Group Size: 1 to 50 (8 to 15 participants per train)
Time Needed: 10 to 15 minutes
Goal: To give participants an opportunity to experience different perceptions in communication
Audience: Children, Teens, Couples, Parents, Singles
Special Considerations: This activity can also be done with more than one row of people and made into a competition to see which row draws the fastest and most accurate.
Resources Needed:
- Two sheets of paper per train
- Markers
- Chairs
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Participants line chairs up in a row, one behind the other.
- Draw a picture on paper and show to the last person in each row. Allow them 15 seconds to really study the picture.
- When you say “go,” the last person in each row, using his finger only, “draws” the picture on the back of the person in front of him. No one is allowed to talk during the process.
- Everyone in the row does this until the first person in the row has received the drawing on his/her back. The first person then draws the picture with markers on a sheet of paper.
- Drawings are then held up and compared.
Tips for Discussion and Processing
Discuss individual perceptions and intent. State that often times, the message sent is not the message received. When doing this as a competition, it will usually be messier and less accurate – relate this to the lack of attention to detail when rushing through things.
Note: These activities can be modified to reflect a variety of skills.