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Balance Beam
This task is
designed as an Ice Breaker activity and can be used to good effect with both
youth groups and corporate clients as it is a great leveller. The difficulties
are the same whether you are the MD or tea
lady.
Description: Participants are asked to arrange
themselves on the beam. Once they have achieved this they are then asked to
arrange themselves in a different order i.e. height, age, alphabetical,
alternating gender etc. The difficulty is increased as no participant is
allowed to step off the beam - whether by accident of design.
Vee Bars
This is a development of
the beam but will require a higher level of trust between
participants.
Description: Participants are formed into
pairs by the instructor according to height and weight. The pairs are then told
to step onto the beams facing each other and place their hands on each other's
shoulders and move along the beams. As the beams separate, the participants will
have to place more reliance on each other and develop simple and effective
communication to prevent falling off - if they fall off they must start
again.
The Web
These games are designed
to introduce the elements of communication and pre-planning between members of
the group and can be made more difficult by the addition of a "load" (empty
barrel) or the use of a smaller or higher hole in the
web.
Description 1: The group is tasked with
getting a member of the group through a chosen hole in the rope web without
touching the web. Should they touch the web, all members of the group must
restart the task. The task can be repeated several times using a different hole
in the web or with the addition of various loads.
Description
2: One member of the group is blindfolded and the remainder of the
group must then talk him/her through the web. This is then repeated with the
remaining members of the group. This will develop an appreciation of
pre-planning and clear concise communication.
Spider's Web
A classic which
originated in America. This is a great task for getting team members to get
close to each other.
Description: The basic idea
is to pass all of the team through a giant spider's web. However there is a
limited number of holes large enough to pass someone through and each hole can
only be used twice. Sounds fairly straightforward . . . however, everyone must
pass through their designated hole without touching the web. If the web is
touched then the whole team must return to the start point. Great fun and
involves the team members lifting, supporting and holding each other. Requires
good planning and support.
Zig-Zag
A simple balance task
usually done in conjunction with the beam and Vee
Bars.
Description: Participants have to traverse the
beams either singly or as a team with a load. The participants carrying the load
are not allowed to move their feet - if they do, then the task must be
restarted.
Squeeze Bars
This is a personal
development task and is great for building self esteem - especially for those
participants who are less athletically built. There are age and weight
restrictions for this game.
Description: The
task is arranged around three horizontal bars of varying height, the object
being for the participants to squeeze through the gaps. This task does
involve getting muddy.
Three Metre Wall
A more physical
task which will demand physical team work from the
participants.
Description: The group must get all
members over the wall - not as easy as it sounds. The group must develop an
awareness of each member's physical, pre-planning and communication ability -
otherwise the more athletic group members will usually jump straight over the
wall leaving the less able stranded.
Monkey Rope
A classic task -
especially if the gap between has been filled with
mud.
Description: Participants must get themselves over
the rope from one side to the other by whatever means they choose without
touching the ground. If they touch the ground, they must start again.
Electric Fence
This is a
physically demanding game which requires concentration, physical effort and team
spirit.
Description: Requires the group to
progress from one end of a balance beam to the other end . . . and under a net
placed across the beam. The challenge is met when all members of the team
have passed along the beam and under the net and are standing on the exit point.
A point is scored each time a person passes entirely along the beam, jumps down
from the standing position, and stands on the exit point.
Crane
A fixed structure game used
to develop communication and planning within the
group.
Description: The group are asked to use the
crane to pick up and move a selection of objects. After a practice session to
familiarise themselves with the equipment, all except one of the participants
are blindfolded. This person becomes the eyes of the group and will direct
all other group members in the task.
Siege Gun
This task sounds easy
but it requires sound teamwork, good planning and
creativity
Description: The team is required to
construct a Siege Gun (catapult) which is capable of propelling the designated
projectile as far as possible. The projectile is usually either product-related
or a fun item eg haggis. We include a number of items in the specification that
will require the team to collaborate and overcome these design criteria.
Meltdown
A firm favourite - and
usually noisy!
Description: The objective is to
retrieve a radioactive container from within a large circle. With only minimal
equipment available, the team will have to work well together to achieve this
one. Co-ordination and planning will ensure success. Looks straightforward, but
can lead to frustration if the team does not work closely.
Gridlock
Time to use the grey
matter! A real thinking task and a classic problem-solving
exercise.
Description: The team is required to work out
the solution to a human traffic jam. The solution is actually quite easy, but
using team members invariably over-complicates it for the participants. It is
good to have a genuine thinking task that will involve the team in sitting down
and working through the possible solutions. Frustrating but fun.
Key Task
A problem-solving
exercise involving teamwork, ingenuity and
creativity.
Description: An object must be recovered
from the bottom of a vertical 2 metre tube. We also add a few extra rules
for good measure.
Ski-Walk Slalom
Team work at
close quarters! Hilarious, very visual and very
competitive.
Description: The team is provided with a
pair of very large wooden skis which are just large enough to accommodate all
team members. They have to work together to ensure that they can manoeuvre their
team along a slalom course. Again it sounds easy, but requires great
co-ordination and communication to move first the left ski then the right ski
and so on all the way round the course. If they fall over they must return to
the start. Only the front and rear skiers are attached to the skis, everyone
else has to learn to move at exactly the right moment. A variation of this
exercise includes simple tasks to be undertaken around the course.
Minefield
A good problem solving
task requiring a methodical approach, good planning and
teamwork.
Description: The team is required to cross a
minefield using a variety of wooden "stepping stones". To move between the
stepping stones without touching the ground, they have three wooden planks and
they have to identify the correct route. As you would expect the planks reach
between some stepping stones but are too short for others. Pressure against the
clock.
Blindfold
Maze
This fairly easy exercise
establishes complete dependency and trust on another team member and
improves both team members' ability to communicate and listening
skills.
Description: One member vocally guides a
blindfolded partner through a field of obstacles. Scoring is according to
the time taken - with points deducted for use of banned words (such as "left",
"right", "stop" and "go"!).
Giant Jenga
A giant version of
the wooden tower game - may also be played in our
Lodge.
Description: Teams have to carefully
remove wooden blocks from the tower without it collapsing. The team that removes
the most pieces wins.
Elevation
A task which explores
the effect of personal skill and knowledge level on team dynamics.
Description: The team is provided with basic essentials to
build a structure to support the whole team above the ground.
Sticky Rope
All that is required
for this game is a tree, a sticky rope . . . and a great deal of
teamwork.
Description: All the team needs to do is tie
a reef knot in a length of rope. Sound easy? Well, we use a 150 ft length of
sticky rope - and then, of course, there's that tree!
Construction
Exercises
Traditional team building exercises using logs,
ropes, pulleys - plus a lot of careful planning, ingenuity and
teamwork.
Description: Our construction exercises vary
according to the make-up of your party. Tasks include bridges, rope
walkways, towers and various frames. |
