Memorize My Moves

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Re-engage physical energy and practice collective recall through a cumulative sequence of movements.

Use it when: Use during mid-session fatigue or after sedentary blocks when a group needs physical circulation and laughter without verbal demands.

Skip it when: Skip when physical space is tight, when the room has uneven physical mobility without seated adaptations planned, or when participants need focused analytical quiet.

Group arrangement: Single circle of 4 to 12 people; for 13 to 24 people, split into two parallel circles of 6 to 12.

Timing: Matches the 10-minute duration stated in the UNICEF source material.

Materials and tools

• No specialized materials required
• Chairs arranged in a circle if seated option is preferred
• For remote or hybrid delivery: a video meeting with breakout rooms and one camera-enabled device per participant; room participants also need individual headsets.

Before participants arrive

1. Clear a central floor area free of bags and trip hazards so participants can stand or sit in an unobstructed circle.

Say this to open

We are going to wake up our bodies and minds with a cumulative movement game. One person will start with a single movement. The next person copies that movement and adds their own. Each person in turn repeats the entire sequence in order before adding a new move. Keep each movement short and clear.

How to run it

1. Form the circle and set the rules 2 minutes

   Gather participants in a circle. If group size exceeds 12, divide the room into two smaller circles running simultaneously. Explain the turn-taking order clockwise around the circle. State that any movement works, including seated hand gestures, claps, or head nods.

2. Run round 1 4 minutes

   The starting participant performs one distinct movement (such as a clap, a shoulder roll, or a foot tap). The person to their left repeats that movement and immediately adds a second one. The third person repeats the first two in order and adds a third. Continue around until every person in the circle has taken their turn.

3. Run round 2 with reversed order 3 minutes

   Start a second round from a different person in the circle or run the sequence counterclockwise. Encourage participants to invent fresh movements. The group assists non-verbally or prompts if someone forgets a step in the sequence.

4. Close and reflect 1 minutes

   Bring both hands down to signal the end of the game. Ask one or two quick questions to close before transitioning back to the agenda.

Debrief questions

• Which part of the sequence was hardest to remember, and why?
• What strategies helped you track the sequence as it grew longer?

Finished output: The entire circle completes a full cumulative sequence of physical movements without skipping turns.

Remote

UWT remote adaptation: Use one video roster for 4 to 12 participants. For 13 to 24, assign two balanced rosters of 6 to 12 to simultaneous breakout rooms. Each roster chooses a volunteer caller to announce whose turn comes next and help with sequence prompts. Keep movements visible on camera and follow the same short-movement rule and timed rounds as the room version. Each person repeats the movements already shown in their own roster, adds one, and hands over to the next person. Use seated hand gestures or the existing sequence-coach option when needed. The caller keeps the group within the displayed round timer.

Hybrid

UWT hybrid adaptation: Everyone joins the video meeting on an individual camera-enabled device, including people in the room. Room participants use individual headsets, sit apart, and mute microphones except for the active participant or caller. Assign the full participant list regardless of location: one roster for 4 to 12, or two balanced rosters of 6 to 12 in simultaneous breakout rooms for 13 to 24. A lone remote or room participant joins one of these rosters and does not play alone. Each roster chooses a volunteer caller, confirms that every movement is visible to the group, and follows its own turn order using the remote instructions and the same timed rounds. Use seated movements that fit each camera view; return both rosters to the main meeting for the one-minute close.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may execute movements seated, using only hands, arms, head tilts, or facial expressions.
• Anyone may pass by repeating the previous sequence without adding a new move, or by acting as the sequence coach who calls out prompts if someone stalls.

If the session gets stuck

A participant freezes and cannot recall the previous moves.

Allow the whole circle to perform the prior moves in unison as a non-verbal prompt, then let the participant add their own.

Participants introduce overly complex or dangerous acrobatic moves.

Remind the group that every move must be repeatable by everyone in the circle in two seconds or less, such as a foot tap, shoulder shrug, or wave.

Terms used here

• Cumulative sequence: A pattern where each participant repeats every earlier element in exact order before contributing a new one.