The mission of the Adventure Learning Programs (ALPs) is to challenge people through adventure-based learning to discover themselves and understand those around them. We are a leadership organization that operates under the philosophy of Experiential Education where learners are purposefully engaged in direct experience and focused reflection in order to learn new skills. We offer adventure-based team building workshops that incorporate initiatives, problem solving activities, and high and low ropes course experiences.
Workshops are free for all UW students. However, you don’t have to be a student to request as workshop. If you’re looking for your next office outing, team bonding day, or even just a fun time with some good friends email us as alps@studentaffairs.wisc.edu to set up a workshop and receive a price quote.
Grow Your Leadership Skills
We offer adventure-based team building workshops that incorporate initiatives, problem solving, and activities.
Request a WorkshopLOW ROPES COURSE

The low ropes course consists of elements constructed of wood, cable, and rope that range in height from one foot to 12 feet off the ground. The elements, because of their height off the ground, and the level of difficulty, increases the perceived level of challenge and requires groups to really work together to accomplish a task. It is imperative that people rely on one another to work through the challenges.
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Length of Workshop
Low ropes course workshops can last for any length over 2 hours. The longer you can spend with us, the more your group will get out of the workshop! The focus of the workshop will be on the low ropes course elements, but we may complement those activities with group games and initiatives as appropriate to meet your goals.
Availability & Group Size
Our low ropes course is open April 1st-November 1st
Group size: 12 people
What You'll Gain
Low ropes courses are excellent for focusing on the following goals:
- Trust
- Communication
- Support
- Building community
- Being vulnerable
- Challenge
- Bonding as a group
- Teambuilding
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Resilience
- Self-efficacy
- Confidence
- Having fun
Low Ropes Course Elements
We utilize two low ropes courses, one located at the high ropes course (Kennedy Elementary School) and one located at our own course near the UW Physical Sciences Lab. The elements at both locations are listed below:
- Two Way Whale Watch
- Four way Whale Watch*
- Spider’s Web
- Triangle Traverse
- TP Shuffle
- Giant’s Finger*
- Commitment Bridge (Wild Woozy)
- Islands
- A-Frame*
- Trolleys
- Nitro Crossing*
- *at Kennedy Course only
TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS

Teambuilding workshops, aka ground workshops, are very versatile and can be tailored to meet the unique goals of your group. These workshops are unique in that they do not require special equipment like a high or low ropes course and 95% of the thousands of activities we have to offer will not involve getting off of the ground.
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Length of the Workshop
Workshops can vary in length from 30 minutes (for a quick get to know you workshop) to all day (with more in depth problem solving and leadership development activities) and anywhere in between. You let us know what will work for your group to accomplish your goals.
Availability & Group Size
We offer our teambuilding workshops YEAR ROUND because we can host them anywhere—inside, outside, in a big room, or a conference room. We are more than happy to discuss with you what kind of teambuilding programming we can offer your group.
Minimum group size: 8 people
Maximum group size: We can and have accommodated groups as large as 175 people in a teambuilding workshop. We are more than happy to talk about how we can accommodate your larger group.
What You'll Gain
Our teambuilding (ground) workshops are perfect for working on the following goals:
- Getting to know one another
- Learning names
- Building community
- Bonding
- Communication
- Working with others
- Decision making
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Support
- Trust
- Conflict resolution
- Having fun
Ground Workshop Elements
Teambuilding workshops can include but are not limited to the following activity types:
- Get to Know Yous
- Problem solving initiatives
- Trust activities
- Leadership Matrix
- Icebreakers
- Group games
- Name games
FACILITATION TRAININGS

For 25 years, ALPs has been training college students to facilitate groups in person.