What is Teambuilding? Some think it’s happy hours with colleagues after work or office lunches at trendy restaurants. Others think it’s company sponsored softball teams or picnics. People label teambuilding a lot of things. But we feel there is something more to teambuilding that people often miss. We have fun, purposeful activities that groups can do that help them become better team members for the ultimate teambuilding experiance. So, if you’re looking for new and exciting ways to build teams, increase camaraderie, strengthen work relationships or just have extraordinary fun as a group, please give us a call.

We use theme events that involve our low element ropes course (chili cook offs, Castaway Adventure, and Journey to the Old West) to teach many different areas in which growth, learning and training can be experienced. Each medium uses the “experiential learning” philosophy attaining knowledge through personal encounters with activities. This style of teaching delivers an insightful and long lasting impact to the participants.

Thanks again for visiting our web site. We hope you will come have lunch with us and tour our beautiful ranch. We’d like you to see how quickly you get here from any where in Dalas Fort Worth, and see for yourself the outstanding facilities we have to offer.  

This is a team competition offering tremendous fun and opportunity to work together. The members of your team will bond and enjoy each other’s company away from the stress and diversions of the workplace. The rules are simple and the challenge is such that everyone can easily participate, no matter their previous cooking experience or physical capacities. Here is how it works:

• The first challenge for the teams is to elect a team mascot and create a team chant. The team chant will be performed and judged mid-way through the chili cook-off.
• The teams are given the bare essential ingredients and cookware needed to cook chili. (No chili tartar allowed).
• The team must name the chili.
• The teams can earn additional and different ingredients in any number of ways:
  • The first team to name their chili.
  • The first team to create team mascot and chant.
  • The team with the best team chant.
  • Well defined teamwork.
  • Asking for what they need.
  • Answering trivia questions.
  • And many more ways can be added.
• The teams must create a marketing presentation that will be made before the chili judging. The marketing presentation must include and not limited to:
  • Team mascot.
  • Chili name.
  • Company name.
• The teams must create a chili presentation;
  • The recipe and team name must be a part of the presentation.
  • The chili must be pleasing to the eye, decorations are recommended.
• The judges/facilitators will judge;
  • The taste of the chili.
  • The presentation of the chili.
  • The marketing presentation.
  • And overall champion.
• The overall experience is enhanced through the use of a DJ and the interaction with the facilitators. The event is kept up beat and fun for all.

The adventure begins on the shores of an uncharted island in the middle of the Sea of Texas….

The team was in route to handle yet another impossible mission for a client when their plane, Caught in a horrible storm, blown hundreds of miles off course, was struck by lightning. The airframe began pulling apart in the tremendous atmospheric pressure and began descending. The rate of descent was of such speed that survival seemed far from possible.

Waking the next morning to a warming sunshine, the team realized that their worst fears had been escaped and all had survived. All, that is, except for the pilot. The pilot was not part of the team and while his loss was cause for mourning, the team was thankfully in tact. A celebration was beginning to break out until the team came to two difficult realizations. The first realization was that the pilot’s body had washed up on the shore near the team’s landing and the second was the discovery that this was an uncharted island well off any commercial shipping lanes and flight paths.

Being compassionate people, the team held a small service next to the shallow grave to mourn the heroic pilot and give thanks for their survival.

After the service, the team began discussing the options they had before them. The island being uninhabited provided little help for the team. They had to come to terms with the fact that their survival was dependent on no one but themselves. They agreed that there were two (or more depending on the size of the group) areas of focus that needed to be addressed. Water, food and shelter were on the list as one priority and escape from this gorgeous prison was the other. The problem was found when the team was divided on which focus was most important. The stress of the moment prevented the two groups from seeing any action other than what they each perceived as being the top requirement for survival. The began to argue and refused to listen to one another and before long the team had divided into two tribes. (The “tribes” will name themselves during the event). The tribes went their separate ways to find resources to aid in obtaining their focuses. Tribe one headed through the coral-floored lagoon to the area, which to them seemed best suited to host food and shelter. Tribe two journeyed over the rock formations to get to the debris from the aircraft which had washed to shore in hopes of finding enough materials to create a raft for their escape from the island.

This adventure is the story of the tribe’s trials and tribulations during their struggle for survival and escape. The rest of the island story will unfold during the event through activities and facilitation.

This event in essence is a play with your team as the actors. The great news is that no acting experience is needed and the only action taken by each person is to be themselves and have fun participation in the activities of the event. The facilitators will guide the flow of the event.

The facilitators will start the event with an introduction of the journey: Modern science has found that the root of the (groups name) Chase tree has miraculous healing abilities. The root can heal all of the illness in the world today. The problem lies in the fact that this root existed only until the end of the gold rush in California. Your team has been chosen to travel back in time to locate this tree and bring it back to today.

Your team has now been transported back to the days of the gold rush Your trek from Texas to California has been relatively uneventful until this precise moment. You now find yourselves lost in the mountains, seeking a path to safety and survival, not to mention your goal.

A winter storm in the Rocky Mountains, while on the long dangerous trail drive, caught the tram. The threat of winter closing in on them caused them to continue moving through the mountains. (The team will have several challenges that will allow them to exit the mountains; pole race, trolleys, acid river, team obstacle course, etc.). When the storm finally clears, the team is hopelessly lost and has no choice but to continue their trek in hopes of finding the correct path. Their search led them to a descent from the high mountains and into a desert.

Once in the desert they continued their journey, believing they were finally on the correct trail. The trail led them deep into the desert before coming to an end in the middle of this horrible place. They decided to turn back when a sandstorm came up and blew their entrance path away leaving no signs as to from where they had come. The team decided they needed to eat in order to remain nourished for the rest of their journey and decided to stop for lunch. The team(s) will be given 6 ingredients, the same for each team, for their chili cook-off. Throughout the morning, the facilitators will have been awarding points to the individual teams for excellence in communication, teamwork, risk taking, leadership and other team values. These points will earn the teams a chance to select different ingredients that will cause their chili to stand out from the other teams. The good news is that we will serve a real lunch so that we are not totally dependent on the chili that can be quite scary at times.

With lunch behind the team, they must decide how to get out of the heat of the dessert. There are valleys to cross and hills to climb. (More team activities). The team sees green hills ahead of them marking the end of the desert and jubilation sets in. The celebration continues and they push forward to the end of the desert only to have their enthusiasm squashed by a giant river with no apparent means of crossing to the other side. The team knows they have to cross in order to survive since their food supply has diminished to literally nothing. (Yet another team activity to cross the river). Using valuable resources found along the edge of the river, the team builds a raft that will safely carry them across.

The last few miles in the journey offer little problem for this team, who are now working together beautifully, and they arrive at their destination city in time to celebrate the success of their journey.

Webbing:
This activity is an incredible start to any team-oriented event. Through this game we can have a lot of fun while learning about the team’s dynamics. Several points of learning can be taken away from this activity by simply playing with a piece of webbing similar to a flat piece of rope.

Shape It Up:
The group is given all but two pieces of different shapes and colors, which make up a complete set. The group is blindfolded and must determine which two pieces they do not have. The only answer the facilitator can give is the color of the piece. The group must use deductive reasoning, flexible communication and planning to accomplish the task.

Shapes Game:
The group is divided into pairs and the pairs sit on the floor back to back. Each pair is given two identical sets of blocks (one set for each person). One person in the pair is designated, as “A” and the other is “B”. “A” places the blocks into some sort of pattern. “A” then explains to “B” the pattern they have built and “B” must duplicate the pattern. “B” can only say “yes or no” so “A” must communicate in a fashion that “B” can add input. Once the pair has completed the process, the roles are reversed.

Log Jam:
This activity has four large poles forming a square on the ground. The team will stand on the poles (participants on each side of the square). Once standing on the poles, the team will be told to line up according to birthday without talking or touching the ground

Nail Houses:
Each team is given a piece of wood and 15 nails. The challenge is to build a house out of the resources given and only one nail can touch the piece of wood.

Pick and Choose:
Six buckets are strategically placed out one after another in a line progressively getting further and further away from a starting point. The first two buckets closest to the starting point are worth 2 points and next two buckets further away are worth 5 points and last two buckets furthest away are worth 9 points. The group is divided into teams and the teams designate a thrower and a retriever. The thrower cannot cross the starting point and the retriever cannot interfere with the ball when it’s in motion. The object of the game is for the teams to collect as many points as possible in a given time frame

Moon Ball:
The group is scattered around the room or area. The object of this activity is to keep a ball from hitting the ground while being hit (volleyball style) to and from each other. The team is challenged to beat their best number of times the ball has been hit without hitting the ground. This requires a great deal of communication and cooperation. S

Spider Web:
This activity looks like a giant spider web. The team must start on one side of the web and pass the team members through the individual holes of the web without disturbing the web itself. Each hole can be used only one time.

Islands:
There are 2 islands that are 4’ square and 1 that is 2’ square. The team will be asked to stand on the 2 large islands (10 people each). They are then told to use 3 boards and the small island and move to the opposite large island. The people and the boards cannot touch the ground;

A-Frame:
The A-Frame is made of 2X4 boards and looks like a large “A” with ropes attached to the top of the A. The team will pick a leader who is then placed in the center of the a. The ropes are held by the team members for support. The are then told to transport the “A” and their leader )in an upright position) from one point to another.

Trolleys:
This activity uses two props. These props are 4X4 boards. There are short ropes tied to the boards every two feet. The team must cross a pre-determined area by walking on the boards and using the ropes for balance. The area is longer that the boards. The boards must be used, by the team, in a fashion similar to snow skiing.

Key Punch:
Keypunch is one of the most popular games we have. The team has a starting line and must stay behind this line until ready to start. All planning must take place behind this line as well. A short distance away is a roped off area that has a series of numbers on tiles (1 – 35). The object is for the team to run to the roped off area, touch all of the numbers in sequence, (each person must touch at least one number) and only one person at a time is allowed inside the roped off area. They must then return to the starting line. This is a timed event and the time starts when the first person leaves the starting line and stopped when the last person returns to the starting line. They are given the option of bettering their time.

Rattlesnake Egg Pass:
The group is divided into 3 or 4 small teams. A rope is suspended parallel to the ground forming 3 or 4 sections, (depends on the number of teams). Each team is given a bucket of assorted colored balls. Each team is assigned one color as the team color. The team’s job is to collect balls of their color and discard the odd colored balls. In order to discard balls, the team must pass the balls around their group, over the rope to the next group. Chaos and fun will be had by all, however, the learning experience is priceless.

Blindfold Triangle:
The group is blindfolded and given a long rope. They are directed to form a perfect equilateral triangle while still blindfolded.

Wild Woozy:
This is an excellent activity that teaches the difference between being involved with a project and being committed to a project. It is performed o 2 cables that start close to each other and work increasingly further apart. Two people, holding hands, climb onto the cables (18” off of the ground) and work their way from the small end to the large end. This is an extremely powerful tool.

Prouty’s Landing:
The team will be asked to stand on a 3’X3’ platform. Using a rope suspended from above they will, one by one, swing across an area and land on another 3’X3’ platform. This is a great example of how often times a project will seem to be an individual effort, but with the support of the team, the project can become much easier.

Chocolate river:
The object of this activity is for the team to cross an area; “The Chocolate river” using boards as stepping stones (we call these stepping stones marshmallows). While crossing the river the group has to deal with a few rules and obstacles, for instance, the marshmallows cannot slide of be passed backwards, any body part that touches the chocolate river is rendered useless and the river has sharks hat love to eat marshmallows. This is an excellent and fun activity that will bring the group together. They will not only bond, they will think as a group.

Triple Peaks:
This exercise is a wonderful way to wrap up the day. There are three tires tied together with rope and bungee cord. There are also three poles, 11’ tall, standing straight up into the air forming a triangle when seen from a bird’s-eye view. The tires are placed around the base of the poles and lay on the ground in order to start the activity. The group is divided into three teams. The participants are then silenced and given the rules. Each group is responsible for one tire. They must remove the tires from the poles without touching the poles with tires or body parts, touch the tires to the ground and then place the tires on the next pole without touching the poles. The ropes and bungee cords cause the three groups to work together in order to accomplish the task. No verbal communication can be used at all throughout the activity.

Continental Breakfast:
Apple and Orange Juice, Coffee, Assorted Muffins, Assorted Bagels with Cream Cheese, Assorted Fresh Fruit.

Ranch Breakfast:
Apple and Orange Juice, Coffee, Scrambled Eggs, Sausage and Bacon, Homemade Biscuits, Gravy, Jalapeno Potatoes.

Ranch Barbecue:
Tender beef brisket, sliced chicken breast, and sausage served with bbq sauce, pinto beans, home-style potato salad, creamy coleslaw, pickles, peppers, onion slices, dinner rolls, warm peach-apple-cherry cobblers.

Ranch Tex-Mex:
Beef and Chicken Fajitas served with Spanish rice, refried beans, guacamole, pica de gallo, fresh salsa, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, flour tortillas, and sopapillas for dessert.

Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast:
W/tossed salad, ranch dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, dinner rolls.

Pork Loin with Cranberry Sauce:
W/Tossed salad & ranch dressing, baked potato w/all the fixins’, English peas, dinner rolls, New York cheese cake.

Pasta Station:
Penne, tri colored rotini, bow tie, spinach fettuccini w/Marinara and Alfredo sauces, marinated chicken, fresh garlic, chopped onions, sun dried tomatoes, garlic bread.

Note: Meals served buffet style for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Service includes disposable plates, plastic silverware packets, white on white skirted serving tables, white linen tablecloths for guest tables, utensils, chafers, iced tea, coffee, soft drinks, lemonade, dinner rolls, and food attendants based on number of guests. You can add real plates, glasses, and cloth napkins for an additional $4.00 per person.