Obstacle Valley

For participants to guide their blindfolded partner through the obstacle valley as quickly and safely as possible. Emphasizes communication and listening skills.

Materials

Blindfolds
Equipment to use as obstacles:
Beanbags (have a line of up and the participant has to step over them)
Pylons (create a circle of pylons and participants cannot step inside the circle)
Bench
Chairs
Gym Mats (participants have to crawl on the gym mat)
Skipping rope (participants have to step over the rope)

Framing

Have the equipment that is being used for the obstacle course prepared. Explain to the participants what each obstacles requires them to do. For example, if there is a circle of pylons, participants cannot step inside the circle. Have participants get into pairs.

Instructions

After the leader goes over what each object will mean in the obstacle valley, all participants will go to a different area with a leader and look away from obstacle valley.
Here, participants will decide which one in the pair is A and which one is B.
Each A will be given a blindfold to put on.
When they are doing this, another leader will be setting up obstacle valley.
When it is done being set up, the B partner will guide their blindfolded partner by holding their arm to the start of the obstacle valley.
During this time, the partner that is blindfolded should be listening carefully to their partner to be able to recognize their voice and practice following their instructions.
Remind participant B, that it is very important for them to communicate effectively, loudly and clearly to their partner.
Participant B will verbally guide their partner through obstacle valley, but they cannot step into the valley.
If a participant touches any of the obstacles, they have to go back to the beginning.
At this point, they can take off their blindfolds to get back, or their partner will come into the obstacle valley and guide them back to the start by holding their arm.
Once each participant gets to the end of the obstacle valley, the participants switch roles.
Leaders could wait until each participant has reached the end, and then have the participants go to an area where they cannot see the obstacle valley, so the leader can switch it up a bit.
Partners will return to obstacle valley, and this time partner B will be blindfolded.
OR just use the same obstacle valley.

Modify

Have all participants see the obstacle valley before being blindfolded.
Use different obstacles.
If a participant touches an obstacle, they continue, but if they hit 3 before reaching the end, then they have to start again. Or, if they touch an obstacle, they have to freeze and their partner has to run and touch a designated object before they can return and continue to guide their partner.
Challenge the “b” participants to consider how they would go about communicating with “a” participants who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Safety

Remind the participants guiding their partner, to warn participants when they are going to run into another participant.
Remind participants that are blindfolded to go slowly and keep their arms out.

Wrap-up

When all participants have gone through obstacle valley ask them to share what they found easy? hard? What their partner did that was helpful?
Did they communicate loudly and simply?
Did they find it easy to trust their partner to guide them through the obstacle valley?
Emphasize the importance of communication and trusting your partner.

Obtained from: http://activeafterschool.ca/activities/obstacle-valley