Teambuilding Activity: The Net and The Balloon
The Net and the Balloon is a powerful team-building activity that raises awareness of group dynamics and patterns in various ways and variations.
This activity promotes:
- Collaboration
- Insight into patterns
- Making agreements
- Discussing each other's contributions to the team
Instructions:
Duration: 30 minutes - 45 minutes
Participants: Perform the activity in teams of 6 to 8 participants
Outdoor and optionally indoors in a large space
Materials needed:
- A long rope, approximately 15 meters (bring ropes of different lengths to find the most suitable one). When participants hold hands and create the largest possible circle, you have the correct length of the rope.
- A balloon
Gameplay:
Form a circle with 6 to 8 participants, ensuring enough space between each person. Participants hold the rope with their right hand (with the ends of the rope tied together to form a circle). With their other hand, they grasp the rope across from them and pull it towards themselves, creating a net. Place a balloon on top of this net, symbolizing the value of the team that they need to cherish.
Assign various tasks, such as:
- The team must move together.
- One member takes more responsibility (pulls harder).
- One member slacks off (stops pulling).
- Two team members have a conflict (pulling and letting go in opposite directions).
- Two team members switch roles (change places).
- One team member is removed from the team (letting go).
- Lack of focus (one or more team members close their eyes). You can create various situations based on these examples.
You can also have the team navigate an obstacle course during the exercise, adding complexity and symbolizing real-life problems teams may encounter.
The goal is to keep the balloon from falling.
Note: The rope should not be too thin to prevent participants from getting cut.
Evaluation:
What happened during the activity?
How did it make you feel?
What insights or lessons would you like to take away from this exercise?
