New Teambuilding Ideas

It’s hard to motivate a group with the same old games. Here are six new alternatives to tried-and-true exercises for summer associates and corporate picnics.


1. The New Outdoor Activity: Companies get their employees to stage their own flash mob. The group creates a performance concept, then is provided a training video with choreography so they can practice in advance. On the day of the event, professional dance instructors and choreographers rehearse the group before capturing the performance on video.


2. The New Philanthropic Experience: Instead of assembling teddy bears or bicycles, Northern California-based Corporate Games offers a landscaping project where groups plant the backyards of chosen houses. Teams interview the residents, create a plan, and then shop for plants and other supplies. In the end, each team gives a presentation about its design.



3. The New Cooking Class: Try a cake designing competition. Teams decide on a theme, and then sculpt and decorate sheet cakes. Before digging into their creations, they must create commercials to present the cake to the rest of the group.



4. The New Art Project: Groups of as many as 200 can try their hand at ice sculpting. Instructors lead groups in designing, building, and lighting an original sculpture. The project takes around two hours.


5. The New Scavenger Hunt: Try an iPod Touch hunt. Teams use the devices to collect clues and solve timed challenges through the use of video, the Internet, music, photos, and podcasts. The game can be tailored around a company’s information, and lasts about three hours.



6. The New Relay Race: Get your group moving and tap into the TV dance competition craze with a dance-off such as “So You Think Your Team Can Dance?” . In a hotel ballroom, conference room, or any open space, groups will learn steps from professional choreographers, and then perform routines for prizes.