Teamwork isn’t an inborn ability, it’s something we’re taught through life, through experience and necessity.  But we can help children build these skills at a young age. Of course, telling them they are learning new skills isn’t always the way to go, so why not make it fun?

At City Beach, our Kids’ Camp Counselors play a number of games with our camp  kids — from silly to active to competitive.  All with the intention to entertain them, of course, but in the end, they’re learning vital skills about how to work in a group setting, how to listen, and more.  And since we know repetition helps to cement what they’ve learned in their long-term memory banks, the best way to reinforce these skills is to practice, practice, practice!

Here are a few fun games you can use to help kids of any age learn to work well in a group environment:

Simon Says

This classic game is great for kids of any age (with a little alteration for the younger ones) and teaches them to follow directions in a fun way, to listen to what they are being told and formulate an action based on those instructions.  Play the first round with your children.

One person plays the role of “Simon.”  He or she stands in front of the room. Simon’s job is to give instructions to the rest of the group – such as “pat your head.”  The catch?  Those who are following are only supposed to respond to the commands that start with “Simon says.”

For older children, you can eliminate the ones who act without the words “Simon says.”  For younger children, they seem to get such a kick out of getting each other to do silly things, it’s not a bad idea just to let them play.

Cereal Box City

This is a fun,easy game that requires kids to work together (and a little set up ahead of time).  Provide a bunch of empty cereal boxes, some tape and a large work space.  The kids must work together build a giant city.  They can add whatever else they want that they think goes in a city, as well, such as cars, people, etc.

Something You Don’t Know

This game is a getting-to-know-you game,  usually best for teens.  It allows the kids to know each other and see each other in a way that steps outside of their preconceived notions.  Put the kids in a circle, and one by one, they will tell the group one thing the others don’t know. (An example: You don’t know I was born in Illinois.)   The most effective way is when you do at least three rounds of this — the more rounds, the more sincere the kids will get about what they are revealing. ( The leader sets the tone of these reveals.  if this is meant to be a “get-to-know-my-neighbor, keep the tone lighter, more focused on common interests.  If you’re looking for a more serious connection and a breakdown of judgements, you can set the tone to be more revealing, more indepth.)

Download our Team Building for Children Poster

Looking for something to put in your classroom or keep on a wall?  Download our FREE Teambuilding for Kids Poster (11×17) with two terrific team building games on it: Killer Winker and The Human Knot.