Team Building Games on a Shoestring

1 For Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those is your team Building kitOne package containing two shoestringsmeasuring 54 inches Cost: $ at Kmart or WalMartTeam Building Gameson a ShoestringTom HeckTeamwork To Use Two Normal Shoestrings to Lead 8 Fun and Engaging Team Building for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those you ever found yourself in a situation where you need tofacilitate a quick and easy to lead team Building game?With this activity guide and a pair of shoelaces, you ll be readyto lead a team Building game wherever you are!

2 My name is Tom Heck and I ve traveled extensively teachingleaders how to help teams. I now share the strategies, tacticsand tools I ve learned at my multimedia training of my credentials include: Through my online training program ( ) I teachtrainers, educators and coaches in 101 countries how to lead team buildinggames to build teams, develop leaders, accelerate learning and enhanceconnection. I ve lead hundreds of workshops and worked with thousands of people fromvirtually all walks of life. I ve invented and licensed over 20 teambuilding Games that are soldworldwide. I ve published several team Building Games books. I ve developed multi-media training CDs that teach teambuilding CDs are used by trainers, educators and coaches throughout the HeckTeamwork for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith.

3 Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those I m a highly-trained coach, having participated in thousands of hours oftraining, and I share all I ve learned so that you can more effectively helpthe people you serve. I ve been identified by leaders in the field of experiential education as one ofthe most creative forces in the industry and have been called a masterteacher and leader of teambuilding this activity guide I ll show you how to lead 8 fun and engaging activitiesthat promote team skills, develop community and enhance Leadership NoteLead all of the activities found in this activity guide in such a manner that theparticipants understand they have choice as to whether they participate or each person to communicate their comfort level with the activity and tojoin in at the level they choose (full, partial, none) rather than be coerced activities are wonderful and they can help create a positive shift for yourgroup.

4 And yet, the most important thing to remember is this: what you will endup teaching your group is WHO YOU ARE. In other words, if an un-centeredperson whose primary operating emotion is fear (rather than love) leads theactivities in this guide, it won t make any difference how cool or unique the activityis because the primary message communicated to the group will be: I am a fearfulperson .You must develop who you are as a leader because who you are will be the firstmessage you send to your group (and there s no way of avoiding this). To be for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those effective leader and team facilitator you must dedicate yourself to personaldevelopment.

5 A practical place to start on your path of personal development isthe Personal Foundation For Leaders Program offered activities at can be done just for fun without goinginto a discussion about what was learned. However, it s my hope that you will usethe activities to create opportunities for dialogue. Suggestions for starting aconversation (a debrief ) are offered in each description. The key to learningthrough experiential teambuilding exercises is the combination of activity PLUS discussion. I offer convenient and easy to attend TeleSeminars (live seminarsdelivered by telephone conference calls) where you can learn to become a highlyeffective leader and facilitator of teams. Learn more Challenge and adventure activities can present elements of physical andemotional risk. The information presented in this activity guide is for yourreference, and you are ultimately responsible for judging the suitability of anactivity and safely supervising the publisher of this document assumes no responsibility or liability for the use ofthe information presented in this guide.

6 This includes errors due to misprinting oromission of single source of adventure based experiential education can substitute forpractical experience and education. While this activity guide serves as anintroduction to the use of adventure based experiential learning, it is only for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those Studying the material in this activity guide is no substitute forprofessional training. You can find professional training !Tom HeckTeamwork Remember, you can find lots of other free teambuilding Games and resourcesat For Teambuilding GamesCLICK HERE for a free teambuilding game that will help a group explorethe nuances of Building Audio Interviews with Team & Leadership MastersCLICK HERE for a free audio interview with Stephen Covey where heshares the secrets of The Speed of Trust Free Articles on Team TheoryCLICK HERE for a free article entitled Is The Team Your Coaching ReadyTo Evolve?

7 For Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those # 1 Hole in SpaceTeambuilding GameGroup Size: 10 20 Age Range: high school adultIntensity: Mental=2, Physical=3 Time: 20 30 minutes (withoutdebrief)Space: Minimal Medium -- LotsSet Up Time: 60 secondsProps: two shoestringsChallengeEach group member must pass through a hole in / Preparation1. Safety first (see Safety section below). Make sure you re group is readyfor a challenging activity requiring lifting teammates. Teach how to liftpeople Tie two shoestrings together to form a Two people hold the circle to create a square that is vertical to the square s bottom edge should be approximately 3 to 4 feet off Divide the group in half, sending one half to one side of the Hole In Spaceand the other half to the other side of the Hole In for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck.

8 All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those Have the group pass each person through the hole in space in such a waythat each small group ends up on the opposite side of the hole. (refer to thefigure)Rules1. No one may touch the shoestrings other than the two people holding theshoestrings. If someone touches the shoestrings apply an appropriatepenalty (only that person goes back, everyone goes back, two go back,etc.)2. No other equipment or tools may be used to help in the process (no tables,chairs, etc.)3. Jumping through or launching someone through the hole is s important to teach proper spotting techniques prior to giving the groupthis challenge. Do not allow participants to hit their head or spine on theground. This is very important.

9 Do not attempt this activity if your group isnot strong enough (physically), mature enough and/or calm enough,Consider attempting this challenge over a soft grassy area; if indoors, overcarpet with padding under high degree of trust is required to complete this challenge. Thischallenge is best left for a group that is fairly advanced as far as maturityand their ability to safely care for each for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those Suggestions1. Who in your life lifts you up and helps you out during difficult andchallenging times?2. Which did you prefer, to lift people or be lifted?Variations1. To make things more difficult, allow verbal communication only during theplanning phase but not during the execution Make the hole Hole In Space activity is a variation of the Spider s Web activityoriginally described in a book by Karl Rhonke entitled Silver Bullets.

10 A Thought for YouIf you would lift me up you must be on higher Waldo EmersonAmerican Poet, Lecturer, and Essayist 1803 - for Lead-It-Yourself Teambuilding Copyright 2006 by Tom Heck. All rights reserved. have permission to use this document to lead activities with a group you are directly workingwith. Contact me for permission to use this document for purposes beyond those # 2:GeometryTeambuilding GameGroup Size: 6 - 10 Age Range: elementary adultIntensity: Mental=2, Physical=1 Time: 5 10 minutes (withoutdebrief)Space: Minimal Medium -- LotsSet Up Time: 60 secondsProps: Two shoestringsChallengeThe group must create assigned geometric / Preparation1. Tie 2 shoestrings together to form a All group members hold onto the circle with both The group is then asked to form an equilateral triangle (all sides equal).Rules1. No one may use verbal communication during this Everyone must hold onto the Shoestring circle with both hands for the entireactivity.