Looking to get a corporate group out of the office and interacting? Here are 10 new group activities for that can work for teambuilding, meeting breaks, incentives, and other kinds of corporate outings.
1. Launched in August, EdgeWalk invites groups of six to eight to walk the outside circumference of the CN Tower, 356 metres above the ground. Tickets cost $175 and include a keepsake video, photos, a certificate of achievement, and access to the CN Tower Look Out and glass-floor levels. Although an official corporate program has not yet been released, many companies have planned their own teambuilding trips, followed by a meal at 360 Restaurant.
2. Ping-pong social club Spin opened in September and offers customized menus, ping-pong lessons, and tournament structures for large groups. Available for buyout, Spin can accommodate 400 guests and also offers two private rooms. The social room can hold 125 people and is equipped with five ping-pong tables, a private bar, and a DJ booth. The smaller 600-square-foot private room can be booked for groups of 20.
3. A new teambuilding exercise from Conundrum Adventures, "Auction Fever" encourages communication, strategy and teamwork. Using iPads and a custom-built Conundrum app, teams solve puzzles for points, which they use to bid on items in silent, live, and blind auctions. The items are fictitious and range from a one-night stay in a Hugh Hefner villa to a gold MacBook. Teams estimate how much the items are worth and bid accordingly. The team that accumulates items with the highest value wins.
4. Outeractive Experiences, a teambuilding company based in Quebec, travels across Canada to deliver group activities that often focus on giving back to the community. One of their most popular offerings is the Eco Bike Construction. Teams solve puzzles to purchase bike parts and build a bicycle. The first team with a completed bike wins. Bikes are then donated to a local charity or to Africa. Outeractive has facilitated the donation of more than 180 bikes to local communities and 55 to individuals in Africa.
5. Upscale downtown bowling alley the Ballroom opened last year and offers a “meet and bowl” package for corporate groups. Groups can rent as many lanes as they’d like on the main floor, or book the Turkey, a private area with two lanes, a bar, patio, and lounge. Corporate events usually start at around $3,000 and include the option of food stations or passed hors d'oeuvres. The meet and bowl package is available for groups of 30 to 900.
6. The Games, a new teambuilding company that opened this summer, offers old-school game options that can be added to any corporate meeting. Companies can choose three of seven activities that focus on fun and accessibility: nine-hole mini golf, arcade-style basketball, foosball, table tennis, air or knob hockey, or baseball darts. Fifty to 300 employees split into teams and compete against each other. The Games organizes everything, from the opening ceremonies to the awards.
7. The Cosmopolitan Hotel offers a number of group activities that range from tasting menus to wine and food pairings. Cocktail classes for groups of six to 20 are a unique option for teambuilding and cost $40 per person. Leading mixologist Chris MacNeil guides the group in mixing four perfect cocktails that can be customized and paired with food from Eight Wine Bar at the Cosmopolitan. The class takes place in Eight Wine Bar or in the hotel’s designer penthouse.
8. Inspired by the recent popularity of cake television shows like Cake Boss and Cupcake Wars, the Creative Cake Challenge from Canadian Outback Adventures & Events has groups of four to five battling to make the best cake. Each team is supplied with two 9- by 12-inch sheet cakes they can cut, stack, and decorate. Cakes must follow set guidelines that highlight a company’s mission statement, new products, or logo. Based on creativity, time management, and communication, judges pick a winning team to award the Golden Spatula—and then the feast begins.
9. Beyond the Box tailors its teambuilding exercises to meets the needs of a group. A recent exercise designed for Astral Media combined creativity with community service, pairing with Arts for Children and Youth, an organization that empowers marginalized children through arts-based education. Six youths from A.F.C.Y. taught Astral employees at four creative stations. Employees created a ceramic mosaic, a painting, a collage made from photos they took in an on-site booth, and a beatbox symphony with each group adding a different beat.
10. Recently increasing in popularity, Xpeerience Group’s drumming sessions provide a unique group activity. Seated in a circle, a group of 20 to 200 will learn basic beats and rhythms. With a focus on group dynamics, common goals, and creativity, the drumming session pushes people out of their comfort zone. By the end of the hour-long session, the instructor has every participant’s heart beating at the same rhythm.
