team building game: whānaungatanga eels and ladders - nga tuna me nga arawhata

This New Zealand version of snakes and ladders encourages people to get to know each other, and thus helping them to start building the necessary connections in order to work together more effectively. Each square on the gameboard asks players to answer a question about themselves eg.

• Does your family have any traditions? What are they?
• What is something you can’t go a day without?
• Who is your favourite villain?
• Who is your favourite teacher? Why?
• What is your favourite thing about school?
• What is your least favourite thing about school?

The New Zealand Education Review Office advises that “a learning community characterised by whanaungatanga and manaakitanga creates the challenge and support needed to develop learning to learn capabilities and achieve successful learning outcomes.” Thus, it is important that we build a sense of whanaungatanga for our students in order to help them learn effectively. Experiencing strong connections to peers that foster a family-like environment where students can feel that they belong, makes a significant impact for students both personally and academically. In addition, students are often asked to work in groups with students outside their peer groups, yet, we know that effective collaboration requires a degree of trust and psychological safety.

WHAT WILL YOU NEED?
One A3 printed game board for every group of students (2 - 4 player recommended).
One die for every group
A unique counter for every player

HOW DO WE PLAY?
Players place their counters on the start square.
Before the game can start each player will roll one die, the player who throws the highest number will be the one to have the first turn.
The players will move their pieces following the numbers on the board, Ie. If a player rolls a 4, then the player would move their piece four places.
Players must answer any questions they land on. If not, they forfeit their roll and stay in the same place until their next roll.
When a player lands on a square with the head of a tuna (eel), their playing piece will slide down to the square where the tail ends.
When a player lands at the base of a ladder, they immediately move to the square at the top of the ladder.
To win, a player must roll exactly the right number to land on the last square. Rolling a number too big means that the player has to reverse.