Life starts as we are born into teams, called families. At this point, the task of learning to "get along" begins. Then the task continues as we keep working in teams during school and careers. Why is "getting along" such a universal hardship. Perhaps it is because we are all so different and the way we think and express ourselves varies from person to person. Although some people do simply click when they come together, in most cases different personalities clash a little when they are brought together and told to work in a team.

This is somewhat ironic since teams are formed not only for their efficiency, but for their diversity as well. After all, with a potpourri of different personalities come a wider variety of strengths that can help compensate for individual weaknesses. Unfortunately, as sibling rivalry illustrates when we are very young, just being part of a team is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly. Ask any parent, teacher, coach or employer and they will all affirm that team building can be a difficult task.

So, what can help the important process of team building go smoother? Let me suggest an anecdote similar to Mary Poppin's creed that a "spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Whether you are dealing with families, athletes, students or employees, teach them to have fun together and the ability to work together will follow.

When people have fun together, communication and energy naturally start to flow. This in turn develops trust, relationships and understanding that can then be used in a home, school, sports or office environment. Friends, not enemies, make well-oiled teams.

One of the best team building activities for groups of all sizes is a scavenger hunt because scavenger hunts do a good job of involving every team member. Scavenger hunts utilize sharp eyes and minds rather than physical prowess and everyone can contribute to solving the clues along the way to find the answers.

Scavenger hunt team building in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New York and other large cities is especially fun because of the many attractions and historical sites to build on. On these hunts you can learn about local haunts, find clues in museums that hold your interest and keep you moving through the art or learn the most random and entertaining facts about founding fathers like Benjamin Franklin. Some hunts have been adapted specifically for special occasions like Mother's Day and Father's day while other are versatile and fun for many kinds of groups any time of the year.