Corporate Games, Inc. - business team building events

Most Requested Events at Corporate Games, Inc…

YOU'RE HIRED!

If you’re a fan of The Apprentice television show, you’ll love this event. “You’re Hired!” focuses on real business skills-- creative thinking, teamwork, communication and working under pressure. Unlike The Apprentice, there is no “firing,” but there is competition. Each team is a group of “consultants” trying to prove that they have the business acumen to be “hired” by a wealthy client. They will experience a number of competitions that will test their abilities. “You’re Hired!” offers great flexibility, because you can choose challenges that will fill 2 hours of time or two days of time. These can be done indoors or outdoors, and there are a variety of challenges that will appeal to everyone.

The Great Race

This is an exciting activity for competitive, adventurous groups. Though it won’t take you around the world, it has all the excitement and difficulties of navigating to different parts of a city using public transportation. Each team starts at a different location in order to pick up initial instructions and a map of the area covered by the activity. It is up to the team members to figure out how to get to a number of locations in the fastest time possible. At each location there is a mental or physical challenge that they must perform successfully in order to receive additional information to help them get to the next site. The first team to complete the entire course wins. It takes planning, communication, resourcefulness and comfortable walking shoes!

Fast Talkin' Improvin'

When you want a fun, entertaining event that can be done anywhere, even in the most limited space, this non-threatening Improv activity is a great choice. It’s a great way to break the ice and to start the team building process. Participants will learn how their team members think and communicate. Though some people can be pretty shy about “performing,” the way our facilitators structure this is not intimidating. We start out in small teams with simple, fun exercises to get everyone comfortable; everyone is talking at the same time. Finally, team choose from a wide variety of improvisation topics and a range of difficulties. The teams select these based upon their comfort level. The energy level is high, and everyone has a great time.

Corporate Survivors!

This event is loosely based upon the popular TV series, "Survivor." However, the objective is to keep your team together, not eliminate teammates. It provides unique group problem solving opportunities and fun team challenges in the context of a group that is trying to "survive." Teams rotate through four or five stations; between the stations there are "immunity challenges." These events stress team survival, incorporate the features of any outdoor setting, and require communication, cooperation and teamwork. For each activity, a team is asked to select a different "captain" giving many people on the team a chance to communicate and lead the team. The challenges for this event are updated consistently to reflect the challenges seen in the TV show.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

This is a fabulous event that relies on communication, teamwork and creativity. It also allows participants to discover points of interest in the area covered by the hunt. Each team gets a 'hunt booklet', a Polaroid camera, and a pack of film. The booklet contains a list of about 30- 40 tasks that can be completed in exchange for (play) money. Teams can also answer questions and take 'physical or mental challenges' to get 'bonus dollars.' Lots of fun twists!

Mousetrap Car Grand Prix (NEW!)

This is a fun, spirited design competition and race that will have everyone cheering. Each Mousetrap car is built from balsa wood, plastic “CD's” for wheels, metal rods for axles, construction paper for the body. The spring of a mouse trap provides the main power for the car, though we also provide other materials to make key racing modifications. Teams have time to build, experiment and make modifications to enhance speed and distance—before competing in very spirited races. This event offers great flexibility in terms of space requirements, venue and time frame so it can be done virtually anywhere – in time frames ranging from 90 minutes to 3 hours.

The Ad Biz

Each team must create and film a 60-second television commercial. These commercials must be about their own company and be as creative, persuasive and entertaining as possible. Costumes and props are available for the participants. At the end of the creative period (1.5- 2 hours), each team shows its commercial, and the entire group votes for Best Commercial. Creative and entertaining!

Building Bridges (Construction Game)

Our most popular "group problem solving game." It teaches people to communicate with each other AND their customers and ask questions in order to provide better service, better products, and even help develop new products. The activity starts with each team being told that they are a design- engineering firm and that they are competing against each other to win a contract to build a bridge for a growing city. The teams are given minimal information, but they can talk to representatives of the city and state if they choose. These are people located in three different places. In the end, the teams must actually build a model of their bridge (that holds the weight of people standing on it) and give a sales presentation to "government officials." The models are out of cardboard, tape and string. If teams take the time to communicate and ask the right questions, they'll be able to come up with an appropriate model and a solid sales pitch. The resulting models are unbelievable!

Par For The Course

An incredibly creative and fun team event, in which each team is challenged with building a hole for a miniature golf course. The real lesson to be learned is the vital importance of all teams communicating in order to build an entire course together. The competition for the most creative hole as well as the best golf score can get intense! Great for indoors or outdoors, and you don't need to know how to golf in order to participate.

More events...

It’s a Mystery

Introducing an exciting, new team challenge that will have everyone thoroughly entertained. “It’s a Mystery” assigns each team a group of costumes and props and a video camera with which to film a short mystery. Aside from writing the story and acting it out, the real challenges are the additional requirements that each mystery must contain:

The team must invent a new communication device that is used in the plot.
The solution to the mystery must involve using a scientific principle.
They must use all of the props and costumes they are given.
The entire mystery must be less than 10 minutes in length.

You can imagine just how creative and funny these mystery stories are.

CGI Crime Scene Investigation

This intriguing murder mystery relies on teamwork, communication and problem solving skills. Teams are divided into "crime scene teams."

A "fatality" or "incident" takes place. It is up to each of the crime scene units to respond and gather evidence. Participants must collect clues from the crime scene as well as find out information from "Top Investigators." Teams also receive copies of interviews with witnesses and associates of the victim. Each team will present its solution to a “jury” who will determine the best CGI team. This is a great activity for the “Investigator” in all of us!

Catacombs

This is a fast, "shifting" giant board game that is played by four teams. The object of the activity is to work with your team members to collect "artifacts" that are inside a giant maze. To do this, they must navigate their token along clear passageways to reach the items. Teams manipulate the walls and passageways by shifting the tiles that make up the maze each time it is their turn. Two teams move at the same time, which makes this a high pressure, quick group-decision game.

Surviving the Outback

Each team is given a game board and challenged to devise a strategy through the "Australian Outback." The teams will encounter natural disasters and will have limited resources at their disposal. This game illustrates the necessity of planning, communication, and utilization of resources in order to achieve success. This is a great event for managers and executives to understand calculated risk in a fun non-threatening environment.

The Insider

An intriguing mystery requiring everyone’s powers of observation and keen instincts. This event has similarities to one of the reality TV shows—without being divisive. A person from the group is randomly selected to be The Insider. All other players must try to figure out who is The Insider as they embark upon a series of fun, team challenges.

These challenges require creative thinking, resourcefulness, and good communication skills. Every participant tries to support the team effort, while The Insider secretly and subtly does what s/he can to undermine the team. In the end the person(s) who succeed at uncovering The Insider’s identity win. Real money is at stake!

The Outrageous Frog Catapulting Contest

A spirited competition in which teams must design and build catapult devices that will fling bean bag frogs 70 feet toward a target. Catapults are built out of PVC pipe and surgical tubing. Testing, trial and error, brainstorming are all part of this fun event. Teams can even "perform surgery" on their frogs to make them more aerodynamic. Another fun variation on this event is "Egg Catapulting"--using real eggs.

The Great Auto Race

This event is fabulous for groups of as small as 25 or large as 150. Each team of 10 people puts together a "car" that will carry two people, provide steering and braking. The construction requires creativity, group problem solving and "buying" parts to make the car. At the end of the construction phase (about 2.5 - 3 hours), there is a race. Two to four cars take the track simultaneously; each is powered by two team members who can push the car a limited distance before letting go. Each car is timed. Helmets, pads, and straw bales are provided. The team with the highest combined score for spirit, design and fastest driving time wins!

Team Orienteering

The sport of Orienteering gets a new twist. We can set up an Orienteering course at any site of your choice. Plus, depending upon the fitness level of your group, it can be as leisurely or athletic as you would like. Our unique brand of Orienteering requires map reading, group decision- making and risk taking, as teams attempt to "navigate" their way to a number of control points. Depending upon the route they select, they will earn a number of points. Time is important but not as critical as good planning.

Traders of the Lost Art

Challenges "archaeological teams" to find buried artifacts. These artifacts are worth "money," and fortunes can be amassed when teams take the artifacts to any one of a number of "Traders." These Traders pay "money" for the artifacts based on a team's ability to correctly answer questions. A lot of little twists make the adventure a lot of fun and keep people working together on strategy and planning.

Mission Impossible

Is a spy mission, in which teams must locate certain places and take specific types of Polaroid pictures. In exchange for taking the pictures, teams can collect puzzle pieces from "spies and informants"-- who are located throughout the area. These puzzle pieces will form a secret message. The final idea behind this activity is that teams discover that they can work together instead of compete against each other. Each team's puzzle connects to all the other puzzles to form one gigantic company message.

Fog!

"Fog" combines the freedom of a scavenger hunt activity with the fun of team games. Each team starts at a different location and has a map to several other sites, which they must get to within a specific period of time. At each site, the team has a physical challenge that they must perform in order to earn clues. These challenges are mental as well as physical, but do not require athletic ability or being in shape. The clues allow team members to figure out the objective of the game and how to "win." Communication, strategy, and planning are essential.

Teaming with Rhythm

This is fun, energizing event which has everyone "moving to the beat" in the end. Every team makes a percussion instrument-- enough for each team member. A band of three musicians divides up the teams and teaches each one a different rhythm. The teams practice separately-- and then finally altogether. The coordinated rhythms sound great together. The debriefing includes discussions about diversity, utilization of resources, awareness of other teams, and the importance of good listening skills. Everyone is a winner, and comes away feeling great--- even if they can't keep a beat!

No Ropes Course

Our fun, go anywhere "course"" is low in risk and high in fun. It consists of 8 different events that help people learn about trust, practice, communication, perseverance, total participation, and the value of fun. These events can be done in a competitive way or non-competitive, depending upon your objectives and group size. Does not require athletic ability or strength.

Puzzling Team Challenge

Each team of 10-12 people has a 63 to 100 piece jigsaw puzzle that they must try to complete-- before any other team completes theirs. Another goal for each team is to "find the hidden message" on the back of their completed puzzle. There are a couple of factors that make this seemingly easy task more difficult, and force them to really organize and communicate.

These factors include:

The puzzle pieces they start with come from all the other puzzles as well as their own.
All teams will be told to get up and shift tables at two different times during the exercise-- so each team is working on a different puzzle, and has "inherited" someone else's "problem." (In real life, we all are required to drop what we're doing and "shift gears" at some point. This is a test of how the teams handle this.)
The "hidden message" is on the back of each puzzle, and actually, it is one big message, that can only be read when all teams have flipped over their finished puzzles and placed them side by side (the proverbial "Big Picture"). There is a full debriefing on the meaning of the activity.

Lost at Sea

Was designed to support the Time Management section of Stephen Covey's book, "Seven Principles of Highly Effective People." In this activity, teams are each on a "life raft" and leaving a "sinking ship." They must decide what to take (there is a weight limit) and what to do during their first day adrift at sea. The day, of course, is riddled with events and crises. The team that is most effective at planning and working together can avoid "crisis management" and is "saved" first.

Towering Objectives

A fabulous group problem solving game that was designed to accommodate meetings that had only 60-90 minutes for an effective team building/experiential learning event. The activity challenges teams of 8 people to design and construct a tower out of cards and tape-- that will hold the weight of up to 40 oz. of water resting on top of it. There are many pieces of information and specifications that need to be communicated and translated into tangible product. A debriefing session really helps crystallize the importance of the business skills that are being utilized.

Sand Castle Wars

A new twist on building sand castles. It relies on creativity, resourcefulness and strategy. Each team of 6-8 people is given a number of building implements and some play money. Their challenge is to build a strong sand castle that will withstand assault by a variety of weapons. With the money, teams must make purchasing decisions about building materials and weapons for the war (for the final battle). There is a time limit, so planning and execution are of utmost importance.

Boat Building and Racing (or "Escape From Alcatraz")

This is a great outdoor event in which teams must build boats out of cardboard, tape and plastic-- that will actually carry two people and stay afloat. It is a fabulous team event that we can tie to any number of business lessons-- including communications, group consensus, teamwork, and quality. We supply the basic blueprints for the boats, but teams can modify these in any way they choose. Because there is a real boat race in the end (with life jackets), it is a particularly exciting event.

Hover Craft Races

Each team designs a spacecraft model, which will run on a magnetic track. They are provided with materials and tools to do this, plus items that will help propel their ships (balloons, rubber bands, etc). The models "hover" above the magnetic track, because the magnets on the bottom of each model are placed so that they repel the magnets on the track. After all models are finished, there are a series of races to determine the fastest hovercraft.

Walking on Eggs

One of our most entertaining events! Teams are challenged with designing and making shoes that will actually walk on real eggs! There are a lot of decisions that need to be made as a group, including which eggs to walk on and what materials they can purchase or bargain for. A final relay race, where all team members must take turn wearing their shoe designs and walk on eggs caps off this fantastic event. The cheering can be deafening!

Artistic Endeavors ...

Express Yourself!

We offer groups a great way to express themselves, both in teams as well as individually. A customized program allows you to choose from drawing, painting, sculpting, photography and more. Or, you can experience wonderful arts and crafts from making unusual picture frames to unique ways of dying clothing and accessories. We offer a very wide variety of media and projects to choose from.

Dancing on Broadway

Ever wish you could have been in that hot opening number from “Chicago?” This is a great team builder for small groups that love music and dance. Easy steps are taught in small teams. You choose from a variety of Broadway numbers. Costumes are selected and there is plenty of rehearsing before we video tape the final performance—for you to keep. An experience you and your team will never forget. You can also choose Line Dancing or any other form of dance (including Ballroom).

Fashion Experts

If you love “Project Runway,” you’ll love this fun chance to be a fashion designer and model. Each team gets a number of items with which to design and make a fabulous outfit based on a given theme or objective. They are also allowed to scavenge and use unusual materials—tree leaves? Tissue paper? There is never a right answer in fashion, and the final show is always surprising and entertaining.

Humanitarian/Philanthropic Events...

Virtually any Corporate Games event can be modified so that it benefits the charity of your choice. However, we also have designed a number of activities that benefit specific organizations…

Team Monopoly (benefits Second Harvest Food Bank or Meals on Wheels) Project Landscape (for Habitat for Humanity)Designer Holiday Trees (benefits local hospital, or charity of choice)The Apprentice Entrepreneurs (benefits charity of choice)The challenge is: how to make the most money in one day?Bikes for TykesWe have also designed activities that involve:

Designing new clothes from used onesRefurbishing a school in a low income neighborhood
Making and sending care packages for our troops overseas

Team Building Blitz Series-- Especially for Small Teams

This is a great energizer and team training activity. It consists of a series of three to four, fun exercises that not only are entertaining, but encourage lively discussion afterward.

These activities come from our “Survivors!” event and “No Ropes” series, but they require only our lightest equipment that is easily packed. This series is meant for one or two teams (groups of 20 or less), and it takes about 90 minutes- 2 hours. After each activity, there is team discussion about strategy, communication, leadership, and what insight can be used to increase success in the next challenge.

This can be a single team training session, or a series of four, 2-hour sessions spread over a month, a quarter or a year. If you have regular team meetings, this is a great series and a fantastic value at a 20% discount off of the regular single session rate.

5820 Stoneridge Mall Road
Suite 100
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 249-0669
(800) 790-GAME
Fax: (925) 249-1081
E-mail: Info@corpgames.com