The Trust Walk is a popular teambuilding activity that helps people practice trusting each other. A leader guides his or her blindfolded partner around obstacles using verbal or nonverbal instructions.
This activity is an active teambuilding activity that requires a great deal of space. An outdoor setting with some obstacles (but nothing too dangerous!) is ideal. The recommended group size is: small, medium, or large. Participants will form pairs. Materials required include blindfolds and any props that you can set up as minor obstacles. This activity is for ages 14 and up.
Instructions for the Trust Walk Teambuilding Activity
The Trust Walk Activity is an effective team building activity involving leadership and building trust, as blindfolded participants must rely on instructions given to them in order to avoid various obstacles.
As the faciliator of the Trust Walk Teambuilding Activity, be sure to scout out a safe area in advance. Safety comes first! Large fields or the woods may be good places to try. Minor obstacles (trees, branches, small hills) are okay, but do not play this game in a dangerous environment (for example, anywhere with very steep ledges or sharp protruding objects). Once you have found a safe, large area, you can prepare additional obstacles if desired (cardboard boxes, balloons, etc.).
Start in a nearby location. Ask participants to arrange themselves into pairs. Instruct one partner to be the guide (navigator) and the other to be blindfolded. Once the blindfolded partner is ready, slowly spin the person around a few times so that they are unsure which direction they are headed. Guide the participants to the field with obstacles. From this point on, the guide should not touch the partner at all, but rely solely on verbal cues (e.g. “In approximately five steps ahead, there will be a tree branch. Go ahead and step over it slowly.”)
Remember that the guide is solely responsible for his or her partner’s safety. He or she try their best to steer their partner away from obstacles. Valuable lessons can be learned to teamwork and unity. For example, the guide will learn about the challenge and responsibility of caring for another individual’s well being, while the blindfolded partner learns to trust and rely on another person.
Reflection of the Trust Walk Activity
If desired, ask participants to reflect and share what they learned from this experience. The following are some sample questions to ask following the Trust Walk team building activity:
- What was it like to be the “guide,” being fully responsible for the safety of your partner?
- What do you think was the purpose of this team building activity?
- Did you have any difficulty trusting your partner while blindfolded? Why or why not?
- Why is trusting your teammates important?
- Afterwards, how did it feel when you and your teammate successfully trusted each other to accomplish something challenging?
- How does this relate to _______ (here you can fill in the blank with the current scenario of the participants, such as class, a sports team, employees working together on a project, etc.)?
