Goal-Setting & Team-Building Activities

Drawing Activities

• Give one player a sheet of paper with an odd shape design on the paper and tell him not to show anyone. Hand another player a blank sheet of paper and have the two players sit back-to-back. The player with the shape on the paper must call out verbal directions to his partner describing how to draw the shape. Another idea is to give several people a blank sheet of paper and have the person with the paper with the shape on it call out instructions to the group. The player who draws the shape closest to the correct shape wins the game. Allow each player a chance to give the verbal directions. This activity teaches players how to work together, listen to each other and communicate.

Sports Activities

• Play sports like baseball, volleyball, kickball and soccer to teach players how to work together as a team to accomplish a goal. Create basic sports games for the players or put a twist on the games to make them more entertaining. For example, instead of volleyball play balloon volleyball. Players must place their hands and feet on the ground with their bottoms facing down. They must use their feet to hit the balloon volleyball back and forth over the net. In a game of baseball, wrap the bat with a large beach towel and duct tape. Use a beach ball instead of a baseball to create a wacky game of baseball.

Building Activities

• People can work together in groups to build items in order to complete a goal. Divide players into teams of five or six. Give each team several pieces of half pipe PVC and a marble. The players must work together to hold the pipes together in order to get the marble from a starting line to a finish line without dropping it. Place a cup on the finish line for the players to drop the marble in. Alternatively, have the players use a bucket of water instead of a marble. They must fill the empty bucket with water in order to complete the goal. The farther the starting line and finish line are apart, the harder the challenge is.

Physical Games

• Ask everyone to stand in a circle and stretch both arms straight out in front of them. Have everyone walk towards the middle of the circle and reach out to grab other players̵7; hands. This will create a large human knot. The players must go over and under each other in order to untangle themselves without letting go of each other̵7;s hands. Time the players and have them beat their fastest time each time they play. Another idea is to have the players hold hands standing in a circle. Take apart the hands of two players and place a hula-hoop in the circle. They must get the hoop all the way around the team circle without letting go of each other̵7;s hands.