Em Holliday

Description of a Team Building Activity

Equipment

10ft of rope for a circle or a tarpaulin.

Time

~15-20 minutes

Brief description

A classic teambuilding activity in which a group is challenged to physically support one another in an endeavor to occupy an ever diminishing space.

All Aboard!

• This activity requires working together in close physical proximity in order to solve a practical, physical problem. It tends to emphasize group communication, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy, as well as issues related to physical self and physical proximity.
• The activity can be run in many different ways.
• Basic method: Ask the whole group to try to fit inside a small area which can be marked by:
• small platforms, or
• circle of rope, or
• tarpaulin or blanket
• When the group succeeds, decrease the area (e.g., changing platforms, shrinking the circle, or folding the tarp) and challenge the group again. How far can the group go?
• Cautions: Obviously people are going to need to feel physically comfortable in order to get physically close and be supportive of one another. So make sure people are warmed up and preferably have removed excessive jewelry, watches, etc.

Variations

• Tarp Flip Over: With a group standing on a tarp, challenge them to turn the tarp over without anyone touching the ground in the process. Can add a time limit e.g., 15 mins for this activity.
• Framing, e.g.,"The group must work together to ensure everyone manages to get aboard the new management structure. As time goes by, the team must become closer to deal with shrinking margins and increased competition." [www.bushsports.com.au]

Name game: The activity can be used as a name game by setting the rule that every communication to another person must include that person's name.

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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/AllAboard.html

Description of an Icebreaker Activity

Equipment: Blindfolds (optional)

Time: ~10-15 minutes

Brief Description :

Participants are blindfolded and assigned an animal. The challenge is to use animal noises in order to meet up with other animals of same species. Releases energy. Loud, fun, chaotic, then gradually order and unity.

Animal Sounds

• Works with any group size over 10 and with large groups; the more the merrier.
• Invite people into a circle.
• Hand out blind-folds and help people to blind fold another. Alternatively, ask for eyes closed.
• Explain that each person will be hear a whisper of an animal name. Move around the group, giving each person the name of animal (e.g., from the list below).
• The challenge will be to find all other animals of one's own kind. No-one can talk - only animal sounds can be made.
• Very loud chaos ensues, then gradually order and unity emerges as animals find one another.
• Be prepared to shepherd people from danger, but usually people are very safe with many not moving much, rather focusing on listening and calling out to others.
• List of possible animals (aim to have 3 or more of each animal). Note: Consider possible cultural issues if animal sacred or offensive):
• Wolf
• Cat
• Pig
• Kangaroo
• Snake
• Lion
• Crow
• Monkey
• Frog
Elephant


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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/AnimalSounds.html

Blindfold each team member or have them close their eyes. Without speaking, have the team members arrange themselves according to height, or even more challenging by birth date.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Place a label on the forehead of each participant. By talking to the other participants at the conference each person will need to determine what their label says. Some examples are: ignore me, agree with me, laugh at me, tease me, compliment me, tell me I look nice, talk quickly to me, flirt with me, wink at me, interrupt me, smile at me, don't talk to me. Have a great time.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Two people stand back to back with their arms locked. They must carry a water balloon between their backs. They transport it from the start line to an empty bucket and then maneuver it into the bucket.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Write on small pieces of paper the name of an animal. Each animal appears on two slips of paper. Each person is given a slip of paper and on a signal tries to find the "mate" to their animal by making the sound of his or her animal.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Equipment needed: blindfolds for each person and long piece of rope or string with the ends tied together. The group stands in a circle, rope in hand and blindfolds on. Instruct the group to form a shape, such as a square, triangle, or rectangle. After the group has achieved this, you can challenge them to form the same shape, but without speaking.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

This game requires a large grassy field. Designate boundaries. Choose two players to start The Blob. These players either link hands or arms. The two players linked try to tag other people. When players are tagged or go outside of the boundaries, they must link onto either end of The Blob by holding hands or linking arms. Only the players on the ends of The Blob are allowed to tag people because they are the only ones with a free hand. The Blob must stay linked to tag others. The game ends when only one player has still not become part of The Blob.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Learning Objective: To introduce the idea of teamwork, communication and creative problem solving.

Group Size: Small groups of 5-7 people.

Space Required: a room with ample space for movement.

Time Required: 1 hour

Props Required: Lots of newspaper, rolls (6-8) of masking tape, a gallon jug 1/4 to 1/2 full of water, a plastic dishpan type container, cassette player, cassette tape with "William Tell Overture" or music with a hectic pace.

Activity Instructions: "You are going to build a bridge using only the newspaper and masking tape. The bridge must be strong enough to hold this bottle (show the bottle and let them check the feel of it for weight). Also, the bridge must be tall enough for the pan to pass underneath it. The bridge must be free-standing; not attached to the wall, a piece of furniture, a person or an article of clothing...FREE-STANDING."

Tell the group they are to line up according to birth month and day and CANNOT talk while doing this.

Next, starting with January each person reveals the month and date of birth. If any person is out of sequence, the groups is to say loudly "unh-hah".

Count off so that they are divided into teams.

Rules Summary: (Clarify understanding of rules. I also write them on flip chart.)

1. Cannot use materials other than newspaper and masking tape.

2. Each group to build a bridge that the dish can pass under and hold the gallon jug for 10 seconds.

3. Cannot stick/tape to another person or furniture.

4. 7 minutes to plan; 8 minutes to build the bridge.

Process:

Tell them they will have 7 minutes to plan, discuss, etc., and to be sure everyone in the group is included. DO THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? Time the 7 minutes. After the 7 minute discussion period, pass out the newspaper and tape. Inform the group they will now have 8 minutes to construct their bridge and, by the way, there will be no talking allowed during this 8 minutes.

At the end of 8 minutes, allow the groups 30 seconds to speak to each other and then an additional 3 minutes of SILENTLY work to complete their bridge. During this last work session, play the "William Tell Overture" (or other such music) loudly.

Call time and have one group at a time present their bridge. A spokesperson from each group will tell about their bridge and pass the pan under and put the jug on top. When the jug is put on top, all will count for 10 seconds. (This will be done for each group).

Processing/discussion questions:

• How did you work as a group?
• Which part was the most difficult?
• Did everyone participate in some way?
• Did you feel like you contributed to the group?
• Did you feel like you were part of the group?
• Was there one particular person that kept the ball rolling?
• Were there individuals who were particularly quiet?
• How was their quietness interpreted: agreement or disagreement?
• What influenced the type of bridge built by each group?
• Why were no two alike?
• How did communication or lack of it affect the work of the group?

What characteristics of teamwork became evident during this exercise?

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[i] http://www.firststepstraining.com/resources/activities/archive/activity_bridges.htm

Everyone lines up between two buckets. Each has his or her own cup and holds it over their right shoulder. The first person in line fills his cup, pours the water over his shoulder, and tries to get it into the cup of the person behind him without looking. Then the next person in line passes the water over his right shoulder until the last person gets the water in his cup and then dumps it in a bucket to see how much water actually made it through the line. Each team gets so many points according to how much water is in the empty bucket.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Write one name of a famous couple on an index card and the other name of the couple on another index card (i.e.: Mickey & Minnie; Ricky & Lucy; Lone Ranger & Tonto). Use as many couples as needed. Tape one of the cards to each person's back. By asking Yes or No questions, each person needs to guess who they are and then find their match.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Lay nine (or any odd number) one-square-foot pieces of paper on the ground in a line. Place eight team members on the squares with the middle square blank and the team members facing toward the middle. Half of the team members are firemen needing to rescue the victims from the burning building by switching places (those on the left need to switch places with those on the right and stay in the same order). People must face the same way the whole time. No one can pass someone facing the same direction as they are. A person can only go around one person at a time. A person must have an empty spot to stand on when they go around a person. No one can ever move backward. Only one person can move at a time. The team may begin again if needed.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Have the entire group sit in a large circle. They should be sitting close enough to close all of the gaps. One person should stand in the middle of the circle. This person is IT. IT calls out a statement that will distinguish certain members of the group like "everyone wearing green socks." Then everyone that was wearing green socks would get up and run to another spot in the circle that someone had vacated. You can not slide to an empty place next to you. Get up and move. IT also tries to get to an empty space. The last person to be standing is the new IT. At the end of the game bring everyone that has been IT more than once to the center of the circle. They need to perform! One of our favorites is "I'm a Little Teapot" with actions. Also try "Popcorn Popping".

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Description of Icebreaker Activity

Equipment: None.

Time: ~5-10 minutes

Brief Description : Fast-moving 5 min. group activity to get people together and focused. In a circle, right finger on next person's left palm. Try to grab a finger before yours gets grabbed.

Gotchya! (Grab the Finger or Cheese)

• Handy icebreaker and attention-grabber for kids thru corporate group programs.
• Stimulating group activity to get people together, focused, challenged, having fun and ready for action. Useful to get focused attention when people arrive, get off the bus, or to fill 5-10 minutes.
• Works with any size groups, indoor and outdoor.
• Participants stand in a circle, arms out to the side. Left hand palm up, right index finger pointing down and touching on neighbor's outstretched palm.
• "When I say the word go, do two things.... grab the finger in your left hand, and prevent your right finger from being grabbed... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... [add suspense] ... Go!".
• Repeat several times.
• Tom Leahy advises "put big energy, and your own style to it...it never fails to grab everyone's attention, bringing them immediately to the present...Provides perfect off the bus spark for the day....Good for 10 minutes".
• The trick is dramatizing the "Go!", the build up of suspense, and most will jump the gun, adding to the fun.
• Try a different trigger word, e.g., "Cheese", and mention lots of other "eeze" words for humor - peas, sneeze, wheeze, please and freeze.
• Or use the word/theme of the day e.g., "outdoor" to help get people listening to every word.
• Can transition to talking about "assumptions" and "temptation", etc.

Acknowledgement: This game was discussed by Tom Leahy, Mike Anderson and others on the ROPES discussion list, February, 2004.

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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/GrabTheFinger.html

Description of a team building exercise

Equipment

For each group:

• ~ 4 to 12 straws (number depends on desired difficulty)
• masking tape (amount depends on desired difficulty)
• fresh egg
• any other items for creating the egg package - can also add red herrings

Time

• ~30-45 minutes to build package
• ~15-30 minutes for Great Egg Drop
• ~15-45 minutes cleanup & debrief

Brief Description

Small groups design an egg package to save an egg from breaking when dropped. Plus a 30 second jingle to sell their package. Followed by the Great Egg Drop-Off.

Great Egg Drop

• Engaging small group activity (4 or 5) as part of larger group (e.g., 20 up to 100)
• Can be run as a competition between teams
• Task is to build a single egg package that can sustain a fall of 8ft (top of a supermarket shelf)
• Can be used to highlight any almost aspect of teamwork or leadership
• Lends itself to building a dramatic large group scenario/finale for the Egg Drop Off
• Can include the task of presenting a 30-second advert for the egg package. This increases the complexity of the activity.
• Lends itself to production line or project management metaphors

Variation Give no equipment - participants are to find natural materials from the local environment.

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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/GreatEggDrop.html

All group members form a circle, shoulder to shoulder, facing in. Then have the group turn to their left, and they will be looking at the back of the person in front of them. Now have the group take steps into the center of the circle until the circle is as tight as it can be. On the count of three have the group sit. The group together holds the weight of each individual. After that is accomplished, have the group take steps while still in the "sitting" position. Have the group begin with either their inside or outside foot. Count the steps so they can continue to improve. The group can walk either forward or backward.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

for fun, team building, & experiential learning Why Balloon Activities?

• Balloons - in one form or another - have fascinated human beings for centuries.
• Balloons are incredibly forgiving and help in building people's confidence.
• Balloons are fun, portable, and inexpensive.

Balloons add suspense to the atmosphere - there is a healthy sense of prolonged hope when playing with balloons! Conducting Balloon Activities

Balloon games can be used as party games, fun fillers, energizers, icebreakers, or for longer trust-building, team building, and therapeutic sessions. Create a unique sequence for your group, using these 40 balloon game descriptions as a guide.

• Time: 5 mins to 1 hour
• Location: Preferably inside. Balloons are susceptible to even the slightest wind which can be frustrating. Plus, there are fewer accidental balloon bursts inside.
• Equipment: Ideally, start with 2 to 3 assorted round 9 to 12 inch (medium to large) round latex balloons per person (deflated). The actual number needed depends on group size, the specific activity, and whether it involves bursting balloons. Sports equipment, permanent markers, and slips of paper are optional. To purchase the ideal balloons in bulk, see Balloon Activities Kit.
• Hygiene: Only one person inflates each balloon.
• Hyperventilation : Can occur following quick, deep breaths from the top of the chest when blowing up balloons, leading to a lack of CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) in the blood. Symptoms include lightheadedness. Encourage anyone experiencing this to sit down and to breath slowly.

BALLOON ACTIVITY	DESCRIPTION
Balloon History	Balloons - in one form or another - have fascinated human beings for centuries. Ask participants to guess who invented the modern balloon and when it was invented (Answer: In the mid-1800s by Michael Faraday). However, it wasn't until 1931 that there was mass production of modern-day blow-up-by-yourself colored latex balloons. To learn more about balloon history, see Balloon Industry Links.
Balloon Inflation	Each person blows up a balloon. Balloons work best for games at about 85% of inflation capacity. Keen participants often over-inflate which leads to higher burstage. Less confident participants may under-inflate. You can turn the ideal inflation into a game and demonstration. Show the ideal inflation and walk around coaching people. 85% inflation also allows a handy distance for tying a thumb-knot in the neck of the balloon. Some participants may need a hand to tie the balloon off - encourage cooperation amongst participants rather than doing it yourself.
Balloon Juggle & Sort	Challenge participants to keep all balloons (1+ per person) in the air. This gets the group moving and cooperating. Once they've got the hang of it, make it harder by adding in more balloons or placing restrictions e.g., no hands to keep balloons up. Ask participants to keep juggling the balloons, but to sort them into colors (works best with large groups).
Balloon Frantic	Two to three inflated balloons per person are needed and a stopwatch. Each person has a balloon, with the rest in a nearby pile. Everyone begins bouncing their balloons in the air. Every five seconds, another balloon is added. See how long the group can keep the balloons bouncing before receiving six penalties. A penalty is announced loudly (to create stress!) by the leader when a balloon hits the floor, or once on the floor, if is not got back into play within five seconds. The leader keeps a cumulative score by shouting out "one", "two", etc. When the leader gets to "six", time is stopped. After some discussion, the group tries to better its record with another attempt.
Catch the Balloon	A handy name game. Stand in a circle. Toss a balloon in the air and call someone's name. That person must catch the balloon before it touches the ground. If the person succeeds he/she then tosses the balloon up and calls the next name. A variation of Group Juggle.
Balloon Bop	An extension of Catch the Balloon. Now the balloon is not caught, but kept in the air. As well as calling out someone's name, also call out a body part which that person has to use to keep the balloon in the air until he/she calls another person's name and body part.
Balloon Blow	Divide into teams. Each team stands in a small circle. See which team can keep a balloon aloft the longest using only breath. Watch out for hyperventilation!
Balloon Help	Start off with everyone in a circle, facing inwards, hands behind back. The objective is for everyone to be in the center keeping all balloons afloat. Put between zero and three balloons in people's hands behind their backs. Participants should not let on to others how many they have. The leader starts by trying to keep three balloons afloat in the center. When it becomes difficult, the leader calls somebody's name and says "X, I need your help!". That person comes in with all their balloons and helps until it becomes difficult and then they call "Y, I need your help!". If a balloon falls on the ground, it must be picked up by someone in the center and kept afloat.
Balloon Finger Balance	Try balancing a balloon on the end of your finger. Have a competition to see who can do it for the longest. The balloon must not be held, only balanced, and it must not be tapped. The finger must be in direct contact with the balloon at all times. Good for focus, concentration and physical movement.
Balloon Ball Games	Ball sports take on a new dimension when a balloon is used instead, e.g., get people into pairs, 1 balloon between them. Get them to play a series of 1 on 1 sports e.g., soccer, volleyball, table tennis, etc. - add equipment if you want, but without equipment people will improvise wonderfully. On a soft surface there can be dramatic diving. Variation: Ask participants to play some points in slow-motion.

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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/gamesballoons.html

 

Description of a Team Building Exercise

Equipment

• 1 Thin long, light rod.

Summary

• Deceptively simple teamwork activity. Form two lines facing each other. Lay a long, thin rod on the group's index fingers. Goal: Lower to ground. Reality: It goes up!

Group Size

• 8 to 12 ideal, but can be done with 6 to 14

Time

Total time ~25 mins

• ~5 minute briefing and set up
• ~10-15 minutes of active problem-solving (until success)
• ~10 minutes discussion

Helium Stick

• Deceptively simple but powerful exercise for learning how to work together and communicate in small to medium sized groups.
• Line up in two rows which face each other.
• Introduce the Helium Stick - a long, thin, light rod.
• Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out.
• Lay the Helium Stick down on their fingers. Get the group to adjust their finger heights until the Helium Stick is horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.
• Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.
• The catch: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of fingers.
• Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted. Let the task begin....
• Warning: Particularly in the early stages, the Helium Stick has a habit of mysteriously 'floating' up rather than coming down, causing much laughter. A bit of clever humoring can help - e.g., act surprised and ask what are they doing raising the Helium Stick instead of lowering it! For added drama, jump up and pull it down!
• Participants may be confused initially about the paradoxical behavior of the Helium Stick.
• Some groups or individuals (most often larger size groups) after 5 to 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, believing it not to be possible or that it is too hard.
• The facilitator can offer direct suggestions or suggest the group stops the task, discusses their strategy, and then has another go.
• Less often, a group may appear to be succeeding too fast. In response, be particularly vigilant about fingers not touching the pole. Also make sure participants lower the pole all the way onto the ground. You can add further difficulty by adding a large washer to each end of the stick and explain that the washers should not fall off during the exercise, otherwise it's a restart.
• Eventually the group needs to calm down, concentrate, and very slowly, patiently lower the Helium Stick - easier said than done.

How Does it Work?

• The stick does not contain helium. The secret (keep it to yourself) is that the collective upwards pressure created by everyone's fingers tends to be greater than the weight of the stick. As a result, the more a group tries, the more the stick tends to 'float' upwards.

Processing Ideas

• What was the initial reaction of the group?
• How well did the group cope with this challenge?
• What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
• What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?
• What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses of the group?
• What did each group member learn about him/her self as an individual?
• What other situations (e.g., at school, home or work) are like the Helium Stick?

References

• Booth Sweeney, L. & D. Meadows (1996). The systems thinking playbook: Exercises to stretch and build learning and systems thinking capabilities. The Turning Point Foundation.
• Gass, M. A. (1999). Lowering the bar. Ziplines: The Voice for Adventure Education, Summer, 39, 25-27.
• Gass, M. A. (2001). Lowering the bar. In S. Priest & K. Rohnke (2001) 101 of the best corporate team-building activities. eXperientia.

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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/HeliumStick.html

Write on a small piece of paper a word and on another its opposite or match (i.e.: Salt/Pepper or Black/White). Have one paper for each group member. Distribute them to the group. At a signal, everybody starts trying to find their match by shouting out their word. Once done, mix up the words, redistribute, and play again.

http://ce.byu.edu/yp/youthconf/games/

Description of Icebreaker, Name Game, & Teambuilding Activity

Equipment: None.

Time: ~15-20 minutes

Brief Description : Standing in a circle, group members reach across and shake hands - use hand connecting to a different person.

The group then tries to unravel the "human knot" by unthreading their bodies without letting go of each other people's hands.

Human Knot

• a get-to-know-you icebreaker
• involves close physical proximity
• can be used as a name game
• helps a group learn about how to work together

can also focus on group understanding of communication, leadership, problem solving, teamwork, trust, persistence, etc.

Set up & instructions

· Be aware that the activity involves close physical proximity and touch potentially in sensitive places! It can be used as a first activity in an adventurous program with volunteers (e.g., the start of an Outward Bound program). However, if the program is less adventurous, or group members potentially will have significant problems with such proximity, e.g., due to culture, or social or psychological problems, then Human Knot could be introduced later in a program.

· Ideal group size is approximately 10, but it can be done with anywhere from about 7 to 16. Much higher or lower and the task doesn't really work. The more in a group, the more difficult the task, partly because of the complexity, and partly because there is physically less room to move.

· If there are two or more groups doing the task simultaneously, have the groups reasonably spaced out, so they don't feel distracted by a sense of competition.

· Ask participants to form a circle, shoulder-to-shoulder. Encouraging/urging participants to all stand closer can be a subtle way of helping to prepare them for what is about to come.

· Ask participants to each place a hand in the middle of the circle and to grasp another hand.

· To emphasize learning of names and get a bit of fun going, ask participants to introduce themselves to the person they are holding hands with.

· Then ask participants to put their other hand in the middle, grasp a different person's hand, and introduce themselves.

· Don't let participants let go of hands - some will be tempted to think the activity might then be over - but it is only just starting.

· Explain to participants that what you'd like them to do is untangle themselves, without letting go of hands, into a circle.

· There will be a mixture of reactions, often including nervous laughter, fun amusement, excitement, trepidation, strong suspicion that it can't be done, and others who may view the task as a somewhat sadistic or inappropriate joke. Often some group members will have done the task before, but this doens't really matter, each time the task is unique.

· Participants may change their grip so as to more comfortable, but they are not to unclasp and re-clasp so as to undo the knot.

· If you want name-learning emphasized, then explain that whenever the group is talking to someone, or about someone, that the person's first name must be used. This usually requires supervision and reinforcement by the instructor, but once enforced, is excellent for learning names. It also usually helps the group to work together and find solution, because their communications and more accurate with names involved.

· Stand back and see what happens.

· Be prepared to see little progress for quite some time (up to 10 minutes). However, once the initial unfolding happens, the pace towards the final solution usually seems to quicken.

· However, because each occasion is unique, there are also odd times when a very fast solution falls out - too easy. In such cases, you ask a group to try the task again - its usually a bit harder second time around. Occasionally, the task seems too hard and participants seem to make almost no progress. Let them struggle for about 10 minutes, then you can offer the group one unclasp and reclasp - they need to discuss and decide what unclasp-reclasp would be most useful.

· Most of the time a full circle falls out, but occasionally there are two or even three interlocking circles. So, really the task is to sort the knot out into its simplest structure.

Facilitator notes

· A switched-on facilitator can get a lot of information about participants in a short space of time with this activity. For this reason, the activity is commonly used in group-based selection processes for jobs which involve closely working with others.

· Stay at a moderate distance, allowing the group to handle the activity with feeling like they're being too closely observed; but maintain good hearing contact and be ready to step in to help answer questions or change the direction of the activity quickly when appropriate.

· Slowly wander around the circle, moving in and out as appropriate, e.g., if you want people to use names in every communication, then this needs to reinforced in a friendly, but firm way, several times.

· It is relatively easy to notice who's talking, who's not, who seems comfortable, who doesn't. Also note that sometimes the natural leaders are not in a good position to lead - do they try to dominate inappropriately or do they sit back appropriately and just do what they can. Sometimes, a new leader emerges from being in an opportune position in the knot. This can offer this person a significant boost. Also, almost everyone gets a positive sense of having played his or her part. Some people have difficultly enjoying the activity due to their uncomfortableness physically (e.g., obese, very tall, or inflexible people may find the activity particularly awkward).

· It is important to provide appropriate help if the activity proves too difficult. This might be encouragement that it can be done (some groups lack confidence and would give up too early), helping a couple of people communicate to find a solution to part of the knot, etc. Or this might be allowing an unclasp-reclasp. How much to give is a fine balancing act. The task should be challenging, but especially as an initial activity, it should give the group some initial confidence and momentum in being able to work together to solve problems.

Often this activity speaks for itself as an icebreaker. However, because it can be quite challenging, and people will often have been pulled in all sorts of directions (literally), be prepared to have at least a short debrief, e.g. by asking "How well did you think the group worked together?" and "What could have been done differently?" or "What do you think you've learned from this activity which can be applied in future activities?"

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[i] http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/HumanKnot.html