Team Building Activity - Handcuffs

Equipment Needed: Four feet of string for each person.

Situation: Members in group pair up and are each given four feet of string. Each person ties one end of the string around his/her waist. The leader then ties the other end of the string around the wrist of the first person. After securing the free end of the string on the first person, the leader loops the string of the second person through the arms or circle of the wrist person and ties it to the wrist of the second person, resulting in a set of handcuffs locking the two people together. Do not tie the string too tightly!

Object: The object of the activity is to free yourself without breaking, untying or pulling the string off your wrist. It can be done - it's a matter of perspective.

Answer: After the group has worked on the problem of untieing themselves, give the first clue to its solution. It needs to be done while facing each other . . . think of where the openings are in the loops.

The problem is solved this way:

  1. Face one another.
  2. Grasp your partner's string in the center.
  3. Pass this portion of the string under either of your wrist loops so that the piece of your partner's string is closest to your fingers.
  4. Pull this piece through with your other hand and open it to the size that will accommodate your hand.
  5. Pass the piece of your partner's string over your hand.
  6. Pull if down and through the wrist loop.
  7. You're free!

Team Building Activities
Handcuffs | Blind Polygon | All Aboard!

Adapted from Carlson, Stephen P. Let's Go on an Adventure! Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Extension, 1984, and Rohnke, Karl. Silver Bullets, Project Adventure, Inc., 1984.