Creativity games and activities at the workplace are like secret weapons disguised as fun and games. They infuse a delightful dose of playfulness into the daily grind and ignite the spark of innovation within teams. When your colleagues come together during creativity workshops, they embark on an adventure that unleashes their imagination and unlocks the treasure trove of fresh ideas.
These games create a magical space where barriers are shattered, unconventional thinking reigns supreme, and the extraordinary becomes the norm. So, why settle for a dull routine when you can embark on a creativity-filled journey with your colleagues?
Today we take a closer look at some of the best games and activities that you can implement straight away and have your whole team demanding more!
10 games that inspire creativity in your team
Storytelling Circle
How to play: Sit in a circle and start a story with a few sentences. Each person adds a sentence to continue the story, building upon the previous contributions.
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Enhanced communication skills: Your team will be able to improve their ability to listen and build upon the ideas of others. It's like a symphony of words, where everyone gets a chance to play their unique melody.
- Team synergy on steroids: Witness the magic of teamwork as your team's contributions harmonize into a cohesive storyline. It's like a literary potluck where each person brings their secret ingredient to create a masterpiece.
Indulge in more of these types of games with 26 of the best theatre games for your team!
Reverse Charades
How to play: Instead of one person acting out a word or phrase, the entire team acts it out while one person guesses. This will definitely encourage team work!
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Teamwork in action: Experience the adrenaline rush of synchronized creativity as your team acts in perfect harmony. It's like a choreographed dance routine, but with hilarious gestures and expressive charades.
- Unleash your inner performer: Allow everyone to enter the spotlight and let their creative instincts take over. This allows for the slightly timid members of your team to build confidence in themselves, which can only be a good thing going forward.
Word Association
How to play: Start with a random word. Each person in the group takes turns saying a word that is associated with the previous one. If they can’t think of a word, or use a word that has already been said, they’re out! Continue playing until you have your winner.
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Mental gymnastics: Prepare for an intense workout for your team's brains as they make lightning-fast connections between words. It's like a mental relay race where creativity and quick thinking are the keys to success.
- Communication ninjas: Sharpen your team's ability to communicate succinctly and effectively as they convey complex ideas through word associations. It's like a secret language only your team understands, paving the way for seamless collaboration.
Did you enjoy this quick energizing game? Make sure to check out our list of 24 energizing team warm up games!
Improv Hero
How to play: Divide the team into pairs or small groups and provide them with a random scenario or prompt. The teams must improvise a skit or scene based on the given negative scenario, using their creativity and spontaneity to deal with the issue
For example; the scenario could be “Child screaming in a supermarket”. Teams have 30 seconds to act out deal with their scenario
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Quick-thinking superheroes: Tap into your team's mental agility as they come up with witty lines and hilarious improvisations on the spot. It's like a comedy club where your team's creativity takes center stage.
- Teamwork with a twist: Collaborate with your scene partners and build upon each other's ideas, creating a seamless and entertaining performance. It's like a theatrical ensemble where the final act is a testament to your collective genius.
For more improv ideas, check out our list of 25 of the best improv games.
Quick Fire-Debate
How to play: Choose thought-provoking topics or issues and divide the team into two groups: one supporting the topic and the other opposing it. Engage in a lively 1 minute debate where participants use their creativity and persuasive skills to make their case. Choose a judge to pick a winner.
Example: a poor person stealing food to feed their family.
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Critical thinking champions: Sharpen your team's critical thinking skills as they analyze and present arguments with a creative twist. This game is your intellectual battleground, where creativity becomes your secret weapon.
- Confidence boosters: Embrace the art of persuasive communication and witness your employees' confidence soar as they present their arguments with flair and creativity. It's like a TED Talk where your team members become eloquent speakers with powerful messages.
The fun doesn’t stop here! We have an extra 33 communication games that will inspire your team!
Creative Mime
How to play: Divide the team into pairs. One person in each pair chooses an object or concept and mimes it without using any words or sound. The other person tries to guess what the mime represents.
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Enhanced nonverbal communication: Encourage your team to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively without relying on words. This activity fosters creativity in finding innovative ways to convey messages through facial expressions and body language.
- Boosted team spirit: Experience moments of laughter and joy as you witness your team members' hilarious and creative interpretations of various mimes. It's like a comedy show where your employees become silent performers, fostering camaraderie and a positive team atmosphere.
Twisted Charades
How to play: Similar to traditional charades, but with a creative twist. Instead of acting out specific words or phrases, participants must convey abstract concepts, emotions, or even entire stories through gestures and expressions.
Example: Team is given a well known, short story that they need to act out without using words.
Materials needed: None
Benefits:
- Emotional intelligence development: Take a deep dive into the vast ocean of human emotions. This game pushes your team's creativity to the limit as they express complex feelings through movement and nonverbal cues, making them emotional intelligence champions.
- Enhanced nonverbal empathy: Unlock the secrets of nonverbal communication and boost your team's ability to empathize with others. As they interpret and respond to their colleagues' charades, bonds will be formed and connections will be strengthened
Puzzle bonanza
How to play: Provide teams with a variety of puzzles, such as jigsaw puzzles, riddles, or brain teasers. Once they finish one puzzle, they progress to the next. The team who can finish the quickest is the winner.
Materials needed: Assorted puzzles
Benefits:
- Stimulated out-of-the-box thinking: Say goodbye to ordinary solutions! This game pushes your team members to think outside the puzzle box and explore unconventional approaches. Witness a creativity explosion as they discover innovative perspectives and solutions.
- Fostered collaborative triumphs: Witness the power of teamwork as your employees join forces to conquer challenging puzzles. It's like a symphony of puzzle-solving brilliance, with each team member adding their unique piece to complete the magnificent masterpiece. Collaboration never felt so victorious!
Michelangelo
How to play: Provide teams with sculpting materials such as clay, Play-Doh, or modeling clay. Challenge them to create sculptures based on given themes or prompts, encouraging imaginative interpretations and creative expression. Select a judge to choose the best one to determine a winner.
Example: The prompt says design a Simpsons character with play-doh (unintentional pun).
Materials needed: Sculpting materials (clay, Play-Doh, modeling clay)
Benefits:
- Tangible manifestation of creativity: Get ready to witness magic in action as your team members mold and shape their creative visions into physical forms. Their sculptures will be concrete proof of their incredible imagination, leaving everyone in awe and inspired.
- Celebration of individuality: Embrace the uniqueness and diversity of interpretations as each team member unveils their extraordinary sculpture. This game creates an environment that celebrates individuality and appreciates the creative expressions of others.
What's in the Box?
How to play: Fill a box with random objects, such as office supplies, toys, or miscellaneous items. One participant selects an item from the box and describes how it can be repurposed or used creatively in a different context.
Materials needed: Box, various objects
Benefits:
- Creative problem-solving: Stimulate participants' ability to think creatively and find innovative uses for ordinary objects, fostering resourcefulness and adaptability.
- Divergent thinking: Encourage participants to explore multiple perspectives and consider alternative uses or functions for everyday items.
- Perspective shift: Develop the skill of looking beyond the obvious and seeing the potential in the ordinary, which can translate to finding innovative solutions in the workplace.
10 creative activities for your team
Creative Problem Solving
How to play: Present a challenging problem or scenario to the team and ask them to generate as many creative solutions as possible within a given time limit.
Example: A customer is complaining about a refund they are not entitled to. How do you convey the bad news without losing her custom?
Materials needed: Whiteboard or flipchart, markers
Benefits:
- Harnessing the power of innovation: Prepare to be amazed as your team unleashes a storm of fresh and unconventional ideas. This activity encourages them to kick tradition to the curb and explore uncharted territories of creativity, paving the way for a culture of innovation that'll make your competitors green with envy.
- Collaborative excellence: It's time for your team to flex their collaborative muscles! Like a superhero squad, each member brings their unique superpowers and perspectives to the table, joining forces to create ingenious solutions that'll send your company soaring to new heights.
If you liked this team-building idea, make sure to check out 50 best team building activities at work!
Collaborative Art
How to play: Divide the team into small groups and provide each group with art supplies. Assign a theme or topic and ask the groups to create a collaborative artwork together.
Materials needed: Art supplies (paper, paints, brushes, etc.)
Benefits:
- Masterpieces fueled by teamwork: Prepare to be dazzled by the artistic symphony that unfolds before your eyes. Each stroke of the brush and every imaginative idea blends together like a symphony, resulting in a collaborative artwork that's a testament to the creative genius lurking within your team.
Scavenger Hunt
How to play: Create a list of unique or unconventional items for teams to find within the workplace or a designated area. The teams must use their creativity to locate and present the items in the most imaginative way possible.
Materials needed: Scavenger hunt list, cameras or smartphones
Benefits:
- Collaboration that sparks inspiration: Brace yourself for an explosion of ideas! As your team brainstorms creative ways to present their scavenger hunt treasures, sparks of inspiration fly in every direction. Like a brainstorming bonanza, each team member's contribution fuels the fire of creativity, igniting a culture where innovative thinking thrives.
Writing Marathon
How to play: Set a time limit and challenge team members to write a short story, poem, or piece of creative writing within that timeframe. Encourage them to unleash their imagination and explore different genres or styles.
Materials needed: Paper, pens, or laptops
Benefits:
- Strengthened bonds through storytelling: Gather 'round and share the written masterpieces. Through storytelling, your team members connect on a deeper level, their narratives intertwining and creating a tapestry of shared experiences. Like a literary campfire, this activity kindles a sense of unity and camaraderie that'll keep the creative flames burning bright.
Collaborative Music Jam
How to play: Gather musical instruments or use online platforms for virtual collaboration. Start with a simple melody or rhythm. Allow each team member to add their unique musical contribution to create a collaborative piece.
Materials needed: Musical instruments or virtual collaboration platforms
Benefits:
- Celebration of diversity: Let the rhythms of diversity fill the air! Embrace the unique musical backgrounds and influences of your team members as they unite to create a harmonious and vibrant musical piece. Like a global fusion of melodies, it celebrates the richness of individual perspectives, fostering an inclusive and creatively harmonious work environment.
Cooking Challenge
How to play: Set up a cooking challenge where teams must create a dish using a specific set of ingredients. Encourage them to think creatively and experiment with unique flavor combinations and presentation styles.
Materials needed: Cooking ingredients, kitchen utensils
Benefits:
- Food for thought: Reflect on the creative process involved in cooking and how it can be applied to problem-solving in the workplace. This activity fosters a mindset of innovation and adaptability, as your team members navigate challenges with creativity and resourcefulness.
Design Your Dream Workspace
How to play: Ask team members to individually envision and design their ideal workspace. Provide art supplies and encourage them to create visual representations of their dream work environment, including furniture and decoration.
Materials needed: Art supplies (paper, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
Benefits:
- Visualization for inspiration: Let imagination take the lead as your team members sketch out their dream workspaces. This activity transforms ordinary offices into extraordinary spaces, all while inspiring a culture of creative thinking.
- Alignment of values: Take a tour through the team's creative designs and uncover the common threads that weave their visions together. This activity fosters a sense of shared purpose, creating an environment where everyone's design dreams harmonize, resulting in an inspiring and collaborative workspace.
Creative Journaling
How to play: Provide each team member with a journal or notebook and encourage them to engage in creative journaling. They can write, draw, or use any form of artistic expression to capture their thoughts, ideas, and reflections.
Materials needed: Journals or notebooks, art supplies (optional)
Benefits:
- Encouragement of self-expression: Open the floodgates of creativity and provide a safe haven for your team members to unleash their inner artists. This activity embraces the exploration of personal thoughts and emotions, transforming journals into captivating canvases.
Mind Mapping
How to play: Provide each team member with a large sheet of paper or a whiteboard and markers. Choose a central theme or problem and ask individuals or teams to create mind maps to explore creative solutions and connections.
Materials needed: Large paper or whiteboards, markers
Benefits:
- Visual brainstorming: Unleash the power of visual thinking and witness the magic as your team maps out a landscape of ideas. This activity brings creativity to life in vivid detail, transforming the mundane into a visually captivating tapestry of possibilities.
- Idea generation powerhouse: Brace yourself for an explosion of creativity as your team members pour their thoughts and insights into the mind maps. This collaborative activity becomes a breeding ground for innovative ideas, with each contributor adding fuel to the creative fire, igniting a whirlwind of possibilities.
Vision Board
How to play: Provide necessary materials. Encourage team members to create vision boards by cutting out images, words, and phrases that represent their aspirations and goals.
Materials needed: Magazines, scissors, glue, boards or poster paper
Benefits:
- Encouragement and imagination: Encouraging your team members to create vision boards allows them to tap into their imagination and express their aspirations visually. By curating the materials that represent their creative visions, team members gain focus and inspiration for their work.
So there we have it 20 games and activities to boost creativity in the workplace. If you noticed, a lot of these games can easily be adapted for the workplace, however, other activities, such as the cooking challenge, would find it difficult to do so.
This is why we recommend engaging in some of these games off-site and in a specalised work retreat.
Like the sound of a work retreat? Let’s jump into it!
Why should I consider an offsite retreat?
The perks of whisking your team away on an offsite retreat are simply irresistible. Here's a taste of the delectable benefits you can savor:
- Refreshed minds, recharged spirits: A change of scenery works wonders for rejuvenating your team. Breaking away from the usual office grind allows them to recharge their batteries and come back with a fresh perspective that's ready to conquer new challenges.
- Bonding on a whole new level: When you remove the walls of the office, magic happens. Your team will have the opportunity to connect on a deeper level, forging stronger relationships and creating a tight-knit bond that will translate into better collaboration and teamwork back at the office.
- Unleashed creativity: The offsite retreat becomes a playground for creativity to thrive. Away from the usual constraints, your team members can let their imaginations run wild and explore new approaches that can catapult your business to new heights.
- Fuel for motivation: Nothing ignites motivation like a change of scenery. The excitement and anticipation of the retreat inject a surge of energy into your team. They'll return to the office with a renewed drive, ready to tackle challenges head-on and achieve remarkable results.
- Engage in activities you wouldn’t be able to enjoy in the office: Some of the games we mentioned, such as Cooking Challenge, would be near impossible to play in the office, not to mention dangerous! At an offsite retreat, you’ll have the space and facilities to do just that. But it doesn’t stop at the Cooking Challenge, how about Music Jam?! Get your guitars and creativity ready, as a singalong around a campfire at a beach could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
- Happy and fulfilled team members: Taking care of your team's well-being and happiness is a recipe for success. By treating them to an offsite retreat, you show that you value their contribution and are invested in their growth. This fosters a positive work culture, and ultimately leads to a more engaged and satisfied team.
So prepare for an unforgettable journey of growth and connection. An offsite retreat is the secret sauce that can transform your team into a force to be reckoned with.
How can Surf Office help with an offsite retreat?
Uh-oh, looks like you're caught in a pickle. You've just discovered the wonders of planning a team off-site adventure and now you're all hyped up. But hold your horses, the confusing logistics have you scratching your head in confusion. Don't you worry, because Surf Office is here to swoop in and save the day!
At Surf Office, we totally understand the importance of a motivated and inspired team. We know that a little extra oomph can work wonders for your success. That's why we're offering you an unbeatable opportunity to unlock your team's full potential and take productivity to a whole new level.
Imagine this: an epic offsite retreat in jaw-dropping destinations worldwide, carefully handpicked to blend work and fun seamlessly. Our spaces are designed to ignite collaboration and let loose those creative juices. Whether it's a stunning beachfront paradise or an urban escape, we create an atmosphere where your team can truly shine.
So, why wait? Get in touch with us today and let us be your secret weapon for a kickass company retreat.
