Author: David Priestley

Working in smaller teams, each team must record all the items listed on the scavenger hunt list within a set time period. The team are given a video camera and just ten minutes of video time to complete the challenge. Great for a fun team development day. I have used this challenge for a team away day in London – which everyone enjoyed and was a great success. Equipment Required: One digital camera per team (with video recording function), SD cards, batteries, Scavenger hunt lists (see example list that follows), Laptop and Projector for review playback. Space Required: Depending on age and size…

Read More

The aim of the challenge is for the whole group to step across the line at exactly the same time. If one person is out of sync, then they must start over again. This activity involves planning, communication, timing, and resilience. Equipment Required: Straight line floor marking (can use cones or rope). Space Required: Small. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 12 ideally, but can be done with up to 20. Total Time: 20 minutes 5 minutes to brief the group, allow planning, and set up 10 minutes to achieve the outcome 5 minutes to review and debrief Suggested Learning Outcomes Communication Cooperation Goal setting Leadership Problem-Solving…

Read More

Below is a collection of the brain teasers and riddles which are great to have at hand when you have a couple of minutes spare at the end of your session or even as a fun and interesting way to interact with your team. Give them a go and see how you get on. Question) A woman is travelling around London when she passes Trafalgar Square she is sent straight to jail but she has done nothing wrong. Why is this? Answer) She is playing monopoly. Question) Forwards I am heavy, backwards I am not. Answer) Weight. Question) Brothers and…

Read More

The Purpose of the Review? To energise the learning experience The more fun someone is having then the more they will learn from it. Reviews allow participants to holistically look back on the experience and offer a dynamic approach to learning – whereby learning can be made obvious through fun and stimulating methods. To enrich the experience Reviewing can encourage people to notice more about themselves, others and their surroundings. By  learners valuing their experiences more, they will increase in confidence and build a better rapport with others. By knowing a review is coming up, participants may also start anticipating the review and…

Read More

Split the group in two with one group on each side of the playing area along a line. Place a ball/beanbag (the bone) in the middle of the playing area. Each team must be numbered 1 to 12 (change this depending on group size). The instructor shouts a number and the two people with that number (on opposite teams) must try to get the bone before the other one. When one gets the bone, the other can try to tag them before they get back to their team line. The team scores points depending on how many times they manage to…

Read More

Have everyone, except one sat on chairs spread around the room. The person without the chair stands in the corner of the room. The object of the game is for the person standing to try and reach the empty chair, however they have to walk as if their legs were tied together (i.e. tiny steps). Everyone else has to try and stop them reaching the empty chair by moving chairs. Once a person has got up from their chair to fill an empty chair, they cannot go back to their own chair. The standing person must try to get into an…

Read More

Everyone tucks a piece of scrap material in the back of their trousers so it is hanging out like a tail. Next set a boundary for the game. In this game, everyone is out for themselves and trying to steal as many tails as possible. Participants are not allowed to hold on to their own tail. There must be a sufficient amount of material hanging out so that others can grab it. Once someone wins a tail they must tuck it into your trousers. At the end of the game the winner is the person with the most tails. NB:…

Read More

Everyone in the group starts the game as a tadpole, in order to move through the ranking, each tadpole challenges another tadpole to a game of rock, paper, scissors. The winner moves up the rankings, becoming a chicken (they must walk around flapping their wings and clucking like a chicken). Chickens can challenge other chickens to rock, paper, scissors. The winner moves up again, becoming a monkey (they must walk like a monkey and make monkey sounds). The loser goes back to being a tadpole. Monkeys can challenge other monkeys The winner becomes Superman The loser goes back to being…

Read More

Get everyone to sit in a circle – have enough chairs for everyone except one person. The odd person stands in the middle of the circle, they say something that is true about themselves and potentially others (i.e. anyone with brown hair, anyone who ate eggs for breakfast, anyone who owns a dog, etc). Anyone who that is true about has to stand up and move to another chair – they are not allowed to go back to the chair they were in. The person in the middle has to try and get to an empty chair so that there…

Read More

Get the group to sit in a circle, one person stands in the middle of the circle holding a piece of paper. They must drop the piece of paper and at the same time call out the name of another person in the circle, this person must try to catch the piece of paper before it hits the floor. If the paper hits the floor they must reveal an unknown fact about themselves before dropping the paper and calling out someone else’s name. If they catch the piece of paper they do not have to reveal a fact

Read More

How often have you heard someone say, “He or she is a born leader?” There are certain qualities found in some people that seem to naturally put them in a position where they’re looked up to as a leader. What qualities are those? Well, to be a highly effective leader, you must .. 1. Lead by Example Get involved in what your team are doing. Don’t be afraid to do menial tasks and be part of the team. The more rapport you have with your team, the more you can inspire them to succeed. Don’t forget to have fun! 2.…

Read More

This is the final part of our blog post series looking at Presentation Skills. In this post, we look at how to overcome your fear of public speaking and controlling your nerves when presenting. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out parts one and two where we look at preparing and delivering your presentation. If you enjoy reading this blog and find it helpful, please share it on Twitter and Facebook using the links at the bottom of the post. 1. Feeling the Fear We all feel fear when presenting, even the most experienced speakers. It…

Read More