school activities melbourne

Now that many are starting to look forward to the end of lockdown, schools are facing challenges they’ve never experienced before.

Teachers are now searching for ways to conduct team building school activities for kids that balance both the need for student’s safety and their need to return to some normality.

Training and education equipment providers from Direct Appliance Rentals acknowledge these challenges affecting their clients. Head of Operations Karina Wolfin says, “COVID-19 brought a new and overwhelming situation for all of us. With schools in Melbourne opening soon, it’s comforting to know that teachers ensure children are safe and protected. They encourage children to play games while strictly following health protocols, especially social distancing. Playing games and engaging in school activities is not just fun. Still, it’s a way to improve well-being and increase social interaction after some of these privileges have been deprived during the pandemic.”

Unfortunately, this is not easy in the current environment. School activities that often give excitement and competitiveness to children can unintentionally lead to violations of social distancing.

Below are ten of the most engaging school activities that adhere to protocols— two-in-one team building activities for students with social distancing.

#1 Line Bingo

Line Bingo is first on the list of worthwhile team building activities for kids. This activity is a perfect alternative to traditional bingo and can be played while apart. To play this game, each student needs a set of word cards.

Give each student a pack of cards and let them arrange in lines resembling the bingo card. The teacher then will call one of the cards, and then the students will check their line of cards and turn them over. The first student to create a pattern of turned-over cards wins.

#2 Charades

Another example of fun school outdoor activities in Melbourne is playing charades. Children of all ages will take turns acting out book or film characters, storylines, and scenes for their friends to guess in this easy-to-use game.

To add a little twist to these fun outdoor activities for school kids you can use props and costumes; just make sure to sanitise them before and after use. Don’t forget to remind everyone to wash their hands and observe social distancing.

#3 Foot-golf

team building school activities for kids

Footgolf merges the skills and accuracy of golf with the excitement of football. If you don’t know how to play this one, here’s how you do it:

Children can use their feet to kick a ball to a goal, similar to a hula hoop. You can set a course of ‘holes’ around the playground or inside the classroom. Keep a record of how many kicks each child makes to get around the time. You can also challenge older children to use a tennis ball while making younger children focus on a football or a big sponge ball.

#4 Telepathy Games

What school activities could be more engaging for kids than a telepathy game? Telepathy games are comfortable and incredibly fun! There are two correct answers in this game, and students should guess the answer that the teacher is thinking. To discover the teacher’s answer, the students use ‘telepathy’ to read the teacher’s mind.

To play this one of the most fun school activities in Melbourne, tell each student to prepare a pencil and a piece of paper to write their answers. After showing the students the question and two potential answers, ask students to write down one answer. After all the students write their answers, they will show the answer you’ve been thinking about, and if the students guess correctly, they’ll get the point. If you’re playing this game with kids, you can pretend to ‘send’ the answer to them through ‘telepathy’ using only the power of your mind to make it more fun.

#5 Noodle Tag

Another new on the list of recommended outdoor activities for school kids is noodle tag. For this engaging team building activity for kids, you can group the kids; three or more are perfect and give everyone a pool noodle. The person who is “it” has to tag their friends using the noodle’s end. It is soft and stretchy so that nobody gets hurt, but still, everybody should stand at least 1 metre away from each other. Noodle tag can be another fun outdoor activity for school kids, but this engaging game can also be done indoors as long as there’s sufficient space to observe social distancing. Also, make sure that the kids are wearing their masks and are sanitised before playing the game. 

#6 Bust a Rhyme

This next one on the list of engaging team building school activities is ideal for more than five players. Start the Bust a Rhyme game by making all participants stand 6 feet apart in a circle. First, pick a leader to say a word (like “cat”), then have the child to his right say a word with the same rhyme. Continue around the circle before you get back to the leader! The following person then becomes the leader, and the game continues. If someone gets a word wrong, can’t think of one or say something that isn’t rhyming, then they’ll do five squats.

#7 Simon Says (Stay 6 Feet Away!)

A study in the Journal of Early Childhood Research Quarterly indicates that this classic game, Simon Says, is a key to improving children’s chances to succeed in the classroom. The study found that children’s capacity to self-regulate is crucial in their language and literacy development. Kids who are good at self-regulation can control their feelings and actions to accomplish a specific goal. Such fun school activities in Melbourne are best for children younger than in the first grade. Ask them to play “Simon Says” by following the directions but doing the opposite of what they’re asked for. 

#8 Stand Up Game

Another one on the list of exciting and interactive team building activities for kids is the Stand Up Game. Students will stand up and say a number in this game, but if two students stand up simultaneously, they’re out. A version of this game is an excellent social distancing classroom experience as students can sit behind their desks while playing.

To play, tell students that they’re going to count to five as a class. Tell them that one student has to stand up and say the number one (1). Then another student has to stand up and say number two (2), and so on up to five (5). Any student can stand up at any moment, but they lose if two students stand up simultaneously.

#9 Cross the River

outdoor team building school activities

The list goes on for fun outdoor school activities in Melbourne. One of those is Cross the River, where students can play in a bigger space one at a time. 

You’ll have students on one side of the playground or classroom six feet apart. Place poly spots randomly in the middle of the ground. Then, students will go one at a time, attempting to jump from spot to spot to cross the river. If they fall in, they have got to go back to the beginning. The goal is for them to keep going until they’ve all gotten through. Students will undoubtedly enjoy cheering for their classmates, and if one finds a way out, the others quickly follow. 

Plus, this activity encourages locomotive skills in jumping and landing in patterns. This means that you don’t only provide fun and engaging school activities but also improve their skills.

#10 Fence Art

Finally, aside from outdoor activities for school kids, doing something to help your neighbours can make a difference. Inspire your neighbours and friends through fence art. To start with these activities, provide individual art stations around a big outdoor table or inside a classroom where students sit in a circle 6 feet apart. You need construction paper, markers, colouring materials, and paper plates for designing the “fence flowers.” To make one: cut small slits into a paper plate, paint with your favourite colours, and then make a small hole in the centre of the plate. Put a piece of string through the hole and tie your flower plate to the fence. Instruct the students to bring their fence art home and tie it to their fence. Anyone passing will surely turn their heads to appreciate it.

Be Fully Charged With School Activities When School Reopens

While many teachers will return to the classroom with changed schedules or a hybrid approach, building the foundation of the new normal is essential. Adopting these outdoor school activities may make this new norm easier for both teachers and kids alike.

Urban Quest is high on the pedestal when it comes to creating meaningful experiences for kids, whether it be school incursions in Melbourne or the neighbouring cities, during a party, or in learning engagements. We live by our belief that experience is the best teacher. Thus, we strive to create meaningful yet fun experiences for children. We do these by implementing our years of experience in event planning and school team building events. We’ve worked with all ages and know the true meaning of learning and having fun.

Contact us to learn more about Urban Quest school activities. Let’s change the world together, one child at a time. 



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  • Previous Post

    Team Building
    February 16, 2021

    Remote Team Building: 10 Virtual Games & Activities for Teams

    The health guidelines introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced most companies to embrace the remote work setup. Because gatherings of many people in the same place at the same time are limited, to engage in team events Melbourne companies have created virtual arrangements.

    Max Funding's Financial Consultant Shane Perry notes, “Remote team building workshops for corporate groups are crucial to encourage collaboration in a team. Virtual games allow them to improve their strengths, identify weaknesses, and provide continuous learning while having fun. Remote team building is a necessary expense because its positive impact can be felt throughout the organisation.”

    1. Virtual Urban Quest

    Typically, Urban Quest would be your best bet for remote team building events in Melbourne. It is an interactive race played in the streets of Melbourne’s Central Business District by teams of 4-6. The event lasts for two hours and is filled with riddles and fun challenges.

    So as a complement to remote work arrangements, the Urban Quest team have come up with the game's virtual setup. It is known as “Mission Impossible”.

    Urban Quest’s “Mission Impossible” is a remote team building challenge! A Virtual Secret Agent Mission where you are challenged to complete a range of increasingly elaborate online problems, virtually navigate to international locations, connect with secret agents in the field and use your wits on the web to propel your team to victory!

    In a race against the clock, teams compete against each other to be the fastest to complete their Mission. Using Zoom and the Urban Quest gaming platform, you are challenged to solve a range of online problems. Teamwork will be the key to success.  All tasks are based on problem-solving and logical thinking. Use your knowledge or any internet resource to help your team race to the finish.

    To start the game, you only need to book with the Urban Quest team. Let them know your preferred date and time, and after receiving the booking confirmation, you can now invite your team and have fun!

    2. Two Truths, One Lie

    Nothing is more exciting than knowing the quirky truths about your colleagues. The “Two Truths One Lie” game is a classic favourite in team events in Melbourne. It is known for its simplicity because it doesn’t require any materials. Though this game might need a few deduction skills, and maybe some wild imagination!

    To play the game, all the team members should write three statements about themselves - wherein two are facts, and one is a lie. The members of the team take turns in reading and guessing the truths and lies.

    The player with the most number of correct guesses wins.

    This activity not only allows your team to get to know each other more, but it can also leave people rolling in laughter!

    3. Pictionary

    Pictionary is a popular activity among remote team building events in Melbourne because it can develop creativity and get the most out of your teammates. Members will draw based on the word provided. No letters, gestures, numbers, or verbal cues should be used in playing this game. Teams only need to guess the word that best corresponds to the picture being drawn by the other player.

    A virtual room like Skribbl or just a pen and paper during a conference video call is all you need for this activity. You could even use a random word generator to come up with the next word to draw.

    4. Favourite Things

    This activity is a great icebreaker for your online team events in Melbourne. The manager or facilitator can decide on a topic, which can either be work-related or personal.

    To make this remote team building more fun, tell your teammates to search for a photo that signifies their favourite thing about the chosen topic. Then, the members of the team take turns sharing their favourite things with the group. Since there is no wrong answer, this activity is more relaxing and isn’t anxiety-inducing. Not only will it eliminate prejudices, but it can also teach you a thing or two about each other. When one member learns that the other shares his/her interest in something, they’d be encouraged to converse - and that’s an excellent start!

    5. Virtual Coffee Breaks

    Working continuously for multiple hours can be quite exhausting for most employees, which is why there is a need for short breaks.

    For this remote team building activity, you can schedule 15 minutes for your team to join a video chat while enjoying a cup of coffee. This activity can allow your team to catch up with each other, the same as when they are in the office. If you want it to be more realistic, why not add a water dispenser in the background?

    You can do this in between meetings or regular working days, depending on your team’s availability. Make a deal not to talk about work during virtual coffee breaks.

    6. Birth Map Game

    To start with the game, share a Google Map link with your group. Then, ask your team members to place a sticker on a map indicating the place of their birth. Next, each of the team members shares a fun fact or story about their birthplace. At the end of the activity, the team votes on who shared the fascinating story. You can offer to give the winner a prize, such as a gift card. It’s an effortless game that can be incorporated into remote team building workshops in Melbourne.

    You can also modify this game and make it into your favourite vacation spot, dream destination, etc.

    7. Team Movie Night

    Movies have always been a source of relaxation because they can be so entertaining they let you forget about all the problems in the world. For team events, movie time can induce relaxation and strengthen levels of camaraderie at work.

    You can send a poll to your team to decide what movie to watch, or your team members can take turns choosing the movie genre. To spice up the movie options, you can check the must-see films your team should not miss and then stream it using a conference video call. It can also be watched using Teleparty, formerly known as Netflix Party. Ask everyone to bring popcorn and soda or be in their pyjamas - just like a real movie marathon at home.

    After watching, you can take turns in sharing brief reviews about the movie.

    8. Photo Challenge

    The Photo Challenge is ideal for new teams because it allows each member to get a glimpse at each other through certain photos.

    For this activity, the manager creates a challenge at the start of the week. It can be “the cutest pet of the week” or “the quirkiest photo of a child.” The team takes turns in sharing their photo and a brief story about it.

    Not only will you know something about your team, but it can also spark their creativity. Moreover, each image can stir positive emotions and offer a chance for the office jokesters to shine. It’s also an opportunity to get to know the more introverted members of your team.

    9. Virtual Charades

    Charades never go old in team building workshops. When integrated into your team meetings, it can bring a lot of laughter. This game - the same as Pictionary - needs little to no preparation, making it more convenient for teams to play.

    To play the game, form two separate teams that will compete with each other. Upon deciding on a theme, each team member acts out an object or a scene. To make it more fun, choose hilarious topics.  A point will be given to the team of the first person who can guess the correct answer.

    Each player takes turns acting out until the time limit. Each round can be timed for two or three minutes, and the team with the highest number of correct guesses wins the game. As a rule of the game, players assigned to act out are not allowed any verbal cues. You can use an online random word generator or the online platform Pantoparty with this game.

    10. A Peek Into Each Other’s Homes

    This activity can be likened to shows like House Hunters and MTV Cribs, where team members are asked to show their houses to their colleagues and is one of the popular team events in Melbourne.

    For this activity, ask one member each week to take a video of his home and share their favourite things about it. While it can be a hilarious way for a team to get to know each other’s personalities, this can also blur indifferences between team members.

    You can also modify this activity and make it into a peek into each other’s workspace, fridge, or closet.

    Conclusion

    The options for remote team building events and activities are endless. You can always be creative and modify the games mentioned above to your liking.

    The relaxation and sense of camaraderie that corporate team building fosters can translate into increased productivity, fewer absences, and less turnover. So, turn your team into a well-oiled high-performance engine now by signing up at Urban Quest.

    Urban Quest is a tested and proven ready-made solution for team events in Melbourne. No matter how big or small your group is, the age, fitness level, or industry you come from, we deliver the maximum engagement level leaving no one behind. Digital technology allows us to track an individual from team performance, generate reports, and provide a one-of-a-kind experience.

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  • Next Post

    School Incursions
    April 29, 2021

    Team Building Activities For School Students: How to Teach the Value of Teamwork, Leadership and Resilience

    Teachers wield immense power to shape the lives of their students, instilling values of teamwork, leadership, resilience, and joy that can alter the course of their educational journey and beyond. While it may seem daunting to impart these principles to children and teenagers, it is indeed essential for their holistic development.

    According to Harry Nevin, a distinguished chartered social counsellor and parenting expert at Balloons Sydney, interpersonal skills form the bedrock of all human interactions. Nevin emphasises the importance of teaching children how to collaborate, communicate, and contribute effectively from an early age. These skills, he believes, are fundamental to navigating the complexities of life.

    However, teaching teamwork, leadership, and resilience requires more than traditional educational methods. It demands active engagement, participation, and, most importantly, fun! Here are some exciting ways to impart these valuable lessons to school students through the medium of team building activities for school students:

    Address them as teams and not groups

    While a group consists of individuals coordinating separate actions, a team shares a common goal and a collective responsibility for achieving success. Though it may seem cliché, choosing a team name marks the initial stride towards effective teamwork.

    Build Strong Team Bonds From The Outset

    Creating a team name serves as a team building activity in its own right. When students decide on a name together, they forge a shared identity and sense of belonging. This initial establishment of strong team bonds paves the way for greater participation and collaboration. Encourage teams to engage in discussions about themselves and their goals, allowing them autonomy in decision-making and progression.

    Let Teams Set Their Expectations

    When organising team building activities for school students, it's important to let them set their own expectations rather than dictating anticipated actions. This allows students to explore the key elements of successful teamwork, like constructive interdependence, individual responsibility, and leadership skills.

    By establishing their own ground rules and expectations, students learn to collaborate effectively and treat each other with respect. These rules not only ensure that tasks are completed but also emphasise how tasks are accomplished. They empower students to hold each other accountable, as everyone has committed to following these guidelines.

    Play A Walk of Trust

    Building trust and establishing a support system is essential for overcoming challenges. Team building activities for school students offer enjoyable opportunities to teach them about resilience and building confidence.

    One such activity is the Walk of Trust, where students are blindfolded and paired up to navigate an obstacle course together. Relying on their partner's guidance and support, blindfolded students must trust their teammates to complete the course safely. After the activity, teachers should facilitate a discussion to reflect on the experience and insights gained by students.

    Make A Circle Of Compliments

    Promoting kindness is a crucial aspect of nurturing resilience in children, even if it may not be immediately obvious. One highly recommended group activity for students is the Circle of Compliments, designed to cultivate resilience in a fun and engaging way.

    To play, gather at least six children and form a circle with their legs spread out in front of them. Select one child to start the game by giving compliments to others within the circle. As each child receives a compliment, they draw their legs closer until everyone has been praised.

    The key to this activity is encouraging students to compliment attributes beyond physical appearance. By steering them away from appearance-related topics, compliments become more meaningful and impactful.

    While this game may pose a challenge for younger children, proper preparation can ensure its success and effectiveness in fostering resilience.

    Have Fun And Be Resilient Playing Musical Chairs

    Musical Chairs remains a classic and beloved group activity for students, serving as an effective tool for teaching an important lesson in resilience. It emphasises that winning isn't everything, and accepting outcomes gracefully is part of the game.

    To play, start with the same number of seats as there are players, ensuring everyone has a spot in the first round. Then, as the music plays, remove one chair at a time. When the music stops, students scramble to find a seat, but there will always be one less chair than there are players, resulting in one child being left without a seat. This moment allows them to experience the emotions associated with not winning, teaching them to accept setbacks with resilience.

    After the game, engage the students in a discussion to reflect on what they've learned from the experience, encouraging them to share their insights and feelings. This reflection reinforces the valuable lesson of resilience taught through the game of Musical Chairs.

    Let Students Take The Hula-Hoop Challenge

    Another effective method to bolster students' resilience is by honing their conflict resolution and problem-solving skills. While individual activities like image puzzles can help develop these skills, learning to collaborate with others is equally important. Engaging in team-based challenges fosters cooperation and teaches students how to work together towards a common goal.

    One of such engaging team building activities for school students is the hula-hoop challenge. This activity requires children to collaborate as a team to achieve a shared objective.

    To play, form a circle with the students holding hands, and place a hula-hoop over one arm of the circle. The objective is to pass the hula-hoop around the circle without letting go of each other's hands. To keep the hoop moving, students must work together, providing support and assistance as needed to prevent the hoop from falling.

    After completing the challenge, facilitate a discussion where students can reflect on the experience. Encourage them to identify the complexities they encountered during the activity and brainstorm solutions as a group.

    This debriefing session allows students to analyze their teamwork skills and learn from the collaborative process.

    Make Students Do The Perfect Square

    This is among the most enjoyable team building activities for school students that require strong teamwork and effective verbal communication skills. All you'll need is a long rope with both ends tied together and bandanas or cloth strips to serve as blindfolds. Here's how to set it up:

    1. Have the students form a circle and place the rope in front of them.
    2. Instruct each student to put on a blindfold.
    3. Slowly guide the students as they turn and move away from the circle while holding onto the rope.
    4. Once everyone is in position, instruct them to work together to return to the rope and form a perfect square without removing their blindfolds.
    5. To add an extra challenge, set a time limit for completing the task.

    This activity encourages students to communicate effectively, rely on one another, and problem-solve as a team to achieve a common goal. It's a fun and engaging way to develop teamwork skills while promoting cooperation and collaboration among students.

    Tug of War in Four Directions

    Tug of War In Four Directions is one of the highly recommended team building activities for school students, offering twice the excitement of traditional tug-of-war. Here's how to set it up:

    1. Create an X shape by tying two long ropes together at their centre points.
    2. Place a bandana or marker at the centre of the X to indicate the starting point.
    3. Use cones to mark a circular boundary around the X.
    4. Divide the students into four teams, with each team positioned at one end of the ropes.
    5. When ready, signal for each team to start pulling in their respective directions.
    6. The objective is for each team to pull the others in their direction until the bandana reaches outside the circle of cones.

    This outdoor activity promotes teamwork, coordination, and strategy as students work together to achieve victory. It's a fun and engaging way to build camaraderie and foster collaboration among students.

    Learn From The Spider Web

    If you're seeking additional enjoyable team building activities for school students, consider adding Spider Web to your repertoire. This captivating game highlights the interconnectedness of students despite their differences.

    To play, form a circle with students either standing or seated. The game commences with the first player sharing an amusing or embarrassing story about themselves while holding a ball of twine. After sharing their story, the player holds onto one end of the twine and tosses the ball to another student in the circle. The student who catches the ball then shares their own story before passing the twine to another student. This process continues until every student has shared a story and held onto the twine, creating a "spider web" that symbolizes their connection to each other.

    Spider Web is a delightful and inclusive activity that fosters empathy, communication, and teamwork in a playful atmosphere.

    Take On The Marshmallows and Toothpicks Challenge

    Another engaging addition to your collection of group activities for school students is the Marshmallows and Toothpicks Challenge.

    In this game, students are divided into teams of equal size and provided with an equal quantity of wooden toothpicks and marshmallows. For younger age groups, it's advisable to use safer alternatives like drinking straws or sticks instead of toothpicks. The objective is for each team to construct the tallest, most expansive, or most innovative structure within a set time frame.

    Following the challenge, have each team present and explain their creation, fostering creativity, collaboration, and communication skills among students.

    Integrate Teamwork, Leadership, and Resilience In Your Lessons

    Incorporate discussions on leadership effectiveness, the rewards of resilience, and the advantages of teamwork into your teaching regimen beyond just organising team building activities for school students.

    Conduct thorough analyses on how successful leaders have thrived, or delve into conversations about the resilience of students' parents or mentors. Encourage students to identify signs of positive or negative resilience, teamwork, or leadership in their favourite musicians, actors, or athletes.

    Assigning tasks to students to research and present on these topics can further deepen their understanding and appreciation of these valuable skills.

    Will You Take Up The Challenge To Change Your Students Lives? 

    From a young age, it's crucial to instil vital emotional and social skills in children. These skills are shaped by the positive reinforcement and interactions they experience, especially within their families and communities.

    Fortunately, educators have the power to teach essential qualities like leadership, teamwork, and resilience - the keys to success - in enjoyable and engaging ways through team building activities for school students.

    Urban Quest leads the way in teaching the value of teamwork, leadership and resilience by way of offering team building activities for school students in Melbourne in the form of the Urban Quest experience.

    Reach out if you want your students to learn while having an absolute blast!

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