Business off sites made playful

Away from the usual work environment, team games can create opportunities for personal interactions and teamwork, driving stronger cohesion and better performance within the team. Here are two fun and quick team games for off site occasions:

1. TANGLE UNTANGLE

Exercise purpose: cooperation, brainstorming, planning & delegation, roles & commitment, reverse engineering, motivation

Description: team members get their hands tangled together and strive for untangling the human knot ending in a circle, without ever letting their hands go.

Duration: 20 minutes

Materials: none

Set up: ask participants to circle up, stay on the side and explain the activity.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Goal: end up in a circle, like the one you are in right now, hands linked together and everybody looking @ the center.

Rules- restrictions:

• Before you end in a circle you need to tie up in a human knot!
• Hold OPPOSITE HANDS WITH SOMEONE THAT IS NOT THE ONE NEXT TO YOU
• Once tied, untie the knot without ever letting your hands go.
• Let your hands freely move inside each other’s grip- do not break an arm here!

Tips:

• If the team manages to untie the knot ask them to do it again as fast possible (eg 10 sec)
• Applauding is necessary!

2. SPEED BALL

Exercise purpose: Team collaboration, brainstorming, planning and communication, process adjustment, fine-tuning of processes, motivation, and encouragement.

Description: Ask the team to pass a tennis ball as quickly as possible, handing it from one person to another. Time each attempt with the goal of completing the transfer in 1 or 2 seconds!

Duration: 20 minutes

Materials: 1 tennis ball per team.

Setup: Ask participants to form a circle next to you.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Goal: Pass the ball through everyone’s hands in the shortest possible time!

Rules - Limitations:

• No one is allowed to take the ball and pass it through everyone’s hands.
• No one is allowed to hold the ball so that everyone can touch it.
• The ball starts and ends with me—I cannot move, but I can be wherever you tell me!

Tips:

• Start in a circle, asking the team to pass the ball around once, hand to hand, and keep track of the time. Encourage the team each time to beat their previous time by at least 1 second, aiming for a goal of 2 seconds.
• The team then changes their arrangement according to their plan.
• Clapping is essential!