Unhole-y Alliance
Materials: 4 pylons, a metal ring about 4 inches in diameter, 4 ropes about 25 feet long
Prep: Attach one end of each of the ropes to the metal ring. Set out the four pylons as the four corners of a square, about 6 feet on a side. Lay the metal ring in the middle of the pylon square, with each of the ropes running from the ring, past one of the pylons, and out into the playing area. The layout will look something like the spokes of a wheel.
Split the players into four groups (not teams, groups). Assign each group one of the rope ends. Instruct all players to pick up and hold on to their particular rope, with the player closest to each pylon at least 2 feet away from it.
The object of the game is for the metal ring to be placed over top of each of the pylons, as if placing a ring on a finger, 3 times for each pylon. It will be important to review some basic rope safety with the group before letting them try: remind them never to wrap the rope around their hands or any other body parts, and also to be aware that the rope might burn their hands if pulled on too tightly.
Typically, groups will start out this challenge thinking it's like a giant tug of war, and that the groups on each rope end are competing with each other. Let them struggle with this, while listening for the one player who's trying to explain to everyone that they need to cooperate together in order to complete the task. Once this fact has been pointed out to the entire group, the actual solution is relatively easy!