Team Strategy Play
Grades 6-8
Setup | Opening | Play Time | Closing
Opening Procedure (5-7 minutes)
PEP-UP: Gotcha (3 min)
1. Participants stand in a circle with their right palm open, and their left pointer finger on neighbour's palm.
2. When the facilitator says 'Gotcha', the participant must try to catch their neighbour's finger with their right hand while ensuring their own left pointer is not caught.
3. Play a few rounds.
NORMS (30 seconds):
1. Plan together.
2. Take turns.
3. Respect the other team.
4. Look after the games.
More Pep-up Options
2/4
Setup | Opening | Play Time | Closing
Session Name
Play to Win
Age Group
Ages 12-14
Session Intention
Children use planning, negotiation, and reading the game to compete strategically in complex team games.
Materials Needed
• Business / Monopoly (1)
• Museum of Treasures (1)
• Catch the Crook (1)
• Pictureka (1)
• Countdown (1)
• Dog and the bone (1)
• Lagori (1)
• Ludo (2)
• Jenga (1)
• Chess (2)
• Gopher it (1)
Classroom Arrangement
1. Form teams of 4-6.
2. Lagori needs clear areas between benches or in front of the room.
3. Allow brief planning time before each game.
4. Set expectations on sportsmanship before starting.
1/4
Setup | Opening | Play Time | Closing
Play Time (~25-28 minutes)
GETTING TEAMS STARTED:
1. Give the games to each team.
2. Explain that they need to pair up with a partner and play not as an individual but as a team. Example: In ludo, 2 players become a team and play as one.
3. They have to make all decisions with their partner/team.
STEP IN WHEN NEEDED:
1. Rule conflict - Check the instructions and decide together.
2. One player deciding everything - Someone else decides the next move.
3. A team is overwhelmed - give them a 1-minute huddle.
4. Disappointment at losing - Even losing teaches you something.
What You May Notice
1. Strong interpersonal dynamics emerge in long games like Monopoly.
2. Some children play analytically. Others play by instinct. Both styles are valid.
3. Watching how groups adapt to setbacks is the most important part of this session.
3/4
Setup | Opening | Play Time | Closing
Closing (~3-5 minutes)
1. Draw everyone's attention.
2. Ask - What strategy worked? What would you change?
3. Hear from 2-3 teams.
4. Acknowledge both the winning and the learning.
5. Get children to pack the games.
Try Next Time
1. Rotate team compositions so children work with different partners.
2. Ask teams to write a simple strategy on paper before the game starts, then compare it to what actually happened.
3. Run a tournament with the most loved games: track results across multiple sessions.