Birthday Line Up
Looking for a quick and simple team building activity to do with a large group? Look no further than Birthday Line Up for a challenge that affords your group the opportunity to practice problem solving, cooperation and building (silent!) communication skills.
Time Needed: 15 minutes
Group Size: 10+ people
Materials: None
Directions: Tell participants that this activity should be completed in total silence. Explain that the goal of this activity is to line the group up according to their birthdays (month and day) without talking. The line should begin with January 1st and end with December 31st. Allow the group to work together silently to complete the task. Once they believe they are finished lining up, start with the beginning of the line and ask participants to say the month and day in which they were born out loud. If the group was successful, everyone will be in calendar order.
Challenging variations of this activity could include setting a time limit to complete the task or adding their birth year to the lineup requirements.
Debrief Questions:
- How did the group communicate nonverbally to complete the task?
- What are some ways that we communicate without words in our day-to-day lives? (Looking for responses such as body language, tone, eye contact, etc.)
- Why is it important that we pay attention to nonverbal communication when working with others?