--- title: "Madagascar Rescue" description: "A team flips a large tarp over without anyone stepping onto the floor, then uses stepping stones to retrieve scattered soft toys under unbroken contact rules." last_updated: "2026-09-07" canonical: "https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/collaborative-team-challenge-for-small-groups-madagascar-rescue/" --- # Madagascar Rescue A team flips a large tarp over without anyone stepping onto the floor, then uses stepping stones to retrieve scattered soft toys under unbroken contact rules. **Time:** 25 minutes. UWT suggested allocation based on Playmeo high-effort team challenge pacing **People:** 4 to 16. Single group of 4 to 8, or two parallel groups of 4 to 8 with separate kits ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Observe how a team coordinates physical planning, adapts to constraints, and communicates in real time. **Use it when:** Use in active in-person workshops where a team needs a physical coordination challenge to practice collective problem-solving. **Skip it when:** Skip when participants prefer to avoid physical contact, tight spaces, or balance tasks, or where floor space is slick or restricted. ## Materials and tools - 1 large tarp (approximately 2 x 3 meters) per team - 1 flat stepping stone per person (such as rubber dot markers or carpet squares) - 8 to 12 soft toys or small beanbags per team - 1 countdown timer ## Before participants arrive 1. Reserve a clear, flat indoor floor area of at least 6 x 6 meters per team. 2. Lay each tarp flat on the floor. 3. Scatter 8 to 12 soft toys randomly around the room, 2 to 5 meters from each tarp edge. ## Say this to open Welcome. Your team is on an island represented by this tarp. In Phase 1, flip the tarp completely over so you stand on its underside without touching the surrounding floor. In Phase 2, use individual stepping stones to retrieve all scattered toys. Ground touches and unattended stones carry penalties specific to each phase. Let us review the rules and begin planning. ## How to run it ### 1. Brief rules and plan (4 minutes) Stand the group next to the tarp and distribute one stepping stone per person. Explain the two phases. In Phase 1, everyone stands on the tarp and flips it over completely without touching the bare floor. Any floor touch during Phase 1 requires flattening the tarp and starting over. In Phase 2, players use stones to cross the floor and retrieve toys. Give 2 minutes for initial strategy before stepping onto the tarp. ### 2. Execute Phase 1: Flip tarp (6 minutes) All participants step onto the tarp while holding their stones. On your signal, the team attempts to invert the tarp. If anyone steps on the floor, reset the tarp flat to its original side and restart the attempt. Once the entire tarp is inverted and all members remain balanced on it, call Phase 1 complete. ### 3. Execute Phase 2: Retrieve toys (10 minutes) From the inverted tarp, the team places stepping stones to reach each toy. Every stone placed on the floor must maintain unbroken contact with a foot or hand. If a stone is left untouched, remove it from play. If a person touches the bare floor, that person returns to the tarp immediately. The phase ends when all toys rest on the tarp or time expires. ### 4. Debrief the challenge (5 minutes) Gather the group off the tarp. Ask debrief questions and take 3 or 4 brief reflections across the group on coordination, planning shifts, and how the team handled losing stones or resetting. ## Debrief questions - How did your team adjust your plan once you realized how tight the space on the tarp was? - What method did you use to maintain unbroken contact with stepping stones moving away from the tarp? - When an error happened or a stone was lost, how did the group adjust? **Finished output:** All scattered toys collected onto the inverted tarp, or completed debrief analyzing coordination breakdowns. ## Remote This physical traversing challenge requires an in-person floor environment. For an online equivalent, use a digital grid-navigation puzzle on a shared virtual whiteboard where participants take turns moving limited tokens across restricted paths under continuous contact constraints. ## Hybrid Hybrid delivery is not recommended. If required, in-person members carry out physical movements while remote participants serve as bird-eye spotters and tactical navigators via video camera, calling out unattended stones and directing optimal rescue paths. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may choose non-physical roles such as spotter, timekeeper, or equipment strategist. - Anyone may step off the tarp or pass on balance tasks at any time without disclosure or penalty to the team score. ## If the session gets stuck **The team struggles to invert the tarp and grows frustrated with restarts.** Pause the clock for 60 seconds. Prompt the team to assess where group weight is centered and how corners can be passed under feet. **A participant accidentally leaves a stone untouched on the floor.** Calmly remove the stone from the floor. Confirm to the team that they continue with the remaining stones. ## Terms used here - Stepping stone: A flat floor marker, such as a rubber dot or carpet square, used as a temporary safe foothold. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in Playmeo, which attributes the activity to Mark Collard. Retained the two-phase mechanic from Mark Collard's activity on Playmeo (inverting a tarp without touching the floor, followed by retrieving soft toys using stepping stones under continuous contact rules). UWT adapted instructions into a 25-minute timeline, shortened instruction word counts under 90 words per step, aligned penalties in opening script with step rules, and added accessibility roles. [Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/team-building-problem-solving-activities/madagascar-rescue) [Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/team-building-problem-solving-activities/madagascar-rescue/) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/collaborative-team-challenge-for-small-groups-madagascar-rescue/