Additional Props: Magic Marker

Have your group stand in a circle and link themselves together by either holding hands or putting arms around shoulders. Now have the group name the different behavioral traits the group will have to exhibit during the day to make it a successful one. Come up with a list of 5 to 10 items (such as “working together, not fighting, speaking up, sharing”). The Group Leader writes one of these things on a balloon with a marker and tosses it into the center of the circle. The goal for the group is to stay connected and keep the balloon from hitting the ground. most common way to do this is to kick the balloon in the air. The Group Leader then asks if someone in the group would like to monitor that particular behavior for the day. Hopefully a player volunteers to do so. Then, while the group is still kicking that balloon around, the Group Leader writes another trait on a balloon and tosses that one into the circle. group must keep that one in the air as well as the first one. Then, the Group Leader leads the group in a discussion about that particular trait, and someone volunteers to keep an eye on that one during the day. The Group Leader continues adding balloons until the group can no longer keep them all in the air. The group makes several attempts at that particular number of balloons and if successful more are added. Once the group has reached their maximum number of balloons, the game stops. Once the game stops three important things have happened. Number one: the group has worked together to accomplish a goal. Number two: the group discussed the ways the group will have to behave in order to have a successful day. Number three: individuals in the group have taken the responsibility to monitor those behavior traits during the rest of the day. This gives the Group Leader a convenient way to reflect upon the rest of the day with the group by checking in with those individuals who are monitoring the traits (“So, Carol, how did the group work together during that last activity?”).