Best Group Games for Kids to Encourage Teamwork and Social Skills

Introduction

Learning to work in a team enhances a child's communication skills. It also makes the child more sympathetic and supportive. In a group setting, kids interact with each other to learn new things while also teaching others what they know. This helps in developing an environment where there is a frequent exchange of ideas and knowledge. Hence, parents need to encourage kids to take active participation in group activities. The child not only becomes better at the activity or sport that they are participating in but also ends up developing many soft skills.

There are several group activities that parents may introduce to their children. These are very engaging and teach kids so much without even making them realize that they are developing these valuable life skills.

Best Group Games for Kids to Develop Teamwork and Social Skills

Here is a list of games and activities that can help kids develop a sense of teamwork and better communication skills.

Relay Race

A relay race is a fun activity in which students are divided into various teams. Now each student from a team is placed at different checkpoints along with students of other teams as well. From the starting point to the ending point, students pass each other a battalion by running from one checkpoint to the other to finish the crossing line. Whichever team’s last player reaches the crossing line first, ends up winning. A relay race is not just about who is the fastest in the race. Group coordination and communication are also very important. Students learn how to strategize and place team members at different checkpoints according to their strengths.

Blindfolded Toes

To play this activity, kids have to be paired in a team of two with each other. One of the teammates has to be blindfolded and throw a ball into the decided target, which can be a hula hoop or a basket. Now the job of the second kid in the team who doesn't have a blindfold is to guide the other team members who cannot see because of the blindfold. The game is about coordination and clear communication from both ends to make the goal happen. Kids can also devise code words to make communication easier. It is a friendly competition in which multiple teams can play at a time.

Marco Polo

Marco Polo is a game of teamwork and paying a lot of attention to what is being said. To play this game, two teams have to be made. Now one team will be called Marco, and the other team will be called Polo. The Marco team will join each other's hands and can only travel like a chain of people. On the other hand, the Polo team players can freely walk from one place to the other but cannot step out of the restricted boundary zone. Once the game begins, the Marco team will try to tag or catch the Polo teammates. Anyone who is either tagged or crosses the boundary line is out. It is a game of clear communication and teamwork from both sides.

Mingle Groups

Mingle groups is a game that can be played when there are a lot of kids, and you want to make them play a highly interesting and engaging game. Take the kids in an open area and randomly say a number. The least number that you can say is two. Now listening to the number that you have said, kids will pair up as per the number. This means that each kid will pair up with one other kid to make the number two. If you say four, then kids have to pair up in a group of four. This is a game of being reflexive and spontaneous. You may also keep changing the rules to make the game even more interesting. For example, telling kids to make groups with other kids who are wearing the same color as them or share the same birthday month as them.

Unpretzel

As the name suggests, unpretzel is a game about making at least 6 to 10 students stand in a circle and create endless tangles with their hands and placement. Now, the challenge for kids is to detangle themselves without leaving each other's hands. Parents must try to supervise the game so that no child gets hurt during the tangling or detangling process. If any kid ends up breaking off the circle by not holding the hand, then they're out of the game. It's a game about sheer conversation skills and the ability to solve a problem by considering everyone's advice.

Fingertip Hula Hoop

The game is about balancing and working in a team to achieve a common goal. It begins with dividing kids into different teams and giving each a hula hoop. Now all the kids have to stand in a circle, extend their arms in the air and point their index fingers. The next step will be to secure the hula hoop on the tip of everyone's index fingers. The goal of the game is to bring the hula hoop down without making it fall on the ground. Also, kids cannot use their fingers or hands. The game requires all the kids to match each other’s pace and balance the hula hoop while communicating with each other.

Conclusion

There is a lot of strength in unity and teamwork. Not only does it allow kids to achieve the common motive faster, but also fosters the exchange of ideas, emotions, and creative thoughts. Empowering kids to become kind towards their peers and develop a respective attitude shapes them into better individuals who get along with people wherever they go.

Reference Articles

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234671042_Team_Building_Activities_for_Young_Students

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377202300_Enhancing_Teamwork_Through_Games_A_Systematic_Literature_Review