Publication of the C.R.E.A.T.E.

Initiative (Creating Rural Enterprising Attitudes Through Education)

Team Building
Games Book
Compiled by: Peter Kenyon Bank of I.D.E.A.S. (Initiatives for the Development of Enterprising Action and Strategies) www.bankofideas.com.au

Team Building Games Book

This booklet consists of a collection of games / exercises that seek to strengthen the sprit of cooperation and team building skills.

Word of Caution As with any personal development exercise, use of any of the activities requires preparation and debriefing. They should not be used as a program filler. These exercises require the right atmosphere that can only come through a well planned and conducted program that allows participants to feel comfortable. Any personal development activity must proceed at the pace of the group participants should find it an enjoyable and a non threatening experience.

C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

Exercise 1. Angles and Ankles

An excellent activity to illustrate different styles of leadership and the value of collaboration.

Preparation: Exercise requires a pile of old stockings (at least one per
participant). Need to access a suitable game area.

Suitability: Activity:

All ages.

Form group into sub groups of 10 12. Take all groups to a grass area. Then ask each sub group to form a circle, and to use the stockings to tie the group together above the ankles. Each group is then required to get to another destination 400 metres away without untying their legs.

Debrief Discussion:
Focus on how the group resolved the problem of moving without causing pain. Discuss what style of leadership emerged. What level of cooperation existed? Were all members listened to? What frustrations arose in the group? Use discussion questions from the attachment at the end of this booklet.

C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

Exercise 2. Shelter
Preparation: This exercise requires a stack of newspapers and sufficient
role of tape per subgroup of five to seven members.

Suitability: Activity:

All age groups.

Form group into sub group of five to seven members. Each sub group is given 10 12 newspapers and a roll of tape. Their aim is to plan and build a shelter.

Instructions:
You are to plan and build a shelter which you all can fit insole using only newspaper and tape. No other supports such as chairs or the walls may be used, but you may tape your shelter to the floor if you wish. Total planning and building time for this task is thirty minutes. You may tale as much of this time for planning as you wish, but once you start building you may not go back to the planning and period. During planning you may talk but not touch the materials. During the building period, you may touch the materials, but you may not talk. I will remind you of the time to finish every 5 minutes.

Debrief Discussion:
Use questions form the attachment Possible Discussion Questions.

Exercise 3. Broken Square

Preparation: This exercise involves the preparation of a set of five
cardboard squares (approximately 15cm x 15cm) whose pieces are cut as follows

Note: The letters are given for cutting guidance and should not appear on pieces given to participants. Place the pieces into five envelopes as below: Envelope 1: pieces i, h, e Envelope 2: pieces a, a, a, c Envelope 3: pieces a, j Envelope 4: pieces d, f Envelope 5: pieces g, b, f, c

Suitability:

Age 10 and above.

C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

Activity:
Call for five volunteers. Once selected, volunteers are seated around a table and given one instruction sheet (see below) and an envelope containing parts of squares. Other members of the class are assembled around the participating group as observers are given observer sheets (see below). The five participants around the table are given simple instructions Your task is completed when every member of the group has completed a square in front of him / her, with all squares being the same size. Observers and participants are reminded of the rules 1. No one (participant or observer) is allowed to speak either verbally or non verbally. 2. No one may signal in any way to indicate how to give or receive a square piece. 3. No one can take a piece from another participants pile. 4. Participants may hand a piece or pieces to another participant, but cannot put it into position. Give participants 20 minutes to achieve the given task outlined in their instruction sheet.

Participant Instructions:
Each of you have an envelope containing pieces of cardboard for forming squares. The task of your group is to form five squares of equal size. The task will be completed when each person in the group has in front of him / her a square of the same size as those in front of the other group members. Please note the following rules: 1. No one is allowed to speak either by words or any form of non verbal communication. 2. No one may signal in anyway to indicate how to give or receive a square piece. 3. You may hand a piece or pieces to another participant, but cannot put it into position. 4. You may not take a piece from another persons pile.

Observer Instructions:
Each of the participants around the table has an envelope containing pieces of squares. Their simple task is completed when every member of the group has a completed square in front of him / her, with all the squares being the same size. Participants must adhere to the following rules 1. No one is allowed to speak either verbally or non verbally. 2. No one is assigned any signal in anyway to indicate how to give or receive a square piece. 3. No one can take a piece from another participants pile. 4. Participants may hand a pieces or pieces to another participant, but cannot put it into position.
C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

Note: the five sequences can only be made from one combination, shown below. Any deviation will prevent all five sequences being finished.

What to observe 1. Since there is only one way of reaching the goal it is essential that the group cooperates look to see how much they do this. 2. Look to see how long people sit on a square they have got (whether it be right or wrong), and how much interest they take in other peoples efforts. 3. Look to see which participants give most willingly and who rarely gives at all. 4. Look for the expression of feelings frustration, hostility, amusement. 5. Look for anyone who continually struggles with his pieces without giving them away. 6. Look for anyone who continually breaks the rules. But, do not be restricted by these notes. If there is something you see that you think is relevant, make a note of it.

Debrief Discussion:
The following questions are possible discussion stimulators 1. How focused were participants on their own square as opposed to achieving the groups goal. 2. Did anyone complete their puzzle, then remove themselves from the group? 3. Did anyone destroy their completed puzzle to give a piece away? 4. Did anyone continually struggle with their pieces, but refuse to give any or all away? 5. What emotions occurred in the group? 6. When did members get frustrated? 7. When did the group begin to cooperate? 8. Did anyone break any rules? 9. How did others feel when the rules were broken? 10. What made the task difficult? 11. What can we learn from this exercise?
C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

Air Plane Maker

Your group is to compete with the other groups to produce the worlds best paper plane. You must use the paper provided, but can add any of your own material. Your group must be produce one plan. Here is how the final planes will be judged:

Airworthiness: Ten points for every second the plane remains in the air. Time is kept fro the time the plane leaves the hand until it makes contact with some other object. A plane receives 10 points for each second it stays in the air. Accuracy: Planes will be thrown at a target 3 metres away. Each plane will be thrown at the target twice and will receive 10 points for each hit. (The target could be a window or area of a wall or blackboard). Design: Ten points will be warded by the judge to those planes which show some attempt at artistic design. You will have 15 minutes for planning and construction.

Observer Instructions:
First, read the Airplane Maker Instruction sheet so you know the task at hand and how it will be judged. Secondly, you are to observe what roles, people play in the exercise. Here are some common roles that often occur 1. The take-charge guy 2. The do-nothing 3. The dart thrower 4. The soapbox 5. The clique This person believes he / she are the only ones in the group with any ability. This person gets out of the group and makes no contribution to the group. This person throws darts at almost any idea suggested by anyone else but rarely, if ever, offers a better idea. This person talks and talks and talks. This is the part of the entire group that actually does the work. They make the others feel unwanted and do the work themselves. This person takes charge, but accepts the ideas of others she / he does feel that others in the group can help. This person helps keep pace in the group. She / he acts as a go between for people and thereby helps the smooth flow of ideas. This is the yes person. She / he simply says yes whenever a strong person makes a suggestion. This person seems more interested in the activities of the other groups than in his own.
8

6. The co-ordinator 7. The mediator

8. The follower 9. The traveler

C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

Exercise 4. World Championship Paper Plane Contest

Most people are fascinated with making paper planes. This exercise builds on that fascination.

Preparation: Assemble sufficient paper for building paper planes.

Suitability: Activity:

Age 10 and above.

Divide the class into two equal groups. One group will be paper plane makers; the other group will observe the process. Then divide the makers and observers into separate groups of four or five persons each. Each group of observers then sits in a circle around their group of paper makers. Each group are then given instruction sheets (see below). The task is to design and fly a group paper plane in a competition where points are allocated for air worthiness, accuracy and design. Activity is then run and points allocated, with observers noting group participation.

Debrief Discussion:
Begin with a discussion of what roles people took in the group, then use the discussion questions contained in the attachment.

Attachment

Possible Discussion Questions

1. How well do you think your group performed?
C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

2. Did the group collaborate well? 3. What leadership styles emerged? 4. Share your observations of what helped or hindered the group? 5. What frustrations occurred, when and why? 6. Do you think the group was more concerned with the task or ensuring the group worked well together and everyone was cared for? 7. Note on a piece of paper for your own personal reflection, how you felt about you contribution.

C.R.E.A.T.E. Initiative Team Building Games Book

10