Gutter Ball / Pipeline Challenge
Each player gets one plastic gutter. Together, the players connect the gutters side by side to build a track, and a ball rolls along it from the start to the finish. The ball moves only by gravity, so the team must watch the slope, the speed and every handover. The game builds communication and teamwork.
Equipment
- one plastic gutter per player (a half pipe or a rain gutter works well)
- a ball, ideally a few sizes and hardness levels
- a container at the finish
- cones or tape to mark the start and the finish
- a bucket of water for the liquid variation
How to Play
- Mark the start and the finish and the route between them. Give each player one gutter.
- The team has about 5 minutes to make a plan and try things out.
- Players place their gutters side by side and build the track. The ball rolls by gravity, and the players move it from the start into the container at the finish.
- Basic rules:
- If the ball is in your gutter, you cannot walk. You cannot move your feet at all.
- The ball cannot move backward in a gutter, only forward.
- Nobody can touch the ball with their hands or any other part of the body.
- Every player must use their gutter at least once.
- If the ball falls, the team goes back to the start and begins again.
- The team can try several rounds and plan improvements between them. Two teams can also compete for the best time.
Tips & Variations
- Warm-up in a circle. Players stand in a circle and pass the ball around. Time how long it takes for the ball to go around 5 times.
- Increase the difficulty slowly. Give the team time to plan a strategy at the start, then make the task harder step by step.
- Two balls. Send two balls down the track at the same time. The team must communicate well and do more than one thing at once.
- Different ball. Change the size or hardness. A heavier ball rolls faster. A lighter ball, such as a tennis ball, rolls slower and forgives mistakes more easily. Try a lighter ball in the first round.
- Liquid instead of a ball. Move water from a bucket over a set distance within a time limit. You can also use a light ball or an egg.
- Harder terrain. Lead the route around curves, over obstacles or uphill, or make it longer. If the route goes uphill, players can help by lifting the gutter while the ball is in it. You can also add a slalom between cones.
- Different ways to hold the gutters. For example on the backs of the hands, above the head, or so that the gutters cannot touch each other.
- Fewer gutters than players. Everyone must still take part, for example by taking turns.
No talking. Players communicate only with gestures.
You can score Gutter Ball / Pipeline Challenge online with the Tallago app: set it up as a station and measure time. Try Tallago