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Team Building | ![]() |
Ask people what they think "team building" is and you get a wide variety of answers. Some feel that it's getting better acquainted, others talk about building trust, still others say "bonding," or learning how to solve problems as a group. And everyone agrees that there is an element of fun. In reality, team building is all of the above and more. A good team building exercise creates positive interaction among a group of people, and in doing so enhances their ability to work effectively as a team when they return to the workplace. Interaction can be working together on a unique project (example: boat building and racing), playing games like a team Olympics, putting their heads together to solve a murder mystery, helping each other through a ropes course, playing paintball or flight simulation games in teams, camping, white water rafting; the possibilities are practically endless.
In order to narrow down the possibilities and make a final decision, here are the things you should consider:
The team building companies that you are considering should ask you these questions, not simply try to rent you equipment or sell you games.
What's available in team building is only limited by the imagination.
The bottom line is this: team building comes in all kinds of forms at a wide variety of costs. It enhances a meeting by capitalizing on the fact that people are physically present-- all in the same place. So you have a fabulous opportunity to get them interacting; something that cannot happen by teleconferencing or by video conferencing. Furthermore, it makes sense if you structure a team building event to tie in with the goals of your meeting so that it has some lasting effect. Team building is MORE than just entertainment, but if you position it that way, you'll be missing out on its real value.
We have selected the best Creative and Adventure Games for your team.
We have designed many kinds of ice breakers, both individual or team oriented.
These include:
APMA has been established the business of Team Building, Training and Facilitation in Armenia. This means that our facilitators can brief and thoroughly debrief our events. They are not just there to run and referee an entertaining game (unless that is what you want).
We offer "Team Assessment & Solution" sessions in advance of any of our team building events. Our facilitators provide a positive process for:
Teams will assess their own strengths and opportunities for improvement as well as provide concrete ideas for enhancing performance.
Our customized debriefing sessions are based on your input and allow you to do the debriefing in tandem with us for maximum benefit and impact. We do not know your company or your associates like you do, therefore we encourage your involvement in the debriefing process to make it much more meaningful.
Additionally, our debriefing sessions are interactive and require that participants take part in presenting their ideas on the meaning of the team building exercise. This insures that they are listening and involved-- and will learn and remember more than they would if someone were just giving a speech.
Many companies advertise that they do team building, when in fact they are just renting games or turning some form of entertainment into a group event. Real team building means using and enhancing the team skills that are required at work as well as getting to know your team members and learning to work more efficiently together.
Change and dealing with a variety of challenges are key issues in this event. Using this fun and familiar theme, your group is split into teams who are attempting to “get off of an island.” They will face a variety of unique situations in order to accomplish this, and need to cope with a number of “incidents” that will change their team make-up and abilities. These challenges are interrupted at intervals by a number of “incidents”…
It is fun, challenging and a good mix of physical challenges with things that are cerebral and all require collaboration and teamwork.
This event is loosely based upon the popular TV series, "Survivor." However, the objective is to keep your team together, not eliminate teammates. It provides unique group problem solving opportunities and fun team challenges in the context of a group that is trying to "survive." Teams rotate through four or five stations; between the stations there are "immunity challenges." These events stress team survival, incorporate the features of any outdoor setting, and require communication, cooperation and teamwork. For each activity, a team is asked to select a different "captain" giving many people on the team a chance to communicate and lead the team. The challenges for this event are updated consistently to reflect the challenges seen in the TV show.
This is a fabulous event that relies on communication, teamwork and creativity. It also allows participants to discover points of interest in the area covered by the hunt. Each team gets a 'hunt booklet', a Polaroid camera, and a pack of film. The booklet contains a list of about 30- 40 tasks that can be completed in exchange for (play) money. Teams can also answer questions and take 'physical or mental challenges' to get 'bonus dollars.' Lots of fun twists!
This is a fun, spirited design competition and race that will have everyone cheering. Each Mousetrap car is built from balsa wood, plastic “CD's” for wheels, metal rods for axles, construction paper for the body. The spring of a mouse trap provides the main power for the car, though we also provide other materials to make key racing modifications. Teams have time to build, experiment and make modifications to enhance speed and distance—before competing in very spirited races. This event offers great flexibility in terms of space requirements, venue and time frame so it can be done virtually anywhere – in time frames ranging from 90 minutes to 3 hours.
Each team must create and film a 60-second television commercial. These commercials must be about their own company and be as creative, persuasive and entertaining as possible. Costumes and props are available for the participants. At the end of the creative period (1.5- 2 hours), each team shows its commercial, and the entire group votes for Best Commercial. Creative and entertaining!
Our most popular "group problem solving game." It teaches people to communicate with each other AND their customers and ask questions in order to provide better service, better products, and even help develop new products. The activity starts with each team being told that they are a design- engineering firm and that they are competing against each other to win a contract to build a bridge for a growing city. The teams are given minimal information, but they can talk to representatives of the city and state if they choose. These are people located in three different places. In the end, the teams must actually build a model of their bridge (that holds the weight of people standing on it) and give a sales presentation to "government officials." The models are out of cardboard, tape and string. If teams take the time to communicate and ask the right questions, they'll be able to come up with an appropriate model and a solid sales pitch. The resulting models are unbelievable!
An incredibly creative and fun team event, in which each team is challenged with building a hole for a miniature golf course. The real lesson to be learned is the vital importance of all teams communicating in order to build an entire course together. The competition for the most creative hole as well as the best golf score can get intense! Great for indoors or outdoors, and you don't need to know how to golf in order to participate.
Mystery” assigns each team a group of costumes and props and a video camera with which to film a short mystery. Aside from writing the story and acting it out, the real challenges are the additional requirements that each mystery must contain:
You can imagine just how creative and funny these mystery stories are.
This intriguing murder mystery relies on teamwork, communication and problem solving skills. Teams are divided into "crime scene teams."
A "fatality" or "incident" takes place. It is up to each of the crime scene units to respond and gather evidence. Participants must collect clues from the crime scene as well as find out information from "Top Investigators." Teams also receive copies of interviews with witnesses and associates of the victim. Each team will present its solution to a “jury” who will determine the best CGI team. This is a great activity for the “Investigator” in all of us!
This is a fast, "shifting" giant board game that is played by four teams. The object of the activity is to work with your team members to collect "artifacts" that are inside a giant maze. To do this, they must navigate their token along clear passageways to reach the items. Teams manipulate the walls and passageways by shifting the tiles that make up the maze each time it is their turn. Two teams move at the same time, which makes this a high pressure, quick group-decision game.
A spirited competition in which teams must design and build catapult devices that will fling bean bag frogs 70 feet toward a target. Catapults are built out of PVC pipe and surgical tubing. Testing, trial and error, brainstorming are all part of this fun event. Teams can even "perform surgery" on their frogs to make them more aerodynamic. Another fun variation on this event is "Egg Catapulting"--using real eggs.
This event is fabulous for groups of as small as 25 or large as 150. Each team of 10 people puts together a "car" that will carry two people, provide steering and braking. The construction requires creativity, group problem solving and "buying" parts to make the car. At the end of the construction phase (about 2.5 - 3 hours), there is a race. Two to four cars take the track simultaneously; each is powered by two team members who can push the car a limited distance before letting go. Each car is timed. Helmets, pads, and straw bales are provided. The team with the highest combined score for spirit, design and fastest driving time wins!
The sport of Orienteering gets a new twist. We can set up an Orienteering course at any site of your choice. Plus, depending upon the fitness level of your group, it can be as leisurely or athletic as you would like. Our unique brand of Orienteering requires map reading, group decision- making and risk taking, as teams attempt to "navigate" their way to a number of control points. Depending upon the route they select, they will earn a number of points. Time is important but not as critical as good planning.
Challenges "archaeological teams" to find buried artifacts. These artifacts are worth "money," and fortunes can be amassed when teams take the artifacts to any one of a number of "Traders." These Traders pay "money" for the artifacts based on a team's ability to correctly answer questions. A lot of little twists make the adventure a lot of fun and keep people working together on strategy and planning.
Is a spy mission, in which teams must locate certain places and take specific types of Polaroid pictures. In exchange for taking the pictures, teams can collect puzzle pieces from "spies and informants"-- who are located throughout the area. These puzzle pieces will form a secret message. The final idea behind this activity is that teams discover that they can work together instead of compete against each other. Each team's puzzle connects to all the other puzzles to form one gigantic company message.
"Fog" combines the freedom of a scavenger hunt activity with the fun of team games. Each team starts at a different location and has a map to several other sites, which they must get to within a specific period of time. At each site, the team has a physical challenge that they must perform in order to earn clues. These challenges are mental as well as physical, but do not require athletic ability or being in shape. The clues allow team members to figure out the objective of the game and how to "win." Communication, strategy, and planning are essential.
This is fun, energizing event which has everyone "moving to the beat" in the end. Every team makes a percussion instrument-- enough for each team member. A band of three musicians divides up the teams and teaches each one a different rhythm. The teams practice separately-- and then finally altogether. The coordinated rhythms sound great together. The debriefing includes discussions about diversity, utilization of resources, awareness of other teams, and the importance of good listening skills. Everyone is a winner, and comes away feeling great--- even if they can't keep a beat!
Each team of 10-12 people has a 63 to 100 piece jigsaw puzzle that they must try to complete-- before any other team completes theirs. Another goal for each team is to "find the hidden message" on the back of their completed puzzle. There are a couple of factors that make this seemingly easy task more difficult, and force them to really organize and communicate.
These factors include:
Was designed to support the Time Management section of Stephen Covey's book, "Seven Principles of Highly Effective People." In this activity, teams are each on a "life raft" and leaving a "sinking ship." They must decide what to take (there is a weight limit) and what to do during their first day adrift at sea. The day, of course, is riddled with events and crises. The team that is most effective at planning and working together can avoid "crisis management" and is "saved" first.
A fabulous group problem solving game that was designed to accommodate meetings that had only 60-90 minutes for an effective team building/experiential learning event. The activity challenges teams of 8 people to design and construct a tower out of cards and tape-- that will hold the weight of up to 40 oz. of water resting on top of it. There are many pieces of information and specifications that need to be communicated and translated into tangible product. A debriefing session really helps crystallize the importance of the business skills that are being utilized.
A new twist on building sand castles. It relies on creativity, resourcefulness and strategy. Each team of 6-8 people is given a number of building implements and some play money. Their challenge is to build a strong sand castle that will withstand assault by a variety of weapons. With the money, teams must make purchasing decisions about building materials and weapons for the war (for the final battle). There is a time limit, so planning and execution are of utmost importance.
This is a great outdoor event in which teams must build boats out of cardboard, tape and plastic-- that will actually carry two people and stay afloat. It is a fabulous team event that we can tie to any number of business lessons-- including communications, group consensus, teamwork, and quality. We supply the basic blueprints for the boats, but teams can modify these in any way they choose. Because there is a real boat race in the end (with life jackets), it is a particularly exciting event.
Each team designs a spacecraft model, which will run on a magnetic track. They are provided with materials and tools to do this, plus items that will help propel their ships (balloons, rubber bands, etc). The models "hover" above the magnetic track, because the magnets on the bottom of each model are placed so that they repel the magnets on the track. After all models are finished, there are a series of races to determine the fastest hovercraft.
One of our most entertaining events! Teams are challenged with designing and making shoes that will actually walk on real eggs! There are a lot of decisions that need to be made as a group, including which eggs to walk on and what materials they can purchase or bargain for. A final relay race, where all team members must take turn wearing their shoe designs and walk on eggs caps off this fantastic event. The cheering can be deafening!
We offer groups a great way to express themselves, both in teams as well as individually. A customized program allows you to choose from acting or improv, drawing, painting, sculpting, photography and more. Or, you can experience wonderful arts and crafts from making unusual picture frames to unique ways of dying clothing and accessories. We offer a very wide variety of media and projects to choose from.
Ever wish you could have been in that hot opening number from “Chicago?” This is a great team builder for small groups that love music and dance. Easy steps are taught in small teams. You choose from a variety of Broadway numbers. Costumes are selected and there is plenty of rehearsing before we video tape the final performance—for you to keep. An experience you and your team will never forget. You can also choose Line Dancing or any other form of dance (including Ballroom).

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