Team Building

Key Stage 2

Please choose a maximum of four activities

Surviving in the wild - a new activity connected to living outside and comparing it to the lives of Pygmies in the Central African Republic.  The teams have a limited time to complete some skills and tasks (making soap, knots and plaits, collecting rain water, making a fire, making a simple bed, moving silently, tracking animals and water divining)  Time may limit the selection of these activities.

Blindfold trail - to get children used to using their sense of touch and hearing.  This activity builds confidence. Each child is blindfolded.  They make a line, one behind the other and holding onto shoulders walk for a short distance.  They then sit down and in turn are led to a rope which they follow through the woods.  There is a sense of achievement at the end.  We follow the rope back to see where the trail led and look at any problems they overcame on the way.

Conservation - we usually do this activity with the Thornhamn Walks' Ranger.  We find out what the ranger's job entails and why it is necessary.  The activity depends on the time of year and what work needs to be done.  The group are given a safety talk before they use the tools and are closely supervised.  We may be involved with raking cut grass into habitat piles.

We have groups of volunteers who work at Thornham, the do the conservation work for pleasure.  Why do they do it?  We look at volunteers in other work.  Look at survey sheets.  We can also link the work here to the ranger' job in Nairobi National Park.

Shelter building in teams the children use the material they find on the ground to make a den for their team.  This involves working together to achieve the best result.  When the den is complete they "furnish" it and make a garden etc.  One of our most popular activities.

Point to point in pairs the children go to ten places on a map and write down information they find there.  the number takes them to the next place and the letters make up an anagram, which is worked out at the end. The teams try to do this as quickly as possible.

Trails - lots to choose from, depending on the time available.  Some using compasses to guide the group from one place to another.  Others have maps and instructions.  Usually done in small groups with an adult.

(These activities can be done as part of team building or as an activity on their own)

Trekking trail - following instructions, not too complicated, off main path, takes about an hour.

Thornham adventure trail - follow instructions with a map, mainly on surfaced path, the shortest of our trails, takes about an hour.

The long adventure trail - follow instructions with a map.  This activity takes the group further through the estate on dirt tracks takes about one and a half hours

Compass trail - the group follow instructions with a compass. They need to read the instructions carefully, partly on the surfaced path, takes about an hour

Orienteering trail - slightly longer than the compass trail, but similar.  Off the main path, takes just over an hour.