This is a great activity that you can use to explore various aspects of teamwork, planning, and delegation. You can use this for teams of about 4 to 5 members each, teed up to compete to build the highest free-standing tower using empty water bottles and a rope. The team that builds the tallest tower wins the challenge.

Materials you’ll need to execute this activity – one piece of rope approximately 10 meters long for each team, 10 or more water bottles for each team (note that teams should have an equal number of water bottles).

1. The tower teams must build should only use the water bottles and the piece of rope. It must be standing on its own, without anyone touching or holding the bottles or the rope. Teams may do whatever you want with the rope. However, they may not cut it.

2. Teams will have 5 minutes to plan what they want to do. During this planning period, they may touch the rope, but not the water bottles.

3. After 5 minutes of planning, ask the teams to begin their tower building activity. This round should take no more than 10 minutes

4. After 9 minutes have elapsed, give the teams a 1-minute warning. Conclude the activity at the end of 10 minutes.

5. Determine the winner – the tallest free-standing tower.

6. Lead a round of applause for the winning team.

For your debriefing, you an use the following questions to guide the team –

• Did you have a plan? Explain your plan (or the reason for not having a plan).

• How did you spend your planning time?

• What roles did each team member take during the planning period? During the building period?

• What problems did you encounter while planning and building your tower?

• What creative techniques did you try?

• How would you do this activity differently?

• What can we learn from this activity?

Note that the rope makes it possible to build tall towers; the activity does not work well without the rope. The idea behind the planning time is to encourage the team to develop a system for thinking through and discussing a problem. Walk around while they are planning and pay attention to the conversations, actions, and behaviours.