Group work: what works

big mal

I am interested to build up a repetoire of "cheap tricks" that do well in group work. If anyone has something either they have tried or has been tried on them that they would say went well please feel free to share it.
Here's one to start the ball rolling. Have everyone in the group sit in a circle. Make one person "it" Place a water bottle on the floor in front of the person who's it. That person closes their eyes and keeps them closed. You (the group leader) points at someone in the room. their job is to get up from their chair, try and retrieve the bottle and return to their chair before the person who's "it" points in their general direction. If the person gets caught, they exchange places with the person who was "it" and the game continues. After there is discussion about the 'real'point of the game...

dod

One I remember was everyone taking it in turns to recite a nursery rhyme or song lyric while trying not to audibly suck in air. It was only after I had had it repeatedly pointed out to me, that I recognised not only that I was gasping for breath but I was also talking far too fast. Once I appreciated this, it became obvious; but I needed a lot of convincing, initially, that I was doing either of these things.

This made me realise how blind we can be to the presence of habits, even when we 'know' about them, until we have an experience of life without their influence.

Angel

To help focus on skills of cursory observation, I like the game of "Quick Change."
First off, choose a person who has jewelry, many articles of clothing, etc. Have this person who is "it" stand up for their first observation by the group, so class members may spot what they might change about their appearance after they have done so.

If this game is done one-by-one, the person retreats behind a doorway unseen, where they change some aspects of their appearance, such as tuck in their shirt or untuck it, take off glasses, shirts or coats, change their hairstyle, rub off their make-up, remove a belt, socks or earrings or switch their clothing around, etc. Then the victim (multiple people can be also be "it" at one time) returns to the class and people in the class who are the observers spot what has been changed about their appearance. Those who don't make any guesses become "it" for the next round, or you can make some other convention to select the next quick-change artist(s).

This can also be done in a large group all at the same time by people merely turning their backs on the group en masse and making one or two changes, then assigning a certain person, say, three people away or across from each person to do the guessing, so each person gets a turn.