The Broken Pipe Game
Broken Pipe is a challenging and fun group initiative, ideal for warm or hot conditions, and especially outdoors.
In advance, source a long length of PVC piping (25-50mm diameter) which can be cut into multiple 2 metres lengths, one for each small group. You’ll need one 2-metre (6′) length for each group.
Form small groups of 2 to 6 people and distribute one pipe to each. Ask one person in each group to balance the pipe vertically (with the assistance of other teammates, if necessary) with the base opening sitting on their palm.
Carefully fill all of the pipes with water to the very top of the opening, ie keeping the hand firmly pressed to its base. Encourage all of the groups to keep their pipes as steady as possible during this time.
When all pipes are full, announce that each group is challenged to rotate their pipe upside-down once then twice, or even three or four times. As you can imagine, there is a very high likelihood that water will be spilt.
The challenge for each group is to prevent as much water from being spilled as possible.
Once all the requisite rotations are performed, it’s time to record how much water (if any) remains inside the pipes. The team that loses the least amount of water from their pipe wins.
Moment of Reflection
- What the task more or less difficult than you imagined? Why?
- What were the most difficult components of this challenge?
- Did you discover any useful strategies that helped you preserve the water in your pipe?
- Do you think this task was possible for one person?
- What might this exercise teach us about working together?
The topics of this publication: interactions, competencies, strategy, energize, collaboration, teamwork, cooperation
