5 Teamwork Activities for Your Kindergarten Classroom

Each of our tables is considered a “team,” and the children that sit there together are called teammates.
Here’s how they work!

Each table has a team name that we co-created, based on a current interest or inquiry. (i.e. sun, moon, Earth) Each team is encouraged to use table manners and good work habits while working at these tables.

Table manner sticks (craft sticks) are awarded to positively reinforce these behaviors.

At the end of the week, we count these sticks and the team with the most sticks becomes the VIP table for the following week. They get to keep a trophy (balloon weight) at their table and are always called first to line up.

Since there are times when one or two of the members are not showing good table manners/work habits, we talk about what they can do to help everyone be a good team player (ie. remind them, help them, etc.)

Teamwork is a common theme in many children’s books including those categorized as “pulling stories,” such as The Enormous Potato, The Gigantic Turnip, The Enormous Carrot, and Big Pumpkin.   The children love these outrageous books that show characters working toward a common goal and they illustrate well how everybody’s contribution matters.  They are also great for retelling and illustrating a plus one, staircase pattern in math.

Posing Team Challenges

Kids love a challenge, but it’s through these experiences that they realize that it isn’t always easy to work as a team.
I challenged table teams to untie the human knot, (you can find the directions on the video),

work together to do a puzzle,

build a bridge,

and assemble a red collage using objects found around the classroom.

Most of the teams did an amazing job working together.  But some had difficulty, mostly due to a few children “taking over” and not including everyone in the work. In talking about this, I was able to point out that while the goal was important, the people are always more important!

Teamwork Activities Through Choice Time

In addition to establishing table teams, reading about teamwork, exploring teamwork in the natural world, and posing challenges, children need regular opportunities, in natural settings, to experience working together and solving conflicts through play.

To do this, I regularly offer choice time centers,  where children work together to build towers, tell stories, sort math shapes, make pictures, and more.

As they do, they naturally encounter problems and are challenged with using creativity and critical thinking to figure out ways to solve them.  I teach into these “problems,” either on the spot or during a mini lesson or morning meeting.

And while all of the above ideas can lead to better teamwork skills, it’s through choice time centers that I find the richest opportunities for growing their abilities to work together.

Building Community Beyond Teamwork Activities

Fostering teamwork, is just one element of building community and creating a more student-centered classroom. To read more about other elements, check out the Student-Centered Classroom Toolkit, where you will find practical ways to support children in becoming more active and engaged participants in your classroom environment.

It includes one section on forming teams and partnerships along with ideas on negotiating curriculum, igniting student voices, sparking curiosity, fostering self-regulation and much more.

And download this FREE Community Building Toolkit for more to ideas on how to build classroom community.

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