Teamwork Activities using Theatre Impov
Teamwork Activity: ZOOM
Everyone stands in a circle and one person begins by getting eye contact of the person on his right and saying 'ZOOM'. Then that person does the same to the person to his right and ZOOM goes around the circle. The idea to to ZOOM fast and with eye contact each time.
*This teaches the team to be mindful and the have good eye contact when talking to each other. Eye contact is key to active listening and communication within a team.
Advanced ZOOM is when you do not have to go around the circle but can ZOOM from across the room or change directions.
Theatre Improv for Leadership
Theatre Impov with teamwork activities gets the team to get let down their barriers and have fun! It is a way for coworkers to work together and trust each other. With theatre improv there are only right answers and they are celebrated fully!
Teamwork Activity: Karate Chop
Everyone is in a circle and one person with his two hands together like a karate chop will pass the karate chop to someone else and the other person will catch it by clapping his hands, then the people on either side, do a pretend karate chop to the person's stomach (with loud grunting sounds is perfectly acceptable.) Remember that you do not actually touch anyone's body.
*You can communicate without words but instead with your body language. You can direct a karate chop across the room without saying a person's name.
Teamwork Activity: Firing Squad
Groups of 4-6, one person stands out and the others form a semicircle around the person like a firing squad. It is the person who stands out to say the first word or sound that comes to mind when each of his group members say a word. The idea is to do a fast word association. The words will come quickly so the person who is being fired on cannot think. Fast reaction is best.
Set the timer for 5 minutes and then you switch places and another person is being fired on.
*Often new ideas are held back because we are over-thinking. This activity helps teams learn how to have creative ideas quickly without thought.
Teamwork Activity: Let's Go...
Everyone is in a circle and one person will say "LET'S + ACTION". Then everyone in the circle will cheer and agree by saying "YES, LET'S" and do the action.
Person A: Let's go skateboarding!
Everyone: Yes, let's! (Acts out skateboarding for a few minutes)
Person B: Let's go swimming!
Everyone: Yes, let's!
After you can debrief about the activity and what people thought. Was it easier to participate than the Cheerleading activity? What did you like about Yes, Let's activity? Did anything surprise you?
Teamwork Activity: Cheerleading
This is warm up game where everyone stands in a big circle. Each person goes in the middle of the circle and do "something" and when they do everyone on the outside of the circle with "CHEER" and "APPLAUSE" like it was the most AMAZING thing they have seen.
The "something" can be "anything" like scratching your head, skipping, doing a cartwheel, sitting down, picking your nose, you get the point. Whatever action the person chooses, everyone will cheer and applaud them.
Teamwork Activity: YES, BUT...
This is the same team activity as YES, AND... but instead you replace the words with YES, BUT.
Person A: Did you know that cats' fur in China are used in hair products?
Person B: Yes, but it is not good to use cats' fur for that.
Person A: Yes, but it is supporting the economy.
Person B: Yes, but it what about the animal rights.
After playing both games, as a group the leader can ask debriefing questions:
1. Which was easier for you? Why?
2. How were you feeling in both games?
The idea is that everyone will feel more supported when playing Yes, AND and it is more encouraging. You want to remember this in the work place when ideas are brought up. Instead of always thinking of the potential problems, we need to start thinking of the things that can be done with the idea by saying Yes, AND....
Teamwork Activity: YES, AND.....
Everyone breaks off into pairs (ideally) or if there is an odd number, one group of three. Improv leader asks for a topic from everyone. It can be any ordinary topic such as "CATS". In pairs, one person will say a fact about the topic. (Now remember that this is improv so ANY fact that you make up is a fact for these purposes). Then the partner has to add to the facts by saying "Yes, AND.....".
Person A: Did you know that cats' fur in China are used in hair products?
Person B: Yes, AND the cats are not harmed during the process.
Person A: Yes, AND it is becoming quite the trend that cat hairspray is supporting the economy.
Continue with the topic and facts until the improv leader says "TIME". (This can be 5-10 mins depending on your group).
