Outdoor Team Building Activities for The Summer Season

Supply List:

• A few PVC pipes
• Several feet of rope
• A roll of duct tape
• A couple of garbage bags or tarps
• A pack of beach balls

Ok, have all of the materials gathered? Great. Now build a boat durable enough to carry a team member out to a buoy and then back to shore.

Wait….. What? Is that even safe?

Sure, it might seem a little far-fetched, but trust us – with a little strategy and collaboration, your team can be gliding safely and seamlessly across a body of water.

A great outdoor team building event.

What better way to divert your team from the confines of those office walls than to spend a few hours outdoors in the summer sun?

Lined up along the shore of an ocean, the dock of a lake, or the stairs of a pool, we break your large team into smaller project teams. From here you are given a specific amount of time to complete a raft-like-boat that will carry your team members.

This is where strategy and collaboration are needed – the success of your raft depends on the level of cooperation and fraternization amongst your team. Be sure to be open and to listen to all of your teammate’s ideas and inputs.

Team members who decide to journey across the open tides shouldn’t be afraid to get a little (or a lot) wet, for not every raft is a successfully load bearing one.

However, although a victorious raft might seem like the key to success in this event, the bonds formed and the laughs shared are sure to surpass a sunken attempt.

This event is ideal for:
The Summer Season
An adventurous and strategic group
Project start-ups, conclusions or mid-project motivation
Annual Meetings
Retreats and Celebrations

The post Feature Friday | Outdoor Team Building Activities appeared first on TeamBonding.

Remember bringing lunch to elementary school in your Spiderman or Tweety Bird reusable lunch bag.

Well, for a lot of us, that is probably the last time we were very “green” about eating lunch.  

However, as the eco-friendly phenomena continues to surge forward, now is as good a time as any to dust off the reusable lunch bag and start bringing a greener lunch to work.

Why to avoid placing a lunch-time phone order.

Although the food is usually delicious and the preparation is more than simple, getting delivery and take out for lunch almost inevitably ends with a miniature mountain of packaging waste. Not to mention the gas used by the delivery guy/girl to drive back and forth from the restaurant to the workplace.

However, in some instances, delivery can be the only option.

If you do order delivery, join coworkers in placing a large order, which is more efficient than many separate ones. Additionally, if you place an order for take-out, try biking or walking to pick up your order. Eco-friendly and an exercise opportunity!

Steps to creating a greener lunch.

The Shopping List- For your initial green lunch, you will need to purchase reusable containers, utensils and napkins, along with a reusable bag. Although this may jack up your shopping bill for the week, you will soon quadruple the money saved by not eating out.

Ex. A great reusable container to use is the Lunch Bot. Built similar to a Bento Box, the Lunch Bot is a sustainable, stainless steel container that is BPA free. Using the Lunch Bot will help cut down on the piles of plastic baggies and containers found accumulating in landfills.

After the initial grocery run, consider generating a planned and organized grocery list each week which outlines all the necessities for meals during the week. This will ensure you are efficient with both your time and your money at the grocery store.

Also, this will prevent numerous trips back and forth to the store to collect the items you may have forgotten during a disorganized trip earlier in the week.

I mean, who really enjoys going to the grocery store more than necessary?

Brought lunch doesn’t have to be boring lunch.

There are ways to spice up your brought lunch – which in turn could give you some motivation to get through your morning grind and onto the delicious lunch waiting for you in the fridge – all while saving the planet!

To find great recipes and food compilations, Pinterest is surely the place to inquire. Follow the link below to see creative ideas for work lunches. http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=lunch%20for%20work&rs=ac&len=10

Also, consider treating yourself to a sturdy and washable, yet fashionable lunch bag. The BUILT Company designs great, reusable lunch bags that stretch to fit all the awkward angles of numerous containers.

Green Pot Luck Lunches

Start a trend in your workplace and have your coworkers join you for brought lunch. When possible, try not to eat behind a computer screen, find coworkers and build relationships over lunch instead!

To make Pot Luck Lunches greener, designate everyone to bring a specific food item in a resusable container – also be sure to use reusable plates, napkins, and utensils!

Eat lunch together in potluck fashion around the conference table – or better yet outside. Turn all the electricity off for an hour or so and eat a green and delicious pot luck lunch outside.

Follow some of these tips and you are sure to have a green lunch success. The positives to bringing a lunch strongly outweigh the negatives. While it may require more time and consideration, every green meal brought to work is one step closer towards protecting our planet.

The post Green Team Building Ideas That Work | Green Lunches appeared first on TeamBonding.

The post Wordless Wednesday | Build-A-Boat appeared first on TeamBonding.

It’s a perfect storm… the facilitator has your team working together to build a bike, move a marble across the room or solve the latest CSI case, they’re having a blast and bonding… exactly like you wanted them to.  And then… it all comes crashing down because of an interruption that wasn’t part of your team building plan.

Pay attention to the Team Building details so this doesn’t happen to your event.

• Plan ahead to move the coffee break service outside of the room so it doesn’t interrupt the Team Building fun.
• Spot a space for pulling side conversations out of the team building path so you’re prepared if you notice a new face that isn’t involved in your activity.
• Keep doors closed to discourage roamers from wondering into your activity.

NEXT TEAM BUILDING PLAN TIP > | FREE GUIDE >

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” – Henry Ford

The post Team Building Plan Tip: Always Respect the Mojo appeared first on TeamBonding.

In this installment we talk to Jillian, one of our team building interns, about chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool. Oh, and one rare genetic disposition…

How long have you been working with TeamBonding?

Today is the third day of my internship! So I am brand spanking new.

What is your favorite place in the world to be?

Lake Winnipesauke, NH. There is nothing I love more than to be reading a book on the dock while watching my golden retriever, Jackson, jump repeatedly into the water.

Do you have a favorite food?

I love to eat, so I have many different favorite foods, but a long time winner for me has always been Eggplant Parmesan with Linguini.

Something people may not know about you:

4/5 of my immediate family have red hair. That’s right… My mom, my older brother, myself and even our golden retriever all have red hair. My dad is the only one left out of the club.

Stay tuned to hear about Jillian’s internship experiences with TeamBonding!

The post Meet Team Building Intern, Jillian appeared first on TeamBonding.

However, not every family can afford this childhood rite of passage. Luckily, that’s where you and your team come in.

Charity Team Building Activities That Work

During one of our most popular charity team building activities, your teams race to be the first to construct a sturdy and reliable bicycle that will ultimately be donated to an eagerly awaiting group of deserving children.

While working as a team, you are able to crank, wrench and screw together the 30 different parts of a bike (congrats to all those who guessed right during this week’s Wordless Wednesday!).

From breaks to spokes and everything in between, your team is in charge of creating a strategy to complete all assembly responsibilities.

After all of the parts are diligently put together, members from each team test-ride the bikes through obstacles as they race to be the first ones to cross the finish line with a safe and secure bike.

From this event teams are able to benefit from:

• A hands-on activity requiring strategy and collaboration
• The opportunity to work together and form stronger relationships
• A little friendly competition to heighten energy and spirits
• And most importantly, the chance to put a smile on a kid’s face

The post Feature Friday: Charity Team Building Activities appeared first on TeamBonding.

The post Wordless Wednesday | Charity Bike Build appeared first on TeamBonding.

If your team is fired up and ready to win the scavenger hunt, game show or make the best chili, the last thing you want is for all that enthusiasm to come to a screeching halt because your planning didn’t allow enough time for setup.

Plan out the details for the entire event, including having enough time to set up and break down the event. Then, build some buffers into your plan to account for the inevitable last minute surprises.

TEAM BUILDING DETAILS TIPS > | FREE GUIDE >

“Never neglect the details.  When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted, the leader must be doubly vigilant.” – Colin Powell

The post Team Building Details Tip: The Little Things Are the Big Things appeared first on TeamBonding.

Now that you’re carpooling to work, want to greenscape your workspace? Here’s what you do.

Spread some seed around your desk, use of all-natural corn and gluten fertilizers and watch it grow.

We kid! Wed kid!

Going green isn’t just about what you do at home, but growing a lush garden around your rolly chair would be a little…challenging.

You don’t need to be a manager to bring your eco-values to work and implement change. If you want your team to bond AND save the planet, we have a few suggestions to help you get started.

#2 Greenscape your workspace.

Green your space. If you can, start with good furniture, good lighting, and good air:

• Furniture can be manufactured from recycled materials as well as recyclable. Look for retailers that have implemented Cradle-to-Cradle protocol.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents.
• Ensure good ventilation and low-VOC paints and materials.

If you’re feeling ambitious, check out terrarium desks.

Is your office already setup? That’s ok. Don’t throw everything you already have in place away. That’s just going to generate more waste.

It’s time for a green team building idea – the Green-off competition! It’s easy and even virtual employees can participate.

Kickoff: Provide your team with a list of ways to greenscape their workspace without throwing any items away (or the actual items, if you have the means):

• Bring in a mug, glass, bowl, set of utensils and any relevant items that add personality to an individual’s desk and help reduce waste.
• Add an LED desk lamp to each workspace.
• Decorate with plant(s), solar powered gadgets and eco-friendly office supplies.
• Find unique ways to upcycle waste.

Teams can work together or as individuals. You can provide themes (e.g. DC comics), set specific goals (e.g. every desk must have a reusable mug) or just see who gets the highest score. Mostly, they should have fun!

Enlist an unbiased panel of judges to score each teams’ workspace on a scale of 1-10.

Green Week: Assign a designated area to each team (including their desk and any abutting shared space). Unless there is an exemption made, the following items must be turned off each night:

• Computer towers / laptops
• Computer monitors
• Office, hallway, bathroom, kitchen and shared space lights
• Copy machines
• Fax machines
• Coffee makers
• Microwaves
• Misc. Kitchen gadgets
• Bathroom lights

Each night, assign a “monitor” or team of monitors to inspect assigned areas. For every non-exempt item that has not been powered down, the responsible team loses a point. Keep things encouraging, but adding in these bonuses:

• Each plant that lives throughout the week = +1 bonus point
• Each upcycled item in the workspace = +1 bonus point

And the winner is… The green-off should culminate in a special event like a green lunch (see green team building idea #3) where the winners are announced. Reward this team with something fun and meaningful, perhaps a farm share!

What are your big green team building ideas? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

(Photo credit: purplemattfish via Flickr.)

The post 5 Green Team Building Ideas That Rock: Greenscaping appeared first on TeamBonding.

People who have tried these insta-frozen treats enjoy the refreshing taste too. “Because it is a different texture than any other ice cream,” says Smitten customer Claire Kensington,, “it feels like a new experience, like a new treat.”

Let us introduce you and your team to a new high tech method of yummy summer team building! Book your event for June, July or August for the coolest summer team building experience.

The Ice Cream Making challenge is a perfect summer team building program for:

• Relationship building
• Elevating team spirit and morale
• Finding the winning balance between planning and execution
• Allowing the team to play with a purpose

Your team will be divided into competitive groups of 6 participants. Each group member will master one specific ice cream making skill including recipe basics, waffle cone making, equipment instructions, and marketing fundamentals.

Groups will then be challenged to bring together their new skills and develop a brand new ice cream flavor!

Each group must present their new flavor to our panel of judges and one team will be recognized as the Ice Cream Making Champions.

The post Feature Friday: Summer Team Building appeared first on TeamBonding.