After being greatly impressed by the size of the box that this work arrived in I was a little disappointed by the rather cheap looking folder that was contained within. Indoor/Outdoor Team building games for trainers by Harrison Snow is presented in a large triple ring folder that at first glance looks like a standard undergraduate dissertation. However the way the work is presented and the price tag are both justified in the copyright blurb on the very first page.
Indoor/Outdoor is a not just a reference book but a step by step course for those who want to instruct their own team building sessions. As a result the price tag (which is $$more than I am normally comfortable paying for a book) not only buys you the folder but also the right to make photocopies of relevant pages to distribute to those who attend your workshop, and what a workshop it'll be!
Having spent the summer working as an outdoor pursuits instructor I was glad to see many of the best warm ups and ice breakers that I had already learnt succinctly described in a manner that transfers the necessary fun within which all team-building sessions should be framed. There's enough problem solving exercises to keep even the most competent team busy for a least three days and each description is followed by a few generally excellent paragraphs on how to debrief after the exercise. Very few of the exercises need much preparation or investment in equipment and can be attempted by any able bodied person regardless of fitness.
Along with the individual tasks Snow has included a very readable section introducing a few management theories, the need for strong teams and the whole framework of trust, safety and fun within which good workshops must run. He concludes with some exercises that provide a review of the workshop and a few more management theories that are again very well presented.
Like most work on this subject Indoor/Outdoor can occasionally be a little "touchy feely" but never to a nauseating extent. Snow also occasionally makes the assumption that his audience is entirely from the US but although slightly annoying this in no way detracts from the overall excellent quality of his work. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in running their own sessions but also recommend that you either practice on your friends or shadow an experienced leader before instructing paying customers.

A tremendous disappointment. One of the more expensive Team Building resource publications available and it does not deliver. In many respects, Mr. Snow has authored a well organized, adequately written resource BINDER. A three ring binder and 241 (mostly single sided) pages of information. Sadly, the liabilities completely outweigh the assets of this selection.

Almost every activity may be found in other, significantly less expensive books. Very few activities feature illustrations or diagrams. Even when included, the pictures may not be worth a thousand words. Those unfamiliar with an activity may have difficulty vizualizing some instructions. Which begs the question if you ARE familiar with the activities, why purchase the book?

The only justification I found for the seemingly disproportionate price was the permission granted by the publisher to photocopy the pages of the publication "for use by participants attending a training workshop conducted by the original purchaser." This might be a terrific value for those who provide training of trainer workshops or who have a large staff to train. If you primarily will be solo or co-facilitating team building sequences with various groups this may be of dubious benefit to you.

Bottom line: If Mr. Snow and/or McGraw-Hill republished the binder as a book (at a fraction of the cost), added more visual-aids and you were looking for a solid resource book, it might be a useful resource. In it's present form I'd recommend you keep searching. Karl Rohnke and several others have authored resource books that will provide you with much, much more for much, much less.

Keep searching. . .

This book is a wonderful collection of activities that will build and challenge your team. The books is spiral bound so it allows you to "take it with you" and use it wherever your team is. The activites are not just the typical version, they are challenging, exciting, and when used can help you establish a solid foundation. The book is easy to follow and does include some diverse games and activities. No two are alike.