How to Plan a Survivor Themed Game Day

Whether it’s a multi-day retreat or just a one day event - let’s have some fun! There are so many ways you can structure a retreat. The biggest hurdle is trying to find something that everyone will enjoy. If you have multiple days thats easier because you can plan different activities - something for everyone. If you’re more limited on time, do what you think most people will like.

If you’re like most teams, you’re stuck indoors all day, staring at a computer screen (I love my job, don’t fire me!). So I chose to get us outdoors and acting like kids again.

Our team is full of creative, somewhat sporty, competitive, smart, and fun loving people. So why not do a Survivor themed game day?!

Survivor

Let the games begin!

A few months before the event, I had 4 random people on our team chose team names. From there, one of our amazing designers created team flags, team buffs, and team finisher shirts.

I started off by dividing the group into 4 teams and giving them their buff to wear. At this point they still weren’t sure what type of games we were playing. I like to keep an element of surprise.

Below you’ll see a breakdown of the 5 games we played - the objective, the rules, and the materials needed.

Game 1 - Giant Puzzle

Objective of the Game
Be the first team to rebuild your puzzle after it’s been knocked down
How to Play
Choose two teams to battle it out
Each team stands in front of the opposing teams puzzle
Choose 2 people from each team - they will toss sandbags to knock down their opposing teams puzzle
After a team knocks down all pieces of the puzzle besides the bottom layer (these don’t need to be knocked to the ground, they just need to no longer be stacked) - the ref blows the whistle and the teams switch sides
Choose 2 people from each team to put the puzzle back together
There is a printout of the puzzle taped to the table for reference
Once a team thinks they’ve completed the puzzle. The ref blows the whistle, pausing the game. The ref then confirms the puzzle is completed properly
That team wins!

Materials Needed

48 - 8in x 8 in cardboard boxes
a design for each team (we needed 4)
2 - 6 ft folding tables
12 sand bags ( 6 of one color, 6 of another)
packing tape
double sided tape
zip lock - snack size bags
bag of rice - costco size

How to Create Puzzles

Design a puzzle for each team - We did this in photoshop, cropped the design into 8 x 8 pieces, then printed on 8.5 x 11 paper, trimming the excess
Construct your 8in x 8 in cardboard boxes. We also filled our boxes with zip lock snack size bags of rice - it’s windy in Colorado and we wanted the boxes to be a bit more stable.
use double sided tape to tape on the design
go back over edges / corners of the boxes with packing tape to make it super secure
Put the puzzle together
Repeat step 1,3,4 with another design on the opposite side. This way, you only have to construct one puzzle, but can use both sides for different designs
Print out your puzzle design on an 8.5x11 piece of paper so you’ll have for reference

Flamingo Relay

Objective of the Game
This is a relay race. The goal is to be the first team to have all their players finish the relay. It’s about speed - not about how much water goes into the bucket.
How to Play
Choose two teams to battle it out
The first teammate puts on their flippers, then flabango’s a 1/2 cup of water
Then, with a solo cup full of water on their head and flippers on their feet, run to the bucket on the other side
Drop water into the bucket. You can take the cup off your head. Don’t worry about spilling water on the way, the goal is to get “some” water into the bucket but you do not need to get the most water. Reminder, this is about speed
Run back to the start, give the flippers to the next person on the team, and they do the same as above (except they do not need to flabango!)
The first team that has all of their teammates complete the relay and are back at the finish, WINS!

Materials Needed

1 flabango per team (we needed 4 flabango’s)
2 solo cups (extra incase someone gets excited and crushes one)
1 gallon water jug per team
2 sets of flippers
2 big buckets

Game 3 - Lock + Key

Objective of the Game
Another relay race. The goal is to be the first team to unlock their box and blow up the balloon inside
How to Play
Choose two teams to battle it out
On one end place 4 boxes with keys attached to them. On the other end, place a box with the locks. All players start behind the box with the locks.
Each player runs down the field and grabs one box with a key attached, then runs back to other side. Each player is only allowed to grab ONE box
After all boxes with keys are retrieved, one player begins using the keys to unlock the box
Once all locks have been unlocked, open the box, grab a ballon, and blow it up
The first team to blow up the balloon, WINS!

Materials Needed

10 boxes of whatever size
8 locks + keys
Chain
at least 4 balloons (put two in each locked box so that each team will have one)

How to Create

I only created enough for two teams to play at the same time
For 8 of the boxes, wrap and tape a string around the box, make sure you leave a long tail - you’ll tie a key to the end
For 2 of the boxes, toss in at least two balloons. Then wrap the chain around the box. Making sure it doubles up so you can put the locks through the chain twice
I spray painted my boxes but you don’t have to