Some common activities are dances, community service events or movies. Karaoke is one of the entertaining team building retreat activities to add to your groups plan. A student organizations culture deck might include how they fit into the broader campus culture, what its like to be a member of the organization, and how problems are addressed. Invite campus departments and student-led groups to set up booths or games & activities to help promote their organizations in a fun, lively atmosphere. #wd88?W. 9:00 PM Snack provided by Refreshing Mountain (Cookies and Milk) 10:00 PM Free Time. Both of these competencies can ground your leadership workshops in research-based topics. Dont forget to debrief your own experience as the retreat planner. Here are answers to questions about group retreat activities. Have your group members set up a fire pit. A simple yet fun activity you can do on a group retreat is to share a lunch. Social justice projects' interdisciplinary nature helps students make important connections between history, culture, economics, and . ! Be sure to set a budget for these fun trainings, and list the options in the retreat program. Its a great way to bring in fresh voices and ideas without draining your budget. About the author: Jodi Tandet (she/her) is Modern Campus's Content Marketing Strategist. You should also check in with your office of diversity programs or multicultural affairs to tap into their expertise. One of my goals is to have my students experience similar dynamics and processes as they would face-to-face. Perhaps you can use a recent picture of your team, a memorable selfie from a student event, or a talented student photographers amazing campus snapshot. They calm participants nerves about being in a new situation. Hiking gives teams a chance to spend time together while promoting fitness. <>>> You can seize this spirit by trying out an adventure sport together. Enjoy the great outdoors. Here is our list of the best group retreat activities. For example, taking a tour, playing icebreaker games, and playing a team sport. Leave this retreat refreshed and ready to set the world on fire! Becoming centered is a way to find peace within the chaos that might be surrounding us., Neil Fiore, a psychologist who specializes in productivity, recommends this. Kayaking, canoeing, or white water rafting are great in sunny weather, and snow tubing can be a blast when theres a slope nearby. I suggest one of my favorites, used by Presence to great success: OKRs. If a workshop is longer than 90 minutes, consider building in a 15-30 minute break to help everyone refocus. All they take is a class with at least one student who isn't too shy. Finally, Jennifer says that silly rules that are supposed to make icebreakers fun can take the focus away from learning. Fill in each square by asking students the following questions: Goals can be broken down even further using a prioritization matrix. But pick your activity thoughtfully. Taking a group class can get your team to bond during a retreat. It is an added advantage if you go along with a hiker who can perform CPR. In class, use another discussion thread or live chat to have students of differing opinions share their views. Most cruise lines offer a wide range of fun activities and group games for retreats, vacations, and parties. If you plan to travel on an airplane, then ensure that the airline regulations permit fishing gear on the plane. Even horrendous singers (like me) can get musical for this. This activity can help students build on their leadership skills. Its easy to forget to build breaks into the schedule. Whats harder is picking or designing, who, what, when, where, and why of your retreat. Divide students into teams and provide them with building materials, such as dry spaghetti, marshmallows, string and tape. Change up your usual think-pair-share activities by posing an open-ended question to your class and asking students to come up with their best answer. It is pretty common to have the critical problems in a company simply solved over lunch. During your retreat planning process, choose some icebreaker games to play on the first day of your retreat. Another twist is to not inform of every one of this activity beforehand. % Here are a few examples: Pair up students and ask them to figure out the most unexpected things they share in common (this can also be done online in breakout rooms). If your group is already energized after their break, feel free to substitute an icebreaker activity. Many cruise lines offer corporate rates and retreat packages, so be sure to inquire about these options when booking. Heres how it works: Each team member is given a PVC pipe (though they could also use paper and tape, or paper towel rolls). Ensure that you have prepared all the necessary gear, including food, water, shoes with good traction, and trekking poles. Check out more outdoor team building ideas. Its a good idea to check the groups mood in the middle or at the end of a workshop. Then, during the retreat, each person can share their favorite quotes from their assigned talk, summarize it, or share a particularly inspiring clip. Camping offers you a fun location and activity for a retreat. can be applied to student organizations. We will provide van transportation for students from the IC Campus Center at 8:45am and return to campus at 5:30pm. After the special guest may have addressed the group, there should be a question and answer session where attendees can open up on unclear areas. Below are several local campgrounds and centers that Penn State has successfully used in the past. %PDF-1.5 1. Ask students to prepare for a discussion by reviewing a course reading or group of texts and coming up with a few higher-order discussion questions about the text. You can decide on the number of categories they must fit the object into or let each team decide. You can use generic quiz questions (from the board game Trivial Pursuit, for example), or you could relate questions back to the course material. It sets the tone for the gathering and signals to students that theyve entered a space that requires their complete attention. The first step you should take is to decide the activity to learn. Activities that require more emotional risk should be left for later, when students feel more comfortable sharing increasingly personal aspects of themselves. Then, prepare the needed equipment like fishing rods, boots, hooks, and bait. It probably wont boost your institutions retention rate nor emphasize deep-seated values, but having fun can be noble goal in and of itself. Classroom Advent Activities. Maybe a bike ride. A final debrief activity to extract the key learning points and a commitment activity to identify action steps can wrap up a retreat nicely. 2 0 obj Building Card Towers. What staff retreat activities do you adore? The host asks a multiple-choice trivia question, and teams are given 60 seconds to discuss and agree upon an answer. High-energy songs can also work beautifully to get everyones energy up at critical times, while softer tunes can be played in the background during brainstorming sessions. To start, ask everyone to stand or sit in a circle and close their eyes. The event can serve as an excellent icebreaker for a group, making the members feel comfortable among themselves. Some fun themes include: Just every other retreat activity, you should plan properly for the event. Also, decide if you would pre-book the services or book while onboard. There is no cost for attendance, however if your plans change . Have students put each goal in a quadrant then assign due dates. When everyone is physically and mentally back from the break, you could use an energizer to prepare everyone to get back to work. But be sure to set aside time for each team member to reveal which song they picked and why. Here are some worth checking out as a team, as recommended by my colleagues, my friends, and my own eyes and ears. Other leaders blindfold all the youth and tell them that one at a time they are going to be lifted on the board, which will be about 3 feet off the ground, and see if they can walk across the board from one side to the other. Group activities can also help in teaching students to communicate with each other and respect a healthy competition. They reflect next on how they felt, what they were reminded of, how they connect with their values, and other "affective" questions. It is a great idea to familiarize yourself with the road and get a map. If you would rather have someone else besides yourself or a student lead a centering exercise for your group, your institution may have a mental health counselor, social worker, or religious minister who can offer their expertise and ideas. Start right at the beginning of the retreat by inviting students to share their personal pronouns during icebreakers. Podcasts about leadership, creativity, productivity, and diversity might also be fitting, depending upon your goals. Dont forget to, What are some of your favorite retreat activities? Download, Online (synchronous or asynchronous), in-person, Online (synchronous or asynchronous), blended, in-person, 45+ Team-Building Activities for College Courses, Fun leadership activities for college students, Community-building activities for college students. Clue, Pictionary, Yahtzee These are all teambuilders waiting to be unboxed. Or hold a sumo wrestling night, using pillows and cushions to create the suits and fighting area. . Though lacking visual components, podcasts can be just as inspirational, humorous, and informative as TED talks. These activities involve games, team building exercises and interactive assignments. !E5m)6PL3)by,p]hHK/)aQe^Xj1j@ 5OM'is/YA6"b`"nX0j3r\8^mMz'k"Lng`^(`uK08qkYK^653Z L'>yB.J7##J)W.EeSkr5(~p? Tell older children to divide a sheet of paper into three columns. Winners can get bonus points for their grade on this activity or their in-class participation grade at the end of the school year. You need only two people, who are sitting on the floor. If they are trying to generate ideas for something that pertains to the whole organization (such as designing a new logo), send students off individually or in small groups to brainstorm. Many sports, including football, volleyball, and handball, are great for teams. By accomplishing group tasks, students learn to listen, trust and support each other, while developing life skills such as communication and collaborationskills that cant be learned from a textbook, interactive or not. A leader places a 4-foot 2-by-4 on the ground. A player can make three signs: rock, paper, and scissors. Also, you can place a time limit on how long a player can say a word. Each student on the inside is paired with a student on the outside; they face each other. Use these team-building activities to lay a solid foundation for learning. There doesnt need to be a particular order to how students speak, but they are encouraged to respectfully share the floor with their peers. So, how can you lead retreat activities without everyone begging for a nap session at the end? <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 15 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> You dont need to be a budding Andy Warhol or Frida Kahlo to enjoy it. Set . There are workshops to design, food to order, and so many other components needed to make a retreat a, Fortunately, finding ideas for workshops to include in a retreat can be pretty easy thanks to the plethora of sample agendas available online. Wrap up this process by using. As I explained in this post, OKRs foster alignment within a team, guiding every member along the same direction toward clear goals. Team Word Builder - Using a stack of index cards, break the family into teams and give each member the same number of cards (minimum of five). Use different color markers for each family member . Then, either book a facilitated tour or design a self-guided tour. Then find out that special member of your group who can keep a straight face the longest without laughing. The lunch can also be as simple as snacks accompanied by refreshing drinks. If theyve been tapped, theyll soon be tasked with slowly moving around the outside of the circle and tapping their teammates to whom they feel each statement applies. You could even pair this with the soundtrack of our lives activity by having each person reveal which song was their pick by performing it! You probably struggle to remember the difference between cirrus, cumulus, and stratus clouds. Then connect with an expert host or a coach who will guide the lesson. Singing and dancing along is optional. 27 Fun Activities for College Students 1. Group agreements are a set of behavioral expectations that are co-created between the facilitator and the participants. These activities are also great as icebreakers or retreat exercises. This retreat can include times of contemplative prayer and studying Biblical examples of being heard by God. If you are having a hard time deciding what topics to cover in a dedicated DEI workshop, NACAs Competencies for Diversity and Inclusion can be applied to student organizations. 20 Unique Activities to Mix Up Your Next Staff Retreat, is a planning tool that can be used to classify goals into four categories: Achieve, preserve, avoid, and eliminate. <> Getting away from the distractions of work enables them to focus on these ideas. Instructors should group up college students into small teams. These three things should guide the students goal-setting and event-planning processes. Students will be able to identify and locate important office resources pertaining to effective retreat preparation, execution and reflection. Dr. Corey Seemillers Student Leadership Competencies and NACAs Competency Guide for College Student Leaders can provide you frameworks. With these activities, you will be able to achieve the major objectives of the retreat. This term I am teaching a group dynamics course. Its a lot of work to put together a transformative retreat experience, but its all worth it in the end when the student leaders achieve their organizations goals and thrive within the campus community. You gotta eat during your retreat anyway. 5 Interesting Bible Activities For Teens Infographic: Exciting Bible Games For Teenagers 15 Best Bible Games For Teens These activities can be incorporated during Bible class, Sunday class, Bible book club meeting, or even family Bible fun time. SQ[ws*W For example, for activity no. You can do this in the office or outside on a company retreat, but either way, you're going to develop your communications skills and one of the more elusive leadership bonds trust. 2. Before the retreat, tell everyone that theyll need to bring in an item of personal significance to share. The rules of the game are: The game continues until a final winner emerges. Reflect on their transformative college experiences and the people who have influenced them by role modeling Dickinson values. Facilitate your team-building games and activities for students over the course of a semester (rather than a one-off event). Allow five minutes of planning time, so teams can strategize how they will transport the object as a group; if it falls to the floor, they must start over. If you want to make the game even more challenging, then make a rule that the story must fall within a particular theme or subject matter. You can check with the cruise line you want to book and look through the services they offer, then pick activities your group would love. 2 Getting-to-Know-You Icebreaker Games for College Students 2.1 Alphabet Freeze 2.2 Who Are You? No-tech day Visit a remote location for a few days and ask people to turn off their phones, laptops and other technological devices. , then the following ideas can help you with the nuts and bolts activity-wise. Join more than 10,000 educators. The first player to complete the entire board or an entire row vertically, horizontally, and diagonally wins. Tours are great group retreat activities that expand your group members knowledge about different places. You could follow up with an activity from, The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games. Once each group has presented, the sharks all vote on their favorite project with the winner getting a special certificate or an extension on their latest assignment. To play a team sport, first choose the game. Have students draw a picture that represents why they enrolled in your course. Yet, you hopefully also know the power of such activities. , the foundation of relationships. This activity gives students the opportunity to exercise creative thinking and work on presentation and public speaking skills. If most people on your team already know their StrengthsFinder results, then you can skip straight to discussing these attributes and the resulting team dynamics. They may decide to combine several ideas together. And theyre essential during staff retreats, which typically aim for all these benefits. Decorative Advent Cards. Facilitating this activity is as simple as drawing a matrix on an easel or whiteboard and labeling each of the quadrants with the four categories. After youve covered a topic or concept in your lecture, divide students into small discussion groups (or breakout rooms online). Yes, Segways look silly. Transforming Negative Self-Talk Activity. Students form two circles: an inner circle and an outer circle. Remember. The Wilds provides a wonderful weekend for college students and professionals to enjoy great times while being refocused spiritually. An Advent Calendar for the Entire Group. After another five minutes, combine groups of four to become a larger group of eightand so on until the whole class is back together again. Online Office Games is a great way to entertain staff, foster team bonding, build skills, and stoke friendly rivalry during your next virtual retreat. 3. The general purpose of a retreat is for participants to take time to pause and step outside of one's daily routines and practices, in order to reflect, rejuvenate, and gain new perspectives on one's relationships and life. Also, add refreshments, including cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages for attendees who do not take alcohol. Its invigorating to see students energized by your programming and learning from each other. Psychology researcher Dianna Raab describes the benefits of centering like this: When we center ourselves, we bring calm to our emotions. 50 fun work retreat ideas Here are 50 fun work retreat ideas to consider for your next retreat: 1. A player who exceeds the time limit leaves the game. A student organizations culture deck might include how they fit into the broader campus culture, what its like to be a member of the organization, and how problems are addressed. 1. Many destinations of interest offer complimentary or low-cost tours, and there are also apps that provide free guides. Then plan the menu and other activities to entertain the attendees. A final debrief activity to extract the key learning points and a commitment activity to identify action steps can wrap up a retreat nicely. The linchpin of a successful retreat is a groups ability to practice behaviors that support productivity, and students will be more likely to abide by group agreements if theyve helped create them. 1. Although its not the most exciting topic, knowing how to cost out a project and keep track of expenses using a spreadsheet are very desirable skills for employers. These projects empower our students to effect change through awareness, advocacy, activism, and aid. Connect with us on Twitter @themoderncampus and @JustinTerlisner. Anton Villado, an organizational psychologist, says that the best icebreakers do three things: But a weak icebreaker likely wont produce these benefits. Depending on the organization, the students could set goals for the number of programs that they want to plan, the number of members that they want to recruit, what new equipment they want to acquire, or even what policy changes they want to ratify. Learn about Online Office Games. You can award a prize to the winner. Shark Tank Shark Tank is a great interactive team building game for college students. Be sure its something that everyone can fully participate in, considering their experience levels (or lack thereof) and physical abilities. There are tons of activities you can do on a group retreat. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University. You may not have to worry about bringing so much food if the booked campground has restaurants for guests. These resources will hopefully inspire some ideas thatll work well for your group: No retreat would be complete without icebreakers! This helps to promote problem-solving, communication and great teamwork. Play an Icebreaker Game. If your group is already energized after their break, feel free to substitute an icebreaker activity. as a way to introduce the framework for the retreat. If you have a large budget for the retreat, then you can go for a private camping trip at a luxurious resort. Optionally, you can embrace your full student affairs nerdiness while laser tagging by roleplaying adversarial scenarios. One team member writes down a solution and passes the sheets of paper along to the next team member, who builds upon that idea and then passes it along to the rest of the team. Then other players will take turns saying a word. College students look forward to the opportunity to share who they are and learn more about others. Guess The Country: A player names things peculiar to a particular country like a movie, celebrity, or flag description without mentioning the exact name of the country. After a set amount of time, have students return and present their ideas to the whole group. Many facilitators refer to games without a self-disclosure component as energizes; they serve a purpose, just not in your introduction session. include having students draw an emoji or write one word to describe their current mood, or placing a sticker dot on a bullseye to represent if they think that the workshop is helping the group meet its goals. Learn how we can help get your students involved. This activity allows students to see where their peers stand on a variety of different topics and issues. For each round won, a player gets a point. The first person to laugh leaves the game. 3. To host this party, decide whether or not the party will have a theme. We have to be willing to have proactive conversations about race with honesty and understanding and courage, not because its the right thing to do, but because its the smart thing to do., Angela Lee Duckworth Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Workshops in research-based topics or book while onboard two circles: an inner circle and an circle! Playing icebreaker games, and aid another twist is to have my students experience similar dynamics and as... Favorites, used by Presence to great success: OKRs make important connections between history culture... Activity for a group retreat activities dynamics and processes as they would face-to-face to Campus 5:30pm... Remember the difference between cirrus, cumulus, and informative as TED talks signals to that! 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