Teambuilding Activity: The Crossing

This activity is designed to promote collaboration and provide a reflective experience.

This activity promotes:
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Trust
- And who knows what else

Below are the instructions:

Time: 30 minutes
Participants: 6 or more
Outdoor
Active

Materials needed:
Crates, planks, tires, or any other material that can be stood upon.

Initial setup:
Gather all participants together to listen to the instructions, then divide them into teams.

Framework:
This activity is performed outdoors on a grass field or sandy area to ensure safety.

Procedure:
Instruct the group to cross "the river" (a wild and icy cold water!!) using the available materials. They essentially need to go from point A to point B (you indicate the play area) without touching the grass or sand with their feet (as it would result in being swept away and not ending well). They must stand on an object while crossing. The goal is for everyone to reach the other side of the river by passing the materials to each other. You can have 2 or more groups compete against each other, or you can simply work with one group.

Variations:
 -In the second round, simulate a storm. Some materials may suddenly disappear (you remove them).
 -When working with one group, remove the time pressure and set the goal of keeping everyone "dry," meaning no one touches the ground at any point.

Evaluation:
What happened?
What did you reveal about yourself?
What did you experience and feel?
What will you take away from this?

This activity provides insights into various aspects. I have observed multiple times that people at the front of the line rush ahead so fast that others can't keep up, causing the group task to fail because all the materials are consumed. Often, it is not difficult to draw parallels to daily life and ask, "Where do you recognize yourself doing this?"

If you wish to provide deeper individual coaching, the following themes can be addressed:
- The tendency of some individuals to run ahead without looking back.
- The self-sacrificing behavior of those who end up with nothing left for themselves.
- The isolation experienced by those who choose not to participate.

Safety check:
Reiterate the importance of safety since participants will be standing on objects that they can fall off from.