81. Stand, sit and sing
Participants sit in a circle and sing a song they all know. Choose two letters which occur frequently in the song, and ask the men to stand up when they sing a word beginning with one letter and the women to stand up when they sing a word beginning with the other letter. For example, all the men have to stand up each time the group sings a word that starts with the letter ‘m’, while all the females have to stand up every time the group sings a word that starts with the letter ‘f ’.

82. Passing the rhythm
Participants sit in a circle. The facilitator establishes a rhythm; for example, clapping your thighs, clapping your hands together, then clapping your neighbour’s hands. This rhythm is then passed around the circle. Once the rhythm is moving steadily through the group, try to speed it up. Once the group can do this, try inserting more rhythms into the circle so that several rhythms are being passed around the circle at the same time.

83. Messenger
Before the game starts, the facilitator builds something out of blocks and covers it with a cloth. Participants are divided into small groups and each group is given a set of blocks. Each group selects a ‘messenger’ to look under the cloth. The messengers report back to their groups about what they have seen under the cloth. They must give their group instructions for how to build the same thing. The messengers are not allowed to touch the blocks or to demonstrate how it should be done – they can only describe how it should look. The group can send the messenger to have a second look at the structure. When all the groups are finished, the structures are compared to the original.

84. Drawing game
Participants work in pairs, sitting back to back. One person in each pair has a simple drawing. The other person has a blank piece of paper and a pen. The person with the drawing describes it in detail so that the other person can reproduce the drawing on their sheet of paper.

85. Mirror image
Participants sort themselves into pairs. Each pair decides which one of them will be the ‘mirror’. This person then copies (mirrors) the actions of their partner. After some time, ask the pair to swap roles so that the other person can be the ‘mirror’.

86. Hokey Cokey
Participants stand in a circle to sing the song and do the actions. The first verse goes like this:
You put your RIGHT FOOT in
You put your RIGHT FOOT out
In, out, in, out
And you shake it all about
You do the hokey-cokey (wiggling waist)
And you turn around
That’s what it’s all about!
With each new verse substitute a different body part for ‘right foot’ – left foot, right arm, left arm, head, and whole self.

87. Muddling messages
Participants sit in a circle. Think of a long message, such as “I’m going to go to the market to buy some bananas and mangos tomorrow morning, and then I am going to meet my cousin for lunch”. Whisper this message to the person sitting on your right. That person then whispers the same message to the person on their right and so on. Once the message has been passed around the circle, ask the last person to say the message aloud. Compare the final message with the original version.

88. Talking object
Participants sit in a circle. An object is passed around the circle. The person who receives the object has to talk continuously until his/her neighbour decides to take the object.

89. Samson and Delilah
The game revolves around the story of Samson and Delilah and the lion. Participants divide into two teams and stand in two lines, with their backs to the other team. Each team decides whether they will be Samson, Delilah or the lion, without telling the other team. They turn around to face the other team and mime an action representing who they are. For example, a sexy pose could represent Delilah, flexed muscles could be Samson, and a ferocious roar could represent the lion. Delilah defeats Samson, Samson defeats the lion, and the lion defeats Delilah. Sometimes, neither group will defeat the other because they will both choose to be the same thing!

90. Yes/No game
Participants split into two lines, so that each person faces a partner. Line one has to say “Yes” in as many different ways as possible, and line two has to try to change their partner’s minds by saying “No” as convincingly as possible. Give both lines a chance to say both “Yes” and “No”. Then discuss how people felt. How did it feel to say “Yes” or “No”? Was it easier to say one than another?

91. The “E ”game
Write a large, curvy letter E on a piece of flipchart paper and place it in the centre of the circle. Ask participants to describe exactly what they see on the piece of paper, from where they are standing/sitting. Depending on where they are in the circle, they will either see an ‘m’, a ‘w’, a ‘3’ or an ‘E’. Participants can then move places so that they see the letter from a different perspective. This is a useful activity to highlight the fact that people see things very differently, according to their own specific perspective. Alternatively, put a person in the centre of the circle and ask those around to describe exactly what they see from their perspective.

92. Sagidi sagidi sapopo
The group forms a circle or a line. The facilitator teaches everyone the simple chant “Sagidi sagidi sapopo”. Every time the group chants “Sagidi sagidi sapopo”, the facilitator makes a different action, such as clicking fingers or clapping, to the rhythm of the chant. With each new repetition of the chant, each person copies the actions of the person to their left so that everyone is always one move behind the person to their left.

93. What are we doing?
Two teams line up at opposite ends of the room. Team A are the Mimes and Team B are the Tigers. Team A decides secretly on an activity to be mimed. They walk toward Team B, coming as close as they dare, and then act out their mime. Team B tries to guess what is being mimed. When they succeed they try to tag members of Team A before they can get back to their goal line. All who are tagged join the Tiger’s side. After the first round, get the teams to swap roles.

94. What is the adverb?
One participant leaves the room and the others choose an adverb; for example, ‘quickly’ or ‘sleepily’. When the leaver returns, s/he must find out what the adverb is by commanding people to do various actions ‘in that way’. For example, if the leaver says “Talk that way”, the group must talk ‘quickly’ or ‘sleepily’. After each command, the participant tries to guess the word.

95. Shopping list
The group forms a circle. One person starts by saying “I am going to the market to buy fish.” The next person says, “I am going to the market to buy fish and potatoes.” Each person repeats the list, and then adds an item. The aim is to be able to remember all of the items that all of the people before you have listed.

96. What am I feeling?
Participants sit in a circle. Each person takes a turn acting out an emotion. Other participants try to guess what feeling the person is acting out. The person who guesses correctly acts out the next emotion.

97. O Kabita!
Everyone in turn has to say “O Kabita!” (or another name) in as many different ways as possible, for example with anger, with fear, with laughter, and so on.

98. Presenting gifts
This can be used at the end of a workshop. Put participants’ names in a box or bag. Pass the box or bag around and ask each person to pick a name. If they get their own name they have to put it back and choose another. Give the group a few minutes to think of an imaginary gift they would present to the person whose name they have drawn. Ask them also to think how they would present it. Go round the group asking each person to present their imaginary gift.

99. Writing on backs
At the end of a workshop, ask participants to stick a piece of paper on their backs. Each participant then writes something they like, admire or appreciate about that person on the paper on their backs. When they have all finished, participants can take their papers home with them as a reminder.

100. Reflecting on the day
To help people to reflect on the activities of the day, make a ball out of paper and ask the group to throw the ball to each other in turn. When they have the ball, participants can say one thing they thought about the day.

Things to consider when using Energisers

• Try to use energisers frequently during a workshop or meeting, whenever people look sleepy or tired or to create a natural break between activities.

• Try to choose games that are appropriate for the local context, for example, thinking carefully about games that involve touch, particularly of different body parts.

• Try to select games in which everyone can participate and be sensitive to the needs and circumstances of the group. For example, some of these games may exclude people with disabilites, such as difficulty walking or hearing, or people with different levels of comfort with literacy.

• Try to ensure the safety of the group, particularly with games that involve running. For example, try to make sure that there is enough space and that the floor is clear.

• Try not to use only competitive games but also include ones that encourage team building.

• Try to avoid energisers going on for too long. Keep them short and move on to the next planned activity when everyone has had a chance to move about and wake up!

Source: 100 ways to energise groups
This is an extract from 100 ways to energise groups: Games to use in workshops, meetings and the community, published by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in 2002.

To view the whole report follow this link.

To download, complete with graphics, in pdf format (which requires Adobe Acrobat software to read it) follow this link (file size 618kb). This report is also available in French (file size 652kb) and in Spanish (file size 638kb).

 

Resources for working with groups

100 ways to energise groups

• Games to use in workshops, meetings and the community
• Games 1 to 20
• Games 21 to 40
• Games 41 to 60
• Games 61 to 80
• Games 81 to 100