Find Your Animal

Name and Purpose

Find Your Animal explores how animals locate each other using senses beyond sight.
Players practise listening, spatial awareness, and trust while discovering how sound, touch, and smell work as communication tools in the animal world.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 8-16 | 10-30 players (pairs plus one Wanderer) | 20-35 minutes | Large open outdoor field with clearly marked boundaries

Materials

Blindfolds, one per player
1 noise-maker or rattle (for the Wanderer)
Optional: matched fabric swatches (pairs of identical textures) for the touch variation
Optional: small scent jars (pairs of identical scents) for the smell variation
4 cones for boundary markers

Quick-Run Card

Mark the boundary with cones. Assign pairs and choose a Wanderer.
Pairs agree on their connection method (sound, touch-cloth, or scent).
Partners split to opposite sides of the field; blindfolds on.
On signal, pairs find each other. The Wanderer (noise-maker in hand) gently tags straying players, who pause 5 seconds and continue.
Pairs reunite and sit together. Rotate the Wanderer. Debrief on animal senses.

Setup and Boundaries

Mark the boundary with 4 cones and walk it with players before blindfolds go on
Signal: one whistle = start; two whistles = stop and remove blindfolds
Staff stationed at each corner of the boundary to redirect players who approach the edge
Check the field for trip hazards, uneven ground, and any objects before play begins

How to Play

Players pair up. Each pair chooses an animal name to share (e.g., Robin, Frog, Wolf).
Choose the variation for this round (sound, touch, or scent). Sound: each pair agrees on a unique call made only when one knee touches the ground. No sound while moving. Touch: each pair holds matched fabric swatches. Players touch other players’ swatches until they find their match. Scent: each pair is given a matched scent jar. Players sniff others’ jars until they find their match.
One player volunteers as the Wanderer. They carry a noise-maker and keep their eyes open (no blindfold). Their role is to add gentle challenge: when the noise-maker sounds, blindfolded players nearby know to stay aware.
Partners move to opposite sides of the field. Blindfolds on. On the start signal, all players begin finding their partner using the agreed method.
When pairs reunite, they sit together quietly. The Wanderer may gently tag an approaching player; that player pauses for 5 seconds and then continues.
Once most pairs are reunited, blow the stop signal. Rotate the Wanderer role.
Play 2-3 rounds with different variations.

I-OPt Options

A (Active): Move freely across the field using the sense of the round
S (Support): Take on the Wanderer role; guide the game and protect the boundary
Q (Quiet): Move very slowly and deliberately; focus on deep sensory awareness
O (Observer): Watch one round from the sideline and share observations about what strategies seemed to work

Inclusion Adaptations

Players not comfortable with blindfolds can close their eyes or look downward; staff support this without announcement
Players with scent sensitivities can skip the scent round and participate in sound or touch variations instead
Players with mobility aids can participate as the Wanderer or in a smaller zone within the field

Stewardship Moment

‘Every animal relies on at least one sense to find food, family, or shelter. Light pollution, noise pollution, and chemical pollution all interfere with those senses. What did that feel like from the inside today?’

Consent

Pre-brief: ‘This activity involves wearing a blindfold and touching other players’ hands or objects they are holding. For those not comfortable with touch-based rounds, the sound variation is another option. For those not comfortable with blindfolds, eyes-down or eyes-closed is fine.’
Mid-game check: After the first round, pause. ‘Thumbs up, sideways, or down. How is everyone feeling?’
Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can step to the sideline by raising both hands. Tap a staff member to rejoin the next round.

Risks and Mitigation

Blindfolded players colliding: all players move with hands slightly forward at waist height; staff watch for fast movers
Scent sensitivity causing discomfort: staff know which players have relevant sensitivities; offer sound or touch variation without drawing attention
Taste variation from original removed: offering food items to players without confirmed allergy awareness creates unnecessary risk; scent jars replace this cleanly

Warm-Up Suggestions

‘Animal Soundtrack’: staff play or describe a sound; players guess the animal
‘Texture Walk’: players walk barefoot or with eyes down on a variety of natural surfaces and describe the difference

Debrief Questions

What? ‘Which sense made it easiest to find your partner? Which was hardest?’
So What? ‘What did it teach you about how animals experience their world?’
Now What? ‘What is one human habit that might make it harder for animals to use their senses in the wild?’

Cleanup and Reset