Team Building and Communication
We started the new school year with a variety of team building and communication challenges. These skills are crucial in helping us to navigate our way through life. The activities were the same for each year group, however key stage 2 were given a deeper level which required deeper responses.
Activity 1: sitting in a circle the children count from 1-14, without discussing strategies they have to say only one number and if more than one person says a number they start again.
How many times did you have to start again?
Did you need to eventually discuss strategies?
Activity 1a: after placing 3 random objects in the middle of the children’s circle the children were asked a series of questions which encouraged them to use their imagination and look at things in a different perspective.
What 3 objects did you have?
How did you change your perception of the objects?
Did your group devise a game to play?
Activity 2: using an elastic band with 4 pieces of string attached to it the children had to stack plastic cups without touching them.
How many cups did you stack?
What strategies did you use?
Activity 2a: having cups balanced on pieces of card the objective was to pull the card away without tipping the cups over.
Did you find this challenge frustrating?
How did you manage your feelings?
Activity 3: wearing tag belts you have to avoid getting captured.
Do you prefer to be the chaser or the chased?
Why?
Activity 4: standing in a circle with a long pole each the children have to swop places on the whistle.
How did your group manage this activity?
All these activities gave the children time and opportunities to voice their opinion, share strategies, work as a team and communicate verbally and non verbally.
