Gotchya! (Grab the Finger)

Gotchya! (Grab the Finger or Cheese)
• Handy icebreaker and attention-grabber for kids thru corporate group programs.
• Stimulating group activity to get people together, focused, challenged, having fun and ready for action. Useful to get focused attention when people arrive, get off the bus, or to fill 5-10 minutes.
• Works with any size groups, indoor and outdoor.
• Participants stand in a circle, arms out to the side. Left hand palm up, right index finger pointing down and touching on neighbor's outstretched palm.
• "When I say the word go, do two things.... grab the finger in your left hand, and prevent your right finger from being grabbed... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... [add suspense] ... Go!".
• Repeat several times.
• The trick is dramatizing the "Go!", the build up of suspense, and most will jump the gun, adding to the fun.
• Try a different trigger word, e.g., "Cheese", and mention lots of other "eeze" words for humor - peas, sneeze, wheeze, please and freeze.
• Or use the word/theme of the day e.g., "outdoor" to help get people listening to every word.