Keep on Track 

EnTeam Physical Game

Purpose 

For players to work together as a team and balance ping pong balls across multiple tracks as many times as possible through teamwork, communication, and strategic planning. 

Requirements 

  • Time: 30 – 45min
  • Number of Players: 2 or more
  • Age range: ~7 years old and older 
  • Space: A large room or outdoor space for rows of 6 players maximum
  • Equipment: Ping pong ball and track 
  • Prerequisites: None 

How to Play 

  1. Divide participants in teams of no more than 6. 
  2. Give each player one track. 
  3. Each team will have a ball at the designated starting point and a bag to collect the ball at the designated ending point. 
  4. Each team will move the ping pong ball across the tracks and into the bag without falling on the floor as many times as possible in 3 minutes. 
  5. The bag cannot be moved from the end point and you cannot change the starting point designated by the facilitator. 
  6. After the 3 minutes, gather the group and debrief. 
  7. Repeat the sequence and try to get a higher score!

Rules 

  1. Touch the ball only when you start the relay or restart.
  2. When a ball is on your track, your feet must not move.
  3. Everyone must have turns rolling a ball.
  4. You may not let the ball or track touch the floor.
  5. Your hands may not touch anyone else’s track.
  6. You may not move the bag or change the starting point.
  7. If any rule is broken, return the ball to the start of the tracks and start over.

Scoring

  • Teams receive one point each time their ball goes in the bag. After each game, add all the scores from all teams together.
  • Everyone wins if the combined score increases each time you play. Everyone loses if the combined score doesn’t increase.

Debrief Questions

The purpose of debriefing is to develop strategies that will improve your performance and to recognize how these lessons apply to everyday life. To facilitate a successful debrief, facilitators must observe participants and ask engaging questions that spark thoughtful reflection. If we don’t debrief, we don’t learn!

What happened?

What did you see? What did you hear? What was the score?

What worked? What didn’t work?

How did people feel? What issue(s) came up? What issue(s) remain?

So what? 

What did we learn?

How does this experience relate to other experiences?

Why are we doing this? How is it relevant to us? 

Now what? 

How could we improve our score in this activity?

How can we work together better?

How could we apply lessons learned outside of the game? 

Digging Deeper 

  • Did anyone feel reluctant to share strategies?
    • Why? Are you still in a win-lose mindset?
    • If we are trying to improve collective achievement, who are you benefitting when you withhold strategies from other teams?

Debrief Chart (PDF)

Keep on Track Game Packet (PDF)

ALL GAMES

Pictures from the game