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Cheer Camp Team Bonding

Cheer Camp Team Bonding

Team Bonding for Cheerleaders

Our team LOVES cheer camp! We try and capitalize on the positive energy at camp to build a strong foundation for the season. Cheer Camp is long and tiring so planning team bonding helps fill the day with moments of joy among the stress.

Give yourself grace, camp is BUSY if you don't have a ton of time for bonding, try adding just ONE bonding activity that is low prep but creates unity.

Cheer Camp Prep Bonding

Here are some ideas to do BEFORE you get to camp to excite your team!

Door Decorating

Check with your camp if you are able to ahead of time. Have your roommates decorate their doors! I recommend ahead of time giving them a large sheet of butcher paper to decorate with paint and glitter.

Crafting

Here are some ideas for crafting for camp:

  • Spirit Sticks
  • Tie Dye T-Shirts
  • DIY Sunglasses
  • Friendship Bracelets
  • Visors
  • Belt Bags

Supplies to use:

  • Craft glue
  • Gems
  • Glitter
  • Puff paint
  • Fringe
  • Letter stencils
  • Fabric pens
  • Permanent Markers
  • Paint brushes

Dress Up Days at Practice

During the week leading up to cheer camp, plan themed practice days! Enlist your team to help plan the days. This creates buy in from them and they will be even more motivated to dress up. Dressing up increases team comradery, the cheerleaders interact more by asking each other about their outfits, they ask to take pictures together for memories. It brings JOY to practice!

Staff Member Appreciation

If you are taking your team to a camp or bringing in outside staff, a fun idea is to bring a token of appreciation. We had Thank You Cards made with our team photo to give to organizations. You can also bring candy, t-shirts, friendship bracelets, etc. to give to staff.

Goodie Bags

Have your team create goodie bags to hand out at camp. They can be as simple as a piece of candy with a 'Good Luck' message attached. You can create 'camp survival kits' to give to coaches of the other teams. Have your team help you put them together at camp!

Cheer Camp Bonding Activities

Team Meetings

We have a team meeting every night and a brief meeting every morning of camp. During the Team Meeting is when we do a lot of these activities! 

'I've Got Your Back'

My favorite bonding game! I actually learned this game when I was in my sorority. 
Have each cheerleader write their name in the center of a blank piece of paper and tape it to their back. Each cheerleader grabs a marker and has to write a positive message on the back of EVERY cheerleader. 

We play upbeat music. Coaches can join in if you would like, the messages are kind and help motivate you to remember WHY you coach.

Coaches Choice Award

Coaches choose standout cheerleaders on each day of camp. You can give them a prize or a certificate. We have given bows, custom cups, etc.

Captains Choice Award

Same idea as the coaches awards! The captains choose standout cheerleaders from the day. This can be based on character, attitude, effort, growth, etc. 

Captains Choice Award helps captains acknowledge their peers for positive contributions to the team!

Favorite Snacks

Have each cheerleader bring their favorite Snacks to share with their cheerleaders. If you have 25 girls, have them bring 25 of their favorite snacks. We have the cheerleaders pass around their snacks on the first night of camp. 


This is especially helpful if you are staying in dorms during camp and the girls get hungry while in their rooms. They can also pack snacks in their bag to have with them during camp!

Mascot Team Award

We have a cute little stuffed animal horse because our team mascot is the mustangs. The team named her 'Molly Mustang.' She gets passed between cheerleaders during camp days and games during the season. At the end of each day of camp, the cheerleader who was last awarded 'Molly Mustang' gives the award to a fellow cheerleader who has been kind and hard working.

When you start your mascot tradition, brainstorm with your team the qualities that your mascot will represent so that when cheerleaders are passing the mascot, they are nominating cheerleaders with those qualities.

This tradition was inspired by the bear on The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

Name Note Cards

This is similar to 'I've Got Your Back.' Each night we fill a bag with note cards. Each note card has the name of a cheerleader. At the end of the team meeting, each cheerleader pulls a note card from the bag. Have them write a positive note on the card of the person they draw. 
This encourages cheerleaders to think of a positive comment about their teammates. 

We collect all of the cards. When we do door checks that night to make sure they are all in their rooms, we slide the cards under their door so that in the morning they wake up to a positive message from their teammates! We do this both nights of camp.

Skits

When I was in high school, we created skits to perform during our team meeting. This was a fun way to bond with members of your class!

Minute to Win It Games

You can play minute to win it games with your team!

Charades

Charades is low prep and a lot of fun to get your team moving and their minds off of the stress of camp.

Picture Scavenger Hunt

Create a list of items for your team to take a picture of! I recommend splitting them up into teams. It can be by class, partners, or create groups. Prompt them to take pictures of things around camp!

Some ideas:

  • Take a picture with a camp staff member
  • Take a picture with the spirit stick
  • Take a picture doing a High V
  • Take a picture with something [school color]

What does your team do for team bonding at camp? Comment below, I am always looking for new ideas for our team!



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