Outdoor team building
Outdoor team building: pick what suits you. Options for beginners, families or groups, in the finest settings there are.
Duration
2 hours - a few days
Difficulty
Easy to moderate, depending on the activities
Location
Woods, parks, sports grounds, resorts or open country
Season
All year, with the activities set to the season
What is a outdoor team building?
Outdoor team building is a programme of activities in the open air, put together to build up how a team works together, talks to each other and gets on.
It can take in team games, sporting challenges, exercises in communication, adventure and time spent outdoors.
The point is to bring the team closer through something they go through together.
Age limit
Adults
Most programmes are built for working teams.
Young people
Some activities can be set up for school groups.
18+ for alcohol
Anything involving alcohol is for people over 18 only.
Right for
Companies
Building up relations between colleagues and departments.
Small teams
Activities for a handful of people.
Large groups
Programmes with several teams taking part.
Schools and colleges
Activities built around working together and talking to each other.
Organisations
Events for members and volunteers.
Types of outdoor team building
Adventure outdoors
Physical challenges and things to explore.
Sporting contests
Games and contests between teams.
Creative activities
Challenges that call for imagination and working together.
Survival activities
Exercises in finding your way and coping outdoors.
Team building at an easy pace
Social and recreational activities.
What is included
Team games
Exercises in talking to each other and working together.
Outdoor challenges
Tasks the team works through together.
Finding your way outdoors
Activities with maps, routes and checkpoints.
Competitions
Contests between teams working to a shared goal.
At a glance
How long it lasts
It can run from a few hours to programmes of several days.
Booking
Needed in most cases, to arrange the team and the logistics.
Group size
The activities can be set up for small teams or for large groups.
Weather
Outdoor activities may need adjusting to the weather.
Kit and materials
Sports kit
Whatever the games and contests call for.
Safety kit
It may include protective gear for certain activities.
Navigation kit
Maps, markers or instruments for the exploring.
Personal kit
Comfortable shoes and clothes that suit being outdoors.
Services on offer
A team facilitator
Running the activities and helping the team work together.
A programme made to order
Shaping the activities around what the team is after.
Catering
Some places lay on meals or snacks.
Where you stay
It can be part of programmes that run over several days.
Photos and video
Keeping a record of the activities and the moments together.
Safety
Advice for participants
Suitable clothing
Pick comfortable clothes that suit being outdoors.
Getting stuck in
Whether it works depends on the whole team joining in.
Tell the organiser
Say beforehand if there is anything you cannot do.
Planning
Settle what the team wants out of it before you pick a programme.
Outdoor team building — frequently asked questions
It depends on what you pick. There are options for every level.
Yes — the programmes can be set to who is coming.
Yes — many activities are built for large groups.
Some programmes come with catering or set meals, depending on the offer.
Some events may include tastings or drinks, and those are for people of 18 or over only.