[For Kids] Exciting Class-vs-Class Games: Team Competition Activities
Looking for team-based games that will get everyone excited indoors with your friends? We’ve gathered a variety of cooperative indoor games—like creative twists on the classic charades, flipping races, and telephone—that teams can enjoy together! With simple rules that let you start right away, these games are sure to bring out smiles all around.
Indoor games that deepen team bonds while letting each person’s individuality shine.
Let’s sync up and have fun together!
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Indoor Team Competitions (11–20)
Drawing on the Back! Telephone Game
It’s a game that combines drawing to convey something with the classic telephone game: the Back Drawing Telephone Game.
You stick a piece of paper on someone’s back and draw on it to pass along a message; the person being drawn on interprets what they felt and then draws on the next person’s back, and so on.
Whether you’re good at drawing or not, sensing the picture is surprisingly tricky, which makes the game exciting.
We recommend starting with simple drawings.
After the last person finishes, have each player announce what they drew one by one, then look at the drawings made on everyone’s back to check the answers.
Team Competition Bingo
How about turning the classic bingo game into a team match? It’s still bingo if the numbers in a row on your card line up vertically, horizontally, or diagonally—but it’s not a win just because you personally get bingo.
For example, by setting a rule like “the round ends when three people at the table get bingo,” you eliminate the “it’s over as soon as I get bingo” scenario and keep the suspense and excitement going until the very end.
Whether you snag a lavish prize is up to luck! Let’s all cheer together for every number that’s called.
Trump & Card Game
Here are some card games using playing cards or karuta.
Normally, you play with playing cards or karuta in a small space on a table or on the floor.
The games introduced here use a cleared, larger area—put away tables and chairs and give it a try.
If you’re using playing cards, lay out all the cards as you would for Concentration (Memory).
If you’re using karuta, spread out the picture cards around the room.
Because the games take place in a large space, children will walk around to look for the cards.
A card game with a wide range of movement is sure to get kids excited.
Team play is also recommended.
You’ll likely hear teammates calling out things like, “There’s one over there!”
Telephone game
The telephone game is a classic recreation activity.
Everyone sits in a line and starts with the child at one end, who passes along a prompt word so that the others can’t hear it.
Whispering from one person to the next, making sure no one else hears, it goes down the line… and you see if the message makes it all the way to the end correctly.
Because it’s whispered in hushed tones, it often doesn’t get passed on accurately—but that’s part of the fun, and it always leads to laughter and excitement.
Puzzle Escape Game
Puzzle-solving games may not be everyone’s strong suit, but many people enjoy them, don’t you think? You often see them at events and on TV, and just mulling them over feels like brain training and is fun.
With such popular puzzle games, doing a “puzzle-solving escape game” where everyone cooperates to solve riddles and escape seems like a surefire way to boost teamwork, right? And problems that one person can’t figure out might surprisingly be solved smoothly when you join forces.
Let’s compete to see which team can escape the fastest!
One character each! A game where everyone matches the answer together
It’s a game where you give a word whose number of characters matches the number of participants.
It sounds simple, but since everyone has to match their answers, it’s surprisingly tricky and very exciting.
You start with two people and a two-character answer; if you get it right, one more person joins and it becomes three characters, and so on, increasing both people and characters.
For example, if you start with two people and the prompt is “Name a fruit,” you have to answer with a two-character fruit and match answers.
Examples include momo (peach), nashi (pear), kaki (persimmon), and kuri (chestnut).
The more people you have, the more difficult it gets.
Team Battle Tic-Tac-Toe
@soramame.sensei Hello! This is Kotoba no Kyoushitsu Soramame Kids. We’re playing a team-based tic-tac-toe game! It gets surprisingly heated, so staying hydrated is a must. Give it a try!Kotoba no Kyoushitsu Soramame Kids#SoramameKidsChild Development Support ServicesAfter-school day serviceSpeech-Language-Hearing TherapistOccupational therapistNursery teacher / Childcare worker#KagoshimaRehabilitationKagoshima# developmental support (ryōiku)Recreation
♬ A comical long who seems to be chasing me(845594) – WataSound
This is an introduction to a game where you line up circles and crosses.
Try playing by splitting into two teams.
One person from each team takes turns placing a circle or a cross card on the empty spaces of a 3×3 grid.
The side that lines up three in a row—diagonally, vertically, or horizontally—wins.
Try to prevent your opponent from making a line of three while setting up your own.
The real charm of this game is the battle of wits as offense and defense unfold.
It’s a simple game, but completing a line of three brings a special kind of joy.
Command Game
It’s a fast-paced game that tests listening and split-second decision-making.
The rules are very clear: if someone says “Command, command: do XX,” you perform that action; if they say only “Do XX” without the word “command,” you must not move.
If you react carelessly, you’re out, so keen observation and focus are essential.
The teacher’s feints will fill the classroom with laughter and create a fun atmosphere.
Despite the simple rules, timing and rhythm allow for plenty of strategy, and it stays exciting no matter how many times you play.
Move or stay still—the instant you decide determines the outcome.
Shiritori Gesture Game
This game mixes shiritori with charades.
Have your teammates guess what you’re trying to convey with gestures; once they get it right, move on to the next word, again using shiritori and gestures, and keep going.
Set a time limit and compete as teams to see how many you can get in a row.
And don’t forget a penalty game for the losing team!
Kendama Fencing
Let’s have fun by arranging the game! Introducing Kendama Fencing.
Fencing is a sport derived from medieval European chivalry in which two competitors face off one-on-one with swords, right? This time, let’s play using kendama instead of swords.
Divide into two teams and keep about five meters between them.
Choose one player from each team, and with the ball resting on the kendama’s cup, aim to reach the opposing team’s side.
The rule is that when you pass each other, the player who knocks the opponent’s ball off with their hand advances.