Bowling games for team building

1. Save me
2. Blind bowl
3. Strike Attack
4. Bowling Buddies

Bowling is usually seen as an individual sport, but playing in teams opens it up to multiple players. If you want to build trust and team spirit among students, colleagues or family members, bowling is the perfect activity for learning and growing together.

Beyond the traditional team bowling game, there are several different formats you can play to build trust and get people working together.

Instead of playing to individual scores, players share a single scorecard. For example, player 1 takes the first throw and knocks down seven pins; player 2 then tries to knock down the remaining three.

Players swap who throws first in each frame. This format teaches them to work together to get the best possible score as a team.

Players pair up. In each frame, one player blindfolds the other and has to guide them to the lane, helping them send the ball straight. The challenge is getting a good score while keeping the blindfolded player off the foul line.

Players swap the blindfold after each frame. This exercise helps build mutual trust, since each one depends entirely on their partner's directions.

In "Strike Attack", players go for their best individual score so their teammate can benefit from it. Each pair bowls its own frame, and the higher of the two scores transfers to the other player.

This produces much higher scores and encourages the ability to share achievements and work cooperatively to win as a team.

This exercise needs two bowling lanes. Pair people up and tie one leg of each player to their partner's. The team has to play on separate lanes like this and work out the best way to coordinate, throw and rack up as many points as possible.

A bungee cord may work better than traditional rope, as it lets you unfasten and refasten quickly between rounds.