More Team Building Activities

 

The team has to get from point A to B with only 4 legs and 4 arms touching the ground. You get all kinds of walking: human pyramids or things where they're on each other’s: shoulders or such. It takes a fair amount of organizing: and usually the first couple of tries collapse in a pile: of laughing kids. This is probably more of an outdoor thing, though. It can be done with four to seven. Instead of teams, make it a group problem with no competition. You might want to lessen the number of arms and legs for fewer people- Or start with 4 -if they get that try 3 etc.

Place your arm through a rope loop or hula-hoop. Now have everyone join hands, have the team move the loop around the human circle. If you break hands start over again. When the team gets back to where it began the goal has been reached.

When your group gets really good at this game place 2 or 3 hula hoops in a circle. Then the team tries to have a 2nd hula-hoop catch the first, etc.

Give the each persona letter or number to make using only members of the group. Everyone must be included in the solution. Have the group make several shapes or letters

Pick a player to become a lighthouse and a ship. The rest of the players are rocks. Blindfold the ship. In the boundary area (ocean) have the rocks set in a spot and freeze. Stand the lighthouse at one end of the ocean and the ship at the other end. Have the lighthouse guide the ship, by giving verbal directions through the rock hazards to safety. Make sure the rocks spot the ship in case of it sinking on the rocks.

"Choose two objects about 20 feet away from each other. Have the team s make a solid line, holding hands between the objects. As a group, team s stretch out as far as possible trying to reach the other side. Keep challenging the group with further distances.

All players line up behind one another. Reach between your legs with your LEFT hand and take the RIGHT hand of the person behind you while reaching forward with your RIGHT HAND. Without breaking the chain, start the game.

The last person in line lies down on their back. The rest of the line backs over them (Be careful not to step on them) as each person reaches the end of the body 

Set the boundaries lines about 4 feet apart. Have the team stand behind one boundary, while facing the other.  

Tell the team all the directions. The entire team must get from one boundary to the other In between boundaries is a pit. The only way to get across is by using the invisible magic shoes (any pair of shoes). All players end up on the other side. 

·         1. Everyone must wear the shoes one time going one way.

·         2. Shoes may not be tossed back to the other side

·         3. Once you have worn the shoes you may not wear them again

·         4. The same person must wear both shoes.

Let everyone work as a team to figure out a solution.

Each team forms a long line and each girl must hold the waist of the girl in front of her. They may stretch out as far as possible so long as they do not separate. When the whistle blows. the girl at the back goes done on her hands and knees and must crawl through the legs of the whole group. When she gets to the front she jumps up, her waist gets grabbed, and the girl who is now the back goes through. You can either do this down to the finish line or down and back (by reaching the turning point and having all team members spin around so they are facing the way they came.)

Put each group in a huddle. Each person extends his right hand and grabs the hand of another person in the huddle. Each person then extends his left hand and grabs a different person's hand. No two people should be holding the same hand. The object is to have the group untangle themselves slowly without ever letting go of hands. Some people will have to step over other people, some will go under people, some will get twisted and have to untwist and turn to unravel themselves.

Stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. Ask everyone to reach out and grab two other hands. (You cannot have both hands of one person, and you cannot have the hands of persons on each side of you.) If possible, try not to criss-cross. Now untangle so that all are standing in a round circle again.

You need floor space, and varied shaped and colored blocks, paper, or Tinkertoys. You will create sets of 8 or 9 for yourself, and each group of 4-5 players (sets must be identical to one another). You will then build a sculpture or a flat arrangement of them and place it where it is hidden from view. Each group has a “runner” whose task it is to look at your hidden model, then run back to the group and attempt to tell them how to construct the model with their set. 

The catch is that the groups cannot use any of the following:

·         shapes of any kind

·         any color whatsoever

·         the words “above,” “below,” “left,” or “right” a

·         the group may not ask any questions

·         the runner is not allowed to point.

The runner may look at the model as many times as possible, but may not take notes or speak to the group until he or she is sitting with the group

This is an interesting game because when you take the obvious communications devices away from the group, they establish their own “language” without any help from you. They simply must communicate and so they often agree to name or number the pieces so that they can refer to them, and find new ways to describe directions. I deliberately place kids together who have nothing in common because I find that when they focus on the object of this game, they forget they have nothing in common and the atmosphere of my class automatically improves.

Each team is given a piece of cardboard just big enough for all group members to stand on. All teams are at one end of the field or gym. All members must have a hand in carrying the cardboard (their "boat"). The leader will have a choice to two commands: "Go" means the team may advance forward, holding their boat, at any speed: "Attack" means that the team must place their boat on the ground and all members must get aboard and stay there. If one member should fall off the boat, the whole team is a goner. The last team on their boat is eliminated or must take a chunk out of their boat before the next "Go" command. See how many teams make it to the end of the field or gym.

Tape a square on the floor smaller than an area where the whole team could stand. Tell the team there will be a flood in the next 5 minutes and the only safe place is in the square (lifeboat). This feat can be accomplished by each team member putting one foot in the lifeboat and holding hands with the person across the boat, everyone balancing through the use of teamwork. Don't give the answer; let the team struggle to figure it out.

Hand the team four blocks 2"x6", cut 6" in length. Tell them they have to get the whole team across the gym without touching the floor. Any team members who touch the floor must go back to the starting point. There are no right or wrong solutions, but teamwork must be utilized.

Two blankets and at least one ball are the equipment. Students gather around three sides of each blanket. A ball is tossed between blankets. Teams must work together to catch and throw the ball. As students become better at blanket toss, they may trade two balls simultaneously, and they may begin longer distance tosses, moving a pace further apart at each catch and a pace closer together at each miss.

Students face back-to-back in pairs. A string is tied around their waists so that they are separated by approximately 3 or 4 feet. A pencil on a string is tied to the middle of the first string so it hangs vertically. A soda pop bottle is placed below the pencil. The goal is to get the pencil in the bottle. Variation: use a coffee can, blindfold the pair, and have the teammates provide the clues.

One student from each group shuts his/her eyes. Beanbags, paper, or other markers are placed about the area in a random arrangement. The blind student must step on each marker. The rest of the team can call one direction at a time and then must allow the blind student to carry out the whole direction before calling out another direction. This game can be timed and students can try to beat their own record.

Place a long board on two cinder blocks. Have as many students as possible stand on the board. They are told they are in a lifeboat and there are alligators in the water. If any of them fall in, the alligators will know they are there and they will all die. Have students line themselves up by height, birthday, the second letter of their first name, etc.

Students form the dragon by standing in a line, hands on the hips of the person in front. A handkerchief (dragon's tail) is placed in the back pocket of the person in the back of the line. Now the dragon lets out a few yells and at a signal the dragon tries to catch its own tail. Of course, the tail tried to avoid being caught. When caught, the tail becomes the head and the game begins again.