What is The Energy?

The Energy is a relay built for medium to large groups: two lines, one coin, and one object to grab. Everyone but the first player in each line closes their eyes, so when the coin lands on heads, the only way to know is a single hand squeeze, passed silently from the front of the line to the back.

It works because the game hands the whole team one shared problem — relay a signal nobody but the front player can see — and that's what keeps everyone paying attention on purpose. The setup is cheap: a coin, something to grab, and a stretch of open floor, indoors or out.

It's built for a room that can actually run in — literally. Skip it if there's no clear stretch of floor for the last player to sprint down, or if you need something that works over video: this one is full-body and in-person, with no remote version built in.

The rules

Split into two equal teams and line each one up side by side.
Put the object a few feet from one end of the lines; you and the coin stand at the other end.
Everyone but the first player in each line closes their eyes.
Flip the coin: tails, flip again. Heads starts a hand-squeeze relay down the line.
The last player opens their eyes and runs for the object the moment the squeeze arrives.
First team to grab it scores a point — grabbing on a false alarm costs one. Play to 10.

Before you start

Group size: 10–20 players. Split evenly down the middle for two lines of roughly the same length.
Indoors or outdoors. All it needs is a short, clear stretch of floor for the last player to run down — a classroom, a conference room, or a yard all work.
One coin, one object. Anything grabbable works. A teddy bear or a ball are the two easiest defaults.
Eyes closed, except the front. Before you flip anything, get everyone's eyes shut except the first player in each line — they're the only ones watching the coin.

How to run it

Split into two teams 1–2 min
Divide the group evenly and have both teams line up side by side, facing the same direction.
Set the ends 1 min
Place the object a few feet from one end of each line. Stand at the other end, coin in hand.
Close your eyes 10 sec
Everyone closes their eyes except the first player in each line, who keeps watching for your flip.
Flip and relay 10 sec
Flip the coin and reveal it to the front players only. Tails, flip again. Heads, they squeeze the next hand in line, and the squeeze passes silently to the back.
Race for the object 15 sec
The last player feels the squeeze, opens their eyes, and runs. First team to grab the object scores a point; grabbing on a false signal costs one instead.
Rotate and repeat 10 min
Send the back player to the front of the line and flip again. Play continues until one team reaches 10 points.

← the last player never sees it coming.

Facilitator tips

Keep the room quietThe whole relay runs on hand squeezes, not sound, so a quiet space helps players who have trouble hearing or speaking follow along fully.

Pick an object everyone can reachChoose something easy to grab regardless of mobility — the race only works if every player has a real shot at winning it.

Swap the signal, not the rulesIf a hand squeeze doesn't work for someone, let them use another signal — a shoulder tap travels down the line exactly the same way.

Brief visually impaired players out loudUse a brightly colored, easy-to-spot object, and describe the full setup before the first flip instead of just pointing.

Variations

Kids' version

Have kids run to tap you at the head of the line instead of grabbing an object — same relay, less to trip over.

Multiple objects

Lay out several objects and call out which one to grab the moment the squeeze lands. Grab the wrong one and the team loses a point instead.

Why it works

Attention, no eyes requiredEvery player but the first has their eyes shut, so the entire relay runs on touch alone — one hand squeeze has to carry the whole signal down the line.

Reflexes on the clockThe moment the squeeze lands, the last player has to read it and move — the game rewards a fast, confident reaction over a slow, careful one.

Scales without new gearThe same coin and the same one object work whether the line is 10 people or 20 — a bigger group just means a longer line, not a harder setup.

HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I like how little this needs — a coin and something to grab — and how fast it gets a big room on its feet. The hand squeeze is the whole trick: everyone actually has to pay attention to win."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

For teams that want the debrief — these turn a fast relay into a real conversation about how you communicate under pressure.

What did you enjoy most about playing The Energy?Points to which part of the relay to lean into next round — the flip, the squeeze, or the sprint.
How did communication within your team affect your success?Gets straight at the game's whole mechanic — a relay is only as fast as its slowest link.
What strategies did you use to relay the signal down the line, and how well did they work?Gets people naming the tactic instead of just the outcome — worth catching before the next round.
How did it feel when your team lost a point on a bad or slow grab?A safe place to talk about the miss instead of just moving past it.
What did you learn about yourself or your teammates during the game?Often surfaces who reads people well under pressure — useful information outside the game too.
Where else could these skills show up — collaborating with colleagues, say, or running a project?Names the transfer out loud, which is the actual point of running this with a team.