What is Minefield?

Minefield pairs people up and splits the work in half: one partner — the walker — goes blindfolded and crosses a field scattered with soft "mines," while the other — the navigator — stays outside the field and calls out every move. No touching, no pointing, no peeking. Touch a mine and the pair starts over from the beginning.

It works because it removes every shortcut communication normally gets away with. A navigator can't grab a shoulder or point a finger — every instruction has to be precise enough to trust blind, and every walker has to actually believe it before taking the next step.

Skip it for a group that's uneasy with blindfolds or being physically led — that discomfort doesn't go away just because the mines are soft. It also needs real floor space: a cramped room turns careful navigation into a pileup instead of a challenge.

The rules

Pairs split into a walker (blindfolded) and a navigator (stays outside the field).
Walkers stay blindfolded for the entire trek — no peeking.
No physical guiding — no touching, no pulling, no steering by hand.
Only the navigator speaks; walkers stay silent while they're moving.
Touch a mine and the pair starts over from the beginning.
Mines are soft, safe objects — foam balls, balloons, cones — never anything that could cause injury.

Before you start

Group size: 4–20 participants. Split evenly into walker-and-navigator pairs. An odd number out just means one three-person team, or a rotating spare.
Find a big, open space. An indoor room or outdoor area clear of obstructions — how much room you need scales with how many pairs are moving at once.
Scatter the mines and mark the lines. Spread the soft objects across the field with real space between them, then mark start and finish lines at opposite ends.
Gather the materials. A blindfold for every walker, soft objects for mines, and markers for the boundary.
Check safety before anyone starts. Make sure every blindfold blocks vision without slipping, check walkers' shoes and footing, and clear anything else in the space that could trip someone.

How to run it

Set the minefield 3–5 min
Scatter the soft mines across the open space and mark start and finish lines at opposite ends — this has to happen before any pair walks in.
Pair up and assign roles 1–2 min
Split into pairs. One person is the walker and gets blindfolded; the other is the navigator and stays outside the field.
Brief the rules 2–3 min
Say it once, clearly: only the navigator talks, no physical guiding, and touching a mine sends the pair back to the start. Check every blindfold and every pair of shoes before the first walker steps in.
Walk the field 5–10 min
Navigators talk their walker across, mine by mine, using words alone. A mine touch means starting over — no partial credit, no shortcuts.
Debrief 5–10 min
Bring the pairs back together and run the reflection questions below — this is where the trust-and-communication lessons actually land.

← blind trust, one instruction at a time.

Facilitator tips

Check shoes before blindfoldsBad footing is the real hazard here, not the mines. Look at what walkers are wearing and clear the field of trip hazards before you check a single blindfold.

Pick mines that can't hurt on contactFoam balls, balloons, and soft cones all work — small enough that walkers can step past them, soft enough that stepping on one is a non-event.

Space the mines to match your groupTighter spacing makes for a harder walk; more room makes it more forgiving. Set the spacing before anyone's blindfolded, not mid-round.

Keep instructions short and literal"Two steps left" beats "watch out." Push navigators to drop any phrase a stranger couldn't act on immediately.

Variations

Visual impairments

If a participant already has a visual impairment, put them in the navigator role and let their partner walk — the trust-and-communication exchange works either direction.

Mobility limits

Participants with mobility issues can take the navigator role instead of the walker, or the field can be laid out with a more accessible path.

Neutral mines

Swap cones or balloons for something with no cultural baggage — small stuffed animals or bean bags work just as well as mines.

Why it works

Trust, literally blindThe walker can't verify anything by sight — no glancing over to check if the navigator's right. That's the whole exercise compressed into one rule: no physical guiding, ever.

Precision beats vagueness, immediately"That way" gets a walker to step on a mine; "two steps left" doesn't. The activity hands out instant, physical feedback on which instructions actually work.

Failing costs a restart, not a reputationTouch a mine and the pair just starts over — no penalty beyond time. That low cost is what makes people willing to try a clearer instruction on the next attempt.

HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I love watching a navigator's language change mid-round — vague directions get sharper the second a walker steps on something. Nobody forgets the sound of a foam ball underfoot."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

For teams that want to keep talking once the blindfolds come off — these turn the walk into an actual debrief.

How did you feel being the walker and having to rely solely on your partner's instructions?Surfaces how it felt to hand over control completely — the vulnerability most people don't expect going in.
What strategies did you use as a navigator to guide your partner effectively through the minefield?Names the exact phrasing and pacing that actually worked — the stuff worth reusing next time.
What challenges did you face while navigating or giving instructions, and how did you overcome them?Gets at the exact moment communication broke down, and what fixed it.
How can the principles of clear communication and collaboration learned from this activity apply to your everyday interactions or teamwork at school, work, or family?Moves the lesson out of the field and into Monday morning.
What did you learn about yourself and your ability to follow instructions or give clear guidance under pressure?A quick self-check on which role — walker or navigator — came easier, and why.
How might the experience of navigating the minefield change your approach when working with people who have different communication styles?Points at adaptability: the instructions that worked for one partner might flop with the next.