Play the floor is lava
You’ll need
- Something to mark lines (for example, chalk, masking tape, or rope)
- Newspaper
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There's also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough helpers for each team to have one. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.
- Use the chalk or masking tape to make start and end zones opposite each other on the floor. It’s up to you how far apart they are.
To watch in full screen, double click the video
Play the game
- Everyone should split into teams of four or five people.
- All of the teams should go to the start zone. The person leading the game should give everyone three sheets of newspaper.
- The floor is now lava. Everyone will have to work together to get across to the end zone in one piece!
- Each team should use their newspaper (which is, obviously, lava-proof) to cross the lava. No one should touch the floor. It’s up to each team what tactics they use, for example, whether everyone goes in one journey or whether people take it in turns.
Reflection
This game was all about figuring out solutions to the problem of the lava. When they’re solving problems, people don’t always find the best solution first time. Did anyone try an idea that didn’t work? What ideas did work? Everyone should chat to the person next to them, then share their ideas with the group. Well done for everyone who gave it a go and tried to work as a team.
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Active games
The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.
- It’s up to you how big the teams are, and how far apart the zones are. The larger, the trickier - you could start small then build it up. You could introduce penalties, for example, having to go back to the start, if anyone touches the floor.
- You could make it competitive, so the first team to get all their players across wins. You could also introduce penalties for anyone that rips their newspaper - maybe they have to stand still for 10 seconds each time.
Make it accessible
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
