Choosing Teams Creatively

Here are a few creative ways to let your students choose teams or partners so nobody is left out or chosen last.

1. Use a deck of children's playing cards such as GO FISH or OLD MAID. Hand out a card to each student and have them pair up with the person who has a matching card.
2. Cut several cereal box fronts into four or five large puzzle pieces. Hand one piece to each child. The children with the interlocking pieces are on the same team. Have a race to see which team can complete its puzzle first.
3. Group students according to birth months. If you have a smaller group of students, have January through June form one team and July through December form the other.
4. Ask students to hold one hand behind their backs with 1-4 fingers pointing out. Group students in odd or even groups or group by numbers if you need four groups.
5. Line up students alphabetically and split the line into equal groups. Vary lining up by first, last, and middle names.
6. Give each child a piece of hard candy (red, purples, yellow, green, etc.) to eat. Have the children stick out their tongues to form groups of similar colors.