Various variations on how to form teams for games, for example.
Classical Techniques
- CALLING OUT: The game leader divides the children by counting out (1,2,1,2, ...). All 1s are in one group, all 2s are in the second group. To get groups as equally strong as possible, you can have the children line up by size or age before counting them out.
- CHOOSE GROUPS: The game leader appoints group leaders, who can then each appoint one person to their group in turn. Again, this usually results in groups of roughly equal strength. However, this technique is problematic for the children who are repeatedly appointed only towards the end, as they could be labelled as "worse" (or could get this impression).
Indian group formation
All kids take off one of their shoes and put it on a pile. The game leader now forms the groups based on the shoes. The shoes can now be put back on again
Haptic group finding
The kids line up in order. The game leader now gives everyone from behind an object to keep in their hand and not to look at. Now, two children at a time stand Rücken to Rücken and feel each other's object. If it is the same object, they have found the first member of the group. This continues until all groups have found each other
The gummy bear strategy
Each child draws a gummy bear from a bag. The respective color determines its group membership. Of course, the first bag must be filled with the correct number of gummy bears in the corresponding colors
Division by animal sounds
Each child must draw a piece of paper on which the name of an animal is written. On command, everyone begins to imitate the typical sound of the animal they drew. The group members are now to be identified on the basis of the sounds made.
Once technique for two equal strength groups
Have the kids each line up in groups of two. Normally, each kid lines up with their best friend who is typically pretty much the same age/strength. Now, the game leader determines that one person from each group of two will be on one team or the other. But the technique will not work a second time, because the children already know it ...
The "one-cuts-the-other-chooses" method
Two players of equal strength are designated by the game master. One gets to form 2 teams, the other gets to choose which team to play on. The one who formed the teams must play on the other team
The trick with this method is that the one who forms the teams is interested in forming two teams of equal strength. Otherwise, the other player picks the stronger team and the one who formed the teams has to play on the weaker team. Moreover, the game master is not to blame for unequal teams ;).
Division with different colored clothespins
Everyone is in a circle with their eyes closed. They may still have a task to complete while standing in the circle with their eyes closed. For example, being quiet and listening for different sounds, or they have a task to think about something, ... The leader puts a clothes peg on the back of each child so that the child cannot see it. The colours are according to the number of groups I need for the next game. Now I explain that everyone should find their group without words and without looking at their own colour. Of course they can open their eyes again now
Image credits
Cover photo: © peter draschan / pixelio.de
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