Originally published in TEACH Magazine, September/October 2022 Issue
By Kelsey McCallum
A new school year is upon us, and with it, plenty of new names and faces. At times it can feel overwhelming to get to know so many students—and for them to get to know each other. This is where team-building exercises can come in handy. These exercises encourage students to work together to solve a common goal, all while developing communication, problem-solving, and even leadership skills.
Here you’ll find several field trips that focus on team building. These trips take place in engaging outdoor settings with picturesque views, and each one provides unique opportunities for students to make friends, learn, and grow together.
Camp Chief Hector YMCA
Exshaw, AB
Grade Level: 5–8
The Outdoor Schools programs at Camp Chief Hector provide unique community-building experiences. A variety of day and overnight programs give students the chance to participate in plenty of team-building and initiative tasks such as Predator vs. Prey, Wilderness Playground, and the ECOnomy Game, while allowing them to reconnect with nature as well. (Note that the camp was renamed from Rocky Mountain YMCA in honour of Chief Hector Crawler, an Iyãhé Nakoda medicine man who aided in its development.)
Camp Robin Hood
Markham, ON
Grade Level: K–12
The Leadership Centre at Camp Robin Hood offers several different team-building and leadership programs. These programs utilize adventure-based co-operative activities (such as Bridge Over Troubled Water, Team Jump Rope, and Mission Impossible) and recreational activities like Spikeball or 9 Square in the Air to help students develop their social skills, higher-level thinking, perseverance, self-esteem, and more. A high school orientation program is also available, which connects senior student mentors with Grade 9 students.
Grouse Mountain
Vancouver, BC
Grade Level: K–12
Guided adventure programs at Grouse Mountain give students the opportunity to enhance their teamwork and leadership skills in an incredible outdoor environment. There are plenty of different activities to choose from, such as wilderness safety, scavenger hunts, and even a specific Teen Team Building program for Grades 8–12.
Treetop Trekking
Various locations, ON
Grade Level: 4–12
Treetop Trekking has seven locations across Ontario and all of them offer exciting team-building adventures. Whether traipsing through the air on an aerial course or running around on the ground playing Call of the Wild games, students are sure to have so much fun they won’t even notice they’re learning new skills!
Team-Building Field Trips in the U.S.
| Base Camp | Fort Snelling, MN |
| Lotus Lake Discovery Center | Williamstown, VT |
| Northern Illinois University, Lorado Taft Field Campus | Oregon, IL |
| The Outdoor School | Marble Falls, TX |
| Terrapin Adventures | Savage, MD |
| Wagon Road Camp | Chappaqua, NY |
Kelsey McCallum is an Associate Editor for TEACH Magazine. She holds a BSc from the University of Guelph and a Graduate Certificate from Centennial College. She currently lives in Toronto, ON, with her partner and their cat, Banksy.
