10 Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking

1. If You Build it
This team-building game is flexible. Simply divide students into teams and give them
equal amounts of a certain material, like pipe cleaners, blocks, or even dried spaghetti
and marshmallows. Then, give them something to construct. The challenge can be
variable (think: Which team can build the tallest, structurally-sound castle? Which team
can build a castle the fastest?).
You can recycle this activity throughout the year by adapting the challenge or materials
to specific content areas.
Skills: Communication; problem-solving
2. Save the Egg
This activity can get messy and may be suitable for older children who can follow safety
guidelines when working with raw eggs. Teams must work together to find a way to
save the egg (Humpty Dumpty for elementary school students?) in this case an egg
dropped from a specific height. That could involve finding the perfect soft landing, or
creating a device that guides the egg safely to the ground. Let their creativity work here.
Skills: Problem-solving, creative collaboration
3. Zoom
Zoom is a classic classroom cooperative game that never seems to go out of style.
Simply form students into a circle and give each a unique picture of an object, animal or
whatever else suits your fancy. You begin a story that incorporates whatever happens to
be on your assigned photo. The next student continues the story, incorporating their
photo, and so on.
Skills: Communication; creative collaboration
4. Minefield
Another classic team-building game. Arrange some sort of obstacle course and divide
students into teams. Students take turns navigating the mine field while blindfolded,
with only their teammates to guide them. You can also require students to only use
certain words or clues to make it challenging or content-area specific.
Skills: Communication; trust
5. The Worst-Case Scenario
Fabricate a scenario in which students would need to work together and solve problems
to succeed, like being stranded on a deserted island or getting lost at sea. Ask them to

work together to concoct a solution that ensures everyone arrives safely. You might ask
them to come up with a list of 10 must-have items that would help them most, or a
creative passage to safety. Encourage them to vote everyone must agree to the final
solution.
Skills: Communication, problem-solving
6. A Shrinking Vessel
This game requires a good deal of strategy in addition to team work. Its rules are
deceptively simple: The entire group must find a way to occupy a space that shrinks
over time, until they are packed creatively like sardines. You can form the boundary with
a rope, a tarp or blanket being folded over or small traffic cones. (Skills: Problemsolving; teamwork)
7. Go for Gold
This game is similar to the If you build it game: Teams have a common objective, but
instead of each one having the same materials, they have access to a whole cache of
materials. For instance, the goal might be to create a contraption with pipes, rubber
tubing and pieces of cardboard that can carry a marble from point A to point B in a
certain number of steps, using only gravity.
Creative collaboration; communication; problem-solving
8. Its a Mystery
Many children (and grown-ups) enjoy a good mystery, so why not design one that must
be solved cooperatively? Give each student a numbered clue. In order to solve the
mystery say, the case of the missing mascot children must work together to solve
the clues in order. The case might require them to move from one area of the room to
the next, uncovering more clues.
Skills: Problem-solving, communication
9. 4-Way Tug-of-War
That playground classic is still a hit not to mention inexpensive and simple to
execute. For a unique variation, set up a multi-directional game by tying ropes in such a
way that three or four teams tug at once. Some teams might choose to work together to
eliminate the other groups before going head-to-head.
Skills: Team work; sportsmanship
10. Keep it Real
This open-ended concept is simple and serves as an excellent segue into problembased learning. Challenge students to identify and cooperatively solve a real problem in

their schools or communities. You may set the parameters, including a time limit,
materials and physical boundaries.
Skills: Problem-solving; communication
While education technology is a basic and crucial component of the 21st century
classroom, educators must still ensure that students are engaging with each other in
meaningful ways. Team-building exercises are a great way to do this, and because of
this, they will never go out of style.
1.

A Truth and A Lie (0.5-1hour) Have each member introduce themselves by

stating their name plus one truth about themselves and one lie. After each person
makes their statements, allow for a quick open conversation where everyone
questions each other on their two statements. The idea is to convince the other
members that your lie is actually a truth, while guessing the truths/lies of the others.
After the questioning period, vote as a group on each members statements. Points
are awarded for each lie guessed right or for stumping other members on your own
lie. This exercise helps to get to know your coworkers better and encourages group
interaction and communication. (Optional: Increase the difficulty by having 2 truths
and 1 lie, or 2 lies and 1 truth. Remove the open conversation segment if time is
constrained)
2.
Poker Tower (15-30minutes) Distribute a pack of poker cards and a pair of
scissors to each group of 2-5 members. Instruct them to build the tallest poker tower
using ONLY the cards and scissors given to them. This will stimulate creativity and
team bonding, as the team figures out how to build the tower with the limited
material available. (Optional: Spice up the game with 1 A4 size piece of paper)
3.
Egg Drop (1-2hours) This is a messy yet classic engaging problem. Split the
team into 2-3 teams of reasonable size. The task is to build an egg package that can
keep the egg intact from a 2-4 storey drop. Tools that can be provided include
newspapers, straws, tape, plastic, balloons, rubber bands. Give the teams 30min1hour to create the package. After which, each team will take turns to drop the egg
package from the 2nd storey while everyone else stays at the bottom level to
observe. (Optional: increase the height of the egg drop until a single winner is
found!)
4.
Legoman (0.5-1hour) This problem solving activity requires little more than a
couple of sets of childrens building blocks. The instructor will build a small sculpture
with some of the building blocks and hide it from the group. The participants should
then be divided into small teams of 3-6. Each team should be given enough building
material so that they can duplicate the structure the instructor has created (specific
size and color included). The instructor should then place their sculpture in an area
that is an equal distance from all the groups. One member from each team can
come up at any point of time to look at the sculpture for as long as they want and try
to memorize it before returning to their team. No paper, pen no camera are allowed
to be brought to the sculpture. After they return to their teams, they instruct their
teams about how to build an exact replica of the instructors sculpture. Meanwhile,
another member from each team can come up for another sneak peek before

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returning to their team and trying to recreate the sculpture. The game should be
continued in this pattern until one of the teams successfully duplicates the original
sculpture. This game will teach participants how to strategize, communicate
effectively and problem solve in a group.
The Mine Field (15-30 minutes) The idea behind this exercise is to improve
team members trust, their relationship, and to communicate in a more effective way.
You will need an open space such as an empty room or hallway in which you will
distribute mines that are placed haphazardly around the area. The mines can be
cones, balls, bottles etc. Team members are paired into teams of two. One team
member will be blindfolded and the other can see and talk, but is not allowed to
enter the field or touch their partner. The challenge is for the blind-folded person to
walk from one side of the field to the other, avoiding the mines by listening to the
verbal instructions of their partners. (Optional: Have more than 1 pair walking
through the mine simultaneously, so the difficulty of focusing and listening to the
right instructions increases)
Win, lose or draw (15-30 minutes) This is another classical team game,
which can be very easily executed. You need paper, pen, and a flipchart/whiteboard.
Think of items that fit into certain categories. These can be generic or specific to the
team. For example, generic categories include food items, places of interest, idioms.
Team-specific categories include computer technologies for computer scientists,
business ideas for startups, school and students for teachers. Split the group into 2
teams. Each team takes turns to play. The team that is playing will nominate an
artist, who will draw a list of items to draw. The only hint to his teammates will be
the category name. They then have 1-3 minutes to draw the items on that list,
without writing nor speaking. Switch around to another team after the time limit.
Swap artists with each round, and repeat for 4-5 rounds. Collate the final results to
find the winning team.
Zoom. (30 minutes) This is an activity designed for smaller teams. It requires
the wordless, picture book entitled, Zoom by Istvan Banyai. This book features 30
sequential pictures that work together to form a narrative. The book should be fairly
easy to find, as its been published in over 18 countries. The pictures can even be
laminated to prolong their usage. Hand out one picture to each participant, making
sure a continuous sequence is being used. Explain to the participants that they can
only look at their own pictures and must keep their picture hidden from other
participants. Time should be given for the participants to study their pictures
because each picture will contain important information that will help the participants
solve the problem of putting them into order. The ultimate goal is for the group to
place the pictures in sequential order without looking at one anothers pictures. The
participants can talk to each other and discuss what is featured in their picture. This
activity brings coworkers together and gets them communicating with the common
goal of solving a problem, but it also allows for leaders to emerge and take control of
the task. (Optional: Draw up your own pictures to accommodate the team size and
difficulty level)
Dragon-boating (2-4 hours) Who said all team building activities need to be
indoors? Head out with your team for some sun! Try dragon-boating or doublekayaking, which requires good teamwork. Include a race if possible.

9.

Paint-balling (2-4 hours) Because really, theres no better way to build a

healthy rapport with your manager than shooting him in the ass (literally) while your
co-workers stand around and cheer on. As an interesting variation, theres a British
firm specializing in corporate Fatless Fat Fun for when the old team-building
standards are feeling a bit tired. Surrey-based Sumo Experience provides not only
the sumo fat suits (complete with protective headgear that resembles a sumo
hairdo) that will send your opponent rolling on the ground like a beach ball, but a
Dohyo (sumo arena) and Gyoji (sumo referee) as well. Smoke machine and
Japanese soundtrack are optional.
10.
Helium Stick (15 minutes) This is a quick game that serves well as an icebreaker or a short coffee break. A long thin stick is required. Be sure to call the pole
a Helium Stick when you introduce the exercise. Place your group in two lines
facing each other. Have each person hold the index finger of their right hand chest
high. Place the helium stick on top of the outstretched fingers. The challenge is to
lower the stick to the ground while keeping everyones fingers touching the stick. If
anyones finger loses contact with the helium stick, you must start again. At first the
stick will seem to rise (hence the name Helium Stick). In fact, it is simply the
upwards pressure of everyones fingers causing the stick to go up instead of down.
Once everyone relaxes they can easily lower the stick to the ground. This usually
takes ten minutes of laughter and a leader to complete. (Optional: swap the helium
stick for a helium balloon for a smaller team)
11.
Talking in Circles (0.5-1 hour) This is a highly challenging game that is only
recommended for teams who love challenges. Place everyone in a circle around a
long piece of string that is tied at its ends to form a circle. Have everyone grasp the
string with both hands and hold the string waist high. Without letting go, the team will
have to form shapes with the string; a square, a triangle, a figure eight, a rectangle,
etc. Repeat the game but with everyones eyes shut! This will require everyone to
communicate clearly and listen well. Make the shapes progressively harder and
periodically have them stop and open their eyes to see their progressor lack there
of
12.
Human Knot (15-30 minutes) This brain teaser is funny and really works on
teambuilding, problem solving and communication. No materials are needed.
Recommended group size includes a wide range of 8-20 people. Instruct the
participants to stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. Tell everyone to put their right
hand in the air and grab the hand of someone standing across the circle from them.
Now tell everyone to put their left hand in the air and grab the hand of a different
person. Someone needs to check that everyone is holding the hands of two different
people and that no one is holding the hand of someone whos standing directly next
to them. The objective of the game is to untangle everyone without letting go of their
hands. If the chain is broken, participants will have to start over. Note: sometimes >1
circle will form. This game requires casual clothing, and is not recommended for
team members with physical limitations. This game will rely heavily on teamwork
and communication.
13.
Salt and Pepper (15 minutes) This activity is fun, excellent for energizing
your team, and also great as a quick ice-breaker exercise. It is simple to set up and
suitable for a wide team size of 10-40 people (ideally even numbered). As a

facilitator, think of pairs of things such as, salt and pepper, yin and yang, shadow
and light, peanut butter and jelly, Mickey and Minnie mouse, male and female, and
so forth. Write each item on a piece of paper (i.e. salt on one piece and pepper on
another), and tape one paper on the back of each person, making sure they cant
see it. When the game starts, everyone must walk around asking yes or no
questions in order to find out what word they have taped to their backs. Once they
figure that out, they need to find their other pair. Learning how to ask the right
questions is the key. (Optional: The two will then sit down and learn three to five
interesting facts about one another)