Leadership Activities for Elementary Students

Be it elementary school students, or employees of a company, leadership is a very necessary quality for all. Almost every grade has one lesson telling students the importance of leadership and teamwork. However, these lessons are read and forgotten easily. Like any other quality, leadership cannot be acquired just by telling or reading. Besides, it is very difficult to tell kids how leadership should be inoculated in oneself. One easy way to teach students leadership is to regularly organize leadership activities. There are many activities to inculcate these qualities, which will not only teach them the importance of leadership but will also promote their already existing leadership skills.

Interesting and Effective Leadership Activities

Lead the Herd: Firstly, set small obstacles throughout a room. The game will start from one part of the room and end at the other, so convert the room in an obstacle course. Then, divide the students in two groups. Now choose one leader from each group. Ask the teacher to choose one, or ask the children to do so using chits.

Once the group leaders are chosen, blindfold all the group members, except the leader. It is better if a teacher blindfolds all the students, so that there is no cheating. At the count of three, the leaders of the respective groups should start leading their group towards the goal. The group members have to cooperate with each other, to cross the obstacle course without falling down. The duty of the leader is to give accurate directions, maintain his cool, control his group, and obviously to win. The group which reaches the goal point first, wins.

Silent Leadership: Silence speaks more than words, this leadership activity for group will illustrate this saying. A leader is expected to be silent, a person whose actions speaks more than his words. In this game, this quality of the leader will be tested. Divide students in two groups, of equal number, preferably of five-ten students. Now the leaders have to come forward, and the teacher has to whisper a specific shape in the each leader's ear. Start with simple shapes like triangle or circle. The game now starts. The leaders go back to their group, and try to form the shape told. There is only one rule, no words or pulling into positions are allowed! The leader can only use gestures or touch. The group who is successful first, wins. You can continue the game until each member has got a chance.

Tying and Untying: You will have to make two groups for this game too. Make each group stand in a circle. Each member of the group has to grab the hand of the person across him. When all have done this task, everyone will now grab the hand of any person in the circle, this will create a big knot. The leader of the group will have to help the group to untie the knot without actually helping to untie. He can take help of the members for suggestions. The group which succeeds first, wins.

I am sure the students will enjoy these activities, but just that, is not enough. It is also necessary to explain why that specific activity was conducted, and how they learned from that activity.