The Trust Walk Activity
Trust Walk is a team building activity that helps people practice trusting each other and develop effective communication. One person must guide their blindfolded partner using verbal instructions around the obstacles.
This activity is an active team building activity that requires a large amount of space. An outdoor setting with a few obstacles, but nothing too dangerous.
Whoever facilitates this exercise should form pairs, it is important that the participants of each pair know each other as little as possible. Materials needed include blindfolds and any props that can be used as minor obstacles.
The game involves leadership and confidence building, as blindfolded participants must trust their interlocutor. The blindfolded person must follow the instructions given to avoid colliding with obstacles.
Large fields or forests can be good places to develop the activity. Minor obstacles (trees, branches, small hills) are fine, but don’t play this game in a dangerous environment.
Once you’ve found a large, safe area, you can place additional obstacles if you like (cardboard boxes, balloons, etc.).
Once the person to guide is ready and blindfolded, ask them to turn slowly several times so that you are not sure which way to go. From this moment on, the guide must not touch the partner at all, he can only give verbal orders.
Remember that the guide is solely responsible for the safety of your companion. He or she must do everything possible to get their partner away from the obstacles and complete the course.
Moment of Reflection
You can ask the participants to reflect and share what they learned from this experience. What was it like being the “guide”, being totally responsible for your partner’s safety?
What do you think was the purpose of this team building activity? Did you have any difficulty trusting your partner blindfolded?
Why is it important to trust your peers? How did it feel when you and your teammate successfully trusted each other to accomplish something challenging?
The topics of this publication: interactions, active listening, adaptation, teamwork, trust
