Cocoons
Instructions
Not so much a game as a peula... It is important that the room is set up before the participants come in. You need many many many a cardboard box to create walls out of to make cocoon structures - enough for every participant. In each 'den' a wad of paper and a selection of pens are placed. A piece of paper is also put inside welcoming the person to their cocoon and instructing them not to do anything until told. The participants' time-telling devices (mobiles and watches!) are taken away and one at a time are led into the room, in complete silence and with their eyes closed. They are put in their cocoon and sat down - their eyes remain closed. When all of the participants are in their cocoons, they can open their eyes. The idea is so they can't see over their walls and are totally (apart from the roof!) enclosed. The Madrichim don't talk and don't make eye contact with any of the Chanichim. The first slip of paper is dropped into every Cocoon. It is up to the Madrichim what is written, but usually it is direction as to what to think about - maybe with a quotation attached. Something wise...! You may ask them to write about their feelings if they want to... or just to think about a certain thing or subject... really it's up to you what you want to do. After about five minutes, the Madrichim go round and drop the 2nd slip of paper in - this tells the participants to decorate and personalise their cocoons with the materials they have been given. They are left to do this for as long as you like...time doesn't matter remember!! You can ask the participants to think and do what you like really, just keep it relaxed. As time goes on you can tell the cocooniks that they can send messages between themselves and if they want to do this all they have to do is fold over their message, write the recipients name on the front, hold it up so the Madrichim can see, and the message will be delivered. After about an hour and half - more if you like, go round and whisper to each person to close their eyes again. This time, open one side of each box and attach to another person's box (so two in a cocoon) Ask one participant to shuffle to move into a new space if you have to (still with eyes closed) When everyone is in pairs, go round again and whisper to open their eyes. This time give no instructions and leave the pairs to talk/discuss/chill. Give this only about 10 minutes and then tell everyone to leave their cocoons as soon as they are ready and come and join the circle - for a sikkum session on the programme. Sikkum the programme and maybe discuss such things as, how much time they thought they were in their for, what they were thinking about, how they felt.... etc etc. This is how my Cocoon session was run, but it can easily be adapted and changed to suit the individual madrichim - for example, we were given play-do to play with and ended up sending presents to friends in other cocoons.