Fact: not all group activities are made equal – especially in professional settings! At their best, they bring teams together in a relaxed and engaging environment, stimulate conversation, put smiles on people’s faces, and turn acquaintances into friends. Unfortunately, if done wrong, they can rapidly turn into mundane affairs that leave attendees desperate to escape! The secret to success?
Choosing something fun to do. Whether you’re incorporating them into team-building retreats, Fun Fridays, team celebrations, or other social events of this nature, picking unique, entertaining, and exciting activities makes a big difference. If you want some help honing in on suitable options, here are 25 of the best group activities for adults.
The best group activities for all occasions
Let’s start with 5 of our favorites. No matter the occasion or the number of people coming, these group activity ideas should always go down a treat.
1. Comedy Shows
Spend the evening sipping drinks between belly laughs at a local comedy show. A perfect activity for whenever life feels too serious, it’ll help the team let off steam, lifting everyone’s mood and promoting a healthier atmosphere in the office.
There are two ways to enjoy this group activity: book tickets to a comedy venue in town or host a show of your own. The first option’s more popular, but the second is simpler to organize than you’d think. All you need to do is hire a comedian and a venue or find an unoccupied room wherever you work.
Alternatively, you could forget the comedian altogether and challenge your team to take on the role! Aside from being entertaining and different, delivering jokes will push people outside their comfort zones. Personal growth, camaraderie, and no shortage of laughs should soon follow.
2. Mixology Classes
Learning how to make cocktails is another engaging thing to do together. It couldn’t be simpler, either. A professional bartender brings the equipment and ingredients, shows you how to make your favorite alcoholic drinks, and then steps back while you enjoy the fruits of your labor!
We like how mixology classes are suitable for groups of all sizes, too. Whether you invite 5 or 500 people, everyone’s guaranteed a good time. It’s also something different – a unique activity that few people in the group will have likely done before.
The only caveat? It’s important to take people’s personal, cultural, and religious beliefs into account. For example, if you have a small team and someone doesn’t drink alcohol, then a different group activity might be more appropriate.
3. Bowling
Bowling’s a classic group activity for people of all ages, including adults. And, while there’s a danger your team will have done it one too many times, its popularity’s well-earned. If you’re looking for something accessible, affordable, straightforward to organize, and with a dose of friendly competition to boot, then bowling’s hard to beat.
Booking a few lanes at the local bowling alley should suffice for smaller groups. But for larger outings with lots of attendees, consider renting the entire venue so everyone can play at the same time. Want to spice things up? Decide teams in advance and turn it into a bowling tournament. With some company-sponsored drinks and snacks thrown in, a fun time’s guaranteed.
4. Quiz Night
Quiz nights boast many of the same elements we love about bowling. They’re budget-friendly and easy to organize. Anyone can get involved and have a good time. You can play in teams. And they involve an element of competition, which inevitably boosts engagement as people strive to win!
To organize one, you can find a venue (such as your office) and curate your own set of questions or go to a “proper” quiz night in town. Either way, for best results, we recommend awarding enviable prizes, such as cash, vouchers, or extra vacation days. Similar to bonuses employees get for hitting sales targets, having prizes available for quiz night winners should make everyone more inclined to participate.
5. Movie Night
Movie nights are a fun group activity for adults that you can adjust to meet your needs. For example, let’s say you’re a small team seeking a fun but easy/cheap team-building activity to do together outside work. You could simply find a movie everyone wants to watch on Netflix, then go to someone’s house at the weekend to watch it, taking some store-bought popcorn and drinks with you.
Now imagine you’re a big corporation organizing a company-wide event. You could hire a whole cinema, pay for catering, and roll out a red carpet for an Oscars-themed evening. It’s still a movie night – just a much fancier version!
Ultimately, the type of movie night you host will depend on your budget and intentions. Want a relaxed, intimate evening that forges closer bonds between people? Choose the first kind. But if you have money to burn and want a more memorable event that people will remember for years, do the latter.
Fun group activities for large groups
From having more people to please to needing larger venues to accommodate everyone, organizing activities for large groups can be a challenge. Here are 5 ideas that negate such obstacles and still provide a fun day out:
6. DIY Days
You’ve got a room full of timber, nails, glue, hammers, saws, and a dozen other materials and pieces of equipment. Then someone hits a buzzer, and you (and your team) have a set amount of time to design and build a particular gizmo. That, in a nutshell, is what happens on a DIY day!
Whether you have to build a mini chest of drawers, a shelving unit for mugs in the kitchen, or a life-sized model of the CEO, these activities are lots of fun – even if you’re not a DIY whizz. Likewise, you don’t have to use/keep the items you make, which you can dispose of (preferably in an eco-friendly way) afterward. Instead, the focus is on creativity, problem-solving, and working as a team.
7. Volunteer Days
Do you want to feel good about yourselves? To break out of the usual routine, get away from the meetings and computers, and give back to your local community?
Consider volunteering. It ticks all the right boxes, as well as giving everyone who does it a sense of purpose and camaraderie that’ll transfer back to the office. You could help at a soup kitchen, arrange a clean-up of the neighborhood, deliver care packages to the elderly, or reach out to charities to see if they need support.
It’s also worth surveying your team to see if they a) know about any volunteering opportunities and b) have any causes that are particularly important to them. Including them in the decision will help get their buy-in, which should make the experience much more rewarding.
8. Trampoline Park Visits
What could be more fun than bouncing from one trampoline to the next without fear of falling or hurting yourself? Trampoline parks offer exactly that. With an entire room full of trampolines at your disposal, you can run, jump, spin, and twist until your hearts are content – getting a great physical workout in the process.
That’s right, these venues aren’t just for kids! They cater to everyone, allowing adults to embrace their playful side and enjoy a few hours of respite from day-to-day concerns. Groups of every size can expect a fun-filled day, but you may need/want to hire the entire venue if you’re taking a really significant number of people.
9. Silent Discos
Silent discos are a fantastic alternative to traditional nights out with the crew. You’re still on a dancefloor, listening to your favorite songs and boogieing into the early hours. However, instead of blaring music over speakers, everyone listens via headphones. Take them off, and the only noise you hear is the shuffling of feet and occasional shouted conversations!
Given their popularity, you may see these discos advertised at local bars and clubs each weekend. If you spot one, feel free to book tickets for the group and waltz down for a night of silent shenanigans! However, the other option is to organize one. Rent a venue (preferably with a bar), hire a DJ and the necessary equipment, and away you go. In either case, it’ll be a unique experience that nobody will forget in a hurry.
10. City/Food Tours
Tours of any kind make fantastic group activities for adults. From private tours of museums, vineyards, and breweries to nature tours and ghost tours, they provide opportunities to socialize and connect with each other (not to mention learning something about a new topic or place).
City tours and food tours tend to be the most popular, though. The first involves exploring (often on a bus, but sometimes by foot) a city’s most noteworthy sites, learning about its culture and history as you go. The second revolves around a destination’s food scene. You’ll go to local eateries, dine on traditional fare, and learn about its culinary traditions. Needless to say, they’re both worth doing – especially if you tailor them to the group’s specific interests and tastes.
Fun group activities for small groups
Struggling to find a fun activity that caters to smaller groups? In this section, we cover 5 prime possibilities that combine intimacy with ease:
11. See a Show
Fun cultural activities for small groups of adults don’t get much better than seeing a show. Whether you watch a famous musical on Broadway or a small production at the local theatre, you’ll enjoy a sociable, entertaining, and memorable evening. It’s exciting too! You might get dressed up, go out for dinner beforehand, and sip on glasses of prosecco as you watch the performance.
As a bonus, this activity should be nice and easy to organize. Once you’ve found a musical or production that everyone’s interested in (consider sending an email survey weeks in advance with a few different options for people to choose from), it’s a matter of booking tickets and sending calendar invites!
12. Ax Throwing
There are traditional group activities for adults. And then there’s ax throwing. An excellent choice for groups wanting to do something unique, think darts…but with razor-sharp tomahawks. Simply find an ax-throwing venue near you (they’re more common than you might think in cities), book a time slot, and then take turns throwing actual axes at a target across the room!
Don’t worry – it’s safer than it sounds. You’re given a full safety briefing beforehand and always throw axes under the watchful eye of an instructor. Expect an unforgettable (if slightly nerve-wracking) experience that everyone will remember and talk about for days.
13. Board Game Night
A board game night involves getting together to play things like Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly, Scrabble, or Chess. As you can imagine, it’s hardly as action-packed as ax-throwing! But with music on in the background and some snacks to nibble on, it’s still a fun, intimate, and wholesome way to socialize as a group.
They’re also incredibly cheap. Heck, if you host a board game night at someone’s house and ask everyone to bring games they already own, then it doesn’t have to cost a dime! And, of course, you aren’t restricted to board games. Play whatever you like, such as cards (poker and blackjack are always popular), communication games, games like charades, or even the latest gaming consoles.
14. Themed Go-Kart Racing
Go-karting’s another group activity for adults that always delivers. Never been? You basically pretend you’re a NASCAR driver for a few hours! After donning a driver’s suit and helmet, you race each other at high-speed around a track. It’s exciting, high-octane, and competitive – a combo that’ll leave you grinning from ear to ear.
If you want to make go-karting even more enjoyable, though, we recommend making it a themed event. Dress up like Mario Cart characters, for example, or go as your favorite superheroes. Just remember you’ll (probably) be given an official driver’s suit to wear from the venue. That means any costumes must a) fit over the top and b) not pose any safety risks. It’ll be worth calling the venue beforehand to explain your plans and check what you’re allowed to wear.
15. Alternative Come Dine with Me
Come Dine with Me is a group activity where you take turns cooking a meal for each other. After each dinner party, the “guests” rate the food/experience from 1 to 10. When everyone’s hosted, you add up the scores. Whoever scored the highest wins!
This version of Come Dine with Me is always fun. But it can also take a long time. For example, if there are seven people in the group, it’d be a weeklong experience at minimum (if each person cooked on a different night). So if that’s unfeasible, an alternative approach is to play over a single day – where each person cooks a different dish for everyone else to try.
If someone’s willing to host, you can do this in a single kitchen. However, you could also take a cab or carpool from one house to the next. The result is an entire day of cooking and eating – finishing with a vote for who made the best dish.
Outdoor group activities for adults
Some of the best group activities take place outside. If the weather’s good and you work in a team of outdoor enthusiasts, the following options could be ideal:
16. Picnics
On warm and sunny days, there’s nothing better than sitting outside with friends, munching pre-prepared snacks and finger food while chatting, listening to music, and playing games. To put it another way, you can’t beat a picnic! Light-hearted, wholesome, and budget-friendly, it’s a top outdoor activity – particularly in summer.
Furthermore, while picnics are fun activities in their own right, they’re also a perfect accompaniment to many other ideas on this list. For example, why not pack a picnic to eat during or after a city tour? Or on a volunteer day? Or on a hike (something we’ll talk about soon)? Doing so will help you save money and spend even more time as a group.
17. Group Yoga Classes
Group yoga classes have boomed in popularity in recent years. And for good reason. Not only do they bring people together in a fun, relaxing environment, but yoga’s also a fantastic way to improve physical and mental health. You move your body, work your muscles, and calm your mind, all in the same holistic practice.
Now imagine hiring a yoga teacher to lead classes for your team in a beautiful open-air location, such as the beach or a forest! It’d be the cherry on top of what’s already a fun group activity for adults. Having said that, yoga classes don’t have to take place outside. If you don’t fancy being exposed to the elements, you’ll get as much value from hiring a yoga teacher to come to the office or lead a class at their studio.
18. Fun Runs
Fun runs are exactly what they sound like! They’re light-hearted, non-competitive “races” hosted by various organizations to help people do something active and have a good time. If you live anywhere urban, there’s bound to be fun runs taking place nearby! Why not sign up to run one as a group?
Combine it with some fundraising to make the day extra special. Indeed, a fun run is a great way to raise money for causes your team is passionate about. Create a page on a site like GoFundMe, promote it to your professional network or loved ones, and see how much you can raise.
19. Group Hikes
Hiking is one of the best group activities for adults who love the great outdoors. After all, you’re in nature, doing something physical, inhaling beautiful fresh air, and passing through stunning landscapes. What’s not to like!? You can cater this activity to different fitness and experience levels, too. For instance, newbie hikers can stick to marked trails on flat terrain and still enjoy most of those benefits.
If you want to take this idea to another level, though, you could combine it with a camping trip. Pack an overnight bag, hike to a campsite in the wild, and spend the evening eating, drinking, swapping stories, and singing songs around a campfire. Expect a much more memorable experience that unites the team to a greater extent.
20. Paintball or Airsoft
Spending the afternoon getting shot at with paintballs or pellets might not sound like fun. But ask anyone who’s ever played paintball or airsoft, and they’ll tell you the opposite! Fast-paced and action-packed, both activities provide enjoyable and memorable days out for anyone who attends – bruises notwithstanding.
For those unsure about the differences, paintball involves firing small balls of paint at each other from a special gun, whereas airsoft uses tiny plastic pellets, or BBs, which you shoot from replica weapons. Both generally take place outdoors and pit teams against each other in a series of games, such as Capture the Flag.
Quick and easy activities for adults
Short on time? Want a fun group activity to fill an hour or two? Or to function as a warm-up or an ice-breaker before you move on to more serious work? Here are 5 quick and easy options to consider:
21. Office High Tea
Office High Teas are like the ultimate work break. You step away from your desk, meet with your colleagues, and spend an hour or two indulging in delicious cakes, nibbles, and hot cups of tea/coffee. A lovely and laidback group activity, it’s easy to organize and budget-friendly, too.
Depending on how much trouble you want to go to, you could also bake the cakes yourself (versus buying pre-made ones from the store). Or, better yet, why not turn it into a team effort? Everyone in the group could pick a cake recipe, bake it at home, and then bring in the finished product for high tea. You could even make it a competition! Vote on the best cakes and award prizes to the winners.
22. Team-Building Games
Team-building games come in many shapes and sizes. What they have in common is their suitability for fun group activities for adults! They’re a) engaging, b) designed to bring people closer, and c) can achieve a wide range of powerful outcomes, from improving communication to facilitating trust. Here’s a quick list of team-building activities to try:
- Human Knot – The group stands in a circle facing inward, puts their right hand into the middle, and clasps the hand of someone opposite them. Their job is to untangle themselves within a certain time limit without letting go of the other person’s hand.
- Two Truths, One Lie – Group members take turns saying two truthful statements and one false statement about themselves. The others must ask questions and talk with each other to decide which statement is a lie.
- Egg Drop – Large groups get divided into smaller teams. They’re then given an egg and a collection of everyday office items (e.g., paper, tape, cardboard boxes, and string) with which they must design a contraption to protect the egg from a drop. After 10 to 15 minutes of building, their design is put to the test. If the egg doesn’t break, the team gets a prize.
23. Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts activities aren’t just for kids! Creative and calming, you’d be surprised how much fun they can be for adults, too. Here are a few suggestions if you’re wondering what to do/make:
- Create sculptures out of clay and wire
- Build 3D art pieces out of natural materials, like driftwood from the beach
- Make tie-die t-shirts
- Do different types of drawing or painting
- Learn how to do origami
- Make candles
- Make jewelry
As for practicalities, you could pay for actual arts and crafts classes or simply bring the materials you need into the office. Likewise, although we’ve devoted this section to quick and easy group activities for adults, you can spend as long as you want doing arts and crafts! Whether it’s an hour-long session or an entire afternoon, you stand to gain a lot from this experience.
24. Post-Work Drinks
Here’s a go-to activity for work teams that want to a) hang out in an informal setting and b) get to know each other better in the process. A celebration of another day in the office coming to an end, post-work drinks involve exactly what you’d expect: going out for a drink (or three) at the end of a busy day – usually on a Friday.
This is another group activity that can be as casual or complex as you want, though. Popping to the local bar for a cocktail with colleagues will suffice for the most part. But it isn’t unheard of for businesses to hire entire venues, pay for DJs, and use the company card to buy everyone’s beverages throughout the evening!
25. Work Lunch
Work lunches prove that fun group activities for adults don’t have to be expensive or elaborate. You can have a whale of a time by simply going out for a meal in the middle of the day! It helps that the boss is paying, of course. But the real magic comes from spending quality time together away from the computer, with good food to sweeten the deal.
It’s worth noting that this group activity will be as fun as you make it, though. For instance, going to a café for a company-sponsored meal is nice. But it’s hardly worth writing home about. However, if you set a theme, decorate the office, ask everyone to wear a costume, and hire an entertainer to come in for an hour, then having fun is most definitely on the menu.
Try these fun group activities for adults this year
Fun group activities for adults deliver a range of benefits no matter who or what they’re for. Yet we’ve seen first-hand how they can be of particular value in a professional environment. Done right, you can expect a boost in everything from team bonding to employee morale and productivity.
We hope this list of activities gave you some ideas that you can use on your next team-building retreat. Let us know if you need help with the logistics! With 10+ years of experience organizing these events for companies in the US and Europe, we’ll take the hassle out of the process and ensure you have a successful time.
