Playhouse Challenge™

In this business simulation focused on the creation of playhouses for schools and shelters, there is no time to disengage. Your teams will design it, build it, decorate it and then meet the kids who will enjoy it. Epic!

The Playhouse Challenge™ simulates challenges corporate teams face every day while offering a dynamic platform to create a shared vision for the future and reshape company culture.

Working in teams of 15, each group receives an ‘order’ from the ‘customer’ and are given all the supplies and tools needed to create a physical structure. During the planning and building periods, teams must develop new ways to meet tight deadlines, work within safety regulations, resolve miscommunications, develop proper plans and execute the collective vision.

What emerges are one-of-a-kind playhouses, as well as more cohesive teams. The playhouses ‘built for the customer’ are donated to special guests from local shelters, schools, or other non-profit organizations.

Contact us to set-up a program design consultation with one of our team members.

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Making A Difference Inside Your Organization

Odyssey Teams’ training philosophy is rooted in over 25 years of facilitation experience across the globe. We give our clients something to think about, something to do, and something to feel – a tried-and-true tactic that drives learning and transformation. The Playhouse Challenge™ targets each learning modality (audio, visual, kinesthetic) and the process enables participants to understand, retain, and implement your organizational vision and values. The teamwork and collaboration required to complete the task ultimately lead to tangible philanthropic and business results.

“The Playhouse Challenge™ is one of the best things we do in our new hire program.”

– Jehan Wren, Bain Capital

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Featured Playhouse Challenge™ Videos

The Story Behind the Playhouse

See the impact of the Playhouse Challenge™ on one of the youth organizations we benefit. Hampton Hotels gave life to the process, Mi Escuelita gave the playhouses a home.

Hamptonality Meets Playhouse Challenge

See the magic unfold in this timelapse of the Playhouse Challenge™ with 200 of Hampton Hotel’s best and brightest producing 20 unique houses.

“Odyssey Teams left us with a common language in which our company can build upon to achieve greatness.”

Pete Brunner, BCSI

“Thank you very much for your help in making my meeting so successful and connecting the dots to all of my key messages in such a meaningful way.”

Tracy Tannenbaum, Heritage Homes

“Much to our delight, our participants had a terrific experience with the Helping Hands activity… and spent the remainder of the conference talking about it! The program that Odyssey Teams has developed is by far the most memorable, fulfilling, and moving “teambuilding” experience we have participated in.”

Brandy L Szever, Vanguard

“Thank you and your team for two great days of training. I couldn’t be more pleased with the training team you assembled, the content and how the material was received by the participants. You listened to our challenges and geared a program that got right to heart of some of our key management/organizational development issues. It was amazing to sit back and watch the light bulbs go on for our managers. I look forward to them taking the learnings back to the work place and applying them.”

Christine Stout, Premier Retail Network

“So many employees have approached to say how moved they were by by the bike build. It was such a positive lesson on working together and asking for help. The afternoon left a mark on everyone who participated in such a positive way.”

Cindy Silva, Ariat International Inc.

“Thank you for putting together and facilitating a fabulous collaboration exercise in Orlando. We’ve done a lot of different team-building activities and other types of exercises through the years, but this one was simply extraordinary. I have lost count of how many participants have grabbed me or emailed me to tell me how impactful it was to them on a professional and personal level. I was showing my kids last night the pictures we took on our iPhones, and they were amazed.”

Elana McFann, United Healthcare

“Odyssey Teams touched our team members, and our team members are taking that feeling and making positive action.”

Gretchen Chismar, Honeywell

“We really had an opportunity to know each other better and to have some fun together in a way that increases our commitment to work together effectively. But the biggest payoff of all was the combined feeling of having accomplished something with such an impact to people around the world.”

Jean E. Deering, Wells Fargo

“Odyssey Teams touched 970 people who are at an impressionable point in their lives. I’m confident that the wisdom and emotion Odyssey shared will positively impact their entire careers.”

Jenna Ballestrino, Microsoft Academy for College Hires (MACH)

“Our team unanimously voted the 3 hours with Odyssey Teams was the most beneficial part of our entire meeting.”

Julie C., BCD Meeting & Incentives

“The Helping Hands event structure + the personal connection to the prosthetic hands have left a lasting impression on our team. Many people still reference the event 90 days later.”

Megan A. Westman, GE Lighting

“The mosaic exercise is one of my favorite things I’ve ever done in Corporate America! What a beautiful outcome from such a simple but effective exercise.”

Jen Matlock, AbbVie

“Mission accomplished! The Odyssey Teams session exceeded every expectation I had. It created a unity with our teams and connected people in meaningful and thought-provoking inner-soul searching ways.”

Michelle Stokes, Merck

“Odyssey Teams wowed everyone. Feedback from executives to new team members has been phenomenal and the lessons learned will be lasting.”

Ralph S. Henderson, AMN Healthcare

“We found that working together for a worthwhile cause gave us perspective on new ways to use our talents to use for the good of others while learning important lessons about our own capabilities. Thank you, Odyssey Teams.”

Tim Somers, Pernod Ricard USA

“In my opinion, Odyssey Teams’ keynote and facilitation set the foundation and tone for an impactful two-day, staff retreat—I’m not sure we would have gotten to that level without Odyssey Teams kicking it off!”

Megan Moser, University of Pennsylvania

“Odyssey Teams provided the perfect foundation and jumping-off point for what our meeting was designed to accomplish. Helping Hands became the metaphor for how our team aspires to work together.”

Julie Person, Shire

“We’ve sung Odyssey Teams’ praises to everyone we know. Odyssey Teams has the unique ability to impact a group at the core with the right amount of humor.”

My-An Le, Kaiser Permanente Great Los Angeles

“Since the program, I have caught myself being myself and working on being a better person, husband, father, co-worker and friend. Perspective is everything…”

Dan Link, SDCDA

“Having experienced team building events all over the world, I must admit that nothing will top the experience we had with Odyssey Teams. Building unity, teamwork, collaboration – seeing real people, extending beyond themselves to help others, has been priceless.”

Kristen Muckleroy, Fiberlink Communications