Zip Zap Energiser - Fun & Playful Group Games That Sharpens Reflexes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Form a circle, facing into the centre, with you standing in the middle.
To start, use both arms and hands pressed together in front of you to randomly point to one person in the circle.
As you point, say “ZIP” which will prompt this person to immediately crouch to the ground.
The two neighbours of this person will immediately turn to face one another and quickly place the back of their own wrist on their forehead with fingers pointing to the other person as quickly as possible.
If the pointed-at person and their neighbours respond quickly and accurately, they each survive to play another round.
However, if one of these three people are too slow or make an error, they are invited to swap roles with you, to become the new person in the centre.
Play a couple of ‘test’ rounds to help your group understand what’s expected before play begins.
After a few minutes, introduce one or more new people into the middle of the circle.

Video Tutorial

Video Transcript for Zip Zap
presented by Mark Collard

Now, just take a big step out, something a little bit bigger. And in fact, I’m going to enter the centre of the circle here, so if you wish you can pull up that circle up a little bit.

In this exercise, the person in the centre has the fun of simply pointing to one person in the group, and all they have to say is the word “Zip”.

So I’m going to say “Zip”, and that is an instruction to you if you’re the one pointed at to immediately duck down. That will be the first reaction that occurs when you get the “Zip”.

So it’ll be like, Zip! Nice move. Very good. Zip! Zip! Zip! Alright, so you got the idea. That’s “Zip”.

What will happen immediately once that person has bobbed down, their two neighbours left and right of them, will immediately move into a “Zap”.

For example if we have Scott here who is the one that needs to bob down, and I’m your partner. So he bobs down. In this case, Cindy and I are both his neighbours, we will need to face each other and do this as quickly as possible.

We place one leg up in the air, so we’re standing on one leg, and we use our inside arm, the one closest to our partner, and place our hand to our palm. It’s a bit hard with a peaked cap, but basically, at the top here, to point at our partner and say “Zap”.

So it goes like that, zap. So it’s like, zap! Zap! Try it for yourself, left and right, doing a zap on left and right.

(keep in a circle?)

That’s right, because this will be your neighbour. So Cindy will just move around here a little bit more. That’s okay. So try zapping both sides. Zap. Zap.

(people practising Zip Zap)

So every one of you has two neighbours. If I say “Zip” that person drops and your two neighbours must zap. The object is to zap as quickly as possible. If they happen to get it wrong or are too slow, it’s their turn to have some fun in the centre and I will swap off with them if they choose.

If they choose not to, that’s okay. I either could keep going or ask for a volunteer to swap with me, and there is always someone who wishes to volunteer.

Alright, so this is a rather stressful situation because it’s highly competitive. So just shake it out, get rid of all that tension around your neck. Alright, here we go.

We’re going to play a mulligan round to begin with, just to identify what it looks like. For example, Zip! . Beautiful, that’s it. Good. Zip!

(people playing Zip Zap)

Alright, I think we’ve seen a few examples of where it didn’t go quite right. So now you’ve got the idea.

As we say in Australia, we’re now playing for sheep stations. This is the real thing. So if there is a mistake or you happen to go too slow, we just simply have an opportunity to swap with you, it’s your turn to have some fun in the centre. Are you ready? Here we go. Zip! Good.

(people playing Zip Zap)

Alright, would you like to be in the centre?

(Sure.)

Brilliant. Don’t forget to do the zips.

(people playing Zip Zap)

Alright, we now have two people in the centre. You have twice the chance of being zipped. Alright? So you can work somewhere and I’ll work somewhere else, Sammy. Are you ready? Here we go. Zip!

(people playing Zip Zap)

Alright. Keep it going.

(people playing Zip Zap)

Alright. Three people in the centre. Zip!

(people playing Zip Zap)

Oh no! I’m in.

How To Play Narrative

This is one of those classic elimination games that we all love, but never allow ourselves – or our groups – to play often enough.

Stand in the centre of a circle, with your group facing towards you. Approach someone in the circle, look them straight in the eye and say “ZIP,” at the same time as you press your two hands together with arms stretched and fingers pointing towards this person.

As soon as you call “ZIP,” the person you have pointed to must immediately duck or crouch down.

This action causes his/her two neighbours to face one another, place the back of their own wrists – that is, the wrist belonging to the arm closest to the person who ducked down – with palm-face down on their forehead, fingers pointed towards to the other neighbour and call out “ZAP.”

It can be difficult to imagine what I’ve just described (view the Video Tutorial to get it.) The actual moves are not important. Any humorous physical gesture to represent the ‘zip’ and ‘zap’ will work fine, the zanier the better.

If the crouching person and their neighbours respond quickly, without delay or error, they each survive to play another round.

However, if the ducker doesn’t duck quickly enough, or one of the two zappers doesn’t “ZAP” correctly or quick enough (according to agreed zapping protocols,) the slowest or most deserving of the three is invited to swap with you and have some fun in the middle, ie they become the new pointer.

Play a couple of ‘test’ rounds to help your group understand what’s expected.

Then, after a few minutes of playing the ‘real’ thing, introduce one or more new people into the middle of the circle to ramp up the energy and fun.

Practical Leadership Tips

Hint – it’s a good idea for the zip and zap actions not to look too much like a gun. Hence, the deliberate instruction on how to humorously position your arms and hands for each role.

Notice that I referred to the elimination as “invited to swap with you and have some fun in the centre.” This is a deliberate approach, so as to positively frame the consequence of ‘going out.’ It’s always an invitation to play, and honouring Challenge by Choice, if someone would prefer not to be in the centre, there will always, always, always be someone else willing to assume this role.

Like many games of this nature, a quick game is a good game. Encourage the ‘zipper’ to move quickly around the circle, not waiting too long between attempts to catch someone off guard.

Social-Emotional Learning

You could integrate Zip Zap as part of a well-designed SEL program to promote and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse people.

Specifically, this activity offers ample opportunities to explore and practice the following social & interpersonal skills:

Self-Awareness

Demonstrating Self-Confidence, Honesty & Integrity
Experiencing Self-Efficacy

Self-Management

Demonstrating Self-Discipline & Self-Motivation
Use Planning & Organisational Skills

Relationship Skills

Communicate & Listen Effectively
Seeking and/or Offering Support
Build Positive Relationships
Work Collaboratively

Responsible Decision-Making

Demonstrating Curiosity & Open-Mindedness
Making Reasoned Judgements
Anticipating & Evaluating the Consequences of One’s Actions
Promoting Personal & Collective Well-Being

You can learn more about SEL and how it can support character education here.

Health & Wellness Programming

There is no specific health & wellness perspective to this activity other than promoting the benefits to one’s well-being of enjoying a good laugh.

In a small way, you could argue that the focus required to successfully respond to random commands and nonsensical actions may speak to the benefits of developing mindful and adaptable competencies in advance.

If you can think of more explicit ways in which Zip Zap could be purposefully integrated into a health and wellness program, please leave a comment at the base of this page.

Popular Variations

Calling Names: Substitute the ‘zip’ and ‘zap’ with the names of the people being pointed to. For example, as the person in the middle of the circle, you say the name of the person you’re pointing to (and they say yours,) and the two neighbours say the other neighbour’s name.
Elimination 1: The person in the centre (‘pointer’) remains there all the time, and continues zipping until the final two people are left standing.
Elimination 2: Adding to above variation, ask those folks who are ‘eliminated’ to remain in the circle, but crouched down. The game continues as if they were not there, but the gap between people who are still ‘in’ will cause some of them to overlook who their neighbours truly are, ie their neighbour could be standing halfway around the other side of the circle.
Zippity Bump: Challenge the group to play Zip Zap and Bumpity Bump Bump Bump at the same time. This means that the person in the middle of the circle may call out “ZIP,” “LEFT,” “RIGHT, “YOU,” or “ME.”
Spot The Animal: Take a look at Speed Rabbit to enjoy a very similar, and equally fun, elimination-style game.

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Useful Framing Ideas

We all know that play is very good for the soul. There’s nothing better than being completely consumed by a fun, enjoyable activity simply for the experience of interacting with others and exercising our bodies, minds and souls – no winners, no losers, just fun. Folks, this is exactly what I have in store for you right now. To that extent, if you see any intrinsic value in this next activity, please let me know…

Can you think quickly on your feet? If I gave you only three things to remember or do, could you remember them in an instant and perform them correctly every time? Let’s see…

Reflection Tips & Strategies

Coupled with one or more reflection strategies, here are some sample questions you could use to process your group’s experience after playing this interactive, fun group game:

What caused you to laugh during this exercise? Why?
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being highest, how would you rate your ability to react quickly?
Where else in our lives do we need to react quickly?

Source

The inspiration for Zip Zap, and many more zany and highly interactive group games, was sourced from the following publication:

No Props No Problem by Mark Collard. 150+ interactive group games including ice-breakers, energisers, trust exercises & team-building activities

NO PROPS NO PROBLEM - $49.00 AUD

Contributor Mark

Add your Comments...

Have you played this activity? What worked, what didn't work? What type of group? Do you have useful advice for other users? Do you know a fun variation?

Comments (1)

David Piang-Nee June 27, 2021
Another fun game and this one doesn’t involve elimination so it can keep on going for a while. Quick reflexes are needed for this one and lots of laughs for sure.

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Zip Zap

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