead of trying to open the present with potholders on both hands, we paired up students with each wearing a pot holder (on one hand) to try to wrap a present together. Winners were determined by who had the best looking present.

Human ladder:

Objective: students all hold ladder rungs while one person walks across. Great team building game!

Watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZZlhZFdqj0

I also love to play popular PE games like Four Corners and Step Tag because they have the fun of chase games without the complication of chasing and running. I've also done a lot of relay games using scooter boards (check my other posts for those types of games).

I love to peruse these sites for ideas too:

http://www.greatgroupgames.com/icebreaker-games-for-teens.htm and

 http://www.ultimatecampresource.com.

Please share with me other great games with me!