Whole Group Preschool Activity Ideas to Build Teamwork and Social Skills + Free Printable

In preschool, creating an environment where children feel safe, included, and supported is key to their emotional and social development. Whole group activities play an essential role in achieving this. These activities not only provide valuable learning experiences but also help build a sense of community and promote teamwork among young learners. Below you will find several of our favorite whole group activities, as well as a free download containing a list if 100 Preschool Whole Group Activity Ideas!

Whole Group Activities for Preschoolers

Whole group activities are lessons or educational experiences that involve all students in the classroom participating at the same time. These activities are typically led by the teacher and encourage the entire class to collaborate and work together. Rather than focusing on individual tasks, whole group activities help students develop social skills, communication, and problem-solving abilities in a shared setting.

Why Whole Group Activities Matter in Preschool

Whole group activities are an excellent way to foster a sense of belonging and community in the classroom. In preschool, children are often learning how to navigate their social world, interact with others, and share experiences. When children engage in whole group activities, they have the chance to practice important skills such as communication, cooperation, and empathy.
Some of the primary benefits of whole group activities include:

• Building Relationships: Preschool is often a child's first experience with making friends. Whole group activities help children learn how to interact with peers, share, and build relationships.
• Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills: These activities promote teamwork and social skills, such as taking turns, following directions, and problem-solving.
• Encouraging Active Listening: In group activities, children practice listening attentively to their peers and teachers, which helps improve their language and communication skills.
  

Types of Whole Group Activities

Whole group activities come in various formats, each offering a unique way for children to learn and interact. Here are some examples of common whole group activities:

1. Interactive Reading Sessions
   The teacher reads a story or rhyme aloud to the class, engaging children in discussions about the characters, setting, and plot. This enhances literacy skills, vocabulary, and listening comprehension.
2. Circle Time
   Circle time is a daily gathering where children and teachers discuss the theme of the day, sing songs, and practice routines. It is a great opportunity for community-building, learning social rules, and reinforcing class expectations.
3. Calendar Time
   During calendar time, children review the days of the week, weather, and upcoming events. It’s a time to practice counting, discuss the seasons, and engage in interactive learning experiences.
4. Music and Movement
   Singing songs, dancing, and moving together help children develop motor skills, coordination, and rhythm. It’s also a fun way to engage the whole class in active participation.
5. Group Games
   Games like "Simon Says," "Freeze Dance," and "Follow the Leader" promote listening skills and physical activity. These games are designed to be fun while reinforcing social and cognitive skills.
6. Building Challenges
   STEM activities that encourage collaboration are perfect for whole group learning. Preschoolers can work together to solve problems, build structures, or conduct simple experiments.
7. Projects
   Working together on a project, such as creating a mural, group painting, or cooking activity encourages creativity and cooperation. Children contribute their own ideas while learning to respect others’ contributions.
   
8. Class Discussions or Meetings
   These gatherings help children practice verbal expression, active listening, and respect for others' opinions. Group conversations can also focus on emotions, classroom rules, and problem-solving.
   

Tips for Planning Whole Group Activities

Whole group activities typically last for a shorter amount of time in preschool settings, as young children have shorter attention spans. The purpose is to engage and teach the class as a whole, and they help establish routines and a sense of belonging in the classroom.

While it’s not necessary to plan for all of these different types of whole group activities every day in a preschool setting, incorporating them regularly is important for fostering a sense of community, structure, and for introducing and reinforcing key concepts. However, not every day needs to have a whole group activity, especially if the children have other opportunities for learning in smaller group settings or through independent center activities.

Many of these whole group activities can be combined to maximize time and engagement. For example:

1. Storytime + Discussion – After reading a book, you can turn it into a discussion or question session, allowing the children to talk about the story, share their opinions, or answer questions. This helps reinforce literacy and social-emotional skills.
   
2. Music & Movement + Circle Time – You could combine singing songs and dancing as part of your circle time, making the transition between activities more fluid and engaging.
   
3. Math/Science + Art – For a thematic unit, you could incorporate a science discussion and then have the children create a Science based art project based on what they learned during a small group activity. For example, after exploring the properties of water, the children could create an art project using watercolors.
   
4. Class Meeting + Social Skills Practice – A class meeting could also serve as a time to practice social skills, where you talk about emotions, problem-solving, or other aspects of the preschool curriculum, combining community-building with learning about social interactions.
   

By combining these activities, you create a more dynamic and engaging learning experience for the children, and it helps streamline your daily schedule.

Planning Considerations:

• Flexibility: Whole group activities should be flexible, so they can be adjusted based on the needs of the children on any given day.
  
• Balance: Balance is key. While whole group activities are valuable, it's also important to allow for individual or small group work, where children can engage at their own pace and develop independence.
  
• Variety: Having a variety of whole group activities across the week (but not necessarily every day) will keep things fresh and engaging for the children, helping them stay motivated to participate.
  

Some of our favorite types of whole group activities:

Dramatic Play

Dramatic play centers are a great place for preschoolers to naturally work together. During their pretend play experience preschoolers are using communication, leadership, idea-exchange, and cooperation. When you give your preschoolers a shared task to work on together, it can ignite collaboration. For instance, you may suggest they transform your dramatic play center into a pizza parlor. Instead of setting it up for them,  include your preschoolers in the preparation and planning. They can help gather the materials, set up the space, and work together to make signs for the pizza shop. They can also brainstorm, and collaborate about other props and ideas to add to the space. Once they are in engaged in a dramatic play preschoolers can take on different roles while interacting with their peers.

Making Music Together

Strike up the band! Give each student an instrument (or make your own), allow your students to create their own songs, or even a concert. Encourage them to play individually and together!

Group Games

Playing a Game is a fantastic way to give young children an opportunity to practice their new teamwork skills. Games can be played with partners, or small groups and they can be played both indoors and out.

Dance

Dancing together is a fun way to get out some energy, relax, and build teamwork skills. A classic game of Freeze Dance allows preschoolers to have dance and have fun together, but also gives preschoolers to enforce rules, cooperate, and look out for one another.

Follow the Leader

Follow the Leader is a classic game that young children love. Whoever is the leader chooses actions, dance moves, or even words for their classmates to follow. Not only is this game super fun it also encourages listening, following directions, taking turns, and respecting peers.

Scavenger Hunts

Invite preschoolers to join in on a scavenger hunt. Another great opportunity to work together to find all the items. It can be as simple as a color hunt, or a themed hunt. Or, maybe you are a teacher who tends to lose things and needs a bit of help! We’ve all been there, and nothing says teamwork like preschoolers who want to help out their teacher. ​

Parachute Play

The parachute is a great activity to use during recess, indoor, or outdoor play. It’s a great representation that teamwork truly does make the dreamwork. The parachute cannot raise higher and higher without everyone working together. This is an activity that is easy to bring out and it’s definitely a favorite. ​

Activities and games allow preschoolers to play and be themselves. This is when preschoolers understand the value of communication, working together, and problem-solving. These activities are great to sprinkle in throughout your day and they play an important role in building a classroom community. We are laying the building blocks for students to use these skills for years to come!

---

Making things Together

Working together to make things is another way to promote teamwork in your  program. It helps young children to develop problem-solving skills, cooperation, communication skills, leadership skills, and creative thinking. Introducing preschoolers to teamwork and collaboration not only plays an important role in their educational journey but it also helps them as they grow into adults. Collaborative art, cooking projects, and building projects allow preschoolers to focus on cooperation rather than competition. Regardless of age, this helps preschoolers to understand how valuable not only their role but their peers' roles can be in whole group work and activities. Below we have highlighted some simple ways to encourage collaboration and teamwork through making things together.

Collaborative Art Projects 

Preschoolers love creating individual artwork because it's an opportunity to express their creativity. But, have you ever overheard a student having a conversation with their parent on the way out the door about their experience creating a "Group Art Piece"? If so, you most likely overheard the child telling their parent all about the colors they used but also what the other students contributed to the piece.

Collaborative art requires preschoolers to work together by contributing their own ideas, but also making room for other's to add their contributions as well.These types of projects also give young children the chance to brainstorm, and share ideas with their peers.

Art projects can be as simple as a large piece of butcher paper and markers or beautiful hand-print rainbow. By working together to create something together preschoolers experience how how when combined, individual contributions can make a single masterpiece-worth talking about!

Cooking Together

Cooking with preschoolers is fun, and a great opportunity to remind preschoolers the importance of following directions (all while teaching important life skills).

Cooking is also great for whole-group instruction because you can assign preschoolers different  individual tasks, but they are able to see how working together can to create a product they can all enjoy.

Try making a friendship fruit salad where preschoolers can individually contribute a chosen piece of fruit. They can each take turns washing, cutting, and mixing their fruit to make one delicious salad. This is also a great time to discuss how we even though we are all different- together you are classroom family!

Building & STEM Projects 

STEM activities are a great place to introduce teamwork. These activities allow preschoolers to share their ideas and problem-solve while building. For instance, this Jack and Beanstalk Challenge requires preschoolers to develop and execute a plan to help Jack reach the castle. Preschoolers can work together to brainstorm and problem-solve the best solution. These are great activities to do as a whole-group (or as partners) because they helps preschoolers to be respectful of other's ideas by listening and exchanging ideas. 

Writing a Classroom Story

Preschoolers always have a fun story to tell-they are so creative! Invite your preschoolers to write a story together to keep in your classroom library.

Writing a classroom story is a great way to help preschoolers work together to create ideas, characters, and a story-line. They will work together to take on different tasks and share ideas with one another. It will quickly become the most requested book at story time.

Tips for facilitating group activities

To ensure that group activities are successful, it's important to have a plan in place. This might involve setting clear goals, establishing rules and expectations, and assigning roles and responsibilities to each child. It's also important to create a positive and supportive environment, in which children feel comfortable expressing themselves and working together.

Conclusion

Whole group activities are essential for creating a positive and inclusive classroom environment and helping students feel safe and included. They provide children with opportunities to build relationships, develop social-emotional skills, and practice working together as a team. By incorporating activities that promote collaboration, communication, and community-building, preschool educators can help foster a sense of belonging and teamwork that will last a lifetime.
As you plan your whole group activities, remember to keep them engaging, flexible, and fun. These activities not only enhance learning but also help children build lifelong skills that will serve them both in the classroom and beyond. When everyone works together, the classroom becomes a family—learning, growing, and having fun together!

Want to make your classroom even more engaging?

Download our FREE "100 Whole Group Preschool Activity Ideas" list to bring more creativity and fun to your classroom. These activities are designed to promote teamwork, build social-emotional skills, and engage your students in meaningful learning experiences.

Looking for more activity ideas? Check out our Activity Library for additional fun and educational resources to bring your whole group activities to life!

You May Also Like:

Tips for creating a Sense of Belonging in the Preschool Classroom