Noodle WarA re-energizing activity

Submitted by Wendy Walsh, Student Life Coordinatoron behalf of the entire staff of

Lock Haven UniversityPennsylvania

Featured Institution

Purpose of Noodle War

This activity is used to re-energize staff during training.

It helps get the up and moving, run around, laugh, and re-energize!

Supplies and Set Up NeededThere are different colored swim noodles for each team. Each person on the team gets a noodle and a “hamburger”. The “hamburgers” are created by cutting one of the swim noodles in approximately one inches slices.

The Lock Haven Staff usually plays inside, but it could be played outside.

Boundaries are set ahead of time and explained to participants before the game starts.

The room is set up so there is an open safe space for staff to move in. Rules are also set and explained in advance of the game.

Description of activity

We have carried out the Hamburger and Noodle game in different ways. We have used it during staff training as a simple two team competition, as an 8 team competition with brackets, and as part of the RA Olympics.

Each team takes one color of “hamburgers” and noodles. Each participant puts a burger on the back of their dominant hand and holds a swim noodle in their non- dominant hand. They try to knock off the burgers of others with out loosing their burger. They can not hold the burger on the back of the hand with any fingers. When they get the burger knocked off they join others on the sidelines. The last person standing wins for their team! They tend to play two or three rounds to determine the overall winning team.