Looking for great team building activities that nobody will have experienced before? Move away from mundane and predictable corporate undertakings, and give one of these ideas a go…
Hire a face painter to come to your office, and ask them to give a masterclass in face painting to your team. It makes them get up close and personal as they allow each other to transform their colleagues’ appearance. A good theme is to paint the face of an animal that they best think describes that person. Both hilarious and revealing, there is a lot of trust involved in this exercise, but it’s all in good humour – and the results can often be hysterically funny. It’s a great opportunity for your team to let their guards down and simply have fun, while often being an educational insight into their creative abilities and interaction with people while in their personal space.
If you have access to a patch of land where this is allowed, split your group up into teams and arm them with the basic, primeval materials to build a fire. You’d be amazed how much perseverance and team work it can take when using just a spindle, fire board and some dry kindling, and the result is joyous on a primeval level. In order to start the fire, they’ll have to take turns at applying friction to the wood (it can sometimes be quite hard work) while other people interact by blowing carefully on the kindling or shielding the wind. Lots of communication is necessary, and it forces your team to deal with frustration calmly and steadily – which will serve them well in the office environment. At the end of it all, why not break out the burgers, sausages, marshmallows and a few beers to round off the day over some gentle chatting – cooked, of course, over the winning fire!
Who can make a paper chain the fastest? Split your team into groups of 3 and provide them with an equal amount of gum paper (very inexpensive from arts & crafts shops). Start at one end of the office or venue, and the team who makes a chain to the other end first wins a prize. It’s fascinating to see what tactics the teams come up with – some stick together in groups and create a mini production line with one person handing the paper, one person licking it and one person linking the chain. Others choose to split up with a person at either end building the chain while one works on the centre, and some opt to create as many loops as possible then link them quickly at the end. In any case, it’s a good way of seeing how your groups interact with each other while making tactical decisions. If you really want to challenge them, you could introduce a colour pattern to abide by so they really have to think about order and communication while building their chain. One missing link could ruin it all!
A top tip – choose a prize that can be instantly shared, such as bottles of wine or a fancy chocolate cake. The winners will inevitably dish out their rewards, and in doing so, instantly create an atmosphere of togetherness and equality.
Call Best Venues London to find amazing team building activities in stunning venues both in the UK and abroad!
