Polle de Maagt

Rock paper scissors knockout competition.

By Polle de Maagt · First written · 3 min read

Rock paper scissors turns a familiar game into a cheering tournament. Every loser joins the winner’s supporters until the room is cheering for two finalists.

What it does

It gets people moving and creates a quick sense of being one group.

People
Around 10 or more
Time
5 to 10 minutes
Level

FacilitationBeginner

Comfort zoneEasy

Goal
Bring energy back after a break, or get a workshop started
You need
An open space with clear pathways

Story.

I learned this one at Hyper Island, and used it in the very next meeting I ran after the course. It is an old and widely shared icebreaker, so I do not know who came up with it first.

How to run it.

Models & frameworks · used in this structure
The five structural elements.
Invitation, space and materials, participation, group configuration, sequence and time. From Liberating Structures.
The five elements of this structure
tap one to jump
  1. 1Invitation
  2. 2Space and materials
  3. 3Participation
  4. 4Groups
  5. 5Sequence and time
Structural element 1 of 5

Invitation.

Find a partner and play rock paper scissors. If you lose, stand behind the winner and cheer them on. You stay in the game as a supporter.

Structural element 2 of 5

How space is arranged and materials needed.

Use an open space where people can move freely. Keep pathways clear. No grabbing or pulling.

Structural element 3 of 5

How participation is distributed.

Everyone starts as a player. After losing, they become a supporter. Make the cheering rule explicit. It is part of the game, not something to watch from the side.

Structural element 4 of 5

How groups are configured.

Start in pairs. Winners find other winners. Their supporters follow. Each round brings the losing group into the winning group.

Structural element 5 of 5

Sequence of steps and time allocation.

Allow 5 to 10 minutes for the whole game.

  1. Show it. Demonstrate the gestures. Agree on the cadence: “rock, paper, scissors, shoot”. Everyone throws at the same moment.
  2. Pair up. Ask everyone to find a partner and play. Replay a tie until there is a winner.
  3. Cheer. The loser stands behind the winner and cheers them on.
  4. Winners meet. Each winner finds another winner to play. Their supporters come with them.
  5. Groups grow. The losing player and their supporters join the winner’s group.
  6. Repeat. Keep going until two finalists remain, each with a group behind them.
  7. Final. Play the final. Use best of three if you want a longer ending.

Keep it playful and inclusive. Encourage cheering, but keep people moving safely.

Variations.

  • Play best of three from the start. It takes longer, but reduces the role of a single lucky win.
  • Afterwards, ask one short question: “What did you notice about how quickly teams form?”
Try this

After the next workshop break, run one cheering tournament. Demonstrate both parts before you start: playing and supporting.

Learned at Hyper Island. Similar instructions at SessionLab, University of Wisconsin Extension and GUIDE, Inc.

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