Stick Around

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Test collective physical problem-solving, load management, and cooperative planning under constraints.

Use it when: Use during active team offsites with sturdy physical venues when teams need a lighthearted, highly physical construction challenge.

Skip it when: Skip in corporate offices with painted drywall, venues with delicate wall finishes, groups with mobility restrictions, or settings where physical contact is unwelcome.

Group arrangement: Small teams of 3 to 6 participants per wall station

Timing: Based on the 10 to 15 minute planning and execution window from Playmeo, with added structured setup, safety checks, and debrief.

Materials and tools

• 1 roll of heavy-duty duct tape per team
• 1 pair of safety scissors per team
• 1 stopwatch or digital countdown timer for the facilitator
• Access to an unpainted, structural wall surface (such as cinder block, unpainted brick, or bare concrete)
• Optional safety mats or padded flooring placed beneath each wall station

Before participants arrive

1. Verify that the venue wall is completely unpainted, clean, and structurally sound so tape adheres without tearing wall surfaces.
2. Clear a floor perimeter of at least 2 meters around each designated wall station.
3. Place safety mats or padding against the base of each wall segment.
4. Confirm with venue management that adhesive duct tape is permitted on the specific test wall.

Say this to open

Welcome. Your team's goal is to suspend one volunteer teammate against the wall using only duct tape, so that their feet stay completely off the floor for at least ten seconds. No chairs, props, or physical supports may remain once the timer starts. Volunteer to be taped only if you are fully comfortable with it. You can call stop at any moment, and your team must release you immediately.

How to run it

1. Establish teams and safety rules 3 minutes

   Divide participants into teams of 3 to 6. Direct each team to an assigned wall station. State the safety constraints: the suspended person must be a willing volunteer, their feet should hang no more than a few inches above the mat, and the team must spot them continuously to ensure they do not fall.

2. Strategy and testing 5 minutes

   Distribute one roll of duct tape and one pair of scissors to each team. Teams decide who will be suspended and plan their taping pattern. Allow teams to test tape adhesion against clothing and wall masonry before full suspension.

3. Construction and suspension attempt 7 minutes

   Teams secure their volunteer against the wall using only the duct tape. Once a team believes the person is secure, teammates remove their hands and call the facilitator to time. The volunteer must hang clear of the floor for 10 full seconds without external assistance. If a tape bond slips, teammates must catch the volunteer instantly.

4. Debrief and cleanup 5 minutes

   Teams cut tape away safely, free the volunteers, peel all tape residue from the wall, and dispose of scraps. Facilitator poses debrief questions to the room, taking two to three observations.

Debrief questions

• What structural pattern of tape worked best to bear body weight against the wall?
• How did your team handle the balance between moving quickly and ensuring your teammate felt safe?
• What assumptions did you make during planning that changed once the weight was applied?

Finished output: Every team completes an attempt to suspend one teammate for ten seconds, followed by complete removal and disposal of all tape materials.

Remote

This activity requires an in-person structural wall, heavy-duty tape, and physical spotting for safety. It cannot be run online without changing into a completely different game. For an online physics challenge, run an egg-drop or paper-bridge simulation using household items instead.

Hybrid

Stick Around cannot provide safe and equitable hybrid participation. Remote members would only watch physical construction without active roles. Run this activity only when all participants are physically co-located.

Access and participation choices

• Anyone may choose a spotting, timing, tape-cutting, or engineering strategy role instead of being taped to the wall.
• The volunteer on the wall may say 'drop' or 'stop' at any point, requiring the team to catch and support them instantly without penalty or question.

If the session gets stuck

The duct tape peels off the wall under body weight.

Remind teams to clean dust off the wall surface, create anchor points with long vertical strips above the volunteer, and use cross-hatched horizontal bands.

A participant wants to participate but cannot hang or lift heavy weight.

Assign that person as lead safety spotter or tape cutter, directing the exact tape placement and coordinating team lifts.

Terms used here

• Spotter: A team member whose primary job is standing close with open hands ready to catch the suspended person if the adhesive gives way.