It’s super fun, and only six materials are needed.
Around the start of this year, I really thought I had found all the effective training games I would ever need—but I was so wrong.
I tweaked an existing cotton ball challenge, swapping some steps and ending up with something even more effective and fun.
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The Cotton Ball Challenge is a fun and interactive game that encourages participant teamwork and collaboration.
This is the latest iteration, and the goal is for the participants to work together to complete various challenges using cotton balls, promoting effective communication and problem-solving skills.
Materials Needed:
- Cotton balls
- A large bowl or container
- Empty plastic cups or small containers
- A timer
- Blindfolds (optional)
- Notepad and pens (optional, for keeping scores)
Instructions:
Setup:
- Divide participants into teams of 3 to 5 members each. You can have as many teams as you like, depending on the size of the group.
- Place the large bowl or container in the center of the playing area.
- Arrange the empty plastic cups or containers in a circle around the bowl, ensuring there’s enough space between them.
- Have the cotton balls ready near the bowl.
- Set the timer for each challenge (usually 1 to 2 minutes per challenge).
How to Play:
- Each team will take turns performing a series of challenges using the cotton balls.
- A moderator (or a rotating member from each team) will read out the challenge and start the timer.
- The team members must work together to accomplish the given task within the time limit.
- The team that successfully completes the challenge gets a point.
Example Challenges:
- Cotton Ball Transfer: Each team must transfer as many cotton balls as possible from the large bowl to a designated container using a spoon held by one team member. No hands are allowed to touch the cotton balls.
- Blindfolded Cotton Ball Challenge: One team member is blindfolded, and the rest of the team verbally guides them to pick up and place cotton balls into a container.
- Cotton Ball Tower: Teams must build the tallest freestanding tower using cotton balls and empty plastic cups within the given time.
- Cotton Ball Relay Race: Teams line up, and each member must carry a cotton ball on a spoon while walking/running to a designated point and back, then pass the spoon to the next team member.
Collaboration Points:
- Encourage teams to communicate effectively, assign roles, and come up with strategies to complete each challenge.
- Award extra points for teams that demonstrate excellent teamwork, cooperation, and problem-solving skills.
Team Reflection:
- After completing all the challenges, gather all participants for a debriefing session.
- Have each team share their experiences, the challenges they faced, and how they collaborated to overcome them.
- Emphasize the importance of teamwork and how it contributes to achieving common goals.
Remember, the key to making this game successful is to maintain a positive and supportive atmosphere throughout the activity.
Don’t forget to celebrate the efforts of each team and highlight the significance of working together to accomplish shared objectives.
With 30+ years of experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, B.A., M.A., PGDip, founded Oak Innovation in 1995. Catherine received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s from University College Cork. She holds qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. She is completing a second Master’s from University College Cork. Since 1995, clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
