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Nicofiends activity

Mystery Auction

A bidding game about hype, missing information and group decision making.

What it explores

This activity helps young people think about how easy it can be to make a decision when something sounds exciting, popular or limited. It opens up discussion about what can happen when people act before they have the full picture.
Time
20 to 30 mins
Age
Ages 11 to 16
Setting
Classroom, Youth group, Community setting
Group size
Small Groups

Activity at a glance

Best for

Hype, missing information and group decisions.

You’ll need

Six envelopes, pitch and reveal cards, 20 counters, coins or paper tokens for each team, and paper for recording points.
printable materials

Key message

Hype can make an option appear better than it is. Pause, question the claim and look for the information that has been left out.

How to run it

  • Split the group into teams and give each team 20 tokens.
  • Hold up the first envelope and read its pitch without revealing what is inside.
  • Teams bid using their tokens. Bids must increase by at least one token.
  • The highest bidder pays the tokens and wins the envelope.
  • Open the envelope straight away and read the reveal.
  • Add or remove the points shown. Apply any extra instruction before the next auction.
  • Repeat until all six envelopes have been opened.
  • The team with the highest points score wins. Unspent tokens have no value.
  • If nobody bids on an envelope, open it anyway and discuss what made the teams reject it.

Discussion prompts

  • What made you want to bid?
  • Did the description give you the full picture?
  • Did your team feel pressure to act quickly?
  • What information would have helped you make a better choice?
  • Where might young people see hype or missing information in real life?

Reflection

This activity helps young people notice how hype can affect decisions. It encourages them to pause, ask what is missing and think before following the group.

Link To Smoking, Vaping or Nicotine

Mystery Auction links to the way smoking, vaping and nicotine products can be promoted through hype, packaging, flavours, offers, social media or the idea that lots of people are using them.

The activity helps young people notice what information is being shown, what is being left out and how pressure can build when something feels popular or hard to miss.

Adapting the activity

Make it Easier

Use fewer envelopes and give teams more time to discuss each bid.

Make it Harder

Give teams one chance to ask a question before they bid. After the reveal, ask whether their question helped them get the full picture.

Safety Note

Keep the activity playful and do not link success to how many tokens a team has left. Every team must begin with the same resources. Avoid real money, gambling language or personal rewards.

Ready to Run The Acitvity

Download the activity PDF or go back to the resource hub to find another activity.

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