Shelter Building

Purpose

Shelter Building challenges teams to construct a functional shelter from natural materials, tarps, or rope that can protect against weather. It teaches resourcefulness, collaborative construction, decision-making about design trade-offs, and practical outdoor skills. The tangible, functional result creates strong team pride and a sense of shared accomplishment.

At a glance

• Group size: 6–30 participants (teams of 4–6)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Facilitation style: Instructional demonstration followed by team autonomy
• Setting: Outdoors; wooded area or open ground with anchor points

How to run

1. Instruction (10 min): Demonstrate basic shelter types (lean-to, A-frame, debris hut) and knot techniques (clove hitch, bowline, trucker's hitch).
2. Material distribution or gathering (10 min): Provide tarps and rope, or let teams gather natural materials from the area.
3. Build phase (30 min): Teams design and build. The shelter must fit the entire team sitting inside. Bonus: weatherproof enough to stay dry in simulated rain (water from a bucket).
4. Test and debrief (10 min): Evaluate shelters: structural integrity, comfort, weather resistance. Discuss: How did you decide on a design? What would you change? What skills transfer to work challenges?

Materials needed

• Tarps (one per team, 3x4 metres)
• Paracord or rope (10–15 metres per team)
• Natural materials (branches, leaves, grass) if in a suitable environment
• Knife or saw for the facilitator (not for unsupervised participant use)

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• No instruction on knots: Without basic knot skills, shelters fall apart immediately.
• Poor site selection: Avoid low spots (flooding), dead branches overhead (widow-makers), and exposed ridgelines.
• Leaving shelters behind: Natural material shelters should be disassembled unless in a designated camp. Leave no trace.
• Ignoring weather forecast: Real weather makes the exercise authentic but also risky. Have a backup plan.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Assign roles appropriate to ability: designers, rope handlers, gatherers, constructors.
• Ensure the building area is accessible for all participants.
• Seated participants can tie knots, prepare materials, and direct construction.

Variations

• Survival Shelter: Natural materials only. No tarps or rope provided.
• Blind Shelter Build: Half the team is blindfolded. Communication exercise within a construction task.
• Shelter Competition: Teams are judged on aesthetics, weather resistance, and speed.

When NOT to use this

• In ecologically sensitive areas where gathering natural materials would cause damage.
• Without knife and tool safety briefings.
• In lightning-prone conditions — sheltering under trees in storms is dangerous.

Source & further reading

• Kochanski, M. (1987). Bushcraft. Lone Pine Publishing.
• Mears, R. (2003). Essential Bushcraft. Hodder and Stoughton.