Famela Restrepo

LEI 4724
Activity File 15

Activity title: Toss a Name

Source: Dattilo, J., & McKenney, A. (2011). Adventure Therapy. In Facilitation
techniques in therapeutic recreation (2nd ed., p. 36). State College, PA: Venture
Pub.

Equipment: ball
Description of activity:
The objective of this activity if to help participant to increase socialization. A leader begins the
game by saying his or her name before tossing a ball to the person on his right or left. The
participants are then asked to continue passing the ball in the same direction after stating their
name. When the leader again receives the ball, he or she calls out someones name in the circle
and tossed the ball to him or her. That person calls another individuals name and tosses the ball
to them and so on. The leader allows participants to continue tossing the ball until the
participants are familiar with each others name. The leader then adds an additional ball. The
additional ball increases the frequency of names being called and the activity level of the game.
Leadership consideration:
This activity is a circle game played in groups of 8 to 10 participants. The therapist functions as a
moderator by instructing the participant in the designated space and then by explaining the
activity. Then the therapist function as a facilitator by initiating the activity and also by continue
participating until the first round of the game is done. Then the facilitator can observe and make
sure they are calling out the right names.

Adaptations:
Participants with dysthymia disorder: because Issues of self-esteem often
accompany individuals who have dysthymic disorder, care must be employed not to
place the person into a group situation (where failure may be imminent) too soon.
The therapist may start the activity in groups of four then six and continually add
more people into the game and continue until the participants feels confidents to
interact with more participants.
Participants with social phobia: this disorder involves intense fear of certain social
situations, especially situations that are unfamiliar or in which participants feel
theyll be watched or evaluated by others. To diminish their anxiety the therapist
may be do some modification to the activity by giving more time to the participant

remembering the names or giving some clues (the first letter of the name, an object
or a known character.)