Beam Potpourri

Activity Guide

Item #71591 (Guide Only)

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Congratulations on your purchase of Beam Potpourri! This portable and multi-use product is sure

to be an exciting addition to your Adventure program.

Kit Contents:

• Six (6) Foam Beams

• Activity Manual

Important Safety Information:

The Beam Potpourri kit is intended to be set-up on a sturdy and non-slippery surface. When

using the beams on a surface for the first time, test them to make sure that they stay in place. The

kit can work well outdoors as long as the terrain is even.

The activities included in the manual are typically conducted as Low Challenge Course

activities. Consider these write-ups to be a starting place for the endless possibilities that are

available with this product.

Some of the activities require spotting. This manual does not include a description of teaching

spotting or evaluation of effective spotting. Effective spotting procedures can be found in PA’s

publication “The Guide for Challenge Course Operations” by Bob Ryan, available on

www.pa.org.

Manual:

The manual describes activities that use five to six beams from the Beam Potpourri set and also

activities that require two sets (10+beams). The last two activities and variations (Wild Woosey

and Mohawk Walk) require ten foam beams (two kits). This kit has been recently modified from

a set of five beams, to a set of six beams. Most activity configurations only require five beams.

We encourage you to come up with new configurations and activities using all six beams

provided in the set. Please feel free to email us any complete activities you have come up with on

your own using all six beams. We would love to hear your ideas. Email suggestions to

catalog@pa.org. Thank you. Have fun!

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FULL HOUSE

Props:

5 Beams from Beam Potpourri Kit

Set Up:

As the name of the activity implies, set up involves the shape of a house! Be sure that the beams

are placed on a flat surface.

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Sample Briefing:

“This activity is an opportunity for your group to create an environment that supports teamwork.

The boards represent the structure of your school or organization. You are its students or staff.

Your energy and skills make the organization function. During the activity, think about what

characteristics and behaviors will best serve your team in achieving success.”

Procedure:

1) Ask all the participants to stand around the boards on the outside of the “house.”

2) Tell them that once the activity starts, they will need to step up onto the boards. Once

they have stepped onto the boards, they may not touch the ground again until they have

completed the problem, except to prevent injury. They are not allowed to reposition

themselves by walking on the ground prior to starting.

3) The objective is to organize and line up on the boards in some type of order, for example,

chronological order by month and day of birth (e.g., they will be in order as their

birthdays fall in a calendar year—from January 1 through December 31). You may

choose to establish where the start of the line should be (for example, at the peak of the

house, moving clockwise around the frame).

4) No progress can be made until everyone has stepped up onto the boards.

5) All changes of position occur on the boards. If two people attempt to pass one another,

they may not pass at an angle (the point where two boards meet). The only acceptable

pass is when both people start and finish the pass on the same board.

6) If anyone should touch the ground during a switch, the consequence is that the two

people switching must do the switch again without stepping off.

7) Once the team has completed the task, have the team call out their birthdays to check for

accuracy.

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Variations:

Invite participants to identify themselves as a particular animal. Once everyone has declared their

animal, challenge the group to get in order around the house according to the order of the

animals in the food chain.

Safety Tips:

• Be sure that the foam beams are on a surface that is sturdy and non-slippery

• Create consequences for touches to the ground that are reasonable for the group, keeping

in mind that participants should step off before they fall off.

TP SHUFFLE

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Props:

Beam Potpourri Kit (5 or 6 beams can be used)

Set Up:

Place all the beams in a straight line on a stable surface.

Sample Briefing:

“Each member of the group has a special place on the beam. The task will be for each member to

find their unique place!”

Procedures:

1) Have the group stand on the beams, in no particular order

2) Explain that their challenge will be to line up in an assigned order (according to height,

month/day of birth and so on)

3) No one is allowed to step off the beams, not even when passing members of the other

group.

4) Anyone who is about to fall should step off before causing anyone else to fall off too!

5) The task will be complete when the assigned order has been established.

Variations:

• Once the group has stepped onto the beams, hand out playing cards, and challenge them

to line up according to Ace to King

• Once the group has stepped onto the beams, hand out cards with numbers on them, and

challenge the group to get into different configurations; starting with odds then evens,

then all odds on one side and evens on the other side and culminating with lowest to

highest number.

• Create consequences for stepping off the beams that are appropriate for the group.

• Attempt the activity Traffic Jam while standing on the beams.

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Safety Tips:

• Be sure that the foam beams are on a surface that is sturdy and non-slippery

• Remind the group not to step on backs, and to watch out for fingers!

• Reinforce the importance of stepping off before a fall happens.

BEAM MANIA!! Aka Treacherous Traverse

Props:

Beam Potpourri Kit (5-6 beams), spot markers, trolleys, blindfolds, and whatever you have in

your prop bag!

Set Up:

Create a labyrinth using the beams and other props that will challenge participants to travel from

one point to another. For example, start with two legs of beams assembled end to end, then lay

out trolleys, followed by another beam, followed by a “minefield” of spots that partners guide

each other through (one is blindfolded, one uses words). Be creative and think of as many

different modes of travel as you can. Attach hoops through the holes (see photo)

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Sample Briefing:

“Congratulations! You have been selected to the elite squad of the Boisterous Balancing Band

of Bandits! Because the first performance is tonight to a sold out crowd, we need to get

practicing! Remember, our part of the act is to cross from the beginning to the end with as few

errors as possible – our audience has paid top price, after all! Let’s take it from the top!”

Procedure:

• Give instructions for each leg of the traverse. Keep the instructions simple, or better yet,

post them at each leg.

Variations:

Divide the group in half, and challenge them to cross in the middle

Give a time frame and challenge the group to complete as many tasks as possible.

Safety:

Point out safety information for each individual activity as needed. Remind participants to step

down from height should they feel that they might fall.

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Wild Woosey

Props:

Six beams or use two Beam Potpourri kits for a longer Wild Woosey.

Set Up:

Select a non-slippery surface, and create two straight lines of beams, each with three legs of

beams. Note: If using two kits, each leg would have five to six beams. Create a large V shape by

bringing one end of each beam together. The difficulty of the activity will depend on how far

apart the beams are in creating the V shape.

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Sample Briefing:

“Two of you at a time will walk on the diverging cables while maintaining contact.

In this activity you will have the opportunity to trust and be trusted. You will rely on your

partner to keep you up, and you will need to be there for your partner also. The more trust that

you can place in each other, the further you will get down the Wild Woosey!”

Procedure:

Participants should pair up with someone of their approximate same height. Spotting takes place

on the inside and the outside of the V. Start with two spotters per climber on the outside of the V

and two spotters initially on the inside of the V.

Additional Spotters’ Knowledge:

1. Understand that participants may fall in any direction, especially at the beginning.

2. Spotters beneath the climbers should have their hands clasped on the top of their knees to

prevent sudden back loading by falling participants, and should remain underneath the

climbers.

3. Spotters beneath should only move as fast as the participants

4. Add additional spotters as needed

Additional Participant Responsibility

1. Do not interlock fingers while leaning on each other.

2. Communicate with spotters before beginning the activity.

3. If a fall seems imminent, step down before balance is completely lost.

Variations:

Allow climbers to adjust the angle of the Wild Woosey to create realistic goals.

Have partners create goals as to how far they would like to go on the beams.

Use two sets of beams (12 beams) for a longer Wild Woosey.

Safety Tips:

• Be sure that the foam beams are on a surface that is sturdy and non-slippery

• Participants should go through an appropriate spotting sequence and demonstrate spotting

proficiency before attempting this activity

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Mohawk Walk

Props:

Six beams or use two Beam Potpourri kits for a longer Mohawk Walk.

Set Up:

The Mohawk Walk using the beams can be set up in many different configurations. If overhead

ropes are available, set up the beams underneath to create an appropriate challenge. If not, create

a long line of all six beams (12, if using two kits), using different angles at each attachment

point.

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Sample Briefing:

“This class will be working and learning together for the entire school year. This first beam

represents the beginning, and the last point represents graduation day! The path that you take to

get to the end will be filled with adventure and challenge. What do you want the year to be like?”

Procedure:

Explain the task, and add spotters as necessary according to the experience level of the group.

Participants may also ask for spotters.

For safety, participants should step off of the beams when balance is lost, before a fall occurs.

Explain that the group needs to communicate their plan, and to stay together as a group.

Variations:

Create consequences for touching the floor that are appropriate for the group. For example, if a

participant steps down, he or she may go to the ‘end of the line.’

If overhead ropes are installed, components of the element such as the Tension Traverse or

Multivine Traverse may be used.

Safety Tips:

• Be sure that the foam beams are on a surface that is sturdy and non-slippery

• Participants should go through an appropriate spotting sequence and demonstrate spotting

proficiency before attempting this activity. Spotters are not ‘required,’ but may be added

to meet the needs and skill level of the group.