G. Evening Activities

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G.18. Knots

This is an excellent fun game for a crystallizing group, and provides some good opportunities to observe initiatives and encourage them to cooperate, as they form and then attempt to unravel a human knot.
Note:
If you ever want to get out of this, make sure that no one holds both hands with the same person, or holds the hand of a person right next to himself or herself!

To form the knot, stand in a circle, shoulder-to-shoulder, and place your hands in the center. Now, ask everybody to grab a couple of hands (different people; not a neighbor's). It might take a bit of switching around to get the knot tied right. (If they have too much trouble getting this part together, they might want to quit, before attempting the rest of the game!).

Now comes the true test. The leader will probably notice that there are two basic approaches to untangling the knot:
- The Activists dive right into the problem – under, over and through their teammates – hoping they’ll hit upon the solution.
- Instead, they might well hit upon one of the Analysts, firmly rooted, hands locked in a dignified tableau, carefully surveying the situation before instructing each player precisely where to move and in which order.

Since they're all in the same tangle together, they'll need to come to some agreement as to which approach to follow. (Note: pivoting on handholds without actually breaking one's grip will add a lot of grace and eliminate the need for a chiropractor!)
When at last the knot is unraveled (hurrah!), they will find themselves in one large circle or, occasionally, two interconnected ones (amazingly!).

Every once in a while, an Analyst will discover the one tangle which prevents the knot from resolving itself. At this point, no other remedy being possible, an Activist is allowed administer emergency “knot-aid” (a momentary break in hands) so that the leader can get on to the next game.

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G.19. Prui Prui

This is a very gentle, fun crystallization game that speeds up as it goes.

Everyone stands in a group, closes their eyes, and starts milling about, looking for the Prui, who doesn't talk. Explain all the rules about seeking and joining up with the Prui.

When players bump into someone, they should shake his/her hand and ask, “Prui?” once.
If the other person asks “Prui?” back, then he or she has not found the Prui. [If there is no answer, the person is to repeat the question, to make sure.]
Keeping their eyes closed, each person moves on and finds another person to ask.

When everybody is bumping about, shaking hands, with strains of “Prui? Prui? Prui?” floating around the crowd, the leader whispers to one of the players that s/he is the Prui and how to play to the end.

The Prui is a sighted person, s/he opens his/her eyes, but must remain mute.
When someone bumps into him or her, and shakes their hand, asking gently, "Prui?" there will be no response. If this happens, players should ask a second time, to make sure: “Prui?” If there is still no answer, Eureka, the player has found the Prui at last!

Now the finder can open his or her eyes – becoming part of the Prui, too, and holding the Prui’s hand. When someone bumps into the new partner, s/he can shake with whichever hand is free, but not respond to the question. That’s how the Prui grows!

Players can only shake the Prui’s hand at either end, so if a player bumps into two clasped hands, he or she will know that the Prui is somewhere in the middle. To join the Prui, he or she should feel their way to the end of the group.

Soon enough, everybody’s happily holding hands, except one or two lost souls groping their way along the line of bodies. When the last stray joins up and opens his/her eyes, the smiling Prui usually breaks the silence by letting out a spontaneous cheer.

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G.20. Laughing Chain

For relaxation in a happy atmosphere, this is an activity that can keep group members connected in a busy evening when they have been doing things separately - and especially towards the conclusion.

Have the group lie on the floor so that each person’s head is on another’s stomach.
Tell the person at the top of the chain to begin laughing.
Watch the laughter spread.

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G.21. Musical Hat

With the group seated in a circle, a hat is passed (quickly) or thrown from hand to hand. At a given signal from the leader, whoever is holding the hat has to sing a song.
All sorts of additions to this game are possible.
If the group comes from a variety of countries they should sing one of their national songs; if they do not know each other well, they could choose to sing a song which they think describes their personality in some way.
After a verse (or a few lines only for the more shy participants) the whole group should join in the song – or learn it if it is unfamiliar to them.
After each song, the hat is rotated again.

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G.22. Catch the Dragon's Tale

Choose a good-sized area for this event, clear of obstacles, such as trees.
About eight to ten people line up, one behind the other. Now everyone puts their arms around the waist of the person in front. The last person in line tucks a handkerchief in the back of his or her belt.
To work up steam, the dragon might want to let out a few roars!
At the signal, the dragon begins chasing its own tail, the object being for the person at the head of the line to snatch the handkerchief. The tricky part of this epic struggle is that the people at the front and the people at the end are clearly competing – but the folks in the middle aren’t sure which way to go.
When the head finally captures the tail, who’s the victor and who’s the defeated? Everyone! The head dons the handkerchief and becomes the new tail, while second from the front becomes the new head.

Variation:
Two dragons trying to catch each other’s tails is formidable – and also a great game.

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G.23. Story Chain

This game can be used very effectively for creating a particular mood within the group, as preparation for an activity.

The leader should start to tell a story – with a dramatic opening, if the group is full of energy - or a quieter, more descriptive start, for the end of the day’s activities.
After a few lines, a member of the group continues the narration, until everyone has had a turn and the story is concluded.

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