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Exercises/Reflection and Learning/No Props Team Game & Active Group Challenge
Team Reflection · Reflection and Learning

No Props Team Game & Active Group Challenge

No Props Team Game & Active Group Challenge is a team reflection exercise for reflection and learning: it helps participants reflect on experience and turn observations into learning.

15 to 30 minutesTIME
Small group (4-8)GROUP SIZE
ActiveENERGY
In person, RemoteSETTING
No materialsMATERIALS
High cognitive loadCOGNITIVE LOAD
Strengthens Learning Transfer This reflection and learning exercise strengthens Learning Transfer, one of the eight Gathering Effectiveness pillars.

How to run it

  1. Gather your group in the centre of an open area.
  2. Your group’s goal is to shake the hands of every person while observing two rules:
  3. - Each person must shake hands with every other person only once; and
  4. - Each person must alternate hands with each handshake, ie if Jake uses his left hand to shake with Sherry, he must use his right hand to shake the hand of the next person, etc.
  5. Give your group the responsibility to ensure that it complies with the two rules.
  6. A handshake is defined as one person gripping and shaking the hand of another person.
  7. Allow ample time for your group to make several attempts.
  8. Continue until your group has solved the problem successfully.
  9. Alter Shake No props team game challenges groups with unique handshake pattern task.
Live facilitator

Run this exercise live

The facilitator console stays in this browser. Its QR handoff is a short-lived participant snapshot containing only public exercise instructions, phase, prompt, and timer state.

Prompts to use +

- Each person must alternate hands with each handshake, ie if Jake uses his left hand to shake with Sherry, he must use his right hand to shake the hand of the next person, etc.

Give your group the responsibility to ensure that it complies with the two rules.

Continue until your group has solved the problem successfully.

Run this with your AI assistant +

Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.

Adapt this exercise for my exact room. Exercise: No Props Team Game & Active Group Challenge. Readiness: Publishable Draft. Core moves: - Each person must alternate hands with each handshake, ie if Jake uses his left hand to shake with Sherry, he must use his right hand to shake the hand of the next person, etc.; Give your group the responsibility to ensure that it complies with the two rules.; Continue until your group has solved the problem successfully.; . Return a concise facilitator script with timing, wording, safety notes, and remote/in-person adjustments.

Origin unverified

  • Where we observed it: The strongest current observations come from Playmeo; aggregators are listed as additional observations, not origin proof. (1 source observed, including Playmeo.)
  • What that means: we track where an exercise has been observed in public sources. We do not claim to know who created it, or how popular it is.
  • No efficacy claims: appearing in this library is not a claim that the exercise is proven effective. Facilitator judgment and context decide whether it works for a given room.
  • Corrections: if you have evidence of an earlier or more accurate source, read our methodology and trust boundary and tell us.

Pairs well with