15 Fresh Outdoor Team-Building Activities For Work
If you tell your employees you’ll be doing some team-building activities together, what would their reactions be? If you’re getting more eye rolls than enthusiastic “Heck yeah!”s, that’s a sign you need some fresh employee bonding ideas.
When no one wants to build block towers in the conference room or entrust their bodily safety to others via the dreaded Trust Fall, it’s time to take the team outside for something new and different.
Ditch the old, stale cliches and try out one of these outdoor team-building activities for work instead. After a fun afternoon building and racing boats at the beach or doing doughnuts in the parking lot on adult-sized drift trikes, it’s almost a guarantee that everyone will bring their budding friendships and new lines of communication back to work with them the next day.
Interested in team-building exercises, but short on inspiration? Let Firefly Team Events host your next employee bonding get-together.
Why (And How) To Plan Fun Outdoor Team-Building Activities For Work
What makes corporate outdoor team-building activities different from indoor ones? (Besides being outdoors!)
As a kid, did you ever run into one of your teachers at the grocery store? If so, you probably still remember the incident because something about it made you feel… strange.
That feeling of simultaneous familiarity and unfamiliarity often happens when you interact outside of the environment you’re accustomed to. And when you meet with someone you know in a different setting than usual, you both tend to act differently than you would in your normal circumstances.
Taking your team outside encourages them to let their hair down and talk to each other as friends rather than as coworkers. Add in the benefits of an outdoor team-building activity that was deliberately structured to encourage communication and teamwork, and you have a recipe for bringing your employees closer together.
Plus, would your employees rather hang out in a conference room for a large portion of the day or get out into the sunshine and fresh air?
There’s just something about being outside that makes us feel better. With a better mood comes a better mindset and more openness to trying new activities and building social bridges. We often find that companies who take advantage of our fun outdoor work events report better team-building results and a more memorable, enjoyable experience overall.
Psychologically, this makes sense. Think back to the moments where some of your strongest friendships were made. Did you form those bonds sitting together at a team meeting under fluorescent lighting, or joking around by a fire and enjoying a beverage? Were you introducing yourselves while sitting around a conference table, or fighting side by side to achieve an objective together with pulse-pounding enthusiasm?
When people are out in the fresh air and having fun, the memories and kinship they’ll carry forward will be that much stronger and more pleasant to reflect on.
The Biology Of BondingOne crucial element that separates team-building exercises from simple social activities such as getting drinks after work has to do with biology. When people work together to accomplish a goal — especially if the challenge is significant and new to them — they release a mixture of neurochemicals. Of interest to us in this case are oxytocin and vasopressin — the chemicals that have to do with bonding. In particular, vasopressin is released in response to stressors and challenges. People who overcome challenges together will enjoy a much stronger bond than people who simply see each other socially every once in a while. Think about some of the strongest non-familial bonds in society; people who have seen combat in the military retain lifelong bonds with their teammates even when they don’t see them for years after the stressful bonding event. The goal of team-building is not to make your employees feel like they’re at war, but to encourage cooperation and a healthy feeling of having overcome challenges together. |
15 Ideas For Outdoor Team-Building Activities
If you know you’d like to get your employees out of the office, but you’re not sure where to go or what to do once you get there, give Firefly Team Events a shout. We’ll handle the hard work; all you have to do is show up and enjoy.
We’ve included information on the group sizes we can accommodate, as well as how much you can expect to spend on each event. Where applicable, we’ve also made a note of some of our favorite California-based locations for each event. But don’t fret if you live across the country and you still want to work with us—we’re always happy to travel and share the love!
If you plan your own versions instead of partnering with Firefly, you can of course come up with your own estimates and venues. We’ll discuss how to customize some of these ideas — and brainstorm more — later on.
1. Iron Team Challenge
Who hasn’t fantasized about being on the show Survivor at one point or another? Our Iron Team event is the perfect opportunity for your team to dig deep and find their inner grit and competitive spirit.
This is one of our most popular events, and for good reason. Your team will fight their way through a selection of challenges until they ultimately face off in The Gauntlet. And along the way, they’ll build trust, figure out how to communicate, and devise their own leadership and team rules.
This event is perfect for a summer day at the beach. We love Huntington Beach, but anywhere near you with enough green space should work!
Group Size: 25–500
Estimated Time Frame: 2 hours
Activity Level: High, but accessible for everyone
Can it also be done indoors? Yes
Investment: Starts at $3,500
2. Boat Build
Anyone can sit in a boat, but it takes a cohesive team to build a boat from scratch.
Equipped with basic boat-building supplies (and the opportunity to win more by completing challenges) teams will have to construct a seaworthy vessel and then sail or paddle their creations across the finish line.
As a bonus, your team will have a chance to hone their sales pitches by convincing a panel of judges why their boat should be the winner.
Group Size: 20–500
Estimated Time Frame: 2 to 2.5 hours
Activity Level: Moderate
Can it also be done indoors? This event requires a pool, but an indoor pool would be sufficient.
Investment: Starts at $3,750
3. Level Up
What if someone presented your group with a problem that had no easy or obvious solution? Would a leader step forward? Would they come up with ingenious, innovative solutions? Or would it look more like a scene from a survival horror movie — total chaos and every man for himself?
Working your way through tough puzzles and allowing employees to think outside of the usual box requires trust, problem-solving skills, and communication. Since this team-building activity is more oriented around talking rather than physical activity, it’s a great way to encourage teammates to put their heads together and get on the same page with common issues.
Group Size: Any
Estimated Time Frame: 2.5 to 3 hours
Activity Level: Moderate
Can it also be done indoors? Yes, but we recommend an outdoor park or scenic setting to get the mental juices flowing.
Investment: Starts at $2,500
4. Cooking Competitions
Cooking competitions aren’t just for folks on TV with celebrity chef judges. In this activity, team members receive a mystery basket of ingredients and attempt to win over the judges while completing fun challenges that should spice things up (so to speak).
Cooking events are great for sparking friendly competition and encouraging clear thinking under stressful conditions.
Group Size: 25–500
Estimated Time Frame: 2.5 to 3 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? Yes.
Investment: Starts at $2,750 plus the cost of consumables
Location Note: Firefly Team Events cooking activities usually take place at Flavortown, but any location that can support a handful of cooks working together will be fine. This event could be great for a grill-out day in the park!
5. Outrigger Canoe Racing
Native Hawaiians have been racing outrigger canoes since the earliest parts of their history. Now your team can take part in this tradition by paddling together as a cohesive unit to win the bracketed racing tournament.
Group Size: 25 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 2.5 to 3 hours
Activity Level: High
Can it also be done indoors? No
Location Note: Firefly Team Events outrigger canoe racing activities can be done at Newport Beach, Long Beach, or Dana Point. Check with our team to find out if we can also produce it on coastline near you.
Investment: Starts at $3,500
6. Launch It
Can your team build the best water-propelled rocket, or will another team’s creation soar higher and further? Companies with technically-minded employees will feel right at home doing this team-building activity, but advanced degrees in rocket science are not required.
Group Size: 25 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 2.5 to 3 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? NoLocation Note: We require a launch area that measures about 250 ft by 50 ft. to safely launch rockets.
Investment: Starts at $2,750
7. Drift Trike Battle
Reclaim your childhood and climb back on that trike you so fondly remember. Once the nostalgia wears off, you can put your grownup helmet back on and defeat the competition in this hilarious and fun drift racing competition.
Group Size: 2–100
Estimated Time Frame: 1 to 1.5 hours
Activity Level: Moderate
Can it also be done indoors? We wouldn’t recommend it. Try a huge, empty parking lot or any setting that gives you Fast & Furious vibes.
Investment: Starts at $3,000
8. Team Graffiti
From stick figure artists to professionals, everyone will find a place on the team here. Skilled graffiti artists will teach your employees to graffiti like the pros and create colorful, visually striking murals everyone will feel proud of.
Group Size: 10–500
Estimated Time Frame: 1.5 to 3 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? It’s possible, but doing it outdoors will be more fun!
Investment: Starts at $4,200
9. Techno Rally
If you had the opportunity to wrap a colleague up in toilet paper and snap a photograph, would you take it? We’re not talking about creating blackmail material; instead, you’ll be searching the streets for checkpoints, completing wacky objectives, and taking pictures as proof. It’s like a photographic scavenger hunt, but way more fun.
Group Size: 10–500
Estimated Time Frame: 1.5 to 3 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? Technically yes, but outdoor areas offer more opportunities for fun and creativity. Bonus points if you choose somewhere with lots of tourists and confused onlookers!
Investment: Starts at $3,000
10. Duffy Boat Scavenger Hunt
Sailor, are you ready to accept your next sea mission? This Duffy boat scavenger hunt puts your team out on the harbor for fun, exploration, and adventure. Race around to find specific places and complete objectives before your teammates beat you to them, or simply take the opportunity for a breath of fresh sea air and some time in the sun.
Group Size: 10 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 2.5 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? No
Location Note: Firefly Team Events Duffy boat scavenger hunts take place at Newport Marina.
Investment: Starts at $4,000
11. Surfboard Art
Give back to your community while fostering a sense of teamwork and accomplishment within your own company with this surfboard art activity. Your employees will decorate surfboards with stencils, paint, and other art supplies, and then pair their surfboard up with non-profits such as Operation Amped, which helps veterans heal trauma through surfing activities.
This option is a great choice for creating a sense of unity and cooperation rather than competition.
Group Size: 10 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 2 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? Yes, but decorating a surfboard is much better with a view of the ocean.
Investment: Starts at $2,750
12. Golf n’ Give
This activity is also a wonderful choice for working with local charities. After teammates battle it out designing and playing their own miniature golf holes using non-perishable food items as building materials, they can donate the supplies to food banks or other organizations that help people in need.
Group Size: 25 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 2 to 3 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? Yes
Investment: Starts at $3,500
13. Doggie Care Packages
Have you ever thought of all the dogs sitting in adoption centers, waiting to be taken home by their forever families? Our Doggie Care Packages are the perfect way to make sure man’s best friend is comfortable and happy while waiting to be adopted. Your team will have to overcome challenges and work together to earn dog toys and treats that they can assemble into the ultimate canine care package.
Group Size: 25 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 1 to 2.5 hours
Activity Level: Low
Can it also be done indoors? Yes
Investment: Starts at $3,500
14. Sand Sculpture Build
Build amazing works of art out of sand with the skills learned from our sand sculpting lesson. Competing teams will have to build the biggest, most impressive, and most intricate sand creation to take first place in the competition. However, strong contenders shouldn’t get complacent; additional challenges for extra credit and a final one-minute presentation can unexpectedly propel underdogs to the forefront.
Group Size: 25 or more
Estimated Time Frame: 2–2.5 hours
Activity Level: High
Can it also be done indoors? No
Investment: $2,750
15. Dodgeball
Are you sensing some rivalries and aggressions that your coworkers need to work through? A spirited game of dodgeball can be a great way to air frustrations in a healthy, competitive, and constructive way. Just be warned; if you’ve been sampling lunches from the break room fridge or forgetting to return prized red Swingline staplers, the dodgeballs may just fly your way.
Group Size: 25–500
Estimated Time Frame: 2 hours
Activity Level: High
Can it also be done indoors? Yes. You’ll need a location that can accommodate a 20’ x 40’ court.
Investment: Starts at $3,500
Interested in forging ahead on your own?
No worries; our feelings won’t be hurt.
Several of the above ideas can be adapted, repurposed, or entirely redesigned depending on your preferences:
- Build boats out of improvised materials, for example, rather than carefully chosen boat-building supplies. This could lead to more frustration and overall wetness, but it could be a great idea for a group who can easily cut loose and laugh at themselves.
- Schedule a beach cleanup. Then, once the area is clear, employees can relax and play in the sun.
- If you’re feeling brave, have your team paint or otherwise decorate a wall inside the office and personalize it with some artistic flair. When the event is months in the past, everyone will still be able to look back fondly at their creation. It may also serve as an ever-present reminder that Bob from HR actually isn’t that bad, once you get to know him.
Or, you can go in a completely different direction and build cardboard box forts or spend the day brainstorming a (hopefully imaginary) bank heist, if that’s what gets your team going. The point is that you can make up team-building games to your heart’s content. As long as everyone leaves the experience feeling like they’ve had fun and learned something positive about one another, all the planning and effort will be worthwhile.
Here are a few considerations for planning your company’s outdoor team-building activities.
There are a handful of possible mistakes you can make if you forget to consider all the aspects of how your team-building day will go. For example, it’s never a good idea to plan for two hours in the hot sun directly before your team has to get back to the office for a major presentation.
You’ll want to keep in mind where your employees are coming from (home, work, lunch, or somewhere else) and where they have to be after the activity is over. If possible, plan a generous amount of buffer time before and after the event to allow your employees to shower, change clothes, and grab a bite to eat without feeling overwhelmed. The team-building activity should be fun, not a source of stress or hassle.
Also, remind your team members to bring any supplies they’ll need for their own comfort. If you’re attending an activity hosted by Firefly Team Events, we’ll provide the necessary equipment to complete the activity, as well as safety supplies such as water bottles and sunscreen. But comfort items — such as sun hats, towels, a knee brace, or a spare change of socks — are the responsibility of each individual.
Want to strengthen your team with a Firefly Event?
Leave the planning to us and just show up to reap the benefits of a team-building activity in the sun with your colleagues. From challenging races that will get your pulse pounding to strategic thinking exercises designed to facilitate fresh new solutions to old problems, there’s a great outdoor activity suitable for every company.
FireFly Team Events