Balloon Fight Game
Balloon Fight is a physical game that can be used to break the ice for a group of strangers or used for observing group dynamics of a team in a competitive setting. Do note that this game may be inappropriate for certain groups due to its physical nature.
The materials needed for this activity are one balloon per person (have some extra just in case) and a piece of elastic band per person.
Divide everyone into groups of twos or threes. Give everyone a balloon and a piece of elastic band each.
Get everyone to blow up their balloon to a reasonable size (if you haven’t already done so) and tie it to their ankle using the elastic band, facing outwards. The objective of the game is for a team to destroy all other teams’ balloons by stepping on them. (Their balloons, not their feet!)
Before you start the game, allocate each team to a particular location within the playing space. Announce the scoring system to them:
- For destroying one balloon, 1 point is awarded.
- For being the last team standing, 3 points is awarded.
Give the teams 5 minutes to strategize. After 5 minutes, start the game.
Every time a person’s balloon is burst, that person is eliminated and will be asked to sit down on the side. Call the game when only one balloon remains.
The winning team is the one with the highest score.
Moment of Reflection
- What behaviors did you observe from your team members before and during the balloon fight?
- What behaviors did you observe from your opponents during the balloon fight?
- How do you think that behavior is reflected in the workplace?
- Talk about a behavior that you thought was helpful toward the team effort.
The topics of this publication: interactions, motivation, disinhibition, distension, energize, competencies, strategy
