Cut the Cake | Playworks

To develop quick thinking capabilities.

Skills Practiced: Running, physical awareness, teamwork and quick thinking

Gather group into a circle holding hands. This circle is the cake.
Demonstrate the safe way to cut the cake.
- Choose a volunteer to help with a demonstration.
- Holding hands, the two arms that are connected become the knife, which is used to slice the cake.
- Force is not necessary to slice the cake. Players who are forming the cake should allow the knife to slice through without resistance.
Check that all players understand the importance of safety, control and awareness.
Emphasize that players must work with their partner to be successful. One partner cannot pull the other around the circle; they should run next to each other.

Two people walk around the outside circle holding hands and decide where they want to cut the cake. To do so, they use a slicing motion with their joined arms to gently break the chosen connected hands with their arms.
The two people whose hands were cut, step out of the circle, reconnect with each other and let go of the people on their other side, creating a second pair.
The new team runs in the opposite direction around the circle and try to get back to the open spot before the first pair.
- The first team back becomes part of the circle and
- The second team back begins a new round and gets to cut the cake. Any tie can be solved with Ro Sham Bo.
Continue the game until everyone has had a turn.