Image by The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command, Flickr
Teenage years are challenging for adolescents as they navigate the tumultuous waters between childhood and adulthood. For many, self-confidence falters as new and troublesome emotions emerge around never previously considered issues such as body image, fear of failing, and real-life stress about academic and career futures. Teamwork activities can help you succeed by restoring and bolstering confidence, making you a part of something bigger, helping to develop leadership skills, and expanding your social circles. Here are some teamwork ideas to inspire your own success:
Team Sports
Team sports are as varied as your interests, so there is certainly an option for nearly everyone. Playing a team sport is a well-known way to gain confidence, a sense of worth, discipline, healthy relationships, and to help reduce stress. Of course, the physical benefits are great too. Particularly for teen girls, sports can minimize negative body image that far too often develop during this time of life and help you feel happier in a healthy and strong body.
Trivia Teams and Other Non-Sport Competitions
If you’re a less physically inclined teen, there are abundant opportunities for non-sport competitions for almost any interest group. Many teens will find shyness melt away and new social skills develop with competitive teams ranging from spelling to mathematics. Competition of any kind, and particularly academic, is critical in pushing you toward the most you can achieve. It’s also great for helping to develop better cognitive and problem-solving skills. If you’re a more solitary type, solidifying leadership skills like these can be done through courses such as an online organizational development master’s degree, or local community learning events.
Volunteer Groups
Socially aware teens may find depth, discipline, and the value of working with others by tackling a group volunteer project. Many volunteer opportunities carry the benefit of putting teens in touch with important people in their field of interest, or in line for college scholarship opportunities. Volunteering can give you a sense of perspective that will stay with you throughout your life, making you a successful steward of your communities. Look into your local library and other community centers to find a cause you’re interested in.
Performing Arts Groups
Often overlooked when discussing teamwork, performing arts groups including orchestras, choirs, and theater groups require intensive collaboration and foster the social skills necessary for long-term success. Many teens find being on stage a way to become more secure in themselves, discovering a poise and grace that will serve them well in school and in the future.
Learning teamwork skills is an important part of your development and those skills will not only drive success in high school and college, but throughout life. In most modern business models, it is the “good team players” and the “leaders” who are most successful, and in an increasingly small world, most projects will require extensive collaboration. With so many options available, there is certainly a teamwork activity to interest any teen.
This article was contributed by guest author Brooke Chaplan.