Team building activities for kids that require no equipment
These nifty team-building activities for kids require no equipment – only the things you’ll already have in your classroom. From trusted classics to new favorites, we highly recommend you take a shot at these with your class.
- Hot Seat
This super-neat game will get your students working collaboratively. Divided into two teams, your students will play a guessing game, where one player will sit in the “hot seat.” Then, their teammates will be secretly given the word by you. Then, without mentioning the word or spelling it out, the teammates have to describe the word to their “hot seat” team member. Finally, the two opposing teams will rotate, with the fastest team to guess their word, winning a point in each round.
- Rock, Paper, Scissors – Ultimate Edition
We’re sure you already know what rock, paper, and scissors are, so we won’t bore you with those details. But this game version turns the volume up, making it an ultimate edition. First, each pair will play a classic game of rock, paper, scissors – however, the loser of each game has to become the winner’s “cheerleader.” Then, the winner would take on another winner in the class. Slowly, this pattern will repeat until you have eliminated the class down to two final players, with many “cheerleaders” cheering them on to a victory. With a bit of encouragement behind them, you’d be surprised how much fun your students will have!
- Articulate Artist
This game is one of the tremendous team-building activities for kids that emphasizes the importance of communication. One chosen teammate will be sat with their back to the other teammates, so they can’t see what’s going on. Then, the other teammates will be given a picture by you, the teacher. The teammates must accurately describe that picture so the chosen teammate can draw it. The results of this activity depend on collaboration, with clear and concise communication being a valuable skill here.
- Number’s up!
Have all of your students walk around the school gymnasium slowly. Next, you will shout a number on your call – for instance, “four.” On hearing this, your students must huddle into groups of four quickly. Then, repeat the activity with different numbers, encouraging your students to walk around the room so that different combinations of students are made rather than the same friend groups. Not only is this awesome for advancing processing skills, but it’s also a handy numeracy activity.
- Lean on Me, Pal!
This one can be tricky, so we recommend you play it where there’s a soft landing, just in case! In small teams of 6-8, two teammates will lean on each other, letting their weight rest on their partner’s bicep and shoulder. Then, they must walk together slowly, crossing the finish line. The following two players in the team will then take their turn. The first team to complete the fastest activity without falling over wins!
- Don’t wake the sleeping troll
It is one of the simplest team-building activities for kids that takes almost no preparation and requires little space. First, there is a “sleeping troll,” and for this activity, that’s you, teachers (sorry!) Then, without speaking, your students must line up in order of height, tallest to shortest. Once they think they’ve managed this, they must shout “boo!” at the sleeping troll (which is, again, still you, we’re afraid…) and scare you enough to “pass the bridge” successfully. This activity teaches the importance of non-verbal communication, which is essential for building team bonds.
- What am I?
In small teams of 4-5 students, one chosen teammate will have a sticky note on their forehead. The sticky note could have a primary color, a shape, or a number written on it. The other teammates must answer questions about what’s on the sticky note to the chosen teammate without giving the game away until the selected teammate can correctly guess the answer or the time runs up. It is an ideal exercise not only for team building but also to benefit logical thinking and processing skills.
- Human words
This team-building activity is the definition of “physical literacy,” if ever there was one! After assembling your students in small groups, you’ll start by shouting a letter. Once you’ve done so, your students must make their bodies into this letter. For example, they would outstretch their arms for the letter “T.” Once they’re accustomed to the directions, throw a short word at the team and see if they can work together to spell it out using their bodies.
- We’re going on a picnic!
This team-building activity requires keen focus and listening skills. In a large circle, all of your students will sit together. You will lead by saying we’re going on a picnic, and name something you’d take starting with the letter “A.” The following person must think of something with the letter “B.” But the tricky part of the game is that each student must remember what everyone else before them chose before they can give their answer. Repeat the game until you’ve completed the entire alphabet without any mistakes.
Team Building Activities for kids that require equipment
The following games require a little extra gear but guarantee a ton of fun. Luckily, we’re sure you’ll be able to source everything listed here quickly. You should have almost everything to hand in your school gymnasium.
- Pass the Ball
This game is a super fun team-building activity for kids, as it takes a collaborative effort to have a chance at winning. With a large floor mat (or other such equipment that’s wide and flat), you will assemble a small team of 4 children. They will each hold a side of the mat. Then, a tennis ball will be placed in the middle of the carpet. The children must collaborate to guide the ball into the waiting bucket gently. If the ball falls off the mat, it must start again. The first team in your class to complete the task wins!
- Trust Walk
This Trust Walk is an ideal activity for small groups. One of the team members will be blindfolded, and the other team members must guide their friend through an obstacle course using only their verbal instructions. It is an excellent team-building activity for kids, relying on teamwork, good direction, and trust.
- Lifeboat!
Lifeboat is a nifty game requiring your students to think tactfully about the activity. First, a long rope will be looped. Then, you’ll cry, “lifeboat!” Next, your students will jump into the hole the string creates. Easy enough, right? But each time the game is played, the string will become tighter, making the hole smaller and smaller. Your students must get creative to ensure the entire team can get into the lifeboat in time.
- Spider Web
This game of Spider Web is an engaging way to learn new information about each other. Have your students stand in a circle, with you starting by holding a ball of yarn. Ask one of your student’s questions, such as, “What is your favorite color?” Then, holding onto the loose end of the rope, throw the ball to the student to answer the question. The process will repeat until everyone is holding a piece of string and has responded to a question, with a spider’s web being created in the center of the circle. Good luck untangling!
- Hula-Hoop-la
This activity is not only ideal for building teamwork, but it’s also excellent for enhancing fine motor skills! Have your students stand in small groups, holding up a hula-hoop using only their fingertips. Then, taking excellent care, your students must crouch down slowly and place the hula-hoop on the ground without dropping it. This game takes honest communication and hand-eye coordination, making it one of our favorite team-building activities for kids.
- This or That
This game is tons of fun for learning each other’s preferences. Have your learners in one long line, all facing one way, with two long ropes on either side of the line. Then, the teacher must shout out a ‘this or that?’ question, such as “blue or red?” or “pizza or fries?”. Students will jump to the left if they prefer the first answer or to the right if they choose the second. This game is not only fun for learning more about each other, but it’s also strengthening gross motor skills and logical processing at the same time. Win-win!
- Pass the object along
This activity requires your class to be split into four teams. In each group, one person will be the “finder,” although you can repeat this game to let everyone have a chance at playing that role. Each team will have a signature color (we recommend the primary colors of blue, red, and yellow, or you could choose something different, like green). From there, tons of differently-colored objects will be laid on the playing floor. On the teacher’s signal, the team blue “finder” must find as many blue objects as possible, then race them back to the team, who will pass them down their line and into the bucket. The team with the most correctly-colored objects in their bucket at the end of the time – we recommend a minute – wins!
- Hula-Hoop Pass
This game is super fun and one of the team-building activities for kids we wouldn’t mind trying ourselves! In a long line, your students must hold hands – and not let go! A hula-hoop will be placed on the end player’s arm, and the game’s object is to get the hula-hoop passed across the entire line of people without letting go of each other’s hands. It is a fun activity that works on many coordination skills and enhances gross motor techniques. After all, it will take some creative maneuvering to clear the hula-hoop!
- Don’t drop that ball!
In this activity, you’ll assemble groups of students. They will each be sitting on the ground, one in front of the other. The first person in each team will be given a soccer ball, and they must pass it to the person behind them so it makes it down the line. But there’s one essential rule – nobody can turn around! So the players must work collaboratively to ensure they don’t drop the ball by carefully leaning backward to pass it to the next player. The first team to successfully get their ball to their last player without dropping it will win.
- Cups and Saucers
It is a super-fun game that the entire class can play. Have one side of the course as “cups” and the other as “saucers.” There will be dozens of saucer-shaped marker cones on the playing field. The object of the activity is for team “cups” to ensure their cones are facing up, whereas the “saucers” team must ensure the cones are flat on their usual side. After a minute or so, stop the play, and count which team has the most cones. The team with the most cones their way will win! It is fantastic for building team dynamics and healthy competition, and the exercise is a bonus.
Team building activities for kids that can be played outdoors
The best way to team-build for maximum fun is to get into the excellent outdoors. Not only is fresh air ideal for the mind, body, and soul, but by using this selection of super fun team-building activities for kids, your students will bond in no time!
- Relay race
Perhaps the ultimate team-building activity for kids is a relay race. Once you’ve picked a suitable racetrack, assemble your students in small teams. For example, if you want to enhance fine motor skills and gross motor activity, you could have the team hand off a baton or ball in their relay race. But tagging their teammate’s hand works just as well. The first team to get everyone around the track and assemble back together win!
- Wheelbarrow, anyone?
For a collaborative team-building exercise, we recommend a wheelbarrow race. Now, don’t worry. You don’t must go and buy actual wheelbarrows. The wheelbarrow in question, in this game, is for one teammate to hold the other teammate’s feet. Then, they will work together, with the standing teammate running and the held-up teammate using their hands to crawl to emulate a wheelbarrow. The first team to cross the finish line successfully will win!
- Four-way tug of war
This tug-of-war game turns the volume up on the classic, where four ropes are tied together instead of two. Four teams will pull the ropes, with a large demarcated circle in the middle of the activity. The first team to remove the center of the tangled cords over the edge of the circle, closest to them will win. This one is maximum fun and strengthens muscle groups from head to toe at the same time.
- Two-legged race
Another collaborative team-building activity for kids is this two-legged race. In pairs, your students will stand together and have their feet tied to each other at the ankles. They must use coordination and verbal communication to work as one unit, running the two-legged race. The first team to cross the finish line wins!
- Water Well
This one is super-messy, which guarantees excellent fun but must be played outdoors. There will be a significant “well” of water, perhaps in a paddling pool, in the center of the playing area. In teams, your students must fill their own team’s bucket with as much water as possible. The first teammate will use a cup to scoop water out of the well, then run back to their team, who will be lined up. Each teammate will have a cup and cup-to-cup; they must pass the water down the line, spilling as little as possible. This process will repeat until the time is up. The team with the most water in their bucket will win!
- Dodgeball
On a warm day, head outdoors with your class. Separate them into two sides opposite each other. With very light bouncy balls on the floor, your team will (lightly, please!) throw the balls at the opposite team. Once a teammate has been hit by a member of the opposing team, they leave the game. The team with the most players left standing will win the game.
