Funderbirds

The Funderbird is a great energizer. Ask the group to keep it up in the air. The combination of feathers and heavy base provides some strange flights. Juggling it 20 times can be a challenge in itself. Each funderbird is complete with three feathers and one base. Sold separately.

Funderbirds provide a hand version of the hacky-sack, or becomes a suitable replacement for beach ball and balloon games. The challenge here is simply to keep the Funderbird up in the air as long as possible.



Typical Presentation, Storyline, or Metaphor

Successfully learning a skill, and then applying that skill is valuable. The ability of the group to learn and demonstrate their mastery of the Funderbird has a direct relationship to their abilities to learn and master other skills.

Variations

Variations for the Funderbird include several different hitting styles. Underhand typically works best. You can invoke the basic volleyball rule that no participant can hit the Funderbird twice in a row. While playing name games, you can encourage participants to say their own name when hitting the Funderbird. A more difficult variation, and one that typically produces even more problems, is to have participants say someone else's name in the group as they hit the Funderbird. Trying to get both sides of your brain working at the same time can be challenging. Using your non-dominant hand to hit the Funderbird typically produces a greater number of misses and misguided hits. If you want to additionally challenge some talented players, give them a cotton glove or pair of mittens to wear.



Important Points

For those that are not especially skilled in hacky-sack playing, this includes the Funderbird creator, Funderbirds provide another opportunity to participate, and still hide ourless-than-coordinated talents. This activity can also be performed with a seated audience.



Discussion and Debriefing Topics

Were you able to successfully control the Funderbird?

Did you manage to learn anytechniques from other members of the Group?



Sequence

Funderbirds work well to pull a group together at the beginning of a program, or after amid-program break.