Crocktober
A crockpot potluck with a free sign-up sheet, a cozy way to bring your staff together in October each year.
30–45 min
One Piece at a Time
An activity to get staff moving around the building and talking to people outside their usual circle.
Alissa Christensen
A team building activity for teachers where every staff member gets one piece of a themed item and has to match with coworkers until a full set comes together. Rotate the theme every month or run it once for a quick way to spark connections across your school.
Why try it
Get staff moving around the building and talking to people outside their usual circle. Matching pieces to complete a set gives every conversation a purpose. Running it with a new theme each month keeps the activity fresh from August through June.
What's included
Browse the printables included with this resource.
Instructions
1
Pick a theme and prep the pieces
Choose an item to build, like a backpack, a pumpkin, or a snowman, and gather enough complete sets so every staff member gets one piece. If your staff count doesn't divide evenly, pair people up or add an extra piece to a couple of sets.
2
Share the directions and hand out the pieces
Send staff the directions before the day starts, including the question they'll ask each other and a picture of the finished item, so everyone knows what they're building toward. At the start of the day, give each staff member one piece. Keep the distribution a surprise so no one knows who is holding which pieces.
3
Search for matches
Staff ask each other, "Do you want to [build the item]?" throughout the day to find out what piece someone has. If it's a match, they join forces. If not, they keep searching.
4
Set a deadline and reward the winners
Announce a deadline, like the end of the day or 12:30 PM, and let staff know how the winning team will be rewarded. If no team finishes a full set by the deadline, the team with the most pieces wins.
Go deeper
Additional tips for running this resource.
Leader Tip #1
Add a conversation twist
Ask staff to answer a quick question, like sharing a goal for the year or a favorite recipe, before they match pieces.
Leader Tip #2
Pair it with a potluck
Match the theme with a themed potluck, like a hot cocoa bar in January or a fall harvest spread in September.
Leader Tip #3
Rotate a seasonal theme
Swap in a new themed item each month, like a pumpkin in October, a snowman in December, or an ice cream sundae in June.
Built by Educators, for School Leaders
This resource was created in collaboration with passionate educators and school leaders who believe in the power of intentional connection.
Alissa Christensen
Head of Customer Success
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