TUG OF WAR
Supplies:
A long length of rope; be sure and melt the ends so they will not ravel or come undone
Construction paper and ribbon or string
Directions:
On four pieces of construction paper write healthy choices (examples: member of the school band, proper diet, positive attitude, playing a sport). On four other pieces of construction paper write unhealthy choices (examples: smoking, chewing or dipping tobacco, cigars, hanging out with friends who smoke). Attach the ribbon or string to each sign and hang loosely around the chosen students necks.
Ask volunteers to assist with demonstration. Four for each side will be sufficient or you may choose as many as your space will accommodate. The main point is to keep both sides equal. Tell the group that one side will practice a healthy lifestyle and the other side will be users of tobacco products and high-risk behaviors. Explain that many times we may feel that our choices as youth will not affect our current life or in the future, but everything we do has an impact on our life.
Have the youth divide into two teams and have the tobacco based team run in place for 3 minutes; as soon as time is up begin a tug of war with your long rope. The tobacco team will find it difficult to be as effective as they would like to be because of their previous physical activity. Explain that when you use tobacco products it affects your ability to participate in physical activity. Smokers especially tend to be short of breath and have difficulty breathing with prolonged physical activity.
Ask the question; if tobacco can have this effect on you now, what will it be 10 years from now if you continue to use tobacco products?
Feel free to modify each activity based on participant size
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