Getting to know each other and cooperation game
Key moment is on the one hand a method to get to know each other. Inspired by a randomly drawn motif, the players remember a special event from their lives. They can share this memory with the group in the form of a story. The group puzzle that is then placed together is an ideal cooperative task in which everyone can participate. The method is thus divided into two parts, a storytelling part and a game part. A game leader in the usual sense is not required.
The puzzle comes in a cotton bag with the solution to the game printed on the front. The game instructions can be downloaded here.
Variations
Many variations are possible in the game and story parts. Here are some suggestions:
Time Limit: The story should have happened in the last 5 years, for example.
Future: The story should be a wish that is yet to come true.
Typical: The chosen pictogram represents something typical of the narrator, e.g. a hobby, a passion, a characteristic, …
Lying Baron: The listeners are asked to guess whether a story is true or a lie.
Neighbor: The neighbor determines the symbol to which a story is to be told.
Silence: A ban on talking can be imposed during the puzzle.
Attention: While telling the story, you made sure that everyone only sees his or her puzzle piece? Then you can test the memory of the group. To do this, collect all the pieces of the puzzle and lay them out on a table in an unordered way so that everyone can see them. Now the pieces are to be reassigned to their original owners without them saying anything about it. Reasons should be given for each assignment. (e.g.: “There is a cutter knife on this puzzle piece. I think it belongs to Anna, because she told me that she met her boyfriend in a carpet store.”)
History and goal
“Key Moments” was developed for international youth encounters (Ecumenical Youth Services – international work camps), because in linguistically, culturally and/or denominationally mixed groups, initial language barriers can be bridged through pictorial and playful elements. However, the puzzle can just as well be used in work with children, in adult education and in work with seniors.
Description
Actors: (min./opt./max.): 2 / 10 / 20
Target group: For linguistically, culturally and/or denominationally mixed groups, 8 years and older
Story time: 1-3 minutes per person
Puzzle time: approx. 10-20 minutes
Number of puzzle pieces: 123 inspiring motifs on 25 puzzle pieces
Puzzle dimensions: 40 x 40 cm
Material: 5 mm birch plywood
Feedback from users about the puzzle
- “We used the puzzle as a starting point for our planning day. This way of getting into conversation with each other was perceived as very positive by “old” as well as “new” employees.”
- “The “Key Moments” game has been used several times in our church:
– At an international youth meeting with young people from the age of 13. We used the game as an introduction to get to know each other. It was very well received, precisely because it doesn’t necessarily require language to communicate, but the pictures on the puzzle pieces say a lot.
– In the confirmation group, also as a game to get to know each other on the first evening of the confirmation camp – there the language was not a barrier, but here too we were able to use it profitably and the confirmands first introduced themselves in pairs using the game, and then introduced their game partner to the group.
– At the church retreat we used the game with seniors. Again, it was exciting because we related the game to the question “What do you associate with our church community?”-the symbols encouraged storytelling. The seniors were the most patient “puzzlers” compared to the youth 🙂 I was amazed that it is not that easy to put the puzzle together.- What I really appreciate about the game is that it can be used in so many ways (even in different age groups).” - “We had the puzzle with us during the youth exchange in Papua New Guinea and also left it on site. It was well received by the youth.”
Cost
Expense allowance: 8,50 Euro
Order
AEJ: News
E-mail bestellungen@aej-online.de
or
EYS
E-mail workcamp@akd-ekbo.de
Reordering individual puzzle pieces
If a puzzle piece is lost, it can be reordered from the Ecumenical Youth Services.
(Costs: 1,50 Euro/part plus shipping costs)
Author & Designer Moh Portuondo Alvarez
Made in Bethel Foundation proWerk wood spectrum – workshop for people with disabilities
In cooperation with the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Evangelischen Jugend in Deutschland e.V. (aej)
