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Here are six games from the Team Up chapters of these two Team-Building books. The first three games "Team Card Tower", "Lighthouse", and "Water Carry" are all from the book Team-Building Activities for Every Group The games "Bridge of Life", "Storyboard" and "Poker Challenge" are all from the book More Team-Building Activities for Every Group
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Objective
To work together to accomplish a difficult task.
Group Size
2 or more
Materials
- One deck of playing cards per team
Description
Divide the group into smaller groups of two to four people each, giving each group a deck of cards. Instruct the group that their task is to build the highest tower of cards they can.
When building the tower, each person may use only one hand and must place the other hand behind his/her back. The teams must start over each time the cards fall. It is a good idea to set a time limit for this activity and see who has the tallest tower once the time is up.
Discussion Prompts
1. What was needed from you and your team members to accomplish this task?
2. Was anyone frustrated at any time during the activity? If so, how was it handled?
3. How important would your teammate’s help have been if you all could have used two hands?
Variations
Start with both hands, then halfway through switch to one hand and compare the difference.
Use your dominant hand part of the time and your other hand part of the time and compare the two.
Lighthouse
Objective
For each person to take on different roles in a single teamwork activity in order to support his/her team.
Group Size
4 or more
Materials
- Various obstacles
- Blindfolds
- Pieces of wrapped candy
Description
Blindfold one person and put him/her at one end of a room or outdoor area that has various obstacles in it (i.e. rocks, cones, chairs, trees, etc.). Select at least three of the remaining group members to be “lighthouses” and ask them to stand in various places along the obstacle course.
Give the blindfolded person a handful of candy (one piece for each lighthouse). The job of the lighthouse is to guide the cargo ship (blindfolded person) through the rough waters (obstacle course) safely so that the cargo (candy) can be delivered to each lighthouse.
The first lighthouse must verbally guide the cargo ship through the obstacles and directly to the lighthouse, if this is done successfully the ship will deliver one piece of candy to that person.
The only lighthouse allowed to give directions at a given time is the one that the ship is headed for, but he or she may give support and encouragement after the person has gone past him/her. Any lighthouse whose area the ship has not come to yet must remain quiet until the ship reaches his/her area.
If the ship is put into danger by crashing into an obstacle the guiding lighthouse does not get any candy. Or, if the lighthouse is unable to guide the person successfully to him/her and the ship passes on by, then this person receives no candy and the next lighthouse takes over.
Allow the group members to take turns in the different positions. For large groups, you may have more than one obstacle course going at once.
Discussion Prompts
1. Did you feel safe when you were the “cargo ship”? Why or why not?
2. Do you think people in this group would have kept you as safe if candy weren’t involved? Why?
3. Do you have people in your life whom you trust to guide you? Who and why?
4. Do you have people in your life who give you support when you need it? If so, who and what do they do? If not, why do you think this is and where can you go to find support when you need it?
5. How do you feel about the group as a result of this activity?
Variation
Put moving objects or people into the area the ship will be moving through to act as “floating logs”. These objects or people should move through the area quietly while the lighthouses try to steer the ship around them.
Water Carry
Objective
To problem-solve as a group and to deal with frustration if the task is not easily accomplished.
Group Size
4 to 12 participants (or break a larger group into small teams)
Materials
- 10 paper cups filled three-fourths full with water
- Cafeteria-type tray
Description
Prior to the activity, fill ten paper cups with water about three-fourths full and place five at one end of the room (or outside area) on the ground and five at the other end. The cups should be at least twenty feet apart from each other if possible.
Gather the group together in the middle of the room with a cafeteria-type tray placed on the ground and give them the following challenge. “You must retrieve all ten cups of water and place them onto the tray without spilling any of the water. You may only get one cup from one end of the room at a time. Before getting a second cup from that side of the room you must travel to the other side of the room with the tray and retrieve a cup from that side. When all ten cups of water are on the tray you must place it on the floor in the center of the room. By the way, each person can only use one foot and one hand for the entire duration of this activity and if any water spills the whole group must start over!”
Most groups will try to hop with the tray at first but this spills water. The best way to accomplish the task is to pass the tray down a line and for the person at the end to hop to the front of the line so that the chain can continue all the way to the end of the line.
Discussion Prompts
1. Did anyone get frustrated at any time during this activity? Why or why not?
2. Did you try different things before you came up with a solution?
3. Are you ever a part of a team and you just want to quit? When and why?
4. How do you feel when you are a part of a team and you work together to accomplish a difficult task?
Bridge of Life
Objective
For team members to work cooperatively in decision-making and planning.
Group Size
4 or more
Materials
- None
Description
Break the group into teams of four to ten. (This game may be played as a race or as a one-team challenge.) Mark off an area that is wider than all the team members standing side by side. The challenge is for each team to get one member from one side of the area to the other without touching the ground or being carried.
Some possible solutions are:
- for team members to lie down, forming a human bridge for the person to
crawl across
- for the team to pass the person down the line in a prone position, with team members shifting position in line as necessary
- for the person to walk on the feet of his/her team members
Discussion Prompts
1. How did you decide who would be the person who had to try to get across?
2. How did you decide on a method for getting this person across?
3. Did everyone contribute to the decision process? Why or why not?
4. What role do you usually take when part of a decision-making process?
5. Do you wish you had a different role? Why or why not?
Variation
- Tell the group they have to get half of the team across rather than just
one person.
- Simply challenge the entire group to get one person across a large
open area.
- Put obstacles in the area that the group must get one person around
when moving them from one side to another.
Storyboard
Objective
For group members to work together on a presentation.
Group Size
4 or more
Materials
- A digital or Polaroid camera for each team
- Tag board
- Tape
- Marking pens
Description
Divide the group into teams of four or more. Give each team a camera that can produce instant pictures, a piece of tag board, tape and marking pens. Set a time limit and instruct the groups that they are to use pictures of their group to tell a complete story, with captions below each picture. When the time limit is up, have groups share their creation with the rest of the group.
Discussion Prompts
1. Did you feel comfortable being in front of a camera? Why or why not?
2. Did everyone have an equal role in deciding what should be done?
3. Did someone emerge as a “director”? Was this a good thing for your team?
4. Is it good for teams to have a “director,” or is it better for everyone to have equal input?
5. How do most of your teams operate? With a director or not?
6. What role do you take on in most groups you participate in?
Variations
- You may give the groups a story that they must make a storyboard of.
- Each group makes up a story and gives it to another group, who must
make a storyboard about it.
- Do this activity with video cameras and have them take “still” pictures
while someone else narrates each “scene” to create a video
“storyboard”.
Poker Challenge
Objective
For a team of people to work together to gain an advantage over the other teams.
Group Size
10 or more
Materials
- Playing cards
- Various other objects
Description
Divide the groups into teams of five to ten members each. Announce different challenges that the groups must each try to accomplish in a given amount of time (i.e. build a pyramid, sing a commercial, do 100 collective push-ups as a team, etc.) Give each group a turn to accomplish the challenge, and if they do so, give them one playing card from a shuffled deck of cards. Each team should make sure that no one on the other teams can see their cards at any time.
After going through several challenges and handing out at least five playing cards to each group, instruct the teams to select their best five cards for a hand of poker. Each team sends up one player to the front with their five cards. Ask one team representative at a time to show their hand and see who the winner is.
Discussion Prompts
1. Was this game fair? Why or why not?
2. Did the best team really win? Why or why not?
3. What did your team have to do in order to have a better chance of winning this game? Did your team do this?
Variation
- Give each team a list of challenges and a time limit. For each challenge
they accomplish they get one card, but they can do as many as possible
during the time limit.
