Team-building educational training system

A team-building educational training system, comprising:

• a mat having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of windows defined therein, each of the surfaces including uniquely identifiable indicia displayed thereon;
• means for grasping the mat, the means for grasping being designed and configured to be held by one of more hands;
• a plurality of reflective surfaces disposed on a supporting surface under the mat and arranged to reflect the uniquely identifiable indicia displayed on the bottom surface of the mat when the mat is raised above the supporting surface;
• and
• at least one light source attached to the bottom surface of the mat and configured to illuminate reflections of the uniquely identifiable indicia when the reflections are visible on the reflective surfaces;
• wherein a team of users may cooperatively manipulate the mat by the means for grasping to align at least one of the plurality of windows with at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces so that at least one team member is able to see reflections of the uniquely identifiable indicia on the reflective surfaces.

An educational method for building a team, comprising the steps of:

• providing a mat having a plurality of openings, a top surface, and a bottom surface, each of the surfaces including uniquely identifiable indicia displayed thereon;
• providing a plurality of graspable members attached to the mat;
• placing a plurality of reflective surfaces on a supporting surface under the mat, the reflective surfaces being configured to reflect the uniquely identifiable indicia when the mat is raised above the supporting surface;
• selecting an exercise;
• collaborating among the participants to achieve a common goal;
• lifting and manipulating the mat by the graspable members above the supporting surface as a team;
• positioning the lifted mat so that each of the participants is capable of viewing at least one of the plurality of openings;
• and
• looking through the plurality of openings in the mat while the mat is being lifted and manipulated in order to view a reflection of the uniquely identifiable indicia on the reflective surfaces;
• whereby the participants are capable of interpreting the reflection;
• and
• whereby the participants are capable of drawing a conclusion collectively based on the reflection.