Activity: Unseen Guesses

In this activity, learners will learn to use verbal and non-verbal dialogue to support a team goal. They will also improve how to communicate effectively to overcome frustration.

What you need:

Blindfolds (x2) and random items from around the classroom (pencil, blocks, doll, book, cushion).

How to play:

• Organise the learners into groups of three.

• Give each learner a role: speaker, challenger, guesser.

• The speaker and guesser are blindfolded next to each other.

• The challenger chooses an object and must give it to the speaker to feel.

• The speaker must describe the object without naming it.

• The guesser has to guess what the object is.

The guesser can ask questions but the speaker can only answer with yes or no.

Swap roles and play again.

Key questions/reflection:

• Share one easy and one tricky thing about using descriptions to communicate what the object might be.

• (To the guesser) How did you feel when you could not understand the description?

• (To the speaker) What did it feel like to not be able to name the object?

• (To the challenger) How well do you think the speaker described the object? What would you change?

• What are you learning about communication?

Scale up/down:

The game can be made easier by having the guesser the only blindfolded party.

It can become trickier by using more abstract objects for describing or by limiting the number of questions.

Want to try this in your classroom?

Download the instructions for facilitating this activity below.

Want to try a similar activity?

In Relay Race learners will train how to communicate effectively as a team by using memory, collaboration and evaluation effectively.

Your tips and tricks!

How do you help your students to develop their dialogue skills?

Please share your best practice in the discussion field below.