When you want to get people interested in something, there’s nothing like doing something out of the ordinary. Planning a team building day this summer is a great idea if you feel like your group is stuck in a rut and could use some fresh experiences to break the monotony. Workplace dynamics and output can both benefit from team building exercises. It’s important to have a cohesive team that works well together, and what better way to achieve this than by having fun outside of the office! With that in mind, this article details 7 unusual team building activities to try this summer that will help bring.your team together when the sun is shining (fingers crossed)…
#1 – Obstacle Course
While the weather is on your side, obstacle courses are a fun way to get the gang together. Participants are pushed to rely on one another to complete the course’s mental and physical challenges in this form of group exercise. The obstacles on an obstacle course might be as simple as those designed for toddlers or as sophisticated as those designed for military recruits. You may set up a series of tyres that teams of two or three must step into in tandem, or you could have individuals perform a series of agility and balancing tasks, such as walking planks, that need them to do so with great care. Games like tug-of-war or water balloon fights can give an extra dimension of enjoyment while still developing teamwork.
#2 – Outdoor Yoga
Yoga practiced outside has several benefits, including increased focus and alertness as well as a deeper appreciation for nature. Team members can strengthen their bonds by sharing in a common experience of movement, breath, and concentration. Teams will benefit from taking a thoughtful walk in the outdoors because it helps them build trust, resilience, commitment, and camaraderie. Ultimately, these kinds of events can boost morale and output in any business.
#3 – Raft Building
Raft building is a fun and demanding outdoor exercise that also emphasizes the value of teamwork. Participants must use a variety of resources, including rope, wood, and other items, to build a raft capable of floating on the water. After finishing their boats, teams can race to discover who built the most efficient craft. In the end, this exercise improves relationships since it requires participants to work together. To make it a bit more of a challenge – suggest “cardboard raft building”, teams will need to work closely to win that one!
#4 – Garden Games Tournament
Giant Jenga, skittles, giant chess, croquet, petanque are all great garden games that can create a team bonding activity that pretty much everyone in the office can participate in and enjoy. Create different stations for each game, set up a scoreboard to keep track of the contest. You can also put together a grand prize for the winners for some extra motivation.
#5 – Cook-Out / BBQ
Whether you have an area in your office grounds or access to a local park or communal outdoor space, a cook-out style BBQ day opens up lots of options for food and drink activities. You can book mixology experts to come and do cocktail making lessons, which can include alcohol based and alcohol free options to suit the whole team. Perhaps burger making classes from a local chef and then everyone can be involved in a blind tasting game. It’s straightforward to organize and can be done indoors or out should the weather take a turn for the worst. To participate in this fun activity, you need to:
– Make sure each of the “food tasters” are blindfolded
– Present them with a range of foods and drinks (the more unusual the better!)
– Have them taste each item and say what they think they have been fed.
Alternatively, if you want to be on the safe side, you can have food tasters compare different foods made by specific teams to determine which is the best.
Warning: Ask teammates about any allergies before selecting foods/drinks for the game.
#6 – An Evening of Musical Theatre
A trip to the theatre can be a great team building activity, and it’s something that can involve everyone from the very start! Allocate everyone a team, make it random by drawing names from a hat or ensuring there is one person to represent each department or section. They can each be allocated a part of the evening to organise from dinner choices, performance choice, after show drinks and so forth. A night at the theatre to watch a west end musical is also not weather dependent or you could even have an outdoor theatre option in your own local area to make the most of long, warm summer nights. Whatever options the team organise between them, it is bound to be a winner, with a few opportunities to bond.
#7 – Flash-Mob Dancing
When looking for a fun pastime that is sure to have people laughing, flash mobbing is hard to beat. A flash mob is an impromptu gathering of people in a public place to perform a choreographed dance for bystanders who aren’t expecting to see it. This is an extremely out-of-the-ordinary event, but I assume that’s why you’re here. Either hire a dance instructor or have the staff choreograph their own routine to get this set up. Even basic routines are available on YouTube for them to access. After they’ve perfected their routine in practice, give them the option of picking out their own outfits and deciding where to perform. To further ensure that employees have visual documentation of the performance, it is possible to have it recorded.
Unconventional team development exercises can be just as effective as their more conventional counterparts. Team members are pushed out of their comfort zones and given the opportunity to try something new and exciting when they participate in unusual team building activities. The easiest approach to get people excited about these events is to add a competitive element and offer a reward, no matter how modest. Anything from chocolates to a bottle of champagne to an extended lunch break would be greatly appreciated. You never know, perhaps this will become an annual event for your business.
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This post is brought to you by Stuart Cooke.
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Photo by Aranxa Esteve on Unsplash
