The document describes several team building activities with instructions and objectives. The activities include: 1) The Game of Possibilities - Participants demonstrate original uses of a napkin without speaking to experience infinite problem solving approaches. 2) Drop the Ball - Teams build containers to catch golf balls using straws and tape to foster cooperation and competition. 3) Winner/Loser - Partners share bad experiences and their positives to let go of negativity and gain perspective. 4) Ten Ways to Kill a New Idea - A game where using "idea killer" phrases requires money in a jar to later buy lunch and encourage positive meetings.

2. The Game of Possibilities …
Time
• 5–6 minutes
Purpose
• To stimulate conversation, ideas,
and laughter
Participants
• Small groups
• This can be done with one group or
multiple groups at the same time.
Materials needed
• Cloth napkins

3. … The Game of Possibilities
Instructions
• Give a napkin to each group of five to
ten participants.
• One person at a time stands and
demonstrates a use of that napkin.
• 1. Person demonstrating cannot speak
• 2. Must stand while demonstrating
• 3. Demonstration must be original
Desired outcome
• Participants experience the infinite
ways to use a napkin and translate
this to the infinite ways to solve
problems, use resources, motivate a
team, etc.

4. Drop the Ball …
Time
• 10–12 minutes
Purpose
• Cooperation and healthy
competition
Participants
• Small groups
Materials needed
• Golf balls, straws, tape

5. … Drop the Ball
Instructions
• Each small group receives 12 straws and 18
inches of masking tape. They get ten minutes to
build a container that will catch a golf ball
dropped from about ten feet.
• Each group selects a ‘ball dropper’ — that
person stands on a chair, holds a golf ball at eye
level. That group places its container on the floor
under where it thinks the ball will land. Each
group gets three attempts.
• The group that gets a ball to go in and stay in its
container wins
Desired outcome
• Teams can use their experiences in the game to
overcome work problems and relational issues.

6. Winner/Loser …
Time
• 5–6 minutes
Purpose
• Negative to positive perspective
Participants
• Partners
Materials needed
• None

7. … Winner/Loser
Instructions
• One partner tells the other partner about
something bad that happened to them.
This can be personal or work-related and
can have occurred recently or years ago.,
but it must be something that is over. They
can take about two minutes to do this.
• The same partner then tells the same story
but this time relates the good things that
came from this experience. The listening
partner can help them explore the good
that came from the bad.
Desired outcome
• Participants experience a way to let go of
negative attitudes and emotional baggage.

8. Ten Ways to Kill a New Idea …
Time
• 2–3 minutes
Purpose
• Keep meetings positive
Participants
• All
Materials needed
• Poster paper, markers

9. … Ten Ways to Kill a New Idea
Instructions
• A list of negative phrases and
words is posted in the meeting
room. During meetings, anyone
who uses any of the ‘idea killer’
phrases must put a quarter in the
‘nega-jar.’When enough money
is collected, it can be used to buy
the team lunch..
Desired outcome
• Participants experience a way to
let go of negative attitudes and
emotional baggage.

10. This Is My Life …
Time
• Few minutes to 1 hour
Purpose
• Learn personal backgrounds in
a fun setting
Participants
• All
Materials needed
• Decks of cards — picture cards
only

11. … This Is My Life
Instructions
• Cards represent different stages
of life; i.e. Jack is childhood,
Queen is teen years, King is
young adult, Ace is now. As each
person draws a card, they must
tell one story about the period of
their life that corresponds to the
card.
Desired outcome
• Team uncovers common interests
and opens dialogue.

12. Cartoon Character …
Time
• 2–3 minutes
Purpose
• Creative introductions
Participants
• Partners
Materials needed
• None

13. … Cartoon Character
Instructions
• Everyone introduces themselves
to one other person as the
cartoon character they would be
if they were not who they are.
Desired outcome
• Creates a relaxed atmosphere

14. Relate to People …
Time
• 2–3 minutes
Purpose
• Learn new things about co-
workers
Participants
• All
Materials needed
• Pens and paper

15. … Relate to People
Instructions
• Group is given a list of
characteristics and instructed to
find people in the room that have
those characteristics that differ
from them. For example:
different gender, weight by 20
lbs, height by seven inches,
marital status, etc.
Desired outcome
• Learn new things about co-
workers; encourages
conversation, breaks down
perceived barriers

16. Human Knot …
Time
• 15 – 30 minutes
Purpose
• Good communication and
teamwork
Participants
• 8 – 20 people
Materials needed
• None

17. … Human Knot
Instructions
• Have everyone stand in a circle
facing each other, shoulder to
shoulder. Instruct everyone to put
their right hand out and grab a
random hand of someone across
from them. Then, tell them to put
their left hand out and grab
another random hand from a
different person across the circle.
Within a set time limit, the group
needs to untangle the knot of
arms without releasing their
hands. If the group is too large,
make multiple smaller circles
and have the separate groups
compete.

18. The Mine Field …
Time
• 15 – 30 minutes
Purpose
• Trust, communication, and
effective listening
Participants
• 4 – 10 people (even numbers)
Materials needed
• Various handheld objects,
several blindfolds

19. … The Mine Field
Instructions
• Find an open space such as an
empty parking lot or a park.
Place the objects (cones, balls,
bottles, etc.) sporadically across
the open space. Have everyone
pair up, and make one person on
from each pair put on the
blindfold. The other person must
lead their teammate from one
side of the open space to the
other without stepping on the
objects — using only the verbal
instructions. The blindfolded
person cannot speak at all. To
make it more difficult, create
specific routes the blindfolded
team members must walk.

20. The Perfect Square …
Time
• 15 – 30 minutes
Purpose
• Strong communication and
leadership skills
Participants
• 5 – 20 people
Materials needed
• Long piece of rope tied together
and a blindfold for each person

21. … The Perfect Square
Instructions
• Have your coworkers stand in a
circle holding a piece of the rope.
Then instruct everyone to put on
their blindfold and set the rope
on the floor. Have everyone take
walk a short distance away from
the circle. Next, ask everyone to
come back and try to form a
square with the rope without
removing their blindfolds. Set a
time limit to make it more
competitive. To make it even
more difficult, instruct some
team members to stay silent.

22. All the Best
Mohammad Nafarieh, PMP