CFC YOUTH FOR FAMILY AND LIFE

CFC YOUTH FOR FAMILY AND LIFE

Crowd Circle

Team Building Activities Manual

Rationale

As YFLs, we are subdivided into many groups (households, chapters, clusters, districts, etc). And as

evangelizers in such groups, we have to be a team so can work effectively.

Participants

Members or core of one household, chapter, cluster, campus, high school, etc.

Objectives

At the end of the activity, the participants will be able to:

1. Familiarize all participants with each other;

2. Know the strengths and weakness of the individuals and know how to work together; and

3. Form the group into a team.

Methodology

The Team Building is preferably a two day event where participants will overnight together.

FIRST DAY

09:30AM Arrival in Venue

10:00AM Gathering of Participants

10:10AM Opening Worship / Prayer

10:20AM Introduction of Facilitator and Assistants / Lecture on ‘TEAM’

10:30AM Activity 1: “EXPECTATIONS ON WALL”

11:00AM Processing of Activity 1

11:10AM Activity 2: *Getting to Know / Ice Breaker

11:30AM Processing of Activity 2

12:00NN Lunch Break

01:00PM Gathering

01:10PM Afternoon Prayer / Set Groupings

01:15PM Activity 3: *Small Group Game

Groupings: 4-6 Groups

02:00PM Processing of Activity 3

02:10PM Activity 4: *Small Group Game

Groupings: 4-6 Groups (same group as before)


03:05PM BREAK

03:35PM Activity 5: *Big Group Game



04:30PM Activity 6: *Big Group Game



05:25PM BREAK and DINNER

07:00PM Welcome Back / Kamustahan

07:10PM Activity 7: *Whole Team Game

Groupings: The Whole Team


08:10PM Activity 8: *Whole Team Game

Groupings: The Whole Team


09:05PM Praisefest

09:30PM Fellowship

10:00PM LIGHTS OUT

SECOND DAY

07:00AM Wake-up Call/Breakfast

09:00AM Morning Worship / Prayer

09:15PM Activity 9: “TWO CANDLES”


10:55AM Recap Video of the Team Building Process

11:00AM Processing of the Video

11:10AM Sharing / Closing Remarks

11:45AM Closing Worship / Prayer

12:00NN End

FIRST DAY

Introductory session on ‘Team’

What is the difference between a group and a team (Ask the audience this question)? A group is a

number of people or things that are together or in the same place. A group is a body of people for the

sake of gathering individuals together. As of now, this household, chapter, campus, or high school,

etc is considered to be one. As a group, you do not have a single goal. As a group, you cannot work

together effectively. A team on the other hand is a group of people who work together. A team has

one goal. It is a group of individuals performing a single task tough each doing a different endeavor.

What we want to be is a team, not a group.

At the end of this team building event, our goal is to make this group into a full-fledged team.

Activity 1

‘Wall of Expectations’

Materials: Post-Its or Colored papers with adhesive tape, pens

The facilitator will ask the participants on what they expect at the end of the team building activity

then asked to write them on the post-its or colored papers. When they’re done, ask them to stick what

they wrote on a wall inside the activity room.

Processing: When everyone has posted their expectations, the facilitator will then read them one-by-

one and will promise to meet their expectations.

Activity 2

‘Getting to Know / Icebreaker’

The facilitator will then introduce the Getting to Know game. During the game, the facilitator must

observe the group and identify the followers and the leaders.

*Choose an activity from Appendix under ‘Getting to Know / Icebreaker’

Processing: At the end of the activity, ask the group: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What made

the game difficult? With each answer, the facilitator must process them and give feedback that

connects to what it takes to become a team. Focus: Concentrate on ‘knowing each other by face and

name’ for the group to be a team.

Activity 3

‘Small Group’

The facilitator will now divide the group into many smaller groups of around 4-6 teams (more or less

depending on the number of participants). Introduce the next game and observe once again.

*Choose an activity from Appendix under ‘Small Group’

Processing: When done, ask again these questions: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What made

the game difficult? Focus: Now that their groups have fewer numbers, was it easier for them to

manage their teams? Were they competing against each other? Who were the leaders of each team?

Why were they chosen?

Activity 4

‘Small Group’

Keep the teams you currently have and move on the next game. Introduce the new game and

observe them.


Processing: At the end ask these questions once again: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What

made the game difficult? Focus: Did they improve their team work from the last game? What kind of

adjustments did they do?

Activity 5

‘Big Group’

This time, divide the participants into 2 big teams (4 if the group is too many for only 2 teams).

Introduce the game and observe.

*Choose an activity from Appendix under ‘Big Group’

Processing: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What made the game difficult? Focus: With a much

bigger group, did the teams have a difficult time compared to their small groups? Which leaders in

their small groups decided to become followers in their new big groups instead? Why so? Did the

groups compete against each other?

Activity 6

‘Big Group’

Keep the same big groups together and introduce the next game. Observe and process afterwards.


Processing: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What made the game difficult? Focus: Were they able

to adjust to their big groups after the first game? Take note on how they communicate to one another.

Activity 7

‘Whole Team’

This time, disband all groups and form them into one whole team. Ask them how it feels to be one

team again. This will now be their first test if they are now a ‘team’ instead of simply a ‘group’.

Introduce the game and observe.

*Choose an activity from Appendix under ‘Whole Team’

Processing: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What made the game difficult? Focus: How did they

fair as being a team? Were they more comfortable to one another coming into this game?

Activity 8

‘Whole Team’

This is their final task to prove that they’re now a team. Introduce their final activity and observe.

*Choose an activity from Appendix under ‘Whole Team’

Processing: 1.) What made the game easy? 2.) What made the game difficult? Focus: Assess

whether they are now a team or not. If yes, then congratulate them and celebrate with a worship. If

no, then ask them to repeat the activity. Remember, end the day with a positive note. Never conclude

the team building process a failure.

God is our Ultimate Teammate

We are now team but we often forget the being that helped us and formed the team we currently

have, God. God is our ultimate teammate. There will be times when team will fail each other or time

when the team will falter in doing a certain task. There will still be miscommunications and

misunderstandings but always remember that God will help us through the process in becoming a

team once again. What God formed, we may break and only God can repair what we have broken.

The facilitator now will introduce the praisefest leader. It is recommended to let the top servant of the

team to lead the praisefest (cluster servant, chapter servant, president, etc).

Praisefest

The new and improved team must thank God for bringing each other together and forming this cluster

/ chapter / campus / high school club. So the praisefest leader will invite everyone into worship

knowing that God will be with us as we experience happiness, victories, struggles, and pains

together. As long as we are together as one team with God as our center, nothing can stop us from

serving God all the more.

Fellowship

The facilitator can set up a bonfire for the team with snacks or an E-Night for everyone where anyone

can perform. You can also let them watch a movie together (team sport movie, friendship movie, etc).

Whatever the activity, make sure that everyone will participate and not let any participant feel out of

place.

SECOND DAY

Activity 9

‘Two Candles’

The facilitator will have to prepare two candles. One pink candle and one blue candle (preferably big

candles). Make the participants form one big circle and let them sit down. Explain to them the activity:

It is important in a team to thank one another. Sometimes, we fail to outdo each other in honoring one

another. This is the opportunity to do just that. Also, it is crucial in a team to fix all internal

misunderstandings to one another. A team cannot be a team if one or two people are not in good

terms with another person.

There will be two candles at the middle of the circle, one pink and one blue. The pink candle will

represent, “Thank you” while the blue candle will represent, “I am sorry”. Ask the participants to one

by one approach these candles and pick up the pink, the blue or both candles and give it to the

person they want to thank or apologize to. If the participant would like to address the whole team,

then they can hand the candles to the facilitator then speak to the team.

The facilitator will then play some reflection songs while the activity runs. Make sure that the team will

make the activity as solemn as possible. When the facilitator feels that the mood is lightening, then

signal that the activity is over.

Recap

The facilitator will then show a video or slide show on what has happened throughout the two days

they’ve spent together.

Make the video / slideshow light and fun

Sharing

Ask the participants to share to the team what they’ve learned and realized. Have at least 2 sharers.

Closing Worship

Ask a participant who you think was the most inspired during the activities and let him lead the

worship.

Appendix

GETTING TO KNOW/ ICEBREAKER

Team Ball

Materials: Small ball (volleyball, tennis ball or any soft rubber ball), Timer

Methodology:

1. Ask the team to stand and form a large circle.

2. Explain to the team that the ball you are holding represents the team. Meaning, if you drop the

ball, you drop the team so instruct them not to let the ball touch the ground.

3. What they will do is to pass the ball around to all the participants. There are 4 simple rules to this

activity: First, everyone must touch the ball and each person should touch the ball once. Second,

each participant has to pass the ball across or in front of them, not to the person beside them.

Fourth, they have to say the name of the person they’ll pass the ball to. Each person has to

remember the name of the person they received the ball from at the name of the person they

passed the ball to. The facilitator can let the participants tell the group additional information when

they receive the ball like their age, school, course, favorite cartoon character, favorite food, etc.

4. Once the ball has gone through all members, ask the participants to repeat the process with the 4

rules plus an additional rule: they all have to pass the ball exactly the same order as the 1st run.

Time them. After that, ask them to do it again but this time faster than their 2nd run. Repeat the

process.

The facilitator should make them repeat the process and in each run their goal is to finish with a faster

time. Take note, the facilitator should not give them any clue, just repeat the 5 rules. Do not tell them

that they can rearrange themselves or that they can change the circle they formed. It will be

interesting for them to create their own strategies. In the end, challenge them to finish within 10

seconds (it is possible!).

Circle of Questions

Materials: Whistle, Timer

Methodology:

1. Split the group into two equal teams (if you have an odd number of participants, join in yourself to

even the numbers)

2. Ask one team to stand in a circle, facing outwards.

3. Ask the second team to create a slightly larger circle around the first, facing inwards.

4. Explain to the two teams that they are about to greet one another (shake hands) and that those in

the inner circle will ask a question (determined by the facilitator) of the person opposite them.

Point out that these will be open questions and there can be no wrong answers.

5. The respondent standing in the outer circle will have 30 seconds to give their answer before the

whistle blows and they must be silent, as they answer, the questioner must just listen and not

speak.

6. As facilitator you must then ask those who responded in the outer circle to ask the same question

of their partner in the inner circle. Once again, the respondent to the question will have 30

seconds to give their answer before the whistle blows and they must be silent.

7. Congratulate the group on their first attempt even though there may well have been some

confusion.

8. Explain that they are now going to repeat the exercise with a new partner. To find their new

partner the inner circle must move clockwise one place and the outer circle must move

anticlockwise one place. Expect some confusion, normally sufficient numbers will have

understood to ensure that everyone finds their place without the facilitator needing to repeat the

instruction..

9. Repeat the exercise using the same question twice more, alternate which circle asks the question

first in order to give equal thinking time.

10. After three rounds when the participants are facing their fourth partner, introduce a new question,

slightly more challenging than the first.

11. Continue to introduce a more challenging question every few rounds.

12. Call a halt when you detect that the questions have gone as far as is necessary

Sample Questions

1. How did you get here?

2. Where would you like to be?

3. Who do you admire most?

4. Who has influenced you?

5. What does success look like to you?

SMALL GROUP

Handful of Candy

Materials: Different kinds of Candies (each participants should hold at least 7)

Methodology:

1. Have each group sit down and form a circle facing each other.

2. Explain that they are not allowed to talk to one another except during their time to strategize.

3. Hand the candies to the participants. Each having at least 7.

4. Explain that when you say ‘Ready’, everyone should have their candies behind their backs.

5. ‘Set’, they should place any number of candies to their front with a closed fist. No one should see

the candies inside of their hands.

6. ‘Go’, everyone opens their hands and shows the candies.

7. The facilitator will say a number and that number should be equal to the number of candies shown

in front in per team.

8. Getting the correct number of candies awards the team a point.

9. The 1st to have 7 points, wins.

10. Make the game easy at first by saying low numbers. Then level it up to bigger and bigger

numbers (make sure the number is still within the total number of candies per group). Then make

an equation (Ex. 14 + 3 x 2 -1 = 33 candies). For a harder round, use a story in a fairy tale or Bible

(Ex. The number of dwarves of Snow White + the number of Blind Mice in a Nursery Rhyme x the

number of wishes in Aladdin).

Bonding Belt

Materials: Rope per team and a timer

Methodology:

1. Introduce this as a very light hearted activity in which the team/s will have an opportunity to

assess and improve upon their performance.

2. Tell the teams that they will have to move as one unit between point A and point B in as short a

time as possible.

3. Tell them that to ensure they stay ‘bonded’ as one unit they will be held together by a rope belt,

tightly wrapped around their waists.

4. Give the teams 5 minutes to discuss their strategy, advising them that at the end of this time they

should be in position ready to be ‘bonded’.

5. When applying rope do so at waist height of the mid-sized participant, make the belt sufficiently

tight so that it will not fall when the team starts to move. Make the belt several layers thick.

6. Reiterate the position of the start and finish lines and set the teams off against each other in a

race. Time them as well.

7. Advise the teams of their times giving them a minute to catch their breath and agree their strategy

for the next attempt.

8. Do this 2 more times and declare a winner.

Frostbite

Materials: Tents, Blindfolds

Methodology:

1. Introduce this as a task that requires effective verbal communication and planning.

2. Explain the scenario that the teams are arctic explorers who have been caught in bad weather

and need to erect a tent to gain shelter.

3. Then explain that, as a result of the severe weather conditions, the team's leader is suffering from

frost bite in both hands and is unable to help physically in the erection of the tent. Meanwhile the

rest of the team is suffering from snow blindness and as a result cannot see.

4. State that each team has approximately 45 minutes to build the tent with all but the team leader

blindfolded and that the team leader can only assist the rest of the team verbally. Also state that

you will be rotating the leadership so that every participant has a chance to lead.

5. Give each participant a blindfold (because the team leaders will take turns to be the team leader)

and each team a tent.

6. Position the teams a safe distance apart and ask everyone, except the team leader, to lower their

blind folds over their eyes.

7. Once every team is ready tell them to start the erecting their tent.

8. During the exercise be prepared to intervene if a participant might be at risk of injury

9. Remember to rotate the team leader in each group so that every participant has a chance to be

the leader.

10. Allow the group to say when they have finished; if everyone is in agreement ask them to remove

their blindfolds.

BIG GROUP

Leap Frog

Materials: Stepping Stones or Chairs (make sure the chairs are durable)

Methodology:

1. Align the stepping stones or chairs of each team into one straight line that are one step apart

from one another. The number of stones or chairs should be 1 more to the number of players

in each team (Ex. 10 players, 11 stones)

2. Let them stand on them one half facing the other half vice versa with one chair in between.

The two halves should be facing each other. It won’t matter if the team is odd numbered. It

only means one half will have 1 more person than the other.

3. The objective is for the team switch places with the people they are facing as illustrated.

4. To do this, they are only allowed to in two ways.

First is the Step: One person will move to an empty step in front of that person

To

Second is the Leap: One person will skip one person in front of him to go to the empty chair

To

5. Only one person at a time can move a step or a leap.

6. The members can only move forward. No back stepping.

7. When the team is ready, they have to demonstrate their solution to the facilitator without falling

of the steps. They then forced to help each other out when they step or leap.

Team Memory Game

Materials: At least 10 pairs of different objects with cups that can cover each object completely (you

can get more pairs if you want).

Methodology:

1. The teams will compete against each other.

2. Ask the participants to vacate the activity room and set up a grid of the objects you prepared

(10x10). Place them in any order. Make them as random as possible.

3. Cover the objects with the cups and make sure they are aligned in a rectangle or square.

4. The objective is to find as many pairs as possible with the following instructions.

5. Only one team at a time can enter the activity room with only 3 persons of each team. Once the

team’s turn is done, they’ll return outside.

6. Teams take turns flipping pairs of cups over. On each turn, they will first turn one cup over, then a

second. If the two objects inside the cups match, the team scores one point, the two objects are

removed from the game and flip their cups upwards. If they do not match, the cups are turned

back over.

7. Take note that the teams should send out different representatives to the grid for each turn.

Teams can only repeat players when all the players have been exhausted.

8. The team with the most pairs wins.

Amoeba Race

Materials: Wide Space

Methodology:

1. Explain how to create an amoeba. There are 3 parts: a lot of protoplasm (people who’ll be in the

middle, a cell wall (they’ll surround the protoplasm, facing outward, linking elbows), a nucleus

(seated on the shoulders of some of the protoplasm).

2. Make sure that the protoplasm(s) are close together as possible. To achieve this, make the cell

walls as few as possible. They’ll be forced bump knees and elbows inside the amoeba.

3. Once the amoeba is formed, try taking a walk through a field or around the block. A rhythmic

chant might be helpful for coordinating movements.

4. Finally, try a little cell division. Split the group into two and create a second nucleus. Have an

Amoeba Race.

5. Option: You can have another cell division within the two amoebas and form 4 groups.

WHOLE TEAM

Blindfold Rope Square

Materials: Long Rope of at least 20 Meters (longer if you have more participants), Blindfolds

Methodology:

1. Give each participant a blindfold.

2. Explain that this is a task that requires effective verbal communication.

3. Position the participants in the area where the activity will take place.

4. Ask them to lower their blind folds over their eyes and spin around until you say stop (allow them

to rotate a sufficient amount so that they become a little disorientated).

5. Silently lay the coiled rope within reach of one of the participants

6. Explain that you have positioned the rope on the floor and that on your command they must locate

the rope and work together to position the rope in the shape of a perfect square on the floor

7. During the exercise be prepared to intervene if a participant could hurt themselves

8. Allow the group to say when they have finished, if everyone is in agreement ask them to remove

their blindfolds

9. Congratulate success or ask them what they might do differently if there is still room for

improvement

10. If required give the group a second opportunity to complete the challenge

What’s My Card?

Materials: Deck of Playing Cards, Timer

Methodology:

1. Ask the participants to form one big circle.

2. Hand out one or two cards (or more) to each person consuming all the cards except for 2 cards

which you will keep. Do not show them the cards you’ve kept.

3. The team has to guess the two cards that you kept as much as possible with the following rules:

they cannot hand over the cards given to them but they can show them to each other

4. Start the timer until they guess your cards correctly.

5. Repeat the challenge at around 3 or 4 more or until they’ve got the hang of it.

6. Take note that a deck of playing cards has 4 suits (clubs, spades, 9, diamonds, hearts) with 13

figures each (2-10, A, K, Q, J). Use this knowledge to their advantage.

Sources:

http://www.innovativeteambuilding.co.uk

http://wilderdom.com

http://www.innovativeteambuilding.co.uk/

http://wilderdom.com/

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