Here’s a team building game that puts your old keyboard to use.  Use the keyboard that you were thinking about throwing away anyway. Here’s a way to creatively recycle it and use it to develop your “key” leaders. This is a great activity for developing confidence, presentation and public speaking skills.

First remove all the keys off of your key board.  This is usually a pretty easy task…but,make sure that it is really a keyboard that is not going to be used …you won’t be able to put the keys back.  You’ll end up with about 60 pieces.

Next, have everyone randomly select a keyboard key as they enter the room. Don’t give any prior instruction.  When the time is right and you are ready to begin the activity say something like this:

“I pulled all of these keys off of one keyboard.  If one of the keys was malfunctioning or missing (before I dismantled the keyboard) then it would not be possible to operate the computer at its full potential.  Each key brings a unique attribute to the keyboard (the team/community).  What does the key you’ve selected say about an attribute  you bring to a team (you bring to this/our team)?  Get in groups of three and share your thoughts and insights.”Give the groups of three enough time to talk and then ask everyone to re-focus their energy on the large group.  Ask if there are any insights or new understandings that people would like to share with the large group.

Other variations:

1. The key you’re holding represents a certain skill that you bring to the group…describe your skill….

2. The key you’re holding represents something you’re thankful for…describe….

3. The key you’re holding is actually a vitamin…what does this vitamin do?

A Great Team building activity:

Learning Concepts:  Recognizing individual strengths of group members - Understanding others - group warm-up

Time requirement: 35-45 minutes

This activity was taken from the book “Teambuilding With Teens” by Mariam G. MacGregor, M.S.  This activity is great to use in a wide variety of group settings especially where the members of the group may be unfamiliar with each other.

Overview:

Group members write their strengths on small slips of paper, put them into balloons, and blow up the balloons.  One by one the balloons are popped to reveal what each person brings to the “party”. As the group learns about the unique talents each person has to offer,  the information is transferred onto a large wall banner so people can see all of their strengths together.

Goals:

1. Identify how a new or existing team wants to work together
2. Learn how individual members view themselves as part of the group
3. Learn how to recognize strengths in order to get the most form every member of the group

Materials needed:

1. Large sheet of banner paper
2. marker
3. masking tape
4. medium-sized balloons, one or more for each participant
5. pens, pencils, markers for each participant
6. small slips of paper
7. sturdy wooden tooth picks with pointed ends ( to pop balloons)

Get Ready:

 On the banner paper, draw a large bunch of balloons. one for each teen in your group.  Hang the banner on the wall in a location where it can be seen by all.  Clear an area in the room where the group can sit in a circle with space in the middle for a pile of blown-up balloons.

Activity:

Have participants sit in a circle.  Pass out materials and let participants know that they should wait to blow up their balloons. Explain the activity using words like these”

“You’ve all been invited to a party.  It’s a kind of pot luck, but instead of bringing food to share, you’re bringing yourself and the strengths you believe you contribute tot his group.  For example, you may be a creative thinker, or very organized, or able to keep others motivated. On the slip(s) of paper you have, you’ll write down the strengths of talents that you bring tot he group “party”.   Once you’ve written these down, careful put the slip(s) of paper into our balloon, blow it up, tie it off, and put it in the middle of the circle.”

 Allow 5 minutes for this part of the activity.  When every is done, invite a teen to start the “Popping” process by picking a balloon from the pile, popping it with a toothpick, and reading the slip(s) inside. After a slip has been read, as the author to step forward, share a little more, and then write his or her name and strength in a balloon on the was poster.  This person becomes the next one to select a balloon from the pile, pop it and read the slip. The process is noisy, but fun!  Continue until all the balloons have been popped and everyone’s names and strengths are written on the wall banner.

Variation:

Conduct the activity without using balloons.  Instead ask teens, one by one, to step up to the banner and write their name and strengths in one of the balloons.  This variation is more effective for a group that already has a good deal of rapport.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can what you’ve learned from others be used in the future to improve the way this group works together?
2. Are there any people who you think overlooked one of their strengths? who? What is the strength? ( if you wish and you don’ feel you’re putting that person on the spot, you may want to ask this individual: Did you know others view this as one of your strengths? Do you agree that it is? why did you over look it?)
3. How can you make the most of strengths and talents of group members and still allow everyone a chance to try new things or use new talents?
4. Imagine the group was going to assign official jobs for each member.  Based on the strengths people shared, what roles do you think people should have?
5. Is the group missing any strengths? What are they and how can you build them?  What if you can’t?  How can you overcome not having certain strengths or prevent the lack of them from becoming a group weakness?

If space allows,  keep the banner hanging in the room for future meetings.  It can remind members of everyone’s strengths and guide them when trying to determine who is the best person for a team task.  If space doesn’t allow, type  of have a teen volunteer type a summary sheet of the strengths people bring to the “party” and give teens copies to keep in their journals or notebooks.

Team “Maintenance”   AWARDS!

A great debriefing activity after each project. 

Objective: Identifies,Recognizes and appreciates the strengths and qualities of individuals with in the group. 

Time:  15-35 Minutes.

Procedure:

1. At the completion of each project, inform students that they should identify team members that made contributions to the success of the project.

2. Discuss with students what are important qualities or skills that were needed for each particular task.  Have students recognize and compliment those people who helped the group.

3. In small groups, ask students to choose someone that they believe has exceeded expectations.  It can also be someone who possesses a characteristic that helped the team effort by being cooperative, artistic, persistent etc.

4.  Students can design or decorate awards for their team members using their skills/ strengths as the superlatives.  See Suggestions below.

5.  A short, fun ceremony should follow.  This will help to boost the morale of the group, encourage the development of both team and individual leadership qualities, and bring closure to the project.

6. The advisor should participate by joining a group.  Over time this will ensure that each student is recognized.

 AWARD CATEGORY EXAMPLES: Get Creative!

Best idea - Best team member - Best role model for students - Most enthusiastic - Most Organized - Most perspiration -Energizer Bunny Award…etc.

AWARD “PRIZE” EXAMPLES: Get Creative!

• Decorate Lolly pops (Round Sucker POPs  like “Blow POPS, or Tootsie Roll POPS” work best) Use Small Squares of Metallic wrapping paper and ribbon or pipe Cleaner to secure paper.  Create a Tag to attach to the stem of the POP to identify each award.
• Use construction paper, Glitter, markers and other available materials to make awards.  Certificates, paper origami or paper hats, Award ribbon cut outs ,  any other shape.
• Decorate Sugar Cookies with the specific award title and present to the recipients.