While we typically associate team building activities with adults in a corporate setting, it is also beneficial for teenagers to engage in these exercises. As they are in a crucial stage of their development, it is advisable to sharpen skills that may prove valuable in the future.
Skills such as communication, problem-solving, and collaboration are essential in every aspect of life. By engaging in team-building activities, individuals are able to acquire and enhance these skills, among others. Moreover, these activities not only enable participants to enjoy themselves, but also facilitate laughter and bonding, which are crucial for their effectiveness.
Most team building exercises revolve around striving for a shared objective. This aids participants in enhancing their logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. They must come up with innovative approaches to tackle tasks and access untapped methods. Consequently, they will be better equipped to address challenges encountered in their daily life, work, or studies.
However, they will not be undertaking this task by themselves. Consequently, as they enhance their problem-solving abilities, they will also acquire the knowledge of how to effectively cooperate with their peers. This enhances their communication skills, teaching teenagers the importance of actively listening and appreciating the input of others. Learning how to collaborate with individuals that they may not necessarily get along with is particularly beneficial.
By going through the process step by step, individuals may acquire a better understanding of the career they desire to pursue. The assessment will reveal their inclination towards leadership positions and their level of confidence in public speaking. Furthermore, they will determine their proficiency in handling problem-solving situations and their satisfaction in assisting others.
Team Building Activities for Teens
1. Escape Game
No preparation is required for this activity, but it does require payment. Escape Games have become increasingly popular in recent years, making it an ideal time to participate. It is particularly suitable for smaller groups of up to 6 people, as these Escape Rooms have a limited capacity for participants.
Typically, Escape Games revolve around a specific theme and require players to solve a series of puzzles in order to reach the conclusion. Frequently, multiple rooms are involved, and deciphering clues is necessary before progressing to the next room. By participating in Escape Games, teenagers are motivated to employ their problem-solving abilities, collaborate with others, and distribute responsibilities.
2. The project that involves creativity.
If you want your teenagers to explore their creative side, you can turn it into a team building activity. This can be achieved by selecting a final project that comprises various elements and having them create the different parts together, whether it involves drawing, painting, pottery, or making music.
In order to maintain the same meaning, the following rephrasing represents the given text: To illustrate, one possible activity is to have each individual draw a page for a comic book. They would then need to collaborate and determine the story and their respective roles. As they work together towards a shared objective but produce their own sections, they will develop their collaboration skills and understand the significance of communication.
3. A mystery involving a murder.
Although it might appear old-fashioned, you have the opportunity to modernize the traditional Murder Mystery game. Choose a theme like singers, actors, or sports stars for your teenagers and encourage them to fully embody their chosen character. For added excitement, provide them with their character details a few days before and suggest dressing up to enhance the experience.
There are examples of organized games provided that detail the rounds and the process of identifying the murderer. Select a game in which the victim remains actively engaged throughout the duration of the game, ensuring the inclusion of everyone.
4. Line Up in Silence
In this game, participants are instructed to form a line based on a specific attribute, such as height, shoe size, or birthday, without the ability to communicate verbally. It is fascinating to observe how teenagers collaborate without the ability to verbally exchange information and make decisions.
5. Playing paintball or laser tag.
If you’re considering an active activity that requires collaboration, why not give paintball or laser tag a go? While paintball may be too intense for certain individuals, laser tag serves as an excellent substitute. The game entails two teams where one team’s objective is to eliminate the highest number of players from the opposing team.
In the scenario of laser tag, the objective is for one team to score the highest number of hits against the other team. During this game, players develop teamwork skills, learn how to defend themselves, and ensure the safety of their teammates. By hiding, maneuvering through the course, and trying to aim at the opposing team, players also acquire strategic abilities.
6. The activity known as the Human Knot involves participants working together to untangle themselves while holding hands.
A straightforward concept that requires no prior planning and comes at no cost. Arrange your teenagers in a circular formation and then ask them to place their hands in the center. Afterward, instruct them to clasp the hands of the individuals closest to them. It is important for them not to examine whose hand they are holding, and they should only hold one hand.
The enjoyable aspect is when they unravel themselves! They must collaborate to pass over and under each other, to interlace and move around. When they return to a spacious circle, they have successfully finished the task.
7. Cross the River
The game is an ideal choice for a large gathering of teenagers, providing plenty of enjoyment. All that is required is sheets or wooden boards once teams are formed. To begin, divide the participants into two groups. Each group will navigate a designated distance by walking solely on the sheets or boards. If anyone steps off the designated surface, their team must start again from the beginning.
Give the first player two sheets. If you’re the first player, lay the two sheets on the floor and walk over them, with your team following behind. When the last person reaches you, they will hand you the final sheet so you can place it on the floor and keep going. Keep exchanging the sheets until you reach the finish line.
8. Survival Game
This game can be tailored to suit any occasion with its easy customizability. All you have to do is select a theme, like “stranded on a deserted island,” and develop the game accordingly. Start by compiling a list of 10 items that players need to prioritize based on their importance. Afterwards, unveil the official list provided by the Coast Guard and compare it with your own notes.
The team that achieves the closest result will be the winner of the game. This activity is excellent because it evaluates participants’ reactions in comparable challenging situations, enhances their problem-solving abilities, and improves their communication skills as they must engage in discussions before creating their list.
9. Back to Back Drawing
In a step-by-step manner, choose two teams for yourself. For each round, pick two players from your team. These two players will be positioned back to back with each other. One player will have a set of pictures, while the other player will possess drawing tools. You should verbally describe the content of your picture to the other person, who will then proceed to draw it.
The game involves two participants. One participant describes an item they are seeing without directly mentioning its name. The other participant then tries to draw the item based solely on the description. The goal is to see how closely the drawing resembles the actual picture. For more information about the back-to-back drawing game, please click here.
10. Pictionary Game
Pictionary serves as an ideal icebreaker, adding enjoyment and enthusiasm to your gathering of friends. The objective of the game is as follows: players must accurately identify the images being depicted by their teammates. It is recommended that participants form teams consisting of 2 to 3 groups at minimum.
The game starts with the team selecting a name card from the organizer, which will have a word that needs to be portrayed visually. Within 1 minute, you must draw while the team tries to guess your representation. If they successfully guess it, the team earns one point.
11. Paintball
To successfully play this game, you will need to carefully plan ahead, gather additional materials, and have access to a spacious outdoor area. However, the immense enjoyment it offers makes it a must-try activity. It is essential to have two teams, with each team being given a certain amount of balloons filled with harmless, vibrant substances.
In this game, every team must use balloons as weapons to target and mark members of the opposing team with colors. Any player who gets hit by a balloon is considered eliminated. The objective is to eliminate as many players as possible within the specified time frame.
12. The Bodyguard
If you enjoy indoor games, then look no beyond the Bodyguard. The objective of the game is to protect the peaceful man from assaults originating from outside of your territory. In order to engage in this game, all players must create a circle, where two individuals will stand. One of them will assume the role of the bodyguard, while the other will play the role of the person requiring protection.
First, each player who is not in the circle will use a cone to indicate their position. Next, the game commences with the throwing of a ball towards the furnace, which is being guarded by a bodyguard. Throughout the game, the bodyguard’s main objective is to protect the target at any expense. If the peaceful individual is hit by the ball, they will replace the bodyguard, and the player responsible for hitting them will become the new bodyguard.
13. The Mafia Game
This game is a fun way to get your creative thinking flowing and sharpen your attention to detail. All you need is a deck of cards to assign roles to each player, like the mafia, the police, the doctor, and the villagers.
The goal? The village has to catch the murderer before they eliminate everyone else. Once everyone knows their role, the game moderator will guide the group through the different stages. When night falls, everyone closes their eyes.
Here’s how it goes: the moderator will call each character to “wake up” one at a time. First, the killer chooses a victim. Then, the police try to guess who the murderer is. Finally, the doctor can pick someone to save.
When morning comes, the moderator reveals what happened during the night. Now, it’s time for the players to discuss, figure out who the killer might be, and vote to eliminate someone. The game continues in this cycle until the murderer is caught or the innocent players are all gone.
