Team Building using your Smartphone or Tablet

Today in the Washington Post I found a story in the tech section that interested me. It was a review of an app for your smartphone or tablet called Spaceteams, a cooperative party game for up to 4 players (or if you want 4 teams of players).

After downloading the game to your devise, you are set to "blast off" in a virtual spaceship with your shipmates. You have to fly the spaceship with the help of the other players who shout out instructions to each other. If you fail to work as a team, your ship crashes. Sounds like a team building game that's a great way to get people to interact together rather than always keeping their nose buried in their phone. What do you think? Should we use it at the ropes course?

Using the Playground as an Adventure Classroom

Beauvoir Elementary School in Washington, DC is getting attention for its unique approach to experiential learning. They have designed a playground for children that is built into a hillside at the school that doesn't include your standard playground equipment. Kids can scramble over rocks, climb rope cargo nets and splash in the man-made creek that is supplied with rain water.

Looks like a lot of fun! It's refreshing to see kids exploring their environment and using their imagination to play.