How to Play the Mirror Game

The Mirror Game is a trust-building activity that can be organized as a party game, a theater improvisational activity, or a team-building exercise. The game tests how cooperatively two people can interact and often surprises the players. Play this game with any even number of players.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Organize the group into pairs. It is easiest to play the Mirror Game if the partners are close to the same height. If this is impossible, the game can be played sitting down.

2. Face your partner. Do not talk at all. There is a restriction against any verbal communication during the Mirror Game. After all, mirrors do not talk back to you except in fairy tales. Look into your partner's eyes. Put your hands up as though you were clapping your partner's hands but DON'T touch your partner.

3. Keep looking directly into your partner's eyes. Slowly begin to move one hand in any direction without touching your partner at all. As your partner senses your motion, eyes not moving away from yours, your partner will move the same way--like the way a mirror mimics your motion when you are in front of it. As you sense your partner's motion, follow his lead.

4. Continue sensing and following your partner's moves and leading and being followed by your partner. It will become easier and easier to predict what will happen next and the game can involve larger, more complex movements. It is amazing how well you and your partner will become sensitive to each other without saying one word.