Principles

See Note Below.

1. Safety is Paramount.  These activities invite varying degrees of physical / emotional vulnerability.  You must be aware of environmental factors at all times and adept at creating and maintaining a "safe space."
2. Participants Control Their Own Level of Participation at All Times.  While you should encourage participants to stay engaged, you should also make it clear that participants choose their level of participation at all times.  A participant can choose at any time to fully participate, opt out of physical involvement and "spot," or merely observe.
3. Participants Are Responsible for Their Own Learning.  The flip-side to number two above.
4. Facilitate, Don't Recreate.  Be clear on the reason for which you are using a particular activity and what learning objectives you are trying to reach.
5. Don't Start What You Can't Finish.  Activities can be very powerful.  Time should be given to experiencing and debriefing them fully.  If you don't have the time or the expertise to facilitate group discussion and individual reflection, don't introduce the activity.
6. Have Fun.  The caveat to number four, above.  Your participants will embrace the experience and the learning in direct proportion to the amount of Fun-Factor you model and inject.

NOTE: these thoughts are meant to remind professional trainers about certain principles as they consider using activities in their training.  These thoughts are not all there is to say on the subject and are not meant as a substitute for formal training. 

First Steps partners with other training providers to assist them to incorporate activities into their trainings through consultation, co-facilitation, and peer coaching. Contact us.

Books on Experiential Education abound.