Interns bring fresh energy to your workplace, but they often need help connecting and understanding your company culture.
Team-building activities allow them to feel like valued members of the team. They get the chance to build relationships and develop collaboration skills.
You’re in the right place, whether your interns work remotely, in the office, or a mix of both. You’ll find the right activity on our list to turn any group of individuals into a cohesive unit that’s ready to contribute.
Time to make the next company hangout memorable!
1. Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt allows interns to explore your city while collaborating to solve challenges.
cityHUNT turns this classic activity into an app-based adventure that works perfectly for intern groups of any size.
Teams use their smartphone to navigate to different locations, complete photo and video challenges, and rack up points as they race against the clock.
The activity requires zero planning on your end! We at cityHUNT handle everything from route design to real-time scoring. Interns can either compete as small teams or work together as one large group.
Additionally, the challenges combine physical tasks with brain teasers, allowing everyone to contribute their strengths. We guarantee you’ll see natural leaders emerge and quieter interns come out of their shells.
Plus, interns new to the city become familiar with local landmarks and neighborhoods they might not have discovered otherwise.
2. Virtual Trivia Competition
Virtual trivia brings remote and hybrid intern teams together for some friendly competition. You can set up themed rounds that cover pop culture, company history, or industry knowledge. Interns can choose to play individually or in breakout room teams.
To run the game smoothly, use free platforms like Kahoot or Quizizz. These tools show questions on screen and automatically track scores. Be sure to keep rounds short, though—about 10 minutes each—so energy stays high.
We recommend mixing in some quirky questions about team members themselves to help interns learn about each other. For example, the intern who always has their camera off might reveal they’ve traveled to 15 countries!
As always, end with prizes for winners, but keep them light. Some examples can be a coffee shop gift card or the title of “Trivia Champion” for that week.
3. Office Olympics
Office Olympics turn your workspace into a competition zone, and the best part? You probably already have everything you need.
For instance, set up stations for paper airplane distance contests, cup stacking races, and rubber band shooting galleries. Interns rotate through each challenge in small teams, racking up points as they progress.
The real magic happens when you let teams name themselves. You’ll get everything from “The Spreadsheet Warriors” to “CTRL+ALT+DEFEAT,” and those silly names do half the icebreaking for you!
That said, time each station at 5-7 minutes to maintain momentum. This beats another conference room session because interns actually get to move around and burn off that nervous energy.
Finally, crown the winners with construction paper medals or chocolate coins, because let’s be honest, the bragging rights matter more than the prize!
For more employee engagement and team building exercises, check out our top list of activities here.
4. Volunteer Day
A volunteer day gets your interns out of the office while doing something meaningful for the community—partner with a local food bank, animal shelter, or park cleanup organization.
Interns then work side by side on tasks that actually matter, which naturally builds connections faster than any trust fall ever could. The shared experience of helping others creates bonds that office small talk never will.
As a plus, interns have the opportunity to witness your company’s values in action instead of just reading about them in the handbook. So, choose a cause that doesn’t require special skills. That way, everyone can equally contribute.
A morning sorting donations, for instance, or an afternoon planting trees gives interns plenty of time to chat while working. Many find it easier to open up when their hands are busy, and the focus isn’t directly on socializing.
Tip: Wrap up with a casual lunch where the group can reflect on the experience together.
5. Cooking Class Challenge
A cooking class challenge brings interns together in the kitchen, whether they’re culinary pros or can barely boil water.
The idea is: Teams work together to prepare dishes, and then everyone sits down to enjoy what they’ve created. Book a local cooking school to help out, or hire an instructor to come to your office kitchen.
After all, the kitchen is a great equalizer because nobody’s job title matters when you’re all trying to figure out how to dice an onion properly. Interns learn to communicate clearly, divide tasks, and problem-solve on the fly when something inevitably goes wrong.
For remote teams, send ingredient kits to everyone’s homes and do a virtual cook-along. The chaos of everyone cooking simultaneously over video chat is half the fun!
6. Outdoor Sports Tournament
An outdoor sports tournament gets interns moving and competing in a low-stakes environment.
You can organize a day at a local park with activities, such as volleyball, kickball, or frisbee. Split interns into mixed teams so they’re working with people outside their usual desk clusters.
Sports also naturally reveal how people operate under pressure and how they handle wins and losses. The informal setting makes it easier for conversations to flow between games.
For instance, interns waiting their turn on the sidelines end up chatting about things beyond work projects.
Be sure to keep the rules simple and the vibe casual so athletic ability doesn’t become a barrier. Plus, rotate team compositions between games to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to interact with different people throughout the day.
7. Innovation Workshop
An innovation workshop helps challenge interns to tackle real business problems in a structured brainstorming session. You may present a current company challenge or a hypothetical scenario relevant to your industry.
Give teams an hour to develop solutions and pitch their ideas back to the group. This activity demonstrates to interns that their fresh perspectives have value while teaching them how to collaborate under time constraints.
You may provide basic frameworks like SWOT analysis or design thinking principles to guide their process. The competitive element pushes teams to refine their thinking and present confidently.
But what makes this activity effective is that interns must listen to each other’s ideas, build on them, and create something cohesive as a group. Some companies end up implementing winning ideas, which gives interns a tangible sense of contribution.
8. Virtual Coffee Roulette
Virtual coffee roulette pairs up remote interns for casual one-on-one video chats throughout their internship. Just use a simple randomizer tool or Slack bot to match different people each week. Give them a 20-minute window to grab a coffee and talk about anything except work projects.
You know, these scheduled informal chats solve the problem of remote interns never naturally crossing paths. Without the office water cooler, intentional connection points become even more important.
Additionally, the pairing system ensures everyone eventually talks to each person in the cohort rather than gravitating toward the same few people. Remember to keep it lightweight with suggested conversation starters, but don’t mandate topics.
The goal is an authentic connection, not another structured meeting, right? Over time, interns build a network across different departments and discover common interests that wouldn’t surface in team meetings!
9. Museum or Gallery Visit
A museum or gallery visit gives interns an unforgettable cultural experience while exploring your city together.
Pick a venue that aligns with your industry when possible. For example, a design firm might choose an art museum while a tech company could visit a science center. Let interns explore in small groups, though, rather than forcing everyone to stay together.
Further, the self-guided format allows natural conversation without the pressure of structured activities. Interns can move at their own pace and regroup to discuss what they found interesting.
This particular activity works well in cities like Chicago, with its world-class museums, or Washington, D.C., which offers free Smithsonian options. The shared experience gives interns common ground for future conversations back at the office.
End the outing with coffee or lunch nearby. Groups can then decompress and talk about what resonated with them.
10. Escape Room Challenge
An escape room drops intern teams into a themed scenario where they must solve puzzles to “escape” within 60 minutes.
The process is simple: Book sessions at local escape room venues in your area. Split larger intern groups into teams of 4-6 people who’ll compete for the fastest time.
It’s no secret that the time pressure and puzzle complexity can quickly force genuine collaboration. Interns must communicate clearly, delegate tasks, and trust each other’s problem-solving abilities.
As a leader, you’ll notice who takes charge and who contributes ideas, revealing natural team dynamics in real-time. Besides, the contained timeframe keeps energy high without dragging on too long.
After each team finishes, they’ll dissect their strategy and what worked or didn’t. These reflection conversations often teach more about teamwork than the activity itself. Finally, choose difficulty levels appropriate for your group, so teams feel challenged, but not defeated.
11. Hiking or Nature Walk
A hike or a nature walk gets interns outside and away from screens for a few hours. Choose a trail appropriate for all fitness levels so nobody feels left behind. The physical activity and fresh air create a different energy than any indoor setting can match.
Walking side-by-side naturally facilitates conversation without the awkwardness of forced eye contact across a conference table. Interns can chat while moving, which feels more organic than sitting in a circle, taking turns speaking.
The changing scenery becomes a natural conversation starter when things get quiet. For cities like D.C. with Rock Creek Park or Chicago’s lakefront trails, you have built-in options close to downtown.
Remember to ask them to pack water and snacks for a midpoint break where the group can rest together. The shared physical challenge builds camaraderie, especially when everyone reaches the summit or completes the loop together.
12. Game Night
Game night brings interns together for classic board games, card games, or party games after work hours. Set up multiple game stations so groups of 4-6 can play simultaneously. Rotate games every 30-40 minutes to mix up the teams and maintain energy high.
Plus, games reveal personality in ways that work projects don’t. The competitive intern who stays quiet in meetings might dominate at trivia! Or the reserved programmer could have a poker face that’s a killer.
To maintain the casual vibe, keep snacks and drinks flowing. And choose games that don’t require extensive rule explanations, such as Cards Against Humanity, Codenames, or Telestrations.
The point is interaction, not complex strategizing. Avoid games that eliminate players early, too, since you want everyone participating the whole time. Finally, end the night with a large group game, such as Mafia or Werewolf, that gets everyone involved in one shared experience.
13. Professional Development Panel
A professional development panel connects interns with employees from various departments for a Q&A session. Invite 4-5 team members at different career stages to share their paths and answer questions. Keep it conversational rather than formal presentations.
This activity serves double duty by building intern connections while providing valuable career insights. Interns get to hear honest perspectives about dealing with early career challenges and how to make the most out of internship opportunities.
Additionally, the panel format encourages interns to ask questions they might hesitate to voice in one-on-one settings. After the formal session, break into small group discussions where interns can have deeper conversations with individual panelists.
Tip: Follow up with a casual mixer so conversations can continue organically. Interns then start to see themselves as part of the broader company community rather than a separate temporary group.
14. Creative Workshop
A creative workshop pushes interns into unfamiliar territory through activities, such as painting, pottery, or improv exercises. You can easily partner with local studios or just bring an instructor to your space.
When throwing clay on a pottery wheel, for instance, nobody’s résumé will matter! Everybody laughs at their mistakes and cheers each other’s small victories.
After all, the creative process requires experimentation and risk-taking, which mirrors the kind of thinking you want interns to develop professionally.
For remote teams, send art supply kits and host a virtual paint-along session instead. Make sure they know the finished products matter less than the process of creating together.
We’ve seen interns leave with tangible reminders of the experience and stories that become inside jokes for the rest of their internship.
15. Sports Game Outing
Take your interns to a local sports game and let them bond over hot dogs and home runs.
Whether it’s catching the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago or watching a Nationals game in D.C., live sports create instant shared experiences. Make sure to get a group section so everyone sits together and the energy stays alive!
Plus, there’s something about the stadium atmosphere that breaks down workplace formality fast. Interns will argue about calls, start debates about wave participation, and create running jokes about that one foul ball nobody caught.
Spring for some ballpark snacks because trust us, nobody bonds over budget concerns when nachos are involved. The built-in breaks between innings create natural conversation windows, allowing everyone to engage in small talk.
16. Problem-Solving Challenges
Problem-solving challenges put intern teams head-to-head in brain teaser competitions. You set up stations with puzzles (e.g., building the tallest structure from spaghetti and marshmallows, untangling human knots, or solving logic riddles).
Teams can rotate through each challenge with tight time limits. This type of pressure cooker environment reveals how people actually work together when the stakes feel real.
Some interns take charge immediately, for instance. Others hang back and observe before contributing key insights. Both approaches matter, and watching this play out teaches everyone something about team dynamics.
Be sure to keep challenges varied so different skill sets get their moment. The time limits will help prevent overthinking and encourage teams to commit to decisions together. Finally, debrief after each round so teams can discuss what worked and what flopped.
17. Virtual Lunch and Learn
Virtual lunch and learn sessions bring remote interns together over food and interesting topics. Start by sending lunch delivery credits so everyone orders simultaneously, then hop on video for a casual presentation or discussion.
Topics can range from industry trends to showcasing hobbies, where interns teach each other something non-work related. Virtually sharing a meal transforms what could be another Zoom meeting into an actual social event.
After all, people relax differently when they’re eating, and conversations flow more naturally between bites. Don’t forget to rotate who leads each session, so interns practice presenting to peers in a low-stakes environment.
Tip: Keep these sessions to 45 minutes max, because video fatigue is real and lunch breaks have limits.
18. Team Potluck
There’s nothing like a team potluck to turn the office into a cultural exchange program through food.
Just ask each intern to bring a dish that means something to them: family recipes, cultural staples, or just their best cooking attempt. Afterwards, set up a buffet line and let everyone sample while sharing the stories behind their contributions.
Because we all know food cuts through awkwardness faster than any icebreaker game ever invented. You create an opportunity for interns to talk about their backgrounds, family traditions, and personal histories while passing around containers of homemade dishes.
Suddenly, everyone’s learning about each other’s lives outside the internship program. For remote teams, host a virtual cook-along where everyone makes the same simple recipe, then eats together on camera.
19. Kayaking or Water Activity
Kayaking or paddleboarding gets interns onto the water for an afternoon of physical activity and scenery. So, book a guided tour or rent equipment at a local lake or river. Pair up interns who don’t know each other well in tandem kayaks to force collaboration from the first paddle stroke.
From our experience, water activities have a way of equalizing everyone quickly. Something is humbling about everyone getting a little wet and figuring out how to stay upright together.
The physical challenge also keeps energy focused outward rather than on social anxiety about saying the right thing. Cities like Chicago, with kayak tours along the river, or D.C. with access to the Potomac, are the easy options.
Remind the team to pack waterproof bags for their phones, and ensure that you plan a picnic lunch on shore afterward. The post-activity meal hits differently when everyone’s tired, slightly sunburned, and riding the high of having accomplished something together.
20. Improv Workshop
An improv workshop throws interns into exercises that reward quick thinking and collaborative storytelling. Plus, it’s rather easy to hire a local improv instructor or visit a comedy theater for a private session.
Have them play classic games like “Yes, And.” Scene work will also force interns to build on each other’s ideas without planning or scripts.
The best part is that improv removes the safety net of preparation that interns usually rely on. They have to react in real-time, support their scene partners, and commit fully to whatever ridiculous scenario unfolds.
By the end, even the most self-conscious interns are volunteering for scenes. The shared embarrassment becomes shared triumph, and that’s where real team bonding happens.
Team Building with cityHUNT
Building a strong intern cohort takes more than icebreakers and desk assignments. It requires experiences that push them out of their comfort zones while showing them what teamwork actually looks like in action.
And that’s where cityHUNT comes in.
Our app-based scavenger hunts send intern teams exploring cities, like New York, Chicago, Nashville, and Washington, D.C., through clues, photo challenges, and interactive tasks. Each 1.5 to 3-hour adventure is designed to build collaboration skills and highlight local landmarks.
More importantly, we handle all the logistics, so you can focus on watching your interns connect. The experience concludes with a multimedia celebration, where we announce winners and debrief on teamwork strategies they can apply back at the office.
Ready to turn your intern group into an actual team? Let cityHUNT create an adventure that gets them working together from day one.
