Team Building Activities – On and Off the Climbing Wall

Team building activities are a great way to develop the core social-emotional competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making and relationship skills. In this blog post, we share our favorite teambuilding activities, both on and off the Traverse Wall®, to add to your social-emotional learning toolbox.

Team Building Activities on the Wall

These are our two favorite team building activities for the Traverse Wall®. Be sure to debrief and reflect with your climbers after they have completed the activity. This can be done as a group discussion or use our suggestions for journal prompts.

Hoop Haven

A great cooperative climbing challenge that requires climbers to be self-ware, communicate and work together.

Materials Needed: Hula Hoops

Advance Prep: None

Grade Level: 3 and up

Grouping: Partners/Small Group

Activity:

Climbers make their way across the climbing wall with arms linked by a hoop. This requires climbers to adjust their speed and communicate so that they remain linked by the hoop for their entire climb. If they become separated, they should stop and climb down from the wall and start over. After partners have had success with this activity, try it again with three climbers and two hoops. If that goes well, try with four climbers and three hoops.

Variations:

• Challenge climbers to complete the activity without speaking.
• Time the activity and work towards faster times, while still making safety a priority.

Teaching Tip: For safety reasons, do not have more than four climbers attempt this challenge.

Debrief/Reflect:

• How did your group do?
• If your team was successful, why was it? What helped you be successful? What did you do to contribute to your group’s success?
• What would you do differently next time?
• What advice would you give someone who was going to do this for the first time?

National Standards: 1,2,3,4 & 5

Grade-Level Outcomes: 

• Nonlocomotor (S1.E7, S1.E8, S1.E10)
• Manipulative (S1.E13,S1.E26)
• Movement concepts (S2.E1, S2.E2)
• Engages in physical activity (S3.E2, S3.M3, S3.M4, S3.M5)
• Personal responsibility (S4.E1, S4.E2, S4.M1, S4.M2)
• Working with others (S4.E4, S4.M4, S4.M5)
• Rules & etiquette (S4.E5, S4.M5,S4.M6)
• Safety (S4.E6, S4.M7)
• Challenge (S5.E2, S5.M3)

Climbing in the Night

Participants climb the Traverse Wall® while blindfolded in this advanced-level climbing activity requiring responsible decision making and relationship skills.

Materials Needed: Blindfolds, or large handkerchiefs, one per partnership

Advance Prep: None

Grade Level: 4 and up

Grouping: Partners

Activity:

Prior to beginning, review proper spotting technique with participants. Next, divide the group into two-person teams. One person is the blindfolded climber and the other is the sighted guide. The sighted guide starts the activity by carefully leading the blindfolded climber to the start of the wall. Through a series of verbal instructions (see tips) given by the sighted guide, the blindfolded climber gradually makes his/her way across the Traverse Wall. The sighted guide is responsible for the physical safety of the climber; therefore it is imperative that accurate information is clearly communicated and that constant attention is given to the climber. At all times, the sighted partner should remain close to the climber, spotting and making sure that the climber never climbs above the three-foot height limit. When the climber reaches the end of the wall, the guide should help him/her climb down. Partners then switch roles.

Variations:

• To decrease challenge, have climbers close their eyes (no blindfolds) and give them three strikes, or three opportunities to open their eyes during the activity.
• Before the activity begins, have participants predict which role will be more challenging—climber or guide. After the activity, discuss the actual outcomes. This also makes for great journaling.

Debrief/Reflect:

• Name a feeling you experienced during this activity.
• Which role was more challenging: climbing or giving instruction? Why?
• What role did communication play in this challenge?
• What was the greatest challenge that you experienced during this activity?

National Standard(s): 1,2,3,4 & 5

Grade-Level Outcomes: 

• Nonlocomotor (S1.E7, S1.E8, S1.E10)
• Movement concepts (S2.E1, S2.E2)
• Engages in physical activity (S3.E2, S3.M3, S3.M4, S3.M5)
• Personal responsibility (S4.E1, S4.E2, S4.M1, S4.M2)
• Working with others (S4.E4, S4.M4, S4.M5)
• Rules & etiquette (S4.E5, S4.M5, S4.M6)
• Safety (S4.E6, S4.M7)
• Challenge (S5.E2, S5.M3)

Team Building Activities off the Wall

We offer an entire team building product line which complement any rock-climbing program. They can be stand-alone events, or they can be facilitated as stations right along with the climbing wall. Here are our favorites: 

Meteorite Mission

Meteorite Mission challenges up to 10 “astronauts” with moving a “meteorite” from one station pole to another using separate ropes attached to a ring. Steady movements, collaborative problem solving, balance and clear communication are required for success. Many variations are possible to increase the difficulty level, keeping it fresh and challenging as your teams develop over time.

Don’t Lose Your Marbles

This fast-paced challenge requires quick-thinking, teamwork and communication skills to get one or more marbles through all tube sections without them falling to the floor. Don’t Lose Your Marbles is small, includes a storage bag and requires no assembly. It’s easy to conduct the activity anywhere – in a gymnasium, classroom, on a field trip or outdoors.

Spider’s Web

This classic trust-building task involves the team safely passing one of its members through the Spider’s Web. To be successful, team members must display maturity, reliability, trust, cooperation and excellent communications skills. Some assembly is required, and we think it can add to the fun – make it the first part of the activity when working with participants ages 12 and up.

All Aboard

As it sounds, All Aboard, is about getting everyone on board – starting off on the largest platform and then moving to smaller ones. Collaborative problem solving, cooperation, coordination and communication are really put to the test. The wood platforms next tighter for easy storage and have glides on the bases to protect floor.