An adventure consultant shares lessons about creativity. Steps to being creative are: look for connections; be willing to experiment and fail; be open-minded and seek input from others; and practice, practice, practice. Examples of different versions of an adventure activity illustrate several creative techniques. The impact of time deadlines on…

Discusses the ways in which games change to adapt to new circumstances or needs. Looks at four games used in adventure- or experiential-education settings and the changes in procedures and props that developed over time. (SV)

Discusses the characteristics of "good" and "bad" games used in adventure- or experiential-education settings. Good games are simultaneously familiar and exotic; have minimal rules and no clothing requirements; have an achievable "flow state"; and are cooperative, challenging, and accepting of failure that advances the group's problem-solving…

Describes five games (two for preschool children, three for all ages) used in adventure-, challenge-, and experiential-education settings. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props needed, instructions, and variations. The games act as icebreakers; build group trust and cooperation; or nurture positive,…

Describes three group-processing activities used with youth or adults in adventure- and experiential-education settings. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props needed, and instructions for group processing and reflection. Involves stimulating campfire discussion for various purposes, journal writing…

Describes enhancing the outdoor adventure experience by engaging the spirit. Strategies include creating spirit-related expectations, refocusing, making space for rituals and ceremonies, looking for metaphors, including intentional experiences as catalysts to deeper meanings, and offering opportunities for reflection. Backpacking at night on the…

Each person belongs to a racial group that determines the way they see themselves and others, how they view the world, and how they are viewed by the world. A safe adventure environment enables participants to explore and reflect on what racial identity means to them personally, which leads to broader understanding. (SAS)

Describes framing adventure activities to focus on positive scenarios that reinforce Jewish Chassidim spiritual values of individual participation and purpose, responsible decision making, learning from the mistakes of others, working together, sharing group responsibility, group trust, responsibility for others, and accepting challenges as…

Explains aspects of the design and loading of high-ropes courses and other challenge-course equipment. Discusses the engineer's factor of safety, determined by industry standards or the level of risk considered acceptable; definitions of terms for material strength; and the forces involved in loads sustained by belay ropes and cables. (SV)

Home-built adventure-education courses exhibit refreshing creativity but almost always fall short of their potential due to inadequate construction techniques and materials. A ropes course inspector for the adventure education industry discusses the most common mistakes made in home-built ropes courses and how to prevent or fix them. (TD)

An adventure educator describes his process of "waking up" to awareness of the role of ethics in professional practice. Four critical incidents in this process involved the obligation to protect clients from undue harm, responsibility to continually assess one's professional competence, duty to share information with peers, and…

Reflects on some persistent models of outdoor adventure that limit the ability to truly address social justice issues. These taken-for-granted assumptions include the valuing of individuality, physical risk, and physical prowess; emphasis on the wilderness experience, despite its high cost; and focus on valuing diversity without deeply examining a…

Describes nine group activities used to build cooperation and teamwork in adventure-, challenge-, and experiential-education settings. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props needed, instructions, ideas for post-activity group processing and reflection, and facilitator tips. Target groups include…

Creativity is valued increasingly in business and education. Humor, fun, and play take the brain from a cognitive, rule-bound state to a more fluid state where the whole body can work on a problem while the "thinking mind" is relaxed. Vignettes demonstrate how adventure education stimulates creativity through play, fun, humor, and…

A company designs and delivers treasure and scavenger hunts for corporate and institutional clients. Groups are divided into teams that must solve puzzles for directions or clues. The hunts build creativity, teamwork, communication skills, and an appreciation of others' strengths. An insert includes a four-puzzle mini-treasure hunt. (TD)