Chinese Telephone Game

On Friday, we did a few team building exercises in the off-ice session. We did the usual exercises including some communication challenges like the telephone game. However, I learned a new and quite fun version of the telephone game.

I am sure you have all heard of the telephone game, but for those of you who might not, you line up everyone in a row and whisper a phrase into the first persons ear. They pass the message down the line trying retain all the information. Inevitably, information gets lost as it is passed and the last phrase can be quite funny when compared with the first.

Well, the Chinese girls have a different version of the game which is even more humorous. It is the same concept, but without talking, like a combination between telephone and charades. Everyone turns their back to the front of the line. The first person selects a person or thing to describe and can only use gestures to do it. Then, it gets passed down the line in gestures only. It gets funny when the next person can not get what the charade is describing so she simply tries to mimic the gestures to the next person. It quickly deteriorates after the first person misses something. The interesting difference between this and the telephone game is that each girl who has already gone gets to watch the “message” get passed down, most laughing so hard they can’t stand up. Also, you get to see how the message gets lost as it is passed from person to person.

The girls had quite a bit of fun with the day and played their version of the telephone game long after we had finished the rest of the challenges. The human knot was quite a challenge with 20 players.

It was a relaxing day off, now back to work preparing for the final three games. From a foggy, misty Finland, frisbee golf anyone? Good night!