Reboot Time Group Activity

Reboot is an Interactive experiential group exercise that encourages critical-thinking

Benefits of Reboot Time Group Team Building Activity 

• Provides players with a challenge
• Very interactive
• Energizer
• Encourages collaboration
• Critical-thinking
• Can be done in small spaces

Required resources for Reboot Time 

• Timer 
• 7 metres of rope per group 
• Spot number markers for each player per group 

How To Play Reboot Time Group Team Building Activity

To begin, lay the rope on the floor in the form of a circle. Take the numbered spot markers and place randomly inside of the circle, as many markers as there are people. So, if you have 10 players, you will have ten numbered spot markers on the floor.

Gather the group and explain to them, they have to work there way through an invisible maze. The only thing visible is the marked numbers on the floor. Each person must find their way through the maze, as quickly as possible.

Have each player move from standing outside the circle, to inside the circle, each choosing a random number to stand on. Once all the markers have somebody standing on top, this is the queue to begin.

Each player must then move to another spot, always in ascending order. For example, if somebody began on the number 8, they will have to move to 9,10, and keep moving 1,2,4,5, until they reach their number (8) again.

There are a few rules, which include:

• Nobody is allowed to touch another player while moving through the maze.
• No players are allowed to step outside the circle during the activity.

Players are not allowed outside the circle, but they can step anywhere inside the circle, in order to help them discover their next move. Everybody must find their way back to their number they started with, only then is everybody allowed to leave the maze.

To make it more challenging, there is a time limit, which begins when the first players enter the maze and stop when the last player leaves the maze (circle). Give the group enough time to strategize and plan their moves.

You can give the group a total time of about 20 minutes. Within this time, give the group at least 2 or three chances to complete the task. Each time make sure to time the group and then choose the attempt that was the fastest.

Remember to include time for reflection, ensure the group can process their experience and understand how to better their problem-solving skills and improving their teamwork skills.

Contextual Framing Ideas

Imagine you are a group of archaeologists searching for a long-lost artefact inside the tunnels of a great pyramid. You have to negotiate through an invisible maze in order to reach the burial tomb.

You might come across a few problems, but hopefully, you can work out the steps needed to reach your destination, which has to be done in a particular order. Let’s see if you can do it the first time around…

Step-by-Step Instructions for Reboot Time Group Team Building Activity

• Prepare beforehand by laying the rope onto the floor forming a circle.
• Gather together some spot markers, enough for each person in the group.
• Randomly place the markers into the circle, numbers clearly visible.
• Instruct all group members to enter the circle and stand on a numbered marker.
• Each player must now move through the maze by stepping on each marker, in ascending order.
• For example: if a player begins on marker 6, they will then have to move forward to the next marker 7,8,9,10 (if there are 10 players altogether), then move onto 1,2,3, until they reach their own number again. In this case, the person must reach marker 6 again.
• When a player has moved through the maze and stood on all the markers and made their way back to the number they started with, they can leave the circle/maze.
• Encourage the group to complete this task as precisely and as fast as they can.
• Take note: Players are not allowed to touch each other and cannot step out of the circle or maze during the game. Players can touch or step anywhere within the circle.
• Allow about 20 minutes to play the game, within which they should attempt the task 3 or 4 times. They should try to complete the task successfully and with the fastest time.
• Give the group enough time to strategize and plan their moves.

Facilitators and Leadership Tips

One of the main objectives of this activity is to record the fastest time. In doing this, you might find that some group members can become a bit too enthusiastic and may bump into fellow members. To help prevent this, before beginning, inform everyone to perform the task with ‘pigeon steps’. In other words, they must move to each marker heel to toe. This will slow things down as well as provide a more challenging game.

You can decide if you wish to add penalties, for example, if a player steps outside of the circle. If this does occur, you can consider adding a few seconds to the teams overall time.

As with many activities, is sometimes difficult for a facilitator to monitor everybody at the same time. This is where the group can step in and have the responsibility of monitoring themselves. Of course, you should also keep observing and manage the group as you see fit.

The circle should be small enough and the markers close enough to each other so that nobody has to jump between markers. This could pose a safety issue if somebody does decide to jump around, so just keep an eye on the group.

Debriefing and Reflection Strategies

Here are some questions to ask the group, which will help them to process their experience of playing the game ‘Reboot Time’

• Did you observe anything that caught your attention while playing the game?
• What was the biggest challenge as a group?
• What was the biggest challenge as an individual?
• What was the group’s process when it came to deciding on a plan of action? Did you find everyone working together or separately?
• When the group had to monitor themselves, how would you rate the group’s performance as a whole? 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.
• Do you think it is important to have integrity, truthfulness and honesty?
• Is it okay to take shortcuts or cut corners on a project? When do you think this becomes unacceptable?
• Is there a life lesson to be gained from playing this game, that you can apply to the group?

Variations of Reboot Time Group Team Building Activity

• Move together: Have everyone move at the same time. To make this a bit easier, allow them to move and be able to step onto a spot anywhere in the circle, an area that is close to the next marker. Everyone should be able to land directly on a marker, on their second attempted move. Encourage all players to move and stand on their next marker together.
• Aim for a target: Have the group set a target time before they begin. The group must try and improve on this time each attempt.
• To the beat: Have the group move at the same time, as above. In this variation, they must move together with a beat. Everyone lands on their marker at the same time with each beat. You can get an actual metronome to keep the rhythm or simply clap your hands to a 2-second beat.