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Cooperative Adventure Games

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Converting types of games and activities

Everything up until now has only been theoretical, so here comes the practical part. We will name some suitable types of games and activities, which can be used as co-operational adventure games or activities. These are indoor games or games in the garden which can be played quickly, or outdoor activities which can last several hours or several days and where you might need to travel to a certain place.

Types of games

Getting to know each other and warm-up games

These games are used to try and break the ice and their purpose is to break any playing inhibitions, for the players to get to know each other and be able to assess each other. Using these games, the boring standard introduction round is made more interesting. Warm-up games bring the introduction into swing.
Games of trust

It is written in the bible (Jesus Sirach) "from 1000 friends, I can only trust one and I don’t do that very quickly". This shows how difficult trust is, because everyone has been in situations where their trust has been abused. For this reason, trust games are important for encouraging the group to remain a group. It is important to trust each other to be able to master situations together. Those who learn to trust can deal with situations which they cannot deal with on their own. The group gives them safety and support because the individual trusts the others.
Co-operation games

There is the saying "never rely on others; you can only rely on yourself". I must admit that this saying is not exactly foreign to me, but it is not exactly co-operative. The ability to co-operate is something which must be learned and co-operation games can support the learning process.

Teamwork instead of individual performance is required. Only when all members of the group co-operate with each other, will the group arrive at their destination together. An individual cannot win for the group as a whole.
Awareness games

Awareness games are suitable for open air games and games in the woods incorporated with a nature rally. Awareness games can be used as a playful way to:
1. Sharpen the senses
2. Collect impressions
3. Consciously experience nature
4. Consciously experience the environment
5. Consciously experience people.
The important thing in these games is to be aware of the environment, of other people and to experience self-awareness. The players will be encouraged to think about their own normal behaviour (up until this point) and the behaviour of others.

Outdoor activities / adventure campaigns

Climbing

Climbing ever higher and higher, we leave the safety of the ground to reach our goal. The climber trusts themselves and their own strength but they also trust the partner holding the rope while they strive for height. The unknown path, the hindrances, the will to reach the target and the finding the RIGHT PATH are all important experiences. Some people will get to know their physical and psychological limits. They will learn physical control, skill, courage and power.

More about Climbing...
Rope campaigns

As a child, I was most impressed by climbing frames with ropes and cables. There are now lots of places with high rope “gardens” and they are, of course, placed amongst nature, in the woods and over canyons where you can play lots of games. Courage and trust in the ropes and in the safety equipment is required.

More about Rope events...
Experiences with nature

Children spend the whole day hunched behind a computer or watching videos. No wonder that children no longer know about the wilderness, ask where the purple cows are (like in adverts) or do not know about animals and plants. Nature is so diverse and offers so many opportunities to learn and collect experiences. Once the curiosity, fun and adventure are awakened, children might exchange a passive life in front of a TV screen for adventure in nature. The saying is: "those who know and treasure nature, will also protect it."
Bivvy

Equipped only with a sleeping bag or a bivvy bag, a night under the stars, experiencing the noise of the woods, feeling the morning dew on the sleeping bag or seeing one or two beetles crawling over the sleeping bag: Those are experiences with nature that lots of youths no longer know about.

More about Bivvy...
Woods games

You might envoy spending a whole day in the woods, feeling and smelling the woods and going on a journey of discovery. Whether it is a terrain game in the woods, a forest quiz, meditation or simply being led while blindfolded and feeling the senses of the forest, the trees and feeling the forest floor: you will collect impressions which cannot be experienced in your own four walls.

More about Forest games...
Boat tour

Everyone is impressed by water, probably because it is one of the most important elements on Earth. Under the motto "everyone is in the same boat" lots of important experiences are made on the water. Co-ordination is required for paddling the canoe, foresightedness is needed for rafting, adaptability and discipline are needed to build a raft, and everyone must do their part and consider the others. You will achieve a boat club, whatever happens, because of the boat club does not adapt to each other and agree with each other, nothing will work.

More about Trips with the Sailboat, or en route with a float or Kayaking or Canoeing or Rafting...
Exploring caves

In a cave, some members of the group might experience claustrophobia. After all, not everyone is used to diving into a dark silent world. Squeezing your way through narrow passages and holes, experiencing the cold and a bizarre world of rooms, halls and stone formations are impressions which last.

More about Cave tours...
Canyoning

Canyoning is a really great experience and the adrenaline level can really go up in some parts of the adventure.

More about Canyoneering...
Hikes

Several days spend on the hike with a rucksack, not knowing where to spend the night, getting to know the land and the people and spending time with nature, whatever the weather are all nice experiences. Some parents are astonished that their little darlings suddenly enjoy walking, when they never want to go on a family walk. However in a group with children of the same age, this is a different matter. 20-30 Km in a day while carrying 12-18 Kg on their back is no problem. The group walks along together, the group tries to manage the stage together, the group adapts to new situations and new paths together. They spend the night together somewhere; it doesn’t matter if it is in a roadside ditch, in the hay on a farm, in the loft in a vicarage, or somewhere in the middle of the wilderness.

More about Hiking and mountain tours, or Cycling Tour...
Mountain climbing

Mountain climbing is one of the scopes in alpine mountain hiking. When the normal path does not go any further and only steep and adventurous climbing slopes lead to the peak, this is a special challenge which cannot be compared with normal hiking.

More about via ferrata and abseiling...
Snow shoe hiking

Hiking in snow shoes has become more and more popular in recent years. It is a real wilderness experience to get away from the ski pistes and to experience complete peace and nature pure. Power, stamina and a sense of direction are the characteristics which you will required in this adventure.

More about Snowshoeing, or for e.g. Cross-country skiing/ski touring...
Orienteering tour

This is an extension of normal walking. The group receives a target or several stage targets which they must reach using problem solving tasks. The hike then becomes a station game.

More about Orientation Hike...