Are you a parent to a shy kid who is not so good at making friends or doing group activities? Do you want them to improve and be better when it comes to group activities? Looking for team building activities teens?
But yes, you can make your teen be a part of this session too.
In my school days, we used to have moral science classes where our teachers would give us one story and divide us is a few groups. Then, each group needed to act on that story. Then, everyone used to play one particular character and say the dialogue.
It was a great team-building activity back then. All of us used to have so much fun.
This increased our communication with each other. And not to mention how we learned the moral of each story through the drama.
You can opt for such activities, too, especially if your kids are not very good at communicating with people.
Also, if you are a teacher, you can use these activities in your class for a group of students or the students on a sports team.
You can expect great results no matter who you are using these activities and games for. Trust me.
Amazing Team Building Activities for Teens
Did you know that many activities and games for team building are meant to deal with different areas of development?
This includes adaptability, decision-making, problem-solving, trust-building, and planning.
These games and activities can teach your kids the art of working with a team. And did I tell you that these can instill leadership skills in your kids?
Well, yes.
So, what are the games and activities perfect for building a team?
I have discussed that here. Keep reading.
1. Unknot
Are you trying to improve the interpersonal communication of your kids?
Then unknot is the one activity that you should make your kids try right now!
How does this work?
Ask the teens to stand close to each other in a circle. They should stretch their arms forward with their eyes closed.
Now ask them to hold the hands nearest to them or whoever they can hold easily. The catch here is that they should keep their eyes closed while getting hold of their nearest hands.
So, you can imagine how tangled the hands would have been, right?
Here the actual activity starts. Ask the teens to detangle the knot they created with their hands. But remember, they cannot let go of the hands that they are already holding.
This will make them work in a team as they have to go under and over one another to detangle themselves.
The benefit?
Your teen will be better at making decisions. In addition, they will learn how effective communication can help them solve an issue much faster.
2. Collab to Create
Kids and teens love it when you give them something to do or any other opportunity to prove themselves. So why not use this liking for their team-building activity?
Select a final project with multiple elements that you want your teens to work on as a team.
Let me give you an example.
Suppose you ask them to create a storybook with pictures for toddlers. Here, each one of the team needs to contribute something to create the final product.
In that case, some can choose to write the stories, some can draw the pictures, and some can choose the design of the book.
When your teens have a similar goal that they are working towards, they will have better collaboration skills. Also, they will understand how important it is to communicate productively.
Isn’t that awesome?
3. Electric Fence
Do you want your teen to think smart and act smarter?
Let them play electric fence with other teens. After all, it is all about good teamwork and trust in each other.
To start, make a few teams. There should be three to four members in each team. Of course, the size of the team can increase or decrease depending on the number of teens you are with.
Get a rope and tie it considerably from the ground like a swing. Remember, the height of the rope should be such that the teens can cross it.
You need to decide on a time limit for each team member to cross the rope jumping. The rule is that they cannot step on the rope as it signifies an electric rope.
Once all the participating team performs, you need to see which team has completed this game in the least amount of time. And they will be announced as the winner.
4. Silent Line-Up
This team-building activity for teens is very simple yet very effective.
To start, ask all the teens to stand, forming a line. Of course, there are certain requirements to form this line.
For example, you can tell them to form that line according to their height. In that case, the one with the shortest height will stand first, and the tallest one with stand last in the line.
Sounds too easy?
Here is the catch. They have to keep silent while standing in a certain order.
5. Boo the Dragon
In order to play this game, you need to divide the teens into multiple teams. In each team, there can be five to six members.
To start the game, you must choose a teen who can be the dragon. And the dragon is the judge in this fun game.
The concept here is that all the teens live in villages that are under a dragon attack. Each village is a team.
Now, the villagers or members of each team have to stand in such an arrangement that the tallest of them all stands in front and the shortest of them all stands at the back while forming a line.
And they do this while their eyes are closed and blindfolded. Then, they can talk to themselves while forming the line. But they have to do this as quickly as they can.
After completing the activity, the members of the villages have to shout, “Boo!” This is to scare the dragon away.
The winner is the team that completes the entire task and scares the dragon away in the least amount of time.
Sounds fun?
6. Draw Back-to-Back
I played this game in my childhood, and I still remember how cool it was!
Start by creating some groups with teens. Remember, there should be only two people in a team.
Now ask a pair to sit together. They should not face each other. Instead, their backs should be joined or face each other.
Give a blank piece of paper to one teen along with a pen. Then, give the other teen a piece of paper with a simple drawing.
The one who got the drawing will have to describe the drawing. And the other teen will have to draw, listening to the description. Please note that they cannot look at each other this whole time.
The teen pair that finishes the task wins by taking the least amount of time wins the game.
7. The Future Antique
Before starting this game, you must divide the teens into a few groups or teams.
Each group needs to choose an item from the household. It can be anything from a broken pen to a broken glass.
Once they are sorted with the item, they have to create a story about the history of the product as if they are in the future – about 500 years from now and that the item is an antique.
What does your teen learn from it?
They learn how to work as a team. Their communication skill increases.
8. Photo Finish
To start this game, you must take chalk and draw a line on the floor. The line should be straight.
Now ask the teens to make a line horizontally and stand on one side of the marking. They must cross the marking – all at the same time when you give them a green signal by saying “go.”
The chances are that the players are not going to succeed on their very first attempt. Therefore, in order to perform the task together at the same time, they will need a little more practice. Also, they need to come up with some good creative problem-solving tactics.
Want to make it a bit more fun?
Capture a video of them performing the activity.
9. The Egg Drop
Are you looking for something that can make your teen think outside the box?
This game is meant just for that!
Gather all the teens together. You need to give them some fresh eggs and as many household materials as you can.
They have to create a container to keep the eggs out of those materials. Then, they must drop the eggs in it once it is made.
Here is the catch. They must be cautious while dropping the eggs, as they cannot break them.
Do you think it is a bit easy, and do you want to level up the game?
Ask the teens to drop the eggs standing at some height. They can use anything like a stool or a chair.
10. Paintballing
This activity is more about physical strength than anything. So, if you think your teens will not be able to handle it, avoid this one.
But, let me tell you, if you make them play this, they will have a lot of fun. After all, they will get to color themselves!
Get some balloons and fill them with colors.
Now divide the teens into two teams. Give each of the teams an equal number of balloons.
What they need to do here is throw the color-filled balloons at the opposite team members. The more they paint the opposite team member with colors, the better.
Once a player gets colored by a balloon, they will be out of the game. This will continue until all the members of a team are painted.
The team which still has some members left with no color on them wins.
So, what will your teens learn from this?
They will learn how they can work together, protect each other and defend themselves – all by perfect strategic planning as a team.
11. Jigsaw Puzzle
This team-building activity for teens helps them cooperate with each other when working in a team. Also, they learn that this can help them achieve greater goals.
How to start?
Divide the teens into some sub-teams.
Get hold of a jigsaw puzzle and make multiple small sections.
Give the members of each sub-team a small section of that jigsaw puzzle. Once they get it, they will have to give their best to complete the puzzle. And not to mention that they have to do it as fast as they can.
Once the sub-teams are done with their small puzzles, they all have to work together as a group to complete the bigger puzzle. The latter suggests the whole picture.
12. Treasure Hunt
Who doesn’t love a game of treasure hunt?
I used to play this game often with my friends in my teenage years. And it was so much fun. I miss all those giggles.
So, how to play this fun-filled game?
Gather the teens and divide them into small groups. There can be five-six members in each group.
All the members in one team will have to stand, forming a straight line. Remember, they should all face in the same direction.
Once the line is formed, each of them has to put their hands on the shoulder of the person standing in front of them. And the one standing first in the line has to keep their eyes blindfolded.
Where are you arranging this game? Is it a field or your room?
You have to spread all the objects you are using for the treasure hunt around that place – whether it is your room, a field, or somewhere else.
Each team has to move around without breaking the line and collect the objects. Remember, only the blindfolding one standing in front of the line can pick up those objects. And other players in that group can help them by giving instructions about where to go.
For example, they can say, “move to your left,” “take two steps right,” and so on.
So, which team collected all the items in the least amount of time?
They are the winner.
13. Creeping Closer
I found this activity for teens to be very interesting. It teaches them to develop good competition skills and be observant.
To start, divide the teens into multiple groups. There can be four-five players in one team. Among them, they have to choose one as the captain of that team.
The captain will have to face the wall on one side of the playground and stand there. The players of that team will have to be on the opposite side of the caption, facing the captain’s back.
When the caption says, “start,” the players will have to come to him/her slowly, hopping on one leg, and they have to make sure that they are entirely silent so that the caption doesn’t understand how far they have come.
The captain can turn back towards their team members multiple times. But if he/she sees the players falling, coming towards them, or in motion, all the players of that team will have to start from the beginning line.
So, the players need not be in motion whenever their team caption turns towards them. Instead, they can resume hopping toward the caption when the latter faces the wall again.
14. The Baggy Skit
This activity for teens is awesome, as it can make them laugh while teaching them how to work together as a team. Also, it enables them to identify the weaknesses and strengths each of them has and use them for the overall benefit of the team.
Isn’t that great?
So, how to start?
Gather all of them and make a few teams with them. There can be five-six participants in each team.
Now get hold of some bags equal to the number of teams. In each bag, put four-five household objects and give one bag to each team.
The players in each group have to perform a skit. And for that, they can use only the items you have given them in the bag.
The players need to use those items as effectively as they can. And the team with the most smooth performance wins the game.
15. Human Pyramids
Are you looking for a team-building game or an activity that your teens can play outdoors?
The activity of human pyramids is the one! Yes, it needs strength. But it is super fun to do.
And did I tell you that the human pyramid game can develop a great bonding among the teens, as they perform through teamwork and effective communication and show great leadership skills?
Now let’s start.
Divide the teens is a few groups or teams. There can be six-seven players in a group.
The task here is to create a human pyramid. Of course, there will be a time limit. For example, you can give them six to seven minutes.
If the team is of six players, three of them can kneel on the ground, and two of them can make the second layer of the pyramid kneeling on the members of the first row. And the remaining player can kneel on the back of the players of the second layer – forming a pyramid.
Sounds awesome. Isn’t it?
16. Spot the Difference
This game is all about your teen’s observation power.
You need to make two teams to play this game.
Start by asking the first team to stand properly in a line. Their face should be toward the second group.
The latter needs to observe the first group very carefully. Of course, there will be a set time for that. You can give them six minutes or whatever you wish.
After the predetermined time, tell the second group to leave the place or go to another room for two minutes.
During this time, the first group will have to change their positions or other ten things. Call the second group after the change is done.
The latter will have to tell what ten changes the first group has made. One correct guessing equals one point.
Once this is done, the second team will stand in a line, and the first group will guess the changes.
The team with the highest number of correct guesses wins.
17. Build a Bridge
This is a time-oriented activity for teens and is fun to do, especially if your teen loves creativity.
Create two teams of teens. Get two bowls of water and two sets of building kits. Yes, you are going to need them all.
In the kit, there should be things such as paper clips, string, pop sticks, and so on.
Now, give one water bowl and one building kit to each group. Ask them to build a bridge over that water bowl.
Give them a set time, like fifteen minutes, and start the timer.
Both groups have to complete building their bridges within that time. When the timer stops, it is time to examine how strong the bridges are.
Put pebbles on both bridges one by one and see how long they can last. The bridge that collapses first will be out of the game. And the remaining group wins.
18. Blind Pictionary
With this game, your teens learn how to analyze and utilize the team’s strengths. Isn’t that something you want them to learn?
You may have already understood what the game is about from its name. But if you haven’t, let me tell you.
Gather all the teens and divide them into two groups. There will be a board where they will get to draw.
One member from each team has to come up to draw. The catch here is that he/she will be blindfolded while you whisper in their ears what to draw.
Once the drawing is complete, their team members have to guess what is drawn on the board. Enjoy the laughter when someone guesses wrong and something funny.
The game ends when all the group members have completed taking their turn and drawing on the board.
The team with the highest number of correct guesses wins.
19. Blanket Volleyball
In order to play this super fun game, you need to make two teams of teens. They will love it for sure.
And who can ignore the fact that this game can help your teen perform their best in a team?
Apart from two teams, you need to get your hands on two large blankets or sheets too.
What exactly do the teams need to do?
Well, they will face each other from the opposite side of the volleyball net. Yes, just how you normally stand in a basic volleyball match.
But the twist here is that the teens in each team have to hold the blanket together so they can hold the ball in it when the players from the opposite team throw it.
Both teams take a turn in doing this. And the team that catches the most number of balls with their sheets wins the game.
20. Tower of Hanoi
Do you want your teen to develop logical and mathematical thinking? Do you want them to be better at planning and problem-solving? Do you want them to be team players so they can discuss things and support each other?
Make them do this activity with their gang of teens.
But before you begin, let me tell you that this game requires a puzzle toy. It should have three pegs or towers.
One peg at one end or the first peg should have multiple discs. The smallest disc needs to be on top, and the largest disc needs to be at the bottom.
Divide the players into a few groups. Each team takes turns taking all the discs from the first peg to the third peg. Then, of course, they can put the discs on the second peg in the middle for some time while making a move.
Remember, they can take only one disc at a time. Also, the sequence of the discs should be the same as they are in the first peg.
You can set a timer to make the game even more challenging. The team that does the task successfully by taking the lowest amount of time wins the game.
21. Tug of War
This one is a classic. Isn’t it? And it is super funny that teens and adults can play it.
Yes, I still play it whenever there is a picnic with my family and friends. And we have an awesome time.
So, to start the game, gather all the teens and make two teams.
Draw a line on the ground. One team stands on one side of the line, and the other team stands on the opposite side of the line.
They should face each other in a line.
Give a strong rope to them and ask them to hold the ends. One team holds one end of the rope, and the other team holds the other end.
Now blow the whistle, or you can say, “start.” But, of course, they will have to start pulling the rope toward their side as soon as you say that.
The team that pulls the opposite team so hard that the latter crosses the line in the middle wins. Also, you need to ensure that the losing team comes to the winning team’s side.
22. Lap Sit
How many players do you have in the group? Do you have more than ten or less than ten?
This activity is perfect for larger groups. Gather the teens and tell them to stand, forming a circle. Their faces should be counterclockwise.
The players need to use their left leg inwards. They should come closer to the circle using their leg. This will make the circle’s size smaller.
They must continue doing this until they touch each other’s side. This is when they need to stop and put their hands on the player’s shoulder, who is standing right in front of them.
Now they need to sit. Remember, they should do this as slowly as they can. The result?
They will find themselves sitting on one lap of each other.
This team-building activity for teens makes their social skills better. Also, they become a pro at effective communication.
23. Helium Stick
This game teaches the players how to work together to achieve a greater goal. And nothing is impossible when you are helping each other.
Call the players and ask them to form two teams. They should all stand side by side with their shoulders joint, facing in front. Ask them to put their hands forward. Let them keep all their fingers closed except the index finger.
Why?
This is because you have to take a long rod and place it in such a way that only their index fingers support it.
Now, ask them to put the rod on the floor or ground. Remember, they cannot drop the rod.
The winner will be the team that finishes the task within the least amount of time.
Why is It Important for Your Teens to Go for Team Building Activities?
Team-building activities for teens are so much fun. But did you know that they offer some amazing benefits to your kids?
What are they?
That is what I will be discussing in this section.
Read on.
1. Better Communication Skills
Communication is very important, no matter what age you are. And it becomes all the more important when you are a teenager.
Do you have an introverted teen who finds it difficult to talk to people and make friends?
Then team building activities can prove to be very helpful. They can give your son or daughter a great opportunity to talk to people.
2. Develop Relationships
If you like meeting new people, you will know how easily you can make friends or acquaintances. And that leads to building new relationships.
But things are different with introverted people. They cannot meet and talk to people easily. That is where these team-building games can help your teen.
They will learn how to have healthy conversations with others while having their own perspectives on things. This is very important, especially when you want your kid to develop social skills.
3. Increase Productivity
When you are working in a team, you come up with so many ideas. You can then combine them or sort them to find a solution to an issue.
This makes you know what your weaknesses and strengths are. And you can use it to increase your level of productivity.
4. Better Cooperation
In a team, there are people of different mindsets and intelligence.
But when you work towards a common goal, you set aside all those differences and focus only on shared efforts.
This means it makes you better at cooperating with your team members. And that is what your teen needs.
5. Enhance Critical Thinking
What do you do when you face a challenge?
You think of all the ways to come out of that situation. Right?
When you are in a team, all your team members come up with different solutions to the same problem.
This makes you think more. As a result, your logic broadens, and you get better at solving problems.
6. Develop Leadership Qualities
If you want your teen to grow up as a strong and influential human being, know that they need to have leadership qualities in them.
And these team-building activities help your teen to develop those qualities. Because when you are in a team, you develop a sense of responsibility towards your team.
7. Motivate
Did you know that your teen can feel motivated by their friends and classmates?
Yes. And that is where these team-building games and activities come into the picture. These can motivate your teen to look for a solution when they are given a problem. And they perform better.
Conclusion
Now that you know so many team-building activities for teens are available, are you going to make your teen go for it?
Which of these games and activities did you think would be the more fun to play or perform?
And how did it all go?
I’ll be waiting for your reply in the comments!
Hi, I am Claudia, I run TheQueenMomma’s content creation team, personally focusing on topics which add joy to people’s life. You would usually see me writing on topics like Jokes, Riddles, Truth & Dare as well as Baby Names etc.
In my professional career, I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s in sociology and specialize in media and crime. Once I finished my education, I began my career working as a journalist, reporting on various topics like crime, justice and family law. Even though I valued journalism, I came to the realization that I wanted to have a more immediate impact in people’s lives as well as bring joy to them.