15 Team Building Games For Kids That Teach Important Life Skills

Team building games for kids are useful and important in so many ways. Their whole goal is to help kids learn the life skills necessary to work on a team with others. This will help them in sports, academics, and later on in the working world.

Teamwork games for kids rely on the idea that most children have a curiosity of the world around them as well as a sense of independence they are working to develop. Those two things are the basis for many team building games.

Children need to learn how to do activities together and to work as one for a common goal. They need to understand how to help each other and encourage each other. Plus, it’s important to have fun while working as a unit.

These are called team building “games”. There is no one winner at the end, no MVP trophy. Team building games for kids can help them fully comprehend the idea that Together Everyone Achieves More.

Why are Team Building Activities Beneficial for Kids?

Team-building activities are meant to be fun learning opportunities. They often are a great way to help classmates, teammates, or any group of kids get to know each other better.

These games are often used as “ice breakers” to help get kids interacting and getting to know and trust each other. Kids often feel bonded after these activities and less stressed about the new environment, group, or team.

The activities are an important part of childhood development. They teach kids in the best way possible…in that the kids don’t know that they are being taught.

15 Team Building Games for Kids

Check out 15 awesome team building activities for kids you can do today.

Double Dutch

When was the last time you played Double Dutch? Are you thinking about that excited, anxious feeling you get waiting to jump in? Maybe you remember the girls who always volunteered to turn the ropes because they were so good at it?

Jumping rope can be a solo activity but Double Dutch requires a coordinated effort of at least 3 people. All of them are as important as the other. All you need is two large jump ropes. If this is too advanced for the kids you are working with, drop one rope and have the kids jump over just that one rope.

Feel free to add a competition element in like counting the number of jumps until the person lands on the rope or perhaps who can do the best serious of jumps

Human Knot for Kids

Adults often try the human knot game in groups where the goal is to get to know each other. And they often get to know each other very, very well. It’s kind of like a tamer version of Twister.

This game is played so much because it makes people work together to achieve a common goal. Kids are so freaking flexible that they will be able to do this so well.

Starting the game with a group of about 5 to 6 kids is optimal. Have them randomly grab someone else’s wrist (and not the person next to them). Then encourage them to bend, duck, and stretch their way to untangle themselves.

Word to the wise: make sure to let the kids know they should go slowly and be gentle with their friends. You don’t want anyone to get hurt. If someone is in pain, tell them to release the wrist.

Treasure Hunt

The best thing about going on a treasure hunt is that you can make it different each time. Get creative with what you put in the treasure, where you hide it and/or the steps kids need to take to find it.

Make it as difficult or as easy as you want. Having kids work in small groups makes it one of the team building activities with kids that works well for all ages.

You don’t have to go all out with the treasure they are looking for either. Throw some candy in a plastic container. Have a toy from the dollar store wrapped in a plastic bag. Don’t make it so hard on yourself.

One thing you should absolutely remember to do: make sure you know where the treasure is hidden. Do not rely on your good memory. Write it down.

Scavenger Hunt

Similar to having kids do a treasure hunt, a scavenger hunt can be made as easy or as hard as you want. If your scavenger hunt is outside have them look for things like a rock smaller than your nose, a stick that looks like cross, or maybe just a pine cone.

If you don’t want the kids to pick up a bunch of stuff, have them take photos of the items to make them off from their scavenger hunt list. Having the kids work in a group to do this game brings the team building aspect out.

Yes, kids can work on this as individuals but when they work together they will get more comfortable with each other, increase their communication skills, and have fun together.

If you have kids of various ages, grouping them together means the older ones will get to flex their leadership skills and younger ones will learn a lot. Have two or more kids? Create a scavenger hunt in your own backyard with your kids all working together.

Here are some scavenger hunts I have posted on the blog:

Indoor Household Scavenger Hunt For Kids – Family Fun Activity
Beach Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Book Scavenger Hunt
St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt For Kids – Free Printable
Easter Scavenger Hunt For Kids
Christmas Scavenger Hunt Ideas
Halloween Scavenger Hunt Printable – Halloween Candy List

Silly Stories

This is probably one of my favorite of all of these team building games for kids. It gets them engaged together and lets them bring together their creativity. And it gets so silly!

I dare you to do this and not laugh out loud. Have all the kids (or maybe your whole family) sit in a circle.

You can begin the story with any first line you want. Then the person sitting next to you adds another sentence to the story.

Depending how many kids are playing, you can end after everyone has gone once or more. The details the kids add to the stories are really amazing. It’s astounding the creative ideas that are swirling around their heads!

Other Games To Consider:

Birthday Line Up – Have the children line up in birthday order. This forces them to have a discussion amongst one another and work as a unit to figure out the proper order
Height Line Up – Similar to the birthday line up, the group will have to work to figure out who is the shortest and who is the tallest.
Trust Walk – Partners will help one another make it from one point to the next. One member will do the navigating while the other will be blindfolded.
Obstacle Course – Everyone has to lean on their teammates to complete this task. Leave no man behind!

Sink The Ship – There’s a fun game that requires groups to work together online called Sink The Ship. Watch the video for proper instructions.

Cups Game (STEM) – This is a great game to play in the classroom. You will need some supplies – so there is some prep work that needs to be done ahead of time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ3lGzsYdU4

The Hand Game – Another great option to play in school or a gym surrounding that requires teamwork. All the instructions you need can be found above.

Lego Chicken Team Building Game For Kids – I thought I would change things up and offer a coding / Lego option for kids. I know a lot of activities revolve around sports, but some kids don’t like that! This activity require verbal communication and problem solving… and is lots of fun.

Minefield – This is a really fun game that will be very, very loud! Lots of screaming a cheering. Divide the students up into groups and watch them go. Get ready for it.

Standing Pool Noodle Game – Get your kids outdoors and have them form a circle. Then use some of the supplies you have in your garage from the dollar store.

Which of these team building games for kids will you do first?