Milling to the Music

Friends & Mentors
Friends & Mentors
Feeling & Expressing
Feeling & Expressing
Music
Music

This activity is a relaxing and non-judgemental way to get to know our peers and selves.

Materials

  • Music and a music player

Framing

This activity is a relaxing and non-judgemental way to get to know our peers and selves. By incorporating music, participants will match the energy level of the music, providing both a distraction from a tough day and a way to manage stress.

Instructions

  1. Instruct your participants to spread out around the room. While music is playing, participants will “mill” to the music by walking around in a neutral fashion.
  2. When the music stops, pose a question to the group, which participants are to share the answer to with the person that is closest to them.
  3. Allow a few minutes for the pairs to ask and answer the question.
  4. Restart the music, signalling the participants to “mill” to the music again.
  5. Play through several rounds. In term of posing questions, freedom is left up to the facilitator, although questions should connect to the theme of the main activity or skills intended to be taught.

Modify

  • Experiment with how the group reacts to different types of music before answering questions.

Safety

  • There are no foreseeable safety concerns.

Wrap-up

After ending the activity, reconvene for a brief reflection by posing to them some questions like:

  • Does anyone else share the same hope as you? Fear?


Submitted by Osgoode Youth Association. Originally sourced from the University of Minnesota. “Quality Matters Toolkit.”