The Animal Sound Exercise
Animal Sound is a fun group exercise that builds trust to strengthen relationships and focuses on communication and concentration.
Form pairs and explain that you would like each pair to think of a favourite animal, and the typical sound associated with it. For example, a dog barks, and a cow moos.
Each pair identifies a favourite animal, and the sound associated with it, eg a cow and moo. Invite each pair to announce their animal and express its sound to the whole group to avoid duplication.
Using a random technique to split the pairs, ask one person to move to one side of your wide, open playing space, and the other partner to move to the opposite side. When each group arrives at their destination, ask them to turn away from their partner, shuffle themselves left and right a little and close their eyes.
Once all eyes are shut, ask everyone to place their hands in the bumpers up position. On “GO,” each person turns and walks towards their partner and starts calling their animal’s noise in an effort to find one another.
As each pair reunites, they may open their eyes.
The aim for each person is to find their partner by calling the noise of their animal only. In theory, each pair of animals will be making the same call and will work hard to hear and walk towards one another in the cacophony of barnyard sounds.
Moment of Reflection
- How easy was it to hear your partner’s calls? Why?
- Were you able to concentrate on a single sound (the one you were looking for)?
- Were you able to concentrate on a single sound (the one you were looking for)?
- How did it feel to locate your partner?
- What might this exercise teach us about communicating effectively?
The topics of this publication: interactions, teamwork, trust, foster relationships, cooperation, adaptability skills, integration, reflection, active listening, adaptation
