Dolphin Communication

Creation for Kids in Church Camps

Dolphins can use sight or touch to communicate in certain situations, but in others they need to use sound to keep in touch with others. While dolphins make it look easy, the skill of listening and moving underwater is harder for humans.

For this game, one person will take a turn blind and his team mates (1-3 other campers depending on the group) will help the camper to navigate to a food source and retrieve it. Before the activity the team should develop a language for navigation, such as two claps means left, one clap means right, three claps means go under, and so on. Alternatively, if you have bells or other noise makers, let the campers use them as part of their language.

After the campers have had a chance to work on communication, have the blind dolphin close its eyes and then throw a golf ball into the pool. Emphasize that the other dolphins cannot touch the blind dolphin to communicate. They can only use sound to communicate. Supervise carefully as each group does its work, and then switch leading and following partners.

Debrief by talking about the difficulties of the experience and if it would have been easier to follow commands in English. Stress that the campers could still understand the meanings even though they were using a different language. How does this relate to hearing God’s call in our lives? to the gifts of Pentecost?