Teamwork Games for Children in Church

Mine Field

• Mine field is a versatile game. It can be played indoors or outdoors, quietly or loudly. Set up a maze using objects such as bowling pins or cones. Do not choose objects which children could easily step on and lose their balance. Ask a child to volunteer to be blindfolded and have her peers guide her through the maze by words alone. If you have a large group of six or more children, this activity works best in partnerships.

  If you are in an outdoor space, you could vary the activity by having children guide their partner to a landmark such as a tree or large rock. Just be sure the ground is not very uneven or covered with multiple stumbling hazards.

  Games like this teach cooperation, trust and leadership.

Team Scavenger Hunt

• Hold a scavenger hunt in a church building or outdoors. If you have a large group, you can divide children into teams of three or four. With a small group, divide children into partnerships. Because children have to split up and use a larger area, this game is best if noise level is not an issue.

  The basic rule of a scavenger hunt is to use hidden clues to find a prize. Clues and prizes may easily reflect any religious lesson or values you want to teach the children. To build community between the children, pick random groups so children may work with those they do not know as well.

Koosh Ball

• Koosh ball can be played with any kind of ball. However with a mixed group of children, you may want to stick with a ball that is soft and easy to toss. Ask the children to take turns throwing the ball to each other in a circle, but not to the people standing next to them. Ask them to remember who threw the ball to them and who they threw the ball to. Time how long it takes for the ball to get thrown to each person. Now challenge the children to do the same thing, but faster, throwing the ball to the same person. Tell them they may use any strategy they wish to pass the ball to everyone as long as it is in the same order.

  This game builds teamwork skills through strategy, participation and concentration.

Zoom

• Ask children to work in a group to arrange a variety of pictures into a sequential story. Pictures can be from an actual story or book or you can make your own pictures to create a story. To increase the challenge do not include a picture for every scene of the story. All children should work together to decide the chronological order of the pictures.

  This is a quiet, indoor teamwork game. The pictures may tell religious stories or lessons through the pictures if needed. Children will use team problem solving skills to put the story together. Most children will feel comfortable participating and giving their opinion in the process, so this is a beneficial game if you are working with shy children.