Top 20 Team Building Activities For High School Students

Team building activities for high school students include 1) Tug of War, 2) Scavenger Hunt, 3) Caterpillar Race, and more. Get to know your classmates better with these fun games.

High school is one of the most exciting times in almost everyone's life. From casual fights with friends to developing a crush on someone, the memories created during the four years remain a source of nostalgia for the rest of our lives. 

In recent years, teachers have also focused on giving practical knowledge to kids that can come in handy in the future. Concepts like team building and critical thinking have been crucial for the overall development of a teenager. 

Today, we focus on 20 such activities that are great for improving teamwork in young and adolescent kids.

Related: 20 Productive Hobbies That Will Make You Smarter and Happier

1) Save the Egg

Save the Egg is a classic game that requires critical thinking along with knowledge of gravity, motion, and air resistance. 

The main objective is to save the egg from breaking or cracking when dropped from a height. For this, you'll need to divide the students into teams of 3/4.

Items required for this activity include plastic bags, strings, eggs, masking tape, packaging foam, bubble wrap, and egg cartons.

How To Play? 

• Give one egg to each team. 
• Host group discussions for the players to properly communicate their plans and form a team strategy.
• The students should prepare a step-by-step plan to build the parachute and landing capsule to protect the egg.
• Once the students complete building the parachute, go outside to test them. Drop the eggs from a specific height using the gears needed to protect them.
• The team, whose egg survives the fall, is the winner. If more than one team survives the first round, start increasing the drop height until only one team survives. 

Pros: 

• Develops critical thinking in kids. 
• Promotes sharing of ideas, coordination, and teamwork.
• Planning and strategic development as the team is required to prepare a step-by-step plan to make the experiment work.
• Students learn about the real-life application of gravity and air resistance.

Cons:

• Students with better self-confidence and communication skills often dominate the game with the others watching from the sidelines.
• Kids with lesser knowledge of physics have nothing to contribute.

2) Tug of War

Tug of War is a group sport played by two teams with an equal number of players. 

The game has been predominantly played to test the physical strengths of the teams. It involves using a rope to pull the opponents into your territory. 

However, the 2021 Netflix series Squid Game showed us that Tug of War is not all about bodily strength. It turns out to be a sport that can be won even by the physically weaker team if the right strategy is used. 

You'll need a long rope that doesn't break off easily and a marker to draw a line. 

How To Play?

• Divide the students into two teams with the same number of players. 
• Draw a line in the middle. 
• Place the opposing teams in a line formation on different sides of the middle point. The teams should be facing each other. 
• The teams are then given a rope that extends beyond the last player of each team. 
• The opposing teams should try to pull the rope and drag the rivals to their side. 
• If a player crosses the line, they are eliminated.
• The game is won when all the players of the competing team are eliminated.

Pros:

• Promotes teamwork among students as a single mistake made by one player can be enough to lose the game. 
• Improves physical fitness by exercising the upper body and legs. 
• Improves the planning and problem-solving skills of the participants as different strategies are applied to win. 

Cons: 

• The risk of physical injury is high. The sustained injuries can range from sprains and soft-tissue damage to knee and hip injuries. 
• As the number of players in a team increases, the individual contribution decreases due to the Ringelmann effect.

3) Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunt is an interesting pastime for groups. It involves finding strategically-placed hidden objects or rewards to win. 

The recreational activity uses the problem-solving skills of the players to find clues and decipher riddles. 

The game requires the teams to place objects in hidden locations along with clues to find the next object.

How To Play?

• Divide the groups into teams.
• Each team should then come up with a plan to hide objects in different locations. The clues and hidden items should be placed in such a way that the location of the first object should also contain clues on the location of the second object, and so on. 
• The first team to find all the objects hidden by the opponent wins the game.

Pros: 

• Improves interaction between the players, leading to a formation of an effective communication channel.
• Promotes sharing responsibilities as different players have to take on different roles.
• Exercises the body and mind due to prolonged physical movements and critical thinking.

Cons: 

• Requires larger space than other group-related activities.
• Planning the clues and placing the objects can take a long time. So, it might not be a suitable option if time is limited.
• Can get too much competitive, eventually affecting the self-confidence of the losing team players. 

4) Two Truths and A Lie

Team building activities for communication list is incomplete without Two Truths and a Lie. 

The game centers around interactions between the players. It is an ideal activity for freshers in getting to know each other.

How To Play?

• Pair the players into groups of two members each. 
• Each player will then tell three statements about themselves. Two statements are facts, whereas the third one is a lie. However, the false statement should be believable as determining the lie is the primary objective of the game.
• The other player will try to guess which statement is a lie. 
• If the student succeeds in guessing, they will then provide three statements to the other teammate and repeat the process.
• Continue the process until only one of the two players is successful in guessing the lie and he/she is deemed the winner.

Pros:

• Improves bonding between the students and their interpersonal skills.
• Develops observation skills in kids as they learn to determine the changes in facial expressions and speaking tone when a person tells a lie.

Cons:

• Teaches young students about how to convincingly lie to others. It can affect their mental growth if the students start using this skill in real life.
• Doesn't inspire critical thinking as players can simply guess the lie instead of analyzing the statements and still have a 33% chance of being correct.

5) Caterpillar Race

Caterpillar race is an interesting pastime for young kids to participate in.

It is a competitive sport that uses physical strength and coordination between the players. The game is named so because the students resemble a caterpillar-like structure when they are in action.

How To Play? 

• Divide the students into groups of 8-10 players.
• Place the teams parallelly with players from one group forming a line. 
• Instruct the players to sit down. 
• Tie the hands of a student to the legs of the player behind him. Do this to every player. For example, the hands of the 1st player in the line should be tied back to the legs of the 2nd player, the 2nd player's hands with the third player's legs, and so on. The right hand should be tied to the right leg and the left hand to the left leg. 
• At the blow of a horn, the students will start moving ahead using their hands and legs. 
• The first team to cross the finish line is the winner. 

Pros:

• Improves gross motor skills
• Promotes teamwork and coordination between the players.

Cons:

• Can cause physical injury if a player fails to match the movement of individuals front and behind him.

6) Hula Hoop Finger

Hula Hoop Finger is a group activity that can be played by up to eight players at a time. 

You'll also need a hula hoop to complete his game.

How To Play?

• Divide the students into groups of up to eight players. 
• Place the students in a circle with their palms up. 
• Place a hula hoop in the center on the top of the fingertips. 
• The players should then place the hula hoop slowly on the ground without dropping it. 
• The students can't grab the hula hoop with their fists. To make the game more challenging, make the players hold the hula hoop with only one of their hands or with only their index fingers.

Pros:

• Improves coordination and team works.
• Develops balance in the players.
• Teaches the handling of delicate or sensitive objects.

Cons: 

• Too simplistic to play; players easily get bored.
• Takes only a few minutes to complete. So, teachers might have to plan a few more activities in advance.

7) Blind Design

Blind design is an interactive pastime played in pairs. It tests the creativity and communication skills of the students. 

You'll need a few pieces of blank paper, a pen, and objects/pictures to describe.

How To Play?

• Divide the students into groups of two. The players should be placed facing each other.
• Give the pen and paper to one team member and the objects/pictures to the other.
• When the timer starts, the player holding the object/picture should begin describing it to the other. Describe the shape. size, and any other unique features but don't reveal the object.
• The other student should draw based on the clues provided. 
• Once the process is complete, check how close the sketch is to the object.

Pros:

• Improves the communication and listening skills of the students.
• Helps in drawing out the artistic side of the players.

Cons:

• Not suitable for students with visual impairments or other differently-abled students.
• Hard to determine the winner or loser of the game as objects might require a different level of understanding to describe or draw.

8) Chuck the Chicken

Chuck the Chicken is a fun team game for students.

For this, you'll need a rubber chicken or anything that can resemble a chicken.

How To Play?

• Divide the players into two teams. The team should be further divided into a running team and a fielding team based on their turns. 
• Give the rubber chicken to the running team. The players will then yell "Chuck the Chicken" and throw the chicken to a random spot inside the field. 
• Once the chicken is thrown, the fielding team runs to the spot where the chicken is dropped. They should then stand in a line and pass the chicken from the front to the back of the line, during which each player should touch it. 
• Meanwhile, the running team immediately forms a circle and one of the starts running around the circle. Each rotation of the circle scores a point for the running team and the running can be continued until the last player of the fielding team gets the chicken.
• After the process is complete, the fielding team is now the running team, and vice versa. 
• At the end of a specified time or rounds, the team with the higher score wins. 

Pros:

• Teaches young students how to play as a team player.
• Improves stress handling and coordination skills. 

Cons:

• Only tests the physical prowess and skills
• Can cause injury if players are too competitive.

9) Minefield

Minefield is another interactive activity for kids to practice in pairs.

Use locally available items like water bottles, chairs, markers, etc as the mines. Be careful not to use any sharp objects as they can cause physical injuries to the players.

How To Play?

• Group the students into teams of two. 
• Mark a start line and a finish line. In the middle, place the objects to resemble mines. 
• One of the players is blindfolded, whereas the other can see. Using only verbal instructions and without any physical touch, the player must guide their blindfolded partners to the finish line. 
• If a player accidentally touches the mine, they should start the round again. 
• At the end of the game, the team to have completed the most number of rounds wins. 

Pros: 

• Improves verbal communication between the players. 
• Enhances thought-processing speed and mind-body coordination.
• Diminishes conflicts between students. 

Cons:

• Adult supervision is needed if young kids are involved. 
• As the students are blindfolded, risks of falling down and other injuries are prevalent. 

10) Human Knot

Human Knot is more of a group interactive activity rather than a game. 

It requires 5 to 10 players and no additional items to play. 

How To Play?

• Make the kids stand in a circle. 
• Then, ask them to place their hands towards the center of the circle and grab another player's hand randomly. 
• Once every player is grabbing someone's hand, ask the kids to untangle without leaving the grabbed hands. 
• Watch as the kids go through lengthy measures to untangle. They can physically climb over each other, go under, or go through one another's hands.

Pros: 

• Simple and fun activity for kids to participate in.
• Improves problem-solving skills. 
• Develops communication between the players.

Cons:

• Chances of twisting or injuring a player's hand are existent.
• The game is not always solvable. Kids can often overcomplicate the knot if not communicated properly.

11) Marshmallow and Toothpick Challenge

Team building activities for problemsolving best suited for teenagers is Marshmallow and Toothpick Challenge.

It is an interesting construction game that tests the teamwork and creativity of the players. 

You'll need a specified number of toothpicks and marshmallows to organize it. 

How To Play?

• Split the classroom into two teams with an equal number of players. 
• The primary objective is to prepare a tall structure using marshmallows and toothpicks. 
• Give a few minutes to the teams to form a strategy. 
• The individuals should add one marshmallow and one toothpick at a time.
• The team with the taller structure wins. 

Pros:

• Great for young kids to learn how a team functions and the importance of the individual contributions of the members.
• Improves the critical thinking of the students.
• Improves problem-solving skills.

Cons:

• One player can screw up the team's efforts, leaving the kids disappointed.
• Can't determine if effective collaboration has taken place as the only objective is to make a taller tower. 
• The team with a player interested in engineering/architecture is almost always the winner.

12) Cup Stacking

Cup stacking is a simple game of stacking cups on top of each other. The only drawback is players can't touch the cups with their hands.

You'll require a few strings, rubber bands, and cups.

How To Play?

• Split the students into teams of four to eight players. 
• Give one rubber band to each team and strings equal to the number of students. 
• The players should then tie their strings to the rubber band. 
• Players will then stack the cups on top of each other using only the rubber bands. The task should be completed by pulling and contracting the bands without touching the cups physically.

Pros:

• Students get to learn about team collaboration and how teamwork helps in achieving set goals.
• Communication and interaction between the players are key to winning the game.

Cons:

• The contribution of each and every teammate is vital. So, the mistake made by one can cost the game.
• Doesn't require a complex strategy to win.

13) Spider's Web

Spider's Web is a team strategy activity that can be played with either a small or large group.

You'll need ropes and a kid-sized soccer goal to organize it.

How To Play?

• Using the soccer goal as the frame, make a spider's web by joining the ropes. 
• There should be several gaps big enough for the players to move through without touching. 
• The gaps should be equal to the number of students in each team. 
• The teams should form a strategy for each player to pass through a different gap.
• The team to complete the task first wins. 

Pros:

• Great activity for learning teamwork and collaboration.
• Improves the physical balance and hand-eye coordination of the students. 

Cons:

• Might not be suitable if space is limited.

14) Buckets of Fun

Buckets of Fun is best suited for outdoors and can be a great way to beat the summer heat. 

You'll require cups, water, and buckets to play. 

How To Play?

• Divide the class into teams with an equal number of members. Stand the players in a line. Maintain a short distance between each player.
• Place an empty bucket behind the last student in the line. Fill another bucket and place it before the first student. 
• The student at the front of the line should draw a cup of water from the bucket and toss it to the player immediately behind them. The second player will try to catch as much water as possible with a cup and toss it to the player behind him. The process will continue until the last player who will then pour the water in the bucket.
• The team to first fill up the bucket is declared the winner.

Pros:

• Gives a valuable lesson on patience and consistency.
• Teaches hand-eye coordination. 
• Improves teamwork and communication among the students.

Cons:

• Not physically or mentally challenging.
• Repetitive; kids can get bored after a few sessions.

15) Frostbite

Frostbite is a team-building pastime that requires communication and problem-solving within a given time frame. 

You'll require an electric fan, cardboard, sticky notes, rubber bands, and blindfolds. 

How To Play?

• Split the students into teams of four to five people. One of the players is a team leader and the rest are crew members. 
• The players must make-believe that they are in an extremely cold place and need to construct a shelter within 30 minutes.
• The team leader is frost-bitten and other members are blinded. So, the leader can't use his hands, and the others are blindfolded.
• The team leader should provide specific instructions to his crew to build a shelter that can withstand the cold winds. 
• Once the shelter is complete, the electric fan is brought in front of it and switched on. See how many teams can build a shelter that can withstand the winds. 

Pros:

• Improves communication and team performance.
• Division of work and individual contribution of each member is crucial. 

Cons:

• Doesn't challenge the intellectual capacities of the kids.
• Not suitable if time is a factor as it takes over 30 minutes to complete.

16) One Sentence Story

Team building activities for teens, One Sentence Story boosts creativity and story-telling skills. 

You'll need a few people and no additional accessories to host a fun session.

How To Play?

• Start by giving specific numbers to the students. The kid with the number 1 should go first, number 2 should go second, and so on.
• The first child will start with a random sentence. 
• Next, the second kid will say another sentence to add context to the first sentence, and so on. The sentences should form a story. 

Pros: 

• Boosts creativity and story-telling skills.
• Speeds up the thinking process.

Cons:

• Not suitable for kids with a fear of public speaking.

17) Team Auction

Team building activities for the classroom include Team Auction. It is a budget venture meant to teach the value of money to kids.

The items required are fake money (Monopoly money) and several objects for auctioning. 

How To Play?

• Split the students into groups of three to four participants. 
• Give an equal amount of fake money to each team. 
• Begin auctioning the different objects until everything is sold. 
• Give a design challenge or problem for the kids to come up with a solution using the items bought in the auction.

Pros:

• Teaches the value of money. 
• Use of limited resources to solve an existing problem.
• Improves budgeting and resource allocation skills.

Cons:

• Risk of boosting children's obsession with money.

18) Hidden Structures

Hidden Structures is a memory-focused game intended to boost the verbal skills of the participants. 

You'll need building blocks or legos to build a structure and a piece of cloth long enough to fully hide it. 

How To Play? 

• First, prepare a structure out of legos or blocks and cover it with a piece of cloth. 
• Then, divide the students into teams of four or five. Select a leader among the teammates. 
• Bring forward the leaders from each group and let them view the structure for 10 seconds.
• The leaders will then have 25 seconds to describe the structure to their teammates. 
• Based on the instructions, the groups will have a minute to try to recreate the structure.
• The design which comes closest to the original structure in resemblance is the winner.

Pros:

• Draws out the artistic side of children.
• Improves communication and creativity.
• Improves memory power and critical thinking.

Cons:

• Some children can't visualize a physical structure from verbal instructions. 
• The individual contributions of the participants can't be determined.

19) String Drawing

String drawing is the cup stacking game; but, it requires the players to draw a figure instead of stacking cups. 

You'll need several pieces of strings, markers, and paper. 

How To Play?

• Divide the students into teams.
• Give each team a marker, paper, and strings equal to the number of members. 
• Each player should tie their string to the marker. 
• When the timer starts, the groups should draw a figure using the strings. Players are not allowed to touch the marker. 
• The complexity of the figure to be drawn should depend on whether you want to make it more or less challenging. 

Pros:

• Excellent for learning teamwork and collaboration.
• Improves hand-eye coordination. 
• Brings out the artistic side of the participants. 

Cons:

• A simple mistake made by one player can result in the team losing the game.
• Not suitable for students who are not familiar with each other.

20) Shrinking Vessel

Imagine you are in a sinking ship. How will you survive the longest on the boat without falling or getting wet?

The shrinking Vessel is an activity meant to find the answer to the above question. 

All you'll need is a piece of rope for each participating team. 

How To Play?

• Split the class into teams of five to eight students. 
• Make a shape resembling a vessel with a rope on the floor. 
• The area inside the rope should be big enough to fit all the players comfortably. 
• With time, start decreasing the area of the vessel. 
• Students should come up with new ideas to fit inside the vessel as the space gets shrunk down gradually.

Pros:

• Helps coordinate physical movement. 
• Improves strategic thinking and communication. 
• Develops crisis-solving skills.

Cons: 

• Difficult to determine the individual contribution of each member. 
• Extroverted students often steal the show with introverted students acting as passive players or bystanders.