It is very necessary in any corporate life to have some activities among the team members, as it does help a lot in developing their skills to understand each other and will make the team members even more reliable on each other.
So, here are five activities which will help them in developing their skills in project planning and team building.
- Tag- Team Game:
(20-30 minutes)
You will need sheets of paper, some papers to write on, markers and pens as well. Create groups with 4-8 members in each and ask them to share their strengths that will make their team successful and then write these strengths on a piece of paper. After the discussion, each team will be given a big sheet of paper with other writing papers and other materials. Each should make an ‘Ultimate team member’ taking the strengths of every team member written on the paper and it definitely has to be an imaginary person. The name should be given to that imaginary ‘Ultimate’ team member. There has to be a drawn picture and all the characteristics labeled. Also, write a story on that person, including all the thoughts of the members in the group. And I the end all of them have to share story of this person with all the groups so that the key points to make a team successful should be covered.
- The Paper Tower:
(5 minutes)
For team building purposes, this game helps team members to understand the value of time, planning and also to be on their feet all the time. Every participant in this game shall receive single paper sheet and will be asked to make a building which is tallest and free standing. No external supports and to be done in 5 minutes. After 5 minutes of the game each person will analyze and share the good and the flaws of the structure so that next time they can do the next time.
- Paper and Straws Game:
(15 minutes)
The team building is built in various ways. And here is another game that requires small groups, paper and some straws. Now the team head will decide how many members will be participating. Next, small dime sized balls shall be made and will be given to the selected number of participants. The leader of the team should take a big sheet of paper and make concentric circles with different points on it, just like a dart board. Now the participants can put their balls on the paper and try to blow it with the straw around the circle until they reach the point that has been decided. Meanwhile, the leader gets to send one by one all the selected participants which will allow each of them to mobilize around to adjust and aim better to the centre point or the maximum number pointed out by the leader. This shall improve the planning skills and the way everyone communicates to finish the task.
- The take Away Game:
5-10 minutes
To play this game you might need to have all sorts of coins and a 15 of them. Now to play this game you must create groups of two as many as you all can, and one person can be the representative of the team every time you decide to play the game again and every one can get a chance to become the representative. First, you toss the coin and decide who takes the turn first. Both participants can take turns and take two coins from the stack. They flip it in the air calls it in the mid air as for heads or tails. The winner gets to remove the last coin of the stack. More the number of coins the difficult it is and every time they flip they need to put it back. As the game is made complex the team members decide to make strategies and plans. That makes the processing simpler and easy to continue.
- Mine Field:
20-30 minutes
Before you start to play this game, there needs to be a set up. It has to be played in open and large areas without any obstructions. There has to be a leader who can plant ‘mines’ that means cones, bowling pins, balls etc. The setup cannot be exposed before it has been played. This game is only to develop the mutual relationship and trust between the co-workers and that’s why they are made in to teams of two people. One member can see and talk whereas the other one can’t do either of it. The team members walk towards each other and the member who can see and talk has to guide the other one. The blindfold cannot be removed or touched and the person can’t speak either. Penalty will be there each time they hit a mine but the important thing is that they have to trust their partners and follow the directions. This improves the communication skills and builds a better trust amongst the team members.
Freakouts organize outdoor team building activities in India.
