With the summer holidays coming to a close, the first day back to school will be here before you know it. Most teachers face the day with enthusiasm, however, they also dread the challenge of deciding what to do on the first day back. Our back to school activities will help you get a jump start.
What better way to welcome your students back and take advantage of the summer weather than providing a Survival based team-building activity.
Through interactive play, group exercises, and team building, your class will learn how to build a waterproof shelter, make important survival decisions, and learn about working with others in a safe and secure environment.
The aim of this article is to provide you with all the information you need to get started.
I have designed a programme that focuses on survival skills and outdoor play and can be taught by anyone. The programme has been designed for young people aged 9-15 years. It is the perfect opportunity for students to work together, gain invaluable skills and share a truly memorable and fun experience.
This programme can last either a full day or even just half a day, depending on your requirements. Just adapt the programme accordingly to suit your needs.
Programme Overview
The Survival Day programme comprises of a combination of survival-based exercises and team challenges. Activities will put kids to the test, help develop communication skills, teach problem-solving, and improve teamwork.
Activity Overview
The team is on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific surrounded by sharks. The tide is coming in quickly and the island is shrinking with every minute that passes. Can they all stay on the island and survive until the rescue boat saves them?
Participants are presented with a survival scenario and tasked with individually ranking 10 items by importance. Once they have individually ranked these items, they must then work in smaller teams to make a team decision. Scores and rankings are then compared. During this exercise, your team will learn what it takes to survive.
The team is lost in a bamboo forest, the only way of survival is by catching the attention of the people in the local village. To get their attention, the teams must build two free-standing structures, each 6m high.
Teams are tasked with building their own shelter to keep them warm and dry using the resources provided. After they have finished building their den, it will be tested to ensure all team members can fit inside and it can protect them from rain.
Participants are blindfolded and pushed to the limits in the fun and engaging exercise. Team members will need to support each other and use their different senses to get through the Night Trail course to safety.
Activity notes, challenger briefs, and support documentation (such as answer sheets and solutions) can be found in my eBook, The Team Building Book. Now on sale for just $19.99.
Programme Structure
An excellent way to have teams competing against each other is to award them points throughout the day. Award them points on different criteria such as methods used, the effectiveness of the method and how well they worked as a team, etc
The team that scores the highest number of points by the close of the programme will be declared the survival champions!
Key learning outcomes:
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Leadership
- Creative thinking
- Cooperation
- Decision making
Resources required:
- 40 x Bamboo canes
- All Adrift activity pack (challenger brief, answer sheets, scoresheets, pens)
- 4 x balls of string
- 4 x Tarpaulins
- Tent pegs
- Parachute cord
- Old rope
- Camo netting
The above list is pretty basic, you can however get away with a lot less. Be creative and just adapt your programme accordingly. Remember, kids are great at making do and using their imaginations.
So what are you waiting for? Go grab your resources, get out there, and give your students an out-of-the-classroom learning experience they’ll never forget. Educational, inspiring, and most importantly fun.
