Skip to main content

Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Let the dice decide

It’s up to the roll of the dice to decide what you’ll be doing in this all-action activity.
Plan a session with this activity

Back to Activities

You’ll need

  • Dice
  • A flipchart or whiteboard, with pens
  • A soft mat
  • A skipping rope

Before you begin

  • Set up the flipchart or whiteboard somewhere where everyone’ll be able to see it over the course of the meeting.
  • This activity will run in the background to other activities across the course of your meeting. Make sure you have other activities planned to use alongside this activity.
  • Put the soft mat, the dice, and the skipping rope in the corner of the room, in a space you won’t use for any other activities.

Roll the dice

  1. The person leading the game should ask two or three people to choose a signal – a saying or action that means it’s time for someone to roll the dice and everyone to do a challenge. 

For example, every time anyone stops to tie up their shoelace, or every time anyone sneezes.

  1. The people who have chosen the signals should tell the person leading the activity what the signals are, but keep them a secret from everyone else.
  2. Everyone should work together to choose six fun actions, one for each number on the dice.

For example, dance around like a silly billy or move across the room really fast. Make sure everyone can do all of the actions.

  1. The person leading the activity should write the actions on the whiteboard and number them.
  2. The person leading the activity should remind everyone that there are secret signals that mean it’s time to roll the dice and do a challenge.

Don’t tell people what the signals are!

  1. Everyone should get on with all of the other fun they’ve got planned.
  2. Whenever a signal happens, the person who chose the signal should tell someone to roll the dice.

The person leading the activity should make sure that people stick to the rules and only identify real signals. They can also prompt people if they don’t notice their signal. 

  1. Everyone should do the action next to the number the dice lands on.
  2. Everyone should work together to try to figure out the secret signals. They could try to test their ideas, for example, they could say something they think might be a signal and see what happens.

Even the people who chose one signal can try to figure out the signals the other people chose.

Reflection

This activity gave everyone the chance to be active in response to a secret signal. Sometimes exercise helps to boost people’s moods. How did people feel after they did each challenge? Were some challenges easier or more enjoyable? Do people think they were more active than usual?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Active games

The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.

If you think it’ll become too confusing or distracting, just tell people what the signal is.

It’s up to you how many signals you have going at once.

People could specify whether their signal’s for everyone, or whether it only applies to the grown up leading the activity (for example, every time the person leading the activity says ‘alright then everyone!’). It’s best to keep it to these options only, so people can’t single anyone else out. You might want to tell people if they’re looking for a signal everyone could give, or whether the person leading the activity’s the only one who can give the signal.

People can adapt the challenges as they go along – especially if there are lots of dice rolls in a row. It’s OK for people to take part at a level that works for them.

People can take it in turns to add new signals as the old ones are discovered

Make sure the actions work for everyone. Some people might find certain actions tricky, so work with them to find things that they can do. It’s probably best to have a chat before you get stuck in, rather than singling them out in front of everyone.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Beavers Health and Fitness Activity Badge
Beavers My Skills Challenge Award
Cubs Athletics Activity Badge
Cubs Our Skills Challenge Award

People might want to play this game again another time, or even take it home. Perhaps they could challenge the people they live with to guess their secret signal!

People could also find other fun ways to add a bit of movement to their day. Perhaps they could come up with a ‘breakfast boogie’ to dance in the morning. How does it make them feel? They might find that the endorphins that come with exercise give their mood a boost.

Let people choose their own challenges – they’ll be more likely to come up with fun ideas they enjoy.