45 Fun Self-Love and Self-Esteem Activities for Groups

This post contains a list of the best self-love activities for groups.

Self-love activities (when done in a group setting) are a great way to boost self-esteem and improve mental health. They help you combat negative thoughts in a supportive environment!

Use these exercises to take a step towards psychological development with those around you. 

Who Should Practice Self-Esteem Group Activities?

Benefits

45 Interactive Self-Love Activities for Groups

1. Positive Affirmations:
   Group members write positive self-love affirmations starting with “I am,” and take turns sharing them with the group. For example, “I am strong“, “I am intelligent“, and “I am worthy“. 
2. Gratitude Journal: 
   Create a shared journal that anyone can add to. Write about good things, things you are grateful for, and good news to promote positive thinking. 
3. Love Letter: 
   Write an anonymous, non-romantic love letter to another group member. Highlight their positive qualities and personal values that stand out to you. 
4. Physical Exercise:
   As a group, take on a physical activity that has a common goal, such as hiking to a summit or running a race. 
5. Cooperative Board Games:
   These fun games can be played in daily life or as therapy games. They require you to work together to solve problems or for a common goal.
   Some favorites are So Clover!, Pandemic Board Game, and Clue Escape. 
6. Art Therapy:
   Create art with whatever supplies are available to you. Make a collage, draw a picture, paint a canvas, or make a sculpture to address self-esteem issues. 
7. Goal Setting:
   Setting goals is an important part of individual and group development. Either set goals for the group or spend time together individually setting goals. Share why each goal is important for your personal development. 
8. Show and Tell:
   Bring an artifact that represents your self-worth. Use positive words and statements to communicate why this item is meaningful. 
9. Interviews:
   Build your communication skills by asking each other questions about your unique qualities (like your strengths, accomplishments, positive attributes, etc.). 
10. Visualization:
    Spend time individually visualizing a positive change in your life (for example- increased confidence in social situations, positive self-esteem, etc.). Then, describe what it looked like with the group. 
11. Gratitude Tree:
    Decorate a group tree with paper ornaments to create visual reminders of gratitude. Each member should make one ornament and write why they are grateful for it.

12. Affirmation Station:
    This is a creative way to provide positive feedback to your group members. Have a dedicated space (a bulletin board, jar, table, etc.) where members can write “shoutouts” to others. These notes can be for specific accomplishments or simply to provide positive reinforcement. 
13. Create a Mantra:
    Work together to create a mantra for the group. Say the mantra whenever you’re with the group, or use it to motivate others when they have negative feelings. 
14. Scripture Share:
    Share your favorite inspiring Bible verse or scripture with the group and say why the passage is meaningful to you. 
15. Gratitude Walk:
    Take a walk in nature or down the block. Along the way, find things you are grateful for and share them with a partner. 
16. Compliment Circle or Train:
    Have members sit in a circle or form a short line. Each person says something positive about the person next to them. 
17. Scrapbook:
    Each person creates a page for a community scrapbook that represents their self-worth or shows how they will improve their self-esteem. The pages are compiled into one book. 
18. Positivity Jar:
    Members write something good that happened to them that week on a piece of paper. Periodically, a group member or leader has to pull one entry from the jar and share it out loud with the group. 
19. Affirmation Chain:
    Say something positive about a group member. That group member will repeat the statement and share it with someone else. This is one of the best ways to build self-esteem through positive talk.
    Example: A member says, “Helen is funny.” Helen will repeat and say, “I am funny” to another (or all) group members.
20. Animal Therapy:
    Animals bring us joy and happiness. Bring therapy puppies to your group, go to a cat café, volunteer at an animal shelter, take goat yoga, etc. The possibilities are endless! 
21. Community Service:
    Community service is great for everyday life and a great way to build higher self-esteem by helping others. 
22. Eye Gazing:
    Sit about 2 feet from a partner and look into their eyes without speaking. This activity is meant to build positive relationships among group members.
23. Team Sports:
    Using sports is a great tool to engage teens and those who might be reluctant to work on their self-confidence in their daily lives. Play non-contact team sports and work together for a common goal.
    [Pro tip: avoid keeping score or naming a “winner” or “loser” to promote the concept of self-love.] 

24. Team Relays:
    A physical activity that boosts endorphins and self confidence is the egg spoon relay race, a fan favorite! 
25. Team Obstacle Courses:
    “Tackle” low self esteem with a group obstacle course. Your obstacles can represent negative energy and negative self-talk. 
26. Draw a Gift:
    One of my favorite creative activities is drawing a gift. (This group activity also helps improve social skills).
    On a sheet of paper, draw one gift that you would give to another group member. Then, offer that person your drawing and tell them why you chose what you did. 
27. Positive Spin:
    Tell your partner a negative story. They will retell the story but only focus on the positive things they heard. They can focus on how the story made you better, stronger, etc. 
28. Rock Garden:
    Paint rocks with positive statements and display them in a common area for your group. Alternatively, cut out positive affirmations from magazines and paper mache them to the rocks. 
29. Diversity and Inclusion Movie Night:
    Watch a movie that shows someone with a negative self-perception overcoming difficult times and discuss how they developed a healthy self-esteem. 
30. Selfie Challenge:
    Take a selfie together. Then, each person creates a post on social media sharing why the other person (or people) is important to you. 
31. Compliment Bags:
    Everyone gets an empty gift bag. Each member gets 5-10 slips of paper and writes a compliment for 5-10 group members on each piece. Then, everyone has 2 minutes to fill the gift bags with all the great things they wrote. 
32. Dance Party:
    Blow off steam and create body positivity by dancing in a group like no one is watching.
    [Pro tip: If people are reluctant to do this activity, have every member wear a blindfold and dance in place.]  
33. Vision Board Party:
    Bring your magazines and scissors! Dedicate time to your future self by creating and sharing a vision board with others. 
34. Positivity Playlist:
    Make a YouTube or Spotify playlist to promote good self-esteem. Each group member finds a few songs to add to the playlist. Members can use the playlist in their daily routine to build self-esteem. 

35. Group Class:
    Learn a new skill with your group by taking a class like cooking, pottery, meditation, etc. 
36. Positivity Superlatives:
    Host a Superlatives night (make sure everyone gets one!). Print off certificates of award to proudly give to each member.
    Example: “The most reliable/caring/etc.” 
37. Self-Esteem Scattegories: 
    Make a list with each group member’s name. Randomly select a letter from the alphabet and set a 2-minute timer. Write a positive word or attribute for each group member that starts with that letter. 
38. Self-Care Spa Day: 
    Pamper yourself and others by doing face masks, painting nails, giving massages, etc. Don’t emphasize each other’s physical appearance, but rather how grateful you are for the shared experience. 
39. Talent Show: 
    Let each person show off a hidden talent or skill. Cheer everyone on to boost their self-love. 
40. Self-Care Challenge: 
    Do a 30-day challenge as a group. Each day focuses on a different self-care task (like physical activity, drinking enough water, goal setting, etc.). 
41. Mirror Affirmations:
    Take turns offering a positive affirmation that applies to both of you. Your partner will mirror you by repeating the phrase. 
42. Self-Care Kits:
    Make a self-care kit for another group member. Fill a basket with items such as a reusable water bottle, face mask, yoga mat, etc. 
43. Guided Meditation:
    YouTube is a great place to find a guided meditation to do as a group. You can find general or specific meditations for building self-esteem, body positivity, and self-worth. 
44. Growth Garden:
    Plant seeds to represent your personal growth. Work together to grow the garden and visualize your personal growth. 
45. Journaling:
    Finding time to journal on your own can be challenging. Use the time as a group to journal on a shared self-love journaling prompt. 

Group Vs. Individual Activities 

Group self esteem activities offer many advantages over doing them alone: 

• Accountability: Finding time for self-improvement can be difficult. Commit to self-compassion exercises like journaling and goal setting with people that have similar goals. You can hold each other accountable and motivate each other when times are hard. 
• Bonding: Low self-esteem can stem from feeling alone or isolated. Finding others with shared experiences can give you a sense of community and purpose. 
• Motivation and Validation: Many people (myself included!) find it hard to receive compliments from others. Participating in group activities will provide validation through positive talk from others and allow you to be open to receiving those compliments. 
• Perspective: Hearing about the challenges others are facing might make you feel more positive about your situation or confident that you can improve your self-esteem. 

Final Thoughts on Self-Love Activities for Groups

This list has all of my favorite self-esteem games and activities. With this list, you can focus on different ways to highlight the positive aspects of your life and of others around you.

Whether in a group therapy setting, doing a team-building exercise, or developing healthy relationships, these activities will help you build a strong foundation of self-esteem, self-love, and self-worth.