Human Knot

The Human Knot is one of the most popular team building activities. This challenge involves team members forming a circle, grabbing random teammates’ hands, and untangling themselves without breaking their hold. No matter how many times you perform the challenge, the task is equally tricky.

The Human Knot is a quick and simple team building activity that requires no setup, equipment, or costs. The rules are easy to explain, and the game requires no special skill besides flexibility. Each Human Knot is unique because each group is different.

1. First, do some crowd control
Split groups into teams of five to twelve members. With four or less participants, the knot solves too quickly. Add more than twelve teammates, and the knot grows complex and unwieldy. Experts recommend eight to ten participants as the sweet spot.

2. Circle up the wagons
Each team forms a circle, standing shoulder to shoulder. Participants should stand close enough so that all members can reach the centre of the circle. If this is not possible, you may need to break the teams into smaller groups.

3. You put your left hand in…
Players extend their left hands towards the middle of the circle. Once hands reach the middle, a player will grab the hand of a team member across the circle. The teammate must not grab the hand of an immediate neighbour, but rather a participant opposite the circle. If this is not possible, some teammates may need to drop initial partners to reconfigure.

4. You put your right hand in…
Players reach right hands across the circle and grab a different participant’s hand. In order for the game to work, players must pick a new partner.

5. Now, time to untangle
Teammates must try to untangle the jumble without releasing hands. To do so, participants may duck, twist and turn, squeeze through gaps in legs and elbows, step and jump. This game requires a lot of communication and strategy. The exercise concludes once no hands remain in the middle of the circle and participants form one large ring.