Challenge Course Programming - Staff Training

Session #5 ~ Challenge Course Programming

What is Challenge Course Programming?

 It is a series of activities that present challenges to the participants. Each of these activities will require the participants to rely on each other, because the challenges are impossible to accomplish on your own.

What does the Challenge Course Program do?

 Develops closer bonds amongst the group as they learn more about themselves and each other (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

 Teaches the participants to trust and rely on each other (Proverbs 27:6; 27:17)

 Gives all participants the chance to learn about and use their individual gifts (1 Corinthians 12: 4-11)

 Gives the group a sense of community (1 Corinthians 12:27)

 Gives the participants a sense of accomplishment


Challenge Course Ideas:

• Wall ~ this works well if you actually have a wall- have them try to get everyone over the wall.. if you do not have a wall per say.. you can use a rope tied between trees etc. but have them do it without touching the rope. (or going under it!)

• Balance Beam ~ Have them all stand on a balance beam (or big log)
and have them order themselves by favorite icecream or alphabetically. They must do it without falling off the beam, if they do fall off they have to go to the opposite end of where they want to be when finished.

• The Human Knot ~ have everyone stand in a big circle, shoulder to shoulder facing the center. stretch arms into the center of the circle, and close eyes. everyone grabs another hand without looking. open your eyes and try to untangle your circle.

• The Lava Pit ~ using semi large disks(a bit bigger than a 5gallon pail lid usually works good.) lay them out in a line. tell the staff they have to get EVERYONE across the "lava". the disks are obviously magic and are able to withstand lava for quite some time...although they can withstand for a while they are non lava proof and will eventually blow up.
as they start trying to get everyone across have the disks "blow up" randomly. (I usually call out a name of someone who is standing on a disk and say "the disk..so and so is standing on will blow up in 5,4,3,2,1!!" then take the disk away for the remainder of the game.
If anyone steps on the lava the whole group has to start over. (stay as a team and watch out for eachother!)

Making The Group Think:

Stop them after every activity and make them think about what they accomplished and why. Ask these questions:

o What worked? Why?
o What didn’t work? Why not?
o If you did it again, what would you do differently?
o If you did it again what would you do the same?
o What did you learn from this activity?
o Do you think we can take what we learned here and use it in everyday life?

By making the group talk things out, you are helping them understand what they have just accomplished and how they can learn from it.

The Art of Challenge Course Programming 

Making it Different:

 Most of the Challenge Course activities are designed to be flexible; you can change them to suit the needs of the group.

For Example; You give your group an activity and they whiz through it without any trouble. It didn’t challenge them at all and you can tell that they think it was lame and are starting to get bored.

• You could make them do it without talking

• You could make them do it without using their hands

• You could make those who led or went first switch roles with those who followed or went last

Warning:

 Don’t create consequences as you go. Be up front with all of the rules at the beginning. You are here to help them, not hinder them.

 Watch out for those with low self esteem. If you have someone in your group that is overweight and self-conscious about it, don’t put the group into an activity that will embarrass the person.

 Don’t think for them. They won’t learn anything if you tell them what to do. Be encouraging, but don’t intervene unless it is absolutely necessary.

 Be excited, the group won’t get excited if you don’t! 