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Walk & Stop

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Four people moving about an area with one person saying Stop as part of energiser Walk & Stop

Walk & Stop

Active game to inspire good listening & reflex skills.

  • Simple, but not easy
  • Develops communication
  • Sharpens listening skills
  • Focus on integrity
  • No props

Step-by-Step Instructions

This energiser is a fun, interactive way to get your group moving and thinking on their feet. It boosts energy levels, sharpens focus, and enhances group dynamics, making it the perfect warm-up before any meeting or session. Reversing commands and changing instructions encourages quick thinking and adaptability, challenging participants to break out of their usual thought patterns. Whether aiming to increase energy or simply liven up the room, Walk & Stop does it all while keeping everyone engaged and connected.

  1. Invite your group to spread throughout a large open space.
  2. Instruct your group to walk when you say “WALK” and to stop walking when you say “STOP.”
  3. Issue a series of these two commands, in any order, for 20 to 30 seconds to help your group practice responding.
  4. When ready, announce that you will now swap the meaning of these commands, so “WALK” means stop walking and “STOP” means to walk.
  5. Challenge your group and each individual to continue to be as accurate and as fast as possible responding to each command.
  6. When ready, announce two new commands :
    – “NAME” invites everyone to say their own name out loud; and
    – “CLAP” invites your group to perform one simultaneous clap.
  7. Practice these two new commands together with “WALK” and ”STOP.”
  8. Finally, announce you will swap the meaning of the last two commands, eg when you call “NAME” everyone claps and vice versa.
  9. Continue playing for several minutes, and/or try a variation.

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Contributor

Add your Comments...

Have you played this activity? What worked, what didn't work? What type of group? Do you have useful advice for other users? Do you know a fun variation?

Comments (7)

  1. Amy Beaulieu

    question – when you get to the step to add in Name, and Clap – do you keep the Stop and Walk in the reverse form still?

    or do you resume Stop means Stop. Walk means walk. And then add in Name and Clap?

    At any point are all four labels mixed up in one round of 30 seconds . . . as in Stop = Walk. Walk = Stop. Name = Clap. Clap = Name. ?

    Reply
    • Mark Collard

      Amy, in short, yes. Yes, I keep building on the earlier commands (in whatever form) each time I add new commands. And Yes, by the time I have introduced all six commands, everything is in reverse.

  2. Silvio Berlfein

    I have done this activity many times and I frame it as an activity talking about adapting to change and how something so simple can be complex, but even though it is difficult at first we slowly get better as we go. For advanced groups I add Jump and Spin to the other 4.
    Great activity.. THanks Mark

    Reply
    • Mark Collard

      Thanks for sharing Silvio. And I love your adaptation. Keep up the fun.

  3. David Piang-Nee

    great activity to look in the light of assumption of knowledge and relearning new skills or environments and playing with meanings.. When meanings are changed or we enter a new environment or learn a new skill, it takes time to adjust and this activity can demonstrate this quite well. lots of fun and super confusing as you add more layers..

    Reply
  4. Sean de Morton

    This is such an awesome session particularly for concentration and the importance of decision making in sport.

    Reply
  5. rajeshramkumar

    Mark, I tried this, this is an excellent activity , especially as an ‘in betweener’… would need a PA system though for a larger group….

    Reply

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