For 10 people or more
25-30 minutes
Materials, for each group of 5:
6 paper cups
1 rubber band
5 pieces of string
This is a fun activity that teaches many different things at once—including teamwork skills, delegation, leadership, negotiating, problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration.
Separate the group into teams of 5 people. Each person in their group ties their string to their group’s rubber band. Together, the team must work together to stack their cups in a pyramid (3 cups on the bottom, 2 in the middle, and 1 on top).
One person sets a timer, as teams have 10 minutes to complete their pyramids. No hands are allowed—only strings and rubber bands can be used to move the cups.
After the timer is finished, bring the group back together. At this point, you may ask some questions so that everyone can reflect on the activity. Here are some example questions:
“Was anyone frustrated during the activity? How did you deal with it?”
“What role did teamwork have in this activity?”
“What skills did you need to use in order to complete the activity?”
“What was the hardest part about working together as a team?”
“Think of a situation in the real world where you had to use teamwork. How did you do in that situation?”
Hopefully, many people can share stories. Don’t be afraid to use follow-up questions to get them to elaborate more on their experiences.
This is a simple, fun activity that can teach people a lot about themselves and how they work in a group. We encourage you to try it!
