the team-building site of middle grade author Jackie Yeager
Hey there! With September here and the new school year fully underway, I thought it would be a great time to begin launching new team-building activities. First up: the Human Bulldozer! I love this one because it's high energy and gets kids brainstorming & working together towards a common goal. Perfect for sports teams, Odyssey… Continue reading New Team Building Activity: HUMAN BULLDOZER!
There’s nothing like cheering for a team. Just ask any global citizen who loves watching the Olympic Games! The worldwide event brings out the ultimate fan in all of us. Whether we’re watching an obscure sport or a marquis event, we hold our breath through every race, dive, jump, twist, and flip. We gasp at… Continue reading The Story Effect at the Olympics
As promised, today I uploaded a new downloadable document filled with fun and engaging Verbal Team Tasks. They’re a good mix, I think. Some require more creativity than others, but each of them will get your team’s collective brain cells swirling. So, whether you’re using them to prepare for the Spontaneous portion of next Spring’s… Continue reading More Spontaneous Verbal Team Tasks
Okay, so you’re faced with a new day of teaching or another team practice. Your kids are a bit sleepy. Maybe not sleepy… just less energetic than you had hoped they’d be today. Well, can you blame them? The honeymoon of the first week or two of school is over. Reality is setting in that… Continue reading 10 Verbal Team Challenges you Must Give your Team or Class Today
There’s something so spectacular about wildflowers, especially in September. The colorful petals fill the fields in such a random way. Each one different and pretty enough on its own. But when grown side by, the collective view is stunning. It almost makes you wonder if it was planned, though by definition, we all know they are… Continue reading Team Building is not a Bed of Roses
Are you a visual learner? Or do you learn best by listening? Neither? Well, maybe you fall into the reading/ writing camp. Or maybe you're a kinesthetic learner. Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing. They respond well to information or solve problems best when given a tactile experience—anything they can play with and touch. Have… Continue reading Spontaneous Hands-on Practice Problems
The years since my second book was published are flying by faster that the Crimson Five’s aero bus… the one that transports them to the Piedmont Challenge Global Championships in Quebec! To celebrate, last night I started re-reading it. It’s kind of strange how the details and memories of writing this book came crashing back! … Continue reading 5 Years for Flip the Silver Switch!
This week I added a new tab to the site: Spontaneous Tasks. It’s full of spontaneous practice problems, used by Odyssey of the Mind coaches to get their teams ready for competition. I’ll be adding more soon, but the ones highlighted so far are some of my favorites. But what if you’re not an OotM… Continue reading Spontaneous Verbal Practice Problems
Ready for an activity that will change your team’s trajectory? No seriously. This team-building challenge is the one you didn’t know you needed! Why? Because it will get your team talking. And brainstorming. And working together. It will frustrate them but it will also intrigue them and keep them engaged. Isn’t that what you want?… Continue reading FREE THE PAPER CLIPS Team Building Activity
Swirling thoughts. Sparks of Inspiration. Change is good. I’m so glad you’re here because I have fun news! August is a big month for this website and I want to tell you all about it. In a few weeks, Swirl and Spark will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary. Ten! How is it possible that I… Continue reading Sparks of Change