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9 Team Building Activities for the Classroom

A selection of fun team building activities for the classroom for teachers to use.

Team building activities for teachers in the classroom.

If you have been on Think About Such Things you have probably seen my other team building posts. Even though I try to have activities that every age will love it doesn’t always work that way.

So, this post is dedicated to team building activities for teachers of all kinds. They are more geared towards young minds and a classroom setting.

These are my other posts you can read on the topic. Sometimes you can find a game there that will work for your class as well.

I love Group Dynamics, post on How Teamwork Helps Kids Succeed in Life. They hit the mark showing how these simple games can teach kids and teens how to communicate, listen, be creative, and work together.

When I was a teen we started to do team building activities within my youth group leadership. It taught me a ton on the importance of working together for a common goal and what are some key elements that make a team successful or not.

If you are a teacher or youth leader I am so thrilled you are here because you truly wanting to invest in something that will impact your students.

Well, enough of that! Let’s get to the games! Wahoo!

Team Building Activities in the Classroom

Children playing team building classroom activities

Below you will find instruction for 9 classroom friendly team building games. Some of these games will need a little prep beforehand and some will not. But all of them will sure to create a fun, creative, and learning experience for your students.

Marshmallow Toothpick Challenge

What you will need: Mini Marshmallows and Toothpicks

  • Divide your students up into equal sized groups.
  • Then pass out an equal amount of mini marshmallows and toothpicks to each group.
  • Challenge each group to create a certain structure. This can be a space ship, boat, or anything you like. You can also challenge them to see who can create the tallest structure.
  • Depending on your group you can have them work together or set a timer where each student switches off to work on the building while others communicate with them.
  • At the end of the challenge have each group share what they have built.

All My Friends

A great way for students to find things in common with each other.

  • Have your students form a circle.
  • Stand in the middle of the circle and say, “All my friends like….” (fill in the blank with anything you like. Example: superhero movies, riding a bike, peanut butter)
  • Any student who also likes what you mentioned has to switch spots with someone else in the circle.
  • Whoever doesn’t get to switch gets stuck in the middle and has say…”All my friend like…” (very similar to musical chairs)
  • Keep the going till you have filled your allotted time slot for the game.

Newspaper Fashion Show

What you will need: Newspapers, Tape, and Scissors

  • Divide your classroom into groups of 5 or 6
  • Supply them with newspapers, tape, and scissors
  • Set a time for them and give them instructions to create the most fashionable outfit only using the supplies given.
  • At the end have each group designate a model for the outfit and have the group share about the outfit. You could even create a mini fashion show.

If finding newspapers is tough then try magazines or tissue paper for gifts.

Spaghetti Tower

Similar to the Marshmallow and Toothpick challenge, but with more building materials.

What you will need: Spaghetti, Marshmallows, String, and Tape

  • Divide up the students into teams.
  • Tell the students they must create a structurally sound building with the building material provided. (you can create a theme like bridges, pyramids or skyscrapers)
  • Set a time limit for designing and building the structure.
  • At the end have each team share their structure.

This is a great team building game to do after the marshmallow one. You can then ask questions like, “Did having more building materials make it easier or harder?”

Humpty Dumpty Egg Drop

What you will need: Eggs and Paper Plates

*Note this can be messy if using raw eggs (YET FUN). My recommendation is to hard boil the eggs prior to the activity. If using raw eggs provide paper plates with them.

  • Divide the students into groups
  • Hand each group an egg and a paper plate
  • Now tell them they have to find a way to drop the egg from a certain height without breaking it. (You can set the height to 5ft or up. For fun you could even bring in a step ladder)
  • Give them instructions on what they can use and can’t use in the classroom to help their egg not crack. (this can also be done outside) and set a time.
  • Once the allotted time is up each team will test their experiment in front of the class. *Make sure to place a paper plate where the egg will drop.

Shark Tank

Take the TV show to the classroom! You can do this team building quickly if you like or make it a bigger project and take a couple of days for students to create something.

  • Pick 5 students to be judges aka SHARKS
  • With the rest of the students divide them up to groups.
  • Set a time limit. Have each group come up or try to create a product. They must come up with a brand name, logo, and marketing strategy.
  • At the end have each group pitch to the sharks and the whole class.
  • Have all the students engage in questions about the products.

Lights, Camera, Writing

What you will need: Notecards

  • Divide your students into groups of around 5.
  • Give each team a notecard with a made-up movie title.
  • Each group must come up with an outline to the movie title (characters, plot, moral to the story..etc..) And give the students a time limit of how long their movie can be. For example, you can say create a 3 minute scene from your movie. (make sure to have them write out their script)
  • Once everyone is ready have each group perform their scene in front of the class.

Worst Case Scenario

  • Create a scenario in which students would need to work together and solve problems that will arise.
  • Divide your students into groups.
  • You can have them create a list of must-have items to help them survive, rescue, or escape. Or give them 10 options of items they can use, but they can only choose 4 out of the 10 items.
  • Once they have come up with a solution to the worst case scenario have them share it with the class.

Examples of worst case scenarios:

  • Stranded on a deserted island
  • Lost in the forest or at sea
  • A volcano is erupting and your village is in danger

Classroom Treasure

What you will need: Create a treasure hunt list and items to hide

  • Divide your class into teams of two or three.
  • Pass out a treasure hunt list (you can make an easy list or make riddles) that the students must find within the classroom. Make some easy and some really hard. You can even make some items on the list worth more points. Be creative!
  • After the time limit is up to go over the treasure list and see what team found the most stuff.

I hope one of these classroom team building activities and games fits great for your students.

Please drop me a comment below sharing your thoughts. And if you happen to use one of these games please let me know how it went! I

And don’t forget to check out more ice breaker games you can use for your meetings.

Fun Ice breaker games! Ice breakers and Team Build games are a great way to connect. #teambuilding #icebreakers
Are you in need of some easy and quick team building games? These 6 game will jump start your next meeting or group time!

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