Author: David Priestley

In Dodgeball, a child is selected by the leader to be the ‘Dodgeball Master’. The object of the game is for all other children to try to get from one safe zone to the other. While the group tries to get from one side to the other, the Dodgeball Master removes members by throwing the ball underhand and then trying to hit the legs of the group members. Once a participant has been hit, they are considered out and then become a judge. Cones are used to define a dodgeball play area outside. Minimum Group Size: 12 Equipment Requirements: Soft play ball,…

Participants must find an object or item of clothing pertaining to a specific colour in which they are told. However, they cannot touch anything on themselves or on another person. The last person to touch the colour is out of the game. To make this game difficult, it’s best to only use unusual colours or patterns, making the children run further to reach the objects. They will be provided an opportunity to use their creative thinking skills. Minimum Group Size: 8 Equipment Requirements: Numbered paper Useful Tip: If there are a lot of participants during this game, it may be difficult to…

Teams are given a magic cane (also known as helium stick) which they must lower to the ground, using just their index fingers. All participants must remain in contact with it at all times – what seems like a simple task, can become incredibly frustrating and funny for all involved. Equipment Required: 1 thin, light-weight, bamboo cane (can be purchased from a garden store) or tent pole Space Required: Minimal. Delivered either indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 12 but can be done with 6 to 14 Total Time: 20 minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 10-15 minutes to achieve outcome 5 minutes…

The objective of this challenge is to get the entire team from one side of the web to the other without using the same gap twice and without touching any of the web. Equipment Required: 1 x webbing (tracer cord or other rope) 4 x secure poles or 2 trees 1 x helmet 6 x blindfolds Space Required: Medium. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 12 ideally. Total Time: 20-30 minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 10-20 minutes to achieve outcome 5 minutes to review The full description for Spiders Web can be found in our eBook, The Team Building Activity Book. The eBook…

The group has to construct two missile launchers that can launch a missile over a target 10 metres away. After 30 minutes the teams are allowed two practice shots (using golf balls) after which they can review their designs before they make their final shot with an egg. Equipment Required: 20 x 6ft bamboo canes, 10 x 4ft canes, tracer cord, string, old rope (various lengths), 2 x golf balls, eggs, metre ruler, and cones Space Required: Large. Outdoors only. Group Size: 12 to 20 ideally. Total Time: 70 minutes 10 minutes to brief and set up 10 minutes planning time 40 minutes to build 5 minutes…

The team has come to a battlefield that has been laid with mines. Your eyesight is not effective when you can’t see underground. For you to be successful you will demonstrate trust and effective communication with you team while taking risks to make it safely across the minefield. Minefield Game Team Building Variation 1 Group Size Any size group as long as you have enough space. Equipment Required Blindfolds, Tape, and any item for the mines (that if stepped on will not cause a slip or fall) Blindfolds – bandanas are used regularly Tape – masking tape or some other…

Participants work together to build the tallest free-standing tower with the resources provided by the facilitator. Learning objectives include: Communication, collaboration and team strategy. Equipment Required: Paper Cups, plates, bowls Pens or pencils Paper or cardboard Sellotape or masking tape Space Required: Small. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 100. Total Time: 40 minutes 10 minutes to brief and set up 20 minutes to achieve outcome 10 minutes to review Tallest Tower Team Challenge Instructions Before the activity, you need to make a batch of supplies for each group. Try and keep these as even as possible. Organise the group into smaller teams. Divide your group into teams of…

Scrapheap Challenge involves a whole heap of scrap and lots of creative thinking. In this challenge, teams are tasked with building a product made of scrap to protect an egg when dropped from a height. Equipment Required: Scrap (anything and everything), old newspapers, scissors, paper, pens and sellotape. Space Required: Small (depending on group size). Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 50. Total Time: 60 minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 20 minutes for task one 20 minutes for task two 5 minutes launch/testing 5 minutes to review Suggested Learning Outcomes Cooperation Creative thinking Problem solving Time management The full description for Scrapheap Challenge can be…

Whilst on a sailing holiday, an accident causes the boat to set on fire, with just enough time to grab a few items at hand – the team have to decide which items are top priority. Working together the team have to use their decision making skills and cooperation to prioritize the ten items listed. Equipment Required: 2 x team brief – item list (laminated onto A3) 2 x score sheet (laminated onto A3) Team ranking forms – enough for 1 per Challenger Pens – enough for 1 per Challenger Space Required: Small. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 16. Total Time: 40…

The team have been stranded on three separate islands, the objective of the challenge is to figure out how to get three essential items to each island to survive until they are rescued. Equipment Required: 3 x buckets, walkie talkie, water bottle, cups, rope Space Required: Medium. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 18. Total Time: 4o minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 30 minutes to achieve outcome 5 minutes to review Triangle of Life Challenge Instructions The team have become stranded on three separate islands Each island needs to have food, water and a radio for the team to survive until rescue The…

Memory Lane is  a giant game of Chinese whispers where communication and cooperation are essential for success. To complete the challenge, the team must describe a hidden structure to each other to see if the final person can reconstruct the same structure. Equipment Required: 2 x barriers (wind shields with guy ropes) 2 x identical sets of 15 varying shapes in two separate containers 8 x wooden pegs 10 x metal pegs Mine tape Space Required: Large. Indoors or outdoors. Group Size: 8 to 20. Total Time: 15 minutes 2 minutes to brief and set up 10 minutes to achieve outcome 3 minutes to review…

The team are stranded on a sand bank, they have just 30 minutes before the tide comes in. In order to survive they have to build structure that holds the entire team off the ground. Equipment Required: 3 x 2.4m poles 3 x 1.5m poles 4 x 3m ropes 13 x climbing helmets Space Required: Medium. Outdoors only. Group Size: 8 to 16. Total Time: 45 minutes 5 minutes to brief and set up 30 minutes to achieve outcome 10 minutes to review Incoming Tide Team Challenge Instructions The team are stranded on a sand bank and the tide is coming in fast The water will only…