RAINBOWS
Building copycat
What you’ll need
- A large, clear space
- A timer
- A selection of construction blocks, enough for at least six per pair
- A screen of divider - you could use a large sheet, blanket or piece of cardboard
Aim of the activity
Transform into budding building apprentices. Strap on your toolbelt – it’s time to build the best Rainbow town in the world.
To become building masters, you’re going to need a master builder, an inspector and lots of building apprentices. An apprentice is someone who’s learning how to do a job from someone who’s done it for a long time. There are lots of apprentice jobs for people who want to get into construction, which includes things like building.
Note to leader:
You could merge the master builder and inspector roles if needed. Choose one girl to build her structure and then describe it to everyone else.
If you don’t have construction blocks to hand, you could use anything that can be stacked safely. For example, cups, or you might want to use junk items or other items you have to hand.
Step by step
Before you start
Set up a screened off area for your master builder or have your master builder in another room. Make sure no one can see behind the screen from the unit. Give the master builder at least six construction blocks.
Set up enough building stations for each pair. Make sure each pair has the same amount of construction blocks as the master builder.
1
Pick someone to be the master builder and someone else to be the inspector. Everyone else, you are the apprentices.
Master builder – your job is to go behind the screen and build a masterpiece using the blocks you have. Be as creative as possible! Perhaps you’ll build a tall tower or a house with a pointy roof? This is what the apprentices are going to have to copy. But don’t tell anyone what you’re building!
2
Everyone else, find a partner and a building station. Whilst you’re waiting for instructions, act out your best builder mimes together!
3
Inspector – when the master builder has finished, it’s time to get your apprentices building. Look behind the screen and think how you’re going to tell the apprentices what to build. You can look behind the screen as many times as you want, but you’re not allowed to touch or point to the bricks. You can only use your voice to tell them what they need to do.
Try it this way:
Ask your leader to help you describe what you can see, or words you could use to help your apprentices know what to build.
4
Apprentices - start building! Listen carefully to what the inspector says. Perhaps they’ll tell you the order of colours to use or how tall it is. How many apprentice teams can build the same building as the master building? It doesn’t matter if it’s not exactly the same!
5
Keep playing, changing who’s the master builder and inspector each time.
6
Come together as a unit. What was your favourite role to play? If you were the inspector, was it difficult to describe what you saw? What was the most helpful thing to hear when you were the apprentice?
Top tip
Too easy? Why not add in more bricks or make a rule that the inspector can’t say something - like colours! What other things could they say to describe the building?