Snoopy and the Red Baron

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Re-engage attention and physical coordination through a quick reaction warm-up.

Use it when: Use during a post-lunch slump, between heavy lecture segments, or as a fast physical transition.

Skip it when: Skip when participants have hand or wrist injuries, severe mobility constraints, or when touch between participants is culturally or professionally inappropriate.

Group arrangement: Pairs; an odd person pairs with a facilitator or serves as official referee and timekeeper.

Timing: Source indicates under 5 minutes; UWT plans a 5-minute block including partner rotation and debrief.

Materials and tools

• No special materials.

Before participants arrive

1. Clear sufficient floor space so pairs can stand roughly half a meter apart without bumping others.

Say this to open

Find a partner and stand about half a meter apart. Keep your hands tucked into your pockets or behind your back. One of you will start as the Red Baron, the chaser. The other is Snoopy, the dodger. On my signal, bring one hand out. The Red Baron aims for a gentle tap on Snoopy's hand, while Snoopy tries to dodge. If a tag happens, instantly swap roles.

How to run it

1. Pair up and assign roles 1 minutes

   Direct participants to find a partner and stand half a meter apart. If there is an odd number, pair with a facilitator or assign that person as referee. Each pair chooses who starts as the Red Baron (tagger) and who starts as Snoopy (evader). Both place both hands in their pockets or behind their backs.

2. Play initial rounds 2 minutes

   Call 'Go'. Both players bring one hand out simultaneously. The Red Baron tries to make a light tag on Snoopy's moving hand, while Snoopy evades. Both players keep their feet planted to avoid collisions. Once a tag connects, players call out 'Tag', switch roles immediately, hide their hands again, and restart on their own count.

3. Switch partners 1 minutes

   Call time. Direct participants to find a new partner nearby. Reset roles and play another round of quick-draw tags for sixty seconds.

4. Brief reflection 1 minutes

   Call stop. Ask the group one or two prompt questions while standing. Invite two quick volunteer observations before transitioning back to the main agenda.

Debrief questions

• What physical cues helped you anticipate when your partner was about to strike or dodge?
• How did shifting from defending to attacking change your focus?

Finished output: Every pair completes several rapid hand-tag exchanges and completes the physical warm-up cycle.

Remote

This exact physical reflex mechanic requires direct spatial proximity and cannot run authentically online. A related remote alternative: play 'Reaction Camera'. Partners face each other in a breakout room. Both start with hands below camera view. Person A taps the desk to signal 'draw'; both bring hands up into view. If Person B mirrors Person A's hand shape (fist, open palm, or peace sign), B scores a point; if different, A scores. Play for 2 minutes and swap callers.

Hybrid

Pair in-person participants with each other in the room. Pair remote participants together in a video breakout using the 'Reaction Camera' alternative. Do not pair an online participant with an in-person participant, as physical tagging across video latency is impossible.

Access and participation choices

• Participants can play seated across a table, using light taps on the tabletop instead of airborne dodging.
• Anyone may opt out of physical tagging and serve as referee or timer without giving a personal reason.

If the session gets stuck

Participants slap hands too hard or lunge forward recklessly.

Remind everyone that tags must be light two-finger taps and that feet must remain planted.

One partner repeatedly hides their hand completely behind their body while dodging.

Clarify that Snoopy's active hand must stay in front of the torso plane once drawn, keeping it in play.

Terms used here

• Red Baron: The tagger whose objective is to make light contact with the partner's hand.
• Snoopy: The evader whose objective is to dodge the tagger's hand while keeping hands in play.