A fun team building activity where teams use problem solving skills to construct a giant pyramid from a flat pack puzzle.

Program outline

In this innovative and fun team building activity, each team is supplied with equipment, tools and detailed construction plans and tasked to work together to turn a ‘flat-pack' kit into a giant pyramid. Problem solving skills are required to construct a series of shapes and then form them into a pyramid – its like a giant 3D puzzle!

Teams need to employ excellent time and resource management skills to complete the project on time and with limited resources. This includes communicating and collaborating, ensuring that everyone in the team has a task and is enthusiastically involved in delivering an accurate end result.

Once constructed, teams decorate their pyramid with slogans and colour, which can be aligned to reinforce your brand message, conference theme or perhaps a charity of your choice. The decoration of each pyramid should work as a uniform design when joined with other segments of the pyramid.

The challenge continues in a whole group rewarding collaborative team building activity, when all teams come together to construct a gigantic pyramid from each individual team's pyramid. A further dimension of complexity is added if you are attempting a team building activity for a large group of 1000+ people, however, it is more than possible and the results incredible! A great sense of achievement and oneness is developed as everyone admires the end result!

Learning and development outcomes

In ancient Egypt a pyramid was much more than a building; it was a symbol of man's ability to overcome the odds and create a magnificent structure that would stand the test of time. In addition to the construction part of the exercise, teams overcome problem-solving elements, network on many levels and express themselves creatively.

This popular team building exercise begins with a ‘me focus’ as participants work on their own part of the puzzle, with resource management and quality control essential to ensure the fundamental building blocks are produced on time and to high standards.

‘Team focus’ follows as individuals come together in an interactive problem solving exercise which creates the next stage of building blocks. ‘Whole group focus’ is then required to achieve the common goal of combining all of the elements into a cohesive pyramid. Your bespoke company message is instantly reinforced as it forms part of the final construction.

It stands tall as a reminder of the power of working to a common goal.

Corporate Social Responsibility ideas

An example of using Flat Out Pyramid for Corporate Social Responsibility is prior to the event teams can seek “sponsorship” for the decoration of the pyramid from clients or associates with the money going to your favourite charity. Reward the sponsors by giving them a segment of the pyramid that was decorated with their branding, or by sending them a photo of the end result.