Are you in search of some team building survival games?
When it comes to the workplace, building strong teams is crucial for success. Experiential learning activities are essential for fostering collaboration, improving communication, and building trust among employees. By adding a fun and adventurous twist with survival games, you can create memorable experiences that challenge and engage your team.
In this article, let’s see 10 team building survival games. These activities will leave your employees motivated and energized.
What is the Purpose of Survival Games?
Survival games are designed to simulate challenging scenarios where teams must work together to solve problems, make decisions under pressure, and achieve a common goal. These activities often replicate real-life survival situations, encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork.
Here are some benefits of incorporating survival games into your team building sessons:
- Improves teamwork: Survival games require teams to work together to win, fostering teamwork and cooperation. Employees must communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and support each other to achieve success.
- Boosts problem-solving skills: They often present unexpected challenges and obstacles that require teams to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions. This can improve employees’ critical thinking abilities and promote a growth mindset.
- Promotes risk taking: These games create a safe environment for employees to take calculated risks and learn from their mistakes. This can help build confidence, resilience, and a willingness to try new approaches in the workplace.
- Encourages leadership: They allow employees to step into leadership roles and practice decision-making skills under pressure. This can help identify potential leaders within the team and develop their capabilities.
- Builds trust: Surviving challenging situations together can bring people closer and foster trust among team members. By relying on each other’s strengths, teams can build stronger relationships that translate into better collaboration in the workplace.
10 Team Building Survival Games for Your Employees
Here are some survival games you can try with your teams.
#1. Survival Island Scenario
In this activity, participants imagine being stranded on a deserted island and must prioritize a list of items crucial for survival. It encourages teamwork and problem-solving within a limited timeframe.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: A pre-prepared list of survival items
Participants: Groups of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Provide each team with the same list of 15 items they might have after a shipwreck.
- Ask the team members to collaborate and rank the items by importance based on survival needs.
- Allow some time for discussion and finalization of their ranked list.
- Compare each team’s list with an expert survival ranking to discuss their choices.
Debrief
- What helped your team agree on which items mattered most?
- How did differing opinions shape the final ranking?
- Looking back, what would you change about your decision process?
You can also read: 10 Survival Leadership Activities for the Workplace
#2. Escape the Wilderness Challenge
This game involves setting up a scenario where teams must work together to “escape” a wilderness setting by solving a series of survival-related tasks and puzzles. It enhances creativity, leadership, and adaptability.
Time: You decide
Materials: Various props such as ropes, maps, compasses, and puzzle cards
Participants: Groups of 3-8 people
Instructions
- Divide the participants into teams and provide them with a backstory of being lost in the wilderness.
- Create a sequence of tasks they must complete to “escape,” such as building a shelter, navigating using a map, or solving riddles to unlock resources.
- Set specific time limits for each task to keep the game challenging.
- The first team to complete all the tasks successfully “escapes” and wins.
Debrief
- Which obstacle pushed your team to adapt the most during the challenge?
- How were roles chosen as the pressure increased?
- In what ways did individual strengths help the group move forward?
#3. Build a Raft
This hands-on activity requires employees to design and build a raft using limited resources. It fosters innovation, collaboration, and confidence as teams test their creation on water.
Time: You decide
Materials: Large barrels, wooden planks, ropes, and any supplementary materials for raft construction
Participants: Groups of 4-8 individuals
Instructions
- Divide the participants into teams and provide them with materials to build a functional raft capable of floating.
- Set a time limit for design and construction.
- Once all the teams have built their rafts, test the rafts in a pool or safe body of water to see which one performs the best.
Debrief
- Which strategy helped your team make the best use of limited materials?
- When time felt tight, how did your group adjust its plan?
- What did the final raft reveal about your team’s creativity plus involvement?
#4. Survival Quiz Challenge
This game tests participants’ knowledge of basic survival skills. It encourages learning and collaboration as teams compete to answer questions about fire building, first aid, shelter construction, etc.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Pre-prepared quiz questions related to survival skills
Participants: Groups of 3-6 individuals
Instructions
- Prepare a list of multiple-choice or true/false questions on various survival topics.
- Divide the participants into groups and assign a point system for correct answers.
- Ask one question at a time, giving each group an equal chance to answer. The group with the most points wins.
Debrief
- Which survival topic stood out most to your team, and why?
- How did your group combine ideas to choose the best answers?
- What lessons from this quiz could you share with others after the activity?
#5. The Rescue Mission
This scenario-based game tasks teams with rescuing a stranded group while overcoming logistical and strategic challenges. It emphasizes leadership, strategic planning, and teamwork.
Time: You decide
Materials: Items representing obstacles and resources, such as ropes, cones, maps, etc.
Participants: Groups of 4-8 members
Instructions
- Create a storyline where the participants must rescue a stranded group within a set time.
- Place obstacles and challenges that teams must overcome to complete the rescue mission.
- Provide limited resources, forcing participants to strategize and work together to succeed.
- Time the activity to introduce an element of urgency.
Debrief
- Where did your team make the strongest choices during the rescue mission?
- How were responsibilities assigned when the pressure increased?
- What would you do differently to manage limited resources more effectively?
#6. River Crossing Challenge
This activity involves simulating a river crossing where teams must transport themselves and limited resources to the other side. It enhances planning, cooperation, and problem-solving skills.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Platforms, planks, ropes, and marked zones to represent the river
Participants: Groups of 4-8 members
Instructions
- Set up a “river” using a designated area with platforms or simulated stepping zones.
- Provide the teams with limited tools (e.g., planks or ropes) to cross the river without touching the “water.”
- Introduce rules, such as penalties for breaking safety boundaries or dropping items.
- The team that crosses the river fastest with all their resources intact wins.
Debrief
- Where did your team face the biggest constraint during the crossing?
- How did trust shape the way your group made decisions under pressure?
- If you ran this challenge again, what strategy would help you communicate more clearly?
#7. Blindfold Navigation
This activity challenges participants to guide a blindfolded teammate through an obstacle course using only verbal instructions. It focuses on trust, effective communication, and patience.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Blindfolds, and objects like cones to create an obstacle course
Participants: Groups of 3-6 people
Instructions
- Set up an obstacle course with clearly marked start and finish points.
- One group member is blindfolded, and the rest of the group must guide them through the course using verbal directions only.
- Create time constraints to make the activity more thrilling.
- The group that completes the course in the shortest time wins.
Debrief
- How did your team decide what kind of instructions worked best for the blindfolded teammate?
- When did trust make the biggest difference during the course?
- What would help your group communicate more clearly under pressure?
#8. Survivor Scavenger Hunt
This fast-paced scavenger hunt requires teams to locate hidden objects or solve clues in a survival context. It promotes collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Pre-hidden objects or detailed clues, and a map or list of hints
Participants: Groups of 3-8 individuals
Instructions
- Strategically hide survival-related items (e.g., water bottles, flashlights, compasses, etc.) around the playing area.
- Provide each team with a map or set of riddles to locate the objects.
- Introduce the rules, such as requiring all the team members to stay in close proximity while searching.
- The team that finds all the items first or secures the most within the time limit wins.
Debrief
- What helped your team stay organized while searching for clues and items?
- In which moments did adaptability make the biggest difference?
- How did dividing tasks shape your team’s overall success?
#9. Puzzle Relay Race
This activity involves employees competing to complete a puzzle as quickly as possible, promoting problem-solving and teamwork. It can be modified to include survival-themed puzzles or obstacles for added challenge.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Pre-selected puzzles with varying difficulty levels for each group
Participants: Groups of 3-8 members
Instructions
- Set up a designated area for each team to assemble their puzzle(s).
- Provide each team with a different puzzle without showing them the completed image.
- Introduce time constraints and penalties, such as points deducted for incorrect placements.
- The first team to correctly assemble their puzzle wins.
Debrief
- What communication approach helped your team solve the puzzle most effectively?
- Where did your strategy shift during the relay, and what prompted that change?
- How could the lessons from this activity improve teamwork in real work situations?
#10. Resource Allocation Challenge
This activity challenges teams to allocate limited resources among different tasks or projects effectively. It enhances problem-solving, prioritization, and teamwork skills.
Time: You decide
Materials: Tasks or projects with varying levels of complexity and resource requirements
Participants: Groups of 3-8 members
Instructions
- Create a list of tasks or projects that require different resources and skill sets.
- Assign each team a set amount of resources (e.g., money, time, or tools) to complete the designated tasks.
- Teams must prioritize which tasks they can complete based on their available resources.
- The team that completes the most tasks successfully using their allocated resources wins.
Debrief
- How did your team decide which resources mattered most for each task?
- What trade-offs shaped your final choices during the challenge?
- Looking back, where could your group improve its planning or communication?
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Final Words
Survival games offer more than just entertainment—they teach essential skills like problem-solving, communication, and leadership in a dynamic way. Integrating these activities into your workplace is a great way to foster camaraderie and cultivate a resilient, cohesive team. So, why not try one of these games at your next team building session? Your employees will thank you for the adventure!
FAQ: Team Building Survival Games
You might have these questions in mind.
Can I conduct these activities virtually?
Yes, many of these activities can be modified for virtual settings by using video conferencing and online tools. For example, the Blindfold Navigation can be done through verbal instructions on a video call with team members acting as “eyes” for the blindfolded person.
How do I choose which activity is best for my team?
Consider your team’s goals and needs, as well as the time available for the activity. Some teams may prefer physical challenges, while others may excel in problem-solving tasks. Also, keep in mind any potential physical limitations or allergies when selecting an activity. Overall, choose an activity that will engage and challenge your team while also promoting teamwork and communication.
Can I create my own survival game for my team?
Absolutely! Use the elements of surprise, strategy, and problem-solving to design a personalized survival game for your team based on their skills and interests. Just make sure to provide clear instructions and safety guidelines before starting the activity. Be creative and have fun with it!
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