Positive student relationships are an important part of academic success. They help create a healthier environment for everyone while also helping students learn how to express themselves and regulate their emotions.
When students feel welcome and supported, they tend to do better academically. Feeling supported doesn’t just mean having positive relationships with other students but with teachers as well.
This feeling of having a positive relationship with peers and teachers also means fewer behavioral issues since feeling supported makes children and teens want to pay attention and learn.
This is why relationship-building activities for students can be so helpful. They help teachers and students build a rapport while also making it easier for peer relationships to develop.
1. Icebreaker Activities for the Classroom
Icebreakers work well during the first day of class when everyone is adjusting to being in a new room with a new teacher and peers. Name games and introductions are popular options. These name games can involve each student saying their name and then the next student saying the name of all of the ones before them.
Introductions can also be fun and let students speak about themselves a bit. You can tweak it to suit your needs. For example, if you run an English class, you can ask students to name their favorite book or fairytale.
Another option is two truths and a lie. In this game, students say two statements that are true about themselves and one lie, prompting the others to guess which one is the lie.
Human bingo is another option. You can pass out cards with some questions in each bingo box. Students then have to interview one another to get the answers they need.
You can also play three things in common. You can divide the classroom into smaller groups and encourage the students to find three things that they have in common within each group.
Another great icebreaker activity can be to have students stand. You can ask a series of fun and quirky yes or no questions. The students who say “yes” to a question sit down until there’s only one student left standing.
If you want to get students moving and paying attention to instructions, you can also play a game that involves you giving an instruction, such as lining up in alphabetical order by first name or standing next to people wearing the same color. It helps students learn more about one another and interact with those they might not otherwise.
2. Collaborative Learning Projects
Relationship-building activities for students can take place as they learn. With group assignments and projects, you encourage students to work together and start building relationships with one another.
Problem-solving exercises are also great for this because students have to listen to one another and work together to solve a particular challenge.
There are also many team-building exercises you can turn to for any type of classroom. By having to work together to achieve a common goal, students learn countless social skills.
3. Extracurricular Clubs and Organizations
Schools that offer clubs, recruitment events, and other similar social opportunities can encourage relationships to grow within the whole school, not just a classroom. This is conducive to a better overall school environment.
One of the best things about these kinds of clubs and organizations is that the students who attend them all have at least one thing in common.
4. Team Sports and Physical Activities
Team sports are known for creating a collaborative spirit. When everyone has the goal of winning a game, the focus is on working together and helping one another succeed.
Fitness programs are also effective at doing this. A collaborative spirit, as well as a touch of competition, allows students to challenge one another while still keeping a healthy environment.
Outdoor activities are another great option. Adventures that involve following instructions or working together to find specific clues or get to a specific location keep students engaged and collaborating.
5. Technology-Based Engagement
Setting up virtual collaborative platforms as well as forums can help students help one another and collaborate without having to be in the classroom. It’s important to ensure a healthy online environment, however, so having clear conduct rules is necessary.
Social media challenges can be another way to help students engage with each other and with the school. Creating hashtags that students can use to share things with one another can build school spirit.
6. Reflective and Expressive Activities
Journaling and creative writing assignments are excellent tools to help students communicate what they’re feeling and share life experiences. It can highlight the things that students share in common while also helping teach empathy and understanding.
Music and art workshops also help do this, encouraging students to delve into their emotions and offer some vulnerability. It can strengthen relationships with peers because of the personal nature of creating art.
7. Evaluation and Feedback Mechanisms
It’s important to offer surveys and other feedback mechanisms to see what students are struggling with, what can be improved, and more. These can help strengthen the relationships that teachers and other staff members have with the students.
By being open to students’ suggestions and comments, you can evolve with the changing needs of children and teens. This allows you to improve relationship-building activities for students to offer even better results.
Building an Inclusive and Supportive School
A supporting and inclusive school doesn’t just affect students — it impacts everyone in the community. Helping students learn how to communicate with one another in healthy ways and building relationships that encourage empathy and understanding makes it easier for students to become productive members of the community.
When you turn to Rachel’s Challenge, we offer programs that can teach students, teachers, and school staff how to build a more welcoming environment for everyone. Contact Rachel’s Challenge to book a live or digital program or to make a donation.
