Free Team Building Activity: Balloon Tower
This team building energisers gets teams working together and thinking creatively.
Overview
Small teams are asked to build the tallest, most cost-effective, free-standing tower using just balloons and some sticky tape within a set time.
To download the Balloon Tower instructions as a PDF click here.
Key themes: Teamwork, Creative Thinking, Time Management.
Participants: 6 – 50
Timing: 15 – 30 minutes
Prework and Equipment
- Buy enough balloons for 50 per team plus some spare.
- Buy enough Sellotape for 1 per team plus some spare.
- Pack a tape measure to help you measure the towers.
Running the Activity
- Split the group into small teams (of 2 – 4).
- Introduce the exercise by stating that the challenge is to build the tallest, most cost effective free standing tower.
- Explain the 10 minute time constraint.
- Explain the costs involved for the materials (see PDF download).
- Assign each group their balloons. Also provide each team a briefing sheet (see PDF download).
- Reinforce the rules that the tower must be unsupported and freestanding after 10 minutes.
- Start the activity and the timer. Give the teams a time check after five minutes and a one and two minute warning.
- After 10 minutes, call time or give an extension at your discretion.
- Ask the teams to work out and calculate their points (as on the PDF download). The team with the highest number of points is the winning team. Do not show the team the scoring procedure before the activity takes place.
- Give a prize if necessary.
Review and Conclusions
- Ask the teams if they had a strategy
- Explore the various approaches
- Ask whether their design changed during construction and why
- Ask what each team (starting with the least successful) would do differently if they were to repeat the exercise
To download the the Balloon Tower instructions as a PDF click here.
We hope you enjoy using this team building energiser and if you have any suggested activities for our blog do contact us.