Mouse TrapTeam Building Activity

Materials:

• Large rope (jump rope)
• Processing questions

Group’s Objective:

• Get all team members through the mousetrap by breaking a code

Facilitation:

1. Choose one person to help be the mousetrap – they will twirl the rope with you
   • If there is someone who jumps in with answers/suggestions right away, they are good person to have help
2. Instruct the group that they are all mice attempting to get to some sweet, sweet cheese on the other side of the mouse trap. 
3. The group needs to get everyone through the trap. It is only then that the cheese is released.
4. The group needs to figure out and go through the trap in a specific pattern.
   • Give the example of male, female, male, female
   • Patterns may include running through the trap and may include jumping in the trap
5. If anyone touches the mousetrap or they go through in the incorrect order, the trap resets and everyone must return to the original side and start over.
6. Code examples:
   • Numbers off People:
     • 1 person, 2 people, 3 people, 4 people, etc.
     • 1 person, 2 people, 1 person, 2 people, etc.
   • Number of Jumps:
     • 1 person-1 jump, 2 people-2 jumps, 1 person-1 jump, etc.
     • 1 jump, 2 jumps, 3 jumps, 1 jump, 2 jumps, 3 jumps, etc.
   • Based off Individuals:
     • First floor, second floor, third floor, etc.
     • Alphabetically by First Name
     • ROYGBIV shirt order

Processing Questions:

• What made this activity easy for our group?
• What made this activity difficult for our group?
• How did the group decide on the pattern?
• What did it feel like when the group messed up?
• If you were to tackle a similar activity again, what do you think we could do differently as a group?
• What word comes to mind when you think of completing this activity?