The Adventure Laboratory: Designing Activities for Optimal Impact

There are no events scheduled at this time.  If you're interested in a custom version of this workshop with your group, please follow this link (We Can Come to You) to submit a request.

This one day workshop explores two essential questions:

1. What are the steps to modifying activities to make them applicable to multiple settings and desired outcomes?
2. How does adventure play impact us from a brain chemistry perspective, and how can I optimize what science tells us?

The Adventure Laboratory is a one day workshop experience with two distinct parts:

Part 1:  Tinker:  When we change the framing, the rules, the physical set up or even the equipment used for any simple group activity, the outcome can change dramatically.  Participants will experience the variables of a handful of activities in order to reveal how truly malleable they are, and practice framing activities with specific themes in mind.  This session is based on High 5’s book called "Tinker: Building Purposeful Experiences from Classic Adventure Activities.”

Part 2: The Power of Play: Endorphins, Dopamine, Serotonin and Oxytocin are neurochemicals that can be intentionally optimized through adventure play.  In this session, participants will learn about the function of these neurochemicals, experience activities that focus on each, and learn how to design these principles in their own programs. 

Intended Audience:

The Adventure Laboratory is open to any person who works with groups.  Previous experience with some adventure activities may be helpful as a springboard for practicing modifications, however it is not required. The content in both workshop sections is general in nature and is relevant for all ages and settings.  Note:  The Adventure Laboratory is an interactive (non-challenge course based) session that combines group games, experimentation, lecture and conversation.

Each participant will receive a copy of “Tinker: Building Purposeful Experiences from Classic Adventure Activities” and a deck of Ubuntu Cards!