In-Person Team Bonding Examples

Team Bonding Time: 10 minutes

Goal:  Get To Know Each Other

Exercise Description:  Person in the middle of the circle says “I’ve got mail for everyone who matches a particular attribute”  Those in the circle who meet the criteria, must enter the circle and move to another spot in the circle.  The last person stays in the middle and repeats the exercise with their own I’ve got mail statement”

Reflection:  Find out what you have in common which builds trust.

Team Bonding Time:  15 Minutes

Goal:  Using communication skills to develop trust

Exercise Description:  Using actual mousetraps, one teammate safely places hand on mouse trap while blindfolded using only verbal instructions from team member.

Reflection:  How did your partner help or hinder your experience?  What did they do to develop a sense of trust?  What communication techniques allowed you to confidently place your hand on mousetrap?  How did having a real consequence affect behavior?

Team Bonding Time:  5 minutes

Goal: Energizer to get participants to move, laugh and have fun.  

Exercise Description:  In this elimination game, participants try to tag each other only on the knees as they walk around like a crab.  Over time, the playing field gets smaller and smaller as participants get eliminated.

Reflection:  Fun energizer

Team Bonding Time: 20 minutes

Goal:  To communicate clearly with each other. 

Exercise Description:  Participants are given a long piece of webbing or rope and must make shapes while being blindfolded. 

Reflection:  Who was in charge?  What styles of communication made it challenging or easier?

Team Bonding Time:  10 minutes

Goal:  Fun game to develop strategy and cooperation

Exercise Description:  Group is spaced apart and must transport water balloons from one point to another without breaking them.

Reflection:  How did communication play a role?  What made the hand-offs go well or poorly?  How did group develop strategy for success?

Team Bonding Time: 15 minutes

Goals:  Fun energizer game where alliances are created and broken

Exercise Description:  Facilitator will instruct astronaut participants to get into groupings of 1-5 depending on a specific command.  If you fail to do create correct grouping or have too little or too many, you are eliminated.

Reflection:  A fun energizer game that gets people moving.