The Best Examples of Group Decision-Making Games for Kids

Real examples of group decision-making games for kids

Before we talk theory, let’s start with the fun part: real examples of group decision-making games for kids that actually work in classrooms, after-school programs, and living rooms.

These activities share a few things in common:

• Kids must make a decision together, not just side-by-side.
• There’s more than one “right” answer.
• They need to talk, listen, and sometimes disagree respectfully.

Below are some of the best examples, with step-by-step instructions and variations so you can adapt them to your space and group size.

1. Island Survival Challenge (Upper Elementary – Middle School)

This is one of the best examples of group decision-making games for kids because it naturally pulls out leadership, persuasion, and compromise.

Set-up in simple terms
Tell kids: “You’re stranded on a deserted island. You can only bring 10 items from this list of 20. You must agree as a group.”

Create a list with a mix of practical and silly items, such as:

• Rope
• First-aid kit
• Matches or lighter
• Large pot
• Map
• Compass
• Deck of cards
• Soccer ball
• Flashlight
• Blanket
• Tent
• Notebook and pencil
• Bag of candy
• Water filter
• Knife (use judgment based on age and setting)

How it works
Each child first picks their own top 10 items silently. Then they form small groups (4–6 kids) and must create one shared list of 10 items.

The magic is in the conversation:

• They explain their choices.
• They compare priorities.
• They negotiate and trade off.

You can add a final step where groups present their lists and explain their thinking. This gives you a clear example of how different groups can make different decisions based on the same information.

Skills practiced

• Justifying opinions with reasons
• Listening and responding to others
• Reaching consensus under pressure

If you want to connect this to real-world skills, you can mention how emergency planning and community decision-making work in similar ways. Organizations like the American Red Cross offer real examples of decision-making under pressure in disaster situations that you can reference with older kids.

2. Class Mascot Vote (Early Elementary – Upper Elementary)

If you want a simple example of a group decision-making game for kids that introduces voting and fairness, this one is easy to set up and very visual.

Set-up
Tell the group they’ll choose a class or group mascot. Offer 3–5 options, such as:

• Lion
• Owl
• Dolphin
• Panda
• Eagle

Each child can draw, write, or talk about which mascot they like and why.

How it works
You move through three stages:

• Kids share their preferences in pairs or small groups.
• The whole group discusses what kind of mascot represents them (brave, smart, funny, kind, etc.).
• Everyone votes, and you tally the results together.

You can use a simple bar chart on the board or sticky notes on posters to show the vote visually.

Why this works
This game gives very young kids a real example of group decision-making using majority rule. They see that:

• Their voice matters, but
• The group decision might not match their personal choice.

It’s a gentle way to introduce fairness, disappointment, and respect for the group outcome.

For older kids, you can extend the discussion: What if the vote is very close? Should you have a runoff? Should everyone get to suggest mascot ideas first? This turns a simple activity into one of the best examples of group decision-making games for kids that highlights how rules affect outcomes.

3. Build-a-Story Circle (All Ages, Mixed Groups)

Story-building games are great examples of group decision-making games for kids who love creativity more than competition.

Set-up
Everyone sits in a circle. You give a starting sentence like: “One morning, our school playground turned into a jungle…”

How it works
Going around the circle, each child adds one sentence to the story. Before starting, the group decides on two or three rules, such as:

• No scary content beyond a certain level.
• The story has to end with everyone safe.
• The story must include at least one act of kindness.

Here’s where the decision-making comes in:

• The group can vote on which rules to include.
• They can pause halfway to decide on a direction: funny, adventurous, mystery, etc.
• If the story gets off track, they decide together how to fix it.

Why it’s powerful
This is a softer example of a group decision-making game for kids, but it’s rich in social skills. Kids must:

• Build on others’ ideas instead of ignoring them.
• Respect boundaries they agreed on.
• Adjust their own ideas to keep the story consistent.

You can also connect this to how teams of writers or game designers collaborate in real life, showing kids that creative industries involve constant group decisions.

4. Limited Budget Party Planner (Upper Elementary – Middle School)

This one feels very real-life, because it is. It’s one of the best examples of group decision-making games for kids who are starting to understand money and trade-offs.

Set-up
Tell the group: “You have $100 to plan an end-of-unit party. You must decide together how to spend it.”

Create a price list for options like:

• Pizza: $25
• Fruit platter: $15
• Cupcakes: $20
• Decorations: $15
• Music playlist upgrade (you choose what this means): $10
• Simple party games supplies: $20
• Prize bag items: $25

You can adjust prices to make the math easy or more challenging.

How it works
Kids work in small groups to:

• List what they want.
• Add up the total.
• Realize they’re over budget.
• Debate what to cut and what to keep.

Groups then present their party plans, and the class can vote on the favorite plan, or you can combine ideas.

Skills practiced

• Prioritizing when you can’t have everything
• Basic budgeting and math
• Advocating for personal preferences while respecting limits

This game gives very concrete examples of group decision-making games for kids that mirror how families, schools, and communities make budget choices. For older kids, you can connect this to how public budgets work and even show kid-friendly resources from sites like Kids.gov (now part of USA.gov) or local government pages that explain community budgeting.

5. Human Knot with Strategy Round (Upper Elementary – Teens)

Human Knot is a classic team-building activity, but a small tweak turns it into one of the more strategic examples of group decision-making games for kids.

Set-up
Kids stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. Each person reaches across and holds hands with two different people (not next to them).

How it works
The group’s goal is to untangle themselves back into a circle without breaking hands.

To add decision-making:

• Before they start moving, give them one minute to plan: Who will talk? What’s the strategy? Will they move one person at a time or all at once?
• During the activity, allow “pause” moments where they stop and decide what to try next.

Why this matters
Instead of just chaotic movement, kids experience:

• The impact of having (or not having) a clear leader.
• The difference between everyone talking at once and choosing a spokesperson.
• How changing strategy mid-game can help.

Afterward, a quick reflection makes the learning stick:

• What decisions helped us untangle faster?
• What made it harder?

This is a physical, high-energy example of a group decision-making game for kids who learn best by doing rather than sitting.

6. Values Line-Up (Upper Elementary – High School)

This activity gently introduces kids to the idea that good people can disagree and still make decisions together.

Set-up
Mark one side of the room as “Strongly Agree” and the opposite side as “Strongly Disagree,” with the middle as “Not Sure.”

Prepare statements like:

• “Homework should be optional.”
• “Everyone should have the same chores at home.”
• “Video games are a good way to learn.”
• “We should have longer recess, even if it means less class time.”

How it works
You read a statement, and kids stand where they personally fall on the line. Then, in small clusters, they explain why they chose that spot.

To turn it into a group decision-making game:

• Ask each small group to create one shared position on the line.
• They must move together to a new spot that reflects their group’s view.

What kids learn

• How to find middle ground.
• How to listen for the “why” behind someone’s opinion.
• That compromise isn’t “losing”; it’s combining ideas.

You can connect this to social-emotional learning (SEL). Organizations like CASEL share research on how SEL and perspective-taking support long-term academic and life outcomes.

7. Mystery Team Task (All Ages, Adjustable Difficulty)

This is a flexible example of a group decision-making game for kids that can be themed around science, history, or even pop culture.

Set-up
Create a “mystery” scenario, such as:

• A missing classroom object
• A fictional character who needs help
• A science problem (like how to protect an egg from a fall)

Provide:

• A short description of the problem
• A set of clues or information cards
• A few possible solutions (or let them invent their own)

How it works
Kids work in small teams to:

• Read and share the clues (everyone must see or hear them).
• Decide which clues matter and which are distractions.
• Choose a solution and explain why it fits the evidence.

Why it’s valuable
This kind of problem-solving is very close to what researchers call collaborative reasoning. Studies highlighted by groups like the Harvard Graduate School of Education show that when kids reason together, they improve both academic and social skills.

You can easily turn this into a series, giving kids multiple mystery tasks over a unit and watching how their group decision-making improves over time.

8. Schedule Shuffle: Planning the Perfect Day (Early Elementary – Upper Elementary)

This is a lighter, everyday-life example of a group decision-making game for kids, perfect for the start or end of the school year.

Set-up
Tell kids they get to design “The Perfect Day” for the class or group. Give them activity cards like:

• Reading time
• Art project
• Outdoor play
• Science experiment
• Free choice centers
• Class game time
• Quiet relaxation or mindfulness

Limit the schedule to, for example, five activity slots.

How it works
In small groups, kids:

• Rank the activities from most to least important.
• Build a five-activity schedule.
• Adjust when they realize they’ve left out something many people love.

Then you can:

• Vote on the favorite schedule, or
• Combine ideas into one final class schedule.

What kids experience

• The feeling of balancing different needs (energetic vs. calm, fun vs. learning).
• The reality that not everyone gets their first choice.
• The satisfaction of seeing a plan they helped build actually happen.

This is one of the best examples of group decision-making games for kids who like structure and predictability, because the outcome (a planned day) is very concrete.

Tips for running group decision-making games so kids actually grow

You can have the best examples of group decision-making games for kids in your toolkit, but how you run them matters just as much as the game itself.

A few simple habits make a big difference:

Set a shared goal out loud
Before each activity, clearly state the goal: “Today we’re practicing listening and making a decision together, not just winning.” This helps kids understand the point, not just the rules.

Use simple discussion stems
Post or model phrases like:

• “I agree with you because…”
• “I see it differently because…”
• “What if we tried…?”
• “Can we combine our ideas?”

These stems give kids language for respectful disagreement.

Build in reflection time
After the game, ask:

• What decisions did we make as a group?
• What helped us decide?
• What got in the way?

Short, regular reflections are backed by social-emotional learning research as a way to strengthen skills over time. The CDC’s resources on child development note that practicing social skills in everyday settings supports healthy development.

Rotate roles
If you notice the same kids always leading, assign gentle roles:

• Facilitator (keeps discussion moving)
• Timekeeper
• Recorder
• Presenter

This makes sure different kids get a turn at decision-making roles, not just the loudest voices.

FAQ: Real examples of group decision-making games for kids

Q: What are some quick examples of group decision-making games for kids I can run in 10–15 minutes?
Short options include a mini “Class Mascot Vote,” a rapid “Schedule Shuffle” with just three activity choices, or a fast “Values Line-Up” with only one or two statements. These still give kids a real example of how groups make choices together without taking over your whole lesson.

Q: How do I adapt these games for younger kids (ages 5–7)?
Keep the choices visual and limited. For example, use picture cards for the party planner or mascot vote, and reduce the number of options. The decision-making is the same, but you’re removing extra complexity like heavy reading or big numbers.

Q: Can these examples of group decision-making games for kids work with neurodivergent children?
Yes, with a few tweaks: offer clear visual supports, give extra processing time, allow kids to communicate ideas through drawing or writing instead of only speaking, and keep group sizes smaller. Many educators find that predictable routines and clear roles help all kids, not just neurodivergent ones.

Q: What’s one example of a group decision-making game for kids that works well online or in hybrid settings?
The “Build-a-Story Circle” adapts well to video calls or online classrooms. You can use a shared document or chat for kids to add sentences, and hold quick polls to decide on story rules or plot directions.

Q: How often should I use these games?
You don’t need to run them every day. Even using one or two of these examples of group decision-making games for kids each month can noticeably improve how your group talks, listens, and solves problems together over the school year.