Claw Machine But the Claw is a Person

The "claw person" puts their hand through a hole in the back of a cardboard box, which has been prepared to look like a claw machine. Behind them a line of people forms in the shape of a half circle, so that the last person can see inside the front of the claw machine.

Everyone puts a finger onto the back of the person in front of them. The last person draws the controls (up, down, left, right, push) on the back of the person in front of them. That person then draws what they feel onto the back of the next person. This way the controls are relayed to the claw like Broken Telephone. The claw person then tries to translate what they feel on their back into claw movements.

Preparation:

Building the claw machine

1. Cut holes into a large cardboard box
   

   

   • Cut out the front and the sides.

   • Cut out the hole in the back for the claw's arm.

   • Cut out the prize hole on the bottom of the box.

2. Build the hole for prizes to be dropped in
   

   

   • Fold out the flaps of the hole.

   • Take a strip of cardboard and fold it on both ends, so that it fits in the hole.

   • Place the strip between the flaps of the prize hole to keep it open. (Use sticky tape)

3. Build the base
   

   

   • Take a piece of styrofoam and cut out a hole the size of the prize hole.

   • Place the styrofoam on a table and put a table cloth over it.

   • Place the claw machine on top of it.

4. Decoration
   

   

   • Cut two slits into the top of the claw machine.

   • Cut a half circle with two protruding bits out of a piece of cardboard and stick it into the two slits (you can add sticky tape for stability).

   • Place a bluetooth speaker on top of the claw machine.

   • Attach lights.

Optional

• Build a small box with a slit for people to insert coins into

Gathering prizes

Ask every participant to bring 1-2 small prizes and put them inside the claw machine.

During the event:

1. Choose who starts being the claw and who starts controlling the claw

2. Form a line
   

   

   • The line should go from a person standing in front of the claw machine, around the table, to a person standing behind the claw machine.

   • The person in front of the claw machine is steering and should be able to see inside the claw machine as well as see the back of the next person.

   • The person facing the back of the claw machine is the claw.

   • Everyone else should see the back of another person in front of them

3. Control the claw
   

   

   • The claw person can use their other hand to start the arcade music, when the claw machine is in use.

   • As the controller, in the very back of the line, you draw commands on the back of the person in front of you.

   • As someone standing in the middle of the line, you do the same, but you draw what you feel being drawn on your own back.

   • As the claw, you translate what you feel on your back into claw movements.
     left = left
     right = right
     up = forward
     down = back
     strong press in the middle = lower the claw and grab whenever you touch something

   • As the claw, when you grab something, you try to move the claw over the prize hole and drop the prize in there.

4. Switch roles
   Now everyone moves one spot to the front.
   The claw becomes the new controller.