11 problem-solving games to get you thinking

Outdoor adventures don’t always have to be about high-speed thrills and dizzying heights.

Problem-solving activities are the perfect chance to build character, spark confidence, forge friendships and sneakily develop those all-important communication, leadership and teamwork skills. And there’s no better feeling than getting the right answer!

The problem solving at PGL was great fun. A particular highlight was the group trying to silently get in the right order on the bench! They were so quiet and it really made them think about their communication.' - Guide leader

Did you know you can take part in a range of brain-teasing tasks at PGL with outdoor activity areas especially for puzzles? PGL’s problem-solving activities are tailored to different ages and abilities, so everyone can get involved. 

Want to try the activities? PGL will be at Manchester, Glasgow, York and Portsmouth with some problem-solving challenges for Cityscapes Adventure. Get your thinking caps on and get ready to get stuck in

Feeling inspired? Here are 11 exciting and engaging problem-solving activities from PGL to help get you thinking outside the box:

I loved watching my group do the Tower of Hanoi with tyres on our PGL weekend. It’s one of my favourite puzzles, so I tried not to give too many clues. They all really thought about it and there were lots of teamwork. It really showed me how much puzzle and problem solving builds confidence and friendships!' - Guide leader

1. Magic carpet: your entire team must stand on a tarpaulin or blanket and work together to flip it completely over without anyone ever stepping off onto the ground. Once you’ve worked out how to do it, it requires some serious teamwork to stay balanced.
2. Human knot: this is a real brain-teaser! Standing in a circle, grab hands with two people across from you (not your neighbours) to create a giant tangle. Can you untangle into a perfect circle without letting go?
3. Silent line-up: challenge the group to silently arrange themselves in a line by height, shoe size or birthday. For an extra test of coordination, try doing it while balancing on a sturdy bench!
4. Raging river: get the team across the room using only paper ‘stepping stones.’ If at any point a stone isn’t being touched by a teammate, it ‘floats away’ and is removed. Can you reach the shore?
5. Minefield: scatter ‘mines’ (cones or soft toys) across the floor. One teammate is blindfolded and must get across the space using only the voices of their teammates to guide them. Will they figure out the best way to communicate.
6. Tyres of Hanoi: based on the famous Tower of Hanoi, move a stack of tyres from one post to another, moving only one at a time. But there’s a catch: a larger tyre can never be placed on top of a smaller one. It takes 35 moves to solve a 5-tyre stack. Can your team do it?
7. Gutter ball: use half-pipe guttering pipes to get a ball across the room without it stopping, dropping or rolling back. If it does, start again. Players must race to the front of the line to extend the track. Keep a consistent, shallow angle for the best control.
8. Toxic waste: place an open, half-filled bottle on a table inside a circle of cones (the danger zone). Your mission is to move this 'toxic waste' to a safe tray using only two ropes. You have 20 minutes to save the world without stepping inside the circle, touching the bottle or spilling a drop! The way to do it is to have two people stand on opposite sides and overlap the ropes to tighten the slack, creating enough tension to lift the bottle securely.
9. Inside out circle: participants are all instructed to hold hands in a circle facing inwards. They are then asked to turn the circle inside out so that each person is facing out instead.  Participants are not allowed to let go of the other people’s hands
10. Market: one player is the ‘market owner’ with a secret rule. Everyone should take turns saying ‘I went to market and I bought...’ followed by an item. The market owner can only let you buy the item only if it fits their mystery rule, such as having double letters (apples) or starting with the same letter as your name. Can the team crack the code? The first person to crack the secret rule becomes the next market owner. Some secret rule ideas are:
    • There needs to be double letters in the spelling (apples, googles, bottles).
    • The word has to have 7 letters.
    • Items must follow an alphabetical order (like ants, ball, camera).
    • The next item must start with the last letter of the previous item (like bike, elephant, train).
    • You must do an action (like a hop or scratch your head) before speaking.
11. Vortex: participants are given an inner tube. They do not have to stand in a particular way. The aim is to get everyone fully through the inner tube in the fastest  possible time. As many guests can go through the hoop at a time. The time stops when the last person is fully through the hoop.

Toxic waste really stood out for us when problem solving. It took a lot of thinking – and lots of resilience too. Our PGL group leader gave us lots of hints and the girls were so excited when they finally did it!' - Brownie leader

You can find all of these activities (and more!) at different PGL centres as part of their problem solving activities. Interested in PGL? Find out more and book your adventure.