http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tractv.

htm

Active Warm-up Activities for Recreation Therapy Groups

"Activities of a socially infectious nature, where stress is placed on cooperative, rather than the
competitive, aspects of some recreation activities, can be used to attract patients' attention and to
sustain their interaction. Very simple games played in a small group may serve to encourage
participation by making the patient feel an integral and necessary part of the activity." (O'Morrow,
The Whys of Recreation Activities for Psychiatric Patients, Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 3rd
quarter, 1971).
Rock Paper Scissor Congo Line
Size of Group: 10+
Equipment: Large enough area for everyone to walk around in, another option is to have some
background music.
Objective: Competition, Team Support, Socialization, and having Fun
Description: Each participant will start off with a partner in the group and they will go head to head
in a Rock, Paper, Scissor match. The competitor who lost the match will then join onto the back of
the winner and the winner will go searching for another competitor to try and beat with the cheering
support of their new partner behind them. After that match the competitor who lost, once again joins
the back of the winners Congo line to support the leader of the line and this will continue until it
comes down to the final two competitor to determine the ULTIMATE Rock, Paper, Scissor
competitor

Have You Ever?

Size: 5+
Equipment: None
Objective: Ice Breaker, energy burner, appropriate social interactions
Description: Procedure: Arrange group into a large circle with one person in the middle. The leader
will prompt with the phrase Have you ever ? The person in the middle will finish the phrase.
Example: Have you ever had candy bars for breakfast? Each of the people in the circle that has
done what the person in the middle has said (had candy bars for breakfast) will quickly exchange
places with someone else that has also done it. Whoever is left in the middle will finish the phrase
the next time. The game has no real end so you can play 2 or 20 times, it s up to you!

Zip, Zap, Zoom

Size: 6min. to 15 max.
Equipment: large room, and chairs
Objective: To allow patients the opportunity to socialize and get to know one another. To enhance
cognitive skills.
Description: 1. First you have to set up chairs in a circle. Leaving one less chair so one person will
always be in the middle.(example= musical chairs)
2. The leader will start off in the circle to get the game started. Explain that "Zap" is the person to
the left of them and "Zip" is the person to the right of them. "Zoom" is when everyone gets up and
switches chairs. (this will always leave one person in the middle) THey may not sit in the chair to
either side of them they have to completely change spots.
3. The person who is in the middle of the circle points to one person at a time and either says, ZIP,
Zap or Zoom. The person they say that too must know the persons name on both the right and left
1

http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tractv.htm

side of them. So they will have to socialize and ask each other's name in order not to get in the
middle. If they do not know the persons name then they go in the middle. ( 5 sec. hesitation rule
depending on population)
4. The person in the middle may also say Zoom to get out of the middle. everyone will switch chairs
and there will be a new leader in the middle.
5. Safety should be discussed first. Make sure that patients aren't hurting one another getting to a
chair.
--patients will love this warm-up game :) have fun !
Research Game
Group Size: 10 to 100
Objective: Warm-up, to break group up into two teams, for fun
Description: Indicate to the group that you are conducting research to determine.... (make up
something). Invite everyone in the group to the center of the room. Say, "If you are more like a
Cadillac, go to the right of the room. If you are more like a Volkswagen, go the left of the room."
Once the group is separated, invite everyone to look around to see who has shared interests and to
look across the room to see who has different thoughts. Have the group re-join in the center of the
room and repeat the activity with two different items.
Winter------summer
Pen---------computer
Soap Opera--cartoons
Pizza-------steak
Racing Car--antique car
Book--------movie
Lucy--------Charlie Brown
Make up your own opposing pairs.
For groups that are not mobile, invite the group to stand or sit... raise hand or lower hand.
Quick Link
Size of Group: 10 to ?
Focus: energizer, socialization, fun
Description: As the group leader shouts out "get into groups of fours," everyone quickly joins in a
group of four. At any time, even before the group of four is formed, the leader shouts out another
instruction. Examples: everyone with same color shoes, everyone with same color eyes, groups of
five, people born in the same month, people with same Zodiac sign, form a letter Z with groups of 3
people.
Expected Outcome: group cohesion, laughter, + feelings
Challenging Warm-up Activities
Hug of War
I will not play at tug o'war,
I'd rather play at hug o'war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
2

http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tractv.htm

And everyone wins.

-Shel Silverstein
Count Up!
This is a good activity for 6 to 10 people who have good cognitive abilities. The idea is for the
group to count to 10. Here are the rules for 10 people in the group:
Someone in the group starts out by saying "one"
The next person (at random) says "two." This continues until all 10 numbers are counted.
Once a person says a number, they are out of the current game.
If two or more people yell out the same number, the group must re-start the game.
If there 3 or 4 seconds passes between numbers, the group has to start over.
The group cannot setup a pattern or signal someone to say a number. The same person cannot start
the game each time. Participants take turn yelling out a number at random.
The group "wins" when they count from 1 to 10 successfully within the given rules.
If there are less than 10 participants, each person can say a number twice.
This is a lively game that is sure to induce laughter... and sometimes frustration if the group "don't
get it." More than likely though, they will succeed, resulting a great "hurrah!"
Dollar or Pencil Jump
Size of group: 1 to 10
Equipment: a dollar bill or a pencil or a sheet of paper the size of a dollar.
Focus: Getting the groups attention! Have you had a group where you can't get their attention or
that is disjointed? Try this challenge activity and warm up the group quickly.
Description: Lay down a dollar bill on the ground and challenge each person to jump over the bill
length wise. What makes the jump difficult is that the person must hold onto their toes with their
hands as they jump. They cannot let go of their toes as they jump. The individual who succeeds in
jumping the bill collects the dollar.
Quiet Warm-up Activities
"Activities.... help them (individuals with mental & emotional illness) reestablish constructive selfattitudes and restore self-confidence and a sense of security." (O'Morrow, The Whys of Recreation
Activities for Psychiatric Patients, Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 3rd quarter, 1971).

Two truths One lie

Size of Group: Any
Equipment/Supplies Needed: People
Activity/Treatment Objective or Expected Outcome: Learn more about the people in the group and
to break the ice in a tense group situation
Description of the Activity:The idea is to have everyone in the group think of two truths and one lie
to tell the entire group. Each person take turns telling a two truths and a lie in any ordr they choose.
Instruct individual not to be so obvious when telling the lie (like stopping to think about it too
long). Then the entire group has to try and guess which of the three is a lie. You get to learn
something new about people and at times people do laugh.
Pass the Face
Size: 5-15
Objective: get the group relaxed and allow them to feel ""silly"" with each other
3

http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tractv.htm

Description: This game is just like the game ""telephone"" but instead of passing a word or phrase
around you pass a facial expression. Get the group in a circle. Have everyone close their eyes
except the person who wants to pass the ""face"". The passer will tap the shoulder of the person
next to her, that person will open his eyes to receive the face. He will then tap the shoulder of the
person next to him and pass the face along. Once you have passed the face you may keep your eyes
open to watch it move around the group. At the end, the original passer receives the face from the
last person in the group and then shows what the original face was! This game ALWAYS gets
people laughing!
Newspaper in a Bag
Size: 4-12
Equipment: bag filled with newspapers.
Objective: To stimulate imagination, curiosity and improvisation and to help break ice in group
Description: Bag is passed around group. They can guess whats inside. Before its revealed they are
told that they may think that its something very boring, however their challenge is to make it into
something exciting. Group leader can begin. Newspaper can be crumpled, torn folded etc and
transformed into something such as a hat. Participants can mime the new item and others in the
group guess.
Modified Simon Says
Size: 8-12
Equipment: None
Objective: Group members learn the importance of paying attention when given instructions.
Description: Members sit in a circle. One member is selected to be the listener. A peer gives them
instructions of something silly to do or say and the member follows the directions. Then another
peer gives a direction to follow. The group member then completes the first instruction and then the
second instruction. This continues until the member is unable to remember which direction is next.
Then another member is selected and so on.
Relaxation Warm-Up
submitted by Melissa Cook of Center for the Disabled on December 31, 2003
Size: 2-8
Equipment: assortment of lotions, massagers (vibrating, hand-held, wooden, etc.), relaxing music
Objective: Lotion massage/sensory experience to help individuals become relaxed and focused prior
to participating in a structured group.
Description: Working with the disabled population, I find many times that when entering into a
therapy session, they are quite hyper-sensitive and unfocused. I find that these individuals need time
to sit and relax and become focused so that they can successfully participate in a program. Prior to
the structured activity, whether it be music, dance, etc., having individuals sit in a circle and
experiment with a variety of lotions and/or massagers for relaxation. Working 1:1 with individuals
giving them lotion to hands and arms while explaining to them what they will soon be doing with
the upcoming activity. I find this relaxation/sensory period help individuals, especially the disabled,
to become more focused and ready to participate in an activity as opposed to just jumping into
movement, instrument play, etc. This activity can also be used as a closing to any session, allowing
individuals to cool down and relax before leaving.
Circle Massage
Size of group: 6 to ? (if group size is smaller stand in single file)
4

http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tractv.htm

FOCUS: relaxation, touch, trust

Description: Have the group form a circle and face one direction. Instruct each person to place their
hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Each person then gives the person in front of
them a shoulder massage. Feedback to the massage giver (such as "that's perfect") is encouraged.
After a few minutes, the group does an about-face so that they are now massaging the shoulders of
the person who just gave them a massage.
This can be a lead up activity to discussions on relaxation, touch, and/or trust. This can also be an
end-of-group activity
The Web Game
Number of participants: 10-20
Supplies needed: large ball of yarn
Have patients arranged in a circle. Give one patient the ball of yarn. Have him state his name, and
state what goal he/she wants to accomplish in rehab. While they hold the end of the yarn with one
hand, they then throw the ball of yarn to another participant. That person then states his/her name,
states their goal and then holding the yarn in one hand, the other hand throws the ball of yarn to
another. This continues until everyone has a piece of the yarn and a "web" forms.
While everyone is still holding their yarn, the therapist will mention that it takes teamwork to form
this web. Then have 2-3 patients let go of their yarn, the web falls apart. The therapist then
mentions, that everyone needs to work together, support and encourage one another to accomplish
their goals.
THREE THINGS
This is a family favorite. It also teaches connection making skills and can assist with the transfer of
learning.
First the 'family' version:
1. The child comes up with three things (real or abstract) that they want in their story e.g. 'Father
Christmas', 'me' and 'a huge present'. You instantly tell a story with these three things in it.
2. Each child (approximately 3!) comes up with a 'thing' that really challenges the story-teller e.g.
'the dirt in my finger-nail', 'spending 100 million in a minute' and 'a really, really, really funny
ending'. You do your best! But when children get this 'clever' it's definitely time to turn the tables
(and let them enjoy story-telling)...
3. You come up with 3 'things' for the child (or children) to tell you a story about.
Now the 'professional' version:
1. Ask each individual to choose three different 'things' from the course that they want to remember
('things' they valued directly, or 'things' they valued indirectly because of what they learned as a
result). Ask each individual to describe these three different things to a partner in a way that brings
out similarities or connections.
2. Ask each individual to choose one high(ish) point from the course and one low(ish) point from
the course and then to imagine a situation six months ahead when they are facing a problem and
have a 'flashback' to the course. Ask each individual to tell a story (to the group or to a partner)
which brings these three 'things' together into one story. A more challenging variation is to ask each
person to write a 'future problem' on a piece of paper and put the 'problem' into a hat.
Each person in turn, draws a (random) problem and incorporates it into a story with the high and
low points they have already chosen.