Team building activities for teens

Raising self-esteem by building a team

Team building activities for teens are proven to help raise self-esteem, as they make each person a worthwhile member of a group and teach teens that everyone has something to contribute.

The idea behind team building activities is that everyone is equal – it doesn’t matter what you are wearing, how you style your hair, whether or not you are clumsy or deft, outgoing or shy! A level playing field is paramount to helping teens loosen up and get over their natural self consciousness.

Workshops that utilize free team building activities have a high success rate for raising self-esteem and creating a healthy self image. When everyone works together as a team, no-one gets left behind and each person has a chance to shine in their own way – whether as a leader or a facilitator. Teachers and counselors who work with teens understand this and use various non-threatening games and activities to encourage everyone to participate without fear of ridicule.

Sports activities for youths in many cases focus on stiff competition – even in so called ‘team’ sports! True team building activities for kids give as much recognition to the one who blocks an opposing player as to the one who scores the goal, and passing off a shot to help the team as a whole instead of putting the emphasis on personal glory is encouraged. Most games and activities that help build self-esteem concentrate on teamwork either in groups or as pairs, to build trust and self confidence. When a team is being formed, the emphasis should be placed on finding the best qualities in each player or participant. In sports, this may mean emphasizing one player’s speed and another’s dexterity and a thirds ability to look ahead and make intuitive calls. There can be much glory in an assist as in scoring the actual goal, provided the efforts are recognized – which is why team building efforts should concentrate on positive reinforcement.

In other activities, different skills and creative slants take the foreground – for example, if a group is assigned to prepare a presentation, you can find out which teen is the budding public speaker, which one has artistic talent to make posters for visual aids, and a third who is cool under pressure to do the actual hands on demonstration.

There are many online resources that feature team building activities for kids; this website is one of them. Here you can find examples of free team building exercises to help increase self confidence and self-esteem as well as trust. There are literally hundreds of variations, and you can adapt or expand the activities depending on the size of the group and the space available.

5 additional team building activities for teens

Team building activities can be a great way for teens to develop communication skills, strengthen friendships, and enhance their ability to work cooperatively in groups. Here are five engaging team building activities that are particularly well-suited for teenagers:

Escape Room Challenges:
Escape rooms are thrilling activities that require teamwork, problem-solving, and quick thinking. Teens must work together to solve puzzles and unlock secrets to “escape” from a themed room within a set time limit. This activity fosters collaboration and allows teens to exercise their critical thinking and leadership skills.
Scavenger Hunt:
Organize a scavenger hunt where teens need to find specific items or solve riddles to get to the next clue. This can be done in a park, throughout a school, or even across a neighborhood. It encourages teens to work together, strategize, and engage in healthy competition.
Sports Day:
Arrange a variety of sports activities, such as soccer, basketball, or relay races, where teens are mixed into different teams. This helps build camaraderie, teaches the importance of teamwork, and promotes physical health. Including less traditional games like ultimate frisbee or kickball can add a fun twist.
Tower Building Contest:
Provide teams with materials like spaghetti, marshmallows, straws, or toothpicks to build the tallest or most stable structure. This kind of activity sparks creativity and problem-solving, requiring teens to discuss and test their engineering ideas.
Photo Video Challenge:
Teens can use smartphones or cameras to create a short film or a photo story. They could be assigned themes or specific subjects to capture around their school or community. This activity not only promotes creativity but also technical skills in storytelling and photography.

These activities not only enhance teamwork and communication but also are fun and engaging ways to keep teens involved and motivated.