A new year can mean the reshuffling of jobs for lots of people. While a clean slate is exciting, being the “new guy/girl” at the office is definitely the least enjoyable side effect of transitioning roles. A way to help break the ice could be to suggest some activities that rally the entire team around something fun and engaging.
Even if you’re not the newbie yourself, paying it forward and making your new colleague(s) feel welcome is a positive way to start off the year and dispel those post-holiday blues. And while the term “team building activities” may not immediately enthuse you, we promise we’ve rounded up the most unconventional and entertaining options available in Toronto that are guaranteed to result in an office outing that won’t easily be forgotten!
Table Talk
Nothing gets the competitive juices flowing like a heated game of ping-pong. Blow off some collective steam at King West’s own table tennis mecca SPiN, which also conveniently doubles as a downtown watering hole. Space within the club is available for rent to groups as small as 20 all the way up to 400.
SPiN Toronto, 461 King St W, (416) 599-7746
King Pin
Similarly, bowling is a sport that inevitably ends up in intense (or at least amusing) competition. Whether you’re a pro when it comes to strikes or more in favour of the swing-from-between-the-legs approach, The Ballroom can fulfill all of your bowling needs. Delicious pub-style food and drinks are the perfect pairings for a little inter-office lane-to-lane combat. A “meet and bowl” package is offered to corporate groups and can accommodate parties of various sizes.
The Ballroom Bowl, 145 John St, (416) 597-2695
Hitting The Target
What could be a better way to foster solidarity among your colleagues than an afternoon of firing paintballs at each other? With a venue conceived of by a Hollywood set designer, Sgt. Splatter’s is Canada’s largest indoor paintball facility with 35,000 sq. ft.of urban warzone that makes you feel as though you’re in a video game. Described on their site as “a company outing that doesn’t suck,” this is an activity that’s sure to energize your team while promoting camaraderie, communication, and (obviously) general bad ass-ery.
Sgt. Splatter’s Project Paintball, 54 Wingold Ave, (416) 781-0991
Cook Off
With many of us frequently sampling the various delectable purveyors of food and drink located across this fine city, the proposition of testing your team’s culinary mettle is an interesting one. Dish Cooking Studio offers group cooking classes that focus on everything from South East Asian cuisine to decadent dessert making.
Dish Cooking Studio, 390 Dupont Street, (416) 920-5559
Base Camp
Not only will your team be forever bonded by a dramatic (or traumatic, depending on how you look at it) experience, but rock climbing is also a serious workout (multi-tasking resolutions like a boss, anyone?). Toronto Climbing Academy’s facility boasts a large selection of exhilarating top-rope routes and specially designed rocky terrain, as well as classes for large groups.
Toronto Climbing Academy, 11 Curity Ave, (416) 757-4208