Ok... I work in a nursery, there's about 20 odd staff who work there and we want to do some team building exercises. We've all made lists of what we could do or where we could go. Paint balling, laser quest, Alton Towers, holidays.. have all come up. Just wondered if anyone had any ideas of what we could do and any recommendations. We're all fairly young so it wouldn't matter that much how active it was...
Chloé

Med Holiday Weekend.

Something like an adventure weekend with Paintballing, Go Karting and lots of Drinking! :thumbsup:

Best team building exercises are based in the outdoors.

A problem solving day allows a team to bond and have fun.

Alternatively problem solving could be done for half a day, then in the other half you could all take part in an outdoor activity like climbing/kayaking.

I think the Earth Centre at Conisborough do a range of outdoor team building activities.

Not sure Alton Towers would be very good for team building! :)

I'm with Skatie on this one, The best stuff I've done has been the outdoorsy type stuff:
kayaking, orienteering, problem solving, climbing, caving and the like.

You might be cold, wet, uncomfortable and in a slight amount of pain, but it dont half feel good, and definately brings people together.

There are those weekends that people go on (usually for stag parties) where they do paintball, quadbiking, climbing and all that kind of stuff at the one place. Maybe suggest one of those?

Having spent a little time in consulting roles, I'm not convinced that team building activities have any great long term benefits. They help put people together during the stress and adrenaline rush of the moment, but once back in the normal setting, the effects wear off.

Nothing wrong with a good weekend away to have fun and try new things, but I'd genuinely consider spending money and time developing skills and activities in the workplace that will help people get on with each other and operate as a team more.

Have you tried Googling for 'team building excercises' and similar? Is there an underlying reason why you feel you need team building excercises?

The main isuse around the 'active' team building excercises is that not everyone likes them or benefits from them. Something as straightforward as an organised evening meal, a picnic with perhaps a few team games, might benefit your people more.

Joe

No reason, it's just something we've mentioned before what was never done. We've just had excellent results in an inspection and people are finally seeing that getting to know each other would be a good thing.

Although Joe has a point, not everybody would like to do the outdoor activities so the trip must be voluntary.
However the outdoors is the best team building you can do.
Wales is a perfect place for this, paintballing is great fun, I've tried it but it ain't half painfull, not for everyone.
Its the pub at the end that actually brings everyone together and having a laugh at the mishaps that have occured during the day.

The best team building exercises are the ones that leave you all feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride in the finished job.
So as a favour to you all I'm setting up my own Sheffield Forum Team building Exercise this weekend, whoopee! I hear you all cry, what could this be?
Well, I have got some crusher, some sand and 72 paving stones for you all to lay. It's called creating a patio!
I'm led to believe that all who take part will value this experience. The knowledge gained and the sense of accomplishment can only spur you onto greater things!
now don't all rush at once to volunteer!