Team Strategy Play
Grades 3-5
Setup | Opening | Play Time | Closing
Opening Procedure (5-7 minutes)
PEP-UP: 20 questions (3 min)
1. The facilitator thinks of a secret item, character, or concept.
2. Students take turns asking yes/no questions.
3. Narrow down possibilities based on answers.
4. Guess the item once enough clues are gathered.
5. The game ends when the item is correctly guessed or all questions are used.
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
Strategy Squad
Age Group
Ages 9-11
Session Intention
Children play team strategy games that need planning, negotiation, and adapting when things go wrong.
Materials Needed
• Ludo (2)
• Countdown (1)
• Gopher it (1)
• Pictureka (1)
• Memory Skills/Mind power (1)
• Jenga (1)
• Business / Monopoly (1)
• Lagori (1)
• Dog and the bone (1)
• Chess (2)
Classroom Arrangement
1. Form teams of 4-6.
2. Lagori needs clear areas between benches or front of the room.
3. Allow brief planning time before each game.
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.
What You May Notice
1. Teams that talk and plan together tend to do better than those relying on one strong player.
2. Losing teams often become more creative in later rounds.
3. Some children will struggle with competitive emotions. Sit near them if needed.
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.