Step-by-Step Instructions
This problem-solving team activity creates a physical challenge that requires collaboration and clear communication to succeed. Human Knot encourages groups to work together as they attempt to untangle themselves from an interconnected puzzle without breaking hand connections. Perfect for team-building workshops, classroom settings and corporate training events seeking no-prop activities with high engagement. The hands-on nature of this exercise develops spatial awareness, creative thinking and patient problem-solving while promoting physical cooperation in a fun format.
Human Knot – Problem-Solving Team Activity
- Form a tight circle with everyone facing into the centre.
- Instruct each person to extend one of their arms in front of themselves and then grab the hand of another person opposite them in the circle.
- Repeat this process with the other arm, grabbing the hand of a different person.
- When ready, group members aim to untangle themselves, without ever letting go of their partner’s hands.
- Continue to free as many people from the tangle until one or more circles are produced, or until the group agrees it cannot proceed any further.
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Great for fun or as an initiative. Always generates some laughs as well as communication amongst the team.
If this is a new group, this would be an activity I would run later on when people are more comfortable and being in close proximity of one another.
To ensure that everyone is connected or to see if you have one large knot, one person can gently squeeze their hand and pass along a pulse and this will go the next person and so on.. if the pulse comes back to the original person, you got yourself one loop.. otherwise you might have multiple loops. The group can decide what to do with that knowledge. (IE take on the multiple untangling challenge or restart to form only 1 knot)
David, I love the tip about squeezing hands to identify if there are 1 or more circles. Thanks for sharing.