From Dragon Boats to Duck Herding: Our Top 30 Team Building Activities
As Team Activity Group celebrates its 30th birthday this year, we've been reminiscing about the lessons learned, the challenges overcome, and the successes achieved in the world of event management.
Our latest blog in this birthday series takes you through our 30 best ever teambuilding activities. On your marks, get set, go!
1. Dragon Boating
It’s where the story began and we’ll never lose our love for this exhilarating and spectacular activity. Our regattas are simply the best for friendly competitive fun but we do offer a more sedate river trip for calmer clients!
2. SUPer water-based fun
Our Stand-Up Paddleboards (SuPs) offer the perfect blend of relaxation and friendly competition. Whether you're seeking a peaceful paddle down the river or an exhilarating race, we’ve got you covered.
3. Feathers and fur
They say never work with animals, but we know how much our clients love the country pursuits activities that we offer. From clay or laser pigeon shooting to duck herding or working dogs and ferret racing, there’s something quintessentially British about animals and obstacle courses.
4. Petrolhead’s paradise
Get ready for an adrenaline-fuelled motorised adventure! Our thrilling line-up of activities includes blindfold and reverse steer 4x4 driving, land hovercrafts, powerturn off-road buggies, segway human transporters and quad bikes.
5. Pump up the fun!
It seems our clients are keen for a challenge even when it involves considerable physical activity, and our various inflatable activities are always a hit. Choose from a knockout human table football tournament or a full range of air-filled options with our inflatable inspiration activity.
6. A blast from the past!
Our sports days are a nostalgic and spirited experience, transporting participants back to the last day of term. Activities include: egg and spoon race, the donkey derby (space hopper race), hockey dribbling, obstacle races, fancy dress races, skipping races, ski races, and throwing events such as the javelin (woggle), shot-put (ping pong ball), and discus (paper plate).
7. Get your creative juices flowing
If you prefer something more cerebral, we offer lots of different challenge-based activities. Our Scavenger Challenges take place in Windsor, Cookham, Goring & Streatley and Henley-On-Thames to name a few, or alternatively we can bring our TAG Challenge Book to any venue you choose.
8. Build fitness and connections
Our exhilarating Nordic Walking experience uses poles to make a simple walk twice as effective. It’s suitable for individuals of all abilities and fitness levels, and also promotes sociability and outdoor enjoyment, hence being a popular choice for netwalking, a mix of walking and networking.
9. Giant games
Who doesn’t love an oversized classic? Our giant board games and other traditional pub or party games certainly add some excitement to your event.
These are simple to set up either indoors or out, and perfect for added interest or to break the ice at a summer drinks event. Choose from: chess ~ connect four ~ crazy tennis ~ croquet ~ jenga ~ pétanque ~ pickup sticks ~ quoits ~ skittle alley ~ table football ~ table tennis.
10. A sense of calm
If you’d rather ‘namaste’ away (see what we did there?) from too much activity, yoga might be an option. Our classes are led by qualified instructors and prove to be one of our most popular activities. We provide everything so just come with loose fitting clothes and an open mind.
11. Cryptic challenges
We’ve got a treasure trove of team tussles that range from logical thinking to energising breakouts. You can choose the perfect ice breaker or energiser or group several together to create an obstacle course-style challenge.
12. Culinary creations
For the foodies out there, we have a huge range of food-focused experiences available, which will challenge you to create anything from sushi to Easter eggs. You can choose to experience cocktail making or wine tasting, or become a Belgian chocolate or Bake Off expert. We’ve even been known to channel Heston Blumenthal with our Molecular Spectacular experience which is something completely different.
13. Formula R
Slightly smaller scale than you might imagine, this challenge is all about the mighty rubber band. Teams design and build the most effective self-propelled model racing car possible. But there’s a twist. Our focus on design means the better looking the finished vehicle is, the further up the track it will start.
14. See the bigger picture
If you like a visual reward at the end of your activity, why not try one of our customisable team efforts? Our Cube Challenge is colourful and collaborative and with Masterpiece, everyone gets to roll up their sleeves and make a contribution. If you’re keen to build something amazing, we’d recommend our Tall Ship Challenge which will turn your team into maritime masters (and hopefully not incite a mutiny!).
15. Crime, cryptic clues and calculated risks
Our thrilling jailbreak activity is a huge favourite. Step into a world of intrigue and cunning as you navigate the murky depths of an outrageous escapade. Outsmart the guards, decode cryptic clues and escape your fictional prison.
16. Getting into the detail
Sometimes, it’s just the little touches that are needed to turn a conference into a collaboration. Our ice breakers and energisers do just that: whether we’re getting people to catch each other’s fingers, make a Mexican wave or indulge in an epic battle of rock, paper, scissors, rest assured they’ll be energised and ready to go when we’re done.
17. A taste of Tinseltown
Fancy yourself as the next Steven Spielberg? Now’s the chance to let your talents shine! In our movie magic activity, teams must produce their very own film. Whether it features a company theme, promotes a business objective or simply follows a certain genre is up to you. With roles such as script writer, producer, cameraman, and editor up for grabs, everyone gets a chance to shine.
18. Giving back
We’re increasingly being asked to helped clients deliver their corporate social responsibility (CSR)commitments and we have a range of hugely rewarding teambuilding projects which help others too. Choose from building a prosthetic hand that will be given to real patients, building a life-changing water filtration system which can be donated to anywhere that needs it, or carrying out a team river clean up, these are activities which leave you feeling like you’ve truly given back.
19. Fundraising with the focus on fun!
Lots of our activities lend themselves well to adding a charitable angle and we frequently design fundraising events, helping clients with logistics, designing activities and providing equipment. There’s an excellent team-building angle to these too so they’re a win-win proposition.
20. High-octane hilarity
Creativity meets competition in our Creative Hot Wheels challenge. Think wacky races – teams design and build a vehicle which will carry them to victory in the grand finale race. Literally anything goes as teams are assessed on design, build, presentation and race position.
21. Calm and quintessential
A complete opposite in terms of energy levels, but no less popular is croquet. Experience a traditional English game with a bit of a twist (come on, being competitive is always on the agenda with TAG Events!)
22. Knight for a Day?
Take yourselves back to mediaeval Britain with our selection of activities from olden times. Choose a selection of activities to move between, including archery, popinjay, crossbow or axe throwing, to name just a few. These games create amazing memories against a backdrop of courage and honour.
23. A right royal adventure
While we’re on the theme of historical heraldry, events that take place in and around Windsor can choose some very apt additions to their agenda. Our Windsor Castle tours and Windsor Great Park walks provide an excellent opportunity for fresh air and exercise in the middle of a conference or away-day.
24. Ultimate teambuilding
Our ultimate teambuilding experience is a ramped up, interactive quiz. Teams sit at tables and answer questions and challenges on the screen. But these aren’t just any old questions - originality and audience participation is key here. ‘Arena challenges’ will see groups nominate a teammate to come to the front and take part in a unique activity!
25. Evening Entertainment
Good entertainment can make or break a dinner and that’s why we know our clients appreciate being able to hand over the reins to TAG to make the arrangements. We can provide anything from board games to liven up an informal gathering, to themed awards ceremonies, casino nights or race nights.
26. A team building tradition
It’s an oldie but a goodie and our raft building activity is always a scream as teams scramble to build the best craft to navigate the water course we create. And don’t forget, it all has to be dismantled before you win!
27. Here’s one we made earlier
If you love making things, we have several activities you’ll enjoy. Choose from candle making, wreath making, pottery or an art workshop to get your creative juices flowing.
28. Big kids will love this!
Scalextric has been a childhood favourite since its conception in the 50s and now you can play it in giant form with your colleagues! Whether you incorporate it into your main event or have the game as a standalone activity, our Scalextric track is like nothing you’ve ever seen before!
29. Channel your inner Roman
Ben Hur would have been proud of our flat-packed chariots, but perhaps not so keen on the instructions, or lack of.
Teams need to work together to figure out how to construct this human-powered chariot, be creative and decorate it with the materials provided and, once up and running, must navigate their way through a slalom course as fast as possible… oh and there’s one extra twist…
30. Your target awaits
We couldn’t finish this list of top activities without including archery. One of our most popular games, it’s weirdly addictive. We can cater for any number of archers in a competition format or just for fun.