Energizer: Who is the leader?

Energizer steps

Step 1

Warm up: Bring adolescents together in a circle, facing toward the middle.

Step 2

Facilitator says: “Today you are the team and I am the coach. But instead of telling you what to do I’m going to show you what to do. Watch me and try to make the same movements I make. When I change to a new movement, try to change with me as quickly as possible.”

Step 3

Demonstrate: Make a series of movements with your body. Continue each movement for a few seconds, so that adolescents have a chance to watch and follow. 
Examples of movements include: Wave both hands over your head, reach down to touch your toes, stand on one foot with your toe pointing toward the circle.

Step 4

After a few minutes of practice with you as coach, ask the adolescents to volunteer as the coach and to take turns leading the rest of the circle in different movements. Do this a few times with adolescents as coach.

Step 5

Facilitator says: “Now I want to ask one adolescent to be a brave volunteer. Your job will be to guess who is the coach, just by watching us.”

Step 6

Choose a volunteer and ask them to leave the activity space for a moment, or to turn around and cover their eyes.

Step 7

Choose another adolescent to be the new “coach.” The adolescents in the circle should begin to follow the new coach’s movements. As they continue, ask the volunteer to come back to the circle. The volunteer should try to guess who the coach is, guessing as many times as they need to find the right person.

Repeat the activity as many times as the adolescents want. Each volunteer can choose the next volunteer, and each coach can choose a new coach.