Knot game
Work together on a shared untangling problem.
10 minutes · 10 - 20 people per playing group; larger sessions may split into groups
Use this activity in the Studio →Source timing: 10 minutes. The range above is given by the source. Source group guidance: 10 - 20 people. This describes the playing group, not a maximum attendance for the whole event.
Intention / Goal
Work together on a shared untangling problem.
Materials
Open floor space
Facilitator & access notes
The source calls for physical contact and complex movement. Keep out of automatic selection; this adaptation explicitly prioritises stopping and releasing over the original no-release rule.
How to facilitate it
- Use the knot challenge only after discussing touch, mobility and ways to stop.
- Invite a willing group to form a linked-hand arrangement without forcing anyone into an uncomfortable position.
- Ask participants to communicate and explore how to untangle, releasing hands whenever comfort or access requires it.
- End with a reflection on coordination rather than whether the knot was solved.
Reflection prompts
- Notice: What did this activity reveal about how we work together?
- Carry forward: What would you like to try next?
Credit & lineage
Seeds for Change (documented version; original creator not established).
Concise original Playformation facilitator wording based on the Seeds for Change guide. Consent/access alternatives and estimated planning defaults are identified; this is not a claim of original authorship.
Anti-copyright: you may copy, adapt, use and distribute this adapted entry, provided the resulting work remains anti-copyright. Source: https://seedsforchange.org.uk/resources
Seeds for Change facilitation tools PDF, page 58 ↗
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