Bonding activities help
children feel comfortable around each other.
Bonding activities help students get more acquainted with one another in a group setting. A fifth grade classroom will function more smoothly if everybody knows each other well. One way to break down the social barriers between children is to have them play games that both teach cooperation and embody a common experience. Make your fifth grade classroom a comfortable and fun environment with bonding activities that start students off on the right foot.
Human Bingo
This activity is a quick way to get a large group of fifth graders introduced to one another while having fun. Make a paper sheet with a grid of boxes with five rows and five columns. In each square write a different trait, experience or quality, such as "Someone who has traveled to Europe," "someone with two older siblings," "someone who wears contact lenses" and "someone with a food allergy." Keep them general enough that most groups will have at least one student with each characteristic. Distribute sheets. Students must circulate and collect signatures of other students who fulfill the characteristics of each square. The first student to complete the sheet wins. Students bond as they are forced to interact with one another for the first time.
Human Knot
This activity promotes teamwork while allowing students to have a giant laugh together. Have all the students stand together in a very tight circle. Students must put both hands out in front of them and randomly grab two other hands. The result is a human knot. Without letting go, the group must try to untangle itself. Students will twist and turn and discuss the necessary contortions for untangling. Even though untangling will not always be possible, students bond through the process. You might afterward engage the class in a discussion about teamwork, reviewing how students worked together to solve a common problem.
Bridge Building
This activity promotes bonding in small groups and helps students build a "bridge" to communication. Break the class into groups of three or four. Give each group a bowl of water and a kit containing some Popsicle sticks, sticky tack, paper clips, string and any other building material you see fit. Groups have 20 minutes to build a "communication bridge" over the bowl of water. After 20 minutes, test each bridge by placing pebbles on it one at a time. The bridge that supports the most weight wins. Through working together to create the best bridge, students bond closely with a few other students.
One-on-One Sharing
Break the class into two groups. The first group sits in a circle. The second group sits in a smaller inner circle facing outward so that each student is facing a partner. Ask the class a question for discussion, such as "What is your biggest fear?" Have partners discuss the question for a few minutes. Have the inside circle rotate so that everyone has a new partner. Ask another question. Proceed in this fashion until the circle has made a complete revolution. Other possible questions include: "What was the best day of your life?" "What is your earliest memory?" "If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?" and "Where do you hope to be in 10 years?" This exercise promotes one-on-one bonding. Ideally, students will feel closer to many other students in the class once the exercise is completed. This will help you put the focus on learning and not having students feel awkwardness toward one another.
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