Top Team Building Games

Everyone knows that a strong company consists of strong team members who can work together towards a common goal. This goal cannot be achieved without the employees working hard to support each other and having each other’s back when needed. However, you cannot expect to put a group of random people together in a room and expect them all to get along immediately and work together efficiently. How can people be expected to come up with innovative ideas if they aren’t connected to their fellow employees for support? Studies have shown that the number one thing that people enjoy about their job is their fellow employees. This is why team-building games are so important and necessary for great success!

Why are team building games important?

Effective team building games are not only fun, but they also build trust, encourage communication, mediate conflict and increase employee engagement. All of this is crucial for effective company culture. The most effective and memorable team building games are those that take you out of the redundancy of a day at the office. Spending time together playing a fun game to get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses will only increase productivity in the long run while bonding and creating relationships.

Who are team building games for?

Team building games can benefit anyone from big corporate companies to groups of friends to volunteers to families. Corporations use team building all the time to facilitate collaboration and encourage out of the box thinking. These traits will, in turn, increase employee engagement, morale and overall happiness. A team building game would be a perfect ice breaker for a group of volunteers who might not know each other well but all have the same goal in mind. Distant family members or groups of friends would also benefit greatly from a team building game to bond and develop stronger relationships.

Team Building Games

1. The Perfect Square

Rules: Have participants stand in a circle holding a piece of the rope. Then instruct everyone to put on a blindfold and set the rope on the floor. Ask everyone take a short walk away from the circle. Next, ask everyone to come back and try to form a square with the rope without removing their blindfolds. To make it more competitive, ask some members to remain silent.

Objective: Improves communication and leadership skills. By instructing some team members to be silent, this game also requires an element of trust across the team, allowing team members to guide each other in the right direction.

Time: 15 – 30 minutes

Number of Participants: 5 – 20 people

Tools Needed: Long piece of rope tied together and a blindfold for each person

2. Purpose Mingle

Rules: Before a meeting, have each team member walk around and share what they hope to contribute to the meeting with as many people as possible. Give a prize to the individual who shares with the most people, and another for the individual who successfully contributes what they shared.

Objective: Improves productivity and causes people to think about how they’re going to contribute, rather than just focus on what they hope to get out of the meeting.

Time: 1 – 2 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: None

3. Winner/Loser

Rules: Partner A shares with Partner B a negative experience that happened to them. It can be any type of memory, but it must be true. Then Partner A discusses the same experience again but focuses only on the positive aspects. Partner B helps to see the bright side of the negative experience. Afterward, they switch roles.

Objective: Participants learn how to redirect negative situations into learning experiences together.

Time: 5-6 minutes

Number of Participants: Two or more people

Tools Needed: None

4. Scavenger Hunt

Rules: Make a list of funny tasks for each team to do as a group. Tasks could be anything from taking a selfie with a stranger, finding a certain hidden object in the office. Give the list to each team, along with a timeline by which they must complete all tasks. Whoever completes the most tasks the quickest, wins!

Objective: Fun team bonding exercise that helps groups bond by encouraging people to work with colleagues from other teams, departments, or circles that they don’t normally.

Time: > 1 hour

Number of Participants: Two or more small groups

Tools Needed: Pen and Paper

5. Human Knot

Rules: Have everyone stand in a circle facing each other, shoulder to shoulder. Tell everyone to put their right hand out and grab a random hand of someone across from them. Then, tell them to put their left hand out and grab another random hand from a different person across the circle. Within a set time limit, the group needs to untangle the knot of arms without releasing their hands. With a very large group, create multiple smaller circles and have each group compete against each other.

Objective: This game for team building creates good communication and teamwork.

Time: 15 – 30 minutes

Number of Participants: 8 – 20 people

Tools Needed: None

6. Game of Possibilities

Rules: Each person in the group is given an object. One at a time, everyone goes in front of the group to pantogram a use for that object without speaking. The rest of the group has to guess what the person is demonstrating.

Objective: To inspire creativity and individual innovation.

Time: 5-6 minutes

Number of Participants: One or multiple small groups

Tools Needed: Any random objects

7. The Minefield

Rules: Gather in an open space such as an empty parking lot or a park. Place the selected objects sporadically around the space. Have the participants make pairs, and make one person on from each pair put on a blindfold.  Using only verbal instruction, the other person must lead their teammate from one side of the open space to the other without stepping on the “mines”. The blindfolded person cannot speak at all.

Objective: This game improves trust, communication, and effective listening. This game could very well be played on the beach as well.

Time: 15 – 30 minutes

Number of Participants: 4 – 10 people (even numbers)

Tools Needed: Various handheld objects, several blindfolds

8. The Egg Drop

Rules: Give everyone an uncooked egg. Put all the office supplies in a pile. Set a timer for 15 to 30 minutes and tell each team that they have to use the supplies given to build a contraption around the egg that will keep the egg from breaking when dropped. Once the time is up, drop each egg protection contraption from the second or third story of your office and see which eggs survive.

Objective: This fun and exciting game is an engaging exercise that uses both teamwork and problem-solving skills to bond associates.

Time: 1 – 2 hours

Number of Participants: Two or more small groups of 3-5 people.

Tools Needed: Assorted office supplies such as tape, pencils, straws, plastic utensils, packing material, newspapers, rubber bands, uncooked eggs (bring extra eggs in case of accidental breakage)

9. The Barter Puzzle

Rules: Each group receives a different jigsaw puzzle with the same difficulty level. Whichever team finishes their puzzle first wins. However, there is a catch! Some pieces will be mixed up into other group’s jigsaw puzzles. Each team must decide as a group on how they will get their pieces back, whether it be by negotiation or another tactic.

Objective: This game will rely on the group’s problem solving and leadership skills. Some team members might show that they are leaders and others are meant to follow, but the entire team must come to a consensus which will bond them together.

Time: 1 – 2 hours

Number of Participants: Four or more small groups

Tools Needed: Different jigsaw puzzle games for each group

10. Truth and Lies

Rules: Ask everyone to sit in a circle facing each other. Taking turns, have each team member tell three facts about themselves and one lie in random order. The lie should be realistic rather than unrealistic. After each person shares, have the others guess which is the lie.

Objective: This is a terrific ice breaker activity, especially for new members. Helps decrease preconceived judgments of other teammates, and allows introverts the opportunity to divulge facts about themselves.

Time: 10 – 15 minutes

Number of Participants: Five or more people

Tools Needed: None

11. Blind Drawing

Rules: This game is like Pictionary meets charades. Have each pair sit back to back, with one partner having the picture and the other having the pen and paper. Set a timer for 10 – 15 minutes, and instruct the person with the picture to describe it to the person drawing without saying directly what it is.

Objective: This game improves communication and interpretation between team members.

Time: 10 – 15 minutes

Number of Participants: Two or more people, broken into pairs

Tools Needed: A picture, pen, and paper

12. This is Better Than That

Rules: Describe a situation where each team must use the objects given them to their best use. For instance “save the world from zombies” or “stranded out at sea”. Have each explain why how they would use each item and why it would be useful.

Objective: This game inspires creativity and improves problem-solving skills. Be sure not to make the scenarios to easy or obvious so that they must be creative.

Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any – split into even teams.

Tools Needed: Four or more objects

13. Magic Cane (Helium Stick)

Rules: The object of this activity is to get each group to lower a helium stick to the ground which is a challenging task.. Have the group create two lines on each side of the stick facing each other. Lie the stick lying horizontally in the middle of the lines, ask each person to place their index finger underneath it. Standing on their feet, groups must start with the stick at chest level of the tallest person.  Everyone’s index finger must remain on the stick at all times, and must not be curled around the stick. If anyone’s finger slips off, they must start all over from the beginning.

Objective: This activity enforces the importance of clear communication and problem-solving skills.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Groups of 6-8

Tools Needed: Helium stick

14. All Adrift

Rules: Set up a hypothetical situation to the group, in which an accident strands the group at sea and your boat catches on fire and you have to abandon it. You have a very limited time to grab items. Some examples might be: Print out a list of items that the group has to choose from. Be sure to include things like a First Aid Kit, rope, canned food, water, a knife, a compass, and a blanket. Have each person rank the items in order of importance which they would choose.  Then as a team, they have to agree on which 10 are the top priority. Give the groups 30 minutes to complete the activity and come to an agreement.

Objective: This game will help you see the best decisions are often made when teammates work together instead of on their own.

Time: 30-40 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Pen and paper

15. Bridge Build

Rules: Each team must build half of a bridge with the materials provided. The intention is for the two bridges to connect it together when finished. The teams must stay separated so that they cannot see what the other team is doing. They are allowed to communicate verbally.

Objective: This activity builds communication skills.

Time: >1 hour

Number of Participants: Two teams of any number

Tools Needed: Building materials such as dry noodles, marshmallows, straws, Legos, wooden sticks or blocks. Depending on the materials, you may need to supply them with tape, paper and/or pens.

16. Electric Fence

Rules: In this activity, you create a hypothetical electric fence using string and two objects to tie it to, waist high. Team members must cross over the fence without touching it. Participants are not allowed to go under the fence and also must be touching another member of the team with at least one hand at all times.

Objective: This activity promotes team camaraderie as well as problem-solving skills.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Number of Participants: any

Tools Needed: A rope or string and something to tie it to.

17. What’s my name?

Rules: Using Post-it notes, write down a name of a celebrity or of a profession on each. Place a name on each person’s forehead making sure that they can’t see who it is. Have everyone walk around the room asking each other yes and no questions to try to figure out who they are.

Objective: This group activity forces people to interact with people they don’t normally socialize with at the office. It also makes people realize how prominent stereotypes are.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: any

Tools Needed: Post-it Notes and a marker

18. Hole Tarp

Rules: Have everyone gather around the tarp and grab an edge. Get everyone to wave the tarp around in the air. Throw a tennis ball into the tarp. The object is to have everyone work together to not allow the ball to fall into the hole.

Objective:  Much like a business, everyone on your team has to keep moving to keep the ball rolling. If someone stops, the ball will drop.

Time:15 – 20 minutes

Number of Participants: any

Tools Needed: circular tarp or plastic sheet with a hole cut in the middle and tennis balls

19. Game of Possibilities

Rules: Give each person an object and have them explain the group a different use for it other than its intended use.

Objective: This activity promotes out of the box thinking and creativity.

Time: <30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any number, split into groups

Tools Needed: A group of random objects

20. Lava Flow also called River Crossing

Rules: Each team must cross the “river of lava” by jumping and maneuvering on top of the objects. If someone touches the floor at any time, they must start over.

Objective: To utilize each other for support and build team camaraderie.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into groups

Tools Needed: Two or three objects to stand on

21. Group Juggle

Rules: Team members gather in a large circle facing each other. Throw a softball to one person. They will throw it to someone else but must say that person’s name first. The ball gets thrown from person to person until everyone seems comfortable with names. Then try throwing in more balls to make it more difficult.

Objective: This game is the perfect icebreaker to help people learn each other’s names.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into groups no more than 20

Tools Needed: Softballs

22. Company Concentration

Rules: Similar to “Concentration”, in which you flip over cards two at a time to try to find matching pairs. The team to find all the matches in the best time wins.

Objective: Allows employees to learn more about your company while playing a fun game.

Time:15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into groups

Tools Needed: Cards with photos and names of team members or with company information like products, logos, and values.

23. All the News

Rules: Each team is given a newspaper and is then asked to write headlines that cover what the company will be accomplished in the future. Teams can create as many or as little as they want and as far into the future as they wish. Groups share their headlines with the rest of the teams to spark discussion and get feedback.

Objective: This exercise is a great way to see how your employees see the company in the future, and to even spark new ideas. It will also promote creative thinking.

Time: <30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into teams

Tools Needed: A few newspapers, whiteboards, markers, pens and paper.

24. Grab Bag Skits

Rules: Each team chooses a grab bag and is given 10 minutes to put together a 2 to 3 minutes skit that uses each of the items in the bag. Every person in the group must take on a speaking role. Encourage groups to be as creative as possible.

Objective: Acting and improv exercises can be a humorous and energizing way to bring your team together. It will encourage people to get out of their comfort zone and connect with colleagues.

Time: <30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into teams of 3-8 people

Tools Needed: Paper bags containing random objects.

25. Tied Up

Rules: Form participants into circles facing each other and use rope or shoe strings to tie their hands together. Then, give them a job that they must complete together with their hands tied. A few examples of tasks might be:

  • Tie shoes.
  • Make a peanut butter sandwich.
  • Make photocopies.
  • Complete a jigsaw puzzle.

Due to everyone’s hands being tied, it will require everyone to work together to complete the tasks given.

Objective: The constraints promote out of the box thinking and communication skills.

Time: < 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into teams of 2 to 4 people

Tools Needed: Rope or shoestrings, other items to complete tasks of your choice.

26. Sneak a Peek

Rules: Choose one team member from each team to be the “looker”. Lead the “looker” to a different space where they will be shown a unique item or whatever you chose to show them. Bring the looker back to the team and that person will have no more than 5 minutes to explain to their teammates what they saw in order for the group to redesign that item. In order to make the task more challenging, give your “looker” specific words they cannot use that are linked to the item they are describing.

Objective: This game will enforce good communication skills as well as attention to detail. It can also break down management barriers when a lower level associate is given the role of the leader.

Time: 15-30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into teams of 2-4 people

Tools Needed: Basic sculpting or painting materials; a random (but distinctive) sculpture, object, or photograph

27. Contact

Rules: One person chooses a secret word. They tell the rest of the group what letter it starts with and  the group then asks questions to categorize the mystery word such as “is it an animal?” If the answer is no, the word keeper must answer it by saying “No, it is not an Ape.” (They must answer with a word that fits the letter clues and category given—here, an animal that starts with a D.) If the word keeper cannot think of a word before a set amount of time, they have to go to the next letter.

Objective: This game is great for improving communication skills.

Time: < 1 hour

Number of Participants: Any, split into small teams

Tools Needed: none

28. Silent Football

Rules: Basically, you’ll move around the circle, passing an invisible ball from member to member, communicating with one another and passing the ball through silent gestures.

Objective: To practice nonverbal communication and restraint.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any number, all gathered into a big circle.

Tools Needed: none

29. Tea & Coffee

Rules: Have all team members in a circle. Have one person start first and state whether they prefer coffee or tea and what they like to put in it (if anything at all). Then, the second person must remember the first person’s preference and then add their own on top of it. Everyone in the circle will have a chance to go and each individual must remember everyone’s liking (including their own).

Objective:  This particular task will help team members work on their skills to remember and help when listening to one another.

Time: 5-10 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, forming a circle

Tools Needed: None

30. A Better Place

Rules: Allow teams the opportunity to gather their thoughts for an hour on how they can successfully improve particular problems in their office or within their community with a limited budget. After the hour is up, teams must present their thoughts to everyone else. Teams will be giving votes and the team with the most votes will receive the limited budget to put their idea in motion to help make a change.

Objective:  The objective of this task is to inspire cooperation between team members to solve real issues.

Time: 1.5 hours

Number of Participants: Any, broken into teams of 2-4 people

Tools Needed: Paper, pen

31. Cast Away

Rules: Help the teams imagine this: every team is alone on a deserted island and are only allowed 10 items. Teams will be provided with a list of 20 items (10 useful and 10 items that seem beneficial but are not). Have the teams write down their items in order and describe what they chose and why they chose it. See the Navy Lieutenant’s Recommendation List as a tool. The team whose list is most similar to the Navy Lieutenants list will be victorious.

Objective:  This task will help teams work together through many different types of skills for real-life situations when thinking about survival.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into teams of 2-3

Tools Needed: Pen, paper

32. Personality Chart

Rules: Ahead of time, place interesting facts about some of your team members on a 5×5 table in specific slots such as:

  • Grew up in Russia
  • Has been to the Olympics
  • Plays an instrument
  • Owns an uncanny pet

Print out these facts and give them to your team. Have them go around the room they are in and have each team member who successfully matches the facts listed mark their name in the box. The overall objective is the have the table filled with names and then after some time has passed, have all team members discuss why they signed their name to a specific section.

Objective: Overall, this is a wonderful way to get individuals to learn more about one another or help them to realize certain things they may have in common

Time: 1 hour

Number of Participants:  Any

Tools Needed: Pen, printouts of a table

33. House of Cards

Rules: Only using scissors and playing cards (an entire deck), all teams will assemble a tall structure. Whoever’s team can have their elevated structure stand for 10 seconds will become the winners.

Objective:  Individuals will have to implement collaboration and innovation skills while working with their team.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into teams of 2-3

Tools Needed: A deck of cards and pair of scissors for each team

34. Lights, Camera, Action

Rules: Jot down all kinds of motion picture categories (romantic comedy, drama, suspenseful, etc…) on paper and then crumble the paper and toss into a cup. Each team will randomly pick a piece of paper and they will have to develop and write down a short motion picture that corresponds to the category they selected, which needs to take place in the workplace and can only use props that are at their disposal. The most captivating idea/storyline wins.

Objective: This will allow the individuals to work as a team and implement originality amongst themselves.

Time: 1 hour

Number of Participants:  Any, broken into teams of 2-3

Tools Needed: Pen, paper, cup, camera phone

35. Salt and Pepper

Rules: Teams must walk around the room and ask other groups specific questions pertaining to what information is on their posterior side and who or what may be their duo. Once a match is found, that match will go ahead and be seated in order to ask one another a few questions about him/her.

Objective: The objective is the employ communication and critical thinking techniques.

Time: 20-30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Pen, paper, tape. Write out a list of pairings—salt and pepper, cat and mouse, Sonny and Cher—with one part of the pair written on one sheet of paper, and one sheet of paper for each person. Tape each sheet to a team member’s back without revealing what’s on it.

36. Self Portraits

Rules: Secretly, instruct every person to create a self-portrait. Gather the pictures, hang them on a wall, and ask the teams to guess which portrait belongs to which person. When a person is successfully chosen, ask that person to explain why they created themselves the way they did.

Objective: This game will allow all members of the team to recognize how each person perceives themselves.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Paper, markers, colored pencils

37. Improv Workshop

Rules: Find a local improve business to offer your team some training lessons.  Take the team to the business to perform and play games that are similar to “Whose Line Is It”

Objective: The objective of this task is to allow the groups to loosen up and have fun together.

Time: Varies

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed:: Either a pro improv facilitator or a good instruction book on how to DIY

38. Murder Mystery

Rules: Each participant will dress up according to the murder mystery theme of choice and bring a dish of food. You will follow the instructions for your murder mystery game as well as pass out invitations, personal name tags, maps of the venue, secret clues and files on each of the suspects. The teams will follow the scenario of the murder mystery and the team who figures out who the murder is will be the winners.

Objective: This activity will enhance critical thinking skills, teamwork and allow the teams to have some fun together.

Time: Varies

Number of Participants: Any (in small groups of 2-3)

Tools Needed: A venue (home or office works), dinner, printouts of one of these murder mystery games

39. Paintball

Rules: Rules will be provided by the paintball facility.

Objective: Paintball promotes teamwork, communication, and strategy.

Time: 2-3 hours

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: A paintball facility that’ll rent your team equipment and time on their course

40. Ropes Course

Rules: If you go to an expert/venue, they will share their personal rules to follow. If you decide to make one on your own, build the course however you’d like. They typically involve swinging ropes, a 20-foot wall to climb, tightrope walks, or whatever will help to make the course challenging and fun for all involved. This tends to be a more strenuous activity, so make sure all participants are able and willing to participate.

Objective: This activity is a great way to test teamwork skills, determination, and patience, as well as physical endurance.

Time: 2-3 hours

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: A ropes course facility; or a book on how to make one with your own ropes, tools, and lumber.

41. Dog, Rice, Chicken

Rules: Each group will assign one member as the farmer. The rest of the team will be the villagers. The administrator will explain the backstory to the group: The farmer went out to purchase a dog, a chicken, and rice. He must get his 3 purchases home by crossing a river on a boat. The issue is he can only take one of the 3 items with him on the boat. The farmer cannot leave the dog alone with the chicken, for the dog will eat the chicken. He cannot leave the chicken alone with the rice or the chicken will eat the rice. The farmer and the villagers must come up with a solution to getting the dog, chicken, and rice across the river one at a time. To make this a bit more challenging, the administrator can add a timer to the game.

Objective: This activity encourages creativity,  , planning ahead, and lateral thinking.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants:  any

Tools Needed: none

42. Talking in Circles

Rules: Each group will be given a long piece of string that will be tied at the end. They will first be asked to stand in a circle around the string so the string forms a full circle. Next, the team will be asked to create different shapes with the string, including triangles, squares, rectangles, diamonds, figure 8 shapes, etc. As the groups continue through these challenges, they will have to shut their eyes/blindfold themselves and repeat the shapes again. To make the activity even more challenging, certain members of the group will be “muted” and cannot verbally communicate with the rest of the group.

Objective: This activity encourages both verbal and nonverbal communication as well as leadership and trust among the teammates.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: String

43. Team Birthday Line Up

Rules: The teams will line up standing side-by-side. They will need to arrange themselves in order of their birthdays (just month and date – not years) from January through December. They will have to rearrange themselves without speaking to one another. They can use any type of nonverbal communication they want but just cannot speak. The team that lines up in the correct order the quickest wins.

Objective: This activity is a fun icebreaker that allows the teams to get to know one another, work on nonverbal communication, promotes problem-solving, and teamwork.

Time:15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: More than 8

Tools Needed: None

44. Tower of Hanoi

Time:

Number of Participants:

Tools Needed: Tower of Hanoi puzzle

Rules: The Tower of Hanoi puzzle consists of three towers (posts or rods) with 5 or more discs placed in order of largest on the bottom to smallest on top in a conical shape. The discs will start on the first tower and will have to be rearranged in the same conical order on tower number 3. The teams can only move one disc at a time (only the uppermost disc on a tower) and cannot stack a larger disc on top of a small disc. The minimum number of moves required to solve a Tower of Hanoi puzzle is (2n + 1), where n is the number of discs. The team who completes the challenge with the least amount of moves is the winner.

Objective: The fun team building activity allows the teams to problem solve, promotes creativity, leadership, and communication among participants.

45. Frostbite

Rules: The administrator will explain the scenario to the group. They are lost in the Arctic and must build a shelter to protect them from the cold winds and freezing temperature. The team will select one person as the leader who will be suffering from frostbite from the freezing weather. This person will be unable to physically move anywhere. The rest of the team was stuck by snow blindness and must be blindfolded. The blind teammates must rely on the instructions from the leader with frostbite to build their shelter, without the leader being able to manually help. The scenario is that the teams are lost in arctic and they need to build a shelter to withstand the cold winds. The team elects a leader who is supposed to be suffering from frostbite, so he can’t move physically while other team members are supposed to be struck by snow blindness and must be blindfolded. The leader instructs the team on how to build the shelter without manual helping and the teammates must do so without being able to see.

Objective: This activity tests the team’s ability to cope with harsh conditions, keep their cool, and rely on one another to make it through the tough challenges as a team.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, divided into groups of 4 or 5

Tools Needed: None

46. Penny for your thoughts

Rules: Each participant must draw out a penny and look at the year the penny was made. The participant will have to share something special or significant about that year. Each participant will have a turn to draw a penny and share their thoughts on the year they select.

Objective: This activity allows stress-free communication among the team members and allows them to open up a bit about their personal lives.

Time: Any

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed:  A container of pennies, not dated older than the youngest team member.

47. Pencil Drop

Rules: Each pair will be given two strings. One end of both of the strings will be tied around the pencil while the other end of both strings is each tied around the waist of the partners. The pair will be facing their backs to one another and will have to move back and forth in order to lower the pencil down into the water bottle that will be placed below them on the floor without using their hands. This activity can be done with a timer for only 2 participants or as a race to get the pencil into the water bottle among multiple pairs.

Objective: This activity is a fun way to promote communication and team bonding.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, split into pairs

Tools Needed: Pencils, strings, and a water bottle

48. Flip it Over

Time: 15-30 minutes

Number of Participants: Teams of 6- participants

Tools Needed: A blanket/towel/tarp

Rules: Placing it on the ground and leaving a section empty (1/4 of it), have your team crowd together on the sheet/blanket/what you are provided with. The team will need to turn over the sheet/blanket so they are standing on the opposite side of it without stepping off the sheet/blanket. They will also have to do this without touching any surface besides what they are standing on.

Objective: The objective of this game is for the teams to be imaginative in their way of problem-solving this task while operating together as a unit. If any problems should arise (between group members) on how to work through this task, problem-solving skills will be implemented.

49. Zoom

Rules: All team members will receive photo(s), but cannot share the photo(s) with anyone else. Participants can discuss what they are seeing on their picture without actually telling the others what they are seeing. Ultimately, the participants need to verbally describe a sequential storyline using their photo(s) without seeing their teammate’s picture.

Objective: The objective of this game is to hone in on the teams communication, listening, and non-verbal skills, all while trying to lead your group to victory!

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: 30 pictures

50. Spider Web

Rules: Teams will gain a point for every team member who successfully moves through the weaved opening of the web without making contact with the string (web). Every time an opening is passed through, that opening becomes closed for any other team members. Teams should discuss the logistics, ensuring all members have safe and appropriate access to the opening of the web.

Objective: When working with members on a team for this type of task, the group will work on skills relating to determination, looking out for one another, understanding, and dependence.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Ball of string, duct tape, and two pillars

51. Balloon Questions

Rules: Everyone will receive a balloon and strip of paper. All team members will jot down a question on their paper and stick it in the balloon. Then, they will blow up the balloon and tie it. Give each person a balloon and a small strip of paper. Ask them to write down a question on the slip of paper and place it in their balloon, then blow the balloon up and tie it.

Everyone will be instructed to toss their balloons up high and keeping them afloat as long as they can. Next, everyone will take a balloon for themselves (cannot grab your own) and sit down in a circle. Everyone will pop their balloon and they will answer the question that was in the balloon they popped. If your team is tiny, have everyone in the group answer all of the questions.

Objective: Team bonding is a great way to ensure positive interactions during stressful/confusing/new times between team members, and working together in a neutral space toward a common goal can help the members learn more about one another and how they think/problem-solve.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Balloons, paper, and pens

52. Scramble Puzzle

Rules: As the teams sit in a circle blindfolded, one member of the team (not blindfolded), has to be seated on the exterior of the circle with their back to the circle. At a table across from the rest of the group, the team member (without blindfold) will arrange pieces of a puzzle around the table. The blindfolded group will have to successfully put the puzzle together as the team member who is not blindfolded will try to navigate them to a win by looking at the completed puzzle and verbally explaining what goes where.

Objective: Allowing yourself to be directed to complete a task blindfolded (same goes for having to lead a blindfolded team to victory solely with your words) allows team members to understand confidence and guidance in each other.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Blindfolds and 2 sets of pre-school level puzzles.

53. Memory Wall

Rules: Pass out post-it notes and have team member’s jot down positive ideas/subject matter relating to their job such as “Team Victories”, “Where it all began”, “Growth opportunities”, etc… on a whiteboard. Have group members write on the post-it something important to them relating to the particular subject. Open up the room for discussion so team members can share what they wrote with each other and add it to the whiteboard. This will help the teams remember all of the wonderful things they have been a part of within that company and will leave with the memory and a smile.

Objective: Bonding together over a shared experience opens space for relationship development and a sense of understanding between one another.

Time:

Number of Participants:

Tools Needed: Whiteboard and post-it notes.

54. Bonding Belt

Rules: Wrap all teams with the provided tape so they have to travel together as one to go from one area designated area to the next. Each team will be allowed 5 minutes to plan out their route in advance. Allow the teams to begin and track their finishing times. After all, team have completed the task and know their team time, they will be given another opportunity to discuss their plan of action and do it again to beat their original time. Keep the game going as long as you want until teams have completed a quick enough time that they feel good about.

Objective: In order to successfully complete this task, teams must talk through their approach and listen to each other’s ideas to inspire different thoughts.

Time: 20-30 minutes

Number of Participants:  Any, split into groups of 5-6

Tools Needed: Duct tape

55. Blind Wine Waiter

Rules: The wait staff will be blindfolded, but the group leader has to take a seat on their hands. The main objective is to pour wine in a glass/cup to the person sitting down, who has to drink the wine without using his/her hands. But, wait, how will the blindfolded participants serve the vino? Every team will have access to a glass, a bottle of wine, and a bottle opener, which will be placed in different spots throughout the room they are in. Every team member will only be allowed to execute one job using one hand only (i.e. If a participant already found a glass, he/she is not allowed to find the wine bottle or the bottle opener). The group will have completed the task when the person sitting down finishes the glass of wine.

Objective: If your team has trouble communicating at work, this game is fantastic in terms of allowing the teams to relax and have some fun together.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants:  Any, split into teams of 5-6, with one person acting as the leader and the rest as waiters.

Tools Needed: Blindfolds

56. Classify This

Rules: All teams will be supplied with pen and paper and will have to separate the items into 4 groups. One member of each team will discuss their reasoning behind how they separated the items into the different groups (i.e., the ways certain items can work together or how they are designed). By hearing each teams reasoning, this helps others see things in a different light pertaining to work and in their everyday life.

Objective: The main objective here is to get the teams to explain their method of thinking when it comes to finding correlations between common/everyday objects that one would not usually think of having similarities.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Grab an assortment of around 25 items and place them on a table in the middle of the room. The items can be a wide range of things such as paper, food, trinkets, everyday items, and more.

57. What’s in the Room

Rules: This task will asks teams to grab a random object and develop a marketing strategy for that item. Teams must decide on a unique name, a fun logo, and an exciting sales strategy to not only sell but to successfully sell their item. All of this planning needs to be done in the allotted time frame. After their time is up, the team must try to sell their product in a money-making way to the other teams. The team who “sells” their product with the most earnings, wins. Then, open up a dialog where the teams can discuss the creative reasoning behind their plan and what other teams could have done to be just as successful.

Objective: This particular task can help all members of the team appreciate another way of looking/understanding business/sales from other team members. They are also given the ability to work through the task and problem solve together in the specific time frame.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: A collection of random objects.

58. Perfect Question

Rules: Each team member will have to be assigned a scenario. Some examples would be marriage, starting a business, having a baby, etc. Each team member has to ask one question for the other team members’ scenarios. The question should test the person’s ability to handle the situation they would be in. For each person’s scenario, the rest of the team members have to ask just “one” question. Make sure there is a question written down by each member of the team toward each person’s individual scenario. Once all of the questions are written down and all of the scenarios are covered, go through the questions for each scenario and figure out which team member had come up with the best question for that given scenario.

Objective: The objective is to see the differences in the way people think  feel and act on the same issues. It also helps promote healthy discussions and leadership abilities among other things, depending on the scenarios given.

Time: <1 hour

Number of Participants: Any, broken into teams of 5-6

Tools Needed: something to write/type on

59. Hear Me Out

Rules: One member from each team must read a document out loud in front of the rest of the group. The document will include some monotonous and extraneous phrases that will casually fit in with the document. They must read the document in a monotone voice, and not emphasize the real or strange sentences. The rest of the group will have to write down what they believed the document was about. The person reading the document can ask questions about the information within the document to see who hear what and why they heard only certain parts even though the entire thing was read in the same tone.

Objective: The objective is to promote good listening and communication skills.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: Documents, paper, pens

60. Triangle Turn

Rules: Each team will have one person called the “spinner”. The spinner will stand in the middle and the rest of the group will form an outline of a triangle around the spinner, who can face any side of the triangle they wish to face. The members of the team standing in the triangle outline must remember their position in the triangle with respect to the people standing directly on both sides of them in the triangle as the spinner’s position. Without any warning, the spinner will spin around in various directions and eventually stop and stand still. Once they stop spinning, the rest of the team will have X amount of time (depends on the number of participants) to rearrange to their original places so each person is in exactly the same spot before the spinner began to spin.

Objective: This high-speed game is great for competitive teams with energy. It promotes teamwork, group collaboration, communication, and memory.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: None

61. Last 30 Seconds

Rules: Each participant will have one minute to think of one of the best and most defining moments in their life. These moments can be anything from their personal or professional life and encompass something rewarding, exciting or even life-changing. After some thought, they will be thrown a little curve ball. They will be informed that they must choose something that they would choose to relive during the last 30 seconds of their lives. This will allow the group to get to know each other on a more personal level while each teammate will share these intimate moments.

Objective:  This activity will help teams get to know each other on a deeper level in an unpretentious way. The teams will build camaraderie and become closer as they see each other’s’ passions and drives.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: None

62. Sneak a Peek

Rules: The instructor will show the teams a structure that is built by Lego or building blocks. The teams will have 30 seconds to study this structure before it is hidden from the group. Each team will be given the necessary materials to build the exact same structure. The original structure will be located an equal distance away from all groups while remaining hidden from plain sight. One member from each team will have an opportunity to go to the structure and study it for another 10 seconds and coach the group for another 25 seconds to help them build their own replica. This process will be repeated until the first team successfully replicates the structure and is named the winner.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to promote strong communication skills and the ability to listen to directions. It will also help with strengthening leadership skills and working off of memory.

Time:15 minutes

Number of Participants: any

Tools Needed: Lego or building blocks

63. Bob the Builder

Rules: Each team will need to line up in a straight line (each participant standing 8-10 feet apart in the line). When the instructor says “GO!”, the first player in the line will build a pyramid with the paper cups with 4 cups at the base. Once the pyramid is built, the second player will come over and help the first player carry the pyramid to the second player’s spot in line.  Once they get to the second player’s spot, the second player must knock down the pyramid and the two must work together to rebuild it and carry it to the third player’s spot. Each time they get to a new spot, the pyramid must be knocked down and started over. This will continue on until the pyramid reaches the end of the line and is rebuilt for the last time. The teams are free to choose how they would like to move the pyramid. If the pyramid falls at all throughout the moving process, they must stop where they are, rebuild it, and keep moving. Each teammate must participate in the moving process once the pyramid reaches their spot in line. The team to make it to the end of their line with a rebuilt pyramid wins.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to work together as a team and delegate roles and responsibilities between team members as well as strengthen communication.

Time:

Number of Participants: any number of teams (4-6 people per team)

Tools Needed: 10 paper cups and an open area

64. Paper Plane Contest

Rules: Each team will work together to construct their own paper plane they think will fly the farthest. They can have the option of looking at a variety of plane designs to use as a guideline. To promote even more creativity, the teams can name their airplane and brand it with a logo as well as a fun slogan. One member of the team will be responsible for flying the plane at the launch line against the other teams. The team whose plane flies the farthest is the winner.

Objective: This game promotes creativity, organization, collaboration, and communication among team members.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants:

Tools Needed: A hallway, tape to mark launch line, measuring stick and card/paper stock

65. Zombie Escape

Rules: Fill a room with puzzles and clues along with an atmosphere of horror using loud sound effects, creepy visuals, and light effects that would mirror what a zombie apocalypse might look like. Once the scene is set, lead the team into the dim-lit room and lock the door. The team members will work together to solve the clues and puzzles that will eventually allow them to find a hidden key to save them from the zombie apocalypse.

Objective: This activity allows the group to work together in times of serious pressure. It promotes critical thinking skills and communication as well as teamwork and leadership.

Time:< 1 hour

Number of Participants:

Tools Needed: clues and puzzles, sound/light effects, and a room with a lock, a key to unlock the door

66. Shoe Scrambler

Rules: Both teams will be required to take off their shoes and put them in a big pile. The shoes will all be mixed around. The group will be broken into teams of two and will be lined up in a straight line away from the pile of shoes. The first player from each team will run to the shoe pile, find their own shoes, put them on and tie them. Once their shoes are completely on, they can run back to the line and yell “Go!” to the next member in line like it is a relay race. The next person in line will do the same thing. The first team wearing their respective shoes with them completely laced wins.

Objective: This high energy game will get the teams’ competitive natures flowing. It promotes cheerful team camaraderie, group cohesion, working under pressure and is perfect for a fun team icebreaker.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into two teams

Tools Needed: None

67. Human Spring

Rules: The group must pair up with similarly sized teammates. Each pair will have to face each other with their elbows bent, hands up and palms facing toward each other. They will place their palms together and lean towards one another so they will eventually be holding each other up. Slowly, each pair will be instructed to move their feet back further and further. Eventually, they will have to solely depend on one another to remain standing. The group standing the furthest distance apart with their feet wins.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to promote trust and cooperation among team members.

Time: 5-10 minutes

Number of Participants: Any

Tools Needed: None

68. Human Shapes

Rules:  The teams will spread out in an open area that is free of any obstacles. For the first round, each team (except for one person) will have to use their bodies to make the shape of a letter, which will be given by the moderator. The person who is not included in the human formations will have to guess what letter the team made. When the team is successful, they will move onto the next level. As the teams advance to the next level, the challenges will get more difficult. Instead of just letters, the teams may have to make words, phrases, or even small sentences. The team with the most correct guesses in the allotted time will win. In order to keep the group energized and engaged, a time limit can be included in each level.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to have the teams work on creativity, time-sensitive thinking, teamwork and trust among one another.

Time: 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into teams of 8-12

Tools Needed: An area free of obstacles

69. Earth-ball

Rules: Each team will be given a beach ball or a balloon. The teams will have to keep the ball or balloon in the air and make sure it does not touch the ground. No one can touch the ball twice in a row. Each team will have to come up with a goal they would like to reach. The team with the highest number of hits without touching the ground is the winning team.

Objective: The objective of this game is to set goals and work together as a team to reach and/or exceed that goal. Communication throughout this entire activity will be crucial to succeeding.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into two teams

Tools Needed: A beach ball or balloon

70. Calculator

Rules: Make rectangularly shaped pit out of duct tape and arrange the paper cards marked 1-20 in random order inside the pit. Each team will nominate a leader that will look at the numbers in the pit for one minute before the game begins. The instructor will explain the rules of the game to the team leader ONLY. The team leader will then have to go back to their team (who is lined up far enough away from the pit so they cannot see the numbers), explain the rules and strategize with the team members who have not yet seen the pit. Each team member will take a turn going to the pit and touching a number. The numbers must be touched in a 1-20 sequence. No one can touch two numbers at once and only one teammate can go to the pit at a time. The team who takes turns and touches all of the numbers in sequential order first will win.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to promote successful leadership, open communication, and effective listening skills. The leader must be able to successfully explain the rules while the rest of the teammates communicate what they see when it is their turn to go to the pit.

Time: <1 hour

Number of Participants: Any, with teams of 4-5 people

Tools Needed: duct tape, paper cards marked 1-20

71. All Together

Rules: Each person must pair up and sit on the ground with their backs to each other. The partners will then link their arms behind their backs and when the administrator says go, they will have to work together to stand up without separating their arms. To make this a bit more difficult, the partners can accomplish this without speaking to one another.

Objective: This activity will help team work together and coordinate in silence to be successful. They will need to trust one another to be able to stand up.

Time: 5 minutes

Number of Participants: even number of participants

Tools Needed: None

72. Gutter Ball

Rules: The teams will be given different sized PVC pipes and a marble. Each teammate will hold only one pipe. The teams will have to work together to line up the pipes to get the marbles through all of the pipes and into a container at the end of the line of pipes. To make it more difficult, the instructor can add obstacles or twists and turns between the starting and ending points so the team members will have to come up with a strategy to maneuver the marbles through the course.  The teams are allowed 3-5 minutes of strategy time before they begin. If the marble falls out of the pipe, they must start over at the beginning. The team to get the marble in the container in the least amount of time wins.

Objective: This activity helps teams to work on strategies, using creativity, and work together under pressure to move the marble through the pipes.

Time: < 1 hour

Number of Participants:

Tools Needed: Marbles, a container and different lengths of PVC pipes.

73. Swift Swap

Rules: The participants will form two equal and parallel lines facing each other. They will be given 15 seconds to observe the line across from them. The game will begin when one line completely turns around and faces the other way. Once their backs are turned, the team that did not turn around will have 45 seconds to change 10 things about their group. This can be anything from swapping clothing, changing hairstyles, or making minor accessory changes. After 45 seconds, the first group will turn back around and will try to find all 10 changes. Once the team finishes their guesses, the teams will switch and the other team will have a chance to make the 10 changes. The team who guesses the most correct changes or does it in the fastest time (if they both guess all ten correctly) will win.

Objective: This is a great team building activity to get the teams working together and communicating while using their memories and creativity.

Time: 5-10 minutes

Number of Participants: 10-20 participants

Tools Needed: None

74. Balloon race

Rules: Each team will line up in a single file line and place an inflated balloon in between each person in the line. The balloons will be held together by the stomachs and the backs of the participants in the line. When the administrator says “Go”, the teams will begin to walk together to a predetermined finish line while keeping all the balloons in the line in place. If a balloon falls out, the team must go back to the starting line and begin again. The first team to make it across the finish line without dropping a balloon wins!

Objective: This activity allows the teams to bond as one unit and communicate as a team to move their line and all of the balloons in unison.

Time: 20 – 30 minutes

Number of Participants: Any, broken into teams of 5-8 people

Tools Needed: Inflated balloons

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