Telephone and Bullhorn Activity

short rope for each team

Define a play area at least 20 feet across or use a large room if inside.

Create groups of 6-15 scouts. Teams should have the same number members and keep patrols together if possible.

Have each team split in half with half the scouts going to each side of the play area. Team members should be spread out on each side. If you have 4 teams for example, they should be lined up on a side as 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4... The idea being that members of the same team are far apart.

Telephone
The leader of each team comes to the game leader and receives the directions of the game. The game leader either prints on paper or says the following directions so only the team leaders can hear. Tell them not to begin until you say 'GO':

Run to the center of the play area.
Tie a knot in a rope, yell a color, drop the rope.
Run to a team member on the other side of the room and tell that scout to do just what you did.
Say that the last scout on your team should run to the game leader and say 'Ring-ring-ring'.

Say 'Ready-Set-GO' and see how well the directions are followed and who finishes. Time how long it takes.

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Bullhorn
Using the same teams, have the team members get back in their starting positions. Then, give these directions to the team leaders:

Exactly half your team will each gather one sheet of paper or 12-inch stick and bring it to a location inside the play area.
The other half of your team will link arms in a circle in the play area, each scout standing on one sheet of paper or stick.
When your team is finished, raise both your arms.

Say 'Ready-Set-GO' and see how well the directions are followed and who finishes. Time how long it takes.

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Some things to discuss:

• What challenges were involved in the first task? In the second?
• Which went faster?
• Which took more work by the leader?
• Did one require more individual responsibility?
• An involved leader can organize and direct and keep teammates on track.

You could certainly make the tasks as complicated or simple as you want. Using different tasks and different leaders, this can be done every day if it's popular with a group.